Track Prep & Recommendations Thread

[Joe Stang]

This car is perfectly fine in stock form to take to the track or do an autoX event. With that being said, if this isn't your first rodeo there are a few things you are going to want to do. Here are the things that are on my list to eventually complete but I will track the car in different stages along the way.

Get track decals
Get track insurance
Lighter track wheels (Have the Project6R R spec wheels on order)
PS2 tires in GT350R sizes
Camber plates and track alignment
Possible spring changes down the road if FP releases a kit with revised MRC programming
AutoBlip module
Brake pads if the OEM ones exhibit fade on the track
Replace brake fluid
Install 4-point cage
Install racing seat with 6-point harness

Hate to sound stupid but please tell me more about AutoBlip.

Thanks!

Joe

Sponsored

 

[buggy whip]

I've done the following:

UPR GT350 Catch Can


I have not yet tried to go for the track alignment, and since I drive on the street a ton, I'm not sure I will bother with it. Tire wear and balance is quite good so far with my driving style. I may get some camber plates that I can mark, so I can easily change the settings between track and street, but at this point I'll probably wait for my first set of tires to wear out before making any changes.

I would like to get a wider throttle pedal since I have a very hard time heel/toe shifting in this car (well, in pretty much any car).

Eventually I may get some lightweight wheels and r-comps, but the car is great with street tires so I may end up holding off on that for longer than I had originally planned.

Brakes pads, fluids, and rotors are holding up very well after two events. Tires are looking quite good as well. For me, the car is doing great stock, so I don't feel the need to make any updates yet.

From a track day perspective, I like to bring the following items:
Helmet
Magnetic Numbers (and painters tape to prevent them from coming off at high speed, but you can also just use tape to create numbers)
Folding Chair
Extra oil
Toolbox
Jack
Sunscreen
Cooler with water/gatorade
electric impact wrench
torque wrench
windshield cleaner
paper towels or cloth
zipties
tire repair plugs
small air compressor

With my Z I'd also bring:
Brake fluid
power steering fluid
brake pads

I almost never use any of the crap that I bring, but it is nice to know that I can repair a flat, change brake pads, or top off fluids if necessary. I almost always am lending something out to someone at the event.

-T

Check out Sullivan Racing Products
They make peddles to heel-n-toe very easy.
The gas peddle comes in Standard, Med. & Extra Wide.
You choose the style & finish you want. They're made out of aluminum.

 

[Sprintamx]

First, and foremost, with this being your first track experience, other than basic safety and operational issues, do NOT focus on the car. Focus on you! For at least the first year of consistent HPDE / Track Days, your skills and performance are the focus, not the car. That's an oversimplification, but the point is important.

You're fortunate to have one of the best out-of-the-box track-capable production cars. There are no performance or functional mods you need to do to this car. And, yes, that includes getting different alignment settings, at least at the moment.

I'll assume that your brake pad, brake fluid, tire and mechanical conditions are all solid. If not, you'll need to address those; and stick with OE for now when you do. Most event organizers are going to require a pre-event tech inspection to be performed by a competent person BEFORE the event, with a completed form to prove that you did so. That form should indicate all of the mechanical and safety issues you should focus on for the event.

You do not need harnesses, neck restraints, roll bars, etc. for intro HPDE events. Are they helpful? Absolutely. Are they recommended? Depends. But, not at this point.

Most event organizers will assign you a car number, that will need to be displayed on at least two sides of the car. Typically the numbers will need to be at least 6" high and should be a contrasting color for easy visibility. Magnetic and removable vinyl are good choices, but I'd recommend using good 'ol painters tape for your first event. Do not, I repeat, do not use shoe polish.

BRING A GOOD TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE!! You might also consider bringing a torque wrench and the appropriate socket just to check the torque throughout the day. Most organizers will check your torque in the pre-event tech inspection process.

Bring a notebook and pen to record track conditions, tire pressures, your thoughts / impressions, and any instruction tips you get in class or in-car. Smartphone apps and tablets are another option. There will be so much happening, even in a 20 minute track session, that you'll forget most of what goes on if you don't take the time to focus on those details.

I'm going to assume you will not be trying to rotate tires or swap from a street to track setup for your first event, so I won't mention bringing a jack, impact gun, etc.

Get plenty of rest!

Accept that you'll get stressed. Allow that to happen, then allow yourself to relax and have a blast!

Some of this has already been mentioned, but I'll repeat:

Bring layers of clothing, including long sleeved shirts or sweatshirts; stick with natural fibers.
Good shoes for driving; you do not NEED driving shoes at this point. Good shoes have a relatively stiff sole and will allow you to roll or rotate your foot for heel-toe. They also should have enough grip not to slip on the pedals. A good sneaker can do the job at this point.
Folding chairs. You are going to want to sit, relax and recuperate.
Broad brimmed hat and/or sunblock. Many tracks have little or no shade and it can get damn hot in the pits.
Cooler with lots of clear liquids. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!
Cotton or micro fiber towels that you can stick in the ice of your cooler and put on the back of your neck, head . . . This can be a real life-saver.
Salt and sugar snacks.
Decent protein and carbohydrate food options.
Good plastic container(s) to hold all your stuff.
Ground cloth / tarp to put your stuff on, or to cover your stuff if it rains.
Paper towels and glass cleaner.
Bring a friend?
Be prepared to make friends.
Bring a camera to take pics of all the awesome cars!
Be prepared to discover a whole new hobby, compulsion, addiction . . .

We could have a whole discussion on tools, spares, etc. I'm going to suggest keeping things as simple and stress free as possible right now. You can certainly bring a can of fix-a-flat or other options to repair a flat tire, spare brake pads, the tools to do a swap, and so on. If that will make you comfortable and that's how you role, then have at it. Otherwise, I suggest thinking about what you will do if you have a mechanical issue and need a tow. Plan that in advance. I've used AAA before, but that can be tricky.

Consider getting HPDE Track Day insurance. Lockton Affinity offers a decent agreed-value package.

This is not an exhaustive all-inclusive list, but it should get you into your first event with everything you need. Over time you'll develop a system that works for you and you'll be on your way down the slippery slope. Pretty soon you'll be thinking about lap timers, video, data and more. That's all great and can be very helpful for advancing your skill and fun. But for now, stay focused on you as the driver.

Enjoy!

 

[bpracer]

...
BRING A GOOD TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE!! You might also consider bringing a torque wrench and the appropriate socket just to check the torque throughout the day.
...

Buy a good gauge just use that one. They can vary wildly...

 

[Essex Wire]

What are you going to do if you need a tow off track? Does the R come with tow hook points?

Oh, and the Owner's Supplement that you'll be getting contains a pamphlet from Ford on how they recommend you set up the car for track use.

 

[AMpowerJ]

Hate to sound stupid but please tell me more about AutoBlip.

Thanks!

Joe

http://www.auto-blip.com

Poor man's rev matching when you downshift while using the brake. It basically takes away the need to heel/toe for downshifting so you can just focus on braking with your right foot and using the clutch with your left. I can heel & toe and I have ordered the SPR racing pedals to assist with that in this car but the Autoblip would just take one variable out of the equation. When most cars on the track now days probably have DCT, PDK, or some sort of automatic transmission, this is just a little equalizer. My last M3 had rev matching from the factory and I liked it.

 

[Sprintamx]

Hate to sound stupid but please tell me more about AutoBlip.

Thanks!

Joe

"Auto Blip" or "Throttle Blip" is programming the ECM to increase revs when the clutch is engaged to match engine speed with transmission speed / wheel speed when downshifting. This would replace the typical heal-toe rev matching process when downshifting.

There are many parameters to program. and an auto-blip typically will not activate until you're passed a threshold level of rpm and ground speed.

 

[ohtobbad]

Not sure I would like this or not, I always used heel and toe method.
I need to find the thread with race peddles for heel and toe.

 

[icormba]

I have "auto blip" or "SynchroRev Match" on my Nissan 370Z (one of the 1st cars to use it) and I really like it.

It's one thing I miss while driving the GT350, but going without will force me to learn.

One thing to note... it will really heat-up the transmission and oil temps even in regular driving. It does with my 370Z anyway.

 

[fuhrius]

Not sure I would like this or not, I always used heel and toe method.
I need to find the thread with race peddles for heel and toe.

Sullivan Racing.

 

[fuhrius]

http://www.auto-blip.com

Poor man's rev matching when you downshift while using the brake. It basically takes away the need to heel/toe for downshifting so you can just focus on braking with your right foot and using the clutch with your left. I can heel & toe and I have ordered the SPR racing pedals to assist with that in this car but the Autoblip would just take one variable out of the equation. When most cars on the track now days probably have DCT, PDK, or some sort of automatic transmission, this is just a little equalizer. My last M3 had rev matching from the factory and I liked it.

'poor man's' might not be the best description as the auto-blip costs money and learning to do it yourself doesn't cost anything.

 

[fuhrius]

I have "auto blip" or "SynchroRev Match" on my Nissan 370Z (one of the 1st cars to use it) and I really like it.

It's one thing I miss while driving the GT350, but going without will force me to learn.

One thing to note... it will really heat-up the transmission and oil temps even in regular driving. It does with my 370Z anyway.

curious why that would be.

 

[Goofball]

Great thread!

 

[fuhrius]

You do not need harnesses, neck restraints, roll bars, etc. for intro HPDE events. Are they helpful? Absolutely. Are they recommended? Depends. But, not at this point.

Enjoy!

I hear this sentiment all the time and I find it curious. The suggestion seems to be that more experienced drivers need safety equipment because they're going faster..and less experienced drivers don't need safety equipment because they're going slower.
I think that's BS.
Yes, safety equipment is absolutely helpful when you hit something. Will you hit something? maybe...if you track long enough...probably. Will you know which day you're going to hit something? no. Does hitting things correlate with how experienced you are? I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[mattlqx]

I hear this sentiment all the time and I find it curious. The suggestion seems to be that more experienced drivers need safety equipment because they're going faster..and less experienced drivers don't need safety equipment because they're going slower.
I think that's BS.
Yes, safety equipment is absolutely helpful when you hit something. Will you hit something? maybe...if you track long enough...probably. Will you know which day you're going to hit something? no. Does hitting things correlate with how experienced you are? I wouldn't bet on it.

It's more about half-assing it. If you just throw harnesses in your car with some janky attachments, you're going to do yourself more harm than good in an accident. Additional safety when done correctly is always a good thing, but additional safety when partially implemented could kill you.

Bottom line is unless you're going to put in a roll bar, buy neck restraints and properly run your anti-sub belt, you're better off sticking with the stock 3-point seat belt from a safety perspective.

Sponsored