What does it really cost to track a vette?
07-01-2015, 10:40 PM
#41
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
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To a large degree this is what i am getting at. My car has been more or less broke since i pushed it hard in june of 2014. and since then has cost me 15-20k depending what i spend on this engine.
The question is, did i hit a **** part of the failure curve, and if i put a motor in it, can it last 50+ trackdays with only maintenence items? Or do most people just drive slow or lie, and these cars don't last all that well at all?
I read numerous reports of people getting 50-75 track days before any major failures. Now having some experience, and meeting people like that at the track, its cause they are slow. I refuse to pussyfoot around on the track, its a max personal effort type deal for me. I love it, but if i cant afford it, i cant afford it. That is why i am trying to figure out if these costs will work out over the next 5+ years or if next year i will just have to replace the trans again, lol.
If i can figure the car will stay together, ill drop the 8-9k on a texas speed shortblock with some decent parts. If the car just cannot last, and i should expect it to cost roughly 10k a year jsut to keep it driving. It is just too much for me to afford.
I will never reduce myself to being one of those *******s in a miata that i have to drop 4-5 mph in any corner to not smash into at apex. Just cant do it. Any much slower isn't viable for me.
The question is, did i hit a **** part of the failure curve, and if i put a motor in it, can it last 50+ trackdays with only maintenence items? Or do most people just drive slow or lie, and these cars don't last all that well at all?
I read numerous reports of people getting 50-75 track days before any major failures. Now having some experience, and meeting people like that at the track, its cause they are slow. I refuse to pussyfoot around on the track, its a max personal effort type deal for me. I love it, but if i cant afford it, i cant afford it. That is why i am trying to figure out if these costs will work out over the next 5+ years or if next year i will just have to replace the trans again, lol.
If i can figure the car will stay together, ill drop the 8-9k on a texas speed shortblock with some decent parts. If the car just cannot last, and i should expect it to cost roughly 10k a year jsut to keep it driving. It is just too much for me to afford.
I will never reduce myself to being one of those *******s in a miata that i have to drop 4-5 mph in any corner to not smash into at apex. Just cant do it. Any much slower isn't viable for me.
Bill
07-01-2015, 11:57 PM
#43
Instructor
There is a reason I can't seem to stop racing motocross, I buy a new bike every other year, and race as much as a guy can with a very supportive wife and a 2 and 3 year old. And it's cheaper a year than 4 track days in the vette.
07-02-2015, 09:15 AM
#44
Drifting
If you think what I have broken over the past six years is too much, then you aren't ready for the reality of tracking a car (any car). I am historically easy on equipment compared to some of my competition.
Sounds like you have not had good instruction, if any. You could benefit from someone like me. If you were to let me, I guarantee you that I will start you in one of our 4cyl cars with 195/15s first. You will become a far better driver for it. If a driver doesn't know how to maintain momentum with 140hp car in the corners on the edge of grip with 300tw tires, he will rarely pick it up very quickly in a 400hp car on A6s. The learning curve is just too great, too scary to do it correctly. When we get back into the 400hp car on A6s, you better be ready for your ***** to start sweating when I tell you "gas, Gas, GAS! WOT!!!!" on trackout of a 87mph apex and you are winding out 3rd gear at 105mph in a four wheel drift and needing to shift to 4th. And I want to hear you cry when I say, "Don't brake until I say so" into the next brake zone. There are several on here that have been in the car with me doing just that and they are far faster, and easier, on the equipment than they used to be because they learned proper cornering, which equates to less need to hammer the car inappropriately to make up for time.
As for equipment failures, I will echo the others in saying that intermediate drivers are typically the hardest on equipment. They have the harshest driving skills because they KNOW what they are supposed to be doing. When they make a mistake, they try even harder to make up for the car lengths they just lost to their buddy in front of them. They have also yet to learn the reality of tracking a car, what is truly a consumable, and the detailed nut and bolt prep prior to an event.
Here's a secret tip: After your third track day, the ENTIRE car is a CONSUMABLE.
Sounds like you have not had good instruction, if any. You could benefit from someone like me. If you were to let me, I guarantee you that I will start you in one of our 4cyl cars with 195/15s first. You will become a far better driver for it. If a driver doesn't know how to maintain momentum with 140hp car in the corners on the edge of grip with 300tw tires, he will rarely pick it up very quickly in a 400hp car on A6s. The learning curve is just too great, too scary to do it correctly. When we get back into the 400hp car on A6s, you better be ready for your ***** to start sweating when I tell you "gas, Gas, GAS! WOT!!!!" on trackout of a 87mph apex and you are winding out 3rd gear at 105mph in a four wheel drift and needing to shift to 4th. And I want to hear you cry when I say, "Don't brake until I say so" into the next brake zone. There are several on here that have been in the car with me doing just that and they are far faster, and easier, on the equipment than they used to be because they learned proper cornering, which equates to less need to hammer the car inappropriately to make up for time.
As for equipment failures, I will echo the others in saying that intermediate drivers are typically the hardest on equipment. They have the harshest driving skills because they KNOW what they are supposed to be doing. When they make a mistake, they try even harder to make up for the car lengths they just lost to their buddy in front of them. They have also yet to learn the reality of tracking a car, what is truly a consumable, and the detailed nut and bolt prep prior to an event.
Here's a secret tip: After your third track day, the ENTIRE car is a CONSUMABLE.
07-02-2015, 09:55 AM
#45
Le Mans Master
That's my rule-of-thumb as well.
HPDE event registration with the groups I run with is $200-275 per day.
Then factor in at least $150ish in fuel (diesel for the tow rig - E85 for the Z06). A hotel is another $125-150 a night.
We're already at ~$800 without factoring in a single dollar for wear on brake pads, brake rotors, tires, oil change, etc, etc.
Road racing is definitely not a poor mans game.
HPDE event registration with the groups I run with is $200-275 per day.
Then factor in at least $150ish in fuel (diesel for the tow rig - E85 for the Z06). A hotel is another $125-150 a night.
We're already at ~$800 without factoring in a single dollar for wear on brake pads, brake rotors, tires, oil change, etc, etc.
Road racing is definitely not a poor mans game.
07-02-2015, 10:08 AM
#46
Pro
Thread Starter
If you think what I have broken over the past six years is too much, then you aren't ready for the reality of tracking a car (any car). I am historically easy on equipment compared to some of my competition.
Sounds like you have not had good instruction, if any. You could benefit from someone like me. If you were to let me, I guarantee you that I will start you in one of our 4cyl cars with 195/15s first. You will become a far better driver for it. If a driver doesn't know how to maintain momentum with 140hp car in the corners on the edge of grip with 300tw tires, he will rarely pick it up very quickly in a 400hp car on A6s. The learning curve is just too great, too scary to do it correctly. When we get back into the 400hp car on A6s, you better be ready for your ***** to start sweating when I tell you "gas, Gas, GAS! WOT!!!!" on trackout of a 87mph apex and you are winding out 3rd gear at 105mph in a four wheel drift and needing to shift to 4th. And I want to hear you cry when I say, "Don't brake until I say so" into the next brake zone. There are several on here that have been in the car with me doing just that and they are far faster, and easier, on the equipment than they used to be because they learned proper cornering, which equates to less need to hammer the car inappropriately to make up for time.
As for equipment failures, I will echo the others in saying that intermediate drivers are typically the hardest on equipment. They have the harshest driving skills because they KNOW what they are supposed to be doing. When they make a mistake, they try even harder to make up for the car lengths they just lost to their buddy in front of them. They have also yet to learn the reality of tracking a car, what is truly a consumable, and the detailed nut and bolt prep prior to an event.
Here's a secret tip: After your third track day, the ENTIRE car is a CONSUMABLE.
Sounds like you have not had good instruction, if any. You could benefit from someone like me. If you were to let me, I guarantee you that I will start you in one of our 4cyl cars with 195/15s first. You will become a far better driver for it. If a driver doesn't know how to maintain momentum with 140hp car in the corners on the edge of grip with 300tw tires, he will rarely pick it up very quickly in a 400hp car on A6s. The learning curve is just too great, too scary to do it correctly. When we get back into the 400hp car on A6s, you better be ready for your ***** to start sweating when I tell you "gas, Gas, GAS! WOT!!!!" on trackout of a 87mph apex and you are winding out 3rd gear at 105mph in a four wheel drift and needing to shift to 4th. And I want to hear you cry when I say, "Don't brake until I say so" into the next brake zone. There are several on here that have been in the car with me doing just that and they are far faster, and easier, on the equipment than they used to be because they learned proper cornering, which equates to less need to hammer the car inappropriately to make up for time.
As for equipment failures, I will echo the others in saying that intermediate drivers are typically the hardest on equipment. They have the harshest driving skills because they KNOW what they are supposed to be doing. When they make a mistake, they try even harder to make up for the car lengths they just lost to their buddy in front of them. They have also yet to learn the reality of tracking a car, what is truly a consumable, and the detailed nut and bolt prep prior to an event.
Here's a secret tip: After your third track day, the ENTIRE car is a CONSUMABLE.
For clarification I consider myself not slow, not trying to get anyone riled up, but last year i clearly punched through a wall and moved from just being slow, which in a c5z still makes you faster then most people on track. I never claimed I was or am anything like fast. The point of this post was to see peoples cost spreadsheet.
I don't doubt there is something to the whole momentum thing, but my take is that the hardest thing to do, that no instructor ever helped me with, was to understand how to push the car into slip angle and how to drive it at that point, vs just having the limit set at complete adhesion.
It's much easier to just move your braking point 20 feet deeper at a time and find where your last comfortable point is and hold momentum, then to understand that 400 hp isn't going to disappear out from under you and spin out in firey death when you are heavy in the throttle at 1.1-1.2g's(street tires) in slip mid corner.
Last year in my 3 day RA weekend I knew i was WAY off times my car could make and sort of just started blindly pushing harder as my instructor in the morning said i could move up, and that's all he had for me. As stated before, i have never had good instruction. On friday I cut 5 seconds off my times and by sunday i shaved another 3 and my trans was broke. Syncro key failure, which everyone has in a t56 and i don't believe is any sign of abuse. As also stated befor eon disassembley i had found the 1/2 syncro key was already replaced, which leads me to believe the car may have just been beat to ****, which is what i am trying to figure out.
I am not a racecar driver, you are, but from telemetry i can say i can enter corners at lots of different speeds and exit at the same speed. I get that i am using HP to do that but if i come in 5mph slow it just means i can get on the gas sooner and with 400hp 65 to 69mph isn't really time relative to hpde. I don't claim to not be leaving time on the track, but I am running as fast as I know how.
I know well enough to know there is no line, every route has optimal input formats, and any reasonable one washes out to very simmilar lap times relative to hpde, specifically if you don't hp throttle yourself in a miata-esque type car. I am not pretending i am fighting for that last tenth. I am fine with leaving a few seconds on the table, as long as its not me mentally leaving them on the table, but just not knowing how to get to them. If i don't know they are there, i wont worry about them.
I am assuming my car with original bushings and shocks and good street tires is good for mid to low 2:30's at RA. I am at 2:40 now in the rare occation i can find clear track. As I said I am NOT fast, i don't know how i would get to 2:35 at this point but 2:38-2:39 is definately possible for me if i could run a few uninterupted laps in a row. To a racecar driver 5-10 seconds off the mark is laughably slow sure, but my camera tells me normal times are in the 250's cause i got plenty of bumper shots for half laps of all sort of cars running 2:5x laps, and those people have no reliability issues.
Therein lies my "slow doesn't break" logic, and my "100% personal effort" logic, cause people in c5's or c6's or m3's or 911's running 25x's are clearly just holding back.
Last edited by Socko; 07-02-2015 at 10:11 AM.
07-02-2015, 10:23 AM
#47
Pro
Thread Starter
^^ Exactly my experience. Ran a C5Z for 5 years and never had an engine, clutch, tranny, or diff failure with probably 10k track miles. I started in it as a beginner and sold it with many track records and time trial and race wins. The key is I started with a car in excellent condition. If you are starting with a car that basically needs a full rebuild then you can't blame it on the track. The car should be fully refreshed BEFORE you start tracking it. In addition to making sure all components are in 100% as-new condition you should have an oil cooler, trans cooler, brake cooling ducts, SS brake lines with race fluid, track pads, SKF hubs (unless you are on street tires), katech belt tensioner, and Turn 1 PS pump. Then you have a car ready for some moderate track work. For heavier usage, then delrin, monoball or poly bushings, big brake kit, ZR1 front knuckles, dry sump, cage.
Oh and miatas aren't slow other than on the straights. Bring your C5Z out to CA and I'll show you. In fact, you will become a better driver if you spend time trying to turn fast laps in a miata.
Oh and miatas aren't slow other than on the straights. Bring your C5Z out to CA and I'll show you. In fact, you will become a better driver if you spend time trying to turn fast laps in a miata.
I have never seen a miata that didn't hold me up mid corner. Like it is a game I play, when i get behind them I will match their speed and go through corners with them, I am never at the limit and can always add throttle. I will recant if i ever personally see one, but even instructors with racing credits in miatas are slow as hell in my experience. Not saying it isn't possible, cause my lines aren't perfect by any means, but miatas on street tires are in no way impressive imo. Obviously anything on slicks is fast in corners if at/near the limit, lol. At the end of the day, i would love for someone to put me in my place. Just haven't come across the right person yet lol.
07-02-2015, 10:51 AM
#48
Melting Slicks
Bill is right:
"Oh and miatas aren't slow other than on the straights. Bring your C5Z out to CA and I'll show you. In fact, you will become a better driver if you spend time trying to turn fast laps in a miata."
And Bill is vary , VARY fast.
In a 45 car field here at the tracks we run, there will be 5 fast drivers and 40 drivers running HPDE times.
Personally, I think Miata's are boring but I've been a sponsored driver in them in the 25 Hour Endurance races - they are fast in the corners.
07-02-2015, 11:08 AM
#49
Racer
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Location: Washington DC
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Sorry to hear about your troubles with the Vette. I have been tracking a C5 for over 4 years now with no major failures. Started with this car in HPDE-2 and am now instructing and running NASA time trials, 59 days total on the car. Knock on wood, but I have seen no major failures. I’m using a 2002 C5 (non-Z), Z51, 6speed started at 69k miles and up to 120k now.
Car has a Vararam intake, axle-back exhaust, r-comps and brake pads. No upgraded radiator, no oil cooler, no trans cooler, no diff cooler.
Replaced since I’ve had the car:
- Water pump
- Coolant expansion tank
- Belts
- Stock calipers and DRM pistons
- Brake pads
- Countless brake rotors
- Amsoil synthetic trans and diff fluid
Last year I did 22 track days, spent $4000 on the car (second-hand C5Z rear wheels, tires, brake pads/rotors, fluids, tire install/balancing).
Car has a Vararam intake, axle-back exhaust, r-comps and brake pads. No upgraded radiator, no oil cooler, no trans cooler, no diff cooler.
Replaced since I’ve had the car:
- Water pump
- Coolant expansion tank
- Belts
- Stock calipers and DRM pistons
- Brake pads
- Countless brake rotors
- Amsoil synthetic trans and diff fluid
Last year I did 22 track days, spent $4000 on the car (second-hand C5Z rear wheels, tires, brake pads/rotors, fluids, tire install/balancing).
Last edited by Hat_Trick_Hokie; 07-02-2015 at 11:10 AM.
07-02-2015, 05:05 PM
#50
Maybe its from racing Chumpcar, knowing I have sub-optimal equipment that needs to be taken care, so I go in with the mindset of "I need to drive this home so don't blow it up" long before "I need to push every tiny bit of performance out of myself/car".
I run a 94 C4 with 180k miles on it (original engine as far as I can tell), thats lived a hard life.
To track it I buy old worn R888 tires from other Corvette drivers with more money then me. so $100
Front pads found from a fellow forum member, 80% of pad $35
Rear pads new ST43s - $65
Used cooling duct kit from Forum member - $75
Redline oils, diff/transmission - $100
Motul break fluid - $40
1 front wheel bearing - $75
So far I have done 4x autocross events
1x 5 session track day
1x 3 session track night
2x 1 session track night's (work/run)
No failures.
I run advance group and haven't been passed in case you are assuming I am putting around.
07-02-2015, 05:31 PM
#51
Race Director
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Deal's Gap 2004 NCM Motorsports track supporter
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I suppose the only real difference in maintenance of vettes vs. some other brands is the wear of tires, brake pads and rotors because the cars are heavy compared to some. However, there are more cars at the track as heavy or heavier than the lighter than vettes in a lot of cases. I like being able to run fast, chose my passing points and stay close to the front of the group in most cases. The vette allows me to do that. The good thing about an HPDE car is, that if you need to, you can let it sit until you find a good price to replace a broken part. There are plenty of good salvage dealers to obtain parts. If you really want to maintain an expensive car, go buy a W2W racecar and obligate yourself to a race schedule. 
07-02-2015, 06:42 PM
#52
Drifting
I was also surprised to see the real cost of running my c5z as a quick driver (time trials not hpde). As a result I've switched focus to autocross because I cannot afford to run TT and driving around at 7/10 behind people in HPDE is not fun or safe to me.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
07-02-2015, 07:06 PM
#53
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I was also surprised to see the real cost of running my c5z as a quick driver (time trials not hpde). As a result I've switched focus to autocross because I cannot afford to run TT and driving around at 7/10 behind people in HPDE is not fun or safe to me.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
07-02-2015, 08:01 PM
#54
Drifting
Come run with 10/10ths Motorsports in the red group; no point byes necessary. Has been a very safe, fast and satisfied group for years. Everyone keeps their head on a swivel. That makes it safe as it should be with all organizations. For that matter, if you pass everyone in the intermediate group, I'll pay for your room and gas.
07-02-2015, 08:59 PM
#55
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I might have to take you up on that offer if I can make the budget work. 1010ths advanced group does seem like a good way to do some testing since they have so much track time per day, but at the moment I simply cannot afford to run my car that much (3 hours in a day is $$$$). It sucks because I need the seat time but that's life.
07-02-2015, 10:08 PM
#56
Pro
Thread Starter
I was also surprised to see the real cost of running my c5z as a quick driver (time trials not hpde). As a result I've switched focus to autocross because I cannot afford to run TT and driving around at 7/10 behind people in HPDE is not fun or safe to me.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
Autox is less fun, but it's cheap as hell so I can run twice a month instead of twice a year.
Yeah i was doing the same thing this year, if i came up on a log jam, instead of fighting it i just pulled off. No reason to beat up the car running in traffic.
Last edited by Socko; 07-02-2015 at 10:39 PM.
07-03-2015, 06:43 AM
#57
Drifting
This has been my experience so far
07-03-2015, 11:46 AM
#58
Drifting
2002 Z06 bought used in 2004 with 2k on odometer (Currently 43k).
Tracked at TT & DE events about 4 or 5 times per year for 11 years.
Pretty much a daily driver in non freezing weather.
Pressure plate tabs broke off about 3 years ago requiring clutch replacement.
3 wheel bearings.
2 tie rod ends (mostly melted internally)
right rear caliper because it was making groaning noise
several sets of mismatched scrubs
a large quantity of rotors and brake pads
Annual oil change with 10W30 Mobil 1
New air filter every 5 years or so (just knocked the bugs out last week before going to Road America)
No trans or diff coolers.
2:34 has been my best time at Road America on several occasions, but most laps are probably 4 seconds slower.
I short shift into 4th before the turn in point for carrousel.
I usually do not go down into second at T5 or anywhere else.
I stay off the curbing (tried it T5 once and thought it would break something off)
I like running in advanced groups as people watch their mirrors and it's a rare occasion when you get held up for more than one corner.
At the the last NW Shelby event, I came home with a sore arm from pointing people by. I think a lot of cars were running 2:2x laps.
Some possibilities:
1. Your car was abused by previous owners.
2. You are hard on equipment.
3. You are very unlucky
4. I am luckiest C5 driver ever.
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Tracked at TT & DE events about 4 or 5 times per year for 11 years.
Pretty much a daily driver in non freezing weather.
Pressure plate tabs broke off about 3 years ago requiring clutch replacement.
3 wheel bearings.
2 tie rod ends (mostly melted internally)
right rear caliper because it was making groaning noise
several sets of mismatched scrubs
a large quantity of rotors and brake pads
Annual oil change with 10W30 Mobil 1
New air filter every 5 years or so (just knocked the bugs out last week before going to Road America)
No trans or diff coolers.
2:34 has been my best time at Road America on several occasions, but most laps are probably 4 seconds slower.
I short shift into 4th before the turn in point for carrousel.
I usually do not go down into second at T5 or anywhere else.
I stay off the curbing (tried it T5 once and thought it would break something off)
I like running in advanced groups as people watch their mirrors and it's a rare occasion when you get held up for more than one corner.
At the the last NW Shelby event, I came home with a sore arm from pointing people by. I think a lot of cars were running 2:2x laps.
Some possibilities:
1. Your car was abused by previous owners.
2. You are hard on equipment.
3. You are very unlucky
4. I am luckiest C5 driver ever.
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
07-03-2015, 01:13 PM
#59
Pro
Thread Starter
2002 Z06 bought used in 2004 with 2k on odometer (Currently 43k).
Tracked at TT & DE events about 4 or 5 times per year for 11 years.
Pretty much a daily driver in non freezing weather.
Pressure plate tabs broke off about 3 years ago requiring clutch replacement.
3 wheel bearings.
2 tie rod ends (mostly melted internally)
right rear caliper because it was making groaning noise
several sets of mismatched scrubs
a large quantity of rotors and brake pads
Annual oil change with 10W30 Mobil 1
New air filter every 5 years or so (just knocked the bugs out last week before going to Road America)
No trans or diff coolers.
2:34 has been my best time at Road America on several occasions, but most laps are probably 4 seconds slower.
I short shift into 4th before the turn in point for carrousel.
I usually do not go down into second at T5 or anywhere else.
I stay off the curbing (tried it T5 once and thought it would break something off)
I like running in advanced groups as people watch their mirrors and it's a rare occasion when you get held up for more than one corner.
At the the last NW Shelby event, I came home with a sore arm from pointing people by. I think a lot of cars were running 2:2x laps.
Some possibilities:
1. Your car was abused by previous owners.
2. You are hard on equipment.
3. You are very unlucky
4. I am luckiest C5 driver ever.
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Tracked at TT & DE events about 4 or 5 times per year for 11 years.
Pretty much a daily driver in non freezing weather.
Pressure plate tabs broke off about 3 years ago requiring clutch replacement.
3 wheel bearings.
2 tie rod ends (mostly melted internally)
right rear caliper because it was making groaning noise
several sets of mismatched scrubs
a large quantity of rotors and brake pads
Annual oil change with 10W30 Mobil 1
New air filter every 5 years or so (just knocked the bugs out last week before going to Road America)
No trans or diff coolers.
2:34 has been my best time at Road America on several occasions, but most laps are probably 4 seconds slower.
I short shift into 4th before the turn in point for carrousel.
I usually do not go down into second at T5 or anywhere else.
I stay off the curbing (tried it T5 once and thought it would break something off)
I like running in advanced groups as people watch their mirrors and it's a rare occasion when you get held up for more than one corner.
At the the last NW Shelby event, I came home with a sore arm from pointing people by. I think a lot of cars were running 2:2x laps.
Some possibilities:
1. Your car was abused by previous owners.
2. You are hard on equipment.
3. You are very unlucky
4. I am luckiest C5 driver ever.
Sorry to hear about your troubles.
What do you think slicks are worth at RA? my assumption was 2:20's are in the cards on not cycled out slicks? I tend to be smooth on my car, and it NEVER has been launched or anything since i owned it. I always make sure the oil is over 150 before i get it up to even 3k. on the street im very rarely over that anyways. I don't have issues with spinning it up on on ramps and such but that isn't hurting anything. On track i only use 3rd and 4th. 2nd is just sketchy and no place puts you under 3200-3300 rpm even on street tires in 3rd which has plenty of pull still.
I did hit the rev limiter in 4th a number of times with nwsc at RA cause i thought 4th went to 149. Then in poking i found out the stock z06 ecu speedo cal is wrong and it redlines at what it calls 144. Possible the valvetrain didn't like that. But it was ticking all year, and has always had a lifter pump up issue, so meh. I feel like i just need to chalk it up to a learning experience, blame the other guy so i feel better about myself
, and build the motor. Heads are ready to come off i just gotta get the radiator drained. I pulled the valley cover and the cam doesnt look so hot. Some of the lobes look scored, but they feel fine, some look like evenly darker worked metal in the middle, some of them are just shiny which i am assuming isn't good.Oh yeah, i run in 3 cause i was running mid to high 240's last year, i probably could have run in 2 and been in the middle of the pack at 240-243 but there are a bunch of cars in 2 that run on slicks and its hard for me to gauge their speed at times. I have been held up enough in my track life, I don't want to be the jerk holding people up, lol. I don't like the idea of trusting people to not smash me when passing without a point by in 1, but 2 is in the cards for next year. As much as i refuse to hold back on track, so I run at my personal capability and comfort level, i also refuse to beat my car to death with even 888's much less real slicks. haha
Last edited by Socko; 07-03-2015 at 01:33 PM.
07-03-2015, 01:49 PM
#60
Keep in mind the factors that cause wear:
1. Tires. The more grip the more brake, wheel bearing, bushing, and drive train wear you will see. It also increases risk of oil starve. Running street tires will keep repair costs down.
2. Curbs. How much do you want to use them. They wear wheel bearings and shocks. It's fast to "use all the road" but its hard on the car. If you want to save wear, stay off the rough ones.
3. Preventative Maintenance. Coolers, keeping the oil level full, nut & bolt the car, etc. Many engines have been lost because of simple things like the oil level got low, starved in a corner and the engine blew. But you cant identify the cause once it's in pieces.
I have personally had minimal problems.
Chris Shay
1. Tires. The more grip the more brake, wheel bearing, bushing, and drive train wear you will see. It also increases risk of oil starve. Running street tires will keep repair costs down.
2. Curbs. How much do you want to use them. They wear wheel bearings and shocks. It's fast to "use all the road" but its hard on the car. If you want to save wear, stay off the rough ones.
3. Preventative Maintenance. Coolers, keeping the oil level full, nut & bolt the car, etc. Many engines have been lost because of simple things like the oil level got low, starved in a corner and the engine blew. But you cant identify the cause once it's in pieces.
I have personally had minimal problems.
Chris Shay