[Z06] First track day ever - road Atlanta
10-08-2015, 03:08 AM
#1
First track day ever - road Atlanta
Hello all its been a while - the gf and I are doing our first event in the z06 - what's everyone suggestions of stuff to do the car before we hit the track
So far I know we are gunna
Change oil
Brake fluid
Pads
Coolant flush
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day
Anything I'm missing??
So far I know we are gunna
Change oil
Brake fluid
Pads
Coolant flush
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day
Anything I'm missing??
The following users liked this post:
univerz06 (10-09-2015)
10-08-2015, 06:56 AM
#3
When are you going?
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
The following users liked this post:
univerz06 (10-09-2015)
10-08-2015, 09:16 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Not sure if you mean 1st track event ever, or 1st event in the Z so 1st off... just get out there and have fun.
Change oil - I run M1 0W-40, better suited for higher temps, and you'll likely see 260+ in oil temps.
Brake fluid - Motul RBF600 or something similar works
Pads - Carbotech XP10 fronts and XP8 rears work well for me, even on street tires to an extent
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day - 1st time out, go on street tires, MPSS or something similar. It'll teach you a lot more than scrubs, and they'll give you plenty of warning before letting go - much more than race scrubs.
For alignment, Gran Turismo East is a good shop - located in Chamblee.
Also, are you doing Chin on the 17/18th of this month? If so I'll be out there with another friend (Z06, forum member as well), welcome to pit with us.
Change oil - I run M1 0W-40, better suited for higher temps, and you'll likely see 260+ in oil temps.
Brake fluid - Motul RBF600 or something similar works
Pads - Carbotech XP10 fronts and XP8 rears work well for me, even on street tires to an extent
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day - 1st time out, go on street tires, MPSS or something similar. It'll teach you a lot more than scrubs, and they'll give you plenty of warning before letting go - much more than race scrubs.
For alignment, Gran Turismo East is a good shop - located in Chamblee.
Also, are you doing Chin on the 17/18th of this month? If so I'll be out there with another friend (Z06, forum member as well), welcome to pit with us.
10-08-2015, 11:23 AM
#6
10-08-2015, 12:21 PM
#7
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Posts: 40,115
Received 8,952 Likes
on
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Hello all its been a while - the gf and I are doing our first event in the z06 - what's everyone suggestions of stuff to do the car before we hit the track
So far I know we are gunna
Change oil
Brake fluid
Pads
Coolant flush
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day
Anything I'm missing??
So far I know we are gunna
Change oil
Brake fluid
Pads
Coolant flush
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day
Anything I'm missing??
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/846398/00132
Check at Ford dealers as you might be able to get a better price there if you haggle with them.
If you have less than 5 years on the Dexcool in the system now you really don't need to bother changing the coolant. Dex really does hold up well and all you are doing is spending money that could be better applied somewhere else.
If your street tires have enough tread stick with them. As a novice you won't be wearing them that much. Don't go with brand new street tires as they may start chunking on the edges.
Make sure your pads are new or almost new. If they are new then spend some time using them on the street so you aren't taking fresh pads to the track. Burnish the pads in as described in the GM FSM and that should get enough heat into them so they work well on track. Brand new street type pads have been known to fall apart when hit with the increased temps seen in track usage.
If you still have the GY EMTs on the car keep your tire pressures in the 30 psi range or you stand a chance of getting a tire over pressure warning after being on track for 10 or 15 minutes. The over pressure warning goes off after the pressure raises to 42 psi. I like to keep a 2 to 3 psi difference between front and rear pressures so a lot of times will set EMTs at 30 psi front and 27/28 psi rear when they are cold. They will gain about 10 psi during a hard 20 minute session. You may not drive that hard on them until close to the end of the 2nd day as it takes time to get used to track driving. Learning the line, learning when to apply the brakes, how much throttle to use and how fast you can get around a corner fills your brain with a lot of information and it is hard to take it all in. If you have other street tires those pressures are a good starting point but you may find they require different pressures to feel good.
Don't get a death grip on the steering wheel and LISTEN to your instructor. Learning where the line is, where the flag stations are and making sure you watch them takes a lot of mental processing. Then add on top of that at least 3 things to learn about each turn, braking points, how hard to brake, acceleration points, how much throttle you can use at different parts of a turn you will feel like somebody is feeding you with a fire hose. Then you have the passing rules and general courtesy toward other drivers you have to pay attention to.
Expect to be tired from all of the concentration and pulling G's so make sure you get a good night's sleep before each track day. Tired means mental mistakes and mental mistakes can be very dangerous.
Bill
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univerz06 (10-09-2015)
10-08-2015, 10:56 PM
#8
Burning Brakes
What Bill said ^^^^^
I would like to add a couple more things.
You should stay hydrated. Drink lots of water especially if it gets hot out.
Check the wheel nuts. I tracked my car last month and I noticed a couple of the wheel nuts backed out slightly.
Don't forget to breathe. I'm not kidding.
Lastly and this is important, have fun.
I would like to add a couple more things.
You should stay hydrated. Drink lots of water especially if it gets hot out.
Check the wheel nuts. I tracked my car last month and I noticed a couple of the wheel nuts backed out slightly.
Don't forget to breathe. I'm not kidding.
Lastly and this is important, have fun.
10-09-2015, 02:01 AM
#9
Advanced
When are you going?
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
10-09-2015, 04:47 AM
#10
Not sure if you mean 1st track event ever, or 1st event in the Z so 1st off... just get out there and have fun.
Change oil - I run M1 0W-40, better suited for higher temps, and you'll likely see 260+ in oil temps.
Brake fluid - Motul RBF600 or something similar works
Pads - Carbotech XP10 fronts and XP8 rears work well for me, even on street tires to an extent
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day - 1st time out, go on street tires, MPSS or something similar. It'll teach you a lot more than scrubs, and they'll give you plenty of warning before letting go - much more than race scrubs.
For alignment, Gran Turismo East is a good shop - located in Chamblee.
Also, are you doing Chin on the 17/18th of this month? If so I'll be out there with another friend (Z06, forum member as well), welcome to pit with us.
Change oil - I run M1 0W-40, better suited for higher temps, and you'll likely see 260+ in oil temps.
Brake fluid - Motul RBF600 or something similar works
Pads - Carbotech XP10 fronts and XP8 rears work well for me, even on street tires to an extent
And try to Aquire some scrubs for the track day - 1st time out, go on street tires, MPSS or something similar. It'll teach you a lot more than scrubs, and they'll give you plenty of warning before letting go - much more than race scrubs.
For alignment, Gran Turismo East is a good shop - located in Chamblee.
Also, are you doing Chin on the 17/18th of this month? If so I'll be out there with another friend (Z06, forum member as well), welcome to pit with us.
yes it is!! but its th 16th we are doing the 1 day
10-09-2015, 04:48 AM
#11
When are you going?
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
I have ran Road Atlanta many times. It's a great track.
I concur ... First time out go on street tires.
Increase the air pressure in them to about 34 to 36 psi.
Do the things you listed....run at least a 40wgt oil for the track day
Don't know how many miles are on your car but you may what to also put fresh oil in the trans and diff.
I would leave the Nannys on also... They can help save you at RA. It is a unforgiving track
With little run off.
Run top tier gas ( the more octane the better)
Do the seat belt trick to help hold your butt in place
Have fun and welcome to the addiction
car has bridgestone re11`s currently so ill jsut run those
10-09-2015, 04:52 AM
#12
Change the brake fluid. Ford DOT3 has a 500 deg dry boiling point and is called one of the best kept secrets in racing. With stock pads and novice drivers a fresh load will work well for you.
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/846398/00132
Check at Ford dealers as you might be able to get a better price there if you haggle with them.
If you have less than 5 years on the Dexcool in the system now you really don't need to bother changing the coolant. Dex really does hold up well and all you are doing is spending money that could be better applied somewhere else.
If your street tires have enough tread stick with them. As a novice you won't be wearing them that much. Don't go with brand new street tires as they may start chunking on the edges.
Make sure your pads are new or almost new. If they are new then spend some time using them on the street so you aren't taking fresh pads to the track. Burnish the pads in as described in the GM FSM and that should get enough heat into them so they work well on track. Brand new street type pads have been known to fall apart when hit with the increased temps seen in track usage.
If you still have the GY EMTs on the car keep your tire pressures in the 30 psi range or you stand a chance of getting a tire over pressure warning after being on track for 10 or 15 minutes. The over pressure warning goes off after the pressure raises to 42 psi. I like to keep a 2 to 3 psi difference between front and rear pressures so a lot of times will set EMTs at 30 psi front and 27/28 psi rear when they are cold. They will gain about 10 psi during a hard 20 minute session. You may not drive that hard on them until close to the end of the 2nd day as it takes time to get used to track driving. Learning the line, learning when to apply the brakes, how much throttle to use and how fast you can get around a corner fills your brain with a lot of information and it is hard to take it all in. If you have other street tires those pressures are a good starting point but you may find they require different pressures to feel good.
Don't get a death grip on the steering wheel and LISTEN to your instructor. Learning where the line is, where the flag stations are and making sure you watch them takes a lot of mental processing. Then add on top of that at least 3 things to learn about each turn, braking points, how hard to brake, acceleration points, how much throttle you can use at different parts of a turn you will feel like somebody is feeding you with a fire hose. Then you have the passing rules and general courtesy toward other drivers you have to pay attention to.
Expect to be tired from all of the concentration and pulling G's so make sure you get a good night's sleep before each track day. Tired means mental mistakes and mental mistakes can be very dangerous.
Bill
http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/846398/00132
Check at Ford dealers as you might be able to get a better price there if you haggle with them.
If you have less than 5 years on the Dexcool in the system now you really don't need to bother changing the coolant. Dex really does hold up well and all you are doing is spending money that could be better applied somewhere else.
If your street tires have enough tread stick with them. As a novice you won't be wearing them that much. Don't go with brand new street tires as they may start chunking on the edges.
Make sure your pads are new or almost new. If they are new then spend some time using them on the street so you aren't taking fresh pads to the track. Burnish the pads in as described in the GM FSM and that should get enough heat into them so they work well on track. Brand new street type pads have been known to fall apart when hit with the increased temps seen in track usage.
If you still have the GY EMTs on the car keep your tire pressures in the 30 psi range or you stand a chance of getting a tire over pressure warning after being on track for 10 or 15 minutes. The over pressure warning goes off after the pressure raises to 42 psi. I like to keep a 2 to 3 psi difference between front and rear pressures so a lot of times will set EMTs at 30 psi front and 27/28 psi rear when they are cold. They will gain about 10 psi during a hard 20 minute session. You may not drive that hard on them until close to the end of the 2nd day as it takes time to get used to track driving. Learning the line, learning when to apply the brakes, how much throttle to use and how fast you can get around a corner fills your brain with a lot of information and it is hard to take it all in. If you have other street tires those pressures are a good starting point but you may find they require different pressures to feel good.
Don't get a death grip on the steering wheel and LISTEN to your instructor. Learning where the line is, where the flag stations are and making sure you watch them takes a lot of mental processing. Then add on top of that at least 3 things to learn about each turn, braking points, how hard to brake, acceleration points, how much throttle you can use at different parts of a turn you will feel like somebody is feeding you with a fire hose. Then you have the passing rules and general courtesy toward other drivers you have to pay attention to.
Expect to be tired from all of the concentration and pulling G's so make sure you get a good night's sleep before each track day. Tired means mental mistakes and mental mistakes can be very dangerous.
Bill
10-09-2015, 08:35 AM
#13
Instructor
Road Atlanta
taking car to MTI tomorrow for full fluid changes - have xp12/10s on arriving monday from carbotech that i will put on the car i guess monday night so they arent super fresh? Danny said i could put them on day of track day - drive to track- run - drive home and switch back to my "street pads"
Please bed those brake pads in before getting to the track. You will not like them until they are properly bedded or will experience brake fade on track when they do bed. Carbotechs are a great brand IMO, but I'm curious to see how to XP12/10 work on the street tires.
As everyone mentioned, Road Atlanta is not forgiving, but your instructor should be extremely helpful so ask questions. I second nannies for the first event and remember, have fun. After this event, you'll be hooked like the rest of us. I can't wait to get the Z on the track out there in November to see the difference between my mustang I tracked there often.
10-09-2015, 02:37 PM
#14
Instructor
+1 to what everyone else has posted. Yes, that's the seatbelt trick. It helps keep you in place, but may leave your shoulder and hip sore.
I definitely recommend staying on street tires. I had 8 days on PSS and just got another set before I move up to R comps. Very interested to hear how the 12/10 combo works. I've been on 10/8 and have been overpowering the tires.
Road Atlanta is a very fun track - probably the most enjoyable I've been on to date. Stay hydrated, stay calm, and try not to rush anything. Listen to your instructor and the speed will come! My biggest surprise was realizing how physically and mentally exhausted I was after a weekend, especially in the heat!
The Z is a very capable track car and I'm sure you'll have a blast. I try to pit around other vettes and have always found it easy to talk to anyone there around technique tips, equipment, stories, etc.
Be safe and have fun!
I definitely recommend staying on street tires. I had 8 days on PSS and just got another set before I move up to R comps. Very interested to hear how the 12/10 combo works. I've been on 10/8 and have been overpowering the tires.
Road Atlanta is a very fun track - probably the most enjoyable I've been on to date. Stay hydrated, stay calm, and try not to rush anything. Listen to your instructor and the speed will come! My biggest surprise was realizing how physically and mentally exhausted I was after a weekend, especially in the heat!
The Z is a very capable track car and I'm sure you'll have a blast. I try to pit around other vettes and have always found it easy to talk to anyone there around technique tips, equipment, stories, etc.
Be safe and have fun!
Let us know how you do.
10-09-2015, 04:43 PM
#17
oh yea one other thing---take ANYTHING loose out of the car--including the floor mats.
empty your glove compartment and door pockets also.
hope you dont accidentely turn on your windshield wipers---lol
dont try for blistering speed on the straights and really be careful approaching and going through the esses--remember smooth is fast, that includes the right foot!
you can practice heel/toe shifting on the street, --that skill is nice to have when entering turn 12 ---especially remember this is not a drag race--you dont have to shift as fast or as hard starting out and you dang sure dont want to miss a gear and over rev the engine.
Hope i can ride out and hang with everyone for a little. I live in decatur
empty your glove compartment and door pockets also.
hope you dont accidentely turn on your windshield wipers---lol
dont try for blistering speed on the straights and really be careful approaching and going through the esses--remember smooth is fast, that includes the right foot!
you can practice heel/toe shifting on the street, --that skill is nice to have when entering turn 12 ---especially remember this is not a drag race--you dont have to shift as fast or as hard starting out and you dang sure dont want to miss a gear and over rev the engine.
Hope i can ride out and hang with everyone for a little. I live in decatur
10-09-2015, 08:53 PM
#18
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Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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To properly use cinch mode you need to move your seat all the way to the rear, pull the belt out until it stops and goes into cinch mode, fasten the belt and then place your hands on the shoulder belt pull it tight through the buckle on your lap. Get it as tight as possible and while holding it in place with your right hand use your left hand to feed all the slack into the shoulder belt take up reel. Once you get the lap belt and shoulder belt as tight as possible run the seat forward to your normal seating position. This will sometimes be painful as the lap belt will feel like it is cutting you in half and the shoulder belt might feel like it is restricting your breathing. However, this pushes your body down and back into the seat foam and plants your butt so it doesn't slide around. Even when this tight once you are on track pulling Gs you will feel like it isn't tight enough. Your body will pivot around the lap belt with your upper body going one way and your legs going the other. Wedging your knees between the door and the tunnel will help reduce the amount of upper body movement but you will still get some. Use your knees and body muscles to keep the upper body in place. Keep your arms for turning the steering wheel and not holding yourself in place.
This was the main complaint about the C5 and C6 seats. They may have been comfortable for most people on the street but they didn't hold you in place very well when the car was pulling some serious Gs.
Bill
10-09-2015, 08:59 PM
#19
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Member Since: Oct 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
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taking car to MTI tomorrow for full fluid changes - have xp12/10s on arriving monday from carbotech that i will put on the car i guess monday night so they arent super fresh? Danny said i could put them on day of track day - drive to track- run - drive home and switch back to my "street pads"
Oh, another thing. If I was your instructor I would tell you to stick the car in 4th gear and leave it there. Your first sessions on track take a lot of concentration and worrying about heel/toe shifting just adds to the load and the danger of making a mental error.
Bill
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univerz06 (10-13-2015)
10-11-2015, 02:30 AM
#20
It really isn't a trick. Every Corvette since the 84 model came out has a seat belt cinch feature. To activate the cinch feature on a C6 all you need to do is pull the seat belt all the way out until it stops. Then as it retracts you can hear a ratchet clicking. When you hear that noise it is in cinch mode.
To properly use cinch mode you need to move your seat all the way to the rear, pull the belt out until it stops and goes into cinch mode, fasten the belt and then place your hands on the shoulder belt pull it tight through the buckle on your lap. Get it as tight as possible and while holding it in place with your right hand use your left hand to feed all the slack into the shoulder belt take up reel. Once you get the lap belt and shoulder belt as tight as possible run the seat forward to your normal seating position. This will sometimes be painful as the lap belt will feel like it is cutting you in half and the shoulder belt might feel like it is restricting your breathing. However, this pushes your body down and back into the seat foam and plants your butt so it doesn't slide around. Even when this tight once you are on track pulling Gs you will feel like it isn't tight enough. Your body will pivot around the lap belt with your upper body going one way and your legs going the other. Wedging your knees between the door and the tunnel will help reduce the amount of upper body movement but you will still get some. Use your knees and body muscles to keep the upper body in place. Keep your arms for turning the steering wheel and not holding yourself in place.
This was the main complaint about the C5 and C6 seats. They may have been comfortable for most people on the street but they didn't hold you in place very well when the car was pulling some serious Gs.
Bill
To properly use cinch mode you need to move your seat all the way to the rear, pull the belt out until it stops and goes into cinch mode, fasten the belt and then place your hands on the shoulder belt pull it tight through the buckle on your lap. Get it as tight as possible and while holding it in place with your right hand use your left hand to feed all the slack into the shoulder belt take up reel. Once you get the lap belt and shoulder belt as tight as possible run the seat forward to your normal seating position. This will sometimes be painful as the lap belt will feel like it is cutting you in half and the shoulder belt might feel like it is restricting your breathing. However, this pushes your body down and back into the seat foam and plants your butt so it doesn't slide around. Even when this tight once you are on track pulling Gs you will feel like it isn't tight enough. Your body will pivot around the lap belt with your upper body going one way and your legs going the other. Wedging your knees between the door and the tunnel will help reduce the amount of upper body movement but you will still get some. Use your knees and body muscles to keep the upper body in place. Keep your arms for turning the steering wheel and not holding yourself in place.
This was the main complaint about the C5 and C6 seats. They may have been comfortable for most people on the street but they didn't hold you in place very well when the car was pulling some serious Gs.
Bill
Race seats are 1000% more comfy than the stock crap, and you can even add heating elements if you desire. no reason NOT to get them