oh1vette

Sorry missed this sentence....

Its more of grass/dirt area where spectators sit to see the track. The time I've been the club had those pop-up canopys set up, but bring your own chair although there are a few picnic tables in the area. Gotta keep the wife compforable

Also, usually there is a food truck scheduled, but been there when it didn't show, so I'd bring some drinks...usually you can leave the grounds for lunch as well - or fuel ...

silver74vette

I’m no Tony Stewart but I have spent a good bit of time racing go-karts and participating in track events. Here is a list of good things to know and do to prepare for and participate in High Performance Driving Events. I hope the others here will chime in with additions:

Prepare your car.

- Tech will look at brakes and lug nut tightness and overall condition you need to:
- Add recommended oil (non-dry sump cars should add an extra quart; this track has long high G corners.) Check the owner’s manual for specifics.
- Remove your driver’s side floor mat, just to eliminate the chance of getting something caught up in your feet.
- Check brake fluid, coolant and clutch fluid.
- Get a good tire pressure gauge, if you are new start your tires at recommended inflation and work from there.
- Bring window cleaner and rags.

Equipment you will need:

- An auto racing helmet. A Snell SA2005 or SA2010 is great. I use an open face cause it is hot in NC in August.
- Decent shoes and socks; please don’t do this in flip flops.

While on the track:

- Do not drive beyond your limits.
- Don’t crowd others and let faster cars pass – Know where the passing zones are.
- Hydrate before going out.
- Use your rear view mirror.
- Roll down your windows (they will let you put your top down on a vert) and turn off the AC. You can hurt the compressor if you run it that hard for that long.

Tips for the track:

- MOST IMPORTANT THING – Do not stab the throttle to accellerate, roll in smoothly. Power oversteer is not cool on the track.
- NCCAR has nice blue lines (not actually lines painted on the track but tire marks that show you a good line) use them.
- Manual cars will typically use 3rd gear for most of the track, downshift to second in the hairpin and run through 4th on the straight. Do not go back to third until you start to straighten out after turn 1.
- After your run DO NOT set the parking brake; your rotors will be hot and you will warp or crack them.
- After the run let your car idle with the hood open until your OIL temp gets to between 210 and 220. Watch oil temp on the track if you approach 280 get nervous.
- GoPro cameras are a great tool to get better.
- Get a map of the track and talk to people to identify apexes and lines while waiting for tech in the AM.
- Aim to drive your car at 80 to 90% of its limits, if you want to find out where the ragged edge is, you probably will…
- The goal is to have fun and learn something, don’t be afraid of going with the A class. Nobody is going to ask you to turn in your Man Card.

Hope this helps and look forward to seeing you all there, Chris

LFZ

^^^Great write up Chris! I know you were killin it last year in that GS!

silver74vette

Thanks man, looking forward seeing (and hearing) your Z. That Akrapovic exhaust is sinister!

PMD C6

Thanks for the write up as well. Also, whats the best time to get there? Right at 8am or do people kind of trickle in throughout the morning?

silver74vette

Between 7 and 8, I am shooting for 7:30. Be prepared to stand around for a while. It's a great time to meet some folks! Everyone needs to be registered and through tech before they start.

LFZ

Weather looks ify this weekend...wtf?

Steve Dallas

I'll be going to see Buddy today to both join the club and join this event.

Looking forward to this...as long as the weather hold up

silver74vette

I am going to keep my fingers crossed on the Weather, I wonder if they will have an alternate day if it gets rained out?

PMD C6

Eggh. 60% chance of tstorms during the day, 90% chance saturday night.

So how do those r compound tires do in the wet?

LFZ

i have driven in the rain with them...its scary.

dba4life

Thanks for that great checklist Chris. I think I had most of it covered but I def would have put the parking brake on post run....

Also about this shifting strategy for turn 1:

run through 4th on the straight. Do not go back to third until you start to straighten out after turn 1.

So it is best to keep it in 4th thru the turn then downshift? I am sure I would have downshifted before the turn during braking. Can you give me an idea why it is better way?



THx

silver74vette

The simple answer is: downshifting on a sweeper makes it easy for the back tires to jump out of line.

You will carry a lot of speed into the sweeper and the lateral load on the tires will be high. Downshifting typically (unless you rev match perfectly) will make you decelerate and shift weight forward. In effect you are slowing down the back tires and shifting weight to the front, both promoting oversteer (back tires sliding or Nascar "loose"). By waiting until you start to straighten out you minimize the chance of over-rotating your rear end.

I hope that made sense, there is a short straight after turn one that sets you up for a tighter turn so you have a good opportunity to shift and then prepare for turn two.

Good luck, let me know if that helped.

Thanks, Chris

Edit: I should really read better. You would not want to downshift before turn one as you will be carrying a lot of speed into the corner and going to third at entry speed would put a lot of stress on your synchro washers and give you the potential to do a "money shift" where you over-rev the engine.

See you Saturday (if the weather holds)

PMD C6

just watched the Raleigh area weather. Sounds like this weekend is going to be a washout. Weatherman said "Copious amounts of rain. Really going to ramp up on Friday" predicting 3"+ in some areas.

Steve Dallas

I've driven in the rain with them with no problems. Even some very heavy T-Storm type showers.

I'm from Seattle though, so driving in the rain is second nature to me. Same thing happened with my Camaro when I had it. Some people just thought that car could not drive in the rain at all, however I think it's more of a driver issue than anything else.

I mean...you don't go flooring any car in the rain, and if you are smooth with the throttle, know how to handle hydroplaning (which can happen in any car) and just generally have the experience in rain conditions...then you find that the car handles just fine in the rain.

silver74vette

Weather is not looking good, I sent an e-mail to Mr. Dawson asking if the club would make a call before Saturday morning and if there would be an alternate day in the event of cancellation. Will let everyone here know what he says.

LFZ

Weather looks horrible for this weekend.....

LFZ

Thanks Chris for keeping us posted.

silver74vette

Buster just responded and said that they will be at the track rain or shine, there is no rain date.

Look on the bright side, if we are running in the rain tire and brake wear go to almost nothing......

PMD C6

Guess i will pack my umbrella and rainsuit.

And i wont have to bother washing my car or cleaning the rims.