Quote:
Originally Posted by admranger
This overkill for HPDE in a modern designed car. What keeps instructors safe is students who check their ego at the gate, listen to their instructors, and keep their cars in top mechanical condition.
You can put in the roll bar to make your car safer at the track (assuming you put in track seats and harnesses), but it'll be at the expense of safety on the street. Don't believe me? Hit your head against a steel pipe with and without a helmet on. You can and will contact the roll bar in a crash. No question. Soft foam insulation is insufficient to protect you. You need to install the harder padding (feels like no padding at all until you smack it in a crash).
OP: Setting goals is important, but I'd suggest you focus more on tangible driving skill goals, not getting to the next run group. Your run group doesn't define you, your driving skill does. Azeka1 has sound advice about reading Ross Bentley and investing in the driver. The seat to steering wheel interface is the weakest link in the chain.
Logging tire pressures, and other setup info is a good habit to get into, as well as writing notes about the track on a track map. Turn in points, visual references, what gear you're in, where you start braking, etc. are all things to put on that map.
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There is so much good stuff in this response, thank you. The part in bold is my favorite
I have been thinking about what the perfect balance is as far as safety upgrades to my car, because it is primarily my DD. I can't do a roll bar for this reason, plus I need my rear seats to function during normal life use (although apparently I need to remove them temporarily to fit all my track stuff lol). I know racing seats are not super comfy, but is there any reason I should not install them in my car that I would still be driving on the street? I feel like I have seen cars that have racing seats & harnesses, but that still have the original factory seat belts too.
I like the idea of writing down notes on a track map. That is really cool, and it would be a great way to remember all the great visual references that I learn over the course of the weekend, amongst other things.
Thank you!