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07-26-2018, 11:45 AM | #1 |
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First Track Day - Novice Advice
Hey everyone,
Went to my first track day yesterday with the M. Initially, I wasn't sure how it was going to go, and it was pretty terrifying taking my daily driver / favourite possesion out onto the track, but I had an amazing time. I'm definitely hooked. The event was at Mosport and we started with a few lectures and braking / skid pad exercises for everyone in the Novice group. We had instructors with us for most of the laps so that helped bring in some confidence and much needed instruction! Now, I'm very excited (obviously) to make this a more regular hobby - but what's a good starting point from a novice level? There are so many things people have suggested: racing on a simulator, reading more about the physics of track driving, just going to more HPDE's. All of these seem like solid advice, but there's basically an infinite list of places to start. What did you do and what would you suggest? I will probably attend a full weekend track school in September and will hold off on mods to the car for now as I already have track brake pads and higher spec brake fluid... Pics of the day attached!
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07-26-2018, 12:56 PM | #2 |
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Take a look at the "Advice for new intermediate students" thread as well as there will be tips that can be helpful when you're starting out. |
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Grey///Matter31.00 |
07-26-2018, 04:40 PM | #3 |
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Get yourself a suitable brake pad and fresh fluid. Spend the rest of your money and time on attending more HPDEs -- maximize the use of any instruction they have available. Don't bother with all of the race car driving books yet, you need to focus on getting seat time and learning the basics.
I'd suggest budgeting this out because you WILL use up a lot of brakes and tires (so be sure to check their status often and know the warning signs for replacement, too). Entry fees add up as does the gas the car drinks during the day.
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Grey///Matter31.00 |
07-26-2018, 04:45 PM | #4 |
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I'd completely ignore any books or theory. Learn on the track with an instructor. Look for as much seat time as possible.
When people are talking smack they say all kinds of stupid things, like trail braking blahblahblah. None of those concepts are useful to you at the beginner phase. I would add some camber plates to your car so that you can go back and forth between street and track settings and not eat up tires as quickly Track days are expensive. An inexpensive alternative or complementary solution is to do some autocrosses. |
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07-26-2018, 05:57 PM | #5 | |
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I do think basic corner speed and video sync'd up does help. Using Harry's lap timer is a good tool. I always found that plain video helped a ton. It helps a lot if you can show up to the track with a plan. At least I like that as an instructor. Keep the car stock except upgrade the brake pads and fluid, as dparm mentioned.
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SYT_Shadow11734.50 Grey///Matter31.00 |
07-26-2018, 08:06 PM | #6 |
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Seat time, plain and simple.
I wouldn't even look at lap times. At this point you should be trying to understand what you're feeling from the car so you can translate that into effective inputs to the controls. I'm not a sim driver but I don't think that would of helped me at all. I needed to feel the sensations. Like Jae said, a camera inside the car to see your inputs can really help. I used that a bunch. |
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bigjae19761606.50 Grey///Matter31.00 |
07-26-2018, 09:03 PM | #7 |
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Amazing, thanks everyone. This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for - there are so many places to start but I think it makes sense to focus on seat time first
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07-26-2018, 10:20 PM | #8 | |
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This is good advice. Things happen more slowly, you don't have to worry about traffic, and it's not as fatiguing as multiple 20 minute sessions. You'll still be able to learn how the car behaves when it's pushed hard. Many of us started with auto-x and moved up to full HPDE.
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07-27-2018, 10:29 AM | #9 | |
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07-27-2018, 10:44 AM | #10 |
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Focus on keeping your car in great shape and getting more seat time, don't worry about mods.
Mosport GP isn't a very hard braking track, so stock brakes with upgraded pads and fresh tires are a great start. Was it a BMWCC weekend school that you did? If not, I recommend you do a few until you get signed off for solo lapping before trying a 'regular track day' with any other groups. It's a great way to start without forming any bad habits.
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07-27-2018, 05:01 PM | #11 |
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Instructor here.
* Get as much instruction as possible. Even if you feel you don't need it, if you are serious about high performance/track driving you get as much guidance as possible. I still ask instructor friends to ride shotgun with me to get new tips and tricks, every driver has their own little things to impart * When you do have an instructor, make sure to tell them your goals for the day/session. Being more brave with the braking zones? Taking Turn 4 5mph faster? Don't focus on the lap as a whole, focus on small sections that can be improved upon. Those small things add up overall * Lap times are a data point to show consistency above all else. Don't bother chasing raw lap times to compare with friends. That doesn't make you a better driver. * Driving fast is one thing: recovering from a fuck-up is much more important than being able to improve another half second off a lap time. You need to understand how to control the car when it gets out of sorts (understeer, oversteer, too hot into a corner, etc.). A lot of people can drive fast (especially modern cars), but being able to recover when the car doesn't do what you want it to do is the mark of a truly good driver. * At track/HPDE days, take care of yourself. I tend to eat a big breakfast to calorie up in the morning, then I eat very lightly throughout the day. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. If you aren't peeing every hour you aren't drinking enough. Mental fatigue leads to mistakes (like watching the car in front of you going off track, and you follow him because you were fixated on his tail lights). |
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07-29-2018, 12:32 AM | #12 | |
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Man, if that ain't the truth. It's so easy to get fixated on the car's well-being (pressures, temperatures, fluid levels, etc.) that you forget about yourself. Suddenly you're dehydrated, weak, and have to sit the next session out to recompose yourself. Sun poisoning is a real thing. I've also had to end sessions early because I could feel my judgment slowing due to dehydration. I was making dumb mistakes and was totally out-of-sorts.
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07-30-2018, 12:40 PM | #13 | |
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07-30-2018, 12:59 PM | #14 | |
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If you're making the same dumb mistake lap after lap, head back to the pits! I had a friend who wrecked his car 2 years in a row at the same event. Both during the last session of the last day and its hot AF on the GA coast in June. He was too exhausted to be out there. We've since taken his keys away on Sunday afternoons |
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07-30-2018, 05:05 PM | #15 | ||
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