First Track day in April. Any advice from Veterans?

[SweetChuck]

I,m going to be doing timed rolling sprints on this circuit, Its 5 Laps and 4-6 stages http://www.queenslandraceway.com.au/main.php?menu=qra03

I'm just wondering what sort of car preparations are advisable.
ABS, TCS , on or off ?
Race gas is too expensive is there a good alternative , I'm not running any cooling on the CTSC , so I'm worried about pinging after a few laps.
What sort of weight reduction , I was just going to pull out the passenger seat, spare wheel, tool kit etc , can't go too crazy as it's going to stay a road car. I hear the NSX can suffer from oil starvation on the track, What would be the signs of this happening if any at all .

Sorry for all the questions but any advice would helpfull :smile:

 

[VegasSpeed]

I may not have answers to all of these but I can say something since I just got back from the track. I would keep TCS off for the track. I would also invest in some type of cooling for the CTSC down the road. If you don't have that you should get a stand-alone system which can retard timing when the intake temps get too hot. I am doing all of the above for my autorotor setup in the next month or so. Get a baffle in your oil pan to start with and then watch your gauge to make sure the pressure doesn't drop off in the middle of a huge turn. Billy Johnson told me the stock oil guage isn't so great so it is worth it to get a better one if you can. The next stage to helping that is getting a acusump for the oil pan/level. They come in 3 quart and 5 quart setups. It is basically a resevoir to backup your engine.

I went to the track and did 4 sessions in pretty cool weather in Vegas. It was in the 50s but windy and overcast. It was a great day for a non-intercooled supercharger like I had. I didn't push the engine too much but focused on the line of the track more. Anyway, I hope that helps some.

 

[e.pie]

make sure you bleed your brakes and flush out the old nasty fluid, and put in some decent fluid as well like super blue or RBF600

 

[Liquid]

I may not be understanding you correctly, but if this is your first time at the track I would not do a timed/competitive event.

 

[nsxnut]

I,m going to be doing timed rolling sprints on this circuit, Its 5 Laps and 4-6 stages http://www.queenslandraceway.com.au/main.php?menu=qra03

I'm just wondering what sort of car preparations are advisable.
ABS, TCS , on or off ?
Race gas is too expensive is there a good alternative , I'm not running any cooling on the CTSC , so I'm worried about pinging after a few laps.
What sort of weight reduction , I was just going to pull out the passenger seat, spare wheel, tool kit etc , can't go too crazy as it's going to stay a road car. I hear the NSX can suffer from oil starvation on the track, What would be the signs of this happening if any at all .

Sorry for all the questions but any advice would helpfull :smile:

WTF.

First track event and you are in a competition?

I run a blend of 100 octane and 91. aka 95-96 octane on the track with my CT supercharger.
If you are worried about pinging I would run a blend of race gas. Cheep insurance compared to the cost of a motor.

I sure you are an excellent driver on the street/in the mountains. The track is something different.
If you can get some instruction prior to your event it will shave seconds off you times.

I assume you event you are the only one on track? If you are on track with other cars in a race environment than I suspect somehow you
Slipped through there registration process. Generally they require a race license or some checkout.

Maybe this is a HPDE Time trial? If so this is not a race but you may find you are over your head. In the time trial groups I have run in most are fast
running race cars. You don’t want to try and run in this group for you first time on track.

If it is a solo event and you are the only car on track no harm. Should be a humbling experience.

 

[v8killer]

First time on the track and a timed event could be a recipe for disaster. I would be surprised if any of the track vets would think this is a good idea imho.

 

[SweetChuck]

This is my first time on the track and its not competitively timed you can race against the clock if you wish, its initially more of a get to know your car and your own limitations type events. There will be other cars on the track but all get led out seperately, one of which will be my cousin in his v8, not sure if thats a good idea as I will almost definatley get caught up in a race with him.
Basically you buy a day licence, spend an hour of track instruction and then they throw you on the track , my cousin did his first day a few weeks ago and loved it, he says the run off is very good and felt safe for the most part. I'm not sure if he said they give you your lap times at the end of the day or the end your 5 lap runs but it was definately timed.

I,ve done years of competitive motocross when I was younger and remember shitting myself on my first race, I was no nervous, but once on the track I came 3rd in my class. I know its a totally different enviroment but I do imagine it will be similarly humbling.

 

[Coz]

Just start off slow, be smooth and let your speed increase and your times decrease as a byproduct of getting more and more comfortable as you gain experience.

In slow, out fast on corners, leave yourself room for braking at the end of straights, continually check your mirrors for faster cars and wave them by. Don't allow yourself to be pushed into making mistakes that take you off the track from being pushed or trying to keep up with those that are faster than you.

The idea is to have fun and not trash your car, yourself or anyone else's car in the process.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

if this guy motoX and went to races in his younger years, he probably know a thing or 2 in driving. But I do agree that nsx do take a little patience on knowing its limit. The infamous "snap-oversteer" mainly applied to newbies who is way over his head and then the "physics" caught them in surprises.

Just start out slow, that way you can set up your cousin in that V8 too :wink:

Have fun.

 

[nsxalot]

Just start off slow, be smooth and let your speed increase and your times decrease as a byproduct of getting more and more comfortable as you gain experience.

In slow, out fast on corners, leave yourself room for braking at the end of straights, continually check your mirrors for faster cars and wave them by. Don't allow yourself to be pushed into making mistakes that take you off the track from being pushed or trying to keep up with those that are faster than you.

The idea is to have fun and not trash your car, yourself or anyone else's car in the process.

Read this post one more time, it is good info to follow.

All good things take time to develop. It is not all about speed, which you will not have the first weekend but you will have a wonderful time.

See you at the NSXPO track day,

Lance

 

[SweetChuck]

Ok , Wednesday is the big day , I've bought some octane booster and some racing gloves, going to hire a helmet. This weekend I plan to put the car on a diet removing stock stereo, spare tyre etc, tool kit, engine cover, trunk carpet, passenger seat. I priced some Motul 600 brake fluid, it's very expensive though I think I need it. Whats the word on NSX brake fluid boiling ? Also should I turn the ALB off or leave it on?
I've got an in car camera so will post some vids after the day. Very Very excited :biggrin:

 

[whrdnsx]

Leave ABS on.

Check oil level, maybe put a little extra in as most of it will be in the cyl heads at high Rpm.
Check tyre pressures after a couple of laps as these will rise rapidly if you're pushing it.
Your brakes will be the first to give up.

Have fun, Take Care.

 

[SweetChuck]

Leave ABS on.

Check oil level, maybe put a little extra in as most of it will be in the cyl heads at high Rpm.
Check tyre pressures after a couple of laps as these will rise rapidly if you're pushing it.
Your brakes will be the first to give up.

Have fun, Take Care.

Hey mate been trying to call you, your phones off . I'm a bit worried about the brakes , they are crap, so I'll be driving under the limit. I'm doing an oil change before hand and will be sure to add a little extra, also going to run tyres at 40psi, will they really increase in pressure?
Take a sikkie Wednesday and come with :biggrin:

 

[NSXDreamer2]

Hey mate been trying to call you, your phones off . I'm a bit worried about the brakes , they are crap, so I'll be driving under the limit. I'm doing an oil change before hand and will be sure to add a little extra, also going to run tyres at 40psi, will they really increase in pressure?
Take a sikkie Wednesday and come with :biggrin:

your tire may blow if you started with 40psi cold pressure nsx brakes are plenty good in novice level... just go pick up a set of axxis ultimate and put some nice fluid, i believed they are made in Australia so you should be able to pick a set up. (they are the same as 95 accord, and older ITR, in case you couldn't find a set for nsx)

 

[ChopsJazz]

...also going to run tyres at 40psi, will they really increase in pressure?

When you feel the car becoming loose, or the tires (tyres :wink start to feel greasy, it is because your pressures are way too high.

Keep two hands on the wheel as much as you can. Use the shifter just to shift gears, then release it and get your hands back on the wheel.

Octane boost will do nothing to increase your power, if that was your intention. Octane is a measure of the temperature at which the fuel will ignite in the cylinders. If you desire more power you will need to spend th money on a tank of real race fuel.

Also, you will likely feel yourself sliding around in the seat from the increased cornering loads. When I had the stock seats I would recline the seat all the way back, give the belt a good tug to get it to latch, and then slide the seat forward and up to tension the belt and hold me in place. Otherwise you will spend too much effort bracing yourself against the side bolsters with your knees and holding yourself in place with the steering wheel.

Finally, get an instructor to ride with you.

 

[SweetChuck]

Thanks for the helpful tips , I'm only using octane treatment to keep pinging at bay as race fuel is crazy expensive. A heard today that no road car has ever come undone on this track in these events, sort of puts my mind at ease about wrecking my car .

 

[SweetChuck]

Oh my God !! My first track day and I did it on a pissing down rained out wet track :biggrin:
I did the 90Km trip to the track expecting the weather the improve and it just got worse. I met with my cousin who had done this track once before in his V8 HSV , I had no intention of going out today in these conditions but the bastard talked me into it. I knew my car would be shit in the wet as the front tyres are baldy and the rears are very grippy in the dry but woeful in the wet.

It was like driving on god damn ice!! Every corner coming in understeered severly and coming out was fishtails, even the main straight shifting into 3rd flat out the rear end was stepping out, talk about baptism by fire!
My car was the fastest car on the straights and in a cruel irony the slowest in the corners. I know in the dry exactly how late I can brake and what to expect, but in these conditions an upcoming apex was just scary and was forced to brake way too early.

Of all the things I worried about, none were an issue , brakes were fine if they had something to stop and the engine performance was orgasmic despite blowing a CTSC belt on the final race.

Anyway I'm Hooked and going back next month with a proper setup and I will not be doing wet race in the near future.
I will also get some track training as soon as I can find some $$$

BTW my fastest time was 1:2107 which is just crap :biggrin:

 

[Liquid]

Knowing that I probably share tracks with people like you scares the hell out of me. Please, get your car properly sorted before getting out on the track. You're risking your own health as well as everyone else who is on the track with you.

 

[DocL]

You have some good luck on your side and big balls. You went out on bald tires on a wet track and did wreck your car.

 

[SweetChuck]

Knowing that I probably share tracks with people like you scares the hell out of me. You're risking your own health as well as everyone else who is on the track with you.

What do ya mean "people like me" Why would you be on the track with novices anyway, we were all beginners. You should have seen some of the other so called "cars" on the track that turned up expecting dry conditions running semi slicks in the wet! and my front tyres were not bald they still have tread just time to be replaced. My cars sticks like glue in the dry, I knew it wasn't going to be great in the wet but I had no idea It would have been quite that bad. I think it was a good training experience.

Please, get your car properly sorted before getting out on the track.

Ahem !

Anyway I'm Hooked and going back next month with a proper setup and I will not be doing wet race in the near future.
I will also get some track training as soon as I can find some $$$

 

[pgilliam1]

"fastest in the straights and slowest in the corners", shows you used some disgression. Of all the cars I've tracked the NSX is the most capable in the corners but is also the least forgiving. When this car breaks loose it's the hardest to control, so slow in - fast out, really applies to the NSX. Sounds like you had fun despite your times and that's what it's all about.
Happy Motoring!