First trackday on the 996. Tips and/or advice?

Excited to sign up for my first car trackday at Fontana! Let me preface by saying, i've done over 10 years of motorcycle trackdays, and 3 years of motorcycle road racing--so i'm familiar with the track routine. I had done a bunch of SCCA Solo AutoX, 20 years ago, but you can say i'm still a newbie car driver -- even @ 40 years old! I have a fully serviced and ready to go '01 C4, with brand new tires (S04s) and stock M030 suspension. The car has 57K on it. I am currently running street pressures of 36f/42r, but I guess i'll adjust accordingly when i'm at the track. Not sure of ambient track temps at this point--never been to Fontana. When I had the tires installed, I got a 'street' alignment (which really means 1.5 degrees of negative camber instead of -2. Toe is set to 0 f/r. I have newish OEM brake pads, and coolant tank in perfect shape, as well as zero leaks of any kind, not even any signs of wetness from the RMS. I will install my tow hook on the front bumper, and going through the self tech list, I don't see anything that sticks out on my car, that I need to address. While I have the ability to tow my car to the track, I decided to drive it there and back (about 400-miles each way) I'm heading the day before the event, so I should be rested. Is there anything else I should double/triple check on my car before heading out?

Double check that all your wheel bolts are tight, fluids are topped off, and before you go out on track check that the trunk is shut tightly. I've seen people do dumb stuff like empty their trunk and/or check brake fluid under the trunk lid, then forget to shut it securely, and on the first lap at speed it flies up and hits the windshield...not good! Between sessions check all your fluid levels and adjust your tire pressures as needed. Your 36/42 pressures are a safe starting point. Keep an eye on your brake pads too; OEM pads can disappear rapidly at track days, so just glance at them after every session to make sure you aren't running out of brakes. Each session I'd focus more on finding a good, consistent line, and getting comfortable with the car's handling, rather than going for a lap time. In any fast turns, work your speed up gradually so that you don't get to a place where you're tempted to lift mid-corner; make sure you can accelerate through the turn to keep the car planted until you're more comfortable. The only way you're going to get into real trouble in this car is if you don't leave enough braking distance for a slow turn, or lift abruptly in a fast turn. Both can be easily avoided by planning ahead and only adding speed gradually. Remember that you are driving your car back home! If something looks/feels/sounds/smells funny, stop and check it out before it becomes a real problem. If you aren't feeling comfortable and safe, stop and take a breath. Your instructor should help you stay within the limits of the car and yourself. I'm sure you already know all this from the motorcycle track work! HAVE FUN! Track days can be a huge blast if everything goes your way and you have the right attitude, or they can quickly become a nightmare if you have problems or choose to focus on anything negative. I wish it was warm enough here to go to a track! Couple more months of waiting for me...

Don't listen to Slakker......

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Wow! Very good tips! Really appreciate it! It was recommend that I bring a backup set of brake pads, is that something I should do? I have done a bunch of brakes on cars and bikes, but never with the brake wear sensor -- are those single use items, or can I put new pads on and keep the sensor? I've never been the guy always wrenching in the pits - I like to be well prepared so I can just enjoy the day. That said, i'll bring my jack, some stands, and tools for wheel removal (just in case) Last thing, PSM on or off? Again, I consider myself a novice performance driver, and I kinda like having the aid on - for those oversteer pucker moments, but I don't want it to be super invasive.

clutch in if you spin

When did you last change the brake fluid? You should go out with fresh fluid, something high temp if you can.

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The car is newish to me, but yeah - I should do a change just to be safe. I still have a sealed can of ATE superblue (my favorite) but it's several years old. I may just go get some RBF600. I assume the Porsche bleed process is like any other car, start with driver, and work my way 'round? I have a mityvac to help things get going. [EDIT] nevermind, looks like with PSM, I need to find a PST2 to bleed. May just have a shop do this for me.

Even though you are familiar with track protocol, pack a smile, listen to your instructor, make sure you drink fluids and a bit of sugar (helps the brain), you might be more mentally exhausted than you realize. Also, wiggle your fingers on a straight-a-way, (helps to get rid of death grip) and BREATHE, there is a lot going on......enjoy! It is highly addictive and you should meet some great people!

Is it a 1-day event or 2-day weekend? If only 1 day, you'll be fine on pads since you say they're pretty new. If it's a 2-day event, you'll probably still be fine, but a backup set wouldn't hurt. I don't know how demanding Fontana is on brakes, but killing a set of OE pads in 2 days is not unheard of. But honestly I'd just sort of take stock of things after each session, and if it seems like you are consuming all your pads, maybe take a step back and think about whether you can back off on your braking, and make sure you don't have any dragging calipers or anything. If you eat a whole set of brakes your first event, you're probably overdriving the car. The wear sensors can be transferred to new pads IF you replace the pads before they get so thin that the sensors are destroyed It also won't hurt anything to drive without wear sensors; I've deleted them from my car since I check pads extremely frequently anyway. You have to short the wires out though, to avoid having a warning light on all the time. Something to do on leisure time; not a great track-side mod to be performing. Leave PSM on for at least your first couple sessions. As you build speed, if you see that light flicker and feel it cutting power, you know that's a spot on the track where, at least in the car's mind, you are overcooking it. I've found it to be pretty non-invasive on most tracks, but there are usually one or two corners where it flickers, and might cut power on exit and slow me down. It lets you know that once you turn the nannies off, that's a spot you need to be on your game to avoid wheelspin or too much slip angle. It's actually a pretty valuable coaching tool just to give you a little heads-up, like "hey, **** might get real here if you have to make a mid-corner adjustment or something". Remember it's all fun and games when you're on the perfect line, but if you're bumping up against PSM and then you have to alter your line because of traffic, debris, oil, whatever, suddenly you're on a new line and your margin of safety could be gone. Just like I said burned up brakes indicate overdriving, if you're constantly tripping PSM, you're probably driving a bad line, or being choppy with the controls, and should reconsider your approach in that corner. These cars don't have enough power that you should need constant help from PSM. I normally run 1-2 sessions with it on just to get warmed up, especially at a new track, and then if everything seems pretty safe I switch it off. Again, unfortunately switching it off means you have a constant warning light on, so you'll need to just get used to tuning that one out, while remaining aware of any others that may come on!

Also be extremely wary of other drivers particularly during the first and last session of the day. People tend to get a little excited in the beginning, and a little tired at the end. First sessions: OOOH RACETRACK, TIME TO GO FAST, LET'S TURN OFF ALL GOOD DECISION-MAKING SKILLS! Middle sessions: Safe, focused learning time for everybody. Last session: LAST CHANCE TO SET THAT MAGIC LAP TIME, HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS!!

RBF600 is a really good idea. I didn't know that PSM effected the bleeding process but I use a motive power bleeder, frequently. Don't put brake fluid in it though, just use it to pressure the system, then take it off, add more fluid in the reservoir when it gets low, then pump it back up. You'll probably gain 10-12 lbs on air temp so I'd start about 6lbs under your target pressure and check it after EVERY session. Also make sure you have a way to air the tires back up for the drive home. Take a torque wrench with you and check the lugs after first session, and every 2-3 after that. 96 ft/lbs. Pad sensors can be pulled out and zip tied to prevent wear on them. Also, to prep, find some good videos of people racing on the track in similar cars and start memorizing their line. If you'll spend just 10min a day doing this for a week or two it will make the first day a much better experience. Beside that, just relax and have fun. And remember, smooth is fast. Oh ya, and always listen to Sneaky Pete. He's spot on.

if your car is manual - take some tape and put it over the parking brake handle.... it is such a habit to pull that parking brake up when you stop your car........... but you really don't want to do that when you come off the track......... your mind will be elsewhere - so tape over the parking brake handle as a reminder!

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Just a little humor.....but remember flat out baby flat out

With your background, you probably already know this: Someone suggested tire pressures of 36/42 was a good starting point. Those pressures sound quite high to me as a starting point. You don't want to start with normal street pressures as your pressures will rise as the tire temp rises. Different brands of tires build heat and pressures differently depending on ambient temp and track temp so you'll have to experiment a little, i.e. get some advice from someone at the track that runs a C4. The other advice is good, but I wouldn't even start at anywhere near 36/42.

Aim for something cheap There is no shame in point-bys have fun Not a race Don't lift Your brakes are better than you think they are Breathe Not a race As noted above, don't be pulling up the brake handle when you pit between runs Have fun Not a race

Thank you for all the advice! I am considering zip tying my brake wear sensors. I can live with the light for a weekend. As for red mist, i'm over it since my racing days. I did a motorcycle trackday 2 months ago, and if someone passes me, that's OK now

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Yes, I will have to play with the pressures, I actually had 32/36 when I first mounted my tires, and the rears didn't feel as planted as 40+ I know - strange. I am not used to seeing such high OEM pressures! I think I will drive there 36/42, and do 32/38 as my start off point. I have a compressor and calibrated gauge, so I will play with pressures as my day progresses. My buddy is taking is ATS-V. Should be interesting.

Last thing. I think i'm going to buy a 1 day track insurance from Lockton. For a $24K coverage, it's $170 bucks for the day. From reading reviews, the payout is painless. I know for a fact my insurance (geico, or any big name for that matter) no longer covers any type of HPDE events.

I know, me too! I was trying to create a loop. It almost works.

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I thnk you should let them cool before retorquing. A guy broke a stud torquing hot wheels at my last track day. I had my first DE days last summer. I too had lots of track experience at the particular track from MC. Different experience in car, although lines are mostly similar. My track is short and tight. I had zero issues with stock brake pads (with fresh Castrol racing fluid). Very addictive, be warned. Ive been lusting after a track car since.

The only way to cure the lust is to get one. And it's worth it.

Curious: 1. Why re-torque the wheels after a run? Do the lug bolts get hot and stretch? 2. No parking brake to avoid warping a hot rotor/emergency brake drum? 3. How much oil can you expect to use on a typical 20 run DE?

Yes, yes and none

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In a a Spin....BOTH FEET IN and come to a complete stop If you don't hit the brakes hard to stop the car, there is a chance a tire can get traction and shoot you across the track. Not Good Motul RBF 600 is a good brake fluid to you. Realistically, ATE 200 is probably fine as well for your needs Don't worry about using the parking brake on a modern Porsche like the 996. The older ones used the disk pads as an E brake and it could cause problems when very hot. Our cars have drum brakes for the E brake and if you apply it, its fine. Not using the E brake is an old lawn mower engine (air cooled) Porsche issue Who ever told you to start with 36/42 for the track is nuts!!. 36/42 is probably high for hot temps from track use. I run different tires (RE-71s) and start at 24/26 cold and run around 30/32 hot YMMV I assume you will be running the Roval at Fontana. Its a blast and the front straight into T1 &T2 is FAST!! You will especially like T3 where you go from 5th to 2nd and a hint for T9 is very late apex Have fun and be safe

Actually, the early Porsches used disc/drum brakes also (I have a '66 too). I was surprised to see that Porsche is still using that design as it is pretty heavy. Drums will warp if clamped when hot but I wonder how hot they get as the only heat would be transfer from the disc.

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What could possibly go wrong?

I agree with Jay, 36 / 42 tire pressure is WAY too high. Follow the numbers Jay gave you, or something similar to that. Fontana is a fun track. Figure out what line you want on the banked curve. For a 996, prolly somewhere in the middle. Do not drive on the lane seams on the bank, they are slipperier than the adjacent track. Similarly, avoid driving a line where your tires will be tracking the tar. Do NOT cross the white line at the bottom of the bank. The area at the bottom is at a different slope than the rest. Fontana is very hard on brakes.

I am in the same boat. I have been doing mororcycle track days for years, and raced before that. As i get older i am leaning for 4 wheel track fun. I have been upgrading/ prepping my pcar for a spring track day. Good luck!

Be sure you have extra engine oil just in case you need to top up. Be sure you have nothing loose in the cabin, under the seats, or in the door pockets, or in the center console or glove box. Something knocking about can be a distraction. And you don't want a water bottle rolling under the clutch or brake pedal at any time. Try to run as "pure" racing gasoline as you can on the track. While the 100 octane is overkill racing gasoline brings more to the table that just big octane numbers. With your motorcycle experience I'm sure you are very aware of this but be sure you take a cool down lap to give the engine/drivetrain/brakes time to shed some heat and then in the pit let the engine idle for a few minutes more to shed even more of its considerable heat load. The parking brake I believe uses aluminum shoes against a cast iron "drum". With a cool down lap the brakes should be cool enough you can use the parking brake without any risk to the aluminum, but if you don't want to use the parking brake that's up to you. Just be sure to block the tires just in case for some reason the tranny doesn't stay in gear. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. On my motorcycle I'd sweat buckets during a race.

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Got it on the pressures. Does the C4 have different recommended pressures compared to C2, or the same? The RE71s are more aggressive (stiffer sidewalls?) than my S04s. I'll start mid range and adjust as I go through the day. Ouch! Exactly why i'm buying track insurance for the day. While my 996 is just my toy car (not my DD) I would not want to come home like that! Thanks! I'm still going to do 2-wheel track days, but want to try something different. Got it. I keep my car pretty bare, I do however have a toddler booster seat, i'll remove. But great reminder to go through my car again.

Unless you have a special tune, 100 octane is a waste of money for a stock 996 There are a bunch of gas stations on the way to/from 1-10 and the track entrance As Cuda noted, on the banked turns T1 & T2, pick a lane and stay in it until you apex T2. The asphalt patch they use between the lanes is slippery than unicorn snot. Also as he mentioned, do not drop down into the blend line at speed, it has very different grip and can shoot you right to the top.

Also, be sure to remove the front floor mats! Make sure there is nothing in the frunkenstein. Brake hard before T3, late apex on T10 Here's a track map, for those not familiar with Fontana.

As stated earlier you shouldn't need any oil. Your gauge will lie to you during the event so there is no way to know if you do. Letting it sit overnight then checking it is the only way to get a good reading. And as for oil level, dead center on the stick is recommended.

It's interesting all the different recommendations... Traffic permitting, I have found it significantly faster to go high at turn 1 and dive through all the lanes by the apex of turn 2 - going a half a second longer at 145+ gains a lot more ground than turning in early though turn 1 at 130 or so where the turn is tighter and way slower. There's a lot of room up there in Turn 1 to keep going - yes, the wall looks ominous! Those tar lines look like they might be slippery but I've found even in the pouring rain like last year's club races it wasn't anything abnormal. What's slippery is all the crap/marbles up high if you stay high too long at turn 1. I only found the stripes at start finish to be slick in the wet, but at least it's a straight away. I'm usually in 5th there and the car will hop! Then it's to 6th, then down to 2nd for turn 3. I found at cal speedway the fronts increase by 8psi and the rears 10psi and I keep the back right tire one or two PSI higher so it can handle the extra load. These findings were the same with Nitto or Kumho R-compound tires where I'm shooting for around 35 or 36 hot. If you start sliding all over the place, your pressure is too high! Have a great time, the Roval is a fun track to run. It's a big track that goes fast and you can't see a lot of the rest of the track while you're on it, so don't forget to look far ahead of yourself!

Yes, you are spot on. Apex T2 to the inside and track out right full gas, then brake hard and downshift 5-2 into T3 on the left, then hard right into T4 I just don't have the ***** to hold speed into T2

I think pretty much everything has already been said already but here's just a few .02s from the internets: Since you've got a lot of experience on the bike at the track, just be patient . Both with yourself and your abilities in the car, especially your first time out. Listen to your instructor, if you don't have one yet make sure to sign up for one. You'll be glad you did. Probably the most humbling moment I've ever had was after a day of me lapping with my instructor (and feeling like I owned the course), he took me out in my own car (his first time ever driving it) and absolutely torched any possible thought I had that I knew what I was doing. Witnessing 'the gap' firsthand has been forever transformational. You might be further ahead than I was but maybe ask yours to do the same in the afternoon sessions. Your car is more than capable of anything you can do on the track and the instructors are there to help you learn, have fun, and get the most out of your paid track time. Its a win, win, win. The learning curve is steep so take your time getting a feel for the track, the car, your comfort level and most of all enjoy it. The itch is real.

First day.. just take it easy, just don't push anything past 70%. That will give you space for mistakes and keep the car cool. The biggest mistake is to try to feel the limit on first day, even worst first laps.

My comment that higher tire pressures would be "safe" was based on taking it pretty easy the first session, in which case pressures should only rise a couple psi, not 8 or 10. You don't want to start too low to the point where the tires are so floppy they can roll over onto the sidewall during heaving cornering, especially on a banked track where you'll be loading one side more heavily for an extended period of time. Too low of a pressure and you'll end up wearing the outside shoulders of the tread pretty heavily. As you progress and start driving harder, THEN you'll definitely find tire pressures increasing more during a session, and then you'd want to start at a lower pressure to compensate. If you start a little on the high side, you'll just find that the car loses some grip as you get warmed up because the tire contact patch is smaller and the tire is stiffer. But you won't damage your tires, and you'll have a nice early-warning system that you are starting to get the tires hot and maybe it's time to make an adjustment before the next session. That slight reduction of grip, if you find it, will remind you to keep within your limits in the first few sessions, rather than encouraging you to push past the limit and abuse the car. For your first track day I'd just try to maintain a safe, consistent pressure throughout the day, relatively close to the factory recommendation, rather than messing too much with adjusting. Your time for your first few days is better spent on learning driving technique rather than trying to tune the car; it's best if the car is a constant, so you know whether changes you're making as a driver are working or not. The only goal for the tire pressures should be to keep them in a safe range and not damage the tires by letting pressures get too high OR too low. Of course there are lots of competing opinions, this is just mine!

Yea loss of grip and slippery tires are a really good idea @ 120 mph in a banked turn Factory tire pressures are for normal street driving where the tires only get a little warmer, not the track where they get HOT. They will go up 6-10 PSI after a lap or so at Fontana unless you are not pushing it at all. Yes you don't want them, so low that they roll off the wheel, but we are not talking 70 series tires here, most likely 35-45 series and reasonably wide. As far as extended banked turn driving, T1 and T2 are the only heavily banked turns, other the the front straight which has some banking, but is basically straight, the rest of the course is a relatively flat road course Curious, do you have a lot of track experience DK?

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While 100 octane is way over what the engine needs, 93 being the nomimal required grade of octane, and even allowing that an engine's octane requirement can go up as the miles accumulate, there is more to racing gasoline that its elevated octane rating. Here's the observations by a professional racer regarding using racing gasoline in a street car:

Yes, have been tracking various cars for ~10 years, but nothing worth arguing about. I'm certainly an amateur. In my opinion the goals and setup necessary for a beginner are different than those of a seasoned vet. If a beginner is gaining 10 psi in a single lap, I think they are taking too many risks, or driving extremely sloppily and abusing the car. They don't yet have the skills in hand to safely support that speed. Hell, I keep pace with most folks in the intermediate and advanced groups at the tracks I go to and I don't even gain that much pressure in my tires in a 20-minute session. But that's just me. I come from more of an endurance background of trying to drive a consistent lap time all day long without abusing the car or taking unnecessary risks, and working in a friendly, comfortable manner in traffic with other drivers on track, whether they're slower or faster, rather than lighting up the stopwatch on a single lap. None of us get prize money. Never meant to touch off an argument about car setup. Just trying to give OP some friendly moral support that if he shows up to the track at reasonable pressures and drives with his head on straight, his car won't explode. He can learn and tinker from that comfortable starting point.

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What? I get a good oil level reading -- using the digital level display -- from my Boxster even after pushing it hard in the twisties after the car sits with the engine off just long enough for me to fill the fuel tank. My advice is to the OP is to check the oil level before heading to the track then after filling up the fuel tank. At the track then check the level before starting the engine before heading out. While the engine may not use any oil under "normal" circumstances under track conditions with the elevated RPMs and high g-forces with the increase in the oil vapor content of the crankcase fumes the AOS may be overwhelmed and pass through copious amount of oil to the engine in the form of vapor. Even though the oil doesn't get into the engine past the rings or valve seals/guides it still gets into the engine and is burned. I could no more not take an oil level reading at various times during a track session than I could not wear a helmet on the track. And I would run the oil level -- hot -- at the top. Why add to the risk of the engine running low on oil during a hard turn/under severe braking by running less than the maximum hot oil level?

Totally agree. I get electronic oil readings just fine at the track, and would be be afraid to go more than a couple sessions without checking it (although to date my car consumes no noticeable oil at the track). I'm also curious what the rationale is for 1/2 stick. I always run the car full (not overfilled!) to help prevent starvation in a corner. What is the benefit of running less oil? OP's car is a 2001 and should have a dipstick anyway, right? So no need to trust the electronic gauge if you don't want to.

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He said it's "only worth it in a race car where a second a lap is a lifetime."

OP, just make sure the car is mechanically and fluid-ly sound, come with an open mind and have fun.

Oil levels when hot show different than when cool. Even on the stick, at least on my 99s. Feel free to check it on the track and then check it the next day. Your experience may vary. Mid stick provides adequate oil. My understanding is that top of the stick is part of the issue with the AOS smoking. And both of these can be found by searching FSI posts.

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Yes, I went through the car top to bottom. I'm one of those OCD types I will for sure keep an eye on oil level.

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Agree. Filling to the top is just begging to have the AOS spewing clouds of smoke. BTDT. Also, guaranteed that the tires will go up more than a couple pounds. If you are driving so slow that they only go up a couple pounds, you are going to have a pissed-off conga line behind you.

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Just put number 420 on your car and everyone will think you are Cuda and he is used to a conga line behind him

Also, I assume most of you guys wear car specific helmets? I only own motorcycle road race helmets - and I know the design is different. I went through the providers FAQ, and didn't see this - can I use a light tint face shield?

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Didn't realize how popular track days were for Congans

Motorcycle helmets aren't fire retardant. It's probably worth picking up an SA2015 helmet.

Sorry if I missed it, but do you guys go a bit easier in the first lap of each session to warm up the tires?

^^^ Yes, warm up brain and tires for a couple laps. Motorcycle helmet is fine (it's up to the club, we allow them in PCA), as long as it has the current rating. As mentioned above, MC helmets don't have the fire rating. Tinted shield is fine too, if it's what you prefer. I leave the shield up and wear driving glasses. What organization are you racing with? I imagine that they will have rules that you need to be familiar with. What will be the passing rules? Point-by?

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Speed ventures. Here are their passing rules: We have different passing rules for different run groups. Our advanced run group offers open passing, with or without a point by. The intermediate groups allow passing anywhere on track with a point-by. The beginner group allows point-by passing only in straight sections (no passing in turns). So I really only need to worry about people passing me in the straight, which I am fine with. The C4 is not that fast.

I do the Hooked on Driving track day events, where motorcycle helmets are not allowed. Check first to make sure you're good to go. Most loaner helmets typically suck. White "Stig" helmets add 5bhp to the car.

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Speed Ventures allows MC helmets, just wondering if it's not a good idea or not.

Along with the fire retardant material, car helmets are designed for multiple impacts, think rollover, where as bike helmets are designed for a larger single impact, now think t bone accident with rider catapulted large distances.

If the group allows a MC helmet, it most likely still needs to be SNELL rated like M2010. Most groups also won't accept helmets that are older that the last rating before the current one (2015), so a SNELL 2010 is OK, but a 2005 probably is not. Many people either leave the visor up or remove it. Its up to you. Some say the visor gives you additional protection for your eyes. If your helmet is in an accident where it get a major impact, throw it away. You only have one noggin. If you search the web a bit, you can find SA2010 helmets for under $150 Also, if you plan on doing a bunch of track days, invest in driving gloves and shoes. A full suit is fine and certainly gives you more protection from fire, but depending on what class you are running in or how mnodified your car is may not be required

Why don't we let OP have his first day on track.

Go drive your hair dresser car Dave

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My Arai is Snell 2010. My Suomys are not, so I guess i'll be using my Arai. I have a collection of crashed helmets, and coming from a motorcycle racing background, i'm one and done in regards to crashing. I've retired helmets even w/o crashes just because they are past the date of expiration.

Smart man

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Like I said, i'm very OCD. You should see how I keep my cars/bikes.

Will you have an instructor in the car with you? If so, follow the advice in this thread and follow his advice. Given that you already have track experience, you will do fine and have a blast. One of the most important things to learn at the track is situational awareness, and I'm sure you already have this mastered from your motorcycle racing.

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You'll find this WORLDS easier in a car with mirrors

"If" you have the opportunity to ride with more than one instructor, take it! They all have different perspectives and you can pick up different things from each. Also, if you have the opportunity to ride in the right seat of one of their cars, it's a great learning experience. I'm pretty OCD as well, so hear you. I know for me, my first time wasn't as enjoyable as the next as I was putting pressure on myself and thinking too much. Don't sweat the details. Remember, it's a DE day, not Lemans. As the old Midas commercial used to say, "first you get good, then you get fast". Take your time, nothing to prove, no pressure. Take it all in and enjoy.

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absolutely useless anecdote. oooo, it kicked harder. Give me a break.

What oil are you using?

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I will take all the instruction they have to offer! I rather take things slow and methodical, than jump in head first. Joe Gibbs DT40

What color was the cap on it?

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I can't tell is Stan's response is true or a joke. But if true.....do not use DT40 for DE's. And again I walked into a potential oil thread.....woohoo!

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I know, right?! Although, I do have some cheap M1 euro blend, but i'll wait til after the trackday to change.

Your going to enjoy your first, "car" track day. If they let you use your MC helmet, for one day, your fine. Your instructor will help keep you safe and help you to enjoy your day. Just like the first time PCA will, for the most part let you run without a fire extinguisher, you should check with the group hosting this event. If you do the event an get hooked ( Hope you do) then you can investigate a dedicated helmet. As was stated above, MC helmet are not fire retardant, as the rider usually gets thrown from the bike. In a car incident, a trapped driver needs to make sure his helmet can protect him should a fire ensue. You should be fine. After your day, and I will assume that the hook will go in deep, and set (oh yeah, that's the best part). shoot me a pm. Fontanna is a banked track, some things to think about......not for your first day......we can discuss later. Enjoy, have a blast, hope you become addicted.....track guys are great people...some of my best buddies I have met through track driving! I will be interested to hear your impressions of the differences between MC and P-car.

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Thanks for the encouragement. In some ways, I wish my first day was on a track I already know (thunderhill, buttonwillow, sears point, and laguna) but scheduling is tough nowadays. I do have an addictive personality. To put it into perspective, I did my first motorcycle trackday in late 2005, and in 2006, I did over 20 days It got worse from that point! I molded my life around track days. For sure if this becomes my new obsession, I don't like to skimp on anything - especially on safety gear.

Someone say Oil thread?? Motul 8100 Xcess 5w-40\ Good stuff for everyday and track

We want to see pics of the car!

My car? Just your average MK1 C4 MT. I am in the less is more camp. I only care about suspension and perfect mechanicals. Here is my modest 1000 hp garage.

^^^ Very nice. Congrats.

On the straights touch the brakes with your left foot to make sure you still have brakes as you approach a hard braking corner.

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Last summer I did my first track day at WGI, Zone 1. I was pretty nervous about the event. I left having a great experience. I had a great instructor, right from the basics about seat and hand position, to understand what I was feeling as the suspension worked in the corners. I did not push the car anywhere near the limits, but instead took the opportunity to learn as much as I could about track edicate and how my 996 operates on a track. I have been around high performance cars all my life, but I put all of it aside, and had a wealth of knowledge put in front of me. I will say, after two track days, I sleep really well on Sunday night.

Success! Will do a full writeup later

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Good idea, I do the same thing!

'Nuther tip..... try not to crash.

Any day you are able to drive your car home from the track was a successful track day

Well, my first day was a success as mentioned. I drove around 1000 miles this weekend (to and from the track), and really got to know the car well since purchasing it. Happy to say the car didn't burn one drip of oil or gave me a single issue. Heading from SF Bay Area to LA on HWY 5, I was getting around 25mpg doing 80-90. That was a bonus for me--as I don't usually drive the 996 on long highway runs. At the track, I took in as much instruction as I could. While i'm very familiar with track riding, there are some major differences between cars and motorcycles. On motorcycles, you don't look behind you or even pay attention to whats behind you. I found out on cars, it's the exact opposite. After 10+ years of track riding, I had to re-train myself to keep looking in my mirror. I would say that once I got on track, it was pretty fun pushing the car around. It's also not nearly as physical as riding a motorcycle, but still a lot of fun. Here are a few random things that popped in my head throughout the day. - The car has quite a bit of body roll! I thought the car was stiff for the street (I have M030), at the track, it's not nearly stiff or low enough. - Brakes were amazing. No fade even after doing full sessions at speed. - No problems with tires. I set hot pressure and left it for the rest of the day - Left PSM on as this is my first day on the car. I let it do it's thing when I got a little throttle happy. - The track config has a part of a banked (think nascar) curve that I hit 135 on--which then tightens up to a turn, that definitely got my heart racing. Any mistake, and i'm hitting the wall. - For the whole session, I was basically running the car near redline, a few times, I mis shifted and trying to accelerate out of a corner at anything under 6k rpm, is not great- you lose all drive and momentum. Overall, the car performed amazing. Not a single issue. Only collateral damage is some new rock chips, but i'll live with that. Already setting up the next day, but I think i'll address the suspension first. For those who know Auto Club Speedway, we were running the Roval config; doing about 2:12s.

Good job! 2:12 is respectable for a first time. You should be able to get to 2:05 or so pretty easily next time at that track. You should be over 135 on the bank in your car.

Good job. Glad you had fun and stayed safe.

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Thank you! Not sure when i'll come back to Auto Club, but will do my home tracks next (Sears, and Laguna) those - I know like the back of my hand and would love to try it in my car.

I was thinking about you this weekend. Auto Club is one of my favorite tracks - just this GIANT stadium of speed!! As Cuda said - those lap times will tumble as you progress. Congrats on a good, fast time at the track!!

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And then they hover.... while you scream.

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Yep, 3 years of motorcycle road racing and my laptimes plateaued. Very frustrating.

https://youtu.be/ab5dqqF3b5c Now with video!

Nice. Love th pickup truck at 2:30 or so.

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Nice! That must have been super fun on the banking. Looks like an old VW rabbit-truck! I'm surprised the organizers let that thing onto the track.

Just changed my oil tonight. It's my routine to change oil after every track day -- plus I'm due. 3,000 street miles. Ripped open the oil filter and clean as a whistle! 9 quarts of fresh 0-40, and i'm back in business.

This from a newb who has ONE HPDE done with PCA: if you're doing a PCA event I don't think you can go wrong. The club members will have your back. I was CLUELESS - no tools, no tire pressure gauge with bleed-off, etc. But I got a great instructor, and had a BLAST. Other members helped me through all the rest. Also... I like the advice you're getting here. I should have done what you did and asked for advice first. Definitely change brake fluid if you're not certain when it was last changed. I can't wait to do more DE's...

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+1