Trackable Street Car Setup Recomendations

Looking for advice on converting 2001 C2 for occasional track use. I am planning on adding deep sump and third radiator for reliability. Suspension planned upgrade to coil overs, just not convinced how far to go, Toe links? camber plates? Monoballs or urethane? Adjustable rear dogbones? Probably running 200 tread wear tires or high end street tire, not Hoosier.

Take a look at these few threads as they go a long way in providing some info at what you're looking to accomplish. Zbombs build thread, UAOS thread and the upcoming UIDS thread as it pertains to the oil pressure instability thread. 3rd radiator is a great idea but I'd hold off on any deep sumps until the UIDS is available, which is coming sooner than later.

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Before spending a ton of money on parts, tell us about yourself? How much have you invested in driver-mod? If not much, just start with brakes, cooling and tires... Coilovers if your current stuff is shot. Waiting for UIDS is definitely better than buying deep sump today.

Rocco, A lot you can do for set-up. All depends on your current level of experience and how serious you are, all of which will determine what you will need now and later. What's your experience on the track and what has been done to your car so far? Engine, suspension, brakes, safety equipment? if you give us a little info we can all give you a few suggestions.

I have done four track days, 1 with 1986 930 track car, 1 with a 2000 Boxster S, some mods and 2 days in a 1998 Spec Boxster. I have been Autocrossing at a local level for ten years but not in a Porsche, but a highly modified AMC Javelin. Just looking to refine skills and enjoy some track driving before the clock runs out. Trying to equip car to be at my level to start and can always keep modifying the car. Not looking for more power, just reliable and consistent suspension upgrades. Car has 18" Oz Racing wheels. Brakes are stock, and age of suspension components are unknown. No cage or harness bar , yet, and stock seats for now.

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Good background and logical approach. Here are some thoughts on engine prep and durability. We can discuss suspension, brakes, exhausts, safety equipment, etc. In a later post. My thoughts are based on what I learned over the past 20 years owning and tracking the same 2002 996. I am going thru this same process in prep to get back out on the track after taking 4 years off. As a side note, I am not a "wing-it" guy. So I try to think things thru so I only have to do it once. Engine Prep and Durability - Got to keep it safely running. 1. Oil testing - start testing your oil to develop a baseline as well as identify what's floating around in your oil. This will provide a clue as to what is wearing in your engine. Obviously, if you have a lot of metal, you may have problem. 2. Bore Scope - scope your bores to see if you have anything to be aware of. If so, take precautionary measures. If not, go at it baby! 3. IMSB- LN Solution or Retro to make sure you won't have a problem. 4. AOS - regardless of whether you have a new OEM Aos or not, get the UAOS with drainback. Great product that is better than the Porsche Motorsports AOS. While I have run the MS AOS since 2006, and it has served me well, there are two flaws to it. #1 you gotta lower the engine to replace it, and #2 you cannot run over-full levels of oil with it. It's drain can't handle the volume. The UAOS with drainback can run the oil over-full, tests have shown it can handle 1QT over full. May be more, but I can't confirm. This is important because the more oil the better. In addition, the Uaos is designed to be able to replace the membrane easily without dropping the engine and cheaply. This is Huge. 5. Oil Starvation/Oil Pressure Stability - the 2QT deep sump was an incredibly important product for the M96 engine. It allowed all of us to run 2Qts additional oil, which helped #1 provide more oil cooling thru more oil for a 20-25 min session, #2 provided more oil to help mitigate starvation. Without it, and all of the above listed items, my engine would have failed. However, there is a new product that is about to be released called the UIDS, which is designed to directly address oil starvation and oil pressure instability by keeping a plentiful supply of oil where it should be, regardless of G forces from corning and braking. The Uids will also come with the ability to run an extension for more oil. I plan on doing this as well as as running an extra quart on top of this using the UAOS. This is huge! ​​​​​​6. Cooling - in the past, there was no solution available for oil cooling beyond running a 2qt Deep sump providing extra supply. The problem with this is that if you run your car at speed beyond 20-25 minutes, even with a deep sump, the oil temps will escalate and swamp the cooling ability of the radiators. Yes, you can run a 3rd water cooler, but it's not as effective as would be a strong oil cooler. LN is in the process of developing an oil cooler for the 996. They actually have it but are working on how to fit it in the non-spacious engine compartment. Stay tuned, I know Charles and team will nail it. I bring this up because there is no disadvantage to getting a third radiator. But I am waiting to see where LN fits the oil cooler before I reconfigure my front end for a 3rd radiator. Again, this is huge! DO NOT FORGET to make sure you have fresh oil in your car for the DE event, and DO NOT FORGET to change the oil after the event. This is critical to engine life. My car has 57k miles and my oil has been changed on average every 500-600 miles. Whats listed above is my engine gameplan in prep for my second 14 year run of DE. Most important thing is to spend your money first on engine durability. What's important to me, is to make sure that whatever I bolt on to my engine (listed above), can be used again when I decide to get my engine rebuilt sometime in the next few years. Hate to waste money if I don't have too. Lastly, it goes without saying that you want to make sure you have fresh ignition coils, spark plugs, fuel injectors, MAF, OXY sensors, water pump, etc. As mentioned, we can discuss suspension, brakes, exhaust, safety equipment, etc. Later in this post. Hope this helps.

I dunno, I�ve always tracked my cars bone stock, except track pads and racing brake fluid. I would run the UDIS and get some oil cooling. My 99�s water temps are never above 102C even with just 2 stock radiators, but I suspect the oil is too hot (never checked).

I'm going to assume that you will give the car a good mechanical and maintenance once over and that stuff need not be discussed. Really, I think talking from a minimum standpoint, you don't have to do pretty much any of the below and if the car is mechanically sound, you can go out and have fun. If you want to go out and have fun and have a car that is faster, by a lot and hopefully setup to be more reliable for track use, the below I hope is helpful. Powertrain - Muffler deletes - mostly for the huge weight reduction off the back of the car, slim pickings for easy weight loss back there and muffler deletes are cheap to boot. - UAOS W/ Drainback - this does some really good things: A) Adds some sensibility to the AOS system, its a known weak point from a reliability and servicing standpoint. This moves the failure point to a serviceable location at a minimum. B) Safeguards in the event of failure of the AOS the oil does not end up in the intake in sufficient volume to cause major engine damage C) Allows oil level to be run at max capacity on track, this was long advised against because of the strain it put on the AOS. With the drain back option, you close the loop on the system depositing all oil caught within back into the crankcase. It keeps your level where it needs to be and out of the intake. - LSD - either Guard or OS Giken. With all your autox experience, I'm thinking sliding the car around and taking advantage of weight transfer is something you have experience with. Where as with many I think an LSD can wait, in your case, I think you would benefit from one from a fun perspective at a minimum. I don't have a reason to upgrade the rads other than an attempt to pull more heat out of the oil, my water temps have been stable. I think upgrading the rads in an attempt to bring oil temps down will not have a meaningful impact on the reason we want to bring the oil temp down in the first place which is to minimize oil pressure drops. The level in my experience the oil needs to be cooled in order to greatly impact the issue of the oil not being under the pickup at all times, in my opinion, will not be solved by bringing water temps down with upgraded radiators or 3rd rad. So, if you want to do it because it's a smart thing to do, I wouldn't argue with you but for my money, I would spend elsewhere first. You can do some stuff thats free that will make an impact here - clean the rads being at the top of the list. Vent the fender liners and removing the fan and shroud assembly from one side are all options I have not seen to have any negative affect as of yet. If a good oil cooler comes to market, I think it would be a worthwhile mod and could change my perspective on adding capacity to the cooling system. The deep sump - I don't know, everyone does them, so there's that. It doesn't prevent oil pressure drops for me. There may be a solution on the horizon that will perform better, I would be saving any oil control money to see how that pans out. Suspension - Ohlins R&T - I don't think you will find anyone who uses there car on track as a dual use who doesn't speak glowingly about them. They work really well in my experience and set a foundation that's not limited by damper. - Get the camber up - adjustable top mounts and LCA's in the front - Toe arms in the rear - going to want these to really get rear toe dialed in with the lowered ride heights. They are relatively affordable. - Alignment - have the car corner balanced and aligned by a competent race shop if this is not something you do yourself, it will cost a lot of money but it is worth it. - Rear sway bar - the GT3 rear bar really helped my front end feel. - Adjustable drop links so your setup guys can make sure no preload on the bars. Tire / Wheel - The biggest stickiest you can run. I like a taller sidewall in the back and run a 35 as opposed to the stock 30. Brakes - Sebro slotted rotors - get them from FCP and take advantage of free swap outs - Hawk HP+ worked really good for me and I think are a great street / track pad. DTC60, to me, can be run on the road but they are marketed as a racing pad, they are noticeably better than the HP+ and produce some huge breaking G's on my setup with very little fade only after I thoroughly abuse them. - GT3 front brake ducts - when I got them they were like 20 bucks total and take 10 minutes to install, kind of a no brainer. - SRF fluid Cockpit (this is very individual but man does a proper cockpit make for a distraction free experience) - Bucket seat with Brey Krause mounts - Harness and harness bar or roll bar - CAE shifter (stock is junk IMO) - the precision this shifter offers pays big dividends when the last thing you want to be thinking about is shifting, with this shifter, you don't think about it on track, ever. - GoPro - we want to watch your track vids Some closing thoughts: Weight reduction, if you can live without, live without. Keep it in mind, at the front of your mind. Front end - when you get a feel for the car the front end will likely be where you feel the weakness is. Whatever you can do to grip up the front is probably worth doing. If you can run 245 up front, it will help. Good luck - I love seeing people join the platform who want to enjoy them on track, in my opinion, they can be potent !

This ^^^^ mostly because i didnt feel like typing it. I do like my Pagid yellow brake pads for dual duty

I�m curious if any engine rebuilders replace the stock oil cooler for something else. The engineer in me says that we don�t need a better (larger or more efficient) heat exchanger in most cases when we are talking about transferring heat using water. Water with aluminum are really good at heat transfers.

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Mike brings up a great point. It comes down to a lot of variables. How often you actually track the car. How fast you are therefore the G's you pull. Whether you are running an Oem aos that is in great shape or its last legs. Even the tires you are running and your suspension set-up will all be factors in potential failure. Is a bone stock 996 with all its bits in great shape safe to track? It may be. I did it for 2 seasons as a novice before my aos failed after about 10-12 track days. Then I went with a motorsports aos. And as time went on, I kept upgrading parts as I got faster and failure points became known to the DE/club racing community in the mid 2000s thru 2018. The list of items is what I plan to do when I go back on the track. I will be running in the fastest PCA run group, on hoosiers or 200 tires. Pretty confident it will address the issues since it has historically. But I do have to say that the faster you get, the more expensive it becomes. And I do know that I want to prevent any chance of engine failure. Yeah, I will eventually get a rebuild, but my goal is to postpone needing one for a few more years.

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My understanding is that Jake has a more powerful oil cooling system than Oem. But I do not have any details. He has made cooling a very important topic in solving a number of issues. Maybe he will see this and elaborate.

Can someone chime in on their wheel alignment set up/specs they run? and their ride height? TIA

First track season of PS4S - very steerable and performed well on the track. More track focused on 100TW tires.

Thanks zbomb! A picture speaks a thousand words. Now converting from imperial to metric... appreciate this!

My track set up on nt01 tires. Just ordered adjustable solid trust bushings for the front to dial in the caster.

zbomb, what was your target ride height when setting up? I'm having trouble imagining the surroundings in getting your heights as described. Thanks.

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I asked the shop to get it in the ballpark of Ohlins settings and then corner balance it.

All of this is very good advice. Perhaps you aren't ready to make the jump to dual-use quite yet. Let me suggest the absolute minimum that you can do, in my mind, is: 1) Brake flush with high temp brake fluid, RBF600 as a minimum with either RBF660 or SRF being even better. 2) Upgraded front brake pads. Jason's suggestion of the HP+ is a good one. Those will keep you out of trouble and are the absolute minimum that I would ever consider. If you're going to do a trackday to see if it's worth it that will get you going. Of course, you will be forever hooked and need to follow all the other great advice in this and the other threads.

All great input! Exactly what I wanted for me to proceed with setup. Thanks to all responders! Never have enough input, so I will read all replies and suggestions. Now we wait for warmer weather and the tracks to open, as I prepare the car.

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Lots of good advice so far, when you get into the details, I am happy to share all the mis steps and parts changes along the way. For me, the OEM Brakes are good for the track and street, just add the following (I use SRF fluid and Pagid black Fr/Rr).

A lot to do. It all depends on how fast you want to be and how quickly you want to get there. Yep, it costs more money to go faster. Below is a sequence most of us go thru as we progress thru the ranks and become better and faster drivers. There is a logic to the sequence. As an example, tough to use a bigger brake kit early on if you don't have a decent suspension set-up, stickier tires and the driving skills to control the car. You get the idea. We all approach the list based on our requirements, needs and financial resources, and everyone is different. Master each one and then move to the next item. Every year I would learn boatloads and realize how much I didn't know the previous years. 1. Engine durability first - Can't drive a car that doesn't keep running. 2. Suspension - Good coilovers using GT3 specs and corner balanced. This will provide more stability, balance and speed. You can play with other set-ups at a later time. 3. OEM brake enhancements - more aggressive pads, rotors and racing brake fluid. When you carry more speed, you gotta be able to slow the car. 4. Safety Equipment A - As you start to get faster you need more safety. At least a harness bar with stock seats to run a four point harness. Best case a roll cage and racing seats so you can run a 6 point harness and Hans device. 5. Stickier tires - More speed and better braking means you now need more grip. 200 or even 100 tires. 6. LSD - You now need both rear wheels to put power to the ground. 7. Safety Equipment B - If you didn't get a roll cage and 6 PT harness and Hans, in step 4, you better get it now. 8. Bigger brakes - By now you are carrying a lot of speed and will have outgrown your Oem brake capabilities. 9. Aero - Now that you have the mechanical grip and understand how to balance the car, aero will take you to the next level. 10. Engine Rebuild for more HP - Don't waste your money until you know how to drive your car. Everyone has a different take on this list. Unless you are flush with cash to throw at the car, take your time. Research what you want to do to the car. Don't think that you need to be Hurley Haywood next week. We all have day jobs and it's not as a LeMans driver, so protect the engine, protect yourself with the appropriate safety equipment, and do everything you can to become a better driver. If you do that, the speed will come faster than you can believe. Enjoy setting up and driving your car. Nothing better. Add/Edit: by the way, I did all of this over the last 20 years except aero. This year the only aero I am adding is a GT3 front splitter. And yep, still drive the car around town.

The other important question is where are you located and what tracks are you wanting to go to? In the NE/Mid-Atlantic we always want more 996s on the track with us.

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Hope you guys come to Road America one of these years. Chicago region hosts an event over Memorial day weekend and labor day weekend. Can't begin to describe how incredible the 4 mile long track is with size, speed and elevation changes. Heaven!

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Yeah we do !

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Oh, I plan on it, my buddies run WRL there and constantly talk about the speed and technical nature of the track, I cannot wait!

I�ve been on Road America with my stock 99 996. While my car isn�t the fastest - I was passed by Vipers and Vettes all day long - but I still hit an indicated 135mph at the end of the long straight. RA is a blast.

in for pictures of the AX Javelin

If I had another 996 and were to start over I'd do the following, but this is me! I don't think I'd add mono-***** and urethane bushings before addressing these first. 1. X51 oil pan, I don't like the deep sumps in case I straddle something and wack my engine. 2. Good tires (if you don't have some on the car already) 3. Good brakes (shameless plug!) 4. Suspension, this will be huge once you switch to coilovers, you will be really surprised! Of course as you start down this slippery slope you will start to figure out that you want some decent seats to keep from bruising your legs up holding yourself in. If its a "street" and "track" car the Euro 996 GT3 Buckets fit the bill nicely. And also before any of this you want to make sure your car is healthy, you will be testing its limits on the track (engine mounts are something very often overlooked, water pump, AOS etc). Or just go drive it and add these things when you can. Seat time is priceless.

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One of these years... the short tight tracks we've got here in New England remind me of driving in a parking garage.

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Yeah, we have the same thing here as well in the Midwest. A lot of 2 mile tracks. Quick, technically difficult, but not carrying a lot of speed for long. The size (length and width) of Road America and speed you carry is an eye opener when you move from 2 mile long tracks to 4. There are 2 straights that you will get above 140-145 in our cars, with one that ends downhil in a braking area that literally takes your breadth away (turn 5) and another (thunder alley after the kink) that you will hit 130 while veering left followed by extremely hard braking and a incredible uphil right turn that is built for the 996 (Canada Corner). You gotta really pay attention and keep your car balanced because of the speeds, but man, it's like no other track. Road America is where I learned to appreciate big brakes. It's euphoric. No other way to describe it.

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U need to meet me at Watkins Glen this summer.

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Always loved the look of a Javelin. Feel free to show a few more pictures!

Can you provide the tire sizes you are running front and rear? thanks

8x18 Carrera 2 225x40x18 10x18 Carerra 2 285x30x18

For track im running nt-01 tires. 245 front and 305 or 315 rear on 18" apex and oz wheels. 18x8.5 et45 front and 18x11et60ish rear. Street is 235 and 295 perelli

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I would like to run Watkins Glen sometime this summer. It would be great if there would be a way to organize all the guys tracking their 996�s to agree on date at the Glen.

Rocco I have a Porsche tech equipment harness roll bar for sale good addition for safety and strength on your car Mike

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not to hijack this thread but ill be there with Potomac pca May 13-15 and maybe with Metro Pca June 15-16

Yes I saw that in parts for sale. Curious as to how far back your seat is in relation to pillar. My stock seat is behind the pillar for me to fit.

I’m 6’1 and 280 so I have extend tacks on my carbon seat so the cage wouldn’t work for me I needed a lot of leg room I am a big guy with the stock seats it would fit no problem but I like my new seats too much and I’m not tracking my car so the cage had to go but omg what a beautifully made unique piece

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What are the requirements to run with the PCA? I haven't bothered with our local PCA, they're much more of a white wine and deviated stitching group.

My car is a total street car. Tires are stock 18" recommended sizes: F 225/40/18, R 285/30/18 I did the wheel alignment myself at the local high school auto shop to stock setting. (all within 0.5 degrees of stock settings) Not that hard to do actually. The car tracks true and straight. Transitions well left to right, and perfect under acceleration and braking. This car doesn't get pushed hard like to the limits in track use so these setting are fine for me. The porsche engineers got the settings right for street use.

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Hah! Come to the Chicago region. We eat red meat, smoke cigars while on the track and deadlift between sessions! Every region is different on how they apply this but here are the general rules. 1. Gotta complete a PCA tech inspection sheet and then present it at the tech inspection station where they will look over your tires, brakes etc. Then you get sticker for your run group. 2. Typically 4 run groups. Green- Novice typically brand new with instructor. Yellow- Advanced Novice that doesn't need instructor White- Advanced drivers may or may not need a roll bar and harnesses in car depending on region and participants. Black- fastest group. Typically club racers and heavy DE guys. Roll bar, harnesses, Hans are typical worn and required. Your local region on their website will have the Tech Sheet as well as their rules to follow.

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Can't run with PCA, too much of hastle.

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why? Too restrictive and u want to be in a different run group? I show up and i drive same as any other org i have done a de with. I find their events to be safe and a good value. pca does require a third party inspect and a brake fluid flush, the rest is similar to all other groups. My local gas station does my insect for free because i buy a lot of fuel.

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I have never run with PCA - probably will not. Tech - The inspection locations are not convenient for me - that and at least one of the "inspection" locations, I am very familiar with the caliber of work they put out, its garbage and if they tech a car and pass it, I would immediately be suspect. @De Jeeper are you saying they require the 3rd party shop to bleed the brakes ? That would be a no go, I wouldn't let you bleed my brakes before a track day, that's my safety and my work. Run Group - I have heard that if you have never run with them you will start in the lowest group with an instructor - while I would welcome having an instructor in the car, I am not going to pay money to drive with people who are half my speed, I get plenty of that already. Lastly, not to be a dick about it, read the racing forum - I am straight with hanging out with a lot of those guys. The PCA racing stuff looks like a complete **** show with people with WAY more money than brains piling up cars on the first laps of races, passing under yellow like it's going out of style... just not stuff that reflects well on the track side of the organization on the whole. Now, sure, everyone has issues, the PCA ones are clear to see over in the racing forum.

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Sounds like you guys have a pretty crappy region in your neck of the woods for DE events. That's a bummer. We are pretty consistent here in the Midwest. Regions and events are solid and we'll run. Tech is pretty easy and straightforward.. Bottom line is that PCA produces a tech inspection sheet that you can find on the national or regional websites that they want you to go thru in prep for the event. You can either have an Indy do it for you or you can do it. They really don't care who does it as long as it's done. When you arrive at the event, you will have to go thru the tech inspection station and the guys working it will go over your car, as they look at your sheet and make sure you don't have any leaks, brakes are good, wheels are torqued, etc. It's all about equipment safety. Run groups are pretty straightforward as well. If you know the track and been on it, you tell them and choose what group you want to run in. If you are new to the track but an advanced driver, typically they will put someone in your car with you for the first session. This may mean that you go out in the green group which is a slow group, learn the line with the instructor, then they will set you loose in the white or even black group. Typically it runs green, yellow, white then black. There is logic to it. Many of us will run a slower group first if we are trying to dial something in and then participate in our black group session, which means we didn't loose any track time. The key with any of the track programs, PCA or whatever is just talking to the decision makers on your background and intentions. I have found that at least in the Midwest with the PCA, they are a good group of guys that will work with you.

Zbomb, no the tech for is basically the same as any other tech form. They dont care who bleeds the brakes, just that it is done. If u wanted too u could fill out the form yourself and make up a shop name. The in person check is just a visual like all other groups u have run with. Also this is just hpde days and nothing like their apperent $hit show of spec race rule enforcement , its 2 completely different things. I think with the correct communication u can be put into the correct group right away and i guarentee u would not pass 16 cars in 20 minutes like the advanced group at your track nights at thompson. There r some very fast people out there and the only pca group that i have run with is a pita about advancing groups has been Potomac. Most know this and avoid them if they dont like their methods. They r not for everyone but their 2 and 3 day formats and resonable pricing, expecially when traveling 4-7 hrs to go to a new track is a good way to maximise track time. Frankly i dont mind the free coaching advice.

FWIW, here is the 2022 tech inspection sheet for the pCA Chicago region. I suspect each of the region's look about the same.

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Just to jump in, I have run with at least 4 different PCA groups (all have positives and negatives). As an example, Ohio Valley Region OVR puts on first class events. After a few weekends you can quickly understand the groups and the fast cars and drivers. It does take time to move up, but after doing this for a few years, I can see why. Fast and safe drivers move up quickly and appreciate the process. Just my opinion, the benefit that you would appreciate the most is the level of driver quality. You will meet people running in IMSA, WRL, Spec Miata, Spec 944, NASA and the list goes on. As I progressed through the groups, I could see their skill and speed. THESE are the people you want to talk to and get advice from. Most of them are humble and also working on their skills. They are usually happy to have you ride along, right seat in your car or drive your car (up to you). The tech inspection thing is a non issue for me. You could do all the work, bring in the form to any shop you know and get a quick look over (my shop does it for free and it takes 15 minutes). In 6 years, no PCA inspector has looked at my sheet. Just my 2 cents.

I think it’s more personnel and not regulations im in nyc so I’ve driven in some of the ny nj conn area SOME members tend to be a donkeys co*k or it has become an ascot session with instructors and drivers being too buddy buddy

PCA characters depend a lot on what type of events you participate in. Concourse crowds are different than the DE crowd, which is different than club racing crowd, which is different than coffee and pastries crowd. Sometimes there is overlap of participants such as between DE and club racing, many times not. Participated in a lot of DEs with 3 different PCA regions over the years with Chicago, Milwaukee and Nord Stern. All top notch. While I have run into a few characters, most long-term Porsche owners are just good people. They care about their cars, want to talk about them and learn from others. It's a tight knit community. Just like anything in life, the more you are seen and volunteer, the more the PCA opens up to you. From a DE vs club racing standpoint, they are two different animals. DE is point and pass. CR is pass where you can for position. There are rules, but the name of the game in racing is to pass and win. So the likelihood of an accident in every race is real. But with DE, it is substantially more sedate with point and pass. Accidents typically come from getting a few wheels on the wet grass. I highly encourage everyone to go out to a local PCA DE with your region to observe. You will be pretty impressed with how they are run, and the difference in speed and skill of the run groups. Many of the guys in the fastest run groups aren't running big HP cars. Do the same with a local PCA club race. Yep lots of money thrown around, but a lot of fun to watch and talk with the drivers, Indy shops and attendees to look for ideas and solutions. In over 20 years, I can't think of a time that I have been shut down with a conversation at an event. You would be surprised at both DE and CR events who attends and drives. From IMSA, WEC and LeMans drivers to Pikes Peak. What I have been told from some of these guys is that they know that the PCA events are consistent across the board and they know what they are going to get with cars and procedures. The ascot, chardonnay and cheese folks in the Midwest seem to gravitate towards ownership of a certain type of Italian made car. Imho, that's where they should be.

The Chicago PCA region has always been easy and no drama for me. I show up with my self-completed inspection sheet. The only thing they made me do is torque-spec every lug on my car.

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Good idea, I might try that this year!

I have a quick question on brake pads. I have completed the buildup of my 2001 996 , now installing track pads, Hawk blue. The front pads I am removing have round "pins" at the top corners, which are not on the Hawk pads. what are these for? do mI need to remove from old pads and install. they don't seem to to touch anything. I have competed in two autocrosses late last year as a test. Also did a trackcross, we started with a small autocross course the onto Thompson after the oval track and down the mainstraight. Car was a joy to drive and won the class at the trackcross! planning on track event starting in mid May. All info provided was a great help in prepping the car. thank you all!

Those weights on the stock pads are vibration dampers to limit squealing. At least that is what I think you are talking about. And, if the Thompson you are describing is the one in Connecticut I will be there tomorrow the 11th with some other 996 guys running a TniA event.

Yes now it makes sense, thanks for the info. Yes Thompson in CT, but I wont be there until next Saturday.

I would keep an eye on those pads. Change them when the get to 50% and think about moving to a dt60. I know u want to drive it on the street too and the dt60s dust and squeal some but no fade when stopping from 130mph is worth it. Also did u flush the fluid with castrol srf or similar? Also june 11 ill be at thompson with a bunch of 996 guys with mass tuning if u want to hang and drive another event.

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FYI, PCA has a new Tech form that is now min standard. TECH