Track day prep for 1999 996?

My wife hs asked that we take her 1999 996 for a track day at Carolina Motorsports Park this spring. Looking for opinions/ recomendations for prep of the 102k manual trans vehicle. She has soloed there before in one of our other vehicles.

Good rubber, at least 50%+ brake pads and rotors with no cracks, have the brake fluid completely flushed and bled...... Get a track inspection.......

Thank you, that is all done. We will re check closer to actual event. Are there any specific points I might inspect as a preventative measure?

Verify that you don't have any fluid leaks i.e. coolant, and no doubt you know to empty everything out of the glovebox ( no worry with MY99), frunk, tools, spare tire etc., check tire pressures and put a huge smile on your face.

I would add to have it aligned. In my case I run a street alignment of only -.5 camber but will bump it up to - 1.5 for Laguna Seca in February. I will also clean my radiators as they have never been done that know of.

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Has she soloed previously in a stick shift car????????? If not then that is a whole new ball game.

Thanks for all of the excellent and prompt responses. We have been driving at CMS for a few years, in my prepped 1995 mustang GT with a 5 speed manual. I have been reluctant to agree to enjoy the Porsche on track as I had assumed it had a reputation of being somewhat fragile . Time and experience with the car has changed that.

There are tons of track modifications you can do -- oil pan and the motorsports AOS come to mind off the top of my head. Depends on what you have in mind and how hard the car is going to be driven. That's a little different from "prep" though, which I would think would mean consumables like brake pads, fluid and oil change.

As mentioned, and from several other threads, probably one of the things most recommended is a deep sump oil pan and oil pickup tubes with baffles. Adds extra oil and the baffles prevent the oil from sloshing around and possibly overwhelming a stock AOS on right hand sweepers.

I wouldn't worry about car 'mods' for a first track day in the 996, but agree with the prep items. Before track day: Bleed brakes (or relatively fresh fluid), inspect for any leaks, top off all fluids, good oil, check brake pad thickness, check tire condition, check helmet condition, jackstand or lift inspection for loose exhaust and anything else under car. At track or just before: Check tire pressures, torque lug nuts, remove *everything* loose from car, remove floor mats, remove spare tire and tools, install tow hook (many tracks require this to get the car off the track more quickly if it needs a tow, check/bleed hot tire pressures after sessions. Mods when ready: IMHO, a relatively stock 996 on street tires doesn't need much, but responds very well to a few inexpensive mods... H&R lowering springs, more aggressive GT3 spec alignment (or as close as you can get), better front/rear tire balance (wider in front without going wider in rear). Most 100% stock 996's will still have far more capability than most novice drivers. Deep sump and other oiling improvements and racing AOS are usually only needed once you start getting the G-forces capable with track tires and longer/harder track sessions. Better hot temp oil, however, is probably a great idea... Something like Redline 5w40

The most important and critical thing about tracking a 996 is to go out and have fun. These cars are a blast on the track and I can pretty much guarantee you will be smiling like a mad man after the first session.

I won a certificate for a new set of continental tires, thinking of donating this to the cause. Any suggestions for size? I have spare set of wheels , 18" x 9's & 11's .

Put on your Mechanix gloves, grab a spoke in each hand, and try your best to rock/wiggle each wheel from side to side to check for bearing play. Take a torque wrench with you and torque up the lugs one last time before she goes out. Bring a good tire pressure gauge and a 12-volt compressor (or an air pig). Having your own air is much better than trying to bum air off of other people. If you want to be prepared (but not over-prepared), a track kit with a few odds and ends can go a long way toward helping yourself (or someone else) out if you need to make some get-home repairs: screwdrivers of both genders, a variety of hose clamps, a radial tire plug kit, a few feet of bailing wire, 13-19mm wrenches, a roll of self-fusing silicone rubber tape, a roll of duct tape, a handful of fuses, a quart or two of oil, a gallon or two of distilled water, and the tow hook from your toolkit. Oh, and a folding/camp chair for whoever isn't driving.

Am I missing something, or has nobody mentioned safety yet??? Sounds to me like you've got a number of track days behind you, and this is something you plan to continue. When I got serious about track days four years ago, I decided that the first thing to tend to is safety. I put Sparco seats, a roll bar, and harnesses in the 924S, and I bought a HANS. Even if you never get into an accident, it's easier to drive in proper seats, strapped in with harnesses. I bought my 996 last December. Last spring I put in GT3 seats. In September I put in a roll bar and harnesses. In October I did my first track weekend in the car. The GT3 seats work fine with the 3-point belts for street driving. On the track, I feel much more secure with the harnesses and HANS. We all take some risks, and I do not have a full cage. Nor do I have a halo seat. Maybe one day. However, after seeing various in-car videos of accidents, for me the harnesses and HANS are must-haves.

Get a good tight windshield mount for your smartphone and a lap timing app - Harry's Lap Timer is a good one.