What with the db-level sound check thing? Is that some CA environmental reg stuff, or because the track is close to offices/apartments or something? I've never heard of a db-check at tracks here, and there's some insanely loud cars in the upper run groups at some of our DEs. A couple are just straight up tube-frame custom race cars that look like they belong in a NASCAR event and sound about the same, too.

It's usually related to the track's proximity to other property. Track's on the east coast have it as well as up in Canada. 92dB is a pretty common limit, and many tracks will black flag you if you go over the limit. This is the east coast list that I have.

NHMS: 99 dB @ 50ft (never enforced to my knowledge)
Mont Tremblant: 92 dB
Mosport: No limit
Summit Point: 103dB @ 50ft
Lime Rock Park: 86-88dB @ 50ft (depending on club)
Calabogie: 92dB @ 50 ft
Watkins Glen: No limit

Because the multi million dollar home owners have a louder voice than the track fans. The county has a strange db limit regulation, I do not know or understand. It is strictly enforced. Many of the cars have LS pipes, which are angled away from the sound booth on turns 5/6 uphill straight.

Our club last year got three 92 db days and they were much cheaper by $10,000 - $15,000 than this years 105 db days. $280 vs $170 although a big difference, made no difference in my attendance. Sell out at all events. It is a great track.

The club has been offered some 90 db days and rejected them as too low for club members to make. I wanted to find out where I was if we did take a 90db day and I came in at 85 db. Now I know I can go. Or screw with test pipes. :icon14:

I have the ART pipes since they are quieter than the alternatives, came in at 88dB at my last reading. I think straight test pipes would be a little higher, maybe right around 90dB.

Cool beans. I would have thought a worse reading. How much actual HP do you gain removing the catalytic converters?

10-15hp over stock cats I would say.

For street driving the biggest issue is hiss and rasp at lower RPM's, but once it's revving the sound is very nice.

Exhaust leaks are a problem though, the only gasket you can use that works is the metal gasket from Z1 which is similar to OEM design but perhaps stronger.

Here is my final Laguna Seca video post from Monday. It is my second run. I have another that is more of a warm up for me while I work on turn 2 with a double apex. This video here has the same, better worked out.

Nissan 370Z at Laguna Seca - CFRA 6/3/13 - YouTube

Laguna is the only track I've been to where the db level is the law and enforced. Houses seem to make the difference.

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:confused: ok or no ok?
Have yet to figure out You Tube. Not enough time on it.

Btw: lost my credit card on sunday on my way home from autocross.
Very unusual behavior for me.
So i want to know what your mental state is after track days. It seems that i totally crash afterwards. Barely remember things and physically exhausted. Is this normal or am i working myself up -need to relax more while participating-not sure what is going on ... Help.

It's pretty mentally and physically exhausting. I normally do a lot of physical work around the house/garage every day and then also write software the rest of the day, and I still only sleep from around midnight to 6-7AM. On track weekends, I often get back to the motel from Saturday's sessions around 6-7pm and find it difficult not to just pass out on the bed immediately. If you're driving home directly from a track day (which I usually do on Sundays), it pays to take it a little easy on your final session or two.

Of course: it goes without saying that you should really pay attention to hydration and nutrition over these weekends, and try to get a few really good nights of sleep leading up to it. Drinking during a track weekend or even a few days before is out, too.

:iagree: all excellent points wstar :tiphat:

Sorry to hear about the CC :(

Mythbusters 2013 Episode Guide : Discovery Channel Refer to the "Race car driver can lose 10 lbs during a race" While I don't think they get quite that much in their results, it is obvious that driving a race car stresses both body and mind.

Wow I agree with everything to a tee.
My very first event was in the rain and I never ate all day I was so excited. I mentally crashed so hard I could not safely drive the last event. I felt wimpy but this may have been one of the best decisions of my life. Proper nutrition and hydration keep you mentally sharper. Fuel for you, just like fuel for the car, is just as true. I force myself to eat and drink.

One hour before I take a dramamine and a couple ginger pills. I take a 5 hour energy and again at lunch. This takes me till 5 PM and I usually feel pretty charged from adrenaline, I might be able to drive home 2.5 hours but my gal does not want to and have never tried. I think it a wise decision not to drive back actually, as I age I can't do what I once did, ie go for days without sleep.

A standard post event, might be to hook up with a few other drivers at Chilli's and decompress with stories of how and why. I like this best. Afterwards I can relax go for a walk and be asleep by 10 PM. Most other drivers go home after Laguna Seca. Sears Point is only 45 minutes away so I do drive home from here.

Temperature can play a role too. A 70-80 degree day is better than a 80-100 degree day for me. Actually for me 50-70 is best. I get too hot tired and sweaty.

BC20: Did you leave the credit card at the gas pump?
I review my camera footage to help with memory of the event.
The total mental crash has been lessened with more events under my belt which stand at 10 total. I am sure a good portion is the food and water, plus knowing how to prepare between driving sessions. I get gas, sit in the shade, talk to various people and know what time I'm on next. Seems simple but not stressing keeps me sharper and less fatigued too.

My only autocross type event, was an all day event followed by my 30th high school reunion which I attended afterward until about 10 PM where I got to the end of my rope. The drive home was also the first time the little lady complimented my driving.

A memorable day.

:tup: thank you...I appreciate your feedback. and insight. points taken to heart.

:tup: thanks Jar...it has been cancelled but not located (or used, which tells me it is someplace in my car or jeans pocket etc)...

Tam told me all this but I was so close to home the first time I did the auto cross I guess I didn;t notice. But Sunday! OMG! I am glad my little one was with her sister. I had a horrible time getting home (about an hours drive). very little to drink, NOTHING to eat until afterwards. WOW! if I could do it wrong it appears I did.

Sorry Tam!! I did not listen well to your lessons learned!!

:shakes head: see previous post. I DID NOT FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS!! sigh. and I am still paying for it. Wednesday and still worn out. I feel realy stupid. But I will do it to the letter next time because THIS sucks the joy out of the fun I had 3 days ago.


(congrats on 10 events- experienced drivers told me time and again on sunday-seat time makes you better-don't rush it) :tup:

I totally get the missed advice. who could have thought it would knock the stuffing out of you? Just driving. It is a far more physical sport than I ever imagined. I knew the mental aspect would come into play, but why these guys spend hours at the gym is now clear.

Well, another factor is most people are too tense their first event (or three, or five). Death-grip on the steering wheel, leg muscles and torso all locked up, etc. You have to learn to relax while you're driving at speed, and that takes some seat time as well. Then it's not as bad on the physical front. Focus on remembering to breathe (if you pay attention, you'll catch yourself holding your breath through the tricky corners, etc), and start reminding yourself to relax and take each hand off the steering wheel and shake it out (one at a time!) during long straights.

Such good advice. The breathing thing. Who'd think you'd need a reminder but I hear on some of my track tapes. "Breathe, breathe" And you are correct, as time goes on I do breathe normally.

I have a picture taken of me with my my last two fingers not touching the steering wheel, demonstrating a light grip. What I like about this pic is that my hand is at twelve o'clock while my hold is at 3 and 9 o'clock, and I am traveling WOT at 75+ MPH with 90 degrees of turn. I'll post it some day.

EDIT Nissan 370Z Forum - Mt Tam I am's Album: Turn 6 LS - Picture

Thanks guys. I agree. Totally blind sided by my devastated psyche.
Basic things like breathing. And body tenseness. Being mindful of these things is important as is the nutrition-hydration-resting prior to. Gawd. I broke EVERY freaking rule!!!!! Sigh.

Thankful for you guys having experience and sharing it w me!!

Next time will be better!

Every event, I bring plenty of hydrating fluids and snacks. Better yet, StangerGT brings his portable grill and we grill out at lunch time.

After each outing, I drink one bottle of drink, or at least a half bottle. Yes, I'm pissing all the time, but I'm not drying out - that's for sure.

It sure will.

Here is that picture.

Nissan 370Z Forum - Mt Tam I am's Album: Turn 6 LS - Picture

:tup: great pic!! Relax, breathe, hydrate, relax, breathe, eat, hydrate, relax....repeat!
and take LOTS of pics for your forum friends ;)

A week or so ago my VDC turned itself off mid turn, due to half a reservoir of brake fluid. Keep this filled up to Max.

Oddly I have turned VDC off manually every day since. I usually just leave it on but I forgot how much more alive the car is when off.

On a totally different topic of driving. I have always wanted to have a garage like Jay Leno. Well that is not happening in such a fancy way.

On Monday I bought a building which has the ability to open a truck door on the west side and drive through the east side truck door. What this means is that I can own a truck trailer and race car to put on top of the trailer and store them indoors. By buying the building I have no money for said items but mentally it is a cool feeling.

The building is an old POS but it suits me.

Nissan 370Z Forum - Mt Tam I am's Album: Mt Tam Speedway - Picture

Can you see my 370Z? My building is the one with the trailer in back. 6,000 commercial square feet. I don't have a clue what else I'll do with it but a slot car track comes to mind.

That sounds awesome, dude! :tup:

Keep in mind that, barring leaks, the main reason the fluid reservoir level drops is because your pads are wearing down. If you top off the fluid, then later take out the worn down pads and replace them will new ones, pushing the pistons back in to fit the new pads will overflow the fluid in the reservoir. So you might have to suck some out first (or just take the opportunity to bleed the calipers a bit first).

Yesterday on the way home I was behind a slower Jag. Moments later a Z4 came up behind. I had hopes of the Jag pulling over and letting me and the BMW go. The Jag sped up a little and when I looked back the Z4 was falling off. I was disappointed. The Jag did turn off and I had a minute alone.

:hello: well-more seat time has been achieved. Not the best day but i guess any seat time is better than none. Right?!
One a good note, maybe great note, i feel A LOT better afterwards than the last time. I chugged a bottle of water between each run (and spent a lot of time running to bathroom) but WOW! What a dif in how i feel now.:tup:
And , i had an opportunity to ride w a fella who has been doing this a long time. He drives so smooth and methodical-no nerves. I WANT TO DO THAT!
My new driving buddy and his 1996 (?) Corvette that is totally badazz ;)
Attachment 72204

Tech note: it was pretty hot today-oil temps around 200 after each run...what should i be doing..? If anything...about 30 cars, each taking approx 1 minute run...rotating 4x. Plenty of time in between for cool down.

200F on oil temp is fine. I'm guessing from the timing you mentioned that this was an Auto-X? It's hard to get temps too bad in short Auto-X sessions.

Yeah, she means AutoX :tup: You're doing fine at 200, Cindy. I hit 220 just driving to work on a regular basis :ugh2: I hit 290 when I was at the track recently :eek: I guess it's time for that oil cooler I already knew I needed :icon17:

I meant to post here last week, but just been too busy. I got to drive Circuit of the Americas track here in Austin at the Nismo Performance Academy two weekends ago. I got lots of rest the night before, stayed hydrated throughout the day, and had an absolute blast. Got to drive a Nismo 370Z and a GT-R Track Edition as well as my own Z on the track. Very fun and very interesting to see racing principles in action on the track. Everything felt very natural, even though I wasn't familiar with every specific element discussed in the classroom portion. In the morning session, we even stopped at one of the turns and got out to look around and discuss the physics and different lines of thought regarding the approach to the turn. Truly a great day :driving:

:tup: yepp- autocross. The day turned out really hot though so I wanted to keep an eye on temps in the car.

I am finally starting to recover. I thought about you guys numerous times during the day-usually just as I was about to go on course. Breathing and flexing my arms-trying to relax. Nerves still got the better of me for the most part. :ugh2:

:tup: I was soooo excited for you guys! THanks for sharing your pics and experiences...I need to get out of my head a bit and just enjoy. I am still amazed (everyday STILL, even after more than a year of ownership) that I HAVE this car-let alone drivning on a track etc...it really is a dream come true for me. sigh.

Only thing that gets you to that point is seat time. Lots of seat time, and patience.

200 is fine, as has already been said. Operating temp for the car is right around 220 degrees, so it's even better.

I like walking a track. Nice to see just how much room you have, and just see things from a different perspective with tons of time to talk about it. Also, great for finding reference points.

:iagree: but I am still glad they already had reference points set up at every turn with a single cone at the entry, apex, and exits :tup:

^^^ THAT had to be AMAZINGLY fun!!

And this most recent autoX I didn't have an experienced driver riding with me at all, on ANY of the runs!! I walked the course 3x to memorize it and I did great (mostly) as far as knowing where to go...just couldn't get there fast enough to suit me...like I said. nerves.

Yeah but that is cheating, really. A common thing I find at track days at the classroom sessions, are people who are like, "yeah, I see that blue tent and that's my reference point!" - except, that tent wont be there next time.

Next time you go, the cones won't be, either. Dont get used to 'em.

:tup: some people naturally know where the apex entry and exit points are after running the track a few times...some of us need more "help" in understanding what those terms even mean. LOL! finding YOUR sweet spot is the key...and having the guts to push it a bit. :eek:

I haven't been on a proper track in about 15 years, so I was perfectly happy cheating :icon17: It was the Nismo Performance Academy, and a lot of the participants had never been on the track before. We spent the entire morning getting prepared to go full speed on the track in the afternoon.

I am not expecting to have the opportunity to drive COTA on any regular basis, so I was grateful for the reference points. However, if I get to drive my Z out there again, I plan to have it much more track ready (i.e. oil cooler), and hopefully get more than just a few laps. Although lots of track time is not necessarily in my future, with more seat time I would hope to get more comfortable in determining my own entry/apex/exits rather than relying on cones or an instructor. Until then I'm happy for the help :tup: