Registered for my first HPDE (TrackDaze VIR - Nov 16/17)
 

https://www.trackdaze.com/index.php?...=93&Itemid=129

Sign up if you wanna use for car for something useful other than parking in a garage, and going to play golf :)

Im going armed with Carbotech XP10/XP8 pads, and a smile on my face. My Berk exhaust wont be here til December approx., so it'll be a GREAT chance to get used to the cars characteristics in stock form.

Nice! Make sure to change your brake fluid out to something like Motul RBF600 as well. And get an oil cooler if you don't have one already.

I sent out a whole spread of PM's concerning exactly those items to some retailers on the board last night - you as you know being one of them haha. Thanks Mike!

Haha ok good. Also, remember the fuel starvation issue so if you run into it at the track you don't think you broke your car. :)

If I corner that hard I'll be impressed with myself for my first time out lol

Thanks for the deal on the Carbotech pads!

np :)

Constructive day!
- Registered for Event
- Carbotech XP10/8 pads and Motul RBF600 fluid ordered
- Stillen's 25-row cooler kit ordered

Just need to get it all installed and I should be good to go! Watching the $$$'s rack up always hurts the first time though...up to $1359 so far.

Still to do:
- Find and pay for hotel ($100~)
- Pay shop rental fees so I can install my oil cooler (~$30-40)
- Buy/change oil when oil coolers installed (~40-50)
- Possibly rent a trailer to tow the car to/from the event(~150)

Anything else that people more familiar with HPDE's might recommend for a first timer?

I just did my second class ....love the track. These suggestions are very obvious to so many people but I guess I got here first?

Listen to your instructor
"Look" way far ahead and where you want to go
Do everything smoothly
Brake before corners and not during
Listen to your tires


There's a few

Have fun and good luck!

It all adds up!, but its very addicitive too!. I am at carolina motorsports park this weekend myself.

Listen to your instructor,
get the oil cooler installed,
fill up before every session
don't worry about a trailer if you are running street tires, which you should be for now.
Lastly, be safe and have fun!

Im running streets - always nice to have a bit of insurance, and have a truck to haul all my goodies/tools that my buddy wont be able to fit into HIS car lol

Oil cooler arrived
Carbotech Brakes arrived
Motul brake fluid arrived

On the way yet is the case of Redline oil from Stillen - thanks again, Josh - you guys are amazing at shipping!

Full case of Redline showed up today - more thanks to Josh@Stillen. You guys rock!

In other news, spent a part of today painting and doing final work on my DIY in-car camera mount. Better pics and maybe better video tomorrow, if I get time. More on the mount here: http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...era-mount.html

Call the Turf Inn In Charles town,WV. Ask for Vern, the hotel is only 10 mins away

You're gonna have a blast!

Oil cooler install is complete!

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...il-cooler.html

All that's left as far as being track-ready is the brakes.

Brake lines flushed, and Motul fluid filled and bled, today. Last step is to toss the track pads on, and Im good to go!

I just realized, I think you're thinking of the wrong track - I'll be down in Danville, VA right north of North Carolina lol. Were you thinking Summit?

In other news, rooms reserved at a military rate :tup:

http://images54.fotki.com/v563/photo...MG_0583-vi.jpg
http://images52.fotki.com/v638/photo...MG_0584-vi.jpg
http://images54.fotki.com/v556/photo...MG_0585-vi.jpg
http://images54.fotki.com/v563/photo...MG_0588-vi.jpg

First day, done :)

Oy, so Ive been far too busy cleaning up the mess I made to post up. Long story short, ended up kissing a wall on my last day. The quick answer is, it seems I got a terrible (according to what Ive told more experienced drivers) instructor, and I probably pushed myself a bit too hard.

So, an expensive lesson, but a lesson none the less. In the end, I had an AMAZING time, and I cant wait to get back out again next year! It was an absolute blast, and I encourage anyone who's interested in hitting the track to do it! However, take a few tips from another first timer: no matter what, try to only be concerned with your own comfort level, and dont even let yourself get into a mode where you want to feel competitive! I know as the day was progressing, I was definitely feeling the need to want to always do better, and sometimes I'd interpret passing other cars as better.

Anyway, without further adieu, here's the carnage. Its already in the shop and will be done by the end of next week, although I wont get it back until I come home from my trip to Buffalo in early December.

http://images54.fotki.com/v556/photo...8_25_36-vi.jpg



Trail braked into the corner too well - something you should never do without much more experience with not only trail braking, but the dynamics of the car when you enter a spin at speeds like that.

Wow, sorry to see this happen, but you have learned and will be more educated next time.

Yeah, it looks a lot worse than it is. It was mostly cosmetic, and the car was very much drive-able. Although, word to the wise: protect those headlights, they are $1000 apiece :)

I did learn a lot, thats for sure.

Here's some more eye candy. I won a free GoPro in-car camera. It flew off in the accident, so TrackDaze is mailing it back to me (it was perfectly intact, thankfully). I did download some good footage of my instructor driving my car however :)
I forgot to add a bit more fuel, so I had the fuel cut issue when he was out. Never had it myself, though. Oops.



http://images53.fotki.com/v426/photo...MG_0597-vi.jpg
http://images54.fotki.com/v556/photo...MG_0598-vi.jpg
http://images52.fotki.com/v734/photo...MG_0599-vi.jpg

GRM's cover car a couple months ago:
http://images54.fotki.com/v563/photo...MG_0600-vi.jpg
http://images115.fotki.com/v667/phot...MG_0601-vi.jpg

New carnage videos. Got my GoPro back from the ground :)

[YOUTUBEHQ]IrA2_ivOtWM[/YOUTUBEHQ]

And most of my last session, including the crash.

[YOUTUBEHQ]pIbILaB-qlM[/YOUTUBEHQ]

Ouch. Do you think you got the ol' red-eye after getting the point by? Seemed like you attacked that corner much harder than on previous laps.

Definitely.

My adrenaline was flowing pretty hard the last lap or so, because some moron sent out a Jetta Cup Car driver in training, with the novice group. I didnt even know he was there until I looked in my rear view and saw the upper half of his headlamps (he was that close to my ***). I guess they'd already yelled at him 2 other times to stop riding the newbies and he was ignoring it.

Anyway, I know he'd passed me and whatnot already and I SHOULDNT have even been in that mindset, but you are right, I did hit that corner significantly harder and at a more aggressive angle than any of my other times.

Newbie mistakes.

I happy that you haven't let the accident dampen your spirit, and that you're coming back for more next year.

I'm still putting my track plan together for next year, so not sure how many I will be able to hit but on the short list is:
Watkins Glen (NY)
NHIS (NH)
NJMP (NJ)
Monticello (NY)
Summit Point (WV)
Mosport (Canada)
Calaboogie (Canada)

I agree! Glad you are going back and still had a great time!

Next time you start getting loose like that just give it up, one foot on the clutch and one on the brake. It is not a race so don't try to save it. Trying to save it looks like it was why you went into the wall.

I hope you kicked your instructor in the ****.

Ugg, I feel like a douche because I gave him a decent rating on my instructor survey - I'd never HAD an instructor (this was my first time, ever), so I didnt know what a "bad" one was.

Well, the long and short was, he never talked to me much at all DURING the driving except an occasional after-the-fact comment ("hit that a little hot", "took that corner a little late"). Furthermore, sometimes he didnt give me ANY input at all unless I mentioned it. 2nd day, I started to not say anything when I'd notice I'd make a mistake, and he wouldnt say anything. If I said I did something wrong, he'd confirm it and say something like, "as long as you noticed it".

So after mentioning this to many other more experienced drivers, they were quick to give a "wtf" response, and say that what I NEEDED was the guy overloading my brain with "accelerate/brake now"'s and every other imaginable thing.

The guy was REALLY nice, and he sure could drive the **** out of my car when I let him take it out (he was older btw...70's I'd say at best), but...I guess he just wasn't that great of an instructor :(. Wish I'd have realized this earlier on.

I see some on the forum going to track events. What is the risk of damage from hitting another car or is it fairly safe to try track driving?

I think it would be fun but not sure what the risks are. Not that there aren't any just driving down the road. I could see once the adrenaline gets going and some inexperienced guys going fast on a track that there might be some issue.

How dose it work and what are the risks to the vehicle?

The only risk is the risk that you create, just like on the road. Passing is very controlled, especially in Novice and Intermediate groups. You are only allowed to pass when the driver in front of you gives you a "point by" and that only happens in designated passing areas.

So basically if you drive within your abilities you can have fun and keep it on the track. The trick is to start slow and slowly build up speed as you gain confidence in how to handle the car.

Sorry to see that. However, glad to see it hasn't dampened your spirit! It was hard to watch your Z going into that wall but I suppose it could have been much worse. Also, your willingness to share the mistake with everyone in order to help others learn is spot on.

:iagree:

Goin to my first track day this weekend and man that video made me want to puke. I will be sure to try and get a recommended instructor. Thanks for the heads up. :tiphat:

ooh!

sorry to see that Bobo! too many z's with bruises lately...its making my stomach hurt :icon14:

when are you getting her back?

Should have it back early next week. Im assuming though. The front bumper is painted and ready to go - they just had to do some of the body work.

did it warp the hood on the passenger side or is that gap from the fender?

Hood was fine, minus a small chip in the paint on the very edge, closest to the passenger headlight (bumped the hood). No damage to it otherwise.

A bracket that the fender was mounted to got bent out, twords the front of the car. The very front of the fender was slightly bent, but it was so subtle I didnt even notice it initially.

Anyway, long story short, the gap is due to the bent bracket pushing the fender out. Its fine though.

ah..thats atleast better, easier and cheaper to replace a bracket

Definitely. If it wasnt for the headlight being jacked up, and my core support being cracked, it wouldnt have been too expensive.

Did your insurance cover it or did you pay out of pocket for the repair?