Rain vs Track Day
 

Hey guys!

I'm ready to take my 2012 370z Roadster to the track this Sunday at AutoClub Speedway in Fontana,CA. It shows that it may rain.

I have done track days in the rain with my 2009 coupe that i used to have but only at button willow. I was only able to get up to 90 full throttle which isn't to too fast (at button willow)

I have done dry track days days at Autoclub where my coupe was able to get up to 130-135.

QUESTION: Am I insane to attempt that speed with light rain? Even If I do, is it safe...hydroplaning into a wall is not how I want to spend my Sunday lol

I will be using Street Tires.

You are ABSOLUTELY NOT INSANE.

Yes you will probably not go as fast, and you will not want to hit gators as hard. You also will really not want to go 2 off (or 4 off). But it will be a great learning experience and the Z should be more than able to handle it unless you have some other problems going on.

That being said, if you dont' feel safe doing it, I wouldn't risk your life / your car / other competitors.

On the plus side, rain will probably mean a lower turnout and more track time or less traffic for you.

Here is a video of one of my track days from last years in a thunderstorm on street tires. The track CMP is known to be very technical and although not "high speed" I was getting into triple digits. When it was raining heavily I did end up throwing on TCS.

I did big willow last month in the rain. People spun on 2 a lot. Personally, the though of AAA in the rain scares me. I would go slow and add speed just a little bit at a time. Not to mention braking into 3, the only real concrete wall in SoCal :drama:

Also Mods please move to the Track section.

That's the way to do it, just build speed. And of course, watch out for turn 3! The triple digits shouldn't be too scary - the braking, accelerating, and turning are the things that'll get ya! (as long as the water doesn't really start pooling, in which case they'd probably halt runs, at least on the east coast tracks).

Have good tires, and be smooth with all your inputs to the car. Nothing jerky. Start off slow and work your way up to speed. Stop where you feel comfortable.

Thanks everyone for you advice!!!

I think it totally depends on what tires you use.

Race-tires of course highly recommended on the track.

Avoid puddles and do not push the car around the banks. There is a reason why NASCAR can run in the wets on the road course and not on ovals

id probably ease off the gas coming to the turns if its raining... the goal is to leave the track the same way you came in!

I recently did a track day in the rain on S-04's, at the same track as Read T's video. The Z did great, better than the rest of the cars there that day... new vettes, 911's, etc. I did have a great instructor in the car with me too. And the S-04's gripped like it was dry, I run 265/305.
Like everybody said, ease into it, smooth inputs, and stay off the painted gators.

R compounds are probably not the best idea if there is any sort of standing water.

had better race when shiny like smile :D

Happy to say I made it back in once piece. The Z never got squirmy on the straghts at full throttle. I did get a little shake coming into and out of turns though. But slow and steady wins the race.

Normal lap times dry is 2:10-2:12. I discovered that my Wet time was 2:20-2:30 depending on traffic on the track.

Rain was fun but def more fun dry.

Glad it did well!

I found that after driving on track in the rain I feel much more confident on the street in rain in my driving abilities (still I trust no one else in traffic).

On a similar note, you all should read Garth Stein's "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and then hope it gets made into a movie with Dempsey one day.