Track Tips for a Newb?
07-06-2016, 01:46 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Track Tips for a Newb?
Hey guys,
I've had my car for about 5 years now and have never had the opportunity to track it...I never wanted to go alone and didn't have any friends that had a car they'd wanna take to the track with me. My friend finally got a m3 and one of his friends has rented out a track a couple of weekends from now. It is not a drag strip, but more of a road course. Since I've never tracked the car before, I was hoping you guys could give me some tips. Anything special I should do to the car to prep it? Anything I should know about track courtesy and whatnot?
Thanks a bunch!
I've had my car for about 5 years now and have never had the opportunity to track it...I never wanted to go alone and didn't have any friends that had a car they'd wanna take to the track with me. My friend finally got a m3 and one of his friends has rented out a track a couple of weekends from now. It is not a drag strip, but more of a road course. Since I've never tracked the car before, I was hoping you guys could give me some tips. Anything special I should do to the car to prep it? Anything I should know about track courtesy and whatnot?
Thanks a bunch!
07-06-2016, 03:40 AM
#2
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C63 amg Custom 67 Camaro GLK 350 4matic 2017 AMG GTS
Oh boy, where do I start!
Driving technique and tires are paramount. Make sure you have everything checked on your car before you go. Tracking a car like this beats it up quite a bit, but if your smooth on the track this will help. Watch videos on how to race and what lines to take. How to hit the apex of a turn, brake in, power out. Watch and learn stuff. Tons of video's out there like this.
Tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get yourself a good pair. A track day will murder your tires quickly.
LSD. don't take any, but get one for your rear end if you don't have one. You won't keep up with your friends M3 without this and good tires and fresh brakes.
Helmet, gloves, electronic timer, fresh fluids (for you and the car) High temp brake fluid is a must.
Take as much advice as you can from the track guys. This is critical. Track etiquette is paramount! This is your first time. No hero moves. In fact I would almost say no passing, but you will encounter slower cars.
You will also encounter faster ones and you will need to yield to them on the track when you can and signal for them to pass.
Some tracks are not to strict, and some tracks are. Learn the track from videos and watch and learn from others.
Have fun.
Driving technique and tires are paramount. Make sure you have everything checked on your car before you go. Tracking a car like this beats it up quite a bit, but if your smooth on the track this will help. Watch videos on how to race and what lines to take. How to hit the apex of a turn, brake in, power out. Watch and learn stuff. Tons of video's out there like this.
Tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get yourself a good pair. A track day will murder your tires quickly.
LSD. don't take any, but get one for your rear end if you don't have one. You won't keep up with your friends M3 without this and good tires and fresh brakes.
Helmet, gloves, electronic timer, fresh fluids (for you and the car) High temp brake fluid is a must.
Take as much advice as you can from the track guys. This is critical. Track etiquette is paramount! This is your first time. No hero moves. In fact I would almost say no passing, but you will encounter slower cars.
You will also encounter faster ones and you will need to yield to them on the track when you can and signal for them to pass.
Some tracks are not to strict, and some tracks are. Learn the track from videos and watch and learn from others.
Have fun.
Last edited by Mazspeed; 07-06-2016 at 03:43 AM.
07-06-2016, 09:18 AM
#3
Honestly, for the money (car wear, track insurance, etc.) I'd suggest the AMG Driving Academy. You could do the basic course at Lime Rock from where you are.
Register on the Private Lounge first and get 20%? off the fee.
Register on the Private Lounge first and get 20%? off the fee.
07-06-2016, 10:41 AM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Heres two basics, both involve heat in a way
1) When you pit, don't put your parking brake on. Your wheels are smoking hot and putting your park brake on will melt em.
2) Also when you pit, make sure that right away you open up your hood all the way to full vertical to let the heat out. You can even run your car with the heat on, as that sucks some of that heat away. Temperature is a killer. Maybe take a couple minutes before you go to figure out how to pop your grill out. Its easy, and if you find your car really heating up you can pop that out and run without it. It helps. Heat is what causes cars to run in the dreaded limp mode.
Just be loose and have fun. Its a great way to learn your car and a real blast.
07-06-2016, 01:05 PM
#5
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2012 P31 C63 Coupe Trackrat, 2019 GLE63S Coupe Beast
I run my car on track with the heat on full blast and direct the vents all out the windows. Old-school remedy, and if it helps me to avoid or stall limp mode for even a minute then it's worth it to me.
Check the usual things: tires, brakes, oil, coolant, plugs, air filter, etc. Make sure everything is perfect and/or full - you'd be surprised at how quickly brake pads for instance can get used up on a racetrack.
More important than going fast is to learn the right lines and the limits of your car. Run in "Sport" traction setting until you have a handle on what your car can and can't do.
As far as courtesy, make sure you're always checking your mirrors and giving appropriate point-bys long in advance. Awareness on track and anticipation of what's ahead of you, as well of what's coming up behind you.
Check the usual things: tires, brakes, oil, coolant, plugs, air filter, etc. Make sure everything is perfect and/or full - you'd be surprised at how quickly brake pads for instance can get used up on a racetrack.
More important than going fast is to learn the right lines and the limits of your car. Run in "Sport" traction setting until you have a handle on what your car can and can't do.
As far as courtesy, make sure you're always checking your mirrors and giving appropriate point-bys long in advance. Awareness on track and anticipation of what's ahead of you, as well of what's coming up behind you.
07-06-2016, 01:30 PM
#6
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07-06-2016, 02:36 PM
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07-06-2016, 02:58 PM
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
Make sure you don't drive over your ability.
Be aware of your surroundings, that means behind you and not just ahead of you.
Warm up and cool down laps are very important. The best way to warp and ruin a set of rotors is heat them up too fast or don't do a proper cool down lap with them. When you finally do pull into your pit keep the engine running for 5 minutes, it will keep your water pump on and circulating water/coolant and will allow the motor to cool down quicker than just shutting it off. As someone else mentioned open up your hood.
Keep an eye on your temp gauge, these moors will overheat quickly and go into limp mode.
Make sure your air pressure is correct and consistent and keep in mind that tire pressure will raise 5-8 psi on a track due to tire heat. That means when the tires are cold parked in the pit they should be low and then they will be brought up to proper pressure on track....this is another reason for a warm up lap or two.
If you are on a long fast track that is hard on the brakes you might want to test the brakes with a quick stab on long straights later in your session, once these brakes get hot or you boil the fluids the brakes go away fast, they can be great in one corner and then gone in the next. Just pay attention to your peddle pressure and fade, sometimes you get subtle warnings sometimes the brakes are just gone.
Keep an eye open on the track for fluids and debris, a lot of these track days don't have enough track officials and eyes on 100% of the racing surface, fluids get dropped all the time and doesn't take much to cause you to spin out when you are least expecting it.
Last but not least, stay away from idiots. Every track day has at least 1 so you don't want to fall victim to his stupidity. Just slow down or safely pull out of the line and let him pass you and let him get way way ahead. Most track days you sign away all liability and all accidents are considered no fault so that means when Little Johnny Rice Burner in his Nissan 350Z with the E bay wing T-bones you in the middle of a corner because he thinks he is the next Fernando Alonso you can't go after him for damages and your regular insurance will not cover you on the track.
Have fun and be safe!
Be aware of your surroundings, that means behind you and not just ahead of you.
Warm up and cool down laps are very important. The best way to warp and ruin a set of rotors is heat them up too fast or don't do a proper cool down lap with them. When you finally do pull into your pit keep the engine running for 5 minutes, it will keep your water pump on and circulating water/coolant and will allow the motor to cool down quicker than just shutting it off. As someone else mentioned open up your hood.
Keep an eye on your temp gauge, these moors will overheat quickly and go into limp mode.
Make sure your air pressure is correct and consistent and keep in mind that tire pressure will raise 5-8 psi on a track due to tire heat. That means when the tires are cold parked in the pit they should be low and then they will be brought up to proper pressure on track....this is another reason for a warm up lap or two.
If you are on a long fast track that is hard on the brakes you might want to test the brakes with a quick stab on long straights later in your session, once these brakes get hot or you boil the fluids the brakes go away fast, they can be great in one corner and then gone in the next. Just pay attention to your peddle pressure and fade, sometimes you get subtle warnings sometimes the brakes are just gone.
Keep an eye open on the track for fluids and debris, a lot of these track days don't have enough track officials and eyes on 100% of the racing surface, fluids get dropped all the time and doesn't take much to cause you to spin out when you are least expecting it.
Last but not least, stay away from idiots. Every track day has at least 1 so you don't want to fall victim to his stupidity. Just slow down or safely pull out of the line and let him pass you and let him get way way ahead. Most track days you sign away all liability and all accidents are considered no fault so that means when Little Johnny Rice Burner in his Nissan 350Z with the E bay wing T-bones you in the middle of a corner because he thinks he is the next Fernando Alonso you can't go after him for damages and your regular insurance will not cover you on the track.
Have fun and be safe!
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flubbernub (07-07-2016)
07-06-2016, 03:12 PM
#9
Member
As an instructor for these types of track days, I'll say this. If I were your instructor (I'm assuming this event will assign one to you) I'd hope you remember you have my life in your hands and my wife and kids want me home safe the entire time on the track. If I feel the driver is a danger to me, I will have them pit-in and find someone else to instruct them.
A few tips for 1st time:
1) Don't hit anything. This is my number one rule for all driving, on track or off.
2) Look where you want to go. It sounds obvious, but a lot of times people hit things because they stared right at them (target fixation) the entire time rather than looking for a path to not hit things. Use your eyes and your hands will follow.
3) Have fun but not at the expense of rule 1. Hitting things is not fun and you will be having a very bad day. Take the learning seriously but don't take being fast so seriously that you get the "red mist" if you get passed by a well driven Miata.
3) Leave all the traction control and electronics turned on. I instructed a guy with little experience in an S65 AMG. On one session he had changed the settings and we were nearly sideways before we'd fully left the pit lane onto the track. I told him to never do that again. If you wreck because you thought you didn't need them, you've violated rules 1 and 3. Also, pay attention to the feel of when they take over for you. It is usually an indication of a mistake in your technique.
4) Don't expect to be any good. Some of my best students were women who had very open minds and were there to learn. One even soloed before her husband did because she was less resistant to changing bad habits.
5) Don't be afraid to ask the instructor to explain something again. A good instructor will have a feel for how much new information you can actually process. If they can't find a different way to explain so you "get it" don't be afraid to ask for another instructor.
6) Start slow and work your way up to faster speeds. The car is probably more capable than you are right now. Think of the performance limit like a cliff. If you jump wildly toward the edge and go over too much it is tough to recover. If you inch up to the edge and stick a toe over, you can still enjoy the thrill and the view but will be much safer.
7) If they solo you, ask yourself was it because you really improved and earned it or was it because the instructor wanted out of the car with you?
As others have mentioned, being confident in your tires and brakes is paramount. Being confident in your abilities will only come with lots of seat time.
A few tips for 1st time:
1) Don't hit anything. This is my number one rule for all driving, on track or off.
2) Look where you want to go. It sounds obvious, but a lot of times people hit things because they stared right at them (target fixation) the entire time rather than looking for a path to not hit things. Use your eyes and your hands will follow.
3) Have fun but not at the expense of rule 1. Hitting things is not fun and you will be having a very bad day. Take the learning seriously but don't take being fast so seriously that you get the "red mist" if you get passed by a well driven Miata.
3) Leave all the traction control and electronics turned on. I instructed a guy with little experience in an S65 AMG. On one session he had changed the settings and we were nearly sideways before we'd fully left the pit lane onto the track. I told him to never do that again. If you wreck because you thought you didn't need them, you've violated rules 1 and 3. Also, pay attention to the feel of when they take over for you. It is usually an indication of a mistake in your technique.
4) Don't expect to be any good. Some of my best students were women who had very open minds and were there to learn. One even soloed before her husband did because she was less resistant to changing bad habits.
5) Don't be afraid to ask the instructor to explain something again. A good instructor will have a feel for how much new information you can actually process. If they can't find a different way to explain so you "get it" don't be afraid to ask for another instructor.
6) Start slow and work your way up to faster speeds. The car is probably more capable than you are right now. Think of the performance limit like a cliff. If you jump wildly toward the edge and go over too much it is tough to recover. If you inch up to the edge and stick a toe over, you can still enjoy the thrill and the view but will be much safer.
7) If they solo you, ask yourself was it because you really improved and earned it or was it because the instructor wanted out of the car with you?
As others have mentioned, being confident in your tires and brakes is paramount. Being confident in your abilities will only come with lots of seat time.
Last edited by D3-AMG; 07-06-2016 at 03:17 PM.
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mcsvt (07-06-2016)
07-06-2016, 05:25 PM
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07-06-2016, 06:26 PM
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jrcart (07-07-2016)
07-06-2016, 07:06 PM
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07-06-2016, 11:26 PM
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Just to clarify, it's your oil temp you need to be watching. If it starts getting too hot (270-280F), back off the pace a bit. Keeping rpms down a bit (short-shifting if in manual, running in C if in auto) will also help.
