1st ever track day tomorrow... need spare underwear!
Discussion
It's my first ever track day tomorrow. I'm on a Lotus On Track Novice afternoon at Brands Hatch. To say I'm pooping myself is an understatement, but at the same time I'm super excited about learning lots.
I've booked additional training and have covered off the following:
Helmet - check
Oil - check (however trying to buy small bottle to take with me Mobil 1 Motorsport 15w/50 will Halfrauds do this???)
Coolant - check
Brakes - check (well they're only 9.5k old)
Tyres - check (set at road temp)
Empty car of projectiles - check
Comfy driving shoes - check
Driving license - check
Am I missing anything?
Is anyone else here going?
Has anyone drive from Bournemouth - is about 2.5hrs enough?
Enjoy yourself. There will be loads of trackday newcomers there. They will drive you round the track at the start. Also, you get several orientation laps at low speed.
Nothing to worry about at all. Just build speed progressively and pray for a dry day. I might suggest getting a tyre pressure meter. The tyres will get hot if it is dry and you will have to let air out to stop the handling going to pieces. On Bridgestones I run 26 psi all round hot temps, but I have CFE rears so 2 psi more for the lotus DCK rears.
If you run 048's, I run 23 psi front, 25 psi rear. If you start off with road pressures (cold), you could be up at 34 psi within 5 laps!
Nothing to worry about at all. Just build speed progressively and pray for a dry day. I might suggest getting a tyre pressure meter. The tyres will get hot if it is dry and you will have to let air out to stop the handling going to pieces. On Bridgestones I run 26 psi all round hot temps, but I have CFE rears so 2 psi more for the lotus DCK rears.
If you run 048's, I run 23 psi front, 25 psi rear. If you start off with road pressures (cold), you could be up at 34 psi within 5 laps!
Thanks shangani, however i fear there will be very heavy rain... oh well!
Yeah I will look at a pressure meter. I run standard Potenza's at the mo set as per handbook. If there is some dry spells I'll see if someone else has a meter to check!
>> Edited by cheekymonkey on Tuesday 23 May 09:29
Yeah I will look at a pressure meter. I run standard Potenza's at the mo set as per handbook. If there is some dry spells I'll see if someone else has a meter to check!
>> Edited by cheekymonkey on Tuesday 23 May 09:29
I will lend my tyre meter to Charlie (swiss tone) who will be there tomorrow in a mica blue 135R. He will be there with his dad and should be easy to spot. 6ft, sandy blonde hair and rimless glasses. I will also lend him the pump to reinflate the tyres.
I will let him know to sort you out.
>> Edited by shangani on Tuesday 23 May 10:19
I will let him know to sort you out.
>> Edited by shangani on Tuesday 23 May 10:19
cheekymonkey said:
How do you run at road pressures if you don't have a pressure gauge??
BTW don't get precious about tyre pressures, the std ones will be fine.
I use the pump at the garage
So you're not running std pressures then. Seriously, get one of these from Halfords
www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10151&productId=180828&categoryId=31465
cuzza said:
How do you run at road pressures if you don't have a pressure gauge??
BTW don't get precious about tyre pressures, the std ones will be fine.
The trouble is on track that starting with standard pressures mean you end up, after a couple of laps, driving at 8 psi over the standard pressures. The idea is to drive at the standard pressures when the tyres are at operating temperature.
[quote=shanganiThe trouble is on track that starting with standard pressures mean you end up, after a couple of laps, driving at 8 psi over the standard pressures. The idea is to drive at the standard pressures when the tyres are at operating temperature.[/quote]
Sorry? So you're saying when the tyres are hot, they should be at book temperature? e.g. the book pressure for the S1 is 23 at the front, so I should start at something like 20 so they're at 23 once they've started working? I really don't think that's right at all.
Sorry? So you're saying when the tyres are hot, they should be at book temperature? e.g. the book pressure for the S1 is 23 at the front, so I should start at something like 20 so they're at 23 once they've started working? I really don't think that's right at all.
Davey S2 said:
Always take a good pressure guage and a foot pump.
Dont forget to check your brake pads during the day (que smart gag from Cuzza)
Are you talking about the trackday at Donny where you blagged my pressure gauge and footpump all day and then drove home trying to stop on backing plates??
cheeky - don't worry, Brands is a wonderful circuit (my local) and great fun if you're sensible and listen to the briefings. Build up speed slowly and whatever you do, DON'T LIFT GOING INTO PADDOCK!!!!
It's daunting the first time you do it but if you just remember to measure your inputs and follow the right lines you'll be fine.
By the end of the day you'll be doing 100mph plus as you're braking for the entry into Paddock, and around 90ish as you're braking under the carlube bridge into Druids.
Bloody marvellous track
It's daunting the first time you do it but if you just remember to measure your inputs and follow the right lines you'll be fine.
By the end of the day you'll be doing 100mph plus as you're braking for the entry into Paddock, and around 90ish as you're braking under the carlube bridge into Druids.
Bloody marvellous track
cheekymonkey said:
Can't find freggin Mobil 1 Motorsport 15/50 oil anywhere - do you think the nearest equiv. Mobil will do???
It's for an S2 111s
Try a Motoring shop in Ferndown, its next door (almost) to the Tescos petrol station. I think they sell it there. Think its called Motabitz, but no gaurentees
Just found this
Motabitz
491, Ringwood Rd, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 9AG
Tel: 01202 894888
>> Edited by beachbum on Tuesday 23 May 14:42
cuzza said:
Sorry? So you're saying when the tyres are hot, they should be at book temperature? e.g. the book pressure for the S1 is 23 at the front, so I should start at something like 20 so they're at 23 once they've started working? I really don't think that's right at all.
If you are paying proper attention to your tyres, the pressures at which you run them on a track should be measured as "hot temperatures". The cold temperature is so far removed from the temperature the tyre reaches out on the track (dry track during summer being the highest obviously) that you need to deflate the tyre to compensate.
Sorry if you think I am talking rubbish, but I am not. Try putting a post on Exiges.com or Seloc and asking the experienced trackday enthusiasts / racers there - or do a search, as this has been discussed at length. I do not actually deflate them in anticipation, I do a short initial session on road pressures, come in and immediately check pressures, invariably dropping the pressures back down to what I have worked out to be the optimal for handling - usually exactly on the recommended settings for the S2 Bridgestones. For me that is 26 front 28 rear on lotus tyres. On yoko 048's I run softer as the side wall is stiffer. Try it and see how much more grip you get. Running operating pressures of 34 psi wrecks the handling and if you only measure the tyres cold at the start of the day, you will be running much higher (I have had pressures of 34 +psi)on the track. At the end of the day, let them cool down and reinflate to road pressures.
BTW, as tomorrow is likely to be wet, the tyres probably won't heat up that much.
>> Edited by shangani on Tuesday 23 May 14:56
shangani said:
If you are paying proper attention to your tyres, the pressures at which you run them on a track should be measured as "hot temperatures". The cold temperature is so far removed from the temperature the tyre reaches out on the track (dry track during summer being the highest obviously) that you need to deflate the tyre to compensate.
Sorry if you think I am talking rubbish, but I am not. Try putting a post on Exiges.com or Seloc and asking the experienced trackday enthusiasts / racers there - or do a search, as this has been discussed at length. I do not actually deflate them in anticipation, I do a short initial session on road pressures, come in and immediately check pressures, invariably dropping the pressures back down to what I have worked out to be the optimal for handling - usually exactly on the recommended settings for the S2 Bridgestones. For me that is 26 front 28 rear on lotus tyres. On yoko 048's I run softer as the side wall is stiffer. Try it and see how much more grip you get. Running operating pressures of 34 psi wrecks the handling and if you only measure the tyres cold at the start of the day, you will be running much higher (I have had pressures of 34 +psi)on the track. At the end of the day, let them cool down and reinflate to road pressures.
BTW, as tomorrow is likely to be wet, the tyres probably won't heat up that much.
>> Edited by shangani on Tuesday 23 May 14:56
You misunderstand me. I know that tyre temps should be done hot (for track work anyway) Perhaps this is an S1/S2 thing but I find (on my S1) that std book pressures of 23/27 work well unless it's hot when I normally drop 2 psi at the front and 1 at the back when they're hot.
What I got from you post is that the pressure should be at book value when the tyres are hot which isn't IMO right. The book value is from cold which will get to a higher value once the tyres are at working road temperatures. This working pressure is what you're trying to maintain on track and as the tyres are worked harder and get hotter you need a lower "starting" pressure to achieve that value.
And if you're paying proper attention to your tyres you should be using a pyrometer as well
Quite simply, I have found a certain temp (different for different track conditions) that gives the best handling for my setup. On track tyres, that is actually quite a bit lower (when hot) than the lotus recommended road temp settings. I am not the only one to have found lower pressures better on the 048s.
Take home message for cheekymonkey regarding tyre pressures, is simply to check them after a session to see how high they have gone and to deflate them as necessary if he finds them up at 32-34 psi (which he will easily get at Brands if it is dry). On Bridgestones, the handling will be really horrible at such high pressures.
Take home message for cheekymonkey regarding tyre pressures, is simply to check them after a session to see how high they have gone and to deflate them as necessary if he finds them up at 32-34 psi (which he will easily get at Brands if it is dry). On Bridgestones, the handling will be really horrible at such high pressures.
Thanks shangani - interesting debate guys, thanks for input. It's something I'll deffo have a look at, but as you say in the wet i doubt much heat will be generated.
Beachbum, thanks I'll have a look on my way up tomorrow - there's also a motorbitz in Boscombe i think which might be easier for me.
I'll let you all know how i get on Thursday morning
Beachbum, thanks I'll have a look on my way up tomorrow - there's also a motorbitz in Boscombe i think which might be easier for me.
I'll let you all know how i get on Thursday morning
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