Went road racing for the first time
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From: Fort Lewis, WA.
Went road racing for the first time For those of you in the PNW, i went thru the all day driving clinic held by Proformance Racing School at Pacific raceways. It was definitely alot more fun than any time i ever had at the dragstrip, I'd like to go again but my car got a little warm "somewhere in the 220-240 range" when I was doing multiple laps-it was a hot day, i have a stock cooling system, did anybody else experience a similar issue thier first time out? any simple mods to help out a possible future road racer?
First mod for track should be draining your coolant and putting in distilled water with water wetter. Lower stat will also help if you can program the computer to tur the fans sooner or get a manual fan switch. Those should be a pretty inexpensive way to improve your temperatures.
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I have not had any cooling problems in 4 HPDEs (in Texas heat!). Many have trouble with the power steering getting hot but my car came with a cooler.
I would say that the first mods should be better brake pads and high-temp brake fluid. I have ceramic brake pads and that helped a lot. Get some more seat time before further mods. I was not thinking about more suspension mods until I got into this. I just have Bilstein HD shocks and SFCs and both make the car feel much better in the corners. A bigger/stiffer front sway bar may be next on my list.
I would say that the first mods should be better brake pads and high-temp brake fluid. I have ceramic brake pads and that helped a lot. Get some more seat time before further mods. I was not thinking about more suspension mods until I got into this. I just have Bilstein HD shocks and SFCs and both make the car feel much better in the corners. A bigger/stiffer front sway bar may be next on my list.
Really should have no problems doing an auto x with a stock set up. Make sure your t stat is working or just swap out for a cooler one and check if your coolant level is where it supposed to be or swap it as already suggested.
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I did road racing, not auto x--I dont think i had any steering problems--it was mainly just the temps were getting a little warm.
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First mod for track should be draining your coolant and putting in distilled water with water wetter. Lower stat will also help if you can program the computer to tur the fans sooner or get a manual fan switch. Those should be a pretty inexpensive way to improve your temperatures.
The water wetter/water fill also has the added benefit of NOT greasing down the track (and subsequently having EVERYONE hate on you) IF you do happen to; boil over, or lose a radiator hose or clamp, the way Dex Cool or A.F. WILL.
Just remember to switch back for the wintertime!
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so you're saying replace ALL of my coolant with just distilled water an water wetter? doesn't sound like a good idea for the winter time but I guess thats probably not a main concern for a track only car?
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From: Bucks County, Pa.
But I guess in a 'track only' car they watch that and just replace them before they die??
If you track your car very much the road racing will eat it up...there is such a vast difference between a track car/race car than a street car it is like night and day...doing a couple of laps is one thing doing 10-15 laps and your are out of everthing..all your fluids will be very hot, you will be out of brakes, shocks,and if you have a stock clutch it will not be long for this world..an F body is a heavy car and your tires will wear accordingly...if you plan on doing alot of this kind of driving you will need to spend some $$$$ for the many mods needed to keep your car alive..it is a lot of fun but it will cost you...
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How did you come up with all that, slt200mpg? Maybe if you are wanting to do SCCA or similiar racing for extended periods that would be true but not for track events such as this. As I posted, I have done 4 High Performance Driving Events(Schools). In these there are 4 - 25 minute sessions per day. I don't know how many laps that is but it's several. I have had no issues at all. No overheating. No broken parts. I am tired after a session but the car is fine, except for a little less tread on the tires and a little less life on the pads. I am pushing the car fairly hard too. It's worse on the car than a Sunday drive but not all that bad. I think that launching at the drag strip is a lot harder on the car.
How did you come up with all that, slt200mpg? Maybe if you are wanting to do SCCA or similiar racing for extended periods that would be true but not for track events such as this. As I posted, I have done 4 High Performance Driving Events(Schools). In these there are 4 - 25 minute sessions per day. I don't know how many laps that is but it's several. I have had no issues at all. No overheating. No broken parts. I am tired after a session but the car is fine, except for a little less tread on the tires and a little less life on the pads. I am pushing the car fairly hard too. It's worse on the car than a Sunday drive but not all that bad. I think that launching at the drag strip is a lot harder on the car.
E-town had a free fun run at their new road course. more like a big autox track with a long straight thrown in. after just TWO sessions, of maybe 8min each, my brakes were completely toasted. a pad better suited to a road course, like HPS+, or some kind of carbotech is advised, as is even slapped together brake ducting. new/freshly turned rotors, good fluid (motul, SRF, etc), fresh bleed, are all a good idea for the occasional track day. if youre doing it more often, getting set of dedicated track tires will help. they dont have to be the best, but until you get more dedicated or compete, track tires will keep the tremendous wear and tear off your street tires.
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I came up with it by being up at Road Atlanta many times...if you have none of those symptoms your not driving it very fast..it sounds like your on a sunday drive at the track .... drive fast and see what happens...there is a huge difference between a race car and a street car.
Sunday drive??? Last time out I chased a Lotus Elise around the track. He was a little faster in the corners (naturally) and I would catch him on the straights. Is that slow enough for you? We were not holding up a train of cars behind us either. We are not talking about all-out racing here and, so far, I have ran on street tires. Granted this is an HPDE. all of the cars (in my group) are street cars, and I'm not a race car driver. I am pushing the car fairly hard and am close to the limits of my STREET tires. My problem is that you talk as if one event such as this will destroy your car and I don't agree with that. Yes, an f-body is heavy and not as suited to this as some other cars but it does good for what it is. Yes, I would have to do many mods to make it a race car but that is not the subject of this thread and not my plans for my car.
..I know some folks at Hendricks Motor Sports let me know next time your out there "hot lapping" and I'll make sure they come and check out your performance...they are always looking for new talent .. 
PS Read your last post again and try and keep a straight face.
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Ok guys back on topic--I will say that driving school pushed my car pretty hard, I will agree somewhat with Arctic as I did notice it took a bit of a toll on my car afterwards, especially my tires as i noticed they got a little chewed up from the event--everything else didnt look too bad--brake fluid still looked pretty good, wasn't dark an contaminated, coolant was good and still at the right level (this was something i was concerned about since my car was getting hot)--I would have to agree on the distilled water an water wetter, i don't think it would have the lubricants for the pump either, so i think i would just stick with anti-freeze and water wetter-i was thinking about getting a bigger radiator-like an LT1 core-comments?
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I plugged the end of a pvc pipe, and drilled some holes in the side at the end. The other end of the pipe I hooked up to an air compressor. On low pressure, I blew junk out of the air conditioner condenser from the backside (i.e. between the radiator and condenser). You would not believe all the junk that blew out, stuff like cigarette butts, animal fur, leaves, twigs, dirt, sand, etc. The car ran alot cooler after that.
Even so, I have trouble keeping my LT1 car cool enough at the track (also major brake overheat issues). Some tracks are much harder on the car than others, too.
I'll 2nd some of the other opinions you need to worry about the brakes the most. You can read about some of my brake overheating adventures here:
http://explodingdinosaurs.com/brakeducts420bucks/
Here is a great board for road racing Camaros and Firebirds:
http://www.frrax.com
Even so, I have trouble keeping my LT1 car cool enough at the track (also major brake overheat issues). Some tracks are much harder on the car than others, too.
I'll 2nd some of the other opinions you need to worry about the brakes the most. You can read about some of my brake overheating adventures here:
http://explodingdinosaurs.com/brakeducts420bucks/
Here is a great board for road racing Camaros and Firebirds:
http://www.frrax.com
For those of you in the PNW, i went thru the all day driving clinic held by Proformance Racing School at Pacific raceways. It was definitely alot more fun than any time i ever had at the dragstrip, I'd like to go again but my car got a little warm "somewhere in the 220-240 range" when I was doing multiple laps-it was a hot day, i have a stock cooling system, did anybody else experience a similar issue thier first time out? any simple mods to help out a possible future road racer?
Better brakes, engine oil cooler, power steering oil cooler, trans cooler, differential cooler, better shocks, sway bars, bushings, wheels, tires, roll cage, seat, harness and ect ect...the list goes on forever...if you track your car alot you will wear its azzz out unless you add the above listed items...and you will still be wearing out many of the replacable parts (brakes & tires) at a high rate ... going out and doing a couple of laps is one thing ... but going out and doing 20 laps at a time is another...I suggest that you go and do a drivng school and drive one of their cars hard and see what I mean...driving the hell out of someone else's car us always better/fun .. there is a reason that purpose built cars are raced or used in driving schools..auto X is a different animal all together ... driving on a road course is a bunch of fun .. but it is very hard on your car if you drive it fast...
I am not trying to disuade anyone from going road racing...as a matter of fact I am saying to everyone to go for it!!..but there is a price to pay if you choose to particapate in that type of motor sport.
I am not trying to disuade anyone from going road racing...as a matter of fact I am saying to everyone to go for it!!..but there is a price to pay if you choose to particapate in that type of motor sport.
Last edited by slt200mph; Jul 17, 2008 at 03:20 PM.