ZDan

Maximize negative camber at both ends and run zero or near-zero front toe and *minimal* rear toe, like 0.15° to 0.20° *total* rear toe-in.

I wouldn't worry about tire sizes being squarish, in my track experience over many years on a stock-suspension '01, tire staggers didn't really impact overall handling balance very much.
That said I don't see a 245/40-17 RS4 size... 235/255 would be fine. Or you could just run OEM tire sizes on the stock wheels.

Chuck S

This isn't golf where we all know it's not us. It's our clubs. As the more experienced guys have noted skip the aftermarket wheels and square tire set up until you know what you're doing. Get professional instruction. I'd spend a weekend at a race driving course not this event, but that's me. Self taught skills (and those learned from Internet videos and games) are predictably inefficient and practicing bad techniques doesn't make them get better. After you know how to drive, and in this context neither you or I do now, you'll have no clue what you're doing right or wrong.

Learn the basic skills, they're the building blocks. And it's really us, not our clubs. In another life I bought a championship winning and prepared racing sailboat still warm from the awards ceremony (artistic license) and could never get much higher than mid fleet with it until I acquired the needed skills.

-- Chuck

s2kshepard

If you're really concerned with not spinning, keep a narrower front tire than 245.

That said, get whatever you actually want and worry less is my advice. I promise if you never spin you are not a fast driver.

If you can't afford to spin because you can't afford to something possibly bad happening to your car, cancel the track day.

ncrx

agree with this. i feel if you can't walk away from a folding your car into a little metal ball financially, then dont do a track day.

if you haven't done any performance driving/training, then autocross is a good place to start. its slow speed and gives you room to make mistakes while driving the car out of control and learning how to correct for those mistakes/slides/etc at like 25-50mph, not 100-120mph.
im not saying you can't learn the above at a track day, but it will take longer and likely be harder. fixing a slide at high speed, with grass and a wall is different than avoiding a cone in a parking lot imo.

Xene

Track advice for first event:
1. Get RS4s and mount on stock rims in stock sizes (225/255). Tires are great for HPDE and last long time.
2. Replace brake fluid with DOT4 quality fluid. Search ATE Type 200 on amazon. Its like 15$ for 1 liter (which is plenty for 2 full flushes)
3. Make sure your brake pads and rotors have > 50% life. Upgrade stock brake pads to track oriented pad (Hawk, Carbotech XP10 front XP8 rear) since OEM pads will wear very quickly (may last 1 event, depends how fast you drive)
4. Make sure oil level is good, if about to reach end of life change the oil and filter
5. Bring food/water
6. Get an instructor for every run!!

Otherwise just check to make sure nothing is broken like suspension parts, shocks, etc. If car is in good working order you should be good to go. Some clubs require you to pre-tech your car and have a mechanic check all components of car for working order. Just get that done or you may not be able to drive.

freq

There's usually track insurance available..........

Everyone's level of risk aversion is different.

DanielZan

Thanks to all that replied!!!

I will make the following per everyone's recommendations:

1) I was already getting the PF01ss for aesthetic reasons anyway. Already bought them.
2) Will likely buy RS4s 235/255 to keep some sort of stagger.
3) Will change brake fluid.
4) Will try to get an instructor.

The other alternative is to keep AP2V1s and ExtremeContact DWS06 on the car (215/245). This would save me the money of buying the RS4s, but I think that would be a bad idea to run all season tires, unless the track is wet maybe?

s2kshepard

I have seen 1 s2000 get totaled on track. It was a beginner on all seasons. Get real tires IMO. Everything else is great. You'll have an instructor unless your organization is a joke.

wowwitsgau

Tires are the most important thing. Please don't go on all-seasons - they are far worse in both the dry and the wet than a true performance summer

darcyw

Don't miss your upshift- be deliberate so as to reduce the chance of an over rev situation.

darcy