Get good tires and drive it as much as you can. the Indy 500 will be a really good learning tire, it breaks loose pretty docile and you'll be able to learn how to correct it. Have done a track day on my indy 500s on AP1s and it was a lot of fun and educational even after doing 255 RE71R track days. VIR requires a roll bar setup, there is lots of information on this site and others on installation which is really helpful. I'm going through it right now so I can run at VIR as well. Last I heard Hard Dog, which is in NC, will install the bar for you for a fee. Don't concern yourself with oil pans and baffle stuff until you're going really fast on a much more modified car. Just check the oil and keep it topped.

Everyones hitting on the most important thing which is drive the car, and then decide what will help you after you've gotten comfortable and feel like you've 'mastered' the car in its current state.

Good luck! If you get hooked on the track pipe, it'll consume at least a few years worth of your free time and money.

 

Pretty much echo what everyone else has said and some:

-If you want to eventually race I'd recommend running with a racing organization. NASA runs VIR and Summit often. I started with them and only have great things to say
-VIR will require a roll bar - RSG, Hard Dog, EVS are popular choices
-Don't do slotted/drilled brakes - get oem-style blanks (Centric or Autozone). Brand doesn't matter too much, they all start cracking when you get fast
-Flush with DOT 4 brake fluid (Motul 600, ATE TYP 200, Castrol SRF) and do Billman bleed procedure (look up on S2Ki)
-Autocross pads will not work as track pads - I'd recommend Powerstop Track Day Spec. They're cheap and they work well
-I would also recommend ducting your brakes as a cheap way to extend life
-I like your idea of starting with an Indy 500 (or equivalent 300+ treadwear when you start). They will breakaway earlier and easier giving you more of a feel what a sliding car is like at lower speeds, help you learn car control and recovery
-People will give you shit for not being on a "ReAl TrAcK tIrE" even though you're just starting out. Don't listen to them. Build your skills at lower speeds then upgrade when you get faster and can actually use the full grip of the tire. I started on Nitto NT555s (300 TW) and passed plenty of guys running RE71Rs, NT01s, etc. because I was able to get comfortable with a sliding car faster
-Oil pan baffles are a mixed bag. Some people swear by them, some people have welds break and massive issues. The TT5 lap record holder at VIR has never run one, tracks all the time, and his car has been insanely reliable. I say just check your oil after every session.
-Are you burning oil and/or smokescreening? Do the RAINH8R mod (search S2Ki) and be happy
-Work on your vision and situational awareness, being smooth, being safe, being consistent - speed will come with time on track
-Mind your equipment and your environment - how do your brakes feel? Is it hotter/colder out then my last session? Did you torque your lugs before each session (not after when hot)? Are the tires starting to get greasy? etc.
-Have specific goals for each session and things to work on - your instructor will help you

Off the top of my head that's the most I have on getting out there safely and having fun. As other's mentioned, spend your money on track time and upgrade as the situation demands. You will eventually want to go to a square tire setup, sticky rubber, add suspension, aero, etc. and there are thousands of long threads about what product's best for you to waste your time on (as we all have) when you're ready.

Also, a friend of mine did three seasons of autocross before we first we went to VIR. After our first session he took off his helmet and said "I can't believe I wasted all that time in a damn parking lot"

Have fun out there

 

I’m on an old I-phone in Tiberias, and don’t know how to cut and paste. But search for a post by nofearofdanger about his first track day in Australia in 2011 or 2012. It may also show up in an article on the homepage. Google “first track day Australia”. He hits it out of the park with his description!

 

What I plan on doing

Read the rule book of the race series you ultimately want to join (or at least the time trial rules) before doing mods beyond swaybars and non-reservoir coilover shocks. You'll waste money on stuff you will have to remove later.

1. Tires (Indy 500), good summer tires but not the best so I learn the cars limits <- Good idea
2. AutoCross and lots of driving experience <- Great idea, autox teaches car control. You've got to be able to catch the rear end of the car. My students that had autox experience usually got up to speed on the track much quicker than those that didn't. The race track is not the place to learn to slide the car because mistakes can be very costly.
3. Front Sway Bar (Eibach)
   1. From what I have read starting with a FSB is fine <- Buy once, cry once. Invest in a good, adjustable bar right off the bat.
4. AutoCross and lots of driving experience
5. Roll bar (Hard Dog) <- Good idea, most tracks require a bar
   1. Any input on this is GREATLY appreciate because I have no idea about the factory seat belt option and if I need a diagonal bar...
6. AutoCross and lots of driving experience <- After a few autox events, find a big, empty parking lot and practice high rpm first and second gear braking into turns
7. Brakes
   1. Rotor, cross drilled and slotted <- Not needed. You'll replace your rotors with cheap replacements when you start cracking them.
   2. Pads
8. Suspension (Considering Fortune 500 because they are local) <- Buy once, cry once. Get the best that fit the rules (reservoir can cause problems down the road)
   1. Not to open a can of worms, but from what I have read the new Ohlin updates have not been confirmed better than last generation
   2. KW (no reason not to)
9. Purchase VIR membership or find a group...
10. Seat...
11. Rims <- Consider big brake kits when considering wheels. You don't want to end up with 8 or 12 wheels you can't use because of your new brakes.
12. Aero???? <- Aero will hurt your driver development. It should be the last thing you add when you begin to actually be competitive in time trials.

 

I think you sound like you are more or less on the right track. I chose reliability first and then started modifying it further. After 15 minute sessions, holy crap did the engine feel hot! I never had a problem with overheating, but compared to a Mustang next to me that I could actually put my hand on the engine after a run had me concerned. I was able to get away with brake ducting and OEM pads, but at VIR I definitely think you would need pads and like others have said blanks are cheap. Unless you want to spend the money on a BBK, I would just swap pads between street/autox and track. The one thing I wish I wouldn't have done was suspension work. Sways would probably be fine, but up until slicks, the OEM suspension is surprisingly capable. I still don't fully understand suspension and there is a lot to it, so I would hold off on that until you have spent at least a couple of years really learning the car, unless you have prior experience from somewhere.

 

If you think the oem suspension is super up until slicks you might have a little bit to learn; especially suspension that's 20 years old at this point.

 

^this. 20 year old setup and designed for 20 year old tire technology in a staggered setup. I wouldn't advise going out and spending $3k on coilovers without knowing what you're doing but depending on the model year some suspension changes are very beneficial. Most track-focused coilovers will be at 9k on the low end and up to even 16k on the high end, meaning at least doubling and sometimes tripling stock rates.

MY2000 suspension and a square setup creates a very tail-happy car:Summary of spring rate findings:
Front Rear Front Rear
Model Year Spring Spring Sway Bar Sway Bar
--------------+------------------+--------------------
2000-2001 219 291 393 427
2002-2003 246 309 300 396
2004-2005 262 278 300 311
2006-2007 262 269 300 311
2008-2009 280 294 354 311
2008-2009 CR 384 343 392 362

Note 1: All figures are in lb/in. Divide by 56 to get kg/mm.
Note 2: Edited 17Nov2010 with slight updates to spring rates per rev1 of paper.

 

Didn't say super. Its just capable enough for track use. You add a lot of complication and variables by buying an aftermarket suspension. I also doubt the fortunes he was talking about would be consistent across the adjustment range. Its the same thing people are saying about not modding. If you don't understand what the car is capable of to begin with, this is an unnecessary variable. Is it OMG THE BEST. No... I was told Andy Smedegard at one point ran factory springs/struts for nationals in B street and he came in first in 2015... Autocross and track capable, for sure. Again, there is much better out there if you know what you are doing. If not, you may end up making the car handle worse and less consistently. Certainly possible the components are worn out, but just saying out of everything you can change, the most thought needs to be in suspension tuning.

 

this is great advice and I will add one more thing. Go to the locations you will start racing AND observe the organizations you intend to race with. Find out if there is a legit scene. Building a car and going to race with a class/group of the same 5 or less cars gets old pretty fast. Ask me how I know. Specmiata can’t be beat.

 

Holy Crap this blew up a lot more than I had anticipated but that is AWESOME!
So this is check in after I last posted and I have ONE QUESTION/CONCERN!!!!

What I have done since I last posted.

1. Install Evasive Roll Bar
2. Stainless Steel Brake Lines and Dot 4 Fluid
3. 5 Point Harness & Submarine Plate
4. RED TOW HOOK (they were out of the black one, I don't want to "stand out")
5. Bought another hood and did a DIY vented hood.
6. Indy 500 Tires
7. Alignment
8. Called VIR to get a track day with a driving instructor before I start tracking

TO DO

1. Find a racing helmet ⛑

QUESTION:

• I bought a NRG racing seat. I got the Large seat to hold myself and my love of pasta (6ft 220lb). But it doesn't Fit!!!
• I plan on going to events and asking around, but does anyone have a cheap and safe model they would recommend. I want Bride but not willing to drop $1000 on a seat yet.
• For the time being I am going to install the stock seat on Buddy Club lowering rails and hope its enough for the DoomStick...(broom stick test)

In all seriousness. I am trying to make sure my car is completely safe before I get out there. All maintenance has been done as well incase anyone is going to ask

Photo's soon