When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My 2002 S2K is bone stock with 5700 miles. I will be participating in a track
event this Saturday (11/9) at TMS in a Touring (Novice) class. I will be on the track for
four sessions 1/2 hour each.
My question is whether I will be safe with stock brakes and pads. I drive somewhat agressively
so I guess I have about half of my original brake pads left. Someone else mentioned
(in another post) stock rotors cracking during a track event! Am I running any risk of
serious brake failure that could send my car off the track?
I always thought the S2K was designed for that kind of punishment (track duty).
It's relative. You say you drive aggressively but you don't say whether you have track experience. If you've never been on a track before you'll probably be ok. I ran my first track weekend on stock fluid and pads and had no trouble. But if you've got some track experience then you'll probably want upgraded fluid and pads. You also might want to get an extra set of pads to change at the track in case you wear yours out.
A little late to ask the question with four days to the event. The stock fluid and pads will fade and if you drive very hard despite that the pedal pressure required will wear away what pad you have. The car is designed and equipped for street (not track) use.
echo strike, you have to drive according to what the car can do. the car will tell you how much it can take, except the stock tires are "better" than the brakes. drive it with extreme mechanical sympathy (pretend you are driving an enduro in a showroom stock aztek), you will probably be faster than if you overdrive it.
if you are capable of track driving you will have no brakes after 1 lap. you won't be able to generate enough heat with those brakes to crack rotors as long as you do sufficient cool down lap/pit routine.
So much will depend on your driving style, the track, your experience, the outside temperature, the humidity, the tires, I mean lots and lots of stuff.
Here is my answer with what little info you have supplied.
I have more than 10 years of school experience and this fall was my 1st time with my S2000. I too ran out of time getting the car prepared and went to Watkins Glen with OEM fluid and OEM pads. The Glen is notorious for sever brake wear because there are 3 to 5 places per lap where you get up to or over 100mph. By the end of the weekend I was within 1.5 seconds of my best time from the old car, which was built for the track and the S2000 is almost stock, so I was not being too timid with the S. I do brake late and get off the pedal ASAP so I'm giving them the maximum amount of time to get a bit cooler before I stand on them again. The fluid never boiled and the pedal stayed firm, the pads did wear so the pedal travel did increase.
I had about 8,000 miles on the car when I went to the school. I packed a new set of front and rear OEM pads and took them with me. I have been doing this long enough I pack lots of tools and spare parts! It took me 3 hours to consume the rear pads that already had the 8,000 miles on them, and it took me an hour and a half to consume the front pads that already had the 8,000 miles on them. Frankly I was amazed at how good the pedal felt. However I should point out it was only like 50 degrees that weekend.
Make sure you go get spare pads to take to the track so when you use up the OEMs you have something to put on the car so you can drive home!
I'm not a big fan of mixing competition pads with OEM fluid, so if you can't get the fluid change done, just use OEM pads.
Good thread. I was wondering the same thing. Bring a spare set of pads sounds like good advice. Also depending on the nearest gas station, you may want to bring an extra gallon of gas.
If you are running stock pads, bring a flashlight with you and check the pads & rotors visually after every run session. If you notice scoring of the rotors or crumbling of the pad material, you've cooked your brakes. Note that you will only be able to see the outside pads, and the inside pads tend to wear faster.
You'll feel the fade through the pedal if you boil the fluid.
None of these failures are likely to cause some type of catastrophic failure and send you hurling off the track. However hitting the brakes or chopping the throttle mid-corner, might! Instead they will just cost you some bucks to get the pads replaced, rotors turned, and fluid purged after the event, and possibly cut short your DE event.
Ideally, before a track event, you should put on a higher temperature pad (I like the Panther Plus) and some high temperature fluid (Again, my recommendation is Ate Super blue).
If you go "easy", however, I've seen many S2000's do a track day completely stock with no ill effects. I cooked my stock pads and rotors on my first day out, however.
The relatively low temps this weekend should help you out a great deal on the track. TMS is not a hard braking track, as compared to other area tracks.
If you are judicious with you brake use, I suspect you'll be fine.
My brother destroyed his stock pads at Pocono Raceway, he pitted off the track, got out with the camcorder still running, and filmed the plumes of white smoke billowing out from the pads. They were toasted. However, he was driving aggressively, and was doing full-on ABS braking. It's no wonder they fried, if you don't use your ABS, you may be ok.
11-04-2002, 10:42 PM
Safe to run bone stock at the track?
