One more question -=UPDATED=-
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From: Gleening the apex
Originally Posted by xxlap1xx,Jan 30 2008, 10:06 PM
What kind of preparation do i need?
Originally Posted by PJCC,Jan 30 2008, 10:41 PM
Go read the S2000 racing and competition forum.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: Hong Kong
Originally Posted by krshultz,Jan 30 2008, 10:23 PM
Change your brake fluid.
This is probably the one single thing that you MUST change on the car. Change to DOT4 fluid. Your tires could handle the stress, so can your brake pads to a reasonable degree. The brake fluid would die quickly if you don't get rid of the DOT3 fluid.
Nevertheless, have lots of sleep the night before. Driving for 2 hours are max braking and max acceleration isn't the same as driving for 2 hours on the hwy
Enjoy!
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Covington WA, USA
How many of you answering this guy have been to the track? How many have been more than three times? (For the record, I have more than 50 track days on my S2000, so that's where my advice here is coming from.)
Most of these answers are highly suspect, in my experience.
Lug nuts to "100 lb"? Foot-lb I guess you mean, and even then, WTF? Only if you like cracking your studs. 80 is just fine, but don't guess at it. Use a torque wrench.
If you are behind on your maintenance then yeah, change the tranny and diff fluids and the like. But if you just did that two months ago there is no reason you need to specially do it to go to the track. Engine oil also.
You may use more engine oil than you usually do, so make sure it is full (but not overfull) and bring an extra bottle just in case.
If your brake fluid is less than a year old, it's fine for your first time at the track. (If it 's three years old then yeah, change it. And as long as you are changing it, you might want to use a DOT4 fluid instead of the stock DOT3. But the stock fluid will do fine for the temperatures you are likely to see at your first track day.)
Ditto for your pads -- if you have more than 1/2 the thickness of new pads then they should be fine for your first track day. Tires should not be at the wear bars, etc. No nails in the tires, no home-made patches in the tires. All of this is pretty common-sense stuff.
Where most people screw up the most is 1) they don't clean all the junk out of their car before they go, 2) they don't bring enough water to drink, 3) they aren't prepared to be outside in the weather all day, 4) they don't know how tiring it is going to be.
Generally it is the driver who has problems, not the car. The exception is if the car is highly modded or more than about five years old.
Start out with cold tire pressures of about 32, maybe a a pound higher in the front than in the rear. Be prepared to monitor them and adjust them during the day. (But don't try to keep the hot tire pressures at 32! That's not what I'm saying!)
Hopefully you have an instructor you can talk to about this stuff, but be aware he may not know anything about S2000s in particular.
Most of these answers are highly suspect, in my experience.
Lug nuts to "100 lb"? Foot-lb I guess you mean, and even then, WTF? Only if you like cracking your studs. 80 is just fine, but don't guess at it. Use a torque wrench.
If you are behind on your maintenance then yeah, change the tranny and diff fluids and the like. But if you just did that two months ago there is no reason you need to specially do it to go to the track. Engine oil also.
You may use more engine oil than you usually do, so make sure it is full (but not overfull) and bring an extra bottle just in case.
If your brake fluid is less than a year old, it's fine for your first time at the track. (If it 's three years old then yeah, change it. And as long as you are changing it, you might want to use a DOT4 fluid instead of the stock DOT3. But the stock fluid will do fine for the temperatures you are likely to see at your first track day.)
Ditto for your pads -- if you have more than 1/2 the thickness of new pads then they should be fine for your first track day. Tires should not be at the wear bars, etc. No nails in the tires, no home-made patches in the tires. All of this is pretty common-sense stuff.
Where most people screw up the most is 1) they don't clean all the junk out of their car before they go, 2) they don't bring enough water to drink, 3) they aren't prepared to be outside in the weather all day, 4) they don't know how tiring it is going to be.
Generally it is the driver who has problems, not the car. The exception is if the car is highly modded or more than about five years old.
Start out with cold tire pressures of about 32, maybe a a pound higher in the front than in the rear. Be prepared to monitor them and adjust them during the day. (But don't try to keep the hot tire pressures at 32! That's not what I'm saying!)
Hopefully you have an instructor you can talk to about this stuff, but be aware he may not know anything about S2000s in particular.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Wylie, TX
Originally Posted by PJCC,Jan 30 2008, 09:41 PM
Go read the S2000 racing and competition forum.
At the top of that forum, there is this sticky:
Racing and Competition FAQ.
Inside that FAQ, you'll find a link to this thread:
First Day At A Track.
That should get you started on the right foot. Have fun!
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From: WV Pan Handle
Originally Posted by GPMike,Jan 30 2008, 10:18 PM
Check your insurance policy. Some/most companies will deny coverage if you have a mishap at a track.
mikegarrison? What insurance do you use? Have you ever filed a claim for a track incident?
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Originally Posted by mikegarrison,Jan 31 2008, 05:40 AM
How many of you answering this guy have been to the track? How many have been more than three times? (For the record, I have more than 50 track days on my S2000, so that's where my advice here is coming from.)
Most of these answers are highly suspect, in my experience.
Lug nuts to "100 lb"? Foot-lb I guess you mean, and even then, WTF? Only if you like cracking your studs. 80 is just fine, but don't guess at it. Use a torque wrench.
If you are behind on your maintenance then yeah, change the tranny and diff fluids and the like. But if you just did that two months ago there is no reason you need to specially do it to go to the track. Engine oil also.
You may use more engine oil than you usually do, so make sure it is full (but not overfull) and bring an extra bottle just in case.
If your brake fluid is less than a year old, it's fine for your first time at the track. (If it 's three years old then yeah, change it. And as long as you are changing it, you might want to use a DOT4 fluid instead of the stock DOT3. But the stock fluid will do fine for the temperatures you are likely to see at your first track day.)
Ditto for your pads -- if you have more than 1/2 the thickness of new pads then they should be fine for your first track day. Tires should not be at the wear bars, etc. No nails in the tires, no home-made patches in the tires. All of this is pretty common-sense stuff.
Where most people screw up the most is 1) they don't clean all the junk out of their car before they go, 2) they don't bring enough water to drink, 3) they aren't prepared to be outside in the weather all day, 4) they don't know how tiring it is going to be.
Generally it is the driver who has problems, not the car. The exception is if the car is highly modded or more than about five years old.
Start out with cold tire pressures of about 32, maybe a a pound higher in the front than in the rear. Be prepared to monitor them and adjust them during the day. (But don't try to keep the hot tire pressures at 32! That's not what I'm saying!)
Hopefully you have an instructor you can talk to about this stuff, but be aware he may not know anything about S2000s in particular.
Most of these answers are highly suspect, in my experience.
Lug nuts to "100 lb"? Foot-lb I guess you mean, and even then, WTF? Only if you like cracking your studs. 80 is just fine, but don't guess at it. Use a torque wrench.
If you are behind on your maintenance then yeah, change the tranny and diff fluids and the like. But if you just did that two months ago there is no reason you need to specially do it to go to the track. Engine oil also.
You may use more engine oil than you usually do, so make sure it is full (but not overfull) and bring an extra bottle just in case.
If your brake fluid is less than a year old, it's fine for your first time at the track. (If it 's three years old then yeah, change it. And as long as you are changing it, you might want to use a DOT4 fluid instead of the stock DOT3. But the stock fluid will do fine for the temperatures you are likely to see at your first track day.)
Ditto for your pads -- if you have more than 1/2 the thickness of new pads then they should be fine for your first track day. Tires should not be at the wear bars, etc. No nails in the tires, no home-made patches in the tires. All of this is pretty common-sense stuff.
Where most people screw up the most is 1) they don't clean all the junk out of their car before they go, 2) they don't bring enough water to drink, 3) they aren't prepared to be outside in the weather all day, 4) they don't know how tiring it is going to be.
Generally it is the driver who has problems, not the car. The exception is if the car is highly modded or more than about five years old.
Start out with cold tire pressures of about 32, maybe a a pound higher in the front than in the rear. Be prepared to monitor them and adjust them during the day. (But don't try to keep the hot tire pressures at 32! That's not what I'm saying!)
Hopefully you have an instructor you can talk to about this stuff, but be aware he may not know anything about S2000s in particular.
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From: Manhattan Beach, Ca
Clear your head... remember your not our there to set fast time... If this is your first track day...get familiar with what the car will do and how far you can push it... Don't go beyond your boundries... stay comfortable!!!
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From: Modesto, Cali'
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From: atlanta
don't forget to bring your helmet! I've done that before. I got everything checked and ready to go and forgot to bring my helmet. LOL
alignment check would be good, and I would check the bolts on the wheels, just to re tightened it again, unless you're putting your slicks on.
clean the air filter or get a new one in and oil would be critical. I usually change it out before the race. Empty the car of anything that could fly and go through you or get stuck on you.
tightened your shiftknob.
that's it really. I would make sure to talk to people to see which turns to watch out for to make sure you wont lift when you're not suppose to and end up in the wall.
alignment check would be good, and I would check the bolts on the wheels, just to re tightened it again, unless you're putting your slicks on.
clean the air filter or get a new one in and oil would be critical. I usually change it out before the race. Empty the car of anything that could fly and go through you or get stuck on you.
tightened your shiftknob.
that's it really. I would make sure to talk to people to see which turns to watch out for to make sure you wont lift when you're not suppose to and end up in the wall.