First Track Day Suggestions

A track day is awesome fun! It is like you are driving down the freeway, and the overhead signs start flashing "No speed limit today!" It is hard to describe the wonderful feeling of going 130 mph, or squealing the tires at 85 mph. Having gone a couple of times, here are some helpful things I learned:

Autocross sets up a mini course with cones in a parking lot. Generally it is just 1 and 2nd gear, and if you spin out usually you just hit cones. It is a much cheaper and safer way to learn how to control your car than the big track. Your big track day will be safer and more fun if you autocross first. Do you really want the first time the tail gets loose on you to be at 85 mph near a concrete wall, or at 35 mph near rubber cones?

While the track itself runs "Open Track Days," often it rents the track to an organization. For instance, you can do MMP track days via:

Other car clubs run track days, too. It is fun to run with your car club, if your car club holds track days. If you have an enthusiast car, check into your local Corvette/Porsche/BMW/whatever club. Be careful you don't accidentally sign up for a race. You want to be sure to do something suitable for first-timers, with "point-by" passing (passing only when the slower driver points you around) on straightaways only.

Here are some things I have observed or read about the various organizations:

Porsche Club: The Cadillac, uh, er, Porsche GT3 of beginner track days. Beginners get an instructor the whole day! The Porsche club has the track to themselves. Your instructor runs in his own group, so you can ride with him. Also, since he runs in his own group, he isn't anxious to jump out of your car; he isn't missing laps because he is riding with you. My instructor drove my car for two laps, which was great. There were four run groups, beginner, intermediate, expert, and instructor. Since you were lumped with people of similar skill, there is less passing going on (a good thing for beginners). When I ran with them, I was in a group of about only 15 cars. I would pass or get passed only a handful of times each session. Porsche club members get first priority, but will allow nonmembers to run if there is room left over.

SCCA: Self teching of your car was permitted. It was fun to run on the track with people I had autocrossed. All the cars run at the same time, intermingled with other events. There were about 50 cars on track at one time, and alot of passing was occurring. Since your instructor runs at the same time you do, I thought it was great to have my instructor follow me (to later critique me), and for me to follow the instructor (what a great way to learn the line, and to realize you can be beat by a slower car (but faster driver!)).

MMP: You must first complete their "TORDE" class. You need to do it only once. You can do the TORDE class in the morning, and run sessions in the afternoon. The TORDE class is additional cost.

This list is a bit conservative -- many people don't bring all this stuff and are fine. I'll put down a fuller list as food for thought, if nothing else.

• Paperwork that your association requires.
• Lug nut wrench.
• Water for you and a sprayer for the car.
• Brake fluid in case you boil the fluid and need to change it.
• Spare brake pads.
• Tools
  
• Camera, in car cameras must be securely mounted.
• Lunch, suntan lotion, hat, etc.
• Extra oil, even if your car never uses a drop of oil, you might find it gulps oil during a track day.
• A full tank of gas. Not only will you burn through this tank, you'll likely need to buy more at the track. Gas is much cheaper on the way to the track than at the track.