Preparing for my first DE, Never done this before Options

[michael7810]

I decided to sign up for DE with the local PCA club. The event will be at the Bondurant 1.1 mile road course. Car is a 72 1911cc driver with Yoko S-Drive 205-55-15s (summer tires) with stock suspension and no sway bars. So my question is besides removing all the junk from my trunk, making sure the battery and other things are secured, and removing the floor mats; what else should I do to prepare? I normally run the tire pressure at 26F and 28R. Thanks for any advise you can provide.

[tomeric914]

Get the tech form for the region you will be running with, it should answer most of your questions. If not, contact the region's tech chair.

Make sure your seat belts are fully functional on both sides.

Resolve any fluid leaks you may have.

Bleed your brakes using a good DOT4 brake fluid (ATE)

[tscrihfield]

I agree with Tomeric. Contact your safety or technical chair. I am the safety chair for our region, and this is the list of things we check during our inspection.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i163.photobucket.com-12156-1390150690.1.jpg)

[Jetsetsurfshop]

Something that happened to me on my first one was that my passenger seat belt strap was jammed. My dad was able to fix (read as rig) it before my first session.
Brakes are everything. I change my fluid before each event.
Most important is a good attitude and have fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[michael7810]

Good ideas. I looked at the tech inspection form and all is OK there. Changed the oil and bled brakes with Ate Dot 4 in the past 3 months. Pads are Porterfield R4S and in good shape. Should I keep the same tire pressure? Definitely plan to have fun.

[Cupomeat]

You'll have a great time!!!

A couple things that happened to me on my first DE with my 914 of note are:
1. I found that the top of my valve cover gaskets were not properly seating (dipping down below the seal line, creating a gap) thus dumping oil out of the very top of my valve cover on hard turns. Some people weld tabs into the cover to make sure this is avoided.

2. My brakes were not as good as I thought they were. Brakes are critical and if you've never brought your car on the track, you will be using your brakes in a manner they aren't accustomed to. Make sure you can lock up your brakes on the street now. If you can't figure out what is wrong and fix it before hand. The tech inspection is a static inspection and won't check the performance of your brakes.

3. It will take you about 2 sessions to learn the track, 4 sessions to get comfortable and start having fun, and 2 more sessions to start embarrasing other faster car-drivers (IF you've never driven the track before).

4. Your little 914 is faster than most of those other drivers think, and many will not give you the pass signals you deserve as you spank them on the corners. Let your instructor tell the chief to keep reminding the drivers to LET OFF when giving the pass signal to a slower car.

5. You will have a great time!!!

Enjoy!

[Jetsetsurfshop]

How did the event go?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[ChrisFoley]

Should I keep the same tire pressure? Definitely plan to have fun.

You should definitely raise the cold tire pressures before heading onto the track.
My suggestion is to start around 36psi and check them right after each session.
Get some white shoe polish and paint the outer sidewalls out near the tread in 4 places around the tires.
Then check to see what wears off in case the tires are rolling too far onto the sidewall when you're cornering.

[f1rocks]

Should I keep the same tire pressure? Definitely plan to have fun.

You should definitely raise the cold tire pressures before heading onto the track.
My suggestion is to start around 36psi and check them right after each session.
Get some white shoe polish and paint the outer sidewalls out near the tread in 4 places around the tires.
Then check to see what wears off in case the tires are rolling too far onto the sidewall when you're cornering.

I would caution the OP to check what they are normally running the tire pressure at for street use. Depending upon tire, I run around 40 psi hot, ie. right after coming off track. Your driving style and track conditions will play a very big part of that.

The pressure will dramatically increase as you heat up the tire so I don't agree with arbitrarily raising the cold tire pressure before heading out on track. That is counter to what I have ever done....I would agree with marking the tires to make sure you're not rolling over on the sidewalls. Your driving style will affect all of this pretty dramatically. So what works at the start of a weekend may be totally different after you learn a track, take a corner a different way, push yourself more.

[ChrisFoley]

I normally run the tire pressure at 26F and 28R.

This seems a little low to me, but it is probably comfortable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[michael7810]

Well, the car and I both survived the DE event. The PCA guys were super helpful and there was plenty of nice cars to watch between sessions. It was a friends drive free day so I invited a friend who used to race Formula Fords. We had a total of nine 20 minute sessions; 5 for me and 4 for Al.
The first session was too stressful to be fun. After that I went for a ride in my instructor's 600 HP Acura NSX, when I had my eyes open it really helped me to see his lines. That ride helped make my 2nd and 3rd sessions a blast. By the 4th session I was tired and missed a bunch of turns. I could have passed on the 5th session but decided to do it slow and just concentrate on finding the right line.

Track driving is definitely addictive and now I'm looking to upgrade my tired suspension. I highly recommend DE for anyone wanting to be a better driver and learn the limits of yourself and your car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Woody]

Well, the car and I both survived the DE event. The PCA guys were super helpful and there was plenty of nice cars to watch between sessions. It was a friends drive free day so I invited a friend who used to race Formula Fords. We had a total of nine 20 minute sessions; 5 for me and 4 for Al.
The first session was too stressful to be fun. After that I went for a ride in my instructor's 600 HP Acura NSX, when I had my eyes open it really helped me to see his lines. That ride helped make my 2nd and 3rd sessions a blast. By the 4th session I was tired and missed a bunch of turns. I could have passed on the 5th session but decided to do it slow and just concentrate on finding the right line.

Track driving is definitely addictive and now I'm looking to upgrade my tired suspension. I highly recommend DE for anyone wanting to be a better driver and learn the limits of yourself and your car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Its all downhill from here. Next you'll be wanting flares, coilovers, a race motor, truck and trailer etc... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[MikeSpraggi]

Well, the car and I both survived the DE event. The PCA guys were super helpful and there was plenty of nice cars to watch between sessions. It was a friends drive free day so I invited a friend who used to race Formula Fords. We had a total of nine 20 minute sessions; 5 for me and 4 for Al.
The first session was too stressful to be fun. After that I went for a ride in my instructor's 600 HP Acura NSX, when I had my eyes open it really helped me to see his lines. That ride helped make my 2nd and 3rd sessions a blast. By the 4th session I was tired and missed a bunch of turns. I could have passed on the 5th session but decided to do it slow and just concentrate on finding the right line.

Track driving is definitely addictive and now I'm looking to upgrade my tired suspension. I highly recommend DE for anyone wanting to be a better driver and learn the limits of yourself and your car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Oh no ...... upgrades ... wanting to be a better driver .... I too started that way with DEs......what a slippery slope you're on (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[campbellcj]

Its all downhill from here. Next you'll be wanting flares, coilovers, a race motor, truck and trailer etc... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

It doesn't stop there either...then you want a better race motor, a bigger truck, and a nicer trailer! Welcome to the insanity! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

[Woody]

Its all downhill from here. Next you'll be wanting flares, coilovers, a race motor, truck and trailer etc... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

It doesn't stop there either...then you want a better race motor, a bigger truck, and a nicer trailer! Welcome to the insanity! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

Yeah that's exactly where I am right now.

[MikeSpraggi]

Its all downhill from here. Next you'll be wanting flares, coilovers, a race motor, truck and trailer etc... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

It doesn't stop there either...then you want a better race motor, a bigger truck, and a nicer trailer! Welcome to the insanity! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

Yeah that's exactly where I am right now.

Yea, I'm looking for the BIGGER truck now ...

[michael7810]

Notes on tire pressure. My instructor said I want the hot pressure about 34 psi. I started at 27 cold and after the first session it was 32. After a couple more (as I got faster) the hot pressure was over 34. Plus the outside temp was heating up. Several times I had to let out a half to 1 lb after a session. By mid afternoon the pressure was steady at 34 following a session. The next morning the cold pressure was 27 on the left and 25 on the right.

[campbellcj]

Yea, I'm looking for the BIGGER truck now ...

Yup. I just did the race engine (and flares, paint, wheels, Hoosiers etc.). Now thinking about an enclosed trailer. Which would require a bigger truck too.

[campbellcj]

Notes on tire pressure. My instructor said I want the hot pressure about 34 psi. I started at 27 cold and after the first session it was 32. After a couple more (as I got faster) the hot pressure was over 34. Plus the outside temp was heating up. Several times I had to let out a half to 1 lb after a session. By mid afternoon the pressure was steady at 34 following a session. The next morning the cold pressure was 27 on the left and 25 on the right.

It's normal for the more heavily-loaded (outside) tires to heat-up more and thus see a greater pressure increase. With my Hoosier R6s I normally expect around a 6-8psi increase depending on the track, the ambient temperatures, and how aggressively I'm driving. So I typically start around 30-32psi cold all around, then equalize to 38-40psi hot all around after the warmup session. Then I'll check/equalize again after the next 1 or 2 sessions, after which I usually don't check or change anything again that day. (If really motivated, I'll take tire temps and fiddle with swaybars or pressures further, but not usually.)

So then when things cool-down again, it'll be normal for the more heavily-loaded (outside) tires to see a bigger drop than the other side and you'll see uneven pressures as you did.