Official nOOb thread. First track event
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 326
Likes: 2
From: bergen county, JERSEY
Official nOOb thread. First track event
Hey guys,
Sorry for the thread subject but I don't want guys in here that immediately attack a virgin.......
About to pop the cherry, on my bday!, and attend a track event. Unfortunately, not a road race but drag strip.
I would love to hear everyone's sound advice on prepping the car to head to the track. Things to remember when making your first pass, etc.
When you make your first pass, do you keep going straight or is there any signs to tell you where to go to turn around to get back in line, etc?
Should you drop pressure tire, max pressure tire, etc.
Do you need to warm up the tires before your first run?
First run, granny shift to get the pass in or should you just try to go all out with potential to lose focus and miss a gear?
What would you do to prep your car?
I am having all the fluids replaced while in the shop, tuned, brakes checked and just overall mechanically fit.
Yup, I told you that it would be nOOb questions but I appreciate any advice you can give! Hoping that this will lead to more track events and road course runs.
**Already bought my Snell/DoT approved helmet and that's all I was informed I needed.
Sorry for the thread subject but I don't want guys in here that immediately attack a virgin.......
About to pop the cherry, on my bday!, and attend a track event. Unfortunately, not a road race but drag strip.
I would love to hear everyone's sound advice on prepping the car to head to the track. Things to remember when making your first pass, etc.
When you make your first pass, do you keep going straight or is there any signs to tell you where to go to turn around to get back in line, etc?
Should you drop pressure tire, max pressure tire, etc.
Do you need to warm up the tires before your first run?
First run, granny shift to get the pass in or should you just try to go all out with potential to lose focus and miss a gear?
What would you do to prep your car?
I am having all the fluids replaced while in the shop, tuned, brakes checked and just overall mechanically fit.
Yup, I told you that it would be nOOb questions but I appreciate any advice you can give! Hoping that this will lead to more track events and road course runs.
**Already bought my Snell/DoT approved helmet and that's all I was informed I needed.
Since it's your first time I would rec. you sit in the stands and watch a few races first to see how to stage your car. Noithing more annoying then waiting bouncing off launch control and the guy next to you has no clue how to stage.
You dont need to heat the tires up unless your on slicks or drag radials. If your still on street tires just drive around the water box and stage. Again if on street tires messing with tire psi won't help much as the sidewalls are stiff.
Getting the car to launch right will be your hardest challenge as the track is quite sticky and the car will want to bog if you leave the line at too low of an rpm. Understanding where and how your clutch bites is huge to know before hand. You can take a easy pass first time to shake the jitters and understand where the exit turn offs are but most tracks only allow a few runs and that would be one less you will get.
Hope this helps
You dont need to heat the tires up unless your on slicks or drag radials. If your still on street tires just drive around the water box and stage. Again if on street tires messing with tire psi won't help much as the sidewalls are stiff.
Getting the car to launch right will be your hardest challenge as the track is quite sticky and the car will want to bog if you leave the line at too low of an rpm. Understanding where and how your clutch bites is huge to know before hand. You can take a easy pass first time to shake the jitters and understand where the exit turn offs are but most tracks only allow a few runs and that would be one less you will get.
Hope this helps
My local track requires that you wear pants and have a helmet. The helmet just has to be DOT approved not even Snell Approved. However, if they see you dont have pants you cant run 
Try working on your launch but ease into it.
First, just try lining up the Evo so you get both lights on the tree. Then clutch in and put it in first gear leaving it idling and once it hits green drive the Evo as fast as you can. This will help show you how fast your base attempt is without using LC.
The second thing to try when you have the feel of the drag strip is using LC. When you feel like you are comfortable with launch control or your tires are spinning start lowering the front and rear tire pressures. I think it's better to have the fronts lower than the rear. Only a couple psi lower in the fronts since those will heat up faster.
Try working on your launch but ease into it.
First, just try lining up the Evo so you get both lights on the tree. Then clutch in and put it in first gear leaving it idling and once it hits green drive the Evo as fast as you can. This will help show you how fast your base attempt is without using LC.
The second thing to try when you have the feel of the drag strip is using LC. When you feel like you are comfortable with launch control or your tires are spinning start lowering the front and rear tire pressures. I think it's better to have the fronts lower than the rear. Only a couple psi lower in the fronts since those will heat up faster.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 326
Likes: 2
From: bergen county, JERSEY
Thank you for the response. Any advice is greatly appreciated and I'll try to sit in the stands prior so I don't **** it up.
Like you stated, I should drive around the water box - good to know. I would have driven right through if I saw it.
I intend to be on the continental DWS tires....any issues with running these tires? Should expectations be a dramatic let down vs going summer street tires?
I am not going every weekend. I'd like to go 2-3x a year going forward so eventually I'll set the car up more towards drag/road course but for now just wondering what I should expect.
Like you stated, I should drive around the water box - good to know. I would have driven right through if I saw it.
I intend to be on the continental DWS tires....any issues with running these tires? Should expectations be a dramatic let down vs going summer street tires?
I am not going every weekend. I'd like to go 2-3x a year going forward so eventually I'll set the car up more towards drag/road course but for now just wondering what I should expect.
Thank you for the response. Any advice is greatly appreciated and I'll try to sit in the stands prior so I don't **** it up.
Like you stated, I should drive around the water box - good to know. I would have driven right through if I saw it.
I intend to be on the continental DWS tires....any issues with running these tires? Should expectations be a dramatic let down vs going summer street tires?
I am not going every weekend. I'd like to go 2-3x a year going forward so eventually I'll set the car up more towards drag/road course but for now just wondering what I should expect.
Like you stated, I should drive around the water box - good to know. I would have driven right through if I saw it.
I intend to be on the continental DWS tires....any issues with running these tires? Should expectations be a dramatic let down vs going summer street tires?
I am not going every weekend. I'd like to go 2-3x a year going forward so eventually I'll set the car up more towards drag/road course but for now just wondering what I should expect.
You will want to practice shifting through the gears at high rpm. Don't rush your shifts. Take it slow and you will be fine.
