HPDE1 Questions
 

Hi guys. I have a BRZ that's getting delivered next month and am planning to take it to the track. So far, I've signed up for two separate HPDE1 days in April and May, and could use some advice about what getting the BRZ ready.


Should I swap out the stock brake pads and brake fluid in preparation for the track, and is there such thing as pads / fluid that can be used on the road and track? The BRZ is going to be my only car / daily driver and I'll be driving it to the track so the versatility would help. If you have any specific pad / fluid recommendations, please let me know.


Outside of the brake pads / brake fluid are there any other changes that I should consider? If you have any other advice for an HPDE noob, don't hesitate. Thanks in advance.

Always get proper track pads at the MINIMUM. No OEM pad is really meant for track use especially not on a "budget" fun car.

Get some carbotechs from Counterspace Garage or some of our really good forum supporters and you won't regret it. Mind you, track pads can potentially squeal and dust but hey, at least you won't find out at 80mph you can't stop.

Track brake pads are minimum.

I'd suggest Motul RBF600 brake fluid as well. Go have fun on the OEM tires, learn the limits, get some coaching as well, it greatly accelerates your learning instead of just dropping yourself into the deep end.

I also HIGHLY suggest a helmet. Doesn't take much to need stitches.

Bring tons of water, stay hydrated and fresh! Welcome to the world of track driving!

For pads, it just makes life easier to have separate brake pads for everyday and track rather than trying to find something that does it all (and isn't particularly good at either). Personally, I've kept a separate set of pads and rotors for track days that way I didn't have to keep worrying about rebedding as I swapped back and forth. I know some brands, like G-LOC, say you can swap between their street pads and track pads on the same rotors without rebedding.

For fluid, Motul 600 is a great reasonably affordable high temp fluid that isn't hard to find. Castrol SRF is the gold standard of track fluid these days but it's very expensive and overkill for an HPDE. You can daily drive on these fluids but keep in mind that you should give them a bleed before every HPDE and plan on flushing it annually. These high performance fluids absorb water pretty fast and lose their temp resistance so they need to be kept fresh.

Otherwise, my biggest piece of advice is remember that HDPEs aren't a race. Take your time, ease into it, don't drive outside of your ability, and don't forget your point-bys. You'll have a blast.

Pads, fluid, get your own helmet (rentals are nasty). Also, leave your ego at the gate. I thought I was quick since I had tracked sport bikes before. My instructor was an ex-Porsche GT3 driver and I was like the "Holy shit the car will do this on the brakes?"

Also, your track may or may not have a cafe. My local one does, but it's all heavy greasy stuff that is going to make you feel like crap for your afternoon sessions.

Get a cooler with PLENTY of water and start getting yourself hydrated leading up to that weekend. Being properly hydrated takes days. Get some bananas, other snacks like granola bars, bring a loaf of bread and either peanut butter/jelly, or something like mustard/ham/swiss. Maybe some Red Bull or something too if you like.

Camping chair and a pop up tent/umbrella so you can stay out of the sun, if they don't have car ports/garages available.

Most importantly have fun!

CSG C1 pads are very street'able (will squeal and dust, but bite better than stock pads!) and are totally fine to get you to and from the track, and handle two more weeks of running errands because you were lazy to swap them out.

Are you getting the Premium with Michelin Primacy HP's or Limited with PS4's?
Primacy HP are good for first track days because you won't be able to drive too fast in corners. My recommendation is to destroy them completely before upgrading to grippier tires :)

Thiiiiiiis.

The castrol SRF pays for itself if you're going to DD it. You bleed once before your April event, then don't need to bleed again until the start of the next season. The high wet boiling point of SRF is unique and allows you to run it year round. It'll hold up well at HPDE 1/2 driver levels without needing to make sure fluid's fresh before every event.


I second swapping pads before the event. I put GLOC R10s on my WRX STI and drove to the track on them, but they get a little sketchy on the first couple stops on a cold morning. So I'd switch back to street pads after the track weekend.

Since nobody else has mentioned it - I'd highly recommend getting HPDE insurance for the weekends, especially because it's your daily.

The one major driver mod I would strongly recommend is to watch some videos ahead of time, such as the Drivers61 series videos. And as others said, leave your ego at the gate, learn, have fun and stay safe.

Agree on getting a good helmet as well. Car wise, I’d suggest rbf 600 brake oil, which can last you for the year and be changed yearly with light hpde use. A higher grade motor oil would better protect your engine as well, like a quality 5w40 (I used gulf and redline) to handle the high revving conditions of hpdes. Brake pad wise, you can switch pads as per others recommendation, but for beginner driver hpdes, I think a set of Ferodo DS2500 would be good to handle both hpdes and daily driving, until you improve and get more experienced. The BRZ is a very light car and much easier on brakes than heavier cars like an sti. I’d throw in the stainless steel brake lines at the same time, it s a cheap upgrade that really improves ensuring steady pedal feel. My personal experience when starting with hpde is that confidence in braking is the biggest thing car wise, apart from ensuring the engine stays cool enough. I would not worry about grip, power, suspension or any other mods for now… but if you get serious, better oil cooler will be next.

Lots of good info on this thread. Understand that you won't be going balls to the wall for awhile and really shouldn't later on either. 8\10 driving with your daily is more than adequate. You're there to learn and have fun and not set lap records so don't feel intimidated to do so. Beginner groups are slow and you're there to get a feel for the car and learn flags, track procedures and just get a feel for things. You really don't need anything special right now.

My BRZ is my all year daily, and I’ve been doing anywhere between 2-4 days of HPDEs er season over the last 4 years, so that’s the kind of use case I’m in. If you plan to do it longer term vice only a one shot deal may also help guide how much is worth investing (or not!), as well the type of driver you are and what you’re looking to get out of it.

Cheers

Good info in this thread. I will say for your first couple track days a "hybrid" type pad that can be run on the street will be ok, but you will outgrow it pretty quick.

Read this thread if you haven't already:
https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25485

This! Lockton, RLI/Hagerty, etc
Some offer multi-packs at discount since you said you already have 2 events upcoming.

It's probably around $200 per event. It's usually good for 1, 2, or 3 day events. I prefer full weekends to get my money's worth.
If you find that insurance too expensive or unnecessary, you've picked the wrong hobby or you can justify stroking a check for ~$30k and having no car.

Going through your normal car insurance is begging for an exorbitant increase on your policy renewal, a claim denial, and/or getting kicked off by your carrier.

I would never mention to them you car is raced or driven on a track. There is zero upside to mentioning it.

Track day insurance, and a full tank of gas. I like to bring snacks and water too. Relax and have fun. Pay attention at the drivers meeting. Watching some video of the track beforehand will help. Lots to learn when getting started, LEAST of all is trying to go fast. And don't wear flip flops.