From OPPO: Why you shouldn't modify your car for the track.
 

From here:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/why...ack-1532455970



Quick read. Thought it was some good insight. I share this opinion and would add to with... Anything you do to the car for the track also (usually) makes it worse for the street IMHO.

I agree and stress this opinion often, with the exception of brake pads/fluid anyways.

At ITR Expo we don't let Nov/Int run r-comps, covers up too many mistakes. I've seen people who have never driven on track BUILD a full race car before ever driving on track.. not even once before. Stuff like that always surprises me.

I autocross more than track (obviously, but still do both) and it amazes me that this happens. I try to get people involved and they won't until they "finished" their car (which means upgrades to a 100% running car, not building).

Run what you have. LEARN it. People watch too many Japanese time attack videos (kinda like people who watch too much porn then think that's the real deal). I tracked for my first time on a 225k mile 240sx with lowering springs. And it was awesome. No big brake kit, no special tires, no monster power.

"But babe, this chick loved this in a porno I watched...." lol

I also agree with this point!! I usually get people telling me, i can't go to the track, i only have a 2012 Civic SI, i don't have enough power nor slicks.. First thing i tell them is, beautifull, you will learn more, and one thing is for sure, i will never let a newbie go on slick on the track!!

Learn to walk before running!

I also 2nd the brake pads and fluids recommendation as beeing the first mods!!

I did 3 HPDE days bone stock an loved it! This year I've got basic aero new pads fluids and slightly stickier wheels hopefully lol. I've already learned the limits of stock wheels. Haven't had the need to do suspension yet, I'm still lowering my times. Once in consistent then ill start toying with specifics to get even faster.

Agree completely. I started AutoX last season and did a full year on stock everything (aside form exhaust and camber bolts). With that little grip, there was no covering up driver error and I definitely learned a lot more than if I was running the 245 ZIIs I will be running this year.

im not entirely from the camp that mods are detrimental. i just think they should be appropriate. i think the primary issue is that people end up with a lot of power and mods that are flashy without mods that will allow for safe, reliable, consistent tracking. i only have two track days in the last 6 years and my current track car is pretty built and i feel like i can appreciate it for what it is. that being said, its still a ~130 hp miata on street tires

I don't think this is track specific. Modifying a car is a rabbit hole, modifying for the street might be slightly less because the performance is generally not sustained for extended periods.

If you don't have a rabbit hole full of money in your wallet, just take the blue pill.

This thing is, mods almost ALWAYS slow down learning and hide mistakes. 2/3/4 way dampers are awesome, but they raise the limit and hide mistakes that are easily corrected at lower speeds. R Comps do the same thing, power makes people ignore cornering because they are still fast in straights, etc. I see it all the time with people I ride with, making basic mistakes and not even knowing it because the car is at such a high level that the driver at 10/10ths is using 5/10ths of the car.

Having said that, people can do what they want. For those that want to really learn though.. there's nothing better than a slow ass stock car.

Works every time! They believe they need to meet societal expectations so... ;)

im not going to disagree. there is a reason why im running a 15x7 instead of a 15x9 or why its on 205 re11s instsead of 225 rs3s let alone an r comp or why its on koni yellows instead of ast singles. i think that my car as it is makes for a much more enjoyable experience and because of that, i am much more inclined to get out there (i prepurchased 8 more track days as a result). i wont deny that i could possibly learn more from a lesser car as i most certainly would. where it pays off is how now i will be at the track much more frequent. i will also be invested enough to justify a datalogger and now i will have an instructor for literally hours more than i would at the rate i would go to the track before.

the majority of mods done to my miata are kind of an insurance build with longevity and consistency in mind rather than flash.

I agree about the mods except for pads/fluid and TIRES. I've tracked a couple cars in stock form (STi, New Mustang) and from my experience you really need summmer tires for that kind of driving and they wear so much better than all seasons. My tires on my mustang were pretty much done from one track day at MSR here in Texas. Now I know the cars weight and my inexperience has a lot to do with that but still, I think that pads/fluid/tires is almost manditory for track days.

I can agree with this.

Especially considering that we make our car-buying choices based on a test drive on a stock factory car.

That we fell in love with this platform as bone stock should say something about how much modding we ought to do when keeping close to stock power levels... just about nadda (except for track condition prep). I promise you that Subaru and Toyota engineers knew a helluvalot more about setting this car up than joe-weekend-racer.


:lol: :laughabove:

Doing this will lead to one being able to answer the question of "What is the sound of one hand fapping"