[ZDan]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

You've got a lot of experience, and are likely intentionally/subconciously driving in a more efficient manner that doesn't generate as much heat.

Interesting theory, but basically foot to the floor up to 7400rpm every session, I don't think there should be much variability in oil temps between novice and expert...

I've lost count of how many novices I've seen spin a bearing or sieze a motor completely due to their oil thinning out, on their first/second/third track day. Well into the double digits.

Hmm, I've been tracking since ~1995, and engine failures have been exceedingly rare. And often related to aftermarket equipment! Guy lost his brand new pro-built race engine due to same f-up with the dry sump setup...

Plus, lower oil temps will lead to better long term wear.

I *think* (could be wrong...) that for the range of temps we're talking about (up to ~275F), as long as you are in the right ballpark with viscosity and pressure at operating temp, there shouldn't be much if any effect on longevity.

Also, car is daily-driven and I like that the oil gets up to temp quickly. Even with a thermostat, engines take a longer to get up to temp with an oil cooler.

Nice short article from Hot Rod (some may scoff but these guys know engines infinitely better than the more mainstream mags):
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/engine-oil-temperature/
For a dual-purpose car, engine oil needs to be at least 220 degrees F to burn off all the deposits and accumulated water vapor.
A quality conventional motor oil will tolerate oil sump temperatures of up to 250 degrees, but starts breaking down over 275 degrees.
Even on a short-duration, drag-only combo where oil is frequently changed, I would not want to routinely see under-200-degree oil temps.
A full-synthetic oil will withstand sump temperatures in excess of 300 degrees, and for hard-core professional racing, some oval-track race teams are experimenting with ultra-thin, specially formulated, race-only synthetics operating at 350 degrees or even higher.

I'm sure you've been in the right seat before. How often do you see novices unwittingly hold redline in a lower gear because they're so mentally overloaded? Try holding 7000 rpm in 2nd gear on the highway, while watching your temps.

I've ridden in the right-seat with one or usually two students every event (except this year!) since ~2007. Usually if this happens, it's only for the first few laps even with absolute-beginner students...

Some folks can get away without an oil cooler, but I definitely prefer to err on the side of caution.

However it must be considered that erring on the side of caution can be costly. Leaks and fires happen. At least one guy on these forums lost an engine due to a leaking oil cooler!

When I worked at Lockheed-Martin I had to update the Force Structural Maintenance Plan for C5 aircraft (the 2nd boringest job I've had in my engineering career). It was important to not overspecify inspections and parts replacements because at a certain point the risk of damage during inspection/replacement and also the risk of replacement parts being defective becomes a greater risk than not doing anything!