First track day and I'm terrified

[BigTuna]

I was in the same boat earlier this year. I was super anxious about the same stuff. Your car has the right mods for you to not have to worry about mechanical issues, so you're fine there.

Nobody wins an HPDE event, so you don't have to worry about ruining other people's times. just hold the racing line, especially when someone is passing. Make them go around and as mentioned, stay predictable.

You will have a blast!. My first event was in April this year, and I did one more in June, and have another later this month. You won't want to look back to autocross, I know I don't.

[CrowsFeast]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

hold the racing line, especially when someone is passing. Make them go around and as mentioned

I was going to write this but I've found that while the best planned and organized events tend to go by this rule, which puts the passing individual on the inside for the upcoming corner, not all organizations work this way. Some prefer to have cars being passed pull off the racing line instead. While I agree that staying on the racing line is the preferred method, if in the drivers meeting they say they want cars which are being passed to pull off the racing line then that is what the cars approaching you will be expecting you to do. Being predictable (following the procedure outlined in the drivers meeting) will be the best and safest method.

[nextcar]

Originally Posted by BigTuna

Nobody wins an HPDE event, so you don't have to worry about ruining other people's times.

Different organizations do things differently... but I disagree with the comment above. Highly organized events will grid you by lap time... in the lower groups usually the first session includes people who either don't have lap times or lie about them... this leads to far more passing in the best situations, and can ruin the session for other drivers if you do not allow others to pass.

Be courteous: if someone is on your tail, let them pass. Even if you are in a faster car (not much to worry about with a stock twin). Like another poster, I have been behind a GT500 that was afraid of the corners. Sure, they walked away from me on the straights, but ultimately they got the blue flag, and then the black flag for not letting me past.

In the last event I almost went home after the second session because the grid was so messed up by two drivers that did not follow rules, lied about their experience level, and ultimately both got booted from the track (3 black flags and you are out for the organizations I am familiar with).

Other than being courteous and following the rules, I do have one other piece of advice that I try to follow:

On the first lap you are usually on a yellow flag while your tires warm and drivers get familiar with the course... I make a point of trying to wave to all the track workers as I pass - both to thank them for making my sessions possible and to remember where to look for them.

Pay attention and you will have a blast!

[spcmafia]

Man just reading the comments gets me pumped. I'm mostly terrified about tracking my car. I don't mind pushing it on backroads, but a no-shit track would be exhilarating. I think I had someone from the forum contact me about it because he's an instructor. Which it would be a must for me. Someone with experience with the platform. I wish you the best of luck on your track day. Maybe I can gather the courage necessary next year to bring the car to the track.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by nextcar

Different organizations do things differently... but I disagree with the comment above. Highly organized events will grid you by lap time...

I haven't found this to be any better for HPDE Some guys build up to speed, or may have setups that require a bit more warm up. That and the variation in ability/car is pretty wide for most HPDE events. When there is me in my NA BRZ and a 488 GT4 and 570 GT4 in the same group, no amount of grid organization is going to keep the GT4 cars out of traffic for more then the first few laps in of grid of 25-30 cars. In TT/TA it works okay.



As far as holding the line vs yielding the main line, that comes down to experience. If you know the person/car and feel comfortable helping facilitate the pass, go for it, just make sure you are communicating your intentions well. If it is a car or person you are not familiar with, just drive your line.

[TommyW]

There are passing zones in the lower groups and point by's also in some. It isn't the wild west out there. You won't be getting passed in corners. If you're thinking of signing up with with an organization with open passing in lower groups, don't.

[nextcar]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I haven't found this to be any better for HPDE Some guys build up to speed, or may have setups that require a bit more warm up. That and the variation in ability/car is pretty wide for most HPDE events. When there is me in my NA BRZ and a 488 GT4 and 570 GT4 in the same group, no amount of grid organization is going to keep the GT4 cars out of traffic for more then the first few laps in of grid of 25-30 cars. In TT/TA it works okay.

I think you missed the point I was trying to make... gridding the cars by lap time will minimize passing, not eliminate it... but the point is, if you are a jerk and hold up a train of cars, you are in fact degrading the experience for the other drivers. Follow the rules and be courteous! Even though there is no "winning", every driver out there is trying to improve and have fun, and an inconsiderate driver really can affect the experience for others.

This has only happened to me once, but it was so bad that had they not been booted from the track I would have left after the second session, even after having driven 3 hours to the track, paid for a hotel, and paid for the track time. It was that bad.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by TommyW

There are passing zones in the lower groups and point by's also in some. It isn't the wild west out there. You won't be getting passed in corners. If you're thinking of signing up with with an organization with open passing in lower groups, don't.

Don't you run with SpeedSF down there? I was surprised they allowed pointby anywhere at TH in low intermediate when I was there 4 years ago.

Originally Posted by nextcar

I think you missed the point I was trying to make... gridding the cars by lap time will minimize passing, not eliminate it... but the point is.

I did get your point, that wasn't my experience with it. Maybe my organizer didn't do it right.

[TommyW]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Don't you run with SpeedSF down there? I was surprised they allowed pointby anywhere at TH in low intermediate when I was there 4 years ago.



I did get your point, that wasn't my experience with it. Maybe my organizer didn't do it right.

No. I haven’t run with them however I’ll tell you that once you enter the braking zone you shouldn’t be looking in your mirrors you need to be looking through the corner.

As you improve you’ll develop situational awareness and just leave racing room if you know someone’s along side. In the lower groups there should never be passing in corners. Speed SF is run by a very good and experienced driver and possibly he forgot that a lot of people aren’t quite there yet on passing comfort. They seem to cater to more of an advanced clientele. I know a lot of those guys and they are good drivers.

[alphasaur]

So there was approx 18 cars today, the drivers meeting given by the track kind of sucked. It also poured rain all day. They didn't really explain anything. A guy in the group ended up giving a way better drivers meeting and explained flags, passing, etc. I ended up driving solo for the most part but I did some ride alongs and learned a better line so I improved by 12 seconds by the end of the day (2:30 to 2:18). I'm fairly confident I could have cut off another few seconds, but I just did not feel comfortable in the rain. FTD was between a porsche 911 turbo and s4 at ~1:50 with absolutely bonkers drivers.

Also a turbo nsx with an external dump on their wastegate sounded INSANE.


Someone totaled their m3 unfortunately, but they were able to walk away and he also purchased track insurance.

[alphasaur]

Originally Posted by spcmafia

Man just reading the comments gets me pumped. I'm mostly terrified about tracking my car. I don't mind pushing it on backroads, but a no-shit track would be exhilarating. I think I had someone from the forum contact me about it because he's an instructor. Which it would be a must for me. Someone with experience with the platform. I wish you the best of luck on your track day. Maybe I can gather the courage necessary next year to bring the car to the track.

Come

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by TommyW

There are passing zones in the lower groups and point by's also in some. It isn't the wild west out there. You won't be getting passed in corners.

Depends on the org.
HOD: beginner groups only allow passing on straights in zones designated with colored cones, and only on the left.
Speed SF: I've seen a train of cars passing another train of cars while entering T1 at Thunderhill West.

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by alphasaur

So there was approx 18 cars today, the drivers meeting given by the track kind of sucked. It also poured rain all day. They didn't really explain anything. A guy in the group ended up giving a way better drivers meeting and explained flags, passing, etc.

Which org?

Do HOD operate in your area?
They're on the expensive side, but offer great instruction based on the experience of my friends who started with them.

[spcmafia]

Originally Posted by alphasaur

Come

You're in NY so I might actually make that trip. Guy that I talked to for track day was @Takumi788.