Heading to the road course for the first time

[jlwdvm]

Heading to Autobahn for an open track day with MVP on Monday with my 2013. I've autocrossed a previous modded 2011 GT I had, but have never been on a road course. Was wondering how you manage changing tire pressures. Do I need to take my own air, or will they have some available there (no jokes please? What tire pressures do you look for cold-hot? The only mods I've done are: flushed with Motul 600 brake fluid when I installed the brake cooling duct kit, have Trackey, installed FRPP LCAs, and have a Barton shifter and bracket. Going to try to bed in my brakes this weekend and rebleed my brakes (car has 1100 miles on it). I have a tool kit put together with a torque wrench, paper towels, gloves, screw driver, tire pressure gauge, lug socket, oil, brake fluid. Any advice wound be great!

 

[StangLoveR]

Sorry limited time otherwise I'd contribute more: don't forget (you may already have this ready to go) water, Gatorade, sunscreen, lawn chair, quick Detailer to wipe down doors before applying numbers, painters tape if they will not be providing prepared vinyl numbers, windex/invisible glass to clean your windshield etc.

Also, consider track insurance, e.g. Lockton Affinity.

Dude, have a great time!!!!!!! You're gonna love it!

 

[isrboss]

Heading to Autobahn for an open track day with MVP on Monday with my 2013. I've autocrossed a previous modded 2011 GT I had, but have never been on a road course. Was wondering how you manage changing tire pressures. Do I need to take my own air, or will they have some available there (no jokes please? What tire pressures do you look for cold-hot? The only mods I've done are: flushed with Motul 600 brake fluid when I installed the brake cooling duct kit, have Trackey, installed FRPP LCAs, and have a Barton shifter and bracket. Going to try to bed in my brakes this weekend and rebleed my brakes (car has 1100 miles on it). I have a tool kit put together with a torque wrench, paper towels, gloves, screw driver, tire pressure gauge, lug socket, oil, brake fluid. Any advice wound be great!

As far as tire pressures OP, if you do not have a way to take tire temps across the tire (ir thermometer/probe) and you are on the factory tire. You will need to pay attention to the feel (slushy =low or greasy=high or flat out overheated the tire) and look at the sidewall for roll over, there are markings there. I would shoot for 40-41 hot, so start around 33-34 cold. Take you own air tank, you will likely need to add air to a tire and remove from another. I like to run my pressures above 40psi, any lower for my tires, and I spend two laps sloshing around before the tires come up. Tire pressure makes a very noticeable handling effect, so put in the work after each session to get it as good as you can. Good Luck!

 

[jlwdvm]

What do you use for air...air tank, 12V pump?

 

[isrboss]

What do you use for air...air tank, 12V pump?

Hyundai HPT505 5-Gallon Inflation Tank

The Hyundai sticker comes off easy, so you can get a good oval on that near Ford blue tank.

 

[Grant 302]

I use a 5 gallon tank and usually fill to about 75 psi. It's usually enough for minor adjustments and to refill a bit at the end of the day.

I usually bring too much to the track, but I try to keep a set of the miscellaneous tools that I 'normally' use on the car. So not every wrench and socket I own, but a lot of the 7,8,10,13, and 15mm.

 

[Roadhouse]

I use a 5 gallon tank and usually fill to about 75 psi. It's usually enough for minor adjustments and to refill a bit at the end of the day.

I usually bring too much to the track, but I try to keep a set of the miscellaneous tools that I 'normally' use on the car. So not every wrench and socket I own, but a lot of the 7,8,10,13, and 15mm.

This is what I do as well.

 

[VoodooBoss]

I usually bring too much to the track,

I can confirm that. And then he takes more home with him than what he brought.

 

[jlwdvm]

Yes, I took way too much stuff! Had a blast in the novice group. Got some instruction from John Santiago which helped tremendously! Still more performance left in the Boss, I just have to catch up to the car. I left the Trackey in and didn't mess with Advance track. Better to be safe than sorry on my first track day after seeing a Porsche, Mercedes, and Acura NSX (intermediate group) all get a taste of the wall! Burned way more gas than I was expecting (over a tank during my 6 20 minute sessions. I never got passed by any of the BMW M3's in our group...I did the passing. I'll take that as a little taste of vistory. Already thinking about going back in August!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

I can confirm that. And then he takes more home with him than what he brought.

I think Grant may be better at Mustang Tetris than me!

 

[Grant 302]

I can confirm that. And then he takes more home with him than what he brought.

Bad habits are hard to break!

I think Grant may be better at Mustang Tetris than me!

Ha! Mustang Tetris. We only need a stop watch to tell. We'll see at LS or Chuckwalla 2.0?

 

[bobby.is.rad]

Yes, I took way too much stuff! Had a blast in the novice group. Got some instruction from John Santiago which helped tremendously! Still more performance left in the Boss, I just have to catch up to the car. I left the Trackey in and didn't mess with Advance track. Better to be safe than sorry on my first track day after seeing a Porsche, Mercedes, and Acura NSX (intermediate group) all get a taste of the wall! Burned way more gas than I was expecting (over a tank during my 6 20 minute sessions. I never got passed by any of the BMW M3's in our group...I did the passing. I'll take that as a little taste of vistory. Already thinking about going back in August!

My instructor let me turn off traction control for the last session of my first track weekend. As long as you just press the traction control button and quickly release it (meaning, don't hold it down for 7 seconds), you still have a safety net. It's actually perfect because it doesn't step in until it realizes you've screwed up and the car is gonna spin. I was able to get plenty loose with the car in this state, and tighten up lines with the throttle. However I did make a mistake and the stability control kicked in and stopped me from going for a loop. I thought I could have saved it, but my instructor said I would have gone for a spin without it. I'll trust hist judgement over my own ego.

I also ate up quite a few M3's and Porsches. With the Boss being such a capable track car, I know I shouldn't feel like the underdog... but I do.

 

[KBBOSS1086]

My instructor let me turn off traction control for the last session of my first track weekend. As long as you just press the traction control button and quickly release it (meaning, don't hold it down for 7 seconds), you still have a safety net. It's actually perfect because it doesn't step in until it realizes you've screwed up and the car is gonna spin. I was able to get plenty loose with the car in this state, and tighten up lines with the throttle. However I did make a mistake and the stability control kicked in and stopped me from going for a loop. I thought I could have saved it, but my instructor said I would have gone for a spin without it. I'll trust hist judgement over my own ego.

I also ate up quite a few M3's and Porsches. With the Boss being such a capable track car, I know I shouldn't feel like the underdog... but I do.

Give sport mode a try before you go full off. By depressing the bake and tapping the traction control button 2 times in a row it will engage. It reduces both forward and lateral traction control by a certain percentage ( I can't recall how much). It's a nice combination of safety and fun.

 

[cosm3os]

Hey Jlwdvm, I'm a laps instructor ( although its been awhile). just bought a gt/tp. look forward to seeing you out there some time.

DVM, huh. I have 3 pugs. bet I could keep you in track tires for a long time, eh!

 

[jlwdvm]

Had another track day with MVP August 12th and had a great time again. I had a lot less stuff in my trunk this time! I put the car in "Sport"mode for the afternoon sessions and it perked things up. I about went around coming out of a corner in the last session on tires that were still cold, but other than that the car felt good. I learned a few things at Track Attack that I started doing: heal-toe, harder braking, etc. Pugs are like potato chips...seems like you can't have just 1!

 

[cosm3os]

No, its like sportscars. Everytime I want a new one, I have to get her a pug!

Come on out to the NASA event at ACC in September!

 

[ArizonaBOSS]

Ha! Mustang Tetris. We only need a stop watch to tell. We'll see at LS or Chuckwalla 2.0?

Count on it