First track day [Lots of pics]

I got back from my first track day/autocross at NJMP last week. Overall, I had an absolute blast, and I will definitely be attending more. Only had one problem with the car, which isnt bad considering I finished putting everything back together at 12:00 midnight, and left at 4:30 am to drive 2.5 hours to the track. :waxer:

It looks like my oil pan is more geared towards circle track drivers, since I was losing oil pressure in right turns. I would like to modify it since I think it will be a good starting point for an road racing oil pan. It has oil control for right hand turns, its just that the pickup is way in the left kickout. Im going to modify the pickup to be in the center, and I may move one of the trap doors as well.

Besides that, the car performed great! The rear came out on me a few times, and I was able to save it all but one time when I was really pushing it. Going to look into raising the diff to see if that will help this a bit. I did most of my braking before the turn, and I will stand behind the stock brakes 100%. No fade coming down from 110MPH all day (my brembo's are now on the waayy back burner), although I think I want to try a more aggressive pad when my Hawks are done.
The autocross went well too, even though my splitter ate a few cones (and a possum on the way back )

The other cars here were very cool. Lots of cars on C5 and C6 suspensions with huge brakes and killer motors. It was awesome to see all of these show quality cars getting beat on at the track :drink:


















A VERY cool mustang... C5 suspension up front with an LS motor. Unfortunately the motor blew and he lost it in one of the corners.



Not afraid to push these beautiful cars hard...


And a couple from the ride back home...

you need one of these.....

I really dont think I can drive well enough to need one of those yet, nor is my car set up to handle that well on street tires... I think I can modify this pan to work well enough for now.
Plus, I spent all my money to go racing... Need to save up for more seat time. Im tired of bench racing :drink:

Looks like you had fun! Some great looking cars. :drink:

Oil control gets more complicated than having the right pan.

vette427sbc said:

... Need to save up for more seat time. Im tired of bench racing :drink:

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Good for you. Run a quart overfull and just get seat time.

That looks like it was a great time!

Awesome start, glad you had fun!:drink::drink:

You do realize of course that you've just begun an addiction? In the long run heroin would've been cheaper although less healthy.:evil:


And just as an aside, my little Triumph in the avatar is drysumped....

Thanks guys :drink: Yeah, Im hooked... Already planning for more events. I think I need to look into a 6 speed so I can drive to more (further) tracks. I refuse to trailer it, and it sucks when one of your biggest expenses to go racing is gas money.

redvetracr/GT6Steve

redvetracr said:

you need one of these.....

Click to expand...

Just wondering if a pressured Oil Acculumulator would be an 80 percent solution at 20 percent the price?

Certainly does prelube - but wouldn't there be some response to those right hand pressures drop too?

BTW Great time it looks like - I gotta get this car DONE!

Cheers - Jim

An Accusump is an excellent and affordable solution and should be installed before the next track day. Good catch there.

phantomjock said:

redvetracr/GT6Steve

redvetracr said:

you need one of these.....

Click to expand...

Just wondering if a pressured Oil Acculumulator would be an 80 percent solution at 20 percent the price?

Certainly does prelube - but wouldn't there be some response to those right hand pressures drop too?

BTW Great time it looks like - I gotta get this car DONE!

Cheers - Jim

Click to expand...

vette427sbc said:

Thanks guys :drink: Yeah, Im hooked... Already planning for more events. I think I need to look into a 6 speed so I can drive to more (further) tracks. I refuse to trailer it, and it sucks when one of your biggest expenses to go racing is gas money.

Click to expand...

NOOOOO!!!!
You absolutely should consider getting a truck and trailering to your events.
1) there's a nagging little voice in the back of your mind telling you to brake earlier than you need to because the car has to get you home.
2) you'll never push it as hard as you think you can because the car has to get you home.
3) your mind will amplify every little bump and creak because the car has to get you home. As an aside, creaks and bumps are amplified in direct relation to the distance away from home you happen to be.
See a trend here?
Besides, you can carry a tool kit and spare parts, like brake pads and racing tires, in the back of a truck.
And BTW, that is a magazine/poster quality shot of the Bel Air. :thumbs:

The psychological "high" experienced from certain activities may cause the person to crave the feeling again. If you need a support group, a number of us are in recovery. :banghead:

clutchdust said:

vette427sbc said:

Thanks guys :drink: Yeah, Im hooked... Already planning for more events. I think I need to look into a 6 speed so I can drive to more (further) tracks. I refuse to trailer it, and it sucks when one of your biggest expenses to go racing is gas money.

Click to expand...

NOOOOO!!!!
You absolutely should consider getting a truck and trailering to your events.
1) there's a nagging little voice in the back of your mind telling you to brake earlier than you need to because the car has to get you home.
2) you'll never push it as hard as you think you can because the car has to get you home.
3) your mind will amplify every little bump and creak because the car has to get you home. As an aside, creaks and bumps are amplified in direct relation to the distance away from home you happen to be.
See a trend here?
Besides, you can carry a tool kit and spare parts, like brake pads and racing tires, in the back of a truck.
And BTW, that is a magazine/poster quality shot of the Bel Air. :thumbs:

Click to expand...

Yeah I know I wont drive it as hard if I dont trailer it. BUT, I know if I start trailering it to events, Im going to lose focus on keeping it a street car. One of the cool things about this event was the fact that almost everyone drove their cars to the track. They are street cars with upgrades to be able to handle some track time.
The only time my car will ever be on a trailer is if I cant drive it home
U-haul has good rates on trailer rentals too for when I do break it

And thanks! The Bel Air (actually a 210) is my fathers car :drink:

racervette69 said:

The psychological "high" experienced from certain activities may cause the person to crave the feeling again. If you need a support group, a number of us are in recovery. :banghead:

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Rehab is for quitters :rofl:
Ill be hooked on this for a while...

I really like your front spoiler / splitter, how did that work out, any issues, from the pictures you seem to have decent clearance.

Carb Doc said:

I really like your front spoiler / splitter, how did that work out, any issues, from the pictures you seem to have decent clearance.

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Thanks :thumbs:
So far, so good. I have only messed it up on my own driveway. The pavement grabbed one of the support rods and bent it out a little. I was able to straighten it out pretty easy though.
I dont have any facts or numbers to prove that it added downforce/reduced lift, but it didnt make it worse, and the car was very planted at 110+MPH.
Same with the brake ducts. I didnt have one hint of fade all day, but I might not have even without them. Surely doesnt hurt though!

Looks like you had a lot of fun there vette427sbc.

And a very nice car you have aswell.

phantomjock said:

redvetracr/GT6Steve
Just wondering if a pressured Oil Acculumulator would be an 80 percent solution at 20 percent the price?

Certainly does prelube - but wouldn't there be some response to those right hand pressures drop too?
Jim

Click to expand...

I belive that the Accumulator originally was developed by BMW Alpina for just that purpus, to keep oilpressure up during hard cornering.

Hells yeah. :thumbs: