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your car needs to be as you go into the corners. You don't need to drive like Jackie Stewart, be smart and don't overdo it. Don't hog the road, and make sure you are watching for other drivers who are faster, and let them pass you in the designated "safe pass" areas. Make sure you learn what the flags mean and know your hand signals! If you have a chance to have an instructor ride along with you, that's the way to go....The instructor will know the course, and will be able to show you the proper lines through the course, and he or she will remind you when to breath (important!) and when to loosen your grip on the steering wheel, and just basicly keep the both of you out of trouble. Driving on your local track releases all the adrenaline you've been saving up, and dealing with all that extra mental energy is a big task. It's easier to say "Relax" than it is to do it. One good way is to try and stay focused, by keeping your head up and looking well down the track so you'll be ready to deal with the next turns or transitions. The tendency is to treat straight-aways as if they were the front straight at Pacific Raceway ( our local track) when in fact they are not. This means that the speed you carry through the corners is more important than how much you accelerate down the "straights". This furthermore means that you should use the straights to set up the corners, not as a series of connected drag races. You'll notice that the fastest cars don't seem to slow down as much in the corners. If you have the time, it wouldn't hurt to actually walk the course/track, and it helps to look backward as you walk the course. How you exit one corner often determines how well you'll be able to approach the next corner, and if you aren't set up right, you'll waste time.
Try your best to memorize the course when you do the walk-around. Smoothness is a key virtue. If you're burning your tires and sliding a lot (either under braking or acceleration) you're wasting time and energy. Smoothness also gives your suspension the most opportunity to keep the tires planted. Abrupt movements by the driver mean the suspension is spending more time in abrupt transitions, and transitional handling is something most street cars are not very good at. If you're running street tires, be sure to pump up the pressure at a gas station before you arrive. You should have at least 35 pounds of pressure and maybe even 40+. The added pressure minimizes sidewall flex which, for street tires, is a major cause of body roll, which you don't want. Make sure your car is in top mechanical condition. Most solo racing organizations and the SCCA have tech inspection that each car must pass before being allowed to compete. Typically, tech inspectors will check for a secure battery, snug wheel bearings, fluid leaks, (power steering, coolant, brake fluid, engine oil, etc), loose or binding steering, brake pedal pressure and secure seat belts. They also make sure there are no loose objects in the interior of the car. A typical street-driven car should have no problem passing this type of tech inspection. Still, it's a good idea to check these items before leaving your garage. While your fuzzy dice, cellular phone and CD collection may be just the thing for 'cruisin' the avenue', in a solo event or track day they'll become distractions and possibly projectiles. So leave them at home or bring something to put them in while you're driving on the track. Don't forget to check the car's fluid levels. Some solo racers even add an additional half quart of oil as a safeguard against oil sloshing away from the oil pickup or going to one side of the pan during a lengthy, high g-force corner. Power steering fluid should be checked; just be sure to get the cap back on properly. Also, check the fluid levels in the transmission and axle differential. Another often overlooked prerace preparation item is fuel level. Everyone seems to have his own theory on how much fuel you should carry in your tank during your track day, I just fill mine up! You won't believe how quickly you'll go through a tank of gas on a lapping day. Less fuel equals less weight, but a low fuel tank could also lead to fuel starvation in a long, sweeping turn. ;-)
 1988 300ZX / 1991 300ZXTT
ZCCW, NWDE, Northwest-Z, NWN
Moderator on Z32 Portal, United Kingdom "So they get a plane...just as they're about to catch me, THE TWIN TURBOS KICK IN!"
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