murfysflaw

I'm definitely a newb here, and have no experience in tracking a car. I do have what many will probably think is a very silly question...

What is the tape I see on many of the pics of cars on the track? It usually seems to be blue tape and is on the headlights most often. I've also seen it on various other components in the front of the car.

Just curious if someone can enlighten me.

Feel free to make fun of my ignorance... I got used to it from my new days on the Jeep forums.

JCP911S

Stone chips

84_Carrera

I always thought it was a bit of overkill on the track before. This week, I installed a new set of headlights, and one cracked halfway across the thing during street driving. I replaced it before hitting Lime Rock the other day, and I made sure to tape them up (I did on the other track days too, but figured it'd never happen to me...).

If you break the glass, someone's going to cut a tire down & potentially get in or cause an accident. When I blew the motor at Road Atlanta last fall, a Z06 ran over a chunk of my piston / connecting rod / wrist pin / oil pan & cut down an R-compound tire - not inexpensive, and not safe.

So it's good to be considerate of others' safety & tape up the glass at the least.

murfysflaw

Ok... Makes perfect sense. Thanks a ton!

JCP911S

84-C... this wouldn't have happened if you had taped up your engine case properly...

84_Carrera

I know, but I was concerned about the drag of the rough tape under the car...

http://www.sinclairmfg.com/fred/damage1_800.jpg
http://www.sinclairmfg.com/fred/damage2_800.jpg

Not exactly how I wanted to come in from my session...
http://www.sinclairmfg.com/fred/ramp_truck1.jpg

Or how I wanted to make the 1100 mile trip home...
http://www.sinclairmfg.com/fred/uhaul2_800.jpg

Capt. Carrera

As stated, the original intent was to tape up the glass headlights. Many people use the tape to keep stone chips down. Personally, I don't bother. I get more paint damage driving on the street than on the track.

BTW: I always know I have a first-time student when half the car is covered in tape... :-)

Bill Gregory

What some people do is get some of the thicker clear plastic coverings and put that on the front of the headlamps, then you don't worry about stone chips, and you don't have to fool with taping them. The plastic covering stays on all the time, too.

2002M3Drew

The blue tape that everyone uses is the 3M Painters Tape that they sell in hardware stores. It's popular because it doesn't have excessive stick (it doesn't damage paint) and it leaves no residue. It works pretty well for mild protection at track days and autocrosses.