kisik

Love the rain or better yet snow..It is a best horse power equalizer. Be very smooth...break in straight line (you will lose about 20-30% braking capabilities), turn in very gentle as if you are on a ice, then accelerate flat out once you are on straight. Look for wet line (not typical apex dry) ONLY if you have to. Listen your car moves and predict what is going to happen. Did I say be smooth? Put RainX on windshield, not need to bleed tires too much since you want to build up some temperature for traction. Everything street stock is fine. Tires should be less then 6 years old. Have fun and listen your instructor. He will be scary more then you are.

lowpue

While it is the best way to learn....I hate the rain and would advise against it the first time you go out.

Tj40

You learn far more on a rainy day than the dry..........

In the end its down to you but I remember tracking my motorbike in the rain - at the start of the day nervous about the wet and grip levels, gradually exploring the grip and at the end being amazed about how much grip I had. Really teaches you to be smooth and controlled and one of the days where I learnt most and felt that made the experiences me a better driver on the street.

ric-ko

Gents- Thanks so much for your advice-- I would have skipped it had it not been for your comments encouraging me to go.

My buddy and I did end up taking our 4s' to this intro track event, and it was SUCH A BLAST. Like, SO FUN. Wow. Interestingly, it stopped raining right as we got there, but the track was very wet.

Some fun stuff-
Man is the car fun. Sticks so well to the track.
I spent most of the time in second gear, and near redline, but man was shifting to 3rd fun. The car can haul!!
I realize I am a terrible driver-- but I will try and make more of these-- not necessarily to get better, but because it is so much fun to drive these things. We are so blessed!

Hella-Buggin'

Glad you had fun. It's quite an addicting hobby.

TheDeckMan

Glad to hear you had a blast!

HenryPcar

You might have a chance of recovering any mishaps under dry conditions, but in the wet forget it.

DesmoSD

That's awesome that you went ahead with the track day. At the PEC, one of the first drills are control on a wet surface.

Berosucci

I have just started my DE life and had my first rain sessions last fall. The first "rain" session was a wet track, but rain had stopped - I had some sliding, but had also been putting in time on the skid pad, so that helped (as well as the nannies, I am sure). The second session was with on-going rain. Those with street tires did better - I now use R888Rs for the track. You get some rain traction, but my rear tires were dancing so I kept it slow. And, yes, windows were down in the rain while running - bring a towel or two to dry the interior.

For you first DE, you will be slow anyway as you learn the track on how to drive on it - rain will keep you slower. hopefully you get a good instructor. They will help you get the most out of the car for the conditions. I would go, but realize it is more fun when dry.

And remember, probability of going off is greater any time you are driving beyond the limits of you and/or the car given the all of the inputs - track conditions, temperature, quality nd life left on tires, brakes, etc.

Go have fun, but be safe. It will be more fun if you drive home at the end of the weekend.

FZP

What's the story about having to do track day with windows down? Is it specific events or all track days?

Quadcammer

can't give pointbys with the windows up

FZP

Interesting. I had to Google what pointbys meant. It seems the rest of the world gets by using indicators

Hella-Buggin'

We used to be able to run with windows up in a downpour and use the blinkers but the new DE Chair considers it a right of passage so windows down no matter how wet.
This was two years ago at Thunderhill. I'm running AD08R's and they are pretty slippery in the wet.