Jake951

For safety reasons, everything loose (carpets included) has to be removed from the car before you get your car tech'd at the track. And yes, your instructor should drive at least the first couple laps of the session in your car to show you line, with you in the passenger seat. It's also a good idea, particularly after you've done a few DE events, to ask your instructor if you can ride as a passenger in his car when he goes out in the Red group, so you can observe what he does.

Are you going to Lime Rock on 7/14?

Datura

This is my first Porsche (997 Carrera S) and I would recommend tracking your car at a high-speed DE. It is a great environment in which to learn. After you have run laps and feel you are reaching your personal limits, I would then ask the instructor to take you around several laps while you observe. You will probably be amazed that the cars limits actually lie much higher than you realize. Cornering, braking...............most of us will never become as good as our cars, but the DE is perhaps the best place to become a much better and safer driver. In the beginning I would keep the PSM on, but use the Sport button to firm up the throttle response and such.
I also do Open Road Racing (Big Bend Open Road Race) and the instruction and time spent on a track over the last few years has served us well there.

SARGEPUG

I will probably do the opposite. What I did in a NASCAR stock was, was go for 3 hot laps w/ an instructor, to learn to "trust" the car. That was a huge factor for me.

mdrums

A good idea is to let the instructor know that you learn by watching more so that by doing. People learn different ways and that you know already what you feel works best for you is great for communication with your instructor.

Have fun, go with an open mind and relax and this will be the start to some of the best days in your life.

SARGEPUG

Thanks and can't go to 7/14, because green is all full. I booked 7/22

Jake951

I will be at Lime Rock on 7/14, 7/22, and 8/15 (with NCR). I may also do 8/16 (with CVR), but registration for this one hasn't opened up yet. It's always a real good idea to sign up as early as possible. The Green and Yellow groups usually fill up quickly.

SARGEPUG

I am now on the waiting list for the 7/22 and the 10/14 (which is @ lightning).

I see you are from Beantown! As I am sure you know, our clubs are squaring off again this week, I am actually going tomorrow! Greatest rivalry in sports!

utkinpol

were you there on 6/2?
I will be there hopefully on both 7/14 and 7/22, registered back in April but 7/14 event still shows me in waiting list for some reason. Car # is 333.

Sorry if I missed somebody at 6/2 event, got my hands full with memorizing and working out this new (for me) track...

SARGEPUG

How was the DE in the rain, per your avatar! They don't cancel DEs if it's raining?

Nugget

A DE in the rain can be frustrating for a true novice but for intermediate students it's a terrific learning environment. I love instructing on rainy track days -- you get a chance to really experiment with how the car handles at the limit except you can do it at 20mph instead of 80mph so there's a lot less that can go wrong.

Wet tracks are pretty safe. What's unsafe is a dry track when it's been raining previously, because then you've got great, confidence-inspiring grip on a dry track but mud and muck if you go off.

Jake951

I wasn't at the 6/2 Lime Rock event because I decided to stay closer to home and did the NER 2-day DE at NHMS last weekend. I'll be car #807 at Lime Rock in July and August (silver GT3 as in my avatar). See you there!

utkinpol

no, it does not get cancelled. i understand standard policy is to stop event only when lightnings start to hit pretty bad.
I did plenty of AXes in rain, so, handling wise I know what to expect, to some degree, and how not to overpush it. you just have to be smart, drive a bit off-line usually to avoid slicky spots and be _very_ aware generally and look well ahead for standing water. and remember that DE is not a race and no one forces you to do it if you do not feel fine with it, there is nothing to prove to nobody there.

it was SCDA event last year, pouring rain, I did 2 sessions and left home as in last session one of cars crashed in turn 6, an old saab if i recall correctly. i was pretty upset with it all as most part of session 2 we spent waiting for crew to clean up his parts off track, plus my car was loosing rear end pretty badly due to almost bald r-comps i was on that day, so it was nothing to gain there.

guys who haul tire trailer or big trailer do not have such problems as they do have other tires set to use, i drive to a track so it is kinda bad when you get such a forecast with chance of rain - on street tires you cannot go fast dry, on r-comps you cannot do well in wet. now i use full tread non-shaved toyo RA1 tires in rear - they should be much better in slightly wet conditions thn my previous tires, so, hopefully this season it will be more fun.

PS. for what it`s worth - here is my check-out ride into intermediate 2 group with SCDA on 06/06 event this week - some instructors comments can be heard, so, it may help if one wants to see line at NHMS, and pace was a bit faster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RpYj9drhpY

SARGEPUG

looks like a blast and I hope for no rain.

SARGEPUG

How did you get suck a sick video taken like this, w/ the telemetry and all? Is it an option that you can choose at the track or need to set up beforehand, etc?
I was just checking all of my front lights and forgot that my clear bra guy did all of them already! I thought I had to blue tape everything.

Carrera Mike

Tracking a car does not mean you're driving it past your limit.

DE is learning how to drive the car in high performance manner, not pushing it beyond your capability of handling it. Not predicting its reaction, or guessing whats its reaction going to be in a corner.

I think there are drivers who want to learn proper high performnce driving, and there are those who try to beat lap times.

I guess what Im saying is if you're there to learn and have fun and not push the car past what you know it will do youre safe. But if you're there trying to beat a lap time and driving the car past of what you know it will do, then you should get a dedicated track car you can accept trading paint with the tire wall.