tinkerbill

Hi, I attended my first track event (SCCA Track Night) a few weeks ago with my 2012 Turbo S, PDK and PSS tires. It was a rather humbling experience even in my novice group.
I would like to have a track day with instruction with my local Porsche group but my schedule is not going to allow that till maybe later in the fall.
For those of you that use your PDK car for these track events, do you let the PDK do its 'thing' in Sport or Sport Plus mode or do you use the manual mode and the paddles on the steering wheel? I had my hands full trying to be safe and not hit anything or anyone and learn basic track etiquette and try to remember a rough line around the course. I used the Sport Mode and the stiffer suspension that is activated with sport mode and left the PSM engaged.
Oh and tire pressure recommendations for the Pilot Super Sports?
Any info helps
If it makes a difference, the track was The Ridge in Shelton, WA.
Thanks
Bill

Hatzenbach

ace37

I would let PDK handle everything in auto mode. I'm intermediate in DE now and find there is so much going on that it can be very helpful to keep my focus on only a few variables so I can work on and improve specific skills in each session. Shifting should be a lower priority than things like knowing where apexes are and how to string them together, good car control / feeling weight transfer and using it to your advantage, and learning to feel/sense when your tires are at the limits of grip. At first that last one is unnerving but in the long run you want to be able to keep and manage the car in that edge-of-traction state as much as possible. After you've got a handle on those skills I would start to consider shifting along with many other useful skills. You'll probably know what to work on at that point.

I don't have recommendations on PSS tire pressures but once you get going around the track quickly you'll find the PSS compound tends to overheat after a few laps. They'll start to feel squirmy and you'll no longer be able to go as hard in corners.

I you haven't changed your brake fluid in the last year or two, I would recommend it before your next event and then ask fellow racers how often they do it in your region. (I live in the desert so your area may be different.) Brake fluid takes a lot of heat while driving at a DE, and if you have old fluid it will have taken up some water. The water has a low boiling point relative to the brake fluid, and the system is fully hydraulic. Boiling water produces air in the system, and the hydraulic fluid will have to compress that air first before the fluid can press on your brakes to clamp them and stop your car. For me it's generally been quick to happen once it starts but also not an all-at-once thing, so you can feel it start - the brakes begin to feel spongy and right after that you have to pump or deeply press the brakes to get the car to stop. If you have old brake fluid and experience that, engine brake and keep your speed down and get off the track for that session, then bleed the brakes to change the brake fluid before your next session. Like hot tires, brake pads can get into trouble if they get too hot, but hot tires or pads are a lot less likely to cause you to have an accident than being surprised by boiling brake fluid.

Edit: I see you have a turbo S - brake fluid performance is still the same, and the overall brake performance of the system is great. Just a public service announcement in case you aren't aware: OE Porsche rotor prices are around $10k per axle and brake rotors do become a wear item with moderate track use. There are other non-OE rotor options that are cheaper but you may want to read up on it a bit. A lot of trackday enthusiasts will change rotors and keep the original PCCB rotors for street use only.

I personally like to turn down or off the traction control. The car then gives much more honest feedback and you can see more of what you are doing right and wrong. If you haven't done that much before, you should reduce your speeds and be gentle with all of the inputs to the car until you start to sense the limits. Your car is not inexpensive though so if you prefer to keep the safety net that's perfectly reasonable. No need to do anything you'd find uncomfortable.

I really enjoy the hobby and want to learn and improve so I recently bought an old Boxster to do all of my track events with. Despite recently losing a motor (quite early), I'm very happy with it overall. The costs of tracking it are very inexpensive compared to a 911 turbo - I expect once it is completed, the cost to race it as a Spec Boxster race car will be comparable to just running track days in the 911 turbo (and track days in the Boxster are obviously much cheaper than that). If you find the bug bites you hard like it has me, you may want to look into track car options.

Enjoy the journey, have a great time!

The Fat Kid

Matt Lane

Without familiarity with your particular car model, I would recommend leaving the car in 'auto' mode for a good while. Same for active chassis - 'normal' would be my choice to get started and for a while.

As you've wisely recognized, there's a ton going on initially - all of which take a lot of concentration to do properly.

Safety and learning being paramount, anything that interferes with you learning the line (and more importantly, 'why' it's the line), the flagging stations (and seeing all of them, and their flags, consistently), and DE track etiquette/awareness (passing without stressing slower drivers or cutting back on line, or being passed safely and on time without holding faster drivers up) - is to be avoided and deferred to later.

I really respect new drivers that have the fundamental respect and self awareness to even ask these questions. Your instructors will help you go faster, no question, just focus on the basics and listen to them even if they have slightly different points of view to share.

For street tires, around 36-38 will be fine - measure them hot right when you come off track. Bleed down to that range.

PS - re-reading your initial post - definitely try get some instruction soon, with PCA, BMWCCA or other. It will make all the difference.

Have fun!

Best,

Matt

Thundermoose

I have done it both ways and auto is pretty darn good.

ProCoach

dgrobs

^^This^^ for sure...

Obturate

I have found the need to downshift manually on occasion. I think left foot braking confuses the PDK? I'm certain there are points where I overlap brakes and throttle. My coach does not experience the same problem and analysis of data shows we are in the same gear at the same points on the track, however.

mdrums

If the car is a newer PDK version such as 2012+ then it will shift better than you can. My 2017 Carrera GTS doesn't need me to do any shifting. My 2012 Carrera GTS in auto mode only needed a downshift going into T13 at Sebring sometimes other than that it shifted perfectly. I had a 2009 Carrera S I tracked the heck out of and it shifted great too but it needed some coaxing more at the track...Porsche has imported the PDK shift programs over the years.

tinkerbill

Thank you all for giving me your experiences, observations and 'data'
I did use the auto mode exclusively on my track day but mostly in sport. Next time i will use the sport +.
One of the reasons I asked if people were using auto or paddles is i was wondering if using the paddles would provide some useful engine braking and reduce my dependency and torture of my pccb's?
Bill

daylorb

I personally do not like auto PDK on a track. I don't like unplanned shifts - I'd rather know when the gear is going to change. That said I drove manual forever, so the shifting part seems ridiculously easy already. Do what you are most comfortable with and that will be right for you.

ProCoach

Matt Lane

Let's remember the OP's question. He attended his 1st track day. He'd like to get some instruction at some point.

Left foot braking, and otherwise optimizing shifting performance are way down the list of priorities. Just my opinion.

Cheers

Matt

mistermct

Bill - this is good advice. I don't know your car but I do know this track. Spend time learning the line and learning how to be safe on this track. That means keeping all your settings consistent between events so you're comfortable with how the car responds to your inputs.

As far as saving your PCCBs, I figure you're probably good for several sessions before you can make the call on how serious you are about DEs / frequency of events to consider a switch to steel. But most importantly, your first several sessions should be focused on tuning the driver and not the car