Hi,

I'm new to Porsche ownership. I bought a '99 996 Carrera coupe about 2 months ago... absolutely love it.
It's essentially stock. I was thinking about doing a DE at MidOhio and/or Nelson Ledges (Ohio).

I guess my question is, what do I need to know before jumping into the DE experiences?
I'm a novice at best, that's for sure.
Is it recommended to take a stock street car to these, or are there essential mods that need to be done first?
Helmets required I assume?

What is the best way to get into this whole thing, in the Ohio area. What were your initial experiences like?

 

advice has been given many times before, but DONT do it. You will find yourself on a slippy slope of enjoyment! At first it will be a crazy itch you have to scratch but it turns into a full on addiction.

I was at the track Monday and spend all day yesterday looking at data thinking how I can go faster and when I can do it next. It is worse than crack!!!!

You have nothing to lose by trying it. PCA is great for newbies and you will appreciate your car a lot more when you see how it performs on the track

Street car is perfect especially when first starting out, just ensure it is well maintained. Check with the region as they may have loaner helmets you can try before you decide whether it is your thing or not.

Dont think, do IT!

 

You will have HUGE fun and a smile that will hurt.

Check out the site that I have been working on in my spare time (read..'not too often'!) as it might offer some help....link is in my sig.

Go for it and have fun !

best

Joe

 

That's great to hear "Lice". The only way to safely explore the limits of your car.
I guess my question is, what do I need to know before jumping into the DE experiences
Read some books on autocrossing and DE. Then just do it. No substitute for "seat time".
Is it recommended to take a stock street car to these, or are there essential mods that need to be done first?
Drive your car in "stock" form first. Then worry about upgrades. When the time comes for it, follow this rough "outline":
safety devices (roll bar, harness, seat, HANS, fire extinguisher)- DO NOT try and save money on this step.
wheels (light) and tires (sticky)
brakes (track pads, SS lines, high-quality fluid)
suspension (springs, coilovers, sway bars)
power (ECU flash, air intake/filter, exhaust)
Helmets required I assume?
Only if you care about your "noggin". Again, get the best you can afford. Lightweight is more comfortable.

Good Luck, man! I agree with Dan, it is a VERY slippery slope, but you'll love the ride!

 

All above info is right on... Only additional recc. I have is to change your brake fluid to a higher boiling point fluid.. ie, Super Blue, so that you don't boil it (ie. get a soft brake pedal).. Other than that stock is great to start and see how you like it.

BTW.. nearly everyone started stock... In 3 years you'll have a full blown race car.

Also try to do Mid Ohio... Nelson Ledges is a Dump.

 

If you haven't joined the local PCA chapter, do so. They'll walk/talk you through a lot. You can rent a helmet for most events.

 

Truer words have never been spoken..... Save this thread and mark the calandar....

 

And the slippery slope claims yet another victim...

What's the over/under on how long before he's asking about Cup cars?

 

The first rule about track club is DONT ASK ABOUT TRACK CLUB!

The above is good. I will skip a few steps ahead:
1. Dont ever add up what you spend, EVER! Several reasons but mostly--plausible deniability.
2. Get a slush fund that the wife does not know about.
3. Get an alternative address, such as work to ship tires, parts, go fast stuff etc...
4. Take care of the UPS/FedEx guy at Christmas.
5. Every expense that the wife see is for "safety".
6. Hoosiers=Heroin--stay away for DE's.

Proceed with caution......and welcome to the dark side.

 

First, remove all window tint from that 996. Then buy a supply of depends.

 

As suggested above, contact your local PCA Chapter and talk to the DE Chair.

Here is a link to our region's website for DE, lots of info, FAQ's, requirements, vehicle inspection forms, etc...

http://www.porschenet.com/JCMS/content/view/56/46/


Godspeed.

 

+1

I just wish I made the move sooner. I wasted many years attempting to turn street cars into wanna be race cars and sold them off when the time came to install a cage. Now I have a full blown out race car and no time to enjoy it. These days soccer and little league take priority over Dad's play time.

 

Maybe I can be a little more helpful.... per the original question...

1st time out green student - Make sure regular maintenance is up to date, Change brake fluid, borrow a helmet
2nd time out (you are hooked now) – Have your own helmet and fire extinguisher

Blue student – scrap the stock brake pads, get track pads, better fluid, better tires, start pricing suspension…..
White solo – Seats, roll bar, harnesses, suspension
Black solo – Second set of rims, dedicated track tires, aggressive brake pads, trailer, tow vehicle
Red/Instructor – Scrap it all and buy a dedicated track car
Race – Sell the house, pimp the wife, it’s all downhill from here

 

Do it!

Now what you need.

Number 1 is a car in solid mechical order. This means no major leaks or problems. It is great idea (and required in some regions) to take your car to a Porsche shop and ask for DE tech inspection. They will look over the car and give you advice if some part may not stand up to the track time.

If the car is solid you will be fine. If it has a some "lingering mechanical issues" the PO never really fixed you may have some problems.

So once confirm you have a solid car you should inquire about a helmet. Ask your region about this. Some have loaners, some don't. You will not be allowed on track without a helmet. You can purchase one, but also inquire about their rules for what spec the helment must be. Because track time is motorsport just any old helment may not work. Racers are required to use a certain spec helmet. These tend to cost $200 to $1000 and are not availbe at most stores. Once you know where to look you can get them easily. However ask about what the region requires.


So once you have mechanically solid car and have lined up a helmet you just need to attend. There will be some sort of school with both class room time and time on track with an instructor. Expect all you track time to come with a required instructor. These guys are there to make sure you are safe and to teach you something about driving on a track.

Word of caution. Track driving is all about skill. Very little about car or bravery at first. So prepare your ego for a guy in 100 hp 914 to be faster than you. It happens all the time so don't get caught up in the idea that you are some fast speed demon with a fast car. You may very well get there in time, but is extremely rare to happen first time out.

So expect to learn something from both the classroom and you instructor that will ride with you. In fact expect to learn alot, quiite frankly more than you can comprehend right away. This is ok and happens to everyone. That is why it can take years for a driver to be realy fast. Remember also that there is risk in driving a car around the track. DE's are set-up to minimize the risks. One really key way to do that is to listen to the instructor. He/she will be able to feel what car is doing long before you can. They have that experinece that will tell them. You will gain that in time. Also remember the rules in DE are set forth to ensure maxiumum saftey of the driver, instructor, and other cars on track. More experinced groups tend to have more liberal rules, but that is because these guys have demonstrated that they can handle things on track. For new guys things can happen very fast to again abide by the rules and listen to you instructor.

At the end of the day their are three goals I always have in DE and still have now as 10 year DE vet and 7 year racer.
1) Be safe - Safety first. You will never acheive goals 2 & 3 without first being safe. So even if safe = slow that is ok.

2) Have fun - The goal of track time is to enjoy it. So don't let yourself get stressed by the cars around you. You are not in race and there was never a DE champion. Just drive in your skills safely and enjoy. If you are slow. Who cares. Just have fun.

3) Learn something/get faster - Once you are safe and having fun then you can consider learning and getting faster.


So this alot to take in, but give it a try.

 

Just Do It!
But start out stock. You'll learn more now and will appreciate the mods later better.

Ditto other comments about better brake fluid. A brake flush is best; use ATE or better. Make sure brake pads aren't thin. Also consider disconnecting the brake pad wear sensors. I've seen the wires burn/smoke off the insulation under heavy track braking. They can be tied off onto the strut; learn to visually inspect the brake pads.

Make sure tires are appropriate. Some street tires with full tread do not like track duty.

Get a tire guage, and know your tire pressures. Others at the event can help find a starting PSI point. Chalk/crayon can be helpful for marking tire shoulders to assess rollover based upon tire pressure.

Buy or rent a comfortable helmet. And most PCA Regions require an HPDC clinic before attending a regular DE event. Difference is lots of classroom time, and morning exercises (braking, slalom, etc) to help get you acclimated.

Be aware, this can be a fun & addictive sport. But risk does exist. Be aware, be sensible, but don't ignore the fact. Instructor SHOULD keep you from going full-out bonehead. But simple mechanical failure, prancing deer, and other unknowns can ruin a weekend. Consider track insurance; PCA now offers a program for members.