CIVICXI *NOVICE* Track Thread!

[PointByPatrol]

This is a safe place for those of you headed out to the track for the first time to ask questions, and get answers/advice from experienced drivers! There are seriously no stupid questions here! All of us were new once, and this thread is intended to give you a leg up! I can assure you that nobody will be bothered if you want to call them out to ask a question!

We will also create key topics that are important for you to know prior to, during, and after your first track event!

I'll post my topic under this intro!

Sponsored

 

[PointByPatrol]

There are a lot of new faces on this forum, and a new generation of drivers eager to hit the track! With that it mind, it makes sense to reintroduce the subject of car preparation and safety equipment.

I stumbled upon a novice driver who was driving a GR Corolla at a recent track event, and it's because of her that I've been reminded that there is so much that a novice may not know before making the decision to hit the track. She has thanked me many times for walking up to her at the track and taking an interest in her newfound love for the hobby because if I hadn't, she would have been left clueless. She's even made mention that none of these important topics are brought up in the novice classrooms, which I think is a slight on the part of the organizations that we drive HPDE with.

Here is my most recent updated list of really important things that you should have prior to your first track event: (this list is with the novice in mind)

Safety:
A good helmet! (your body can't live without the mind! ask Morpheus! He knew this!) Besides, they last a good long while!

Hybrid S Hans Device (Yes, they're $1200 bucks, sorry, not sorry.)

FIA rated anchors for your Hans device (they are sold separately from the HANS and usually cost about 60 bucks)

Racing gloves! Your hands get sweaty, and more so when you are under stress!

Performance:
Track focused brake pads! (I prefer Paragon R5's, but I'm sure there will be several opinions on this)
Castrol SRF Brake fluid (don't bother with Motul)

*TOP TIP, but certainly not a requirement. Good tires! The PS4S that is stock on our car isn't so great on track. I love my Kumha Ecsta V730's. They are a 200TW tire.

Fun Fact:
Bigger brakes do not slow you don't faster, they dissipate heat better! Tire and brake pad compound slow you down faster!

Insurance:
TRACK INSURANCE! (Crazy crap happens at the track! It might be your fault or someone else's. Protect your investment!

Comfort:
There are long waits between run groups! Bring a chair and some kind of sun shade!
Cooler! Driving around a track makes you dehydrated! You should drink a lot of water or gatorade!

Tools:
Torque Wrench! You need to check your lugs!
Basic Socket Set! You likely won't need it, but will appreciate it when you do!
Jack??? (I personally never bring one because it's safe to bet that someone else has one....up to you!)
Pressure gauge! (Likely my most used tool! Your tires are extremely important to your driving performance! Keep a check on your pressures!)
Portable air compressor (If you're like me and commute to the track in the car you intend to race, then you'll need to pump the tires back up for street use! I use a Milwaukee portable compressor, and that damn thing gets passed around like a bag of Oreo's across the whole paddock! So if you have one, then you might make some new track buddies!)

Mental Prep:
Study the track on YouTube from reputable sources before you go to familiarize yourself with the line!

I'm well aware that I just rattled off some pretty expensive stuff, and trust me, I'm fully aware. HPDE/TT/Racing is an expensive hobby! The majority of what I just mentioned is a buy it once, and have it kind of thing!

 

[PointByPatrol]

It's also super important to stay brushed up on the different flag meanings! Your instructor will be thrilled if you know these ahead of time!

 

[MooMoo]

On the topic of Track insurances
Here are some of the companies most use (there might be others but these are some I have used and have spoken to people that have use them)

On Track -
https://ontrackinsurance.com/

Lockton -
https://locktonmotorsports.com/hpde-insurance/

Hagerty -
https://www.hagerty.com/insurance/track-day-insurance

Open Track -
https://www.opentrack.com/


Personally I go with the one that has the best prices (currently for me is on track). Insurance works on agreed value of the car and there is a lets call it large deductible for all of them (btw 5 and 10% of the value of the car depending on insurance and plan). As far as I know only Open Track has a policy that also covers others or the track up to 1 million dollars but its expensive.

Not everyone out there will have/want insurance and unfortunately its expensive, sometimes more money than the track day itself however its good to be protected because its not just about you its also about if someone runs into you.

 

[MooMoo]

Finding Events

The best place to find events is Motosport Reg - https://www.motorsportreg.com/

Super easy to use, put your location, select what kind of event (HPDE, Auto X, Control Clinic) and it will show you every event coming up and you can register through there. My tip is to after finding an event you like do some research on the club that runs it, not every club is worth the same, some clubs charge for instructors and others don't but also some clubs have better instructors than others. I would search or ask here since most here have been through the ringer and gone to days with multiple clubs and know what to recommend and what not to recommend.


Another site I like is HPDE Junkie - https://hpdejunkie.com/

You can't register through here but it shows you events based on your region and track which is really cool, it also sometimes has events that are not on motorsportreg (rare but has happened).

 

[chadwicke619]

Just to throw a few more data points into the mix… I’ve never purchased track insurance, and none of the guys I track with get it. I wouldn’t say we are loaded, or that wrecking our cars wouldn’t matter, but I find that track insurance is pretty expensive for the level of risk I’m actually taking on during a typical track day as a beginning-to-intermediate HPDE driver. For someone looking at their first track day and trying to decide, I wouldn’t let it keep you from getting out there. Most outfits run a relatively tight ship with a big emphasis on safety. If it gives you the peace of mind you need, that’s great, but know that it’s not like everyone out there is rolling with track insurance.

Another question people have is… what do you do with all your gear?! The answer is… nothing. You just leave it sitting there on the paddock while you run your session. Your car needs to be totally unloaded, so everything just sits out all day. Don’t worry, though - nobody is gonna mess with your shit. I get it - you think your Yeti cooler bag is a real catch, but there’s going to be thousands and thousands of dollars worth of gear everywhere. Nobody is worried about your stuff.

 

[Rexpelagi]

Just to throw a few more data points into the mix… I’ve never purchased track insurance, and none of the guys I track with get it. I wouldn’t say we are loaded, or that wrecking our cars wouldn’t matter, but I find that track insurance is pretty expensive for the level of risk I’m actually taking on during a typical track day as a beginning-to-intermediate HPDE driver. For someone looking at their first track day and trying to decide, I wouldn’t let it keep you from getting out there. Most outfits run a relatively tight ship with a big emphasis on safety. If it gives you the peace of mind you need, that’s great, but know that it’s not like everyone out there is rolling with track insurance.

I don't always buy track insurance for HPDEs, but I always do for TT, and sometimes for HPDEs depending on the track / length of the event. You can always control yourself, but you can't control what other people do, and you also can't always control what might fail on your car at speed.

From my experience Lockton is the way to go - it includes TT by default, typically the price will be a little less than 1% of your claimed value, and it really doesn't change much for the length of the event (for example, 4 days at SCCA TT Nats this year was $486 total for the event with $55,000 claimed value accounting for modifications and a 10% deductible). From my experience, especially for TT, Hagerty is unfortunately a good way to spend 2-3x for the same coverage. It's obviously up to you, but especially if I'm going for time it's nice to have.

I know this thread is about track, but I also highly highly recommend Lockton for autocross - you can get a full year policy with no cap on event count for about the same premium (<1% of claimed value), and it only has a 2% deductible. Autocross is generally seen as low risk but I've seen multiple car-to-car incidents at SCCA Nationals, let alone at locals, and if you do a full season that cost spread out is incredibly minimal.

 

[MooMoo]

Track insurance is always a great discussion. I think its fine not to get it if you understand the risks.

However my recommendation for complete novice is to get it for the first couple times out on track. My only reason is that it is your first time out there and it will be something less to worry about, it really makes for a better track day when you don't have to think about that. After a few times out you can decide after what you see if that is worth it for you or not.

Interestingly enough, and this might not be everyone's experience but I rarely see accidents in novice, having a instructor + first or second time out you really figuring things out. Intermediate is really the worst group to be.

 

[PointByPatrol]

Let's talk track etiquette for a moment as well. Nobody likes driving in their mirrors, and you'll hear some instructors telling you to stop driving in your mirrors. Do not panic if a car is coming up on you quickly simply wave them off in your mirror to let them know that you see them, then immediately go back to focusing on what's ahead of you. Typically in the novice group there are designated passing sections on the track. These passing zones will be covered in the morning meeting and the classroom. Giving a point by early and often will help reduce trains, but should only be done in the permitted zone. If you have to lift throttle to get a few cars through then that is completely okay! HPDE is not a timed event, and in the novice group you are there to learn the basics, not to be the fastest guy out on the track. As your skills improve, your need for advancement will be unmistakable. Just be patient with the process! Your first track event is going to be akin to drinking out of a fire hose. Most clubs only allow the novice groups to pass on the straights, which are the easiest places to safely perform a pass. Another thing to keep in mind is that a lot of the people on the track with you are experiencing a range of emotion, and you might be one of them! (fear, anxiety, confusion, etc.). Relax your mind, be conscious of the muscles in your body, and focus on relieving tension in those areas! I am no longer a novice driver, and when I am on the straights I am focusing on the tension in my hands, shoulders and neck, taking deep breaths and allowing my muscles to relax. I am also using this time to check my gauges and ensure that the car is happy and ready for the next lap! The straights are the most boring parts on any track, sure you're going fast, but that doesn't require any skill.

 

[Rexpelagi]

Interestingly enough, and this might not be everyone's experience but I rarely see accidents in novice, having a instructor + first or second time out you really figuring things out. Intermediate is really the worst group to be.

Every once in awhile you get a novice who watched Max Verstappen a few times and shows up in the novice class with something like a ZL1 1LE for my first track day, but generally I'd agree - intermediate can be the wild west - always approach with caution. It's a group of people who think they know what they are doing but don't (and should be in novice) mixed with another group of people who could easily be in advanced/expert but have slower cars or just don't have the confidence yet.

 

[Rexpelagi]

I'll add something to this as well.

Car Control

I think it's always good to practice car control outside of a track first if you are new. The most approachable way to do this is to attend a few autocrosses (test and tune, locals, or schools are all options) - the risk is lower (although not 0) but it can still teach you about any unusual tendencies the car may have before finding it out at 100mph during a quick transition on a track. Even after almost 15 years of track stuff I still tend to take new cars out to an autocross prior to taking them on track just to see if there's some glaring handling issue that might surprise me and also to make sure that any modifications I've made are working as intended. If you are just starting out, all the skills transfer to track as well (vision, car placement, vehicle dynamics, etc).

If you can locate a school event where you can get a lot of runs, especially with a instructor, this is even better. A step further is finding a school with a skid car or similar, but the costs go up and they aren't as available, but I still recommend doing what you can to get familiar with handling dynamics prior to trying it on a track.

 

[MooMoo]

Every once in awhile you get a novice who watched Max Verstappen a few times and shows up in the novice class with something like a ZL1 1LE for my first track day, but generally I'd agree - intermediate can be the wild west - always approach with caution. It's a group of people who think they know what they are doing but don't (and should be in novice) mixed with another group of people who could easily be in advanced/expert but have slower cars or just don't have the confidence yet.

thats dead on, I have seen the young prodigy novice "Max V" with the fast car that blasts everyone on the straights Luckily people get humbled very quickly when someone that is a much better driver in a miata shows up. And luckily most new people are humble and just want to learn, its a great place to meet people, I have met a few people that I chat with and once in a while go to track days with, its great.

I wish there were more groups, you could really have Novice, Int1, Int2 and Advanced/Instructor but I understand that with 4 groups would be way too much wait time in between sessions

 

[TW00Si]

Every once in awhile you get a novice who watched Max Verstappen a few times and shows up in the novice class with something like a ZL1 1LE for my first track day, but generally I'd agree - intermediate can be the wild west - always approach with caution. It's a group of people who think they know what they are doing but don't (and should be in novice) mixed with another group of people who could easily be in advanced/expert but have slower cars or just don't have the confidence yet.

This is so true. I run in Int 2 with SCDA. Friends have suggested to me to run in advance and this will require the club to approve but I don’t even want to ask because the cars in the advance group are just crazy fast. Usually just a bunch of Porsche GT2/3/4/cup cars to C6/C7/C8 with all very experienced drivers. I’d be the tortoise on the track.

 

[MooMoo]

I'll add something to this as well.

Car Control

I think it's always good to practice car control outside of a track first if you are new. The most approachable way to do this is to attend a few autocrosses (test and tune, locals, or schools are all options) - the risk is lower (although not 0) but it can still teach you about any unusual tendencies the car may have before finding it out at 100mph during a quick transition on a track. Even after almost 15 years of track stuff I still tend to take new cars out to an autocross prior to taking them on track just to see if there's some glaring handling issue that might surprise me and also to make sure that any modifications I've made are working as intended. If you are just starting out, all the skills transfer to track as well (vision, car placement, vehicle dynamics, etc).

If you can locate a school event where you can get a lot of runs, especially with a instructor, this is even better. A step further is finding a school with a skid car or similar, but the costs go up and they aren't as available, but I still recommend doing what you can to get familiar with handling dynamics prior to trying it on a track.

100%

If you are in the Northeast, I highly recommend doing a control clinic with SCDA
https://scda1.com/car-control/?srsltid=AfmBOor5nOmaVPRGHnagNt03I6QIcNgGxnKBGiWnLDM-ijerFdrY573L

You get to do autocross and skid pad. You get really good instructors, get a TON of seat time since its a limited number of cars and you get to really learn your car.

I will admit though that going to this with a RWD car is a lot more fun, the instructors want you to loose control and catch the car + the skid pad but even with the Type R its a lot of fun and you learn a lot really fast

 

[PointByPatrol]

Things that instructors say that will CoNfUsE you, and the definition of what they're asking you to do! There are several more than I've listed below, but this is a great start to get you going!

Track out: They are asking you to allow the car to push towards the outside of the track in the direction of the g-force that you are feeling thereby relaxing the g-force.

Track In: The opposite of track out! They want you to move towards the inside of the track, and in some cases this will increase the g-force that you are feeling!

Turn In: They are telling you that NOW is the time to turn the steering wheel in to the turn that you are approaching.

Open the Wheel: Opening the wheel simply means to begin pointing the tires straight again! No need to be herky jerky about it, perform this action smoothly and deliberately!

Brush the Brakes: This method is typically used to settle the suspension back to a more neutral state, and simply means that you are only going to be on the brake pedal for maximum 1-2 seconds, shoot, maybe even less, and it's usually not more than 1/4-1/2 of a press of the brake pedal.

Apex: The apex is the innermost portion of a turn that creates the straightest line for you to maximize your speed. Some clubs will put cones up as markers for these!

Late Apex: A late apex happens when you turn in a little later. Doing this decreases the distance to the exit of the turn.

Early Apex: An early apex happens when you turn in early, and increase the distance to the exit of the turn. (this method is the most likely to result in you finding the grass on the other side of the turn).

Threshold brake: This takes some practice because the amount of G-force it creates on your body is something that you aren't used to. This IS NOT A PANIC STOP! This is a deliberate action taken by you, the driver, to slow the car down as quickly as possible in a controlled manner. Threshold braking primarily takes place at the end of a long straight! Do NOT slam the brakes, push the brake pedal quickly all the way to the floor, it's not a stab, it's controlled.

Trail Brake: This is a difficult concept for most novices because threshold braking still terrifies you, but trail braking is a wonderful way to dive in to a corner. Trail braking typically takes over after threshold braking, and it means you are still on the brakes (not all the way to the floor) as you are rotating the steering wheel towards the apex of the turn. You are releasing the pedal progressively as you approach the apex. You should be completely off the brake pedal when you reach the apex, and back to the throttle as you exit the apex.

Squeeze the Throttle: You instructor isn't asking you to floor it here, they just want you to gently give the car some more gas.

Full Throttle: This is the most self-explanatory. Mat the SOB!

Sponsored