First track day experience - Wakefield Park

[Blitz]

Well, after putting off several opportunities in the past im finally going to head to wakefield and have a go round the track at this weekends UAS track day.

I plan to drive my MR2 for fun and I was hoping that some of the more experienced track driving people here could provide any tips or info such as which lines to take or avoid, as well as anything else I should know.

Thanks guys

Nick

[Majanal]

Sure... let me drive!

On a serious note.

Take it eaisy the first few sessions if not the whole day. work on finding a line slowly and remember that smoothness is what counts. Your gear selection is important... use a higher gear to start with and try and find a gear that works for "most" of the track. The less changes you have to make the better you will find where to go.

Look for the white edge of track lines... more importantly where they have been worn (discoloured) by tyres running over them. this is where "most" people drive and would be close to the correct line (everybody drives slightly different).

Try and take an experenced driver out with you as much as possible. not every time, but maybe every second or third session. and try for different experienced drivers if you can. (If I was coming down I would jump into the passengers/drivers(your car if you'd let me) seat and let you know what I know and hope that it helps.

Most important,

Enjoy yourself and drive the car home.

Dan.

[Blitz]

Thanks Dan, I was planning to take it easy being my first track drive so it should be good fun.

Ive gone to extra efforts to ensure the cars track ready so its going to be a blast.

[Majanal]

Yep.. there is nothing better than blasting past 140 and thinking... I'm not risking my licence for this thrill!

Have fun, and we might induct you into team trackday soon!

[Duncan]

haha like Dan said the most important bit is to drive home

I guess the most important thing before hand is make sure ur brakes are OK, put in nice new fluid...I guess you've done all that sort of this since it just landed.

With the track itself, Wakefields a great place to get into it.....not just a drag track with corners like Eastern Creek...its got a great mix. Obviously you take it easy for a few sessions until you get comfortable where the track goes and how your car reacts.

To get consistency and speed out of the car, you note points/marks/bumps etc on the track as points to turn in to corners or brake. Generally people on the track for the first time brake to early and not hard enough and turn in to the corner too early. But the easiest way to sort out lines is to take out a passenger who can give suggestions.

I guess the main thing is tho, unless you're a driving genius like wreckhead, don't get overconfident. Amazing how all the big offs happen in the afternoon sessions when people think they've got it sorted...and they're a bit tired...

[Blitz]

Thanks Duncan - that was my theory, I consider myself a good driver on the road but I dont think that means jack on the track so I will work my way into it gradually.

Nothing like cheater tyres for my first drive though eh

[Duncan]

cheater tyres! yee haa, you get spat off the track heaps quicker with those on lol

[Abo Bob]

What profile tyres are you running Nick?

I put my old 17" rims on to race and found them much more comfortable with the way they let you know where the limits of traction are as opposed to the 18's I normally run.

The tyres are sh!t quality and I'll be using them again on Sunday but believe it or not I felt safer knowing my tyres were the weak link because (obviously being my first track day) I was still learning the car - as you will be this weekend.

To clarify that; I'd prefer the tyres let go than anything else.

Hope this makes sense. I have a massive one days track experience to back me up here with all previous hard driving being FWD on dirt.

[Blitz]

Hmmm we as it happens im now going to be running on the factory 14 inch alloys with some new tyres thrown on the back.

Will look into larger wheels and better tyres later down the track.

I expect a lot of fun on Sunday - the MR2 should resemble a go kart on the track due to its size

[franks]

you will have heaps of fun! good onya nick for giving it a go!

sounds like the mr2 will be mauled by the fire breathing Zed's and R's on the day though?!? but, you'll have equal amount of fun regardless of the car you're in

these vids will give you an idea of the track

from the outside:

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/photopost..._and_franks.wmv

from the inside:

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/photopost...franks_laps.wmv

and heres what NOT to do

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/[email protected]

[Blitz]

Haha thanks Franky, I couldnt care less who I get mauled by. I want to get the track feel before taking the GTR out.

I havent done a single track day and even I can see that "Russ" drives like an idiot on the race track

[benm]

Generally people on the track for the first time brake to early and not hard enough and turn in to the corner too early.

After my first experience at Eastern Creek (as short as it was before my master cylinder decided it wanted to make bubbling sounds) I found that Duncan's comments above would have to be the #1 mistake people make.

Witches hats were place at the 'turn in' the 'apex' and the 'exit point' of the main corners at EC and it was quite amazing how far you would have to dirve (straight ahead towards the edge of the track) before you have to turn in. The first few laps (with Dunan as my passenger) I felt as if I was going to run off the track and tried to turn in early (which if I was in the v8 Supercars it would have looked like I was "blocking" on every corner), it was quite surprising how far you have to stay out for before beginning to turn in.

Braking is not like normal street driving (slow and relaxed), when Duncan took me out I thought we were either gonna hit the car infront, run off the road or my brain was gonna slither out through my nose (heavy braking). Once your happy with your line and gear selection give the brakes a smooth yet heavier jab than what you would normally do on the road.

PS. I'm guessing the common gear at Wakefield is 3rd? with 4th down the straight? (won't reach 5th right? and 2nd being too slow for the top corners?)

[Duncan]

PS. I'm guessing the common gear at Wakefield is 3rd? with 4th down the straight? (won't reach 5th right? and 2nd being too slow for the top corners?)

This could be the start of some disagreements lol. Personally, all 3rd except breifly on the back straight, and on the front straight. With good corner speed and a quick car you might need 4th up the hill and back down to turn 8 (the fish hook). I don't use second in a RWD car....too much wheelspin and too close to needing to change up anyway....jsut leave it in 3rd and have plenty of boost as you come out of the corner

[benm]

So I can remove 1st, 2nd and 5th synchro's to save on weight ? :wassup:

[Roy]

I found the hardest habit to break was the turn in, i would always turn in too early, and probably still do.

When i drove an R33 i didnt touch 2nd gear around Wakefield, in my jigger though, when im really trying 2nd gear onto the straight, and on the tight left hander...its marginally quicker if i get out of the corners well, can be slower if i punt the thing sideways ...bu tdont normally do it as it menas the car has to rev a lot harder and i tend to wash off corner speed when i search for the lower gear.

[Duncan]

hahah I thought they were already gone in ur box anyway, who needs synchros, or a clutch for that matter

[benm]

hahah I thought they were already gone in ur box

I found them again... 2nd is sorta below 1st but beside 4th gear... funny that :headspin:

[Abo Bob]

hahah I thought they were already gone in ur box anyway, who needs synchros, or a clutch for that matter

Exactly

I'll be there trying to prove you don't need them.

[Snowman]

Blitz - I went through my first track day experience earlier this year. All I can say is prepared to be hooked! lol

Anyways.... some advice from my first time out. Start off following someone who knows their way around the track. Preferably someone you could just beat powerwise normally but not someone you have to "slow down for" to follow. I kinda made this mistake on my first day - because when I finally decided that enough was enough and it was time to go forth and venture on my own I discovered my braking points were a whole lot different when I was at full flight! (LOL - my very first corner I went WAAAAYYYY off at turn 1 at Sandown! I had gone from being at about 180km/hr at the end of the straight when following a car to 240km/hr - didnt realise the braking distance was THAT big a difference for those speeds)

Also - speak to as many different people that have been at the track as possible for little tips. From my experience all the tracks have some little quirks or tips that can be handy for the non experienced. Don't know about Wakefield but Sandown has 3 corners where advice from others certainly helped me improve my times.

Regardless of lap times you will have heaps of fun. And then Im sure you will be dying to get the line out on the track!

[Majanal]

I had gone from being at about 180km/hr at the end of the straight when following a car to 240km/hr

Thats it... I propose a road trip to sanddown raceway... I can't get near 240 at EC!

/end hijack.