As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ll be taking Clutch on a High-Speed Autocross (HSAX) day on May 3rd. I’m putting together a list of what Clutch will need for race day. I had two rear tires that were getting low on tread, just about to the tread wear indicators. A couple of the guys at the NSSCC meeting said I should use these for the fronts, for better traction and reduced risk of “chunking”, which is what it sounds like, chunks of street-tire tread getting torn off during hard driving. I got their replacements put on the car, and I saw that one of the “racing tires” is too far gone, there is hardly any tread left in the center. So there goes that idea. Upshot: I won’t have to buy rims to put them on. Bank.
The track guys also recommend flushing the brake fluid and using higher-temp fluid. Good advice for daily use as well, I would think- I have no indication that the brake fluid has been flushed on my car, and he’s 6 years old now. The brakes work fine as they are now, except for some apparent front rotor warpage. I’m going to put in new front pads and rotors for the track day, and flush the brake fluid in favor of something with higher temperature resistance, haven’t decided what yet. I’ve heard that the Motorcraft stuff is a good value.
I had been leaning towards a full 4-wheel set of slotted/drilled rotors with ceramic pads, as low as $175 or so from Brakemotive on eBay, they sell Powerstop stuff. But honestly, that’s overkill on a couple levels. I can’t push the car that hard on the track, since it’s my DD and I can’t afford to kill it. And I won’t even be AX-ing it regularly anyway, maybe 3 or 4 times a year at most. Add to that the increased pad wear that results from d/s rotors, and the risk of their cracking, and I think my best braking investment right now will be a set of high-quality, name-brand, blank front rotors and ceramic pads, and high-temp brake fluid.
Other things to do, mostly on race day:
- pump the tires up to about 36-37psi
- maybe put a tiny bit of extra oil in the engine
-empty out the random stuff I carry in the car, like my son’s booster seat, my tool bag, R2-D2 USB charger, etc. Rules dictate that you remove the spare tire and jack for your track runs.
-fill the fuel tank. I’ll have to remember to reset the fuel economy gauge when I get to the track, it’ll be interesting to see.
-buy/make my number (121) and class info. I might just bring a roll of black duct tape, and white for the windshield markings.
I will not be going full-on at this track session (or any other), because I need to protect the car. Me, I can heal, but the car can’t. Similarly, Blue Cross/Blue Shield won’t care what happened where, but State Farm will.
And in preparing my own self for track day, I’ve learned to heel-and-toe in Clutch. My very first car was a manual, and I learned it back then (late 80s), but never got good at it. For the last 17 years before buying my Fusion, I drove an automatic. I finally started trying to heel and toe again, and I figured it out. So very cool, just in time for HSAX! I’m doing it all the time now, for the practice. Still need a lot of practice. And, my helmet came today! Big white full-face job- I am The Stig's novice American cousin!
I can imagine, several years from now, when the car is paid off and I have another car to daily-drive, stripping Clutch's interior, caging him, getting a race suspension set-up, and working over the engine and drivetrain.
The track guys also recommend flushing the brake fluid and using higher-temp fluid. Good advice for daily use as well, I would think- I have no indication that the brake fluid has been flushed on my car, and he’s 6 years old now. The brakes work fine as they are now, except for some apparent front rotor warpage. I’m going to put in new front pads and rotors for the track day, and flush the brake fluid in favor of something with higher temperature resistance, haven’t decided what yet. I’ve heard that the Motorcraft stuff is a good value.
I had been leaning towards a full 4-wheel set of slotted/drilled rotors with ceramic pads, as low as $175 or so from Brakemotive on eBay, they sell Powerstop stuff. But honestly, that’s overkill on a couple levels. I can’t push the car that hard on the track, since it’s my DD and I can’t afford to kill it. And I won’t even be AX-ing it regularly anyway, maybe 3 or 4 times a year at most. Add to that the increased pad wear that results from d/s rotors, and the risk of their cracking, and I think my best braking investment right now will be a set of high-quality, name-brand, blank front rotors and ceramic pads, and high-temp brake fluid.
Other things to do, mostly on race day:
- pump the tires up to about 36-37psi
- maybe put a tiny bit of extra oil in the engine
-empty out the random stuff I carry in the car, like my son’s booster seat, my tool bag, R2-D2 USB charger, etc. Rules dictate that you remove the spare tire and jack for your track runs.
-fill the fuel tank. I’ll have to remember to reset the fuel economy gauge when I get to the track, it’ll be interesting to see.
-buy/make my number (121) and class info. I might just bring a roll of black duct tape, and white for the windshield markings.
I will not be going full-on at this track session (or any other), because I need to protect the car. Me, I can heal, but the car can’t. Similarly, Blue Cross/Blue Shield won’t care what happened where, but State Farm will.
And in preparing my own self for track day, I’ve learned to heel-and-toe in Clutch. My very first car was a manual, and I learned it back then (late 80s), but never got good at it. For the last 17 years before buying my Fusion, I drove an automatic. I finally started trying to heel and toe again, and I figured it out. So very cool, just in time for HSAX! I’m doing it all the time now, for the practice. Still need a lot of practice. And, my helmet came today! Big white full-face job- I am The Stig's novice American cousin!
I can imagine, several years from now, when the car is paid off and I have another car to daily-drive, stripping Clutch's interior, caging him, getting a race suspension set-up, and working over the engine and drivetrain.