r/CarTrackDays

Put together a simple guide covering prep, budget, tires, and beginner mistakes. Tried to keep it realistic, more “don’t overthink it, but don’t be dumb either.”

Curious what others think, what do beginners usually get wrong or worry about too much?

Had a blast last week for three days at VIR with PCA. Had a great instructor for most of the weekend. This was my second best lap. Last session I pulled a 2:03 and felt like I was really finding the best of the car, but my camera came loose on the last 3 laps… Got the data but not the video. VIR is amazing.

If you are a true novice to tracking your car, and you have a lot of disposable income, HOD is great as their instructors are significantly better than those I have experienced with other organizations. However, once you are cleared to solo and moved into a more advanced run group, what is the point of paying HOD’s prices? They advertise that they keep the car count low per group, but every HOD event I’ve done seems to have the same amount of cars per group as any other org I’ve run with. In my opinion, if you are a more advanced driver, they don’t really offer anything more/special to justify what they charge per event, at least compared to other orgs.

Have been tracking cars, now ready to move into Wheel 2 Wheel Racing.

Which Car and/or Races Series would you start researching?

Curious about which car is the most fun, versatile, easy to find parts for, competitive for the forseable future, and works well in a wide range of racing series. (Will be a track only car)

I can find the budget and would rather start with the correct setup rather than swapping cars a year from now.

Thinking of starting with a Miata, Mabye NC or ND2

Questions

1. If you were going to build a Miata Race car, which generation?
2. Which would open up more racing series? NC or ND2?
3. How does the ND handle differently than the NC?
4. Any reason to consider NA/NB?
5. Is the ND to new for ChampCar?
6. Would you consider something other than a miata?

Thanks!

What’s everyone favorite HANs device? I am buying my first one here soon after my 6 pt harnesses and roll bar are installed.

The Zamp Z tech price is appealing however it seems bulky. After reading this guide I am feeling a bit more confused as I never realized there was a few different types.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-toolbox/hans-device-buyers-guide-choosing-and-sizing-a-head-neck-restraint/30241?gad\_source=1&gad\_campaignid=23224932126&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-pHPBhCdARIsAHXYWP8M5XM6uScJHAZk3Oa9kU0CztQFvGp1uE5N9fJvz\_YDMg0DgmgEXg8aAixTEALw\_wcB

I am still fairly new to tracking. I just put on some RE71RS’ on my car.

Right away I noticed a nice step up in grip compared to the stock BMW spec PS4S’s. But under heavy braking I am now feeling a little unsteady behaviour like the car is moving a bit side to side, sometimes only in the front sometimes in the rear.

My M240 xdrive is mostly stock (just stainless steel brake lines and CastroL SRF race brake fluid). It is just over a year old (2025).

Stock tires were 245/35r19 front and 255/35r19 rear. My new track tires are 265/35r19 square.

For reference I drove both tires same track same day same overall weather, and the PS4S feel fine under braking but the RE71RS feels a little more jittery, though it has a lot more bite.

Currently on factory stock alignment that was measured roughly at -1 camber, 7.2 caster, 0.17 toe in left, and 0.21 toe in right. Rear is about -1.5 camber and 0.1 toe in each side.

Is this something that just comes with better rubber or likely something with my setup I can adjust? I was told by the alignment shop 0.38 total toe in at the front is a lot and if we went to something like 0.1 total toe in it would make the car much more alive, but I am concerned that would make the straight line braking even more jittery and unstable?

At my 4th HPDE I had an odd experience with a red flag on track and would like to get some informed feedback. This was the first time I had been given a red flag and don’t know if I misunderstood the procedure or the corner station crew miscommunicated.

Towards the end of the last 20 minute session of the day at Watkins Glen I was approaching turn 9 with no other cars around me when the station worker showed a red flag. I cautiously braked and came to a controlled stop just short of their station tower. After a few seconds he waved me forward, and as I crawled by he said “go to the pit”. I had a passenger and they confirmed we both heard the same thing. So I proceeded at a very cautious 25-35mph and was waved by at station 9a (hand gesture, no flag). As I went past corner 10 on my way to pit lane, still at the same cautious speed, the station worker was still holding the red flag out. Again, no cars around me either.

As I rounded the pit entrance at the last corner I heard someone yell Hey!. I stopped immediately and saw there was a track worker behind the barrier on the other side of the track. He was not in the corner station, holding a flag, or in any sort of position to signal drivers at that moment. He yelled at me that I had failed to stop at a red flag. I just replied ‘I did and was told to pit’. We repeated the same thing back to each other a couple times then he said to stay stopped and walked away. A a couple minutes later a worker walked out the pit entrance and waived me to proceed into the pit.

In hindsight I realize the guy at corner 10 expected me to stop because he was showing a red flag. My thought process at that moment was that I had already stopped for the red flag and given direction to proceed to pit because they wanted us off the track so I was driving to pit lane at a very cautious speed. If for example, I was at corner 2 when red flags came out, stopped, then told to proceed to pit, would it make sense to stop 8 more times at the corner stations on my way to the pit?

Maybe there is a gap in how the red flag procedure is explained. Every driver instruction or meeting I’ve heard says that red flag means come to a safe stop as quick as possible and await direction, but rarely discusses what comes after. I guess it was my mistake too for thinking of red flag as a ‘trackwide condition’ instead of being a literal stop sign.

Pretty much title,

- looking to keep the car for the very long term. So at least good to very good/excellent reliability with track usage.

- car NEEDS to be on the very low end for maintenance/consumables to allow more freedom tracking ( thought about new ND but wife is opposed to it due to safety )

- car will tracked at least 12 days a year ( so at least 1500-2000 miles a year )as well as other forms HPDE to hard improve including auto cross and such?

- car will ALSO be used for short road trips think <2h road trips each way; with the wife and 1 kid

- hard to pick a convertible , need extra safety for hard tracking.

Current options : new 26 Type R, 2016 cayman S open to all other recommendations again up to 50k usd used or new.

Ps Hated GR86 for engine problems

Hello,

I have track day experience in an s2000 13 years ago. However due to life and kids, my passion for motersport has been heavily supressed but always in the back of my mind.

I've had a few decently fast street cars since then, but nothing extreme.

A few years ago, I got into Sim Racing. From this, I've developed a far greater understanding of braking points, trail braking, throttle modulation, steering input and balance. Things I wish I knew back then.

Anyway, I moved from GT7 to Assetto Corsa around 6 months ago when I discovered that I could mod in the actual real life tracks I have access to. One I have driven on in real life and one that I haven't. With that, I have done hundreds of laps in various different cars on these tracks in the sim.

I feel confident that I can now go back to the track I've been to and the one I haven't been to, knowing exactly where the braking points are, where every corners apex is, where the track camber is and general corner entry/apex/exit speed.

I've driven much more powerful cars than I've ever had and found a few that seem to gel nicely and respond/behaviour exactlt as I expect them to.

I fully understand that the sim can't prepare you for the G Forces and slight fear factor etc.

So I thought I'd ask here. Has anyone else bridged the gap for big power increases using the sim? If so, how did you go settling into the real life car? Once settled, how did your real life lap times compare to your sim laps?

Thanks,