[s-cars] Speed Racer wannabe

[TM]

Bill-
Some comments based on my season thus far:

1. Do tech inspection at least a week in advance, so if you need any
parts
fixed, you can do it w/o FedEx Next Day.

2. Do a full brake and clutch bleed with good brake fluid- I'm using Ate
Super Blue, I'd also recommend Motul 600 or Castrol SR-F.

3. Don't worry about oil, I'd think about changing it afterwards,
though.

4. Check your brake pad condition- if they're worn, make sure you bring
at least
a spare set of street pads- I'm using Hawk HPS with good effect on my
BIRA
Sys2UFO setup (996 calipers) but if you're faster than me, you'll be
using the
brakes much harder- Bruce seems to eat through Pagid Oranges, but he's
doing
far more track events than me and has a heavier car and is lapping
significantly
faster (more like exponentially faster).

5. Make sure the suspension is aligned properly and the wheels balanced
(you don't
need to do this before every event, but check alignment if you've hit a
bunch of
potholes).

6. Tire pressure is dependent on suspension setup, track conditions,
driving style,
etc. If you're on street tires, I'd try to get the tire pressures so
that you're
going all the way to the edge of the tread shoulder, tweak pressures
until you get
there- I was running something like 34/34 cold at Summit Point last
month w/ Sumitomos.

7. In terms of driving tips- if this is your first time out, don't try
to be fast,
listen to your instructor, try to drive as smoothly as possible, don't
lift and if
you should go off, don't try to save it- go off smoothly, keep the wheel
straight and
put both feet in. Above all, listen to your instructor! Go easy on the
last session as
that's often when things get messy.

There is a checklist out there for stuff to bring- I bring all of my
hand tools, a brake
bleeder, spare coolant, water, brake fluid, oil and hydraulic fluid,
spare set of brake
pads, jack, gloves, tire pressure gauge, tarp, boxes to hold all of my
crap, a cooler for
drinks and food, sunscreen, and probably some more stuff that I can't
remember. However,
I probably bring way more stuff to the track than is absolutely
necessary and lots of folks
have tools to lend if you're in a pinch.

Taka