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      07-17-2019, 06:44 PM   #23
noone
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Is insurance really needed? How often are cars in front of you blowing a head gasket causing oil all over the track and causing you to spin out and hit a wall? How often are cars losing control into a corner and ramming into you? How often are you losing control and slapping a tire stack?

My neighbor who has a GT3 (worth 160k vs. mine at 65k today and dropping like a rock daily) swears by it but his car is worth more than mine.
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      07-17-2019, 07:01 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noone View Post
Is insurance really needed? How often are cars in front of you blowing a head gasket causing oil all over the track and causing you to spin out and hit a wall? How often are cars losing control into a corner and ramming into you? How often are you losing control and slapping a tire stack?

My neighbor who has a GT3 (worth 160k vs. mine at 65k today and dropping like a rock daily) swears by it but his car is worth more than mine.
It's about $500 to insure for a day. It all depends on how hard you wanna push and how much spare money you have lying around!
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      07-17-2019, 07:36 PM   #25
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bought that helmet and those gloves.

Do I need anything else besides alignment? xD
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      07-18-2019, 06:24 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montaver View Post
Also to some of the other posters, not all novices are created equal. If you have any karting, autocross, or really a lot of fast road driving you will progress pretty quickly. I think you should do pads and fluid as a minimum if you know you are going to get into it, but its really up to you. A bottle of SRF is more expensive, but it only needs to be flushed once per year. Similarly track pads on street tires will last a very long time so its worth investing. When I was on PS4S I ran SRF with a hybrid pad (PFC Z-Rated) and it was perfect. Once you move up to something stickier (Get RE-71 as SYT_Shadow suggested, they are amazing) you can progress to a harder track pad such as a PFC 11.
If a karting and autocross background, sure. That's different than a pure novice/first timer. MOst first timers aren't in this group though.

Fast road drivers, yeah...

Keep in mind F8X is meaningfully more track capable out the box than E9X. Still not truly track ready because BMW M, but closer.
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      07-18-2019, 06:30 AM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostar View Post
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bought that helmet and those gloves.

Do I need anything else besides alignment? xD
Helmet isn't full carbon so you'll be losing tenths/lap. Can't speak to mountain bike gloves as driving gloves. I left mine on the back of the truck after my last ride though, so i'll take a donation if they don't work. Other than that you're good.

Is your alignment off?

Relax, learn, and have fun.
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      07-18-2019, 07:38 AM   #28
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I heard to get an open face helmet. Especially when hot out.
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      07-18-2019, 07:39 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noone View Post
I heard to get an open face helmet. Especially when hot out.
Doesn't hurt for communication with instructor either, but full face works. personal preference
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      07-18-2019, 10:32 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noone View Post
Is insurance really needed? How often are cars in front of you blowing a head gasket causing oil all over the track and causing you to spin out and hit a wall? How often are cars losing control into a corner and ramming into you? How often are you losing control and slapping a tire stack?

My neighbor who has a GT3 (worth 160k vs. mine at 65k today and dropping like a rock daily) swears by it but his car is worth more than mine.
I have had a car lose oil in front of me in t8 at big willow. Definitely a bit of a pucker time.

Friends I met at the track have had people run into them due to a mechanical.

Stuff happens. If you aren’t ok writing it off, IMHO don’t track it or don’t track it without insurance.

I moved to SM in part because paying $500 a weekend for track insurance started to add up big time when going 12+ weekend a year (eg just in insurance you pay for an sM in 1-2 seasons...)
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      07-18-2019, 10:52 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nicknaz View Post
I have had a car lose oil in front of me in t8 at big willow. Definitely a bit of a pucker time.

Friends I met at the track have had people run into them due to a mechanical.

Stuff happens. If you aren’t ok writing it off, IMHO don’t track it or don’t track it without insurance.

I moved to SM in part because paying $500 a weekend for track insurance started to add up big time when going 12+ weekend a year (eg just in insurance you pay for an sM in 1-2 seasons...)
What's SM?
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      07-18-2019, 11:16 AM   #32
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Some very entertaining comments in this thread. Per the usual, believe about 50% of the stuff you read here. Luckily if you sift through the noise there's some good advice from the experienced guys.

Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostar View Post
What's SM?
Racing class referred to as SPEC Miata.
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      07-18-2019, 11:19 AM   #33
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Do you guys suggest I run MDM mode, traction off, or everything on for the 1st time out?
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      07-18-2019, 11:30 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostar View Post
Do you guys suggest I run MDM mode, traction off, or everything on for the 1st time out?
How confident in car control are you? It won't hurt to try the first session out with everything "on" then if you or your instructor deem it restrictive you can switch to MDM. You can drive these cars around the limits of the MDM mode and still learn. If it's your first time on a track, I personally wouldn't recommend going everything off quite yet. At least not until you have some fundamentals down first.
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      07-18-2019, 12:50 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OhioRiderAaron View Post
How confident in car control are you? It won't hurt to try the first session out with everything "on" then if you or your instructor deem it restrictive you can switch to MDM. You can drive these cars around the limits of the MDM mode and still learn. If it's your first time on a track, I personally wouldn't recommend going everything off quite yet. At least not until you have some fundamentals down first.
+1. You'll be managing enough.
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      07-18-2019, 01:54 PM   #36
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I leave it in MDM .... there are strong arguments for enabling or disabling.

I have it coded for GTS MDM and that where I leave it. I do not have a sponsor and there is no trophy or prize money. Let the car help you out a little bit if you make a mistake.

You also don't want to bounce off MDM all the time since it will wear the brakes more/introduce more heat into the system. Plus if it cuts power it can make the car unstable.
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      07-18-2019, 04:54 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostar View Post
Do you guys suggest I run MDM mode, traction off, or everything on for the 1st time out?
Depends on which track you're going to.

If you're going to NJMP, there's a ton of run off at both lightning and thunderbolt. Don't be scared to spin out. It's the only way you're going to learn.

You'll have to be waaaaaaaay more careful if you're at NYST, Palmer, Glen.

For your very first track day, you're probably better off staying on MDM but you'll start learning some bad habits the longer you use it.

I still use MDM on a wet track.
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      07-18-2019, 08:14 PM   #38
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Spin out on the grass/going off track (mow the lawn) is fine as long as you don't damage the car.

I'll give my NJMP Lightning story ... e92M3 with street tires , left hander after the bridge ... wide on track out , one tire on grass/one on the track- spun across the track and into the tire wall
Instructor and myself were ok, luckily no one was behind us close as I spun across the track. The car - kinda got lucky took out drivers 1/4 panel, bumper and tail light.
$7500 lesson
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      07-18-2019, 08:54 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FLOSS M View Post
Spin out on the grass/going off track (mow the lawn) is fine as long as you don't damage the car.

I'll give my NJMP Lightning story ... e92M3 with street tires , left hander after the bridge ... wide on track out , one tire on grass/one on the track- spun across the track and into the tire wall
Instructor and myself were ok, luckily no one was behind us close as I spun across the track. The car - kinda got lucky took out drivers 1/4 panel, bumper and tail light.
$7500 lesson
My rear end always gets a little light powering out of that turn.

Sorry to hear about that though man. I spun out at the esses after turn 10 in Thunderbolt and once on the left hander (5). Luckily no issue aside from a car full of grass.
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      07-19-2019, 08:28 PM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerostar View Post
Do you guys suggest I run MDM mode, traction off, or everything on for the 1st time out?
Probably the absolute best time to turn all the nannies completely off is when you're first starting out (albeit preferably not in a 450 hp M4).

My first track car was an E60 M5 with 500hp. My instructor was a crazy old man that competed in side car dirt bike jumping in his younger days. My very first session on track he reach down and turned all my nannies off, said we didn't need all the crap and away we went! Truth be told I didn't even know what he was doing, but I've never looked back. Have always kept all nannies off on all my BMW's. I'd say just go for it! (and buy track day insurance )

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      07-19-2019, 09:26 PM   #41
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What GoPro mounts do you guys use to get a picture behind the driver instead of on the windshield?
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      07-19-2019, 10:28 PM   #42
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Quote:
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What GoPro mounts do you guys use to get a picture behind the driver instead of on the windshield?
You can get a head rest mount if you have an adjustable head rest. I don't so I can't use one

Or you can mount it to your helmet.
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      07-19-2019, 11:09 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYG View Post
You can get a head rest mount if you have an adjustable head rest. I don't so I can't use one

Or you can mount it to your helmet.
Can you link a good one? Helmet that is. I don't have an adjustable head rest either
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      07-20-2019, 07:27 AM   #44
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Lots of "interesting" advice in this thread for someone attending a first time HPDE event - especially the car/mechanical stuff. But I would have to agree with most of it. So I guess I will throw in my $.02.....

Keep an open mind, be very humble and check your ego at the track gate (or even better, before you leave your house on track day). Regardless of how big (or small) you think your ego is now regarding your driver skill level, force yourself to make your ego even smaller. As long as you respect the fact that your 450+ HP turbo car is more than you can handle if you try to use the car's full potential, you will have fun as you progress at a pace that is right for you. You need to be honest with yourself here....

Some will say that an F8X M3/M4 is not a good novice track car because it is a very powerful and capable car - too powerful for a novice. IMHO, I think that is only true if the novice driver has the wrong mindset when getting behind the wheel on the track for the first few times.

Lastly, as several others have mentioned, since this is your first event, just go out there and have fun. HPDE's are a very fun experience, regardless of skill level. Good luck.
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