scoobydoo Posted 23, April 2006 Report Share Posted 23, April 2006 Hey guys, I'm going for a drive night at Barbagello Raceway tomorrow night. I've never driven on a proper race track day before so I'm wondering if anyone would care to offer up some tips on preparing the car? I've got a stock standard 172. I've removed the spare wheel, the tool set and the rear parcel shelf to reduce the weight a bit. The bit i can't rememberis , is the tyre pressure supposed to be raised or lowered? Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vukie Posted 23, April 2006 Report Share Posted 23, April 2006 tyre pressure is raised, i think some of the guys run about 40psi, but remebr to keep you stint short, i think 4-6 laps is all the stock SX-GT's will take before going too soft, let themm cool down again and the head back out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredYozzasport Posted 23, April 2006 Report Share Posted 23, April 2006 don't try and be a hero, it'll end up in disaster!!! check all your fluids, and your tyre pressusre (raise by 3-4psi all round) HAVE FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClioF1 Posted 23, April 2006 Report Share Posted 23, April 2006 I tried high pressures in my Exaltos and it didn't work well on the track, ok for the road though where higher temps don't come into play. Some tyres work good at 40+ psi so just start at 36psi and see how you go. Most tracks have a compressor if you want to add air. Let the faster cars or crazy bastards pass and if you run off the track don't swerve and do silly stuff to avoid the gravel traps, drive straight through them to slow down. Enjoy it mate, its a lot of fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 watch your mirrors ALL the time, it's scary how quickly the fast cars can swoop on you,....when they're approaching,dont deviate, hold your line and let THEM decide on which side to pass you Dont try passing on corners or outbraking others into corners until you've had a couple of hundred laps experience Dont just look at the next corner/feature,.......keep glancing well ahead of that, in case there's a prang or spun/stalled car waiting for you to T bone it Have fun, and when you want some variety, get over to Mallala for the toughest safest track in the land good luck you've got a great little car for the job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biologist Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 Barbagallo is a great track but its a power circuit and you may get swamped by faster cars, but only as long as they have the brakes to back it up. I hope you get to do the long circuit rather than the short one. The long has a really nice right hand sweeper on the other side of the hill and the Clio will just fly through there. There are two important corners, one the right hander into pit straight, take it easy into this until you've got your braking point and speed dialed in, its unforgiving if you get it wrong. The next is the right hander at the end of pit straight. Its actually two corners compressed into one and needs to dealt as such, you just can't turn in and expect to get around in one go. Look at the lines the faster drivers take there and ask them where they brake etc. Once you get that corner sorted the "S"s and up the hill to the rear of the course are a riot. Enjoy yourself mate! cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 Don't put your handbrake on when you come in after each session - you might end up with a "stuck" rear end. Find a flat surface and let the car idle down for a couple of minutes before switching off to let everything cool down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wade Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 Yeah a cool down is essential, if you can find somewhere off the track to drive around slowly for a couple of minutes to let everything cooldown that is the best solution. otherwise do as Moosey suggested. With the standard Michelins I recomend that you put at least 40PSI in them....as per the other comments pull off the track to let the tyres cool down or they will start to go off. Pass only on the straight, I agree with emu don't try to pass anyone (no matter how slow) through the corners....if the track is up to speed they should have a rule about it anyway....it'll end in tears. After half a day or so of fast laps you may find yourself slowing down and losing/struggling for concentration, this is a warning, take it if you don't feel 100% & call it a day, if the car survives you can always come again another day and pull off that crackin lap. Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biologist Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 Some good advice in here people, should we make this a sticky thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted 24, April 2006 Report Share Posted 24, April 2006 1) slow in fast out 2) learn to heel and toe - google it 3) find the right pressure for your tyres - ALL tyres like different pressures, trial and error 4) no music, listen to your tyres 5) bring water 6) polarised sunnies are good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobydoo Posted 25, April 2006 Author Report Share Posted 25, April 2006 Thanks for all the tips guys. Appreciate it! Had a quick look at the thread before setting off last night, main change was to raise the tyre pressure a bit to 38 pounds. As for the drive itself, would highly recommend it for everyone! Best fun I've had for ages. It started raining halfway through which made things a little bit dicey... but still, slippery is fun. At the end of the night, I asked one of the instructors if he would have a drive of the Clio so I could see what he could do with it. Oh man, I've never been in a car with a driver who has such good control and could go that fast in the wet. He was giving me instructions about racing lines and when to put the power down and so forth but i could hardly hear him cause i was laughing out loud... ahahaha.... The Clio can really get down and boogie in the bends, even with the other more high powered cars like the skylines and so forth. Had a great great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 Some good advice in here people, should we make this a sticky thread? I'll make this a sticky in the FAQ section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackie Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 any of u had front bonnet lock installed? I need to have a seconday lock for the head bonnent this Sunday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 any of u had front bonnet lock installed? I need to have a seconday lock for the head bonnent this Sunday You doing a CAMS event, blackie? Check your CAMS manual and with the chief scrutineer for the event. My understanding is that cars built after 1972, road registered - don't need supplementary bonnet lock as they have the cable/release in the cabin and the release under the bonnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 I've found quickest ,cheapest,easiest way is to go to any marine/boat supplies dealer,.........they make up bits of stainless steel wire rigging for boaties all the time,........they'll sell you a s/steel spring clip,and approx 20cm of wire, they'll clamp one end of the wire into a loop ,and clamp the spring clip to the other end Ensure that the loop is large enough for the spring clip to pass through The whole deal should cost you $15 to $25 and they'll do it while you wait in 5 minutes Then drill a small hole near your female of the bonnet catch, pass the loop through, then pass the clip through the loop, then clip the clip to your bonnet,........you may wish to drill another small hole through the end of your pull-catch on the bonnet and clip onto that Piece of cake, CAMS scrutineers have always passed mine on several cars, and nobody has ever noticed the holes when i've come to sell happy sprinting,....emu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emu Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 Moosey, don't rely on that,.........most scrutineers don't know the rules,and haven't got time to find out,when they've got a queue of cars waiting,.................I haven't raced a pre-1972 car for many years, but I've struck big trouble with idiot scrutineers, both C.AM.S. and Club, with cars such as MX5's, Clios, VY SS Commodores etc etc, Safer to have the bloody thing fitted,and avoid arguments, nonstarts etc, for the cost of $20, and you can transfer it from one car to another cheers emu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosey Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 Moosey, don't rely on that,.........most scrutineers don't know the rules,and haven't got time to find out,when they've got a queue of cars waiting,.................I haven't raced a pre-1972 car for many years, but I've struck big trouble with idiot scrutineers, both C.AM.S. and Club, with cars such as MX5's, Clios, VY SS Commodores etc etc, Safer to have the bloody thing fitted,and avoid arguments, nonstarts etc, for the cost of $20, and you can transfer it from one car to another cheers emu I meant that he should speak to the chief scrutineer before the day. They can normally be contacted via the supplementary regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackie Posted 26, April 2006 Report Share Posted 26, April 2006 its not a cam event, i rang the orgainser for the event, they told me calder raceway do require a supplementary bonnent lock.. it can be done by using a piece of rod t suggested by the organiser... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.