Several HPDEs in, looking into mild track upgrades

[Rensuhlo]

Awesome brother!! Is this your 1st out with the Supra?

Nope. I've done Barber once, AMP twice, Charlotte once in the supra. It'll be my first Road Atl in the Supra. Previously had a 400+whp track prepped BRZ.

About 10 more days in the BRZ

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[Rocksandblues]

I've Got a good chunk of track days under my belt. I'm on the path to becoming an instructor.

Go slow isn't in my vocabulary.

GOTTA BLAST!

Instructing is its own kind of crazy. Have already been in a car(SUpra actually) where student went too hot- not listening to me- in a corner over corrected and we ended up against a tire wall.

and had to demote back to Green an older guy in a corvette who really had no business on a track.
just in last 2 months! lol

 

[GRMan]

I'm really curious to see someone running the AD09 on track in the Supra. They seem to be a reduced grip/longer life 200tw.

Did you check on the video I attached?

The AD09 was faster than the CRS at that particular track on the BMW M240i on the day

Yes the AD09 is more endurance focus and is excellent in the wet

 

[razorlab]

The AD09 was faster than the CRS at that particular track on the BMW M240i on the day

Freak outcome. The CRS is faster than basically all current 100tw tires and basically match R7's. So yea, an AD09 being faster than a CRS, something is very much amiss.

 

[decodeddiesel]

I wanted to post an update.

I have now done nine events so far this year at three different tracks. I am signed up for three more events including two days at Watkins Glen later this month. I may sign up for one or two more days, but between the track insurance and the entry fees I have spent a LOT of money on seat time this summer. Suffice to say I am a track junkie now...I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

Growing as a driver has been paramount this season. I am happy with the progress I have made. I'm still getting faster every event, and my car control skills have improved vastly over the three "car control clinics" I have done this season. Now that I have been to Thompson and LRP several times I am really starting to "unpack" the tracks and improve turn by turn. I just started timing my laps a couple of events ago, and just purchased a new GPS receiver to work with RaceChrono Pro on my Andriod for more accurate and reliable results. My next event I am going to use it and try datalogging with an OBDLink CX. Hopefully I'll have some better data and telemetry from the car to analyze from now on. $1000 for a Garmin Catalyst is just too much for me at the moment.

I am happy with all of the modifications I have done to the car suspension wise. The square setup is definitely the way to go, and so far, I have been extremely impressed with the Kuhmo V730s. They handle heat very well and with regular rotation (square setup) are wearing VERY well. I am 7 days in on my first set and still have a few more days left, however I am swapping to fresh, heat cycled V730s for Watkins Glen. It's a 5-hour drive and I would like some tread on my tires in-case it rains. The Cusco sway bars while non-adjustable, play nice with the SPL parts and what not on the car and have really improved the handling of the car. The balance is much more neutral now with faster weight transfer and rotation available "on command" with the torque available.

Similarly, the Quickjacks and Paco Motorsports Hubstands have been worh their weight in gold. There's no one within 50 miles of me that would even be willing to work on my car, much less who I would trust. All installs and maintenance have been done by myself.

I am currently unhappy with the Stage 1 tune I have on the car. It's just too peaky and it overwhelms the factory cooling system quickly on-track. It's fun on the street, but falls flat on it's face after 2X 20 minute sessions of track driving. I have also found it is detrimental to car control in-general. Having torque down low is very nice, but it's just too much too fast.

Future mods currently in the works, and/or to be completed over the winter include:

1. Coilovers. I am still debating between either custom Ohlins R&T from 3DM Motorsports or off-the-shelf MCS from AR-Motorsports. I will add SPL tie rod ends and I'll need EDC cancelers.
2. GESI-catted downpipe and exhaust. Either AA or MAP depending on price and possibly a Dinan CBE depending on the volume level. The issue with exhausts is they can't exceed 88 dB at Lime Rock Park. I am looking for something quiet, light, and inexpensive. Dinan checks at least 2 of the boxes.
3. Wagner intake manifold. IDGAF what the Vin Diesel folks say. I've seen the Wagner in-action on @razorlab's car and the man can literally put his hand on the manifold immediately after coming out of a 20-minute track session. Currently I am losing power due to IATs after my 2nd or 3rd session. At least that's what my butt dyno is telling me. I'm looking forward to analyzing some data from my car with the RaceChrono/OBDLink setup.
4. New ECUTEK tune (2020 FTW!). While the custom dyno tune from Mikey Botti has been an impressive power jump, I want to work with a tuner who will fine-tune my car based on on-track data. I'm looking for a track tune with a flatter TQ curve and more suitable for 20–30-minute track sessions. Looking for a 93 map and a 100 map. CounterSpace Garage looks like they should be able to help with this.
5. OMP WRC-R seats with 6-point harnesses and a GP Lite Roll Bar from Dashbuilt. I want to start using a HANS device and not have to hold myself in my seat with my arms and legs.
6. Lightweight battery to help offset the weight added from the roll bar.
7. Verus "Stage 1" aero kit. Basically just adding the rear diffuser and canards. I'm not looking for crazy downforce, just reduction of lift and reduction of drag. I like that I can scale up to a splitter/wing a little down the road and this should play nice with the spring rates I have in-mind to begin with on my coilovers.

I think the purpose of this thread has been met, and from here on out I will be posting updates to my build thread. I really hope it's been informative for novice track drivers looking to make small improvements to their car for better on-track performance. I also hope that this thread has been an inspiration to people who are on the fence to get out there and drive your car on track! The Supra is truly special in that it punches WELL above it's price tag on the track and is a complete blast to drive at the limits.

You are absolutely doing yourself a disservice if you own one of these cars and never drive it on-track!

 

[razorlab]

and.... RIP to your bank account, you officially have the bug. Glad to be a bad influence!

 

[garudathree]

I would recommend holding off on the verus kit, and maybe wait for 777’s full kit to start coming out. Definitely the rear diffuser, it was the cause of my only black flag.

 

[decodeddiesel]

I would recommend holding off on the verus kit, and maybe wait for 777’s full kit to start coming out. Definitely the rear diffuser, it was the cause of my only black flag.

LMFAO! Damn Pete, that must have been sucky. Did it happen at Lime Rock?

I'll look into the 777 stuff. I've already been looking at 9 Lives thanks to you.

 

[garudathree]

Yeah it was at LRP, rapid unscheduled disassembly in the downhill.

NLR should have a Supra wing mount solution out soon, believe Johnny has it on the 5 axis right now. It's one of the better motorsports airfoil profiles:
https://occamsracers.com/2023/08/08/car-wings-examined/

The Zebulon setup coming out soon from Doteki will be great as well, but a lot more expensive.

I'll be testing this soon:
https://tripleseven-na.com/collections/supra/products/mkv-supra-carbon-fiber-canards

 

[decodeddiesel]

Yeah it was at LRP, rapid unscheduled disassembly in the downhill.

NLR should have a Supra wing mount solution out soon, believe Johnny has it on the 5 axis right now. It's one of the better motorsports airfoil profiles:
https://occamsracers.com/2023/08/08/car-wings-examined/

This brings me right back to my graduate school days and the low speed aerodynamics (sub mach 0.5) I studied. NACA profiles, Reynolds numbers, lots of use of "i" in some shitty maths. I do a lot of similar stuff with fluid flow through valves at my current job. I wish I had access to a decent CFD package that would let me model aero.

The Zebulon setup coming out soon from Doteki will be great as well, but a lot more expensive.

I'll be testing this soon:
https://tripleseven-na.com/collections/supra/products/mkv-supra-carbon-fiber-canards

Those canards look sick! Can't find anything on the Zebulon from 5 minutes of Googling, but Doteki makes good stuff so it'll be exciting to see what they come up with.

 

[kaj]

Instructing is its own kind of crazy. Have already been in a car(SUpra actually) where student went too hot- not listening to me- in a corner over corrected and we ended up against a tire wall.

and had to demote back to Green an older guy in a corvette who really had no business on a track.
just in last 2 months! lol

Agreed. I did the instructing thing for a while, with beginner groups. I had to stop. I got too frustrated with students trying to do too much too fast and not listening to me. If they insist on killing themselves, they can do it without me in the car

I wanted to post an update.

I have now done nine events so far this year at three different tracks. I am signed up for three more events including two days at Watkins Glen later this month. I may sign up for one or two more days, but between the track insurance and the entry fees I have spent a LOT of money on seat time this summer. Suffice to say I am a track junkie now...I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.



You are absolutely doing yourself a disservice if you own one of these cars and never drive it on-track!

Yep. With this car I have been averaging one event per month (decided to run the car in a series this year).
With all of my other cars it took me about 10 years to do 15 to 20 HPDE.

 

[decodeddiesel]

Agreed. I did the instructing thing for a while, with beginner groups. I had to stop. I got too frustrated with students trying to do too much too fast and not listening to me. If they insist on killing themselves, they can do it without me in the car




Yep. With this car I have been averaging one event per month (decided to run the car in a series this year).
With all of my other cars it took me about 10 years to do 15 to 20 HPDE.

I'm really hoping to be able to move to Intermediate 2 next summer and Advanced in 2025. Planning on at least 15 events next year.

 

[Evolution]

I am jealous of how much you guys can hit the track. Being a single dad makes it super hard for me to hit all the events since most weekends seem to fall on the ones I have my kid. I will take what I can get though. I think I have at least 2 more events planned for this year, possibly 3 and all at tracks I have never been to.

 

[Rocksandblues]

I am jealous of how much you guys can hit the track. Being a single dad makes it super hard for me to hit all the events since most weekends seem to fall on the ones I have my kid. I will take what I can get though. I think I have at least 2 more events planned for this year, possibly 3 and all at tracks I have never been to.

Your kids will benefit from your sacrifice. When they are older make them Pit crew!!

made me look back at my history.... im at 25 track days so far this year. Been slow this month with the heat and vaca but will add a bunch more starting w VIR at end of this month and then typical fall schedule thru October I don't care about my kids

 

[decodeddiesel]

I am jealous of how much you guys can hit the track. Being a single dad makes it super hard for me to hit all the events since most weekends seem to fall on the ones I have my kid. I will take what I can get though. I think I have at least 2 more events planned for this year, possibly 3 and all at tracks I have never been to.

Been there, done that. It sucks... but man, kids grow up so damn fast. My daughter is 14 and starting high school tomorrow! I feel like I was changing her diapers yesterday, now she's almost 6-feet tall!

It'll all still be here when you have more time, and once your kid is old enough you can bring them with!

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