Race Tracking Your Supra - Information exchange

[FLtrackdays]

Wheels
I already have a set of 18x9 & 18x10 Enkei Racing GTC02's (autocross wheels) along with a set of 19x9.5 & 19x10.5 Superspeed RF05RR's. Still debating on tires (CRS, RT660, V730, SC3(R) or Vitour P1's), so depending on pricing & availability I'll either run some 255/35/18 & 275/35/18's or 265/30/19 & 285/30/19's.

If you can run 275/(35 or 40)-18 square, you will save a lot of money on tires and have plenty of wiggle room to go fast. Tons of tires available, that you’ll find you like that’ll last a long time and grippy as hell.

Traxion did a great job going over everything else. Just don’t do too much all at once if you’re not competing (and forced to). Pads, fluid, sway bars, and negative camber alignment will go a long way for ya!

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[NINaudio]

Question for the track rats here. If I've only ever done HPDE events, and am still on the less experienced side of intermediate, do you think it's worth doing an SCCA Autocross school event? Will I learn things that transfer over?

 

[zackarybyrd]

Off topic but does anybody have any science projects they want to do? I have a track weekend at NCM 3/21-3/23 and I have projects I want to do but I don’t have the parts yet so they’ll have to wait. I still want a side project while I’m there.

 

[tomfree]

Question for the track rats here. If I've only ever done HPDE events, and am still on the less experienced side of intermediate, do you think it's worth doing an SCCA Autocross school event? Will I learn things that transfer over?

Short answer, yes. Do it. There is no such thing as bad seat time.

Long answer - it's a lot different, but there are lots of lessons to be learned in auto-x. Autox is good for car control - getting the car sliding around at lower speeds and learning to use it and correct it. Inputs are VERY different. Turning early, abrupt steering inputs, jabbing the brakes, etc. Autox is pretty violent, and the inputs you make to get the car to do things at 35-40 mph are very different than what you'd do at most any speed on track.

A lot of us started with autox and moved to track. EVERY time I got in the car with an instructor in the early days, I was told my inputs were too jerky. As I moved up the ranks, my inputs got better, and oddly enough, my autox performance was better.

 

[Evolution]

Question for the track rats here. If I've only ever done HPDE events, and am still on the less experienced side of intermediate, do you think it's worth doing an SCCA Autocross school event? Will I learn things that transfer over?

100% do it. You will learn a lot. It’s a great way to push past the limits to find the limit while not having to worry about crashing into anything but a cone.

 

[NINaudio]

A lot of us started with autox and moved to track. EVERY time I got in the car with an instructor in the early days, I was told my inputs were too jerky. As I moved up the ranks, my inputs got better, and oddly enough, my autox performance was better.

I think I feel like coming from HPDE I might not enjoy it as much. Do you find that to be the case? Or do you still enjoy both?

Also I could do an HPDE that same weekend, so it's seat time that weekend either way.

 

[Traxion]

I think I feel like coming from HPDE I might not enjoy it as much. Do you find that to be the case? Or do you still enjoy both?

Also I could do an HPDE that same weekend, so it's seat time that weekend either way.

You have to go into it with different expectations. For me, a regular autox competition event is a lot more social and friendly competition across a more 'level' playing field due to PAX modifiers. I am also another person who started with autox and moved to track. Autox is objectively worse seat time per dollar but the amount of car control you can learn is much higher than HPDE. You can be at the limit a lot more and if you blow the limit, it's going to be in a much safer environment assuming the course design and club that runs it aren't idiots. I will absolutely say it gave me a huge edge over my peers in my track journey in low-mid speed corners because I was confident in what the car could do between 30-50mph and as we know, corners are 90% of the lap time is made of.

If you're talking about the EVO school that SCCA does, that actually gets you more seat time than a regular autox event so it should be more helpful for your declared skill level as long as you get a good instructor. You'll be able to run specific elements more frequently. For example it's really hard to find the right rhythm, lateral grip, and proper backsiding of the cones on slaloms without repetition.

Off topic but does anybody have any science projects they want to do? I have a track weekend at NCM 3/21-3/23 and I have projects I want to do but I don’t have the parts yet so they’ll have to wait. I still want a side project while I’m there.

No projects here but there is a small chance I sign up for that event if 2 more people sign up for TT3.

 

[Rocksandblues]

Question for the track rats here. If I've only ever done HPDE events, and am still on the less experienced side of intermediate, do you think it's worth doing an SCCA Autocross school event? Will I learn things that transfer over?

It is worthwhile for learning

 

[NINaudio]

You have to go into it with different expectations. For me, a regular autox competition event is a lot more social and friendly competition across a more 'level' playing field due to PAX modifiers. I am also another person who started with autox and moved to track. Autox is objectively worse seat time per dollar but the amount of car control you can learn is much higher than HPDE. You can be at the limit a lot more and if you blow the limit, it's going to be in a much safer environment assuming the course design and club that runs it aren't idiots. I will absolutely say it gave me a huge edge over my peers in my track journey in low-mid speed corners because I was confident in what the car could do between 30-50mph and as we know, corners are 90% of the lap time is made of.

If you're talking about the EVO school that SCCA does, that actually gets you more seat time than a regular autox event so it should be more helpful for your declared skill level as long as you get a good instructor. You'll be able to run specific elements more frequently. For example it's really hard to find the right rhythm, lateral grip, and proper backsiding of the cones on slaloms without repetition.

It is this event:

https://www.motorsportreg.com/event...ross-school-rt-66-raceway-scca-chicago-603592

I don't really care about the competition part. My only goals on track days are to have fun, learn more, hang out with track buddies I've met, and improve my times. I hold no delusions that I'm going to be setting course records anywhere. ?

 

[AHP]

At CMP in December, I snagged the Supra from my wife for a session and managed a new PB of 1:43.7 vs 1:45.0. I was pretty consistently in the 43s most of the session, so stoked on that. The only changes from the 45.0 were PMU pads up front and better weather. And this was late day 7 and around 2k street miles on the stock size SC3. The tires are starting to look a little haggard but I'm going to give them one last whirl next Friday. Undecided what to get next. I'm tempted to try the Vitour P1. They're several hundred cheaper than the others and they've been getting lots of good reviews.

 

[FLtrackdays]

I think I feel like coming from HPDE I might not enjoy it as much. Do you find that to be the case? Or do you still enjoy both?

Also I could do an HPDE that same weekend, so it's seat time that weekend either way.

I’ll play devils advocate ?. Why pay to burn though parts in a parking lot. If money is no object and you have a choice of doing either at the same time, do more big tracks at HPDE. Look for a skid pad (or dirt track - not your car) event or group lessons. I think those will translate better for your said goal, be the best bang for your buck and to your last point, mo’ fun.

Also ask around for a pro coach. It cost less than you’d think and you get a baseline lap in your car, whatever lap timer you‘re using, to go back and learn from. Like you said, you’re not going to be a pro driver but you’ll be a much better (& safer) driver learning from one of them right from the get go.

 

[NINaudio]

I’ll play devils advocate ?. Why pay to burn though parts in a parking lot. If money is no object and you have a choice of doing to either at the same time, do more big tracks at HPDE. Look for a skid pad (or dirt track - not your car) event or group lessons. I think those will translate better for your said goal, be the best bang for your buck and to your last point, mo’ fun.

Also ask around for a pro coach. It cost less than you’d think and you get a baseline lap in your car, whatever lap timer you‘re using, to go back and learn from. Like you said, you’re not going to be a pro driver but you’ll be a much better (& safer) driver learning from one of them right from the get go.

I think I'm going to do the school. If I decide it's not for me, the HPDE is only 10 minutes away, so I'll go and beg the organzier to let me on. ?

 

[FLtrackdays]

I think I'm going to do the school. If I decide it's not for me, the HPDE is only 10 minutes away, so I'll go and beg the organzier to let me on. ?

How long is the school? I personally wouldn’t pay big money for a racing school. But one day would be great! More you learn about car control the better ofc. Sounds like you’ll get plenty chances after that to do more HPDEs.

 

[NINaudio]

How long is the school? I personally wouldn’t pay big money for a racing school. But one day would be great! More you learn about car control the better ofc. Sounds like you’ll get plenty chances after that to do more HPDEs.

Saturday is the school day: a mix of in class (morning) and in car sessions (afternoon). Sunday is a normal auto-x day (both days included in the cost) and the day of the HPDE with a local track group I usually go with.

 

[94boosted]

You have to go into it with different expectations. For me, a regular autox competition event is a lot more social and friendly competition across a more 'level' playing field due to PAX modifiers. I am also another person who started with autox and moved to track. Autox is objectively worse seat time per dollar but the amount of car control you can learn is much higher than HPDE. You can be at the limit a lot more and if you blow the limit, it's going to be in a much safer environment assuming the course design and club that runs it aren't idiots. I will absolutely say it gave me a huge edge over my peers in my track journey in low-mid speed corners because I was confident in what the car could do between 30-50mph and as we know, corners are 90% of the lap time is made of.

If you're talking about the EVO school that SCCA does, that actually gets you more seat time than a regular autox event so it should be more helpful for your declared skill level as long as you get a good instructor. You'll be able to run specific elements more frequently. For example it's really hard to find the right rhythm, lateral grip, and proper backsiding of the cones on slaloms without repetition.

Agreed 100%, as someone who's autocrossed for 15 years with some track days sprinkled in (looking to do more track and less HPDE this season). Some of the quickest lap times at our local two tracks are by guys that are former/current autocrossers, I don't think that's a coincidence.

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