Daytona 9/18/25

[Ron L]

After 20+ years of racing SCCA and 5+ years of auto-x and a handful of track days, I finally picked an item off my Bucket List. I did a track day at Daytona. It's the first time I've been a bit nervous before going out on track in a long, long time. My goal was to see at least 150mph. Here's how I did: 130+mph on the high banks, 145mph just before the Bus Stop Chicane and 155+ going into the Tri-oval. What a BLAST.

I'll readily admit to being very on edge mentally doing 130mph on the banking and just one lane from the wall. They required we have both the driver's window and the passenger's window open and at 100+mph there was quite a bit of buffeting (even with the after market wind deflectors). And that buffeting actually moves the car around just a tiny bit and made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Give me a set of 200 tread wear tires, proper inflation, proper alignment and windows rolled up and I'm sure I could go faster.

Going 145+mph toward the Bus Stop was exciting. Going thru the chicane near the upper end of 3rd gear was intense! Going over the curbing was very comfortable. A couple of times I got a touch loose after hitting the curbs for the first right hand bend. I think I drove that better than any other corner. I almost always pulled ground on whoever was in front of me there.

Going 155+mph in the Tri-oval was intense and I found the entry into Turn#1 was pretty easy, although you use a LOT of brakes!. However the exit of Turn#1 is much, much tighter (3rd gear) and a good apex is critical to get it right.

I have a greater appreciation for the IMSA drivers that have to deal with the big speed differences. Doing 155mph approaching the Tri-oval and coming up on a Miata doing 120 something, you start to think can I get past and still slow down enough for Turn#1? Even passing them on the high banks was an experience. And also an appreciation for the NASCAR drivers who go 190+ just inches off the wall... yikes! But I guess having slicks, tons of safety gear, lots of experience, and driving somebody else's car, you get used to it. I just don't want to rub the wall with my $60,000 toy. And as my wife always says to me, "Have fun and remember, you have to drive the car home!"

I never put a wheel off and the car ran flawlessly. Not even a tiny bit of over heating. All in all, I know given more time, I would get more comfortable and would be able to go a little faster. But I'm not out to prove anything and I don't keep lap times. I did that more than enough during 20+ years of wheel to wheel racing. I'm just out to have fun and flush some adrenaline through my system. This track did that more than any track I have driven in a long, long time. Give me a track with lots of elevation change like Barber and I'm a happy camper, but high banked ovals had me just a touch uncomfortable for the first time in a long time.

I'll post photos when I get them from the photographer. But I'm guessing they will be busy with 130+ cars entered!

Sponsored

 

[FLtrackdays]

That track is on my bucket list as well. Last time I was signed up for it, it was canceled (due to a death a week or two before). Glad you enjoyed it pal and great write up on it. Sounds like it would be a blast indeed!!

 

[Davo307]

Daytona is a fun track when you have a lot of horsepower to play with. Or if youre doing a wheel to wheel race. Luckily I've had the chance to do all of it. One of the weirdest parts of Daytona is you look UP through the windshield instead of straight ahead through it. Hard to explain unless you've done it. Glad you had that experience though!

Were you flat on the banking? Also, its not the windows down that makes the car move around it's the lack of aero. I've done testing with and without a wing and my god is the difference frightening. Ive even tested low wing stands vs my normal ones. My slow car...

 

[Ron L]

Daytona is a fun track when you have a lot of horsepower to play with. Or if youre doing a wheel to wheel race. Luckily I've had the chance to do all of it. One of the weirdest parts of Daytona is you look UP through the windshield instead of straight ahead through it. Hard to explain unless you've done it. Glad you had that experience though!

Were you flat on the banking? Also, its not the windows down that makes the car move around it's the lack of aero. I've done testing with and without a wing and my god is the difference frightening. Ive even tested low wing stands vs my normal ones. My slow car...

I was prettyr slow on the banking the first time out and the session was cut short with a long full course yellow and black flag all. The second session I was a bit more comfortable and was doing 120mph, not nearly flat. The third session I was doing 130+ on the banking. I wasn't flat out, but I wasn't too far off it either. As I would exit NASCAR 2 and 4 I would push to flat out and hit 155mph in the Tri-oval which is the speed governor limit.

More aero down force would surely have made it more comfortable, but no big wing for my car. I'm not sure if I'll ever do Daytona again. I still have at least 3 to 5 tracks I've never been on and a couple I raced on, that I'd like to get to over the next year or two. Then somewhere down the road I'll end up with an new MR2 or mid-engine Celica and I'll get to try some of them again!

 

[Marsone]

Great write up. Daytona was awesome. I'm hoping we get more community Supras out there next time!

 

[Ron L]

Photos from Daytona track day just came in.

Sponsored