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Yesterday I took my 2000 GTS to the track for the first time for a day of road racing. They take approximately 15 cars at a time and throw us on the track which is about 1 mile long in total length. I have raced this course before in my modified 96 Corvette that I sold, so I wasn't a total newbie. I did get some advice from a few people on the Alley, Woodhouse, and even talked with Chuck RT10 from via the phone <thanks Chuck!> for some tips and advice. My car was stock except for the following:
K&N filter
Smooth Tubes
Snake Oil Exhaust with muffler delete
Brakeman 3 front pads
Extreme 6 fluid in braking system
Bottom line is the car ROCKED! The brakes only heated up once where I got some brake fade and the rear stock pads (which are in great condition) smoked once for 20 seconds after I stopped the car. I mastered the braking system without the ABS quickly, but still need to learn the suspension. I do know the factory alignment for the car that I used sucks and it did not help that I left the sport shims in there. I will change to an aggressive street/track alignment next time I get it aligned-one that will be good for spirited driving and the track but mostly 99% aggressive street time.
The Pilot Sports were used to learn on, but I will still keep these on the car for now until I can learn the car better. I will only drive the car maybe twice a year at the track, so I need more seat time and also how to tune the tires and suspension for my driving. Here is the funny part so you all can laugh and perhaps learn from my mistake. I drank a water bottle at lunch and tucked the empty bottle behind my seat. I then was doing time runs and the damn bottle ended up under my gas pedal! I had to pull over in the pits and I got out and cursed and threw the bottle in a safe direction and then the guy who runs it came over and bitched at my unsportsmanlike like conduct cause I said “fuck” out loud. I did not respond to him as I know that wasn’t exactly kewl, but yet I didn’t think it was a big deal since there were no women or children around, so anyhow I let it slide.
This post serves three purposes: Inform others of my dumb ass mistake with the bottle and also let others know maybe concentrate on suspension and brakes more than the car’s power. Secondly ask for additional modification advice based on my driving and limited track time besides my plans for an aggressive alignment and going to better rear pads plus of course more seat time. Lastly, to thank all the members who post on the Alley that I read and do not respond to all the time as it has given me a wealth of information to draw on. Thanks to Kenny Katawick for answering all my Viper mods, Woodhouse’s Mark Jorgenson for his time, Chuck Babel for taking with me on tire pressures and tips on driving the beast although I didn’t have enough time to REALLY play with tire pressures like I wanted to. No pics to post, I didn’t even bring a camera and I am single so no girl to go with me and take some pics of the race. /images/graemlins/cursin
K&N filter
Smooth Tubes
Snake Oil Exhaust with muffler delete
Brakeman 3 front pads
Extreme 6 fluid in braking system
Bottom line is the car ROCKED! The brakes only heated up once where I got some brake fade and the rear stock pads (which are in great condition) smoked once for 20 seconds after I stopped the car. I mastered the braking system without the ABS quickly, but still need to learn the suspension. I do know the factory alignment for the car that I used sucks and it did not help that I left the sport shims in there. I will change to an aggressive street/track alignment next time I get it aligned-one that will be good for spirited driving and the track but mostly 99% aggressive street time.
The Pilot Sports were used to learn on, but I will still keep these on the car for now until I can learn the car better. I will only drive the car maybe twice a year at the track, so I need more seat time and also how to tune the tires and suspension for my driving. Here is the funny part so you all can laugh and perhaps learn from my mistake. I drank a water bottle at lunch and tucked the empty bottle behind my seat. I then was doing time runs and the damn bottle ended up under my gas pedal! I had to pull over in the pits and I got out and cursed and threw the bottle in a safe direction and then the guy who runs it came over and bitched at my unsportsmanlike like conduct cause I said “fuck” out loud. I did not respond to him as I know that wasn’t exactly kewl, but yet I didn’t think it was a big deal since there were no women or children around, so anyhow I let it slide.
This post serves three purposes: Inform others of my dumb ass mistake with the bottle and also let others know maybe concentrate on suspension and brakes more than the car’s power. Secondly ask for additional modification advice based on my driving and limited track time besides my plans for an aggressive alignment and going to better rear pads plus of course more seat time. Lastly, to thank all the members who post on the Alley that I read and do not respond to all the time as it has given me a wealth of information to draw on. Thanks to Kenny Katawick for answering all my Viper mods, Woodhouse’s Mark Jorgenson for his time, Chuck Babel for taking with me on tire pressures and tips on driving the beast although I didn’t have enough time to REALLY play with tire pressures like I wanted to. No pics to post, I didn’t even bring a camera and I am single so no girl to go with me and take some pics of the race. /images/graemlins/cursin
