I attended my first track day @ cota last minute, and i'm addicted!

Some pics:



Realizations are I am not "OK" with my stock breaks when attempting to drive as fast as I can @ COTA. I definitely want to upgrade pads/fluids/lines as soon as I can.

Also, I should have purchased more "street" tires for the track...reason is because my instructor said I would probably learn more if I had more tire noise forcing me to take a better line. I think i'm going to buy alot of cheap sumitomos and just anihilate them for a while as I learn more.


Anyone else have any realizations from their first track day on their 997?!

 

Nice action shot.

That's why I refuse to take the 997 on the track. I know how addicting the track can be. Motorcycle are cheaper to maintain so that's what I use on the track.

 

Totally envious...
I haven't done any track time yet AND...you did yours at COTA! I'll be there for the Grand Prix but still...

I'm sure it was a blast - how was the section between Turn 2 - 6 and what sort of lap times did you turn?

 

I agree.

 

COTA makes me jealous

Glad you're addicted! It's the best experience in the world! Well, almost! haha

 

2-6 was very easy for me, I got alot of positive feedback from my instructor on those and made minimal mistakes. I think he noted I took it about at the limit my car could each lap. It was my most consistent part until I got tired at the end of the day.

around 7-8 I was 50/50 on making the correct line each lap, and from turn 11 on, I frequently went in too fast, and didn't get wide enough to hit the apex.

I would (and will!) definitely practice/watch videos of turns 11-15.

I had a few laps where I nailed 15-20.

As for time, I honestly was stressed learning the track and never timed myself. I even forgot to put the suspension setting into sport my first few laps! I was definitely not consistent. I think I took some turns at the best apex and the fastest my car could make them, but other turns I turned in early. I went off the track early at 14 and barely missed the wall. Learning Point!

I started highway braking (and letting people pass ie. the insanely fast modded GTRs, Viper GT race-cars, etc.) so I could practice my lines more on the turns at 15-20. The speeds from turn 11 to turn 12 straightaway is incredible. I didn't trust my brakes later on to take it at the correct speed. Pedal started to feel mushy. Absolute Worst Feeling.

 

Any idea what your top speed was?

 

Yeah I think I hit 130 something on the longest straight, hit around 120 on the final straight.

The Mclaren MP4-12C and Ferrari 458s said they were hitting 160-170!

Next time I need to pay much more attention to my stats, sorry!

Remember, I was really letting off on the long straight because I was worried about not being able to brake into the final turns. 140-150 mph would def be possible I think. (or I didn't want to be a dick and block the really fast GTRs)

My Brakes are destroyed.

 

That's awesome! I did my first track weekend in our Cayman this past weekend at Sebring. You are right, it's addicting! I can't wait to get back out there.

COTA looks amazing!

 

COTA is amazing. I am going to be horribly spoiled with this as my first experience. It also made me extra nervous.

Heres a few more pics:

 

I was definitely nervous at first but got more and more comfortable with each session. I got bumped up to advanced student after the first run.

Did you do one or two days? My instructor had me driving a lot harder on the second day, coming in hotter, braking later and cornering harder. The Pagids and RE-11's were doing great. Our next time out is in November.

 

I just did one day. I stayed in the same grp each session because well...preety much everyone was running in it. It was so small they had purpose-built racecars running in the same group as a porsche macan!

Yeah my fastest laps were my first ones, because I got smart and realized I was destroying my brakes and doing something potentially dangerous as I was ill-prepared!

Cannot wait to upgrade the brake consumables (all of them!) and have fun again soon! COTA is happening again DEC. 13th, you should sign up!

 

Who did you run with? I've been wanting to get to COTA, but most of the events I've seen are are for Advanced or Instructors only.

 

What was the charge for 1 day?

 

How much was it?

What brake upgrades do you need / are you considering?