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Well, time flies, and track days come up quickly! This Saturday will be my first HDPE at Pocono Raceway. I figure since this is a momentus occasion in both my life and the life of my S, I should document things a bit. I'll do a complete Before, During, and After with pics for y'all to peruse.
Before
Lots of excitment and anticipation. That's what is happening before my first track day. I am not really all that nervous given my 3 years on and off autocrossing experience coupled with my confidence in the S's abilities. I have been dying to get out onto a track, but really only wanted to go when I had a vehicle worthy enough. Enter the S2000.
As far as prep work is concerned, this week I have been a busy bee around the car. Monday was K&N drop in and tranny fluid change. Tonight/early this morning was brake pads and fluid. This was my first ever go at changing brake fluid and it sure wasn't an easy one. S2Ki saved the day on a few occasions (and for that my membership has paid for itself at least twice over) for which I am grateful. Long story short, 6 hours and lots of angry neighbors later I realize how awesome race pads are and how crappy my Sumitumo street tires are!
Registration starts at 6:30am and I will be on the track until 6:00pm. So the day will be hot, long, and unbelievably fun!! Do come if you are in the area (John , I'll PM you with my contact info) or would like to get a feel for a track day if you are pondering the idea. I'll need a fellow newbie there for support
Here are a few pics from tonight:
The Brake Stuff
The Tires...Before
After the Bedding
So, until Saturday...
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...er Monday. Busy weekend folks, but I am at work now so I finally have some free time on my hands to get this post up
The weekend was amazing and in fact the fun I had is still settling in! I fell in love with this car all over again (by my count that is 4 times). Enough with all that, onwards to the review...
During
Saturday starting dark and early at 5am. I left around 5:30 and had a nice leisurely drive up to Pocono Raceway, watching the sunrise along 476. I knew I was getting close when I spotted a couple of trailered Evo's and STi's at the gas station. I filled up with gas, had a chat, and headed on down to the track. I got to the track at 7:15 and snagged the last spot under cover, right next to registration and the classroom.
I emptied my car, registered, and tech-ed in about 30 minutes (which went smoothly I thought). I met my neighbors for the day and talk to a few of the PDA instructors, they were all excited to hear this was my first track day. No doubt they all had some advice for me. The clouds started forming overhead midway through the drivers meeting which made all the R-compound guys guessing and me a little hesitant as I usually error on the side of over-driving the car rather than under-driving it. The rain was not going to mesh well with that mentality. I snooped around the paddocks afterwards to check out the cars and I spotted 2 other S2000's. One was parked fairly close to me and it belonged to Steve aka 'telspr1' (not sure if I got that right) from NY Metro. He was racing in a Formula Renault car that day, but still was willing to chat with me a bit throughout the day. The first classroom session went over very basic things about the track and car control, the second session later in the day went over the course in more detail and how we should be taking each turn which was a bit more informative.
My first session, sure enough, was in the rain with the top up. My instructor as a Porsche guy who said he had experience in the S2000. When going to the track for the first time, you have to be willing to hand your keys to a perfect stranger and let them beat the piss out of your car while you sit there and watch. Some would say no way, but I learned a ton in those 5+ laps where he drove and I observed. I drove a little in the first session and the wet track bit me quickly. I did a 270 into the grass on the last lap that shock my confidence a little. I threw a CEL and my engine wouldn't rev past 3k as I was returning to the paddock. It turned out to be no big deal, by the time I was back my engine was fine. The CEL was out by the end of the day. Here is the car afterwards:
John showed up after my first run and he was great to rattle off to about how much fun I was having. I appreciate you taking time to come down BTW The second, third, and fourth sessions I gained a lot more confidence, and my instructor was giving me more compliments than advice. So much so that he signed me off to go solo on my 5th and final run! I was the only one in HPDE 1 that I saw who was bestowed this permission. Here are a few pics of me chasing down an STi and being chased down by a G35:
After
I shaved off a millimeter on the front tires and part of Lincoln's ear on the rears -
I guess stainless steel discolors with heat? Here are the before and afters of the HKS -
The car -
Some other good shots from the day -
To round out the weekend of tracking, I cleaned her up for a photo shoot on Sunday night:
This car sure knows how to pull double duty! All in all my first track day was incredible, and I plan on going back, but at $200+ per day, I am going to have to be responsible in how often I do this. Probably I will hit up another track to get a feel for something different. I'll keep the board updated when I come down from the clouds!
Good luck! Eventually I have the guts to track my dd. Hopefully sometime this summer when I make sure everything is in working order (checking my retainers for overrev by previous owner ).
Maybe I'll visit the track and practice my non-existant photography skills.
Well, Sunday will be my first ever track day also w/ NASA. Usually I don't commit to anything that's 6:30 am (especially when it's 1.5 hrs away), but I'll make an exception
07-13-2006, 11:10 PM
My First Track Day
, I'll PM you with my contact info) or would like to get a feel for a track day if you are pondering the idea. I'll need a fellow newbie there for support 
The second, third, and fourth sessions I gained a lot more confidence, and my instructor was giving me more compliments than advice. So much so that he signed me off to go solo on my 5th and final run! I was the only one in HPDE 1 that I saw who was bestowed this permission. Here are a few pics of me chasing down an STi and being chased down by a G35:
).
Be a sponge and listen to everything the instructors say. Most of all have fun! 
"On the POWER, on the POWER". 
