[serper3]

Hi!

My first track day with the zle is on Sunday at Thunderhill, finally! After having the car for a year.

Would love some tips, pointers, advice, etc!

This last weekend, I did the diff fluid (LOTS of crud on the magnetic plugs. 9k miles, probably never done previously), engine oil, and flushed the brake fluid with SRF. Track alignment was done a few months ago.

I got my 32G memory card i need to try this week to make sure it doesnt need to be reformatted or whatever for the pdr.

The car (unfortunately) is on PS4S. What is a good cold and hot PSI i should shoot for on these?

What PTM mode you guys recommend? Track, Sport 1 or 2 is what I am thinking.

I have been watching videos on youtube of the track/line every night the last week or so.

track insurance is already purchased.

any tips, advice, good thunderhill east vid recommendations, etc., all would be helpful!

Thank you!

[Baddawg53]

I think the single most important thing is to memorize the track, the racing line and all the turn numbers. There's a lot of videos for that, I'm sure you've seen the videos under the best track times section.

Really, I'd say just drive to a limit you're comfortable with, not what you think the car can do. You will be up with the fast guys in no time with that car.

[HD_ZLE]

I've ran here a bunch. Lovely track.
If running on the 4s, do not let them get over 36psi "hot". They will get super greasy on you. Once you're comfortable with the car in general, it'll just be a full drift session

Focus on lines and turns as previously mentioned. Run car in track -> Sport 2 to start as it'll still keep you from getting too crazy. Once your more comfortable put it in Track -> Race. (still enough to keep you safe, but will allow more slip)



Check the video in our channel, we have a handful at T Hill in the zle and 350r.
cheers,

[serper3]

Originally Posted by Baddawg53

I think the single most important thing is to memorize the track, the racing line and all the turn numbers. There's a lot of videos for that, I'm sure you've seen the videos under the best track times section.

Really, I'd say just drive to a limit you're comfortable with, not what you think the car can do. You will be up with the fast guys in no time with that car.

Yea, i am working on memorizing the track, turn numbers, and the line. kind of hard to do especially with some of the camera views in some of the videos. I am definitely a lot better now than I was a week or so ago, so hoping by Sunday i will only get that much more comfortable.

Definitely trying to take it easy and not crash the car lol. no trophies or prizes in HPDE lol.

Originally Posted by HD_ZLE

I've ran here a bunch. Lovely track.
If running on the 4s, do not let them get over 36psi "hot". They will get super greasy on you. Once you're comfortable with the car in general, it'll just be a full drift session

Focus on lines and turns as previously mentioned. Run car in track -> Sport 2 to start as it'll still keep you from getting too crazy. Once your more comfortable put it in Track -> Race. (still enough to keep you safe, but will allow more slip)



Check the video in our channel, we have a handful at T Hill in the zle and 350r.
cheers,

Thanks! I will make sure to air them down if they get too hot.I think I remember reading that I should start them at around 28 cold, but I dont remember if that was for ps4s or a different tire.

I will check out the videos! Thanks!

[Og Neon]

How much track experience do you have? If not any, or very little I would recommend Sport 1 to get acquainted to the car and as you get comfortable go up from there.

As for the tires, I would start at 31-32 and monitor from there. I try not to go over 36-37 hot, but sometimes it happens and if so you just need to adjust. Soon as you come off of track, set your tire pressure hot pressure to 36. That way it can cool to whatever and ideally it will come back up to that pressure or at least close.

Lastly, like others have mentioned, study the course map and go from there. Focus more on the track and getting comfortable driving the track. The lines will come over time.

[Baddawg53]

Serper3 how'd your first track day go with your ZLE?

[serper3]

Originally Posted by Baddawg53

Serper3 how'd your first track day go with your ZLE?

The first two sessions were good... but as I was getting off the track from the second session i started feeling more and more nauseas. Not sure if it was heat stroke or what, but I ended up calling it before my third session since I didn't feel safe to go back out and was still feeling like crap.

other then that it was super fun, i was bummed my day was cut short, but at least the car is ready to go for next time. i will need to sign up for another day asap

[Christian1LE]

Originally Posted by serper3

The first two sessions were good... but as I was getting off the track from the second session i started feeling more and more nauseas. Not sure if it was heat stroke or what, but I ended up calling it before my third session since I didn't feel safe to go back out and was still feeling like crap.

other then that it was super fun, i was bummed my day was cut short, but at least the car is ready to go for next time. i will need to sign up for another day asap

Probably just motion sickness, some people get it. You can try Dramamine next time.

[serper3]

Originally Posted by Christian1LE

Probably just motion sickness, some people get it. You can try Dramamine next time.

It is possible... but i doubt it. i went out with my instructor in his car running in TT and was totally fine. i have never gotten motion sick before with myself driving.

also when i have been motion sick before, i would not feel THAT bad, and i would feel fine 5 min after i get out of the car.

[Jofu]

Originally Posted by serper3

The first two sessions were good... but as I was getting off the track from the second session i started feeling more and more nauseas. Not sure if it was heat stroke or what, but I ended up calling it before my third session since I didn't feel safe to go back out and was still feeling like crap.

other then that it was super fun, i was bummed my day was cut short, but at least the car is ready to go for next time. i will need to sign up for another day asap

Hey Henry! Glad to hear you had a good time, at least for a little while Could be heat stroke... I have done some 100-mile cycling rides in the hot summer, and I've been there, barely able to hang on. It messes with your brain, where it's even hard to realize you're in trouble. Very good that you had the mind to call it done before it got worse!

I forgot if you've had racing experience before, but from this weekend would you say Thunderhill is a good track to learn the car in, especially a car like the ZLE?

Best,

Geoff

[Dabjbr]

Gonna stick my nose in this business…

Coming from someone that regularly fights motion sickness, do you or anyone else that has that problem, I highly recommend Bonine. It’s just as effective as Dramamine but without the drowsiness! I’m such a fan, I have an Amazon subscription for it!

That said, yeah you want to drink lots of water/Gatorade when at the track and minimize junk food or over eating.

Lastly, I can’t recommend Thunderhill enough! It’s a great track (east, west, or combined) with lots of safe runoff space. It’s safer than Laguna Seca or Sonoma.

[Jofu]

Originally Posted by Dabjbr

Lastly, I can’t recommend Thunderhill enough! It’s a great track (east, west, or combined) with lots of safe runoff space. It’s safer than Laguna Seca or Sonoma.

Thanks Dabjbr. Having watched quite a few Laguna Seca videos, that was my impression as well haha. Certainly wouldn't want that being my first track outing ever That, and the fact it apparently has lots of noise restrictions, it would suck to have to worry about that in my completely stock car

Geoff

[serper3]

Originally Posted by Jofu

Hey Henry! Glad to hear you had a good time, at least for a little while Could be heat stroke... I have done some 100-mile cycling rides in the hot summer, and I've been there, barely able to hang on. It messes with your brain, where it's even hard to realize you're in trouble. Very good that you had the mind to call it done before it got worse!

I forgot if you've had racing experience before, but from this weekend would you say Thunderhill is a good track to learn the car in, especially a car like the ZLE?

Best,

Geoff

yea i have done hpdes before but my last one was in 2011 so i wanted to get back into it slowly. btw, they do not like the r word in hpdes.

thunderhill is my favorite because it is safer than sonoma. i have driven both.

there was actually a really bad accident on Sat (i was not there that day) at thunderhil, turn 15. the guy apparently lost it in turn 15 and tried to save it and crashed into the barrier on the right side of the main straight.

Originally Posted by Dabjbr

Gonna stick my nose in this business…

Coming from someone that regularly fights motion sickness, do you or anyone else that has that problem, I highly recommend Bonine. It’s just as effective as Dramamine but without the drowsiness! I’m such a fan, I have an Amazon subscription for it!

That said, yeah you want to drink lots of water/Gatorade when at the track and minimize junk food or over eating.

Lastly, I can’t recommend Thunderhill enough! It’s a great track (east, west, or combined) with lots of safe runoff space. It’s safer than Laguna Seca or Sonoma.

thank you, i will try out bonine. i get motion sick on the ocean, but not cars ever really. i think i had enough to drink, especially between my first and second session, but maybe not.

i am not a breakfast person at all. but i had a banana loaf for breakfast. i wonder if actually i should have eaten more. since i was up at 530AM, and started feeling nauseous at about noon. i usually dont eat until noon or so, but i usually wake up about 2 hours later.

i also, due to circumstances outside of my control, got extremely little sleep, and i think that might have contributed.

[Dabjbr]

Sleep deprivation definitely could have contributed to the feeling. I also try to minimize riding passenger. That seems to be the fastest way for me to get sick!

T15 crash ouch! I’ve seen the same, more often actually, at T7 at Sonoma.

Well, there’s always inherent risk on the track but Thunderhill seems to be the safest I know in NorCal, maybe all of California.