So I drive a stock 2007 Mustang GT, and I decided to to a racing school here in Austin today. It was me and 4 other guys- a Mercedes CLS 550, Mini
Cooper (non-stock tires), WRX (non-stock suspension and tires), and a last gen Corvette Z06 (non-stock tires). The track that we drove on was a beginner track, so it had lots of tight corners. I felt like I couldn't really do much with the Mustang- it seemed like there was always someone right on my tail. I was pretty easily the slowest on the track. Would low profile racing tires and a better suspension setup actually make my car competitive on a track like this? Here's the track map for reference-

http://www.drivewayaustin.com/main/content/short-course

Also, in order to do the full course there, you must have a 5 point racing harness. Is it logical in any way to have that in a daily driver? Would I be better off just getting a 90's Miata for $4-5k rather than trying to turn my daily driver Mustang into a track car?

 

Upgrading the car in these ways or following these steps will help you corner and race better with better traction, chassis stability and handling capabilities and responsiveness. Lowering (ideally w/ Front arm relocation and bumpsteer kit), LCAs (with adjustable link if lowering) to exit corners better and launch straighter, Strut Tower Brace, G-Trac brace, panhard rod, and torque box brace will all help to reduce chassis flex at corners, and handling can be improved with a strut tower brace, and front or rear sway bars to reduce understeer.

 

If this was your first experience then the main thing is don't be discouraged. The biggest single factor to going fast on a track is seat time and the second biggest factor is good instruction.

The requirement of a 5 point harness is unusual for lapping events or track days. If you do install one then you should also install a roll cage as one without the other is actually dangerous and not allowed by some organizers. The risk is that if the car rolls and you are held in with a double shoulder harness and no roll bar then you can not "duck down" as you can with a single shoulder harness.

Modifications to the car to improve performance on a race track will all affect how the car performs on the street and most increase noise, vibration or harshness (NVH).

Here is a video to show how a well driven modifed Mustang can compete with a Z06 on a short track, Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtwXgKPy5hY

Here is an example from a fast track, Mosport, and he is chasing a GTR which is one fast car when driven well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iS5UBK3phw

The driver is my brother and the car is mine which as you can see from my sig is highly modified for track use.

For a beginner interested in getting into track days here is my suggested list of modifications and the sequence they be done;

1) high performance street tires in a larger size that will fit your rims or larger rims with bigger tires. Note that these should not be driven in freezing weather. TireRack is a good source of information. R-comps are not recommended for beginners as the transisiton from hanging on to letting go can be abupt.

2) Upgraded brake pads front and rear, DOT 4 fluid, e.g. ATE or Motul. Stainless steel lines and front brake cooling are the next steps. On a short track front brake cooling is required when you start going fast.

3a) Adjustable shocks and struts. Konis are the best ones (fronts out of stock until Octoer?) and Tokicos are the next choice. These allow you to easily adjust between street and track settings. For example I run my Tokicos at 5 on the street and 0 on the track

3b) Stiffer and lower springs. Something around a 1 inch drop is best as the extreme drop springs seriously affect front end geometry. Here is a thread that gives info on rates and drops

https://mustangforums.com/forum/s197...g-allowed.html

3c) replacement upper front strut mounts

3d) alignment including pinion angle check

3a to 3d are best done together to save on installation costs and time

4) If after lowering the rear axle is more than 1/8 off center then get an adjustable panhard bar to recenter the axle. If you are rally serious about track use then get a Watt's link but be prepared for the NVH issues.

5) GT500 lower control arms or poly/rod LCAs. Here is a good thread that discusses the issues

http://www.cherod.com/mustang/HowTo/LCA%20_adj.htm

6) heavier front and rear sway bars carefully selected to "fine tune" the car to how you want it to handle

Once your car is dropped you might want LCA Relocation brackets for the reasons discussed in the thread. If you need to adjust your pinion angle then you need either adjustable LCAs or an adjustable UCA.

Strut tower braces are mainly for bling on the S197s (05 + cars) unless you are running realy big and sticky tires and big sway bars

Here is a thread of the reading list

https://mustangforums.com/forum/s197...ding-list.html

Do lots of research before making up your mind on what you want to change on the car. The more you understand about what you are changing and why then the better choices you will make.

Also use the search engne in this forum,e.g. search on KONI or HT-10 to find appropriate threads.

The biggest single factor to making your Mustang go faster is you. In my case I have now been at this 2 years and have completed 12 track days. My best lap time at Mosport is a 1:48.062 but in May my brother, who has thousands of laps at Mosport, got my car down to a 1:41.902 and he doesn't have a lot of experience in my car.

In my case the biggest sinlge factor to inproving my laps times was data. I got the MaxQData Quantum system this year and now know exctly where i need to improve based on real data. Here is a compilation of my best segments from Mosport earlier this week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYgjaztqFdw

Beware that running your car on a road course is highly addictive

Good luck!

 

Wow, thanks for all the tips! I'll wait till it cools down here some (highs here are still in the upper 90s), then I'll get a set of tires to use at the track and see how it goes.

 

Yes I was surprised you were running in the summer. Other members have commented that they don't run in the summer because it is too hot.

Up here in the "Great White North" we obviously take the winters off so I guess it is no different. I'll be running my car from early May to early October this year.

By the way if your winter temps are not too low in your area you might be able to get away with running the same tire all year for street and track.

 

I suppose using the same tires for the street and the track would save me from having to get new rims, as well as messing with the TPMS. Wouldn't they have a much shorter life though? Also, new tires will have a smaller profile. Using the same rims, won't that make the wheel well look huge? It seems like I would have to lower the car just to keep it from looking funny.

 

Not sure what rims and tires you have right now but I think all stock ones are 27 in overall diameter.

I'm running BFG KDW2s and if you go to Tire Rack you can see what sizes will fit your rims.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.j...irePageLocQty=

My front tires have lasted 13 track days and have another couple of days left in them. Street use is about 10 K miles as I also have Blizzaks for the winter.

It was strongly suggested to me that I learn how to drive fast on street tires before going to R-Comps. Street tires give you more warning before letting go and let go more progressively.

 

Next time see if your instructor will take you for a ride in your car. I'll wager he/she will surprise the heck out of you with how capable the car is...bone stock. Keep in mind the Z06 is a) one of the fastest oem cars out there and b) super easy to drive. The STI is very quick and 4 wheel drive, thats a big advantage on a tight track. The mini is just a big go kart, you should see those things on an autocross circuit, they smoke! No need to look for a different track car, your stang can fit the daily commuter/part time track car role about as good as any car. You just need a few of the upgrades Sleeper mentions and...a bigger track. Good sticky rubber, dampers and lowering springs will make a tremendous difference, from there its just seat time. I've surprised many, many Vette, Porsche, BMW, etc drivers with a stock motor, good tires and simple brake and suspension mods.

 

As long as you had fun, learned something and didnt tear up your car sounds like a great day...

 

Thought I'd throw this in as a fun example of how good an appropraitely modifed Mustang is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU-jWAteKaY

It was me driving and back then I was about 8 seconds a lap slower!