Preparing for Ridge Raceway Driving Experience
07-11-2012, 02:54 PM
#11
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 130
Just finished installing Hawk HP+ pads, Goodridge SS lines, and the ATE fluid (thank you Strano!)
Had some trouble seating the rear caliper pistons, but this toolkit from Harbor Freight ($40) made it an absolute breeze! Well worth the investment for anyone who plans on doing their own brake jobs regularly.
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piec...kit-69053.html
I attempted to bleed the brakes using the Mityvac handpump - don't ****ing bother, this was an absolute piece of ****. I eventually just did it the old fashioned way with a friend. I'm going to get some speed bleeder replacement valves for the next time.
I haven't had a chance to properly bed the brake pads (too much traffic on I5) but after a few hard stops I was very impressed with the increased braking force. We'll have to see how the new set up performs at Ridge Raceway in a couple weeks.
Still waiting on the Quantum Motorsports (now Lambert Automotive Performance, link below) front rotor ducting, should arrive this Friday. Not anticipating too much trouble with this install. I plan on dremeling out front bumper insert currently on the car to create inlets.
http://www.lapponline.com/index.php?...002ddc559939af
Royal Purple Synchromax and gear oil will be going in the transmission and diff this weekend - really excited to see how RP changes the shift feel.
Had some trouble seating the rear caliper pistons, but this toolkit from Harbor Freight ($40) made it an absolute breeze! Well worth the investment for anyone who plans on doing their own brake jobs regularly.
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piec...kit-69053.html
I attempted to bleed the brakes using the Mityvac handpump - don't ****ing bother, this was an absolute piece of ****. I eventually just did it the old fashioned way with a friend. I'm going to get some speed bleeder replacement valves for the next time.
I haven't had a chance to properly bed the brake pads (too much traffic on I5) but after a few hard stops I was very impressed with the increased braking force. We'll have to see how the new set up performs at Ridge Raceway in a couple weeks.
Still waiting on the Quantum Motorsports (now Lambert Automotive Performance, link below) front rotor ducting, should arrive this Friday. Not anticipating too much trouble with this install. I plan on dremeling out front bumper insert currently on the car to create inlets.
http://www.lapponline.com/index.php?...002ddc559939af
Royal Purple Synchromax and gear oil will be going in the transmission and diff this weekend - really excited to see how RP changes the shift feel.
07-24-2012, 06:25 PM
#12
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 130
Just finished my day at Ridge Raceway! All in all, an incredibly fun and exciting day - a great way for a father and son to spend their time and hoon their cars together (my father brought his 2007 Z06).
My father and I participated in the Ridge Racing School Driving Experience (http://ridgeracingschool.com/program...ng-experience/). There were four people in our class (including another Stang!). Here's a quick summary of the day's events if anyone is interested:
1. First thing in the morning, while everyone else was in a driver's meeting, we took a few laps around the track following an instructor.
2. Skid exercises - threshold braking and a small oval course to practice experiencing extreme handling dynamics
3. Track sessions - 3x 20-30 minute sessions on the track with ONLY the people in my class (whole track for four people). Instructors took the wheel for the first couple laps to show us the line and reference points then sat shotgun and talked us through (using radio headsets) our sessions. They allowed me to drive the final session solo.
The track (http://ridgeracingschool.com/the-rid...dge-track-map/)
Beautiful track with an absolutely flawless surface. The track has a wonderful flow to it in many sections and has three easy to use let-by areas. The truly puckering moments are the approaches to turns 2, 7, 11, and 13.
Turn 2 is the beginning of a left-right-left session including a crest, so if you overcook the entrance into 2, you'll be out of place for the rest of that section and ruin your approach onto the first back straight.
Turn 7 is a quick right hand kink leading to a right hand sweeper. The catch is the approach is completely blind - the apex is hidden by a very sudden drop (hello bump stops). You have to initiate the turn on the top of the hill from the left side of the track as soon as you're at the flag station and hope you aim correctly.
Turn 11 is the sharpest hairpin on the track. The entrance to the braking zone is the tail end of some quick esses that unsettle the car. My instructor kept telling me to brake later and later here until I finally got the pedal to go VERY soft (though not all the way to the floor).
Turn 13 is the entrance to the corkscrew, the tricky bit is making sure to finish most of your braking early as the straight begins to drop away dramatically immediately before turn in.
Here's a video of me running turns 13-15 and onto the front straight (max speed achieved ~130mph, Dad hit 140 in the 'Vette).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS22_...ature=youtu.be
The car:
The car performed great! Very stable through the turns, very repeatable results every lap. Unfortunately, I was definitely able to overdrive the brakes and the tires (I actually got the front brakes smoking during our skid pad session) and I had the pedal go soft a couple times on the track. I was not able to install brake ducts prior to the event, so I imagine those will help quite a bit.
My father and I participated in the Ridge Racing School Driving Experience (http://ridgeracingschool.com/program...ng-experience/). There were four people in our class (including another Stang!). Here's a quick summary of the day's events if anyone is interested:
1. First thing in the morning, while everyone else was in a driver's meeting, we took a few laps around the track following an instructor.
2. Skid exercises - threshold braking and a small oval course to practice experiencing extreme handling dynamics
3. Track sessions - 3x 20-30 minute sessions on the track with ONLY the people in my class (whole track for four people). Instructors took the wheel for the first couple laps to show us the line and reference points then sat shotgun and talked us through (using radio headsets) our sessions. They allowed me to drive the final session solo.
The track (http://ridgeracingschool.com/the-rid...dge-track-map/)
Beautiful track with an absolutely flawless surface. The track has a wonderful flow to it in many sections and has three easy to use let-by areas. The truly puckering moments are the approaches to turns 2, 7, 11, and 13.
Turn 2 is the beginning of a left-right-left session including a crest, so if you overcook the entrance into 2, you'll be out of place for the rest of that section and ruin your approach onto the first back straight.
Turn 7 is a quick right hand kink leading to a right hand sweeper. The catch is the approach is completely blind - the apex is hidden by a very sudden drop (hello bump stops). You have to initiate the turn on the top of the hill from the left side of the track as soon as you're at the flag station and hope you aim correctly.
Turn 11 is the sharpest hairpin on the track. The entrance to the braking zone is the tail end of some quick esses that unsettle the car. My instructor kept telling me to brake later and later here until I finally got the pedal to go VERY soft (though not all the way to the floor).
Turn 13 is the entrance to the corkscrew, the tricky bit is making sure to finish most of your braking early as the straight begins to drop away dramatically immediately before turn in.
Here's a video of me running turns 13-15 and onto the front straight (max speed achieved ~130mph, Dad hit 140 in the 'Vette).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS22_...ature=youtu.be
The car:
The car performed great! Very stable through the turns, very repeatable results every lap. Unfortunately, I was definitely able to overdrive the brakes and the tires (I actually got the front brakes smoking during our skid pad session) and I had the pedal go soft a couple times on the track. I was not able to install brake ducts prior to the event, so I imagine those will help quite a bit.
07-26-2012, 12:08 AM
#13
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 244
If I'd realized you were there, I'd have come by and said HI! I was driving the Kona blue 2011 GT with the supercharger in A group. It's a great track and it was my 8th day there this year. I'm glad you enjoyed it - the school has great instructors and the track is amazing.
I'm there again next Thursday, August 2nd and at least a few more times this year. I hope you get back there again!
I'm there again next Thursday, August 2nd and at least a few more times this year. I hope you get back there again!
07-27-2012, 03:29 PM
#14
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 130
I'm definitely going to make it out to the track at least once more this year, but I just moved and need to settle in. I also need to flush the brake system (again) and finish installing the cooling ducts.
I might also be joining a Chump Car team for a race in September - that should be interesting.
I might also be joining a Chump Car team for a race in September - that should be interesting.
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