Airfield day tomorrow

#11

In article <1hyf4de.ckzh2znjo3o5N%steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk>,
steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk says...

Quote:

If you are not used to trackdays: always take a passenger with. He /she
levels the car and will sense more quickly than you when you are
overdriving. Do not brake too much and do not try to find the last
second on the trak: it is not a race.

I've got half an hour of tuition booked at the start of the day.

I'm also imposing a rev. limit of 5k rpm, 'cos I want to be kind to the
old girl. Going to concentrate on smooth driving rather than outright
speed. No doubt there will be slower drivers as well as faster drivers
there.

The 75 TS is a proven concept: if your engine is OK and properly warmed
up (the first lap to get your bearings is fine), than 5k RPM-limit is
not needed. Factory set RPM is iirc 6700 and that is fine. You are on a
racetrack: braking is done with the brakes not with the engine.

A 75 isn't an old girl, it is an Alfa with an engine designed to be
revved. The 158 HP are in the revs, not down below.

If you limit to 5k, you can as well go with a diesel. The 1.5k RPM above
are nice to use and better still: it is a ideal way to clean the
combustion chambres of the engine. It should rev more freely after the
trackday than before. :-)

There are better things to do and to concentrate on than wathing a self-
imposed rev-limit. The things important are outside the car: in front of
you and behind you. Looking in your mirrors (and having your passenger
do the same) is important for first-timers.

Driving smoothly is too, do not throw the car and brake 20-50 m earlier
than you could. The most dangerous time on a trackday are the first time
round and at the end of the day: the first because of cold tires, the
last because you get the knack and start racing / overdriving.

Do not ever ever race a racecar (even if on paper it is less powerfull
than yours, even if you pass it on the straight). It will destroy you in
the bends where his brakes and suspension work whille yours is
overcharged and will fail (boiling brake fluid).

Regular stops in order to let the brakes cool are very adviced. At Spa
and in a road car I stop every 3 laps: even so I have had paint peeling
of the rims...

Most important of all: have fun.

Tom De Moor

#12

Quote:

I'm also imposing a rev. limit of 5k rpm, 'cos I want to be kind to the
old girl. Going to concentrate on smooth driving rather than outright
speed. No doubt there will be slower drivers as well as faster drivers
there.
--

I would be willing to bet that you will very rarely be under 5000 rpm.

I have taken my Golf onto the Hillclimb twice now, and if a few extra revs
means avoiding a nasty gearchange, then it gets a few revs.
You're there to drive fast and smooth, no point in one without the other.

Or to put it another way.

Kick it's cnut in - that's why you bought it.

Drive slow and smooth on the way home.

P.S. Enjoy.

#13

SteveH wrote:

Quote:

Last time I took to the track, it was a spur of the moment decision
on a Clubcento day in a car that was only 2 years old....

Doing a full-on day in the 75 is obviously a slightly different
matter.

Just been doing a mental check of stuff:

1. Brake pads, whilst not new, were replaced within the last couple of
thousand miles.
2. Brake fluid has been flushed and replaced.
3. Coolant flushed and replaced.
4. Oil & filter changed.
5. Air filter changed.
6. Tyres are less than 500 miles old.

I've taped up the front lights - should I consider doing the same for
the rears? (just cross-taped, not completely covered, as is
recommended on bike days).

Also putting together a few bits to take with me:

Brake fluid, PAS fluid, oil, antifreeze.
Toolkit.
Gaffa tape.
5lt can of petrol to ensure I have enough to get away from the track
and to a petrol station.
Tire pressure gauge and compressor.

Obviously, food and drink will be taken with me.

I *think* that covers it - other than making sure I have an empty
memory card in my helmetcam and spare batteries for it ;-)

Any other things I should be doing / checking?

Phone number of recovery firm, in case it goes all wrong.

--
ThePunisher

#14

ThePunisher <thepunisher (AT) ntlworld (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

Any other things I should be doing / checking?

Phone number of recovery firm, in case it goes all wrong.

Push it out onto the road and phone the AA, then....
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

#15

SteveH wrote:

Quote:

ThePunisher <thepunisher (AT) ntlworld (DOT) com> wrote:

Any other things I should be doing / checking?

Phone number of recovery firm, in case it goes all wrong.

Push it out onto the road and phone the AA, then....

You hope it's still pushable.

http://www.osago.nm.ru/img/BMW_crash.jpg

--
ThePunisher

#16

"SteveH" <steve (AT) italiancar (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Quote:

Last time I took to the track, it was a spur of the moment decision on a
Clubcento day in a car that was only 2 years old....

Doing a full-on day in the 75 is obviously a slightly different matter.

No it isn't. Unless you believe the 75 will fail.

Quote:

Just been doing a mental check of stuff:

1. Brake pads, whilst not new, were replaced within the last couple of
thousand miles.
2. Brake fluid has been flushed and replaced.
3. Coolant flushed and replaced.
4. Oil & filter changed.
5. Air filter changed.
6. Tyres are less than 500 miles old.

I've taped up the front lights - should I consider doing the same for
the rears? (just cross-taped, not completely covered, as is recommended
on bike days).

That depends on the regulations of the track.

Quote:

Also putting together a few bits to take with me:

Brake fluid, PAS fluid, oil, antifreeze.

Water and / or antifreeze.

Quote:

Toolkit.
Gaffa tape.
5lt can of petrol to ensure I have enough to get away from the track and
to a petrol station.
Tire pressure gauge and compressor.

*Tire?*

You have a go at me for American expressions, dude.

Quote:

Obviously, food and drink will be taken with me.

I *think* that covers it - other than making sure I have an empty memory
card in my helmetcam and spare batteries for it ;-)

Any other things I should be doing / checking?

Bring twice the water you think you need, because it's thirsty work.

--
The DervMan
www.dervman.com

#17

"Lordy.UK" <spam (AT) recycle (DOT) bin> wrote

Quote:

Phone number of recovery firm, in case it goes all wrong.

Push it out onto the road and phone the AA, then....

You hope it's still pushable.
http://www.osago.nm.ru/img/BMW_crash.jpg

In fairness you'd have to be quite unlucky for that to happen on the
track, heh.

bet that cunt went into the shop and bought some Dr Pepper thinking 'whats
the worst that could happen...'

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Airfield day tomorrow

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