First track day this Friday, more or less tire pressure?

[motoadve]

Should I put more or less tire pressure?

I run 30 front and 32 rear

What pressure is recomended?
18 inch tires
2.7 Tip Boxster

Also any advice for track driving?

[racer_d]

Given your topical local, could be tough. My train of thought is always add 3-4 ponds more thatn "stock". I fotget what stock is.. 29/36? You might be inclined to try 33/36. Most tires like to be around 40psi when hot. Driving on the track will generate enough heat to get your tires up to 40psi.

Now, you didn't mention what type of tires you will be using. I assume "street" tires.

A helpful clue is to put 3-4 marks of shoe polish on the tire where the shoulder meets the tread. If after a session the polish is worn off, you might want to add pressure.

Not sure of your driving experience (ie, if you will have an instructor with you) but

1) LOOK AHEAD.. not just 10 feet off your front bumper but as far ahead as possible.
2) Be smooth. The smoother you are, the faster you will become.
3) Have FUN!

As a possible Apples to Orange comparison. When I ran R comps (Toyo RA1) I would set them cold at 34 all around and go from there as I felt one end slip /grip more than the other. For AX, I ran 36 front, 34 rear because the rears heated up so quickly. This was running 225-40-18 front and 275-30-18 rear

[motoadve]

Tires are pilot sport stock tires.

As driver experience.
I go out most weekends early for mountain drives, kind of fast, been saved by the PSM a lot of times (means I like to push it, not that Im good)
Car has 10,000 miles and tires are shot and already changed the front brake pads
I will be driving by myself, without instructor but an experienced friend will be there.

The question is how to be smooth????

Mine is a Tip so that is a negative

[ChrisZang]

have fun at your track day.

I usually run around 3 ~ 5 PSI BELOW stock, but again the shoe polish trick should help you getting the pressure right.

My tip for first day track driving:
TAKE IT EASY!!!!! Focus on your line and don't try to set a new lap record, btw. all seats at McLaren-Mercedes, Ferrari and Sauber-BMW are already taken, so don't try to impress anyone.

Be smooth with your right foot, the gas pedal is not just on/off but be gradient also be smooth when steering.
But again the most important thing is to focus on a good line first before you try to focus on speed

Enjoy

[drburton]

When I did my DE last Spring I went with stock tire pressures then checked them after each run. My goal was to keep them around 40psi while hot. This required removing air from the rears several times.

I would agree with the advice provided:

1) Look Ahead! Harder than it sounds but it makes a huge difference in how you drive. Also helps you to see the flags
2) The smooth thing is good advice - no sudden jerks of steering wheel, slow throttle and braking. So don't come out of a turn and floor it. If you fail to be smooth you can upset the balance of the car, weight distribution etc...
3) Going slow will make you faster!! Take your time at first and understand the lines etc.. and gradually increase speed. If you get uncomfortable or start missing your apex, slow down again.
4) Be aware of your mistakes. After every turn I would mentally evaluate what I did, apex too early or too late, or missed brake zone or braked too hard etc.. When you recognize what you do wrong you can work to improve it on the next time around. Avoid the early apex, if you miss it go late
5) Don't feel 'pressured' by other drivers. There will be faster cars, let them pass and don't worry about it. It is easy to start getting an ego and want to keep up with more experienced drivers.
6) Have your friend review the basics - hand position, rev matching, what an apex is, where the brake zones are etc.... This might be stating the obvious, but don't brake while you are turning, accelerate through turns brake while you are going straight.

Good luck, you will love it.

[drburton]

Almost forgot, one more thing:

- If you start to lose control of the car, take a turn too fast etc... just go straight off the track (assuming no wall). Every time I see someone get in trouble at the track it is usually because they are trying to 'save' the car after a mistake. At speed when you start countersteering slides etc.. things can get crazy.

[racer_d]

Originally Posted by racer_d

Not sure of your driving experience (ie, if you will have an instructor with you) but

1) LOOK AHEAD.. not just 10 feet off your front bumper but as far ahead as possible.
2) Be smooth. The smoother you are, the faster you will become.
3) Have FUN!

Please note there are TONS of books about learning to drive better/faster etc. This is a very abreviated cliff note (Skip Barber's "Going Faster" is likely one of the best)

1) By looking far ahead, and using a technique called "occular driving", you allow your eyes to steer the car. If you allow yourself to focus on the car immediately in front of you, you miss the larger view.. maybe a waving yellow flag.. maybe oil being dropped.. Looking far ahead also allows you brain to "slow down" what you are doing. It gives you time to process what is, in your case, all new.

Fast canyon driving is NOT track driving, but things you learn at the track can relate directly to how you drive on the street.

2) Smoothness isn't alway easy to learn.. some have it naturally, some must hone it.. but being smooth is about your car inputs. How you embrace and steer the car. How you apply the brakes; how you apply the gas. Smooth doesn't always mean slow.. but it means to not upset the cars natural balance. No matter how many improvements you make to your car, it is limited by your cars contact patch. Learning how to manage those patches is critical.


Being saved by PSM is not good. It implies to me that you drive above your skill set. Not sure how your event is run, but if "instructors" or more seasoned drivers are willing to ride with you, then even better. As mentioned, the top seats in motorsports are already filled.

Having a TIP is not a negative for you. It makes it easier. Focus on braking and steering with no worries about missing a shift.

Your goal this weekend is to bring the car home in the same condition that you brought it out in

Enjoy.. Take pics.. Stay hydrated.. and share your experiences with us!

[motoadve]

That was a lot of fun!!!
Im hooked now.
And also more impressed with the Boxster than I ever was, what an amazing car.

Tires are shot though

[986chris]

i've got sumitomo htrz and found 35 psi to be good # 32/33 was too low always howling. i reset psi just before going back to que. buying pyrometer this year, any suggestions? there's nothing better than a track day!!!

motoadve, if I remember correctly, you have a 987. Why are you running such low tire pressures? I think the recommended pressures are 32 front and 37 rear.

[motoadve]

At the track I was running 40psi , meassured hot in all 4 tires and it was working good.