QR Street Sprints - Tips or hints for a new guy

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:33 am

Benn wrote:thanks for advise guys,

yep been looking into this however i am thinking of just having a few track days and getting some experience under my belt before moving to this next phase.

Thats a good place to start. Safety is a big concern but were only doing sprints so not having a proper seat, harness and hans isnt a massive deal. If the track outings are getting more frequent its best to look at getting those items.

Regarding the wheel alignment, you dont need to run massive negative camber to get the best out of the car on stock suspension (or coilvers etc) running a huge amount of camber is ridiculous unless you have the right tyre for the application. Running around 1.5 degree negative camber is a good place to start. Im still on street tyres running close to 2 degree neg camber and there is nothing wrong with doing that.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:27 pm

Iv just registered and paid for the track day next Sunday.

My RPF1's turned up on Friday, getting them fitted with new RE002 tires (great deal on Bridgestone atm) tomorrow, stoked Ill have new tires for this track day.

Also Benn just thought Id mention this incase you dont know (I dont think they mention it on the website) on the day at QR you need to either buy or hire a timer for the day. To buy it, it costs $80 then you keep it forever, use it at any QR or Lakeside event, if you want to hire it for the day only you still need the $80 up front but if you want you can return it at the end of the day and they will refund $60 to you.

Benn · Postby **Benn** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:52 pm

Hey speed freak just did my registration and purchased my annual licence. Great to hear you got wheels in-time, those enkei's look great on the mx5!
Thanks for heads up with the $80, I would not have had that kinda cash on me.

I finished up the car setup this weekend, All ready to go for next weekend now. Car is looking pretty good with the tow stickers and what-not on at the moment. Also ended up getting some race gear from "Revolution". Last thing to do before race-day will be a wheel alignment, but its looking like i might not get time before this round...

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:23 pm

Good to hear. Fingers crossed you can get your wheel alignment done in time if not its no biggy though. I need to try and get one done after work sometime this week, otherwise I may have to get it done after the track day.

Benn · Postby **Benn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:10 pm

well guys thanks for the tips and hints leading up to my first track day tomorrow.

Last question as i can't find the answer on the QR website, Do i have to print anything out to bring to the track: clubman day licence, track day payment , etc? Or do they have it on there system out there?

Ben

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:12 pm

Benn wrote:well guys thanks for the tips and hints leading up to my first track day tomorrow.

Last question as i can't find the answer on the QR website, Do i have to print anything out to bring to the track: clubman day licence, track day payment , etc? Or do they have it on there system out there?

Ben

If you have entered using their online event system, everything is printed out and waiting for you to sign on arrival. All you have to do is let them see your QR licence, and have your civil licence just in case too.

Benn · Postby **Benn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:16 pm

thanks for fast reply mate, If i did the QR licence online in there login program they have, will they have that there too? I couldn't see an option of printing just that it has processed and is "current"

ben

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:20 pm

As Trackphoto's said, you dont need to take a copy of your entry, they have that at the track office. If you paid for the clubman license through their online system they should also have that on their records too.

Car is ready, changed the oil and oil filter. Taken everything out of the interior and boot. Checked fluids etc. Few little things in the morning before I head tot he track.

Should be a good day. Just hope its not stinking hot there tomorrow like it was today.

Benn · Postby **Benn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:28 pm

Thanks for response guys the QR site is not huge on details haha.

Yer Rhys this arv was quite warm, will take warm and dry over wet tho haha.
Will be doing my prep tomorrow morning as i have no time really tonight. I am wondering if it is worth ripping the passenger seat out? I am using a trailer to get it there and bring it back so shouldnt have to worry about road going legalities.

ben

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:37 pm

No they dont give you much useful information on the QR website. I think they need to update it.

You could pull the seat out but Iv thought with our mx5's since they are only a 2 seater roadster taking the passenger seat out might un-weight the car too much on that side and give poor handling? Im not really sure on this, would definitely reduce the weight just dont know what it would do to handling since the driver side has weight and the passenger side has none.

Benn · Postby **Benn** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:50 pm

yer good point, will have a look at it tonight

catch you tomorrow rhys

ben

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:32 pm

speed freak wrote:No they dont give you much useful information on the QR website. I think they need to update it.

You could pull the seat out but Iv thought with our mx5's since they are only a 2 seater roadster taking the passenger seat out might un-weight the car too much on that side and give poor handling? Im not really sure on this, would definitely reduce the weight just dont know what it would do to handling since the driver side has weight and the passenger side has none.

As far as I understand, the MX5 provides closest to perfect weight distribution with 2 occupants of the same weight. Having just a driver would mean more weight on the right side, removing the passenger seat would amplify that by around 13kg.

I don't think it would be worth the effort of removing it. Unless you can feel the difference between a quarter tank of fuel and a half tank, you won't gain anything by removing a small amount of weight. Best just to get lots of seat time, learn basics, and don't start changing things until you feel you can't find any more time.

adidistyle · Postby **adidistyle** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:47 pm

13kg is more than 1% gain in Power/Weight ratio. Is it worth 20-30 minutes of your time to remove/refit? Probably only of value when you can't find any other way to go faster.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:49 pm

Trackphotos wrote:
As far as I understand, the MX5 provides closest to perfect weight distribution with 2 occupants of the same weight. Having just a driver would mean more weight on the right side, removing the passenger seat would amplify that by around 13kg.

Yea thats what I was meaning. Unless your car is perfectly corner weighted with the drivers weight on the drivers side of the car it wont ever be 100% perfectly weighted, there is already more weight on the driver side, taking out the passenger seat would make the passenger side even lighter and driver side heavier. Mazda done their very best and lots of R&d to get the mx5 as close to perfect weight distribution as possible so removing parts of the car would upset the balance.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:00 pm

Had a great day out at QR again today, was good to meet Ben. Was stinking hot as usual, car ran faultless and consistent when a change in tyre pressures for the 4th session helped me to achieve a new PB of 1:07.32, so stoked with this, that is a full second off my old PB. Got 3 laps in the :07's in fourth session. Had a brilliant day, now the wait for the next one