tamadrummer

I'm excited to participate in my first SCCA races this weekend, but I want some tips on maintenance and what to look out for! I'm not a noob to cars, just a noob to racing them! My SS/TC has 53k miles and is also my DD.

I just replaced my plugs and seafoamed through the vacuum line. My oil is Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 Extended Performance filter and my oil monitor is at 72% with about 1500 miles on the oil. Should I change it before or after the races, or early at all? I would hate to change it early if I don't have too...**** gets expensive!

Should I have my tires inflated normally or slightly higher? I still have about 40% tread on my Nittos.

I checked my break pads and rotors when I rotated my tires about six months ago, I've driven about 4000 miles since then.

As far as I can tell, my car is in good condition other than the passenger airbag sensor going whacky on me and a misfire on cold start that seems to have gone away with new plugs and seafoam.

Again, sorry for being a racing noob, I just don't want anything to break on me.

Blackbalts

Tires should be slightly over inflated when you arrive. Take some chalk and put a line from the tread down about three inches. If the chalk on the side wall starts to rub off you are under inflated and visa versa with not rubbing off the tread area.

40% tire life (depending on the tire) means you will probably be all over the place, so take your first run at 80-90%. Worst thing you can do is get DQ'd for the day on your first run by going completely off track.

Check the quality of your oil both before and after. I'm N/A and typically have to change the oil after about three races and I dont DD the car.

Pay attention and ask lots of quesitons. But most important, have fun!

AaronJ

iTrader: (4)

Is this actual SCCA racing on a track against other cars? Or is this SCCA autocross? Or is this just a track day? I can't tell just by reading that first paragraph.

Blackbalts

^Maybe it's an SCCA Rallycross!!

tamadrummer

It's the SCCA SOLO races. So, a cone track and timed racing without other cars on the track.

Hahaha...not in my Cobalt!

Blackbalts

Yay atuox!! What tires do you have?

tamadrummer

I don't actually remember what they are off the top of my head, other than them being Nittos (The previous owner put them on before he sold the car to me, otherwise I would remember buying them lol) but looking at the tread pattern and the Nitto website, I believe I have Nitto NT555s.

Blackbalts

Those look similar to others I have driven on. You will most likely wash out in hard corners so make sure you dont over turn the wheel. If you have to move your hands from 10 and 2 o'clock you are doing it wrong and will suffer because of it. Come in fast and wide, smash the brakes and try to do a wide apex to keep up speed and hit boost coming out. Just my 2 cents.

Sox-Fan

iTrader: (7)

Change your oil. That seafoam knocked all sorts of crap loose and now it's floating in your oil. Change the oil and filter.

The nittos are going to be slick as heck. They're probably heat cycled and hard. You don't get to run long enough to get them good and soft again. 60 seconds and you're done, usually. Be prepared for that. You'll want the sidewalls fairly stiff, but don't make them so hard that they have no give at all. If it's raining air them up even more to crown them. Less contact patch to float, and more pounds per inch of contact path, cuts through the rain better.

Remember, Understeer is the devil. Blow your line on one set of cones and it screws the next 2 or 3. Brake early and in a straight line so that you can power out sooner rather than later and on line for your next set.

tamadrummer

Good thing I have two jugs of Mobil 1 and a filter sitting around from a sale at Advanced Auto awhile back! I'll probably just change it later in the week, as I actually haven't driven it since Saturday, when I put the new plugs in (thanks to the work carpool).

As far as the oil after the race, I can't imagine racing the car a bit will break down the oil enough that I need to change it again right afterwards?

And as far as the "competitive mode," would you suggest using launch control in the beginning and NLS throughout the race? Though, my friend with a LSJ said I'll probably never get out of second gear, so that might be a moot point.

But thanks for the advice guys!