When I decided to go NSXPO in Las Vegas I figured that the HPDE would be great opportunity for me to drive my car on a track for the first time. However, since I was newbie, I wanted to be as prepared as possible. At first I thought I needed help not only because I was a newbie, but also because I felt that I would be at a disadvantage in that my car is automatic (you know, heavy, tall gears and less HP). So, I original posted a thread titled “Seeking advice on best bang for the buck suspension mods”. I was thinking at the time about sway bars. The consensus by the responders (with only a couple of dissenters) was loud and clear, as newbie; leave the car as is, but ensure that I have fresh breaks pads and fluid, suitable thread on my tires and that the car as a whole is mechanically sound. The next area advice was for “me” to prepare for the HPDE by reading articles and watching instructional videos on high performance driving, including videos of the Spring Mountain Motor ranch (SMMR) track itself to help me learn the course ahead of time. I took these recommendations and did the following:
CAR PREPARATION
1. I had my car inspected by my local Acura mechanic and by Niguel Motors (Ramon) my NSX mechanic.
2. It was determined that my cooling system hoses needed to be replaced (they were questionable for hard use).
3. In subsequent responses to my original thread it was suggested that I upgrade my brake fluid. Prospeed RS683 and Motul RBF 600 were recommended by Ken Sax. I choose Motul in that it was easier to find. I also had street-track pads installed, specifically Hawk HP+ (Hawk HP Plus), again as recommended by Ken Sax from his experience. Ramon also turned my front rotors.
4. My front tires were over 4 years old. Although they were still OK for street use, I had new front tires installed to be on the safe side. My rear tires are newer and in good condition. I use Dunlop Direzza DZ101 on my car. They are not a real sticky tire, but they are adequate for me and provide good tire wear. At the track, I was happy with their performance.
DRIVER PREPARATION
1. I viewed several times in-car videos of runs of the SMMR 3.1 mile track configuration. However, upon arriving at the track, a new chicane (bus stop) section was added to the end of the rear strait since the video was made. This did not pose a problem and was actually one of the more fun sections to drive.
2. I also Goggled race instructional videos and watched several of them, some of which I posted links in my original thread. What became clear from the videos is smoothness, i.e., keeping the car in balance when accelerating, turning and braking. I also learned the basics of performance/race driving, i.e., turn-in, apex and track-out points, the friction circle, signal flags and track terminology.
3. I was originally going to use an NSXCA provided helmet, but decided to buy one to ensure that it would fit (I have a small head). I also decided to buy a helmet in the event that I enjoyed running on the track enough that I would end up tracking again in the future. In my helmet research, I did learn about the various government ratings and how to be fitted for a helmet. I ended up getting a full face helmet in that I was advised that open face helmets are not permitted at some tack events. In addition, full face helmets provide better protection, and since I’m a husband, dad, and grandfather, I felt obligated to get the better protection. I bought a Bell SR2 with a SA 2005 rating.
4. On Friday night I attended the Chalk Talk, which was optional but recommended for newbie’s. Various information and tips were provided. The featured speaker was Billy Johnson. Billy broke down each of the turns of the SMMR track and how he takes them. At the request of one of the members, he also indicated the gears that would be used on each turn. Since my car is an automatic, I was not sure if the gear selection would apply to me. Billy also explained the “diamond” (two apex) approach to the long sweeping turns 1 and 2.
HPDE DAY 1
After receiving introduction and basic track driving tips, including safety measures, I was met by my instructor Tom Grossmann. Tom is a local instructor and drove the red Datsun 1200 that was on track with the intermediate group. I had Tom drive my car first, as suggested in my readings, so that I could learn the track and the lines through its turns. Tom’s emphasis was smoothness and for me to keep my head up, i.e., keep looking ahead for the turn-in point, apex cone and track out point. Looking ahead was necessary in hitting these points and also to help reduce the sense of speed. However, Tom also taught me to use my peripheral vision to track these points as I pass them, to view the track edge and other activities, i.e., other cars. He also suggested that I start slow and then increase my speed as the sessions and day progressed.
When I took the wheel for the first time, almost everything that I had learned was temporarily lost because I was inundated with all that I needed to do. The light rain and wet rack did not help. For the first few runs, I was lost on the track. Although I had watched the SMMR track video many times, I was confused as to which turn I was approaching and what track configuration (strait or turn) was beyond. This made it difficult for me to make a smooth transition through the turn at hand and set up for the next segment of the track. Being unsure of what was ahead impeded my ability to go faster. So, for the first two sessions, I was getting passed frequently, and I passed no one.
After learning the track, I was able to concentrate on breaking entering into a turn and the best line through each turn. Tom also showed me how to rotate the car with throttle and braking adjustments, a concept that had never occurred to me before. Mechanically, I learned that my basically stock car handled just fine, and my brake upgrades worked well with no evidence of fading. However, my brakes were a little “stinky” as Tom put it after the first runs, so I’m glad I had the upgrades done. Tom suggested that I leave my transmission in automatic mode (not sport-shift mode) so that I can concentrate on driving.
After lunch I was I was improving and at the end of the 3rd session, I finally passed one car. During the 4th sessions I passed more cars. However, after making the passes, I became what Tom called “getting greedy” in that I started to push too hard to catch up to and pass the next car. I became sloppy and missed my apexes and took the wrong lines, resulting in me loosing speed. When I messed up one turn, I also messed up the next one. After settling down, my speed increased again.
I also discovered that I had trouble in traffic. I was worrying too much about the other cars and not about what I was doing. This was interesting, because I get the same way when I’m golfing and being hounded by the group behind me. So when in traffic, I missed lines and apexes. I also found myself taking the line of the car ahead of me instead of my line, and I did not look ahead of the car in front of me to see what was coming up.
The last thing that I learned was that I had a tendency to go into tight corners too fast, resulting in missing the apex.
HPDE DAY 2
For the first two sessions I received a new instructor, Billy Johnson. Like on Day 1, I asked Billy to drive my car so that I could observe. In addition to some of the basic do’s and don’ts, what I learned from Billy was how much faster he was able to drive than me, all while providing instructions, pointing out apexes with one hand and driving with the other (see pic below). There were several turns where I could not believe how fast he was able to take them. So, when we switched places, I became more confident in my car’s ability and I began to push it more to the limit. In addition to keeping the right line, I increased my speed. However, Billy noted that I needed to push the car consistently along the entire corner, i.e., get squeal from the tires for the entire length of the turn. Soon, I found myself passing more and more cars, and no one passed me. Billy was impressed that this was only my second day on the track. So, it appears that my pre HPDE preparations, and learning from Tom and Billy paid off! However, now that I had tasted blood, I slipped back into being “greedy” which resulted in a couple of spins at the hairpin turns. The spins were the result of power over-steer. My brain seemed to sense the spin coming, but I could not react fast enough to prevent it. In a subsequent e-mail communication with my first instructor ‘Tom”, he stated that the first indication before a spin is was a light steering wheel (that's the slide building up) and 75 ft later when the back starts to go, it's already too late”.
For the 3rd session of Day 2, I received another instructor, Mike Tsay. This time I drove the car first. In addition, Mike stated that for the first lap or two, he was just going to sit and observe my driving. I did well, drove aggressive and again did my fair share of passing. He too was impressed with my driving. Unfortunately, after a few laps I lost third gear, so we decided to leave the track. After letting the car cool down, the blinking “D” trouble indicator light went away. We went out on the tack again, but the problem returned, and I was done for the day. I eventually lost 1st and 4th gear too. Fortunately, Cody of LoveFab gave me and my car a ride back to the hotel –thanks Cody!
CONCLUSION
First, in spite of my mechanical problems, my basically stock automatic did just fine on the track. I was in the novice group and after a few sessions and after learning the track and lines, my car did its fare share of passing of NA1’s and some NA2’s. In fact, by the second day, nobody passed me. I have to say that I was surprised at how well my car performed even in fully automatic mode. I did not need to shift into sports mode to be successful on the track.
Second, I discovered that learning to drive on a track is not easy. Due to my confusion, and all that that was happing, the first session was not fun and I had wondered what I had gotten into. However, very good instruction was instrumental in allowing me to improve, and consequently so did my enjoyment - I ended up really having a blast! As a result, I want to thank all of my instructors for their help and patience. I particularly appreciated Tom Grossman’s style of instruction, i.e., keeping comments precise and to a minimum so as not to be a distraction. I was also impressed with all of my instructors in their ability to clearly dissect and impart what I was doing wrong as well as what I was doing right.
Lastly, for all those owners who were leery of participating in the HPDE, I hope my experience provides an incentive to give it a try. Believe me, you won’t regret it!
Thanks,
Mario
PS: My car is currently at Finlay Acura in Las Vegas. Their initial diagnosis of my trans was an electrical defect. However their first repair effort (solenoid replacement) did not correct the problem. The trans works well at first, but when the trans gets up to running temperatures, it down shifts from 4th to 3rd to 2nd etc. Finlay is researching this problem, but they indicated that I may need a new trans, and they are trying to locate one for me at a good price. I’m appreciative of Finlay’s efforts. I also want to thank Alex for giving me a ride back to LA.
CAR PREPARATION
1. I had my car inspected by my local Acura mechanic and by Niguel Motors (Ramon) my NSX mechanic.
2. It was determined that my cooling system hoses needed to be replaced (they were questionable for hard use).
3. In subsequent responses to my original thread it was suggested that I upgrade my brake fluid. Prospeed RS683 and Motul RBF 600 were recommended by Ken Sax. I choose Motul in that it was easier to find. I also had street-track pads installed, specifically Hawk HP+ (Hawk HP Plus), again as recommended by Ken Sax from his experience. Ramon also turned my front rotors.
4. My front tires were over 4 years old. Although they were still OK for street use, I had new front tires installed to be on the safe side. My rear tires are newer and in good condition. I use Dunlop Direzza DZ101 on my car. They are not a real sticky tire, but they are adequate for me and provide good tire wear. At the track, I was happy with their performance.
DRIVER PREPARATION
1. I viewed several times in-car videos of runs of the SMMR 3.1 mile track configuration. However, upon arriving at the track, a new chicane (bus stop) section was added to the end of the rear strait since the video was made. This did not pose a problem and was actually one of the more fun sections to drive.
2. I also Goggled race instructional videos and watched several of them, some of which I posted links in my original thread. What became clear from the videos is smoothness, i.e., keeping the car in balance when accelerating, turning and braking. I also learned the basics of performance/race driving, i.e., turn-in, apex and track-out points, the friction circle, signal flags and track terminology.
3. I was originally going to use an NSXCA provided helmet, but decided to buy one to ensure that it would fit (I have a small head). I also decided to buy a helmet in the event that I enjoyed running on the track enough that I would end up tracking again in the future. In my helmet research, I did learn about the various government ratings and how to be fitted for a helmet. I ended up getting a full face helmet in that I was advised that open face helmets are not permitted at some tack events. In addition, full face helmets provide better protection, and since I’m a husband, dad, and grandfather, I felt obligated to get the better protection. I bought a Bell SR2 with a SA 2005 rating.
4. On Friday night I attended the Chalk Talk, which was optional but recommended for newbie’s. Various information and tips were provided. The featured speaker was Billy Johnson. Billy broke down each of the turns of the SMMR track and how he takes them. At the request of one of the members, he also indicated the gears that would be used on each turn. Since my car is an automatic, I was not sure if the gear selection would apply to me. Billy also explained the “diamond” (two apex) approach to the long sweeping turns 1 and 2.
HPDE DAY 1
After receiving introduction and basic track driving tips, including safety measures, I was met by my instructor Tom Grossmann. Tom is a local instructor and drove the red Datsun 1200 that was on track with the intermediate group. I had Tom drive my car first, as suggested in my readings, so that I could learn the track and the lines through its turns. Tom’s emphasis was smoothness and for me to keep my head up, i.e., keep looking ahead for the turn-in point, apex cone and track out point. Looking ahead was necessary in hitting these points and also to help reduce the sense of speed. However, Tom also taught me to use my peripheral vision to track these points as I pass them, to view the track edge and other activities, i.e., other cars. He also suggested that I start slow and then increase my speed as the sessions and day progressed.
When I took the wheel for the first time, almost everything that I had learned was temporarily lost because I was inundated with all that I needed to do. The light rain and wet rack did not help. For the first few runs, I was lost on the track. Although I had watched the SMMR track video many times, I was confused as to which turn I was approaching and what track configuration (strait or turn) was beyond. This made it difficult for me to make a smooth transition through the turn at hand and set up for the next segment of the track. Being unsure of what was ahead impeded my ability to go faster. So, for the first two sessions, I was getting passed frequently, and I passed no one.
After learning the track, I was able to concentrate on breaking entering into a turn and the best line through each turn. Tom also showed me how to rotate the car with throttle and braking adjustments, a concept that had never occurred to me before. Mechanically, I learned that my basically stock car handled just fine, and my brake upgrades worked well with no evidence of fading. However, my brakes were a little “stinky” as Tom put it after the first runs, so I’m glad I had the upgrades done. Tom suggested that I leave my transmission in automatic mode (not sport-shift mode) so that I can concentrate on driving.
After lunch I was I was improving and at the end of the 3rd session, I finally passed one car. During the 4th sessions I passed more cars. However, after making the passes, I became what Tom called “getting greedy” in that I started to push too hard to catch up to and pass the next car. I became sloppy and missed my apexes and took the wrong lines, resulting in me loosing speed. When I messed up one turn, I also messed up the next one. After settling down, my speed increased again.
I also discovered that I had trouble in traffic. I was worrying too much about the other cars and not about what I was doing. This was interesting, because I get the same way when I’m golfing and being hounded by the group behind me. So when in traffic, I missed lines and apexes. I also found myself taking the line of the car ahead of me instead of my line, and I did not look ahead of the car in front of me to see what was coming up.
The last thing that I learned was that I had a tendency to go into tight corners too fast, resulting in missing the apex.
HPDE DAY 2
For the first two sessions I received a new instructor, Billy Johnson. Like on Day 1, I asked Billy to drive my car so that I could observe. In addition to some of the basic do’s and don’ts, what I learned from Billy was how much faster he was able to drive than me, all while providing instructions, pointing out apexes with one hand and driving with the other (see pic below). There were several turns where I could not believe how fast he was able to take them. So, when we switched places, I became more confident in my car’s ability and I began to push it more to the limit. In addition to keeping the right line, I increased my speed. However, Billy noted that I needed to push the car consistently along the entire corner, i.e., get squeal from the tires for the entire length of the turn. Soon, I found myself passing more and more cars, and no one passed me. Billy was impressed that this was only my second day on the track. So, it appears that my pre HPDE preparations, and learning from Tom and Billy paid off! However, now that I had tasted blood, I slipped back into being “greedy” which resulted in a couple of spins at the hairpin turns. The spins were the result of power over-steer. My brain seemed to sense the spin coming, but I could not react fast enough to prevent it. In a subsequent e-mail communication with my first instructor ‘Tom”, he stated that the first indication before a spin is was a light steering wheel (that's the slide building up) and 75 ft later when the back starts to go, it's already too late”.
For the 3rd session of Day 2, I received another instructor, Mike Tsay. This time I drove the car first. In addition, Mike stated that for the first lap or two, he was just going to sit and observe my driving. I did well, drove aggressive and again did my fair share of passing. He too was impressed with my driving. Unfortunately, after a few laps I lost third gear, so we decided to leave the track. After letting the car cool down, the blinking “D” trouble indicator light went away. We went out on the tack again, but the problem returned, and I was done for the day. I eventually lost 1st and 4th gear too. Fortunately, Cody of LoveFab gave me and my car a ride back to the hotel –thanks Cody!
CONCLUSION
First, in spite of my mechanical problems, my basically stock automatic did just fine on the track. I was in the novice group and after a few sessions and after learning the track and lines, my car did its fare share of passing of NA1’s and some NA2’s. In fact, by the second day, nobody passed me. I have to say that I was surprised at how well my car performed even in fully automatic mode. I did not need to shift into sports mode to be successful on the track.
Second, I discovered that learning to drive on a track is not easy. Due to my confusion, and all that that was happing, the first session was not fun and I had wondered what I had gotten into. However, very good instruction was instrumental in allowing me to improve, and consequently so did my enjoyment - I ended up really having a blast! As a result, I want to thank all of my instructors for their help and patience. I particularly appreciated Tom Grossman’s style of instruction, i.e., keeping comments precise and to a minimum so as not to be a distraction. I was also impressed with all of my instructors in their ability to clearly dissect and impart what I was doing wrong as well as what I was doing right.
Lastly, for all those owners who were leery of participating in the HPDE, I hope my experience provides an incentive to give it a try. Believe me, you won’t regret it!
Thanks,
Mario
PS: My car is currently at Finlay Acura in Las Vegas. Their initial diagnosis of my trans was an electrical defect. However their first repair effort (solenoid replacement) did not correct the problem. The trans works well at first, but when the trans gets up to running temperatures, it down shifts from 4th to 3rd to 2nd etc. Finlay is researching this problem, but they indicated that I may need a new trans, and they are trying to locate one for me at a good price. I’m appreciative of Finlay’s efforts. I also want to thank Alex for giving me a ride back to LA.
