How to get started in "Open Track"

When I first completed building my Cobra I didn't know that open track events even existed. I never imagined that I would be allowed to drive my car on a "real" race track, under controlled conditions for a nominal fee. The first SoCalSAAC meeting I attended was a couple of weeks after the fall COCOA open track event of the year. Everyone kept talking about turn 8 and 9 with an occasional 1,2, and 4 thrown in. It was awhile before I figured out that they were referring to specific turns at a specific track, in this case Willow Springs.

An "Open Track" event is not a competitive event. They are events where you can drive your car, street car, race car, old or new on a track as fast as you would like to go. Passing is restricted to the straights only, and the emphasis is placed on safety, not lap times. No license is required. All you need is a safe car (it must pass a tech inspection), some personal safety equipment, and a good attitude. I you decide to give it a try be prepared to have more fun than you can imagine. One member of our club (a retired obstetrician, who shall remain unnamed) said he thought it was better than sex, but then again his memory isn't what it used to be.

To get started the first thing you need a safe car. A late model car in good condition should pass tech inspection for the novice and intermediate groups with no problem. Our Cobras and Mustangs may require some effort to get up to track standards, but the are all things that are good to do anyway. Following is a partial listing of equipment that most organizations require. Be sure to check with each event to be sure that you have everything you need.

Seat belts - Lap and shoulder harness is required. For street cars, the factory seat belts are usually OK, but check to see that they are not worn and are in good operating condition. If you get serious in this hobby you will probably want to upgrade to a 5-point competition harness. The 5-point refers to 5 places of attachment to the car, 2 for the lap belt, one for each shoulder harness, and one for the anti-submarine strap between your legs.

Dual throttle return springs - Most new cars have two already, if your doesn't just add an additional one that you can get at any auto store.

Brakes lights working

Radiator overflow catch cans - Modern cars vapor recovery system will suffice. In older cars just a simple 1 quart container to catch the overflow is good enough. Some events may not allow anti-freeze, as it is very slippery and hard to clean up when it gets on the track. Must race cars use plain water with "water wetter" (available at Pep Boys) added to prevent corrosion.

Oil overflow catch can (called a "Puke Tank" on Cobras.) This is to prevent oil from spilling on to the track. New cars with PCV system are OK for most events. If your older car just has breather on the valve covers, they will have to be plumbed to a separate one quart tank and then vented.

Battery hold down clamp - must be in good condition and tight

Fire extinguisher - Must be manufactured of metal and mounted inside the car on a metal bracket. Halon would be the best type but any ABC type is acceptable as long as it is metal.

Helmet - Most of the Open Track events require an SA-2000 or newer helmet. The SA stands for Special Applications and the 2000 refers to the year of Snell standards under which it was manufactured. The standards are updated every 5 years. The helmet that you would buy today is an SA-2005. If the helmet is rated "M" this is for motorcycles. The most significant difference is that the liners in the SA style helmet are made of fire resistant material, and the shells are also stronger against sharp object impacts. Some groups will let you run with an "M" style helmet but many will not. National SAAC will not. If you are going to buy a helmet ignore the open face ones and get a full face helmet.

Tires - Your tires must be in good condition and rated for the speeds that you might obtain. It would ruin your whole day if a tire blew up at 120 mph. Even if you don't plan on driving that fast, but your car is capable of those kind of speeds, the sanctioning body will most likely required the correct speed rating or higher. The rating are stamped on the side of the tire as follows, the speeds listed are the maximum rated sustained speeds for each rating. H should be the minimum for most of our cars, and Z would be much better. If your car is a late model, fill them to the suggested air pressure in your manual or on the door frame. As that suggestion is for normal driving, you might want to start with 2-3 pounds higher. While you are looking at your tires check the torque on the lug nuts. Again, follow your manual or on older cars 90 ft-lb is a good target.

Tire Ratings:

N- 87 MPH, Spare Tires
U- 124 MPH
P- 93 MPH
H- 130 MPH Sport Sedans
Q- 99 MPH Winter, LT Tires
V- 149 MPH Sports Cars
R- 106 MPH LT Tires
Z- 149 MPH and over Sports Cars
S- 112 MPH
W- 168 MPH Exotic Sport Cars
T- 118 MPH
Y- 186 MPH Exotic Sport Cars

Roll Bar - These are required to be installed in convertibles and suggested for coupes. They do not need to be SCCA specifications, but they should be robust, made of seamless heavy wall tubing and mounted securely to the frame in 4 or more places. Most events, including SAAC, will allow the single hoop bar typical of Cobras, but no passengers.

Clothing - Cotton long sleeve shirts and pants are a minimum. Leather shoes are usually required, as well as flame resistant gloves (leather gloves are OK for most events).

After ensuring that you have all of the necessary equipment you should give your car a thorough inspection and check the following:

Brakes - Pads OK? At least ½ the thickness remaining. Pedal firm. No leaks. If the fluid is old you should flush the system and replace it with DOT 3 racing fluid. The boiling point of this fluid exceeds 500 degree F. Old fluid could may boil as low as 250 degrees, and on the track your brakes can easily reach 400 degrees. You may want to have a mechanic perform this task.

Empty the car - Nothing in the trunk or interior that is not bolted down. You would hate to have something roll under the brake pedal just when you need it the most.

No fluid leaks anywhere -

Wheel bearings are properly adjusted and the wheels are free of cracks and damage.

Inspect that all suspension bolts and nuts are tight, ball joints and tie rod ends are in good condition with no play and the steering system is tight without excessive play.

The last thing that you might want to do is mask off the front of your car with sticky backed clear shelf paper. It really helps reduce the amount of chips that you would normally pick up on the track.
This will get your car ready for an open track event, but what should you do to get yourself ready? The quickest way is to attend one of the many driving schools around the country. Most of them use their cars so you won't be doing any damage to yours. They are staffed by competent instructors and usually have a very low student/teacher ratio. One of the most economical ways to get some professional instruction is to attend the University of VARA held every year in late January at Buttonwillow.