So, you want to drive your own car on a racetrack? Well, here are 8 tips on how to get your car track-ready. Whether you’re planning to drive your car “factory stock” or you want to get it prepped for ultimate performance with some upgraded parts, these 8 tips will be a good starting point for you.

 

After you’ve decided what racetrack you plan to drive at, like our favorite “home track” Virginia International Raceway near Danville, getting your car track-ready means having a trained technician, preferably one representing the automotive brand that built your car, do a service check for you. Whether you drive a BMW, Porsche, Audi, Alfa Romeo or some other performance brand car, you should make an appointment with your favorite brand technician first.

Here’s a short video on some of the things our technicians look for during a pre-track day checkup:

 

 

A factory-trained and certified technician will check to make sure your belts and fluids are recent. Running your car for just a few hot laps on the racetrack will put your car’s mechanicals under much more stress than they experience during your daily commute.

Flushing your brakes and adding new fluid is highly recommended too. They should also check that your brake lines have no cracks and that the brake pads look good. Running your car well on the track at high-speed won’t mean a thing if your brakes and related components aren’t up to the task of stopping you safely.

A good set of summer or all-season tires with a safe amount of tread life is recommended, but if you have excessive wear on a tire or tires or have had a tire patched, you’ll need to plan on getting them replaced. The racetrack is not where you want to drive on a patched tire and depending on the track event you want to drive in, you’d most likely fail inspection with a patched or tread-worn tire anyway.

Inside your car your factory-certified service technician will check your seat and seatbelt to make sure they’re securely attached and in proper working condition. This is even more important for older model cars headed to the track. As always, safety first.

During your car’s track-service inspection, your car’s steering wheel will be checked to make sure it turns easily from lock to lock. Everything happens faster on the racetrack than on the street, so your steering and related components must be up to the job. There should be no excessive play in the shock or strut mounts, trailing arms, roll bars or other suspension pieces as well.

Under the hood (or the trunk if your car is a Porsche) there shouldn’t be any leaks from the engine (or anywhere else) allowing liquids to fall onto the track surface, for the safety of others and you. If the track inspector discovers a leak under your car, your day will be over before it even got started.

Your car’s battery should be properly secured with a strap or harness, and make sure the battery posts are covered. This is for your protection in the event of a rollover and for the safety of first responders approaching your car.

There are a few things you can do too as the car’s owner, like making sure there aren’t any loose objects like floor mats, garage door openers, mobile phones, etc. in your car. Driving fast on a road course like VIR will toss anything loose across your interior, and an unsecured floor mat could get stuck under your gas or brake pedal.

Be sure to clean your windows thoroughly as the sun can be blinding in certain spots on the racetrack. A clean view will also aid you as you find your line through the turns.

Check your tire pressures before, during and after your track day using your owner’s manual as a guide for proper inflation. Weather, elevation and how many laps or sessions you run will affect tire pressure. Be sure to pay attention to it to keep safe on the track and afterward on the drive back home.

Finally, try to find a motoring friend who has already driven their car on a racetrack or especially the track you’re planning to run. Area car clubs who are active on the course you’ve chosen can be a great resource too. We’d also recommend watching a few “track day” videos to help you prepare for what you’ll eventually see from behind the wheel of your own car.

Our high-performance brand locations like Leith Porsche, Leith Alfa Romeo Maserati of Raleigh and Leith BMW have factory-certified experts who perform track-service certifications on a regular basis for their customers.

Many of these same Leith technicians take their own cars up to VIR on track days, so they are highly experienced when inspecting or servicing your car. Having them perform your track-day service will save you time and give you the peace of mind knowing your car is track-ready when you arrive for your track-day inspection.

So, are you ready to drive your own car on a racetrack? Then go ahead and schedule a track inspection service at your local Leith Automotive Service Center.

 

Written by LeithCars.com Media.

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