Track Weekend #4: Willow Springs Big Track!

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by TBone

Sweet video. What track pads are you running out there? Looking forward to closer pics of your splitter setup.

T.

Thanks T. Just Hawk HP+ pads, they work surprisingly well. Maybe my driving style isn't hard on brakes but I've yet to have any noticeable fade. Rotors still look very healthy, no unusual checking or discoloration. I've run Thunderhill, Buttonwillow and now Willow Springs without issue. I'll be running Hoosiers at Buttonwillow in April, we will see how the brakes hold up.

When the rotors are done I'll upgrade to a lightweight, cooler running rotor like the RBs. Very soon I'll likely add cooling to the fronts. I've been avoiding a more aggressive track pad such as the Carbotechs because I can leave the HP+ Pads in fulltime, street and track. I don't trailer my car and it's already a lot of work swapping my track wheels on when I get to the track. I'd hate to have to swap pads too. What are your thoughts on this?

[Cuda7050]

Been following your build since you got the car. Looking forward to seeing you at Buttonwillow in April.

I am no where near your level of performance, but since you asked about track pads, I just put mine (fronts only) in the day before, drive to the track/race and then swap back to my stock pads the day after the event. It only takes me about 45 minutes to do the fronts.

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by Cuda7050

Been following your build since you got the car. Looking forward to seeing you at Buttonwillow in April.

I am no where near your level of performance, but since you asked about track pads, I just put mine (fronts only) in the day before, drive to the track/race and then swap back to my stock pads the day after the event. It only takes me about 45 minutes to do the fronts.

Hey Cuda,

I think that's a good solution. Do you clean the rotors between pad changes with sandpaper? Do you flatten the pads as well? I've been discussing this with others, trying to understand all that is involved.

Awesome on seeing you at Buttonwillow!

[TBone]

I do the same as Cuda. Swap sometime before the event, drive to the event then home and swap out the pads. I also switch to my track rims/tires that you see in my sig before driving to the event. I do usually just scuff up the rotors with some sandpaper but it's nothing real aggressive. You could use some green pads as well I think.

I used DBA 4000's for street and track and they lasted for two years. I really liked them. I have heard mixed reviews on the RB's.

Pads, hmmmmm....... I could talk about this for days but I will give you my readers digest version. Hawks=NO WAY, Carbotech=Good, Cobalt Friction=Great. I am hard on pads and go through a set in one day @ Autobahn or a weekend @ Road America with good weather.

I have a new video up on my youtube channel, ChiTownTbone, that is from Oct last year at Autobahn. The cool thing is I have on from '12 and one from '13 and you can see how I get faster when you watch them back to back. It is only two laps and in the first I chase down a Z06 and the second a Porsche. Give it a look.

T.

[STI_TO_SS?]

Nice driving, fun to watch, very high speed corners.

I totally hear you on tracking. I'm pretty much addicted, I had no idea how fun it would be. It's hard to find anything as an adult that can give you the adrenaline rush we had when we were kids, ripping down hills on skateboards and big wheels.

I view a track addiction as a healthy addiction. You have to be completely sober to do it, so it's good for your body and mind.

[Cuda7050]

Originally Posted by Orange Crush 1LE

Hey Cuda,

I think that's a good solution. Do you clean the rotors between pad changes with sandpaper? Do you flatten the pads as well? I've been discussing this with others, trying to understand all that is involved.

Awesome on seeing you at Buttonwillow!

I consulted the guys at Livermore Performance (Livermore, CA) on brakes. They cater to club racers and seem to take a very practical approach to car set up. The set me up with Raybestos ST 43's (fronts only) which they claim are the same pads used by several NASCAR teams. Since I live at least 2 hours from the nearest track, they recommended I simply drop in the race pads, turn off stabilitrac/traction control and drive to the track. They felt the distance to the track would effectively clean the rotors and no sanding would be necessary. I try to go through a bedding procedure before I arrive at the track, otherwise I take it easy on the first two laps to get the brakes bedded. I know others will recommend more comprehensive approaches, but this simply works for me. However my car isn't nearly as fast as your car.

If I were you with such a fast car, I would give the guys at Livermore Performance a call and see what they recommend. Their super nice guys with 30+ years of road racing experience and can point you in the right direction.

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by TBone

I do the same as Cuda. Swap sometime before the event, drive to the event then home and swap out the pads. I also switch to my track rims/tires that you see in my sig before driving to the event. I do usually just scuff up the rotors with some sandpaper but it's nothing real aggressive. You could use some green pads as well I think.

I used DBA 4000's for street and track and they lasted for two years. I really liked them. I have heard mixed reviews on the RB's.

Pads, hmmmmm....... I could talk about this for days but I will give you my readers digest version. Hawks=NO WAY, Carbotech=Good, Cobalt Friction=Great. I am hard on pads and go through a set in one day @ Autobahn or a weekend @ Road America with good weather.

I have a new video up on my youtube channel, ChiTownTbone, that is from Oct last year at Autobahn. The cool thing is I have on from '12 and one from '13 and you can see how I get faster when you watch them back to back. It is only two laps and in the first I chase down a Z06 and the second a Porsche. Give it a look.

T.

Depending on the distance to the track, I sometimes drive on my track tires to the track. But Willow Springs is 320 miles and Buttonwillow is 220, that's a long way on Hoosiers. I borrowed a friend's small trailer that I pulled behind the Camaro last event. Just big enough for track wheels and a big tool box, worked well! I will get one of my own.

I've read your posts about DBA rotors, those are at the top of my wish list. I'm looking forward to checking out your vids when I get on wi fi.

I've run Laguna Seca in my Viper and that track is very hard on brakes. If I run Seca in the Camaro I'll definitely go to a serious track pad. The problem with Seca is that the auto manufacturers bought up all of the high dB days this year, and both my cars are too loud to pass the 90 dB limit on HPDE days.

[EarlyApex]

Originally Posted by Orange Crush 1LE

After trying another, I settled on Harry's Lap Timer, Grand Prix Edition on my iPhone using the phone's video. I also use a GoPoint BT1 OBD Bluetooth interface which automatically syncs the car's throttle, speed, rpm and gear selection to Harry's. And for high accuracy timing, I use an XGPS160 Bluetooth GPS antenna. All devices are wireless and work automatically together. Harry's does the overlay with the click of a button. Awesome set up.

What mount do you use for the phone? Any pictures?

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by Cuda7050

I consulted the guys at Livermore Performance (Livermore, CA) on brakes. They cater to club racers and seem to take a very practical approach to car set up. The set me up with Raybestos ST 43's (fronts only) which they claim are the same pads used by several NASCAR teams. Since I live at least 2 hours from the nearest track, they recommended I simply drop in the race pads, turn off stabilitrac/traction control and drive to the track. They felt the distance to the track would effectively clean the rotors and no sanding would be necessary. I try to go through a bedding procedure before I arrive at the track, otherwise I take it easy on the first two laps to get the brakes bedded. I know others will recommend more comprehensive approaches, but this simply works for me. However my car isn't nearly as fast as your car.

If I were you with such a fast car, I would give the guys at Livermore Performance a call and see what they recommend. Their super nice guys with 30+ years of road racing experience and can point you in the right direction.

I met a guy that races Camaros and he recommended the Raybestos ST43's as well. One reason to sand the rotors is that your street and track pads may not have compatible compounds.

Good to know about Livermore Perf, I'll keep them in mind. Have they worked on many Camaros?

I run in Competition Mode on the track, do you defeat it completely?

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by STI_TO_SS?

Nice driving, fun to watch, very high speed corners.



I view a track addiction as a healthy addiction. You have to be completely sober to do it, so it's good for your body and mind.

Thanks man. I agree, I think T Bone's sig says it all. A healthy China White Heroine, LOL!

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by EarlyApex

What mount do you use for the phone? Any pictures?

I bought a generic looking one, not particularly rigid. I don't know if I'd recommend it and the car is back in the shop for a couple weeks so no pics for now.

[OzzySS]

somehow i missed this thread til tonight...man, i can't wait for some wide open roads and track days!! (stupid island!)

[jcox]

Originally Posted by Orange Crush 1LE

Depending on the distance to the track, I sometimes drive on my track tires to the track. But Willow Springs is 320 miles and Buttonwillow is 220, that's a long way on Hoosiers. I borrowed a friend's small trailer that I pulled behind the Camaro last event. Just big enough for track wheels and a big tool box, worked well! I will get one of my own.

Nice meeting you at Willow.

You mentioned that you were playing with the idea of moving to slicks at some point. If you're still considering it do you think it would let you run less angle on your wing an maintain comparable grip in turn while giving you less drag on straights?

[Orange Crush 1LE]

Originally Posted by jcox

Nice meeting you at Willow.

You mentioned that you were playing with the idea of moving to slicks at some point. If you're still considering it do you think it would let you run less angle on your wing an maintain comparable grip in turn while giving you less drag on straights?

Good to meet you too. Yes, in fact I've just mounted Hoosiers on it for my track weekend at Buttonwillow 4/19-4/20. That's a good question. I'll be with a bunch of guys with wings this weekend, I'll ask them that question. I'm just learning about the wing. So far I like max grip from the 10 degree angle of attack, and the Camaro has the HP to handle the added drag.