OFFICIAL ROAD TRACK TIMES:

[mySSt]

CoTA 2:47 in '14 1LE with Michelin PSS, Hawk HPS pads, CAI, NPP fuse pulled on overcast day at 60 deg F.

Oh yea, CG Lock to keep my butt planted in the Recaros.

[X25]

Originally Posted by mySSt

CoTA 2:47 in '14 1LE with Michelin PSS, Hawk HPS pads, CAI, NPP on overcast day at 60 deg F.

Oh yea, CG Lock to keep my butt planted in the Recaros.

You should not use HPS at the track. They are only for street. When they start fading, they will lose bite too fast.

[mySSt]

Originally Posted by X25

You should not use HPS at the track. They are only for street. When they start fading, they will lose bite too fast.

Thanks for the input, but never have had any fade problem with HPS. And CoTA is a track known for eating up brake pads. Four true hairpins (three of which are at the end of long straights) and another turn that needs to be driven like a hairpin (turn 20).

[X25]

Originally Posted by mySSt

Thanks for the input, but never have had any fade problem with HPS. And CoTA is a track known for eating up brake pads. Four true hairpins (three of which are at the end of long straights) and another turn that needs to be driven like a hairpin (turn 20).

That's bizzare, you must be very gentle on your brakes; I did not lap at that track, so I don't know about it. Perhaps it gives you enough time to cool down between those turns. I know that for most, HPS will be downright dangerous, and Hawk itself also categorizes them as street pads. Their track line starts with HP+.

HPS is famous for suddenly losing the whole bite; you are forewarned : )

[Stephen12ZL1]

Listen to X25... unless you are driving like grandma going to church, Hawk HPS are terrible. Stock pads are much better IMHO. I use Hawk DTC 70/60 F/R and they have awesome brake torque that gets better with heat.

[mySSt]

Don't know about grandma driving to church ...

http://youtu.be/AiJ7mpfZLB4

[Stephen12ZL1]

Your driving is very good. Check out this link: http://blog.simraceway.com/2013/11/cota-fast/ It appears COTA is not as brake heavy as VIR full. That must be why your pads are doing OK. VIR has two high speed straights that require heavy braking from 140mph+ (front) and 150mph(back). I would turn a Hawk HPS into a charcoal briquette. Good luck and consider using a more track appropriate pad just to be on the safe side once those wear out.

[mySSt]

Originally Posted by Stephen12ZL1

Your driving is very good. Check out this link: http://blog.simraceway.com/2013/11/cota-fast/ It appears COTA is not as brake heavy as VIR full. That must be why your pads are doing OK. VIR has two high speed straights that require heavy braking from 140mph+ (front) and 150mph(back). I would turn a Hawk HPS into a charcoal briquette. Good luck and consider using a more track appropriate pad just to be on the safe side once those wear out.

Thanks for the compliment. Also, appreciate the link you included - its a very good read for anyone going to drive this track. Tried some of what it said, but didn't have the guts to try all they listed!

[Norm Peterson]

So what happened in T1 at about 12:00? Looks like you ended up going through it well wide of the apex that time, and I'm specifically wondering if reduced brake bite was involved at all. Be honest with yourself here.

If it makes you feel any better, I did one track day on HPS pads. Exactly one - my first ever - with full conscious awareness of their limitations. Even though I got through it successfully enough (no 'offs' or seat-pucker moments), I was easing off way early and running a good 4 - 5 seconds slower than my next time out. That was a year and a half later, on the same track, with XP8's - entry-level track pads, hence reason for having a lot more confidence. Not knowing with the HPS (and eventually with the XP8's) whether the pads are staying 100° or more below their max temperature or are getting within 10° of it has a way of encouraging one to upgrade sooner rather than putting it off for later "because they've worked OK for me so far". Same goes for fluid.


Norm

[mySSt]

Appreciate the discussion from everyone's experience. I'm guessing I don't push my car as hard as some others (I'm more conservative)? I do compare the runs with others in my group on track days and there is a multitude of different pads, rotor setup, etc. Can't say I've run across the fade issues while driving two different cars.

However, sounds like it's worth trying a more aggressive pad setup. Anyway, the T1 issue was driver error. I wanted to catch up with the bimmer. I tried to delay my braking zone. Problem with that is there is a flat just after the white line across the track. Car gets light as it goes over the rise and braking force isn't as good there as it is before the flat area. I still needed the same amount of distance to slow the car, just needed to do it before the flat area. Corrected the problem on later sessions.

[X25]

I wasn't going to comment since I didn't want to come across as rude, but now that we're talking, it felt like in most corners you were letting off gas way early, perhaps in preparation for the brake zone, and also starting the braking very early. During those back to back corners, due to this behavior, the car was just cruising at an almost constant, very slowly accelerating speed while you negotiated the corners.

The gear was also too high out of the corners; you shouldn't need to stay under 4000 RPMs for a long time. Long story short, you could drive way more aggressive, and this car would reward you with double the fun, and would then kill you after you lost brakes at the first corner after the front straight with those ceramic pads : p

[Stephen12ZL1]

Originally Posted by mySSt

Appreciate the discussion from everyone's experience. I'm guessing I don't push my car as hard as some others (I'm more conservative)? I do compare the runs with others in my group on track days and there is a multitude of different pads, rotor setup, etc. Can't say I've run across the fade issues while driving two different cars.

However, sounds like it's worth trying a more aggressive pad setup. Anyway, the T1 issue was driver error. I wanted to catch up with the bimmer. I tried to delay my braking zone. Problem with that is there is a flat just after the white line across the track. Car gets light as it goes over the rise and braking force isn't as good there as it is before the flat area. I still needed the same amount of distance to slow the car, just needed to do it before the flat area. Corrected the problem on later sessions.

Yes...I noticed you pushing harder to catch that BMW and could hear your tires howling louder in the turns. It is so easy to push through a turn late braking trying to "catch up" when all that does is slow you down. As you know, it is much better to brake slightly earlier and get back to the throttle sooner if possible.

[MTCobra]

We need to start sub categories with individual tracks. I often look for comparisons at various tracks and it's difficult to search the entire thread.


2014 ZL1

[X25]

At Miata forums, there's a simple template in use (where, when, what model car, hp, weight, comment on mods/driving conditions, and finally the proof video). This makes the search easier. On the top of that, we could also use the first 2 posts for best 2-3 times of every track.