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First track day questions

2K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Gunpilot 
#1 ·
Been doing track days with my 911 since 2012, but Saturday at Buttonwillow will be my first time on track with the Elise.

I've had a full safety inspection using the Lotus Cup tech sheet. The car's been serviced (all fresh fluids), the brakes are in good condition, and I have installed front and rear tow hooks, a CG lock, and, most importantly, a gpan3.

A "few" questions -

1) Is there any benefit - safety, aerodynamic, or otherwise - to running with the hardtop on the car? With my helmet on and the hardtop on the car it's a tight fit!

2) Is it a good idea to take the Lotus badge wheel centers off the car? (I lost one of my Porsche's on track once). And if so, how do you remove them?

3) My car has the factory starshield and it's in good condition. Do I need to tape anywhere else? For example, does the starshield cover the headlights and turn signals (don't think so but can't tell)? Is it also a good idea to tape over the starshield just in case?

4) [dumbest question]. I want to take the carpets on the floor out of the car. Mine are attached by white plastic buttons which look like a big flat head screw (OEM I assume). Do they snap off or do they unscrew? I was having trouble removing them on the weekend and wanted to ask before I damaged anything.

5) I'd like to put a strip of yellow tape at the top center of the wheel. Any suggestions as to what to use - cloth, racer's tape?

6) Finally! I have Sector's HnT pad. They say to apply Locktite if you are using the pad on track. But I am wary of doing this given how hard it would be to undo. Any suggestions as to how necessary Locktite is?

Thanks in advance!
 
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#2 · (Edited)
WD40 on the sill will allow the collected rubber to come off more easily.

If your paws stay on the wheel then you will know where the is pointed all the time without looking. If you are looking at the wheel, or spinning it like Vanna White then that usually bodes for trouble. When your paws stay on the wheel it is much faster to turn the wheel than dog paddling it, or "English shuffling" it.
Plus I can leave my bifocals at home and just focus down track.

You do not want a set up that changes, I would either use the HnT all the time or not at all.
(I use mine all the time)
I would not use locktite, but that assumes that you would check it often.
One generally wants a set up that you are used to.

"Ol man San" is just of the road, and San is Spanish for saint
 
#3 ·
1- Some tracks require the hardtop. It will be safer to have it on unless you have a rollcage.

2- I always keep mine on. If they are older then you may want to take them off but they were designed to stay on.

3- If you are worried then tape it. All the rubber markings will come off using WD-40.

4- Unscrew

5- Why?

6- If it calls for "Locktite" then use it. Anything that can become loose will do so on a track and you don't need distraction going 100 mph...
 
#4 ·
1. Rule of thumb is 2 inches above your helmet. With top off if they allow it, some organizations do not, there is also the drag you will get.

2. If you are concerned yes, take them off, I have spares, but just use some electrical tape on the edge to snug it up.

3. TrakkTape is a great product! ( TrakkTape | Track Day Protection ) I would suggest using something over the turn signals (they pop out) and the rear rocker. The leading edge of my nose takes a beating and I TrakkTape it too. Mention you are an LT member and you will get a discount. The black marks come off really easy with any citrus based cleaner like GoofOff.

4. They unscrew but the reason Lotus did it that way was to keep the carpet secured. SCCA will require you to remove them.

5. You wont need tape, It looks cool but if you keep your hands at the 3 and 9 while on a road coarse you wont turn more than 1/2 wheel width.

6. I have not tried this pad, meant to in my wifes Elise. I would just check it periodically for security.

Just my 2 cents of what little Track Time I have, not gospel...........
 
#6 ·
1) Is there any benefit - safety, aerodynamic, or otherwise - to running with the hardtop on the car? With my helmet on and the hardtop on the car it's a tight fit!

Less drag with the top, but probably don't matter, and you don't have to worry about messy air affecting the wing since you don't have one.
Some organizers require hardtops, or require a roll bar, but some organizers exempt Elises since it kind of already has an integrated roll bar.

2) Is it a good idea to take the Lotus badge wheel centers off the car? (I lost one of my Porsche's on track once). And if so, how do you remove them?

Some people lose them, and I've found a few on the track. I haven't lost mine.. yet.
I've heard of center caps melting on rare occasions, but that could be a myth.
When in doubt, it's probably safer to pop it from the inside of the wheel.

3) My car has the factory starshield and it's in good condition. Do I need to tape anywhere else? For example, does the starshield cover the headlights and turn signals (don't think so but can't tell)? Is it also a good idea to tape over the starshield just in case?

Starshield on the rear rocker panel will absolutely get shredded(well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) if you track often. Some put tapes on. Some use Trakktape. Some use temporary vinyl film.

4) [dumbest question]. I want to take the carpets on the floor out of the car. Mine are attached by white plastic buttons which look like a big flat head screw (OEM I assume). Do they snap off or do they unscrew? I was having trouble removing them on the weekend and wanted to ask before I damaged anything.

Lefty loosey. Sometimes they just spin around and won't unscrew because the bottom nut thingy is spinning. If they are stock plastic ones, they damage easily. I tend to finger tighten them.

5) I'd like to put a strip of yellow tape at the top center of the wheel. Any suggestions as to what to use - cloth, racer's tape?

Meh.

6) Finally! I have Sector's HnT pad. They say to apply Locktite if you are using the pad on track. But I am wary of doing this given how hard it would be to undo. Any suggestions as to how necessary Locktite is?

Hell, I had to locktite my seat bolts recently. There are 'serviceable' locktites. If you use RED you're pretty much screwed. BLUE is medium strength removeables that gets used everywhere. Purple/pink for low strength. GREEN is the devil, don't go there.
Don't HnT pad come with nylon-insert lock nuts? Maybe it's different since I have the DBWpedal covers, but it came with lock nuts.
 
#7 ·
Remove the passenger side footrest!
That's a sharp piece of aluminum you don't want flying around.

Have fun, the track is where it belongs.
I've had Porsche guys in the passenger seat and they typically have a huge grin at the end of a session, and mention that the car is like a go kart.

You'll see????
 
#8 ·
Hard top question, paranoid thinking... Note that if you mess up big time and can't open the door, you won't be able to egress the car with your hat on. That is, with the door closed and your helmet on you can't get your noggin through the window.

I always take the center caps off my wheels at the track. I've seen a number of people scratching their heads at the end of the day. "I wonder where that one went." I've forgotten to remove them on occasion and never lost one, but YMMV.

I've never thought of taking the carpet out of the cockpit, but I strip everything from the boot.
 
#11 ·
I have thought quite a bit about the helmet not fitting through the window thing, as I always track my car with the hardtop on.

My conclusion is that even a sissy track marshall could rip the hardtop off no problem if they were trying to extract me from the car. Take a look at the attachments and you will see what I mean, I can't imagine it takes more than 30 or 40 pounds of force to pull the attachments loose.

Otherwise agree with all that has been said above. You will love the Lotus on track, it really is an unbelievable pleasure to drive on a road course.
 
#14 ·
+1 with LotusCC. That's why the SCCA will want you to remove them for AutoX. Just like the Toyota recall, they don't want it coming loose, bunching up and giving you throttle lock!
Or you can get a set of these from Sector: Rubbertite Floor Mats from Sector111
Very durable, they look good and it gives you some grip too. We put them in both the Elise and Exige and they don't make my wife remove them for AutoX in her Elise. I put the carpet in storage for if I ever sell the cars..........Not!
 
#15 ·
Thanks, all, for the advice. Much appreciated!

I've decided to run without the hardtop. I checked and it's OK with the track.

Didn't realize Locktite came in varying strengths!

Still not sure how the wheel centers come off. Do they unscrew, do you pry them off, or do you have to remove the wheel (forkmeupscotty said to pop them from inside the wheel, which I assume means you need to remove the wheel)?

Yellow tape or not, I am sceptical that you can keep your arms at 9 and 3 and not get crossed up in sharp turns. I couldn't in my old 911 so I shuffle steered in some corners (which is what my PCA instructors told me to do). Not sure what the steering ratio is on the Elise, though. Will experiment on Saturday.
 
#16 ·
Wheel centers will pop out from the inside. Its basically 4 tabs that are slightly larger than the hole and they act as springs when you pop them in. Just try pulling it off from the outside.
 
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