Technical Trackday tyres / Pressures

[Rustbucket]

Now we all know from one expert post that Barchetta's are crap on the track and anybody in a 1.1 Fiesta will blow them away...

However I'm taking LBB for a blast this weekend. Last time was in a 350Hp Fiat Coupe so the lap times might be a tad different..anybody recommend tyres / pressures for non professional circuit (old airfield) in the wet?

 

[Mad Matt]

I haven't raced mine but I was told by a Michelin linked company to keep the tyre pressures as standard on the Barchetta, perhaps erring slightly towards the lower side. They reckon that anything else causes excessive wear and overall less performance from the tyre.

On the road they seem to be right, on the track I cannot say

Either way have fun and don't crash!!!

 

[LittleRedB]

Now we all know from one expert post that Barchetta's are crap on the track and anybody in a 1.1 Fiesta will blow them away...

However I'm taking LBB for a blast this weekend. Last time was in a 350Hp Fiat Coupe so the lap times might be a tad different..anybody recommend tyres / pressures for non professional circuit (old airfield) in the wet?

So how did you get on?

 

[Rustbucket]

Was a blast. All kinds of traffic. Guys in white baseball caps and stickered Skylines, drug dealer in his Merc AMG with tinted windows...and mere mortals like me.

Got teamed up with 2 MX5's (1 was a new 2L) and a couple of MGF's. The MGF 160 was tuned and lowered and very quick. But the B did ok. Both mixers had a good close up look at my fancy Rhino brake light but LBB was either quicker or I was a better driver and they weren't able to do much. MGF collectively wiped the floor us until fumes and a nasty smell of something very hot came from his engine bay and he went and sat miserable in the car park. Head gasket again? Lot of interest in the B.

Good day and huge fun. The boys with the serious performance motors and ego / big swinging dick issues spent time hammering the timing gates while we did circuits and more crcuits and then a spot of lunch.

 

[nicholasb]

Sound like good fun. Not sure if I would take my B round a track as I have to drive it daily. One day maybe. I had a day of track driving in Porsches - really good fun.

 

[LittleRedB]

Excellent, sounds like you had a fantastic day out. I have to say that of all the track days I have taken part in the mixed class days are always best, a good mix of cars and truth be known the only person you are really racing against is your previous track time. If you find yourself on a track of similar cars then its much easier to make mistakes as you are hammering it against equally matched motors, with a good mix of cars its much easier to relax!

That said in every track day I have ever taken part in I always find myself pushing harder and harder - thankfully on a couple of occasions in the past I have held the fastest time of the day!!

Depending on whether my search for a new source of income bares fruits or not in the coming weeks I may try to get down to Goodwood for a couple of days this winter (although I need to sort the CV's, drive shaft and sway arm bushes first!!)....

Do you have any piccies?

 

[Rustbucket]

Sound like good fun. Not sure if I would take my B round a track as I have to drive it daily..

Once is enough I think in this B. I use mine everyday as well and keep it tidy. Ragging the ass off it is fun once but..

Now if I could afford a project car and accept the knocks/bumps and high wear & tear.

I think if I was going to do this again then I'd be looking for a lot more performance from something a bit stronger built. I HATE Skylines almost as much a BMW 4x4's (mostly 'cos they are both plug ugly and most Jap performance cars are unusable outside 'full on attack mode') but I can see why the guys track them.

 

[Lloydie38]

It sound like you had loads of fun and IMHO that's what track days are for having fun, there are some real t055ers who turn up but that's not too often. My wife wants to track our B but it's far too nice to track - thats what we have the 1988 BMW e30 325 for.. I don't mind that getting bashed but not the B ...pleaseeeeeee

'B's..Just say no to tracking!!

 

[LittleRedB]

Nice piccies