Ok have the opportunity to track my stock XFR at Laguna Seca. Car has ~65k on it, good tires and newish brakes. I plan on selling the car in Oct. / Nov. have never tracked it. Anyway was wondering if this is a bad idea, i.e. car will take a beating and may break something? Car is a bit heavy compared to all the Miata's that will be out there. So anyone tracked their XFR on a road course like Laguna Seca - how did it go? How did car perform? Did car take a beating? etc. any info appreciated. Thanks.

 

Only looking at the tires & brakes on the cars from the Jaguar Academy I would guesstimate a day will cost you 2K street miles on your tires/brakes...

 

I have low miles so, 2K not a big deal, more concerned something major would occur, or as bad perform poorly. I could not find any track discussions other than dragstrip times and experiences.

 

if i were you, i'd take the opportunity and plan on driving the car at 8/10's of its true potential. if you are trying to do the very most your car can do, you will have the most expensive (component wear) trip to the track, but if your goal is simply to have fun then perhaps it will be more about exploring the upper end of the cornering and braking limits with healthy doses of strong acceleration in between. if your focus is fun rather than meeting some lap time posted by another car that you "must be" as fast as, you will have MUCH trouble wiping the smile off your face for the week after the event!! just to be able to do some stead high G cornering at that legendary track would be so fun.. turn 2 with that double apex.. the corkscrew..
don't forget to push DSC in for one second - this will allow for more slippage but not total reckless abandon.
i had chace to do 3 laps at watkins glen - a similar road course in upstate NY - and i found myself massaging my smile muscles in my face around the end of lap 2. it will be fun!!

 

Just do it!

 

OK going to take the plunge. Hopefully can keep my competitiveness in check so I don't get myself in trouble. Thanks all for the feedback. Feel free to pass along any tips as well :-)

 

2nd - DO IT!

You just don't have to drive it like you stole it the WHOLE time there...!

 

The beating your car will take will be directly related to how hard you drive it.

I've taken my XFR to The Streets of Willow here in SoCal and it was a great time though I did drive my car rather hard. At the end of the day, the following things needed attention:

New tires all the way around. The tires were brand new upon arriving at the track and were completely shredded by day end.
New brake pads all the way around. Discs needed to be refinished.
Front drivers side shock absorber started leaking from a seal and needed to be replaced.
Front lower control arm bushing tore and leaked.
Many new rock chips in the hood, fenders, windshield, and mirror covers.

At one point in the day, I had a message saying "E-Diff Not Available" but a quick cycle of the ignition cleared the message.

Again, I drove my car rather hard but it has been many miles since my last track day and after replacing the aforementioned parts, the car does not drive any differently than before the track day. Though I will say to be careful if you decide to chase down a car...rock chips from track days can be brutal in terms of the size of the chips and the sheer amount you receive from following too closely.

 

do it, but be safe.

the tires and brakes will be abused. it will be a hot day. get a few fun laps in and call it a day

 

Thanks all for the info and encouragement.

 

You have a lifetime ban from this forum if you allow those Miatas to beat you!!!!!

 

Exactly - Having said that my buddy has a 911 Carrera S and takes his $6K miata and says he keeps up with everyone, loses ground in straightaways and makes up ground in turns. But totally agree it would be a bit embarrassing to say the least.

 

You drive your car hard? Never would have guessed...

 

I raced full blown racing cars for decades. That was after crashing two expensive street cars at the tracks, one at Turn 9 Laguna Seca. I would NEVER take a street car on the track again. They are not built for that and when damaged, they loose a lot of their values. They also tend to be embarrassingly slower than low powered cars (Miatas, RX-7s) that are set up for the tracks.

 

Well too late for that - I am signed up. Albert - Any tips you can offer other than be careful on turn 9? You sound experienced - what got you into trouble on 9? Also, I would think the XFR is somewhat set-up for hard driving.

 

check your pads before hand, make sure they are not too old because you are about to shorten the hell out of their lives.
Your brakes are going to be taking a lot more heat with less time to cool, our are ceramic so they are resistant to heat soak, you dont have slotted rotors so you brakes may feel spongy after they get real hot from the out gassing of the brake material.
(nice to have): top up the steering fluid or have a flush done, same with the brake fluid.

wash the tires and scrub the side walls but put NO shine or "wet" treatment on them, if you get onto the sidewall you WILL slide out.
Dynamic mode is a must, sports mode if you feel like it.

 

I actually replaced rotors and pads, so I do have drilled and slotted hardened rotors and EBC Redstuff Ceramic pads. All are quite new and in good shape. So hopefully these will help with braking. Good call on wheel dressing - will not do that. I will put in Trac mode. I did do the R driving school at Las Vegas speedway many years ago and the stock brakes held up really well. Hoping my new set up holds up even better.

 

Tip for Turn 9. Begin braking hard way before cresting the hill. Increase your speeds very gradually and decrease your braking distances the same.

What got me in trouble in both instances were my competitiveness. Trying to turn in the Fast Time Of The Day! At Turn 9 I held off with braking too long and spun off the course damaging my Lamborghini.

At Sears Point, Turn 7, I was a few hundreds of a second from the Fast Time and trying to regain it. Coming out of the hairpin I gradually applied power, just a hair too much, and spun into the right guard rails.

No street car is truly set up for track driving. Street cars have to have a minimum degree of ride comfort that the racing suspension setup does not provide. Which is why those pesky little Miatas, RX-7s with their 130-some Hp and harsh racing suspensions will outlap Turbo Porsches and Ferraris.

 

Thanks Albert, I appreciate it.

 

Also, don't be put off by being whooped by Miatas. They weight more than a ton less, have racing suspensions and, most likely, racing compound tires. Weight in racing is everything. The lack of weight allows you to accelerate faster, brake later and carry more cornering speeds.

Example: For many years I used to race GT-2 and GT-3 classes where my car weighted 2100 lbs and had 245 rear wheel hp. There was an old, ex pro Trans Am race car with a big block Ford with 803 rear wheel hp BUT, weighted 4300 lbs. He always blew me away at the start but, if I wanted to be super aggressive I outbraked him into the first corner but, in the second corner, for sure. By lap 10 I lapped the car because his tires could not hold up to the weights.