I raced in SCCA for 20 years, mostly in Formula cars - Formula Ford, Formula Continental & Formula Atlantic. After retiring from SCCA racing (due to a bad accident) I returned to racing with the Porsche Club in a 996. I still race the 996 a couple of times a season, but I was thinking it might be fun (interesting) to take the XK to a Driver's Ed (which isn't racing). I read some of the limited posts about tracking an XK but would like some additional input from anyone who has actually tracked their XK. I guess my biggest question would be regarding the brakes. Do they hold up? I suspect they do not as stock pads typically fade fairly quickly on track.
Cheers.

 

The X150's a bit heavy and there's a fair bit of roll you'll have to get used to in corners, combining lifting, braking and steering but once you get to know the car, it's not too bad. Sticky tyres are a must as well, as traction's not the best. Standard single piston floating calipers and pads fade quickly and will not survive a track event. Use a true track pad and replace the fluid with higher boiling point race fluid like Motul 600. I had to go with fixed 6-piston Alcon calipers and Pagid yellow pads, made ALL the difference.

 

 

Bah, eight pistons or NO pistons.

 

I got piston envy now - are those on your XKR Cee Jay?

 

Yeah, no. I don't actually do much on my XKR, I got my drag car for doing fun things.

 

The difference from xkr to xk springs is day and night, the xk is extremely comfortable but very very soft you'll find a far bit of body roll....if you can I would highly recommend swapping out to xkr strut/springs that is if your planning on tracking quite often or even coilovers .

I think good tyres are common knowledge, brake fluid flush , if you can't upgraded your front brake package (380mm & 360mm from xkrs/xkr & ftype are straight swap) perhaps a good set of pads .

Obviously plenty of other items could be performed but definitely upgraded springs , brakes & tyres would feature quite highly on my list

 

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Not surprising - street brakes (pads) don't typically hold up to track use. I'm not going to change rotors and calipers for one track day, but I will swap out the pads. And always do a brake bleed prior to a track event for any car, street car or race car. And yes, I do need to get use to the feel and handling of the XK since it's a new-to-me car. I do have a new set of Bridgestone Potenza Sports that I'm going to put on.......when the weather breaks. I don't intend to push it to its limits (that's what racing is for). I just want to see how fun it is on the track. It will be a PCA DE at Mid-Ohio, a track that I know like the back of my hand.
There's an old adage about track driving........"don't take anything on the track that you can't afford to lose".

 

Thanks. I get my "track jolly's" racing my 996 in PCA Club Racing, so this will be a one-time thing just for fun. Afterall, how can one own a Jag XK and not go to the track at least once? As you and @jahummer indicated, I can expect a fair amount of body roll. I'm not going to do any suspension modifications, but I will change to a set of track brake pads and change back again after. This XK is going to be a car for weekend trips and to use semi-daily.

Is there any trick to changing pads or is it fairly straight-forward?

 

Floating caliper upfront so straight forward pad swap for the rear it requires the piston to be wound back, although make sure your electric hand brake is in off position .

And its fantastic seeing somone tracking their xk !!

 

Thanks for the caliper/pad info. I haven't tracked it yet...........but that's the plan.
Cheers.

 

And it's a non-standard spacing for the wind-back tool. I bought 20mm spacing with two 4mm pins which works fine.

Richard