How to prepare for your first track day

Obvious? Perhaps, but I could also see someone like myself getting so excited to go to their first track day that they forget to check and see if their car is safe enough to drive on track.

In reply to Colin Wood :

My first autocross I didn't know any better and didn't take anything out of my car before heading to the track so after getting there I had to make a pile of everything in my car in the grass. I learned a lot that day. 

In reply to ChrisTropea :

Yup, get everything out of the car: change, glasses, etc., etc. 

On some cars, I'll also buckle any unused seat belts so I don't wonder what's banging around while going through a slalom. (Not a problem in the Miata but it bugged me in the SE-R.)

I run PCA tech inspections, every year we do a "novice" track day.  We end up failing tons of cars for that as people haven't changed their brake fluid ever, tires are 9+ years old, brake pads are wafer thin, etc, etc, etc.  The level of maintenance on a car that hits the track is just much higher than most people do for the daily drivers and they don't even think about it.

Colin Wood said:

Obvious? Perhaps, but I could also see someone like myself getting so excited to go to their first track day that they forget to check and see if their car is safe enough to drive to the track.

FTFY. 

Not aimed at you, btw.  I too have teched for PCA events.  Even though our club requires a shop inspection before hand not all shops inspect well.  I've caught some scary stuff (shoulder harnesses bolted thru the thin Miata bulkhead cover, cracked rotors, etc.). I've sent a few people home, unfortunately.

In reply to PMRacing :

Last year I failed a car because the brake fluid was blue.  Think about that for a minute, when was the last time Ate Super Blue was sold?

In reply to docwyte :

They still sell it.

docwyte said:

Last year I failed a car because the brake fluid was blue.  Think about that for a minute, when was the last time Ate Super Blue was sold?

I know people who've tried DIY ATE blue with food coloring. :)

In reply to ndavis :

Where? Looks like even in Europe and Japan the Super Blue has been replaced with the Type 200. I'd be interested if it's still available anywhere.

Edit: Found some new-old-stock for sale, not cheap though!

https://www.ebay.com/p/1117845379

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

How did that go? Food coloring is water-based so in theory you should end up with something like half-used Super Blue if you try that.

Edit: Searched and found this video showing how to use the correct hydraulic fluid dye to make your own knockoff Super Blue. Warning, has orders of magnitude more bad language than you'd expect for a video about mixing brake fluid where it never goes into his eyes: