Track Day prep checklist

Like others who have posted, I've got my first track day coming up in a few months ... Panoz @ Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth.

My wife & daughter are going out of town next week for a couple of days, so prime time to go ahead and start to prep the car.

The car is basically stock, 64,000 miles. I've only had it for a few months. I've been changing fluids etc ... no surprises yet, all looks good.

I've heard about boiling Power Steering fluid ... how do you flush this, and what fluid do you replace it with? Honestly, I've never done this on any car I've ever owned, never knew it should be done.

I was going to flush the brake system as well ... any tips there? Ford fluid? I haven't seen Motul or anything else in a can (vs. plastic bottle) in parts stores around here.

On brakes, it seems those who actually race just use blanks with good pads. Any blanks ok? The local parts stores have $20 blanks, and brand name $60 blanks. I've read that the generic $20 blanks do not have properly engineered cooling vanes. Any advice?

Which pads with blanks ... Hawks, PFZ, or are EBC worth the extra $?

Any other checklist items appreciated!

Thanks.

You pretty much have the main things covered.

I don't actually fluch my PS fluid, I just syphon it out with a hand pump and refill it. Many guys use Redline PS fluid, I just use Pennzoil from Wal-Mart.

I do use the Ford HD fluid and it works great....several I run with use the Motul (found at Motorcycle shops) or the really expensvie Castrol SRF.

I don't know anything about the $20 blanks, I have always used the $60 ones and they have been very good.

As for pads.. I use the HP+ now with my C5 setup, before with my LT1 brakes I used Performance friction.

Enjoy your seat time. You will have a blast.

You should try to attend a The Drivers Edge (http://www.thedriversedge.net) event with us. There are several of us F-bodies that go to these events, especially at Motorsport Ranch (http://www.motorsportranch.com).

We will be at Texas World Speedway in College Station in two weeks with The Drivers Edge.

Yeah, I'm sure this will be addictive :D

dont use redline power steering fluid!! i use redline everything, and will not use anything else, but this is the only product i had problems with! i road race a 95 impala ss and never overheated my ps fluid till i put in redline. also i found a underdrive will prevent that also. my 3rd gen which i use for auto cross, had a vacuum in the power steering, so i put a 30% underdrive and sloved it that way. also after the redline problem, i put stock fluid in it and have no problems!

This isn't a bad checklist...

http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/preparing.html

I use Redline PS fluid and couldn't be happier. :dunno:

I suggest you invest $20 and get a dry erase marker board and mount it in your shop. Make a checklist of things you need and things that need attention.

It really does help keep things straight, organized and prioritized

Thanks for the replys, those are all great suggestions.