Taking the Cupra on track.

[Jay1990]

So this is going to be a general fact finding thread about taking the cupra on track. Im booking at cadwell park for 17th Feb. Feel free to join me its £99 for the full day open pit lane. I havnt seen many threads about people taking cupras on track minus IbizaraceBrake and I think Nutkin has been to the 'Ring.

What brake pads would be good for these, this is my first outing on track so I wont be going brakeneck speeds but would like to know the brakes wont fade as quick as the standard pads could.

Its lowered 35mm all round so that should help, taking the back seats out while it will make me quicker, it could cause the rear end to be too light for first time out, so I might not do that.

Just general advice or tips on Track days would be gerat too I'll update thread as and when I get around to doing things for the day.

Ive got a intercooler spray set up that I need to fit, as well as putting my sparco rims and Vred ultrac rubber back on, then hopefully minus normal oil water checks I should be okay to go

Jay

 

[Deleted member 49882]

Sounds to me like you have it covered. Haven't been on a track myself, but i suspect you will need a helmet and track-day insurance for your car.

 

[jc_boc]

I have been to the ring too and ran the car stock round it. I had the race brake option on though but I would advise maybe changing brake fluid to something with a higher wet boiling point i.e ATE Super Blue which should sort out brake fade issues. Other than that you should be fine mate and enjoy it, much better than running a 1/4 mile when you have to think about cornering speeds etc........ My time round the ring was about 10:15 secs if I remember correctly. m0rk was there with me and he was much quicker in his stock cupra too.

 

[WJs]

Aye, get some different brake fluid to go with the pads.
Also, turn off your traction control, this will also turn off the XDS. XDS causes extra strain on the brakes.

 

[Jay1990]

Thanks for the replies guys so far.

Yeah I'll be hiring a helmet from the oranisers of the day and as for track insurance, I'm just going to take it easy and hopefully not mess up(or have anyone mess up into me!)

Brake Fluid is a good shout out thanks Jason. relativlye easy thing to do for a good difference in power. If you had one or the other, would the Fluid would be the better option rather than pads? I've done 12,000miles on the current pads.

Thanks for the input WJs, On further track days i may turn the TC off but for my first, I think I will let the brakes take some extra strain as it may just keep me on the track! Maybe later in the day I'll experiment with turning TC off. I think I read that the XDS isnt turned off with the TC button simply pressed, you have to hold button while turning car on for x seconds to turn all driver aids off IIRC.

 

[jenyz]

The ESP button turn off just traction control.
Unfortunaly ESP and XSD does not turn off via the ESP button.

Before the session check a pressure in your tires.
After the session you need set the working pressure .

 

[Jay1990]

Thanks

Yeah I will need to keep tyre pressures in check, PSI will raise while out on track and the tyres warm up.

Jay

 

[Chriswaite130]

Might see you there mate - me and a few mates have booked up! I'll be in my black civic type r

Looks to be a good day - with some normal cars for once - every trackday I've done so far has been westfields, caterhams and atoms!

I've never done Cadwell before, but Javelin run very good days

As the others have said, uprated brake fluid and pads is the best idea. I used EBC yellowstuffs in my old ibiza which I thought were good, and had them in the civic too until I killed them. Going to use bluestuffs this time.

Some people have horror stories about EBC pads but they've been fine with me so far!

You have pretty much everything covered! Take spare oil with you in case you need to top up, and check your levels throughout the day.

Also take gloves as hands can get sweaty!

And remember both parts of your driving license

Main thing though - learn the track and enjoy!

 

[Jay1990]

Cheers Chris BI'm sure you will see my Tribu Orange Cupra! I'll keep an eye out for you're civic and try have a chat with you if I see you.

Lots of Mx5's on Cadwell that day it seems from the list Javelin have up.


Gloves, will put them on my list!

Thanks muchly.

 

[Jay1990]

Ive done about six trackdays this year in my Ibiza FR TDI. As mentioned, brakes are one of the first places to make suitable upgrades with good quality fluid and quality pads. I also have some neoprene hoses which I bought off ebay to provide extra venting.

I have been using Motul RBF600 fluid and EBC yellowstuff pads which last well and resist fade. Mods wise, I have a stage 1 map, filter, FMIC and Milltek exhaust, Whiteline ARB and Eibach springs with standard dampers. Once you have done a couple of laps, come back into the pits and let some air out of your tyres to maintain the best possible grip, I normally run my car at a hot tyre setting of 25psi.

Driving style counts for alot on track, I would suggest trying to be as smooth as you can to protect your car, brakes, tyres etc, and don't stay out to long on track. In the briefings before you go on track you will be reminded that it should not be competitve, and pass only on the straights. I normally do stints of about 15 minutes before coming back into the pits, I leave the engine running to keep the oil circulating, and I take some wooden chocks to put under the tyres so that I don't have to use to use the handbrake, as applying it onto a very hot disc can lead to warping of the discs.

Remember when you head back onto the track that your tyre pressures have dropped, so it normally takes a lap to get the pressure back to where it was when you set it whilst it was hot.


The mindset is that it is a trackday and not a race. Just remeber to be courteous to others around you, and if they are faster, help them to get past you and out of your way.

Stolen from something you posted in Chris. Seems like sound advice

 

[ibizaracebrake]

Remove rear seat/spare wheel etc as less weight is good for brakes/tyres. drive in +/- , change up will be auto on red line but change down manually to get engine braking. I melted discs/pads first timeout after only one lap, then changed to Ferodo racing pads/drilled discs and cooling ducts. Use high octane fuel and don't top up oil unless engine has been off at least one hour as it takes that long to all drain to sump. And lastly, remember to tell all the drivers you pass its 'only' a 1.4 auto, Ha Ha!

 

[Jay1990]

I had a sticker on my Cupra before that said 1.4 inside certainly rasied eyebrows at the traffic light GP.

Just worried it might make it too tail happy on cadwell's cambers/hills. Ive driven before with no rears in, maybe i'll take them out a few weeks before and get used to it with no rear's - Not had them out since getting the lowering suspension.

I'm always on High Octance fuel so thats all good

Ive seen your Vids many times IRB

 

[Ben-ibizaFR]

Sounds top ! Although cant help but ask, Are you not worried about a smash or a scrape ?

 

[Leigh200sx]

I have been doing track days for the last 5 years and my best advice would be to take your time and learn the car - track.. Don't get red mist chasing a slower car that is faster than you.. You are there to have fun so enjoy it ... Take the morning to learn and push a bit harder in the after noon.
Brake pads ebc yellow are ok but I would recommend ferodo ds 2500.. Let your tyres down to around 24 psi then this will help keep them around the correct pressure when hot.

 

[Jay1990]

Ben- Im not worried as such that I might bin it or have an accident. If anything its much safer than driving fast(er) on public roads. I highly expect to be passed by 1.0 corsa's- they dont have quite as much to lose if it goes off!

How hard is it to constantly look out for cars in your mirror to let past while trying to conentrate on getting ready for the next corner. I think this will be pretty difficult but I guess you get used to it.

 

[Hurdy]

All good advice

Jay, the one thing you need to make sure you do is have the MDI screen showing the oil temperature. The oil is good in our cars, but as soon as you get over 130 degrees you need to do a slowdown lap and then come in to the pits to let the car cool down for half an hour or so.
I can't imagine the temps that the engine would get to on the Nurburgring, but it would most likely be well over 130 degrees at the end of one lap

I literally spent half the day letting the car cool down and that was when running WMI and a full upgrade Intercooler and radiator.

Overtaking should always be on the right at a UK track and generally people will indicate left to let others overtake. The Javelin days I've been on always start with a sighting lap which you will follow other cars around and generally at a much lower speed than normal, just so you can get a feel for the corners. They also point out the main harder corners of the track in the morning briefing, so pay attention whilst eating your breakfast buttie!

You will know when the brakes are going off and realistically you are only going to get a maximum of 3 laps out of them at a time plus a cool down lap, and as has already been mentioned DON'T PUT YOUR HANDBRAKE ON WHEN YOU PULL UP IN THE PITS AFTER A LAPPING SESSION!!

Last of all, remain relaxed, enjoy the day and come home in one piece

 

[Jay1990]

I'll keep that in mind thanks hurdy. I've got a torque app with Oil/engine temp so will be using that. Handy thing with it is you can set it for minimum and maximum/warning temps so i'll defo do that.

Thast good to know they do sighting laps. Ill be watching youtube extensivley to try "pre learn" the general layout of the track.I'm bringing a passenger along whos driven the track a few times so he will hopefully help a little too. I'll try pay attention but Bacon is very distracting!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jay1990]

http://tsr-performance.com/webshop/...-on-fcp1348h-1-8-t-cupra-r-01-04-on-fcp1348h/

These the pads im looking for yes? I know it says mk4 but its the 6J code. Where is the cheapest place to get these and it advises not for road use, why? Do the people that have these pads find problems with them on the Road?

Thanks

Jay

 

[vRSy]

All good advice

Jay, the one thing you need to make sure you do is have the MDI screen showing the oil temperature. The oil is good in our cars, but as soon as you get over 130 degrees you need to do a slowdown lap and then come in to the pits to let the car cool down for half an hour or so.
I can't imagine the temps that the engine would get to on the Nurburgring, but it would most likely be well over 130 degrees at the end of one lap

I literally spent half the day letting the car cool down and that was when running WMI and a full upgrade Intercooler and radiator.

Overtaking should always be on the right at a UK track and generally people will indicate left to let others overtake. The Javelin days I've been on always start with a sighting lap which you will follow other cars around and generally at a much lower speed than normal, just so you can get a feel for the corners. They also point out the main harder corners of the track in the morning briefing, so pay attention whilst eating your breakfast buttie!

You will know when the brakes are going off and realistically you are only going to get a maximum of 3 laps out of them at a time plus a cool down lap, and as has already been mentioned DON'T PUT YOUR HANDBRAKE ON WHEN YOU PULL UP IN THE PITS AFTER A LAPPING SESSION!!

Last of all, remain relaxed, enjoy the day and come home in one piece

Thruxton, rockingham, brands, mallory, snetterton and silverstone pass on the left. You indicate right to give space for them to passd

 

[Jay1990]

I was watching videos of cadwell yesterday and peopel seem to overtake on the Left hand side, Im sure the marshalls will tell us in the breifing anyway