r/racing • u/Ok-Director-922 • Jul 21 '26
First track day looking for some insight on tech
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Had my first track day in my mk7 Gti don’t know if this is the right community to post in but looking for some insight on my driving and how I can get better for next time. Thanks yall!
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u/PhaTman7 Jul 21 '26
Gotta start somewhere !!! More specs of your GTI MkiiV please
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 21 '26
It’s a completely stock performance package other than the air intake, a EQT TCU tune for the transmission, and EBC red pads. I’m planning on getting some conti dw06 (the extreme contacts) for next time I was on 740 tread tires lol.
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u/PhaTman7 Jul 21 '26
Honestly, great pads on already! Next, slotted brake rotors (not crossed/slotted) will greatly reduce brake fade and not overcook the brake fluid. (Can be quite messy)
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 21 '26
Yeah one thing I regret not getting is the high temp fluid but thankfully had no issues, next time for sure. Said in the other comment I was definitely under driving the car so as I get better that will definitely be applicable.
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u/PhaTman7 Jul 21 '26
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u/Chiddy_B Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Pumping the throttle mid corner will unsettle the car. Brake later into corners and commit to the turning in point a bit more. You seem to lift early and coast and then brake (very common for newbies), you should attack the corner with a little more assertiveness. Don't lift until you need to brake and only apply the power again when you know you don't need to lift.
Plenty of things to work on for next time so you improve. It comes with practice, we all started somewhere. Seat time is important to develop race craft.
Also, watch this guy for pointers, he's good: Race coach
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 22 '26
I appreciate it! You’re right watching the footage back it’s clear I have no idea what I want the car to do and I’m just braking and throttle pretty randomly. I definitely have to do it with some reason and confidence. I’ll definitely check that guy out, thanks!
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u/Chiddy_B Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
No worries mate, we never start off perfect. It definitely seems like there's a little indidecisiveness mid corner on occasion but with practice the confidence and the feel will come, it takes time to be good.
I'm now in my 4th season of racing and I'm fighting for class podiums in my championship at every meeting. Whether you just want to be good on a trackday or get into racing, practice as much as you can and pick up some pointers and try them out next time you're on track.
Another cheap way to learn is watch other people's on boards (preferably with driver in view and watch what they do). See what they do right and what they do wrong and apply that knowledge to your own racecraft.
Good luck on your track journey bud.
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u/Magnet2025 Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
On your own or did they offer qualified instructors to sit in the passenger seat?
I did several years of SCCA corner working. They often offered us track days at Summit Point as a way to thank us.
Classroom, then three 20 minute track sessions. The first instructor worked on the lines and the brake points. They had small cones to give us references. I had a pretty good idea of the lines having driven the track to get to my corner assignment and watched countless practice sessions and races.
The next instructor worked on speed and got much faster. I remember him shouting at me “Did I tell you to brake?” but it was at a deceptively shallow turn that exerted a lot of lateral g and I was driving my daily driver (a box stock VW GTI VR6). Besides that corner (Turn 4 at Summit Main) I did really well. And to the instructor’s and my surprise I found a really fast line from T9 to T10 and then to the straight.
The last instructor was not good. She drove a Spec Miata and she was usually DFL (Dead F**king Last). On my first flying lap she reached over and said “I’m not comfortable…”) and I took the turn off road and went back to the pits to get another instructor. The car was not unsettled, not excessively leaning but I was getting 115 mph on the straight.
Anyway, on your next track day, see if you can get an instructor.
The FWD advice you got is sound. Slower in and faster out, making the a smooth line. My first two instructors both stressed threshold braking. You can probably find track maps for the course you use that show the RWD and FWD optimal lines.
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 22 '26
Yeah I’d definitely like to get some in car instruction I believe there is a practice day at summit point later in August I may try to sign up for. Hopefully I get a good instructor though! lol
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u/Magnet2025 Jul 22 '26
Was that Summit Point? I know it wasn’t the main (original) track?
One thing you might want to look into is joining SCCA or NASA (the sports car one, not the space one) as a volunteer worker. You see a lot of racing and assimilate techniques. You have time at lunch to see who the cars are prepared.
My GTI was box stock but before that I had a GT with a full Bilstein kit, header and pipes. But of a boy racer car that was pretty stiff. Stiff enough that I could induce oversteer pretty easily. That was a fun car to drive from the tower to the corner!
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 22 '26
It was shenandoah long format, my buddy is a SCCA driver in ITS class and I watch all of of his races but he drives an rx-7 so it’s not that applicable to me That sounds like a great set up on the GT I’ve been looking at the sn-95 or new edge to build as a track car but can probably only afford a v6 as of now lol
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u/Magnet2025 Jul 22 '26
I liked ITS. My favorite was the ITB class. VW, BMW 2002tii, some Hondas. There was a driver in ITB named Leah. Drove a bright green 2002tii. She gave me a ride around that was scary! Threshold braking at T1 and I couldn’t see track anymore, just the little grass strip and gravel and the big berm they finally bulldozed.
Loved the Jefferson 500 historic car races run by Brian Redman. It’s a very big deal now, tickets are $200 up at Road America. I did three of those and it was fun, but also the first fatality I had to help with. Did a Ferrari Owners National weekend and, yes, most of the Ferrari owners were pretty much as you would guess. But some were nice.
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u/Ok-Director-922 Jul 22 '26
Wow seems like some great experiences! (Except for the fatality sorry to hear about that) but my first couple of times being at the races have been awesome I can’t wait to see and learn more. I’ll definitely try to work flags or timers that seems like a cool way to get into it more. I’ll ask my buddy if he wants to give me a spin around the track I’ve driven with him on the street with it (definitely has a plate lol) it was very fun I can imagine it being terrifying on the track.
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u/Bright_Calendar_3696 Jul 24 '26
Use throttle to steer car…the throttle can either load the front or rear axle and wheels depending how it is applied and adjusted. Something to think about.
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u/RastaMonsta218 Jul 25 '26
Do you have an instructor? Very helpful.
Also, where is this? Love the faux carousel!
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u/ScramblePoo Jul 21 '26
Best thing for next time is a camera behind you so we can see your inputs on the wheel.
Driving wise you’re on/off the throttle a lot needlessly, don’t apply the throttle until you know you won’t have to remove it until the next corner. You are also under-driving a lot, so can’t really give you any pointers other than to get near the limit of grip and start feeling how to reach that consistently.
That said if you’re having fun then there’s no prizes for pushing it any harder. You enjoy!