New Member, Beginner

[sno]

Hi,

My name is Josh and I recently bought a 2008 350z Grand Touring and am looking for some instructions to get myself registered as a student, with an instructor. (I have not completed the registration yet.)

I am brand new to all of this and wish to learn all of the motions with time of course.

To include a little background, I am 24 years old, live near Portsmouth, NH and building my career as software engineer.

I've always had a great interest in track cars. I also had a buddy of mine who became a member of COMSCC last summer, and looking to join in the fun!

I am looking for basic information, for example, after I register,

What should I do next?

What do I need?

Who should I meet or contact?

Essentially, anything you wish you were told when you started out.

Also, thank you for your time!

[iamrazor]

First off, Welcome!
You are sure to have a great time with COM. No particular order here, just some things that come to mind.

2, head over to the Getting Started Page:
http://www.comscc.org/getting-started/

C, safety first. both car and driver. I'd shift focus from making the car "fast" and make it safe. Get dedicated track pads / tires / brake fluid. Re-torque anything you've been messing with. Hell, even re-torque bolts you haven't messed with. You might be surprised with what you find.

D, Always keep your eyes and ears open. You'll learn... A lot!

5, Never be afraid to ask questions. You'll find pretty much anyone will be willing to lend a hand / hold a light / help turn wrenches. We're all in the same boat. We're there to have fun.

L, sign up for the BBQ's. Generally, the end of Day 1. Best food / bench racing you can get for $10!

12, Buy a miata! (j/k)


I'm sure there's a bunch of things I forgot.

[962porsche]

WELCOME !
comscc is a great place to get started with track driving .
once your registered for a event you will get a comformation .
show up at the track and stop at sign up 1st Mark will give you the needed paper work of the event .
from there clean all the lose crap out of your car and head over to the tech line when it opens . it will tell you when tech opens in the paper work you get from Mark .
don't be afriad to ask were things are and what to do .

[sno]

Thanks guys, this is very much appreciated.

I don't believe I will be able to attend next Friday's event, due to the event being during the workday.

I was tinkering with the class excel spreadsheet, I noticed the 2006 350z has a base class of t60? is that correct? The 2008 350z isn't too much different than the 2006 so I am assuming my vehicle may hold the base class of t60 as well. (Car is stock.)

So I should pick up the following...

1. Helmet
2. Track Wheels (Any suggestions toward brand / type?!)
3. Brake Pads
4. Brake Fluid

Any other suggestions

[imgon]

Welcome Josh, Go to the get started link from the other post and sign up for the mentor program. The board will find someone with a car similar to yours and hopefully nearby so you could get together. Your buddy should be able to help answer some of the basics and hopefully can go with you your first day to help guide you through the process. If he can't make it just ask anyone near you for help with what you need. The forum is a great place to get answers before you get to the track. I didn't look up your car for classing but as a student it won't be that critical. As for what to get for the car, high performance pads and high temp(racing) brake fluid are a good idea. You probably don't need dedicated track wheels yet. Once you get hooked and want ot improve your times and speed then you can get track wheels and R compound tires but there is no need for that now. Next Friday's event is for licensed drivers only but if you can get out of work a little early you can stop by the track and see what is going on and meet/talk to people. There is no cost to get in and you'll get a feel for what a typical event will be like. Good luck and welcome to the club!

[CP]

Skip the extra cost of track wheels/tires for now. Just get to the track for an event to hang out if possible, or get registered as a student if you're ready to jump in. You'll have an instructor riding along with you until you get "licensed"...at least several events. Ask lots of questions of both your instructor and those around you in the paddock. Everyone is friendly and more than willing to help out someone new to this addiction. Register for the new student mentor program to get acclimated quickly with the help of someone with trackday experience.

As far as purchases to get started: a SNELL SA-rated helmet, DOT4 brake fluid and a torque wrench to use on your lug nuts.

[91rs13]

Hello Josh,

I am just making my way back to COM events after a few years "off" just doing HPDE's --but picked up a 350Z along the way.

Lot's of good info here on 350's for the track
http://my350z.com/forum/autocross-road-305/

I run Carbo tech pads, but I have the brembo's (do not recall if your model has them or not)

Listen to the other posters. Seat time, seat time, seat time. Mods come later.

[sno]

Thanks 91rs13,

yeah I am not worried about performance, I've been told several times and read that putting any bolt ons onto the 350z are almost useless towards performance and I should stick with stock unless i'm going to add a turbo.

Thanks for the link, and yes I have brembos as well. I'll take a look into the Carbo Tech Pads!

[CP]

DWW Motorsports' Nissans don't suck:

[jeffw]

DWW Motorsports' Nissans don't suck:

Who is the idiot in the EVO? Is he intentionally brake checking?

Also wonderful racecraft by Brian forcing the evo to make a mistake.

[Stynger]

DWW Motorsports' Nissans don't suck:

Who is the idiot in the EVO? Is he intentionally brake checking?

Also wonderful racecraft by Brian forcing the evo to make a mistake.

Very cool, collective and patient.
Also some very close racing. Excellent.

[brucesallen]

As Chuck said: SIGN UP FOR A MENTOR on the Web site (it will come to me) or email me with your phone #, contact info and home town. bruce@brucesallen.com You will get knowledgeable, direct one on one help. Car speed means nothing for newbies. One of our better Miata drivers will trounce a Corvette Z06 driven by a first-timer. You might even get Chuck as a mentor.

Bruce, Chief Mentor and Greased Shadow

[sno]

Bruce, there should be an email coming your way! I was having trouble finding the mentor sign-up page

Thank you all again for the information and assistance!

[brucesallen]

I decided to keep him for myself as mentor---- he lives closest to me. And I have driven 240Z, 300ZX, 350Z, 370Z on track as instructor.I remember maybe ten years ago at Mosport a Canadian has his 300ZX set up so badly that it kept spinning out. He spun three times coming onto the front straight and never hit the wall. I told him that if he could spin in every corner without incident I would give him his license! He didn't do it.

[brucesallen]

Ohyeah, and there was the time that Matt Miskoe lent his 280Z to a friend for his first student day and I was the instructor and the student figured that coming into Turn 3, as soon as you let off the gas at maybe 80 mph you were supposed to downshift to second- even before braking. BLAM! con rod right through the block. Don't do that. Ruined his whole day.