Have you ever tracked your Ferrari ??

I think this fits here...
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+1

 

mugello last september
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I couldn't afford to fix it if I crashed it.

So, no, I haven't tracked my 355 and most likely never will.

 

People who have never done a track day probably have a major misconception of what is involved and what the risks are to yourself or for potential damage to your car.

An FCA or other well-run track day is a relatively safe experience, especially if it is your first day on a track.
My first track day was about 4 years ago at Summit Point, WV and it was an educational experience.

Each car goes through a detailed tech inspection a few weeks prior at a mechanic's shop and also a final mini tech inspection the morning of the event to check tire pressure, lug nuts, fire extinguisher, helmet, etc.

The organizers divided the drivers into four skill groups: red group = most experienced or actual racers, blue group = very experienced track drivers, white group = less experienced track drivers, yellow group = 1st day novices. There were 20 - 30 drivers in the other groups but there were only 6 or 7 of us in the yellow group that day.

First thing in the morning, all drivers report to a driver's meeting. First topics are track safety, a refresher on racing flags and what they mean, and current track conditions.
Then they release the Red Group and continue the classroom training for the remaining 3 groups. Each group was on the track for about 30 minutes and the Yellow Group was the last group to go on the track.

That means, the Yellow drivers got the most classroom training that morning, before we ever got on the track. We learned the basics of racing, how to hit apexes in corners, the racing line, brake prior to the turns, accelerate out of the turns, weight transfers that happen during braking and acceleration, etc. All great topics diagrammed on a white board. I really had never been taught 90% of what was in those lessons prior to that day.

Then, every Yellow driver got assigned a racing instructor and we used two-way intercom headsets with microphones under our racing helmets. So, the instructors could talk to you as you drove through each corner and straight-away on the track. Yellow drivers were limited to 100 mph on the straights. Also, we stayed single file - no side-by-side driving, unless we were passing. Passing was allowed only on the first half of a straight-away and only if the car ahead of you signaled with their hand out the window which side it was okay to pass on.

This was tremendous fun and one of the safest experiences you can imagine. We got four sessions in that day, each about 25 - 30 minutes long. Imagine having the whole track to just 6 or 7 cars on it. It was great!

So, if you ever wanted to open up your Ferrari to about 100 mph and go through some corners with some side-loading on the tires, your first track day is one of the safest ways you can do that.
I hope this write-up gives you a better idea of what a novice track day is like.
I highly recommend it if you've never done it.

Over the years, I've moved up to the White group and the Blue group.
They are still very safe experiences but the speeds are faster and people pass later in the straight-aways.
Everything happens faster and people follow much closer behind your car through the corners.
A track day is typically not the same level of risk to you or the car as side-by-side racing.
.

 

+2

 

Sepang F1 circuit recently
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Just tie a couple of bags of cement to the 430s rear bumper. Problem solved.

 

+3

 

A 360 Spider will solve your problems. And the 360 feels like it has much more power. Better turn in and more fun to drive IMVHO.

360s are cheap now.

BTW I used to have an F355 GTS and tracked it. That may solve your dilemma.

Nothing like ridin' outside on the track.

 

A word for track virgins........

I don't want to sound elitist because this is a really sincere observation. If you want to find out what your Ferrari is all about and what the engineers did, you need a track day or two. This is not to say that driving on the street isn't any fun, but running on a track is a whole different level that will give you a new appreciation for the car and probably the skill required of racers to exploit it fully.

A track day is as safe as the driver wants to make it. You don't have to be 10/10hs to have fun. Fact is, very few of us are skilled enough to drive 10/10ths anyway. You can learn driving skills and have great fun without going "agriculturin". I have never seen metal to metal contact, but I have seen people hit stationary objects off the pavement. In every case, there was too much testosterone or a mechanical failure. Attention to the car's mechanicals before and during the event will prevent the latter, attention to your own emotions, the former.

Dave

 

With the noted exceptions of an unexpected mechanical failure, driving beyond your skill level, or driving too close to someone else who is driving over their skill level, I find the most dangerous part of a track day is the commute to and from the track. Some of the bonehead things I see on the commute are downright scary.

As for the car, you're going to use up brake pads, tires, and eventually a set of front rotors. But trust me the car will thank you for the exercise.

Cheers,

Fred R.

 

Gosh those rims are looking quite the spectacle!!

 

here is the score on money burned on track days:
the more expensive the car you bring, the more expensive your repairs will be. i know this sounds obvious, but it bears remembering...

so, IF you want to track your ferrari and not have it cost that much money, then drive at 8/10ths. its also a good idea to go tracking just before you might have intended to get new tires, or pads, etc. yes i know you wont be doing the fastest lap times on old tires but remember you are the one out there driving at 8/10th so it doesnt matter.

if you get bitten by the track bug, then switch to a dedicated track car - believe me on this one.

 

proof that Fchatters track their car

(Bruce and Vince with their "infamous" 358 at Buttonwillow today)
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Over 40 HPDEs (High performance driving events) my F355 would average $1.5K/weekend including {gas oil, tires, brake pads, food, lodging, entrance fees, and entertainment}.

 

Probably not a bad way to spend a weekend though!

 

I always felt like I was taking a year or two off my F355's life span for every track day I drove.

 

If you only do one track day a year you're fine

 

My brother lives in LA & wants to drive our cars down the PCH to Laguna Seca for a track day. I don't know if it could get any better than that. That should take at least 2 years of my engine's lifespan.

 

it would be worth it

 

You need an extra option in the poll:

"My name is Jim and I have my own race team."​

All the best,
Andrew.