Snowman

I was wondering the same thing! Anyways... as mentioned by Gojira I found with normal street tyres that around the 40psi works well. I tested this just recently at Winton where I started with 40, then went to 30 which was BAD, then tried 35. But 40 was the best. For the sem-comps - despite being told by the guys that sold me the tyres that 40psi was optimal - I definitely get better results at 30psi. Infact all the guys I know that run semi's at the track - whether Bridgestone, Dunlop or Advan - all use 30psi.

I have to say that the race last night was pretty darn entertaining as well (MS out in front excepted) Although it may have been interesting if kimi's wing had stayed on. But watching Button and Alonzo have those side by side drags was awesome. Serious big hairy ones required to race that close at those speeds in those pissy little cars! And some of Webbers passing moves right at the start (to go from 11th to 6th in the first lap) and the late move on Trulli were great to watch as well. Although the power and easy at which Montoya went past Webber to me just showed how crap Pizzonia must be to finish back where he did - and I reckon Webber must have seen Montoya go past thinking "I can't wait til next year"

jezzrrr - this is something I've been in depth with in recent weeks after killing my getrag! There seems to be a lot of debate about what you can and can't put into one of these gearboxes in terms of oils. Getrag state to use ATF ESSO Dexron D21065 Apparently this is the same as Toyota part number: Toyota Gear Oil V160 Whilst waiting for all my gearbox bits and pieces to arrive I found out that I can't get either of these from anywhere (well no where I could source) and to bring in 4L of oil from Toyota Japan was going to cost over $250. However, I have been speaking to Nigel from Iceperformance down here in Melbourne who is running a basically identical gearbox in his 574rwkw Supra and he is using Redline ATF oil and has never had any gearbox issues. So I'm going to use this. I'm also saving for a new gearbox as after seeing the getrag in parts and knowing how they are designed I know I'm going to kill another one - its just a matter of time.

Sorry mate - what I mean by that is that we will have our CAMS affiliation approved. As I previously mentioned we have our review date at CAMS on July 28th. But I have no idea what happens from there. Starting a CAMS based club isn't something I've done before! LOL So I'm not sure how long or what else is involved in us getting our approval - but once we are a recognised CAMS affiliated club we can take members and those members can then use the issued club membership number to get a licence. I hope it will be done well before August 21st but I can't be 100% sure at this stage.

Ok guys - just some idea's for the best way to get CAMS for those that don't have it but are thinking of coming down. A couple of things to consider is that it will be late August and most membership expire on Dec 31st. A lot of us a members of the NDSOC. The one thing NDSOC will get you is access to the MSCA sprint days. There are 4 of them left this year - the hill climb at Morwell as mentioned by Geoff, Phillip Island in September, and one in Nov and Dec - venues not confirmed but I have heard that they will be Calder and Sandown. Cost to join them is $65. You can also join the Phillip Island racing club (PIARC) for $50 but this will only get you onto normal club track days (like maserati, ford, wrx, etc - but not the MSCA). Also hopefully SAUVIC will be able to issue licences before then and we'll have the same rights and costs as a PIARC membership. As for the CAMS L2S licence - if you aren't doing Morwell the easiest option is to get the licence on the day at Phillip Island. Just one less thing to have to wait for in the mail! If you are going to join PIARC you can do that on the day as well. Side issue: Bepo - spoke to Nige on Saturday as well and he said he's looking at joining us for this weekend as well in his Supra. It will be his first track day in it as well so you could both have some comparisions to talk about.

Geoff - that was the quickest Ferrari and the quickest Porka. There is a Zed with an RB26 that does 1.22's, a datto 1600 with an SR20 that does 1.27's and there is a GTO (yes one of those boats) that does 1.19's (tunned by Ben funnily enough) Most of the GTR's with 2530's do around the 1.22's. (all the guys I've seen with these though are good steerers)

For anyone reading this and is going "Who's Ben and why is he so special?" Quick Stats from my last track day with him: Sandown Raceway Reference - Lap record for GT Production (Subaru WRX STi) 1:21.41 My Lap record there = 1:26.7 On this day: Quickest GT3 = 1:26.3 (there were 3 others as well) Quickest Ferrari was 360 Challenge - 1:24.5 (full slicks) Ben = 1:16.8 I don't know if SK has had his 600HP gtst down there for a comparison reference?

Troy - you said you've never even really driven a GTR before so how do you know what they are like to drive? I wouldn't say that driving around Sandown in my GTR was EASY by any stretch of the imagination. If I can get the boys to get the gearbox back in maybe we should go for a drive this weekend to give you some food for thought!? Anyone else wanna tell Troy to get a GTR? LOL

He guys - got the Vic Dutton competitor listing in the mail last night. 84 cars in total - 23 of them are porka's. The good news is there are 3 gtrs to take up the challenge. One of them is driven by Steven Gleeny, the second is driven by Jeff Beable and the final one is driven by some guy no one has ever heard of before! LOL. So my new objective is to a) beat those 2 in at least one event (could be dreaming!) B) sign them up as members for the new SAU Vic! 2 weeks to go - can't wait. Finally get my gearbox back today after the car has been out of action for the last 9 weeks.

My input (but I know nothing!) I have a GTR. - minor mods (250kw@wheels) but also suspension. It has an oil cooler. It runs semi-comps. I go as hard as I can on the track. It doesnt have sump baffles. My mech says it doesn't need it - and he's owned several (including 3 at once at one stage) Engines still ok. But i try and shift around 7,500rpm (shift light is set to 7,000) Gearbox is another story. Will look at sump baffles once I get over 300kw's.

Not gonna happen. I've read too many reports of "we don't need a German driver" and IMO he's nothing special. Still think it will be a rookie - either Piquet Jr or that Luzzi bloke thats kicking ass.

Yeah Bepo - down on Nepean Hwy in Brighton there are like 4 motorbike shops in a row - I got mine from there - cost me $100. I don't have a race suit - I wear a pair of cotton pants and a long sleeve t-shirt. I don't have gloves or anything like that either.

Thats no excuse - you can get them on the day.

For street/track the best pads are probably RB74's or Comp 2's Get them from racebrakes. http://www.racebrakes.com.au/index.html

Bepo - I've heard 2 arguements to the Phillip Island - first timers story. There is no arguement that Phillip Island is the fastest, scariest and most dangerous track (maybe Bathurst excepted) in Oz. So some say that it's no good for first times because of this. However - I have had more people say that Phillip Island is good for first timers as then you don't go to hard the first time you are there! (So those of us with track experience are more at risk going to Phillip Island for the first time that what those who are doing their first track day are - because first timers will be more cautious) They say that 95% of club track day racers never get over 70% at Phillip Island in their life. All I can say is this - your first day out on the track you won't have problems because you will be going so damn slowly. We have all been like this. (Good example was the last outting at Winton where the only 2 idiots to spin were the guys that had been on a track before! LOL) But this weekend is good for first timers because the Sat is non-timed practice - so theres no pressure. They also have trained drivers offering help that will come around in the car with you on the Sat if you want. My first track day had 4 warm up laps then went straight into competition at Sandown. I'd rather a weekend like this. As for whats required: CAMS L2S (you'll need to be a member of a club to get this) Fire Extinguisher (mounted) - $29 from Kmart Secondary Bonnet Restraint (can be bonnet pins or just a simple rope) Steel Valve Caps ($8 from Autobarn) Return Valve Springs (modern cars have this already) Blue Triangle showing location of the battery (can use blue electrical tape or else can buy one from a race shop for $2) Wrist to Ankle clothing (non-flamable) Helmet Spare pair of jocks (just in case) Its going to be fun!

Yeah bring the Supra and join SAU Vic! Already have a guy with an NSX talking of joining us - man that would make for some great looking track days if we could get the supra along too. BTW - if you don't mind getting semi-comps for tyres (they are the best for the track afterall) then the Bridgestone RE55's are the best and the cheapest. They'll be around $350 / corner. Me and Roy are looking at going to the PIARC weekend in August 21-22. You can join us (we've never raced there before) - you can even join PIARC (another popular car club in Vic) and get your CAMS on the day.

Guys, Just a quick thread to gauge interest in another Trackday weekend. The Winton one just past was great with a number of guys having their first track outting. PIARC is holding their next round of sprints on August 21-22. Their system works in that the Saturday is a practice day (non timed) and Sunday is competition day. I believe passengers are allowed on the Sat but that needs to be confirmed. Entries aren't out yet so I don't know 100% costs but I believe that they are about $100 for each of the days. You don't have to do both - you can do either the Sat or Sunday but of coarse you can do both. These weekends book out fast as a rule so decisions would have to be made quickly after it was opened. I'd look at doing the same as Winton and booking some accomidation down there an make a fun weekend out of it. But unlike Winton - you will need full CAMS L2S licence and all the fun things that go with propper track days (fire extinguishers, etc) If your interested - post up here!

Our review date is on July 28th. Basically from the phone calls I've had we are 99.9999% sure of getting it - helps that SAU NSW already exists.

Geoff - upon discussion with the staff at the Whitehorse we will have a microphone set-up etc from the meeting in Sept onwards. They couldn't arrange it for the August meeting. But I agree it will help making the meetings a little more organised. But having said that it was really the first meeting so we are still finding our feet. In the past it has just been cruises and the like so it was all a little new. As for sponsor possibilities - for tyres it would be great if we could get one of the following companies because they are the distributors of the R Spec tyres as well as normal tyres. Dunlop - Stukey Tyre Services - 828 Sydney Rd. Brunswick 3056 - PH: 9386-5331 Bridgestone - TRACKSIDE 161 Canterbury rd, Kilsyth, VIC 3137. PH: 0409 021 885 Yokohama - Traction Tyre Center - 65 Kellets Rd - Roweville - PH. 9764 2811 Trackside would be the best simply cause the Bridgestones are the cheapest to begin with!

Hey Bepo, Being in Melbourne you may know the Ice Supra - well Nige is supposed to be hitting the track with that soon (will be detuned from its current 570+rwkw's). His major concern has been brakes. He's obtained a set of Porsche GT2 callipers to go on before he hit's the track. Maybe have a chat to him down at Ice?

Yeah and Hypertech have closed their doors to general customers - only doing select customers and race prepared cars. Still distributing Apexi stuff at extreme prices.

Meh - thats crap. Ben's cool - and very helpfull. Most people I think are just intimidated by him because a) He's bigger than Conan the Barbarian and B) You can only see his car go past by using one of those slow motion replay camera's. But I've always found him to be very helpfull in both general skyline stuff as well as track stuff where it's been of no financial benifit to him to do so. So I wouldn't say Ben was Exclusive by nature.

And kev - you do it better than anyone else. But its just as much fun trying to do it with you sitting in the passenger seat - damaging your kidneys in the process! LOL

Adz has already taken over Max's position cause we havent heard from him in 6 months! LOL

Btw - I've said it before - jokes about my gearbox are NOT FUNNY! 8 weeks now but who's counting.