Buy a portable pump to bring with, if you dont already have one.

Kragen has a really nice one I just got.

I agree with doubleurx's pressures.

 

01 slow in, fast out.
02 brake and shift before the turn
03 try to shift and brake smoothly (don't try and slam the gears, take your time)
04 learn the line of the track
05 yield to faster drivers (give good point-bye's)
06 pay attention
07 look a turn ahead (kinda hard at 1st, but helpful and helps you flow)
08 both hands on the wheel between shifts (don't rest on the shifter)
09 try driving around the track in 3rd gear, keeping the speed down a bit and
concentrate on the line (speed will come later)
10 get the feel of the car and how it reacts at different points on the track (get
comfortable with your set-up)
11 don't run out of gas (keep an eye on the fuel light)
12 let the car run a few min in-between sessions (maybe pop the hood for a bit)
13 if you feel the car oversteer/understeer you can adjust your tire psi a bit to
help (could come in handy later in the day)
14 after the checkerd flag try and let the brakes cool down by not using them
during the last lap around the track
15 have fun and it's not a race

 

Thanks, guys. Good advice as always. Much obliged.

 

If you want some turn-by-turn video just do a search for "Thunderhill" and/or "Thunderhill Video" and you should find some stuff. That should give you a better idea of what the track looks like and the approx. line for each turn.

 

You will probably run the first half of the track in the morning to get you used to it. Within that section (there are 2 configuarions they may use) here are some pointers:

Edit: I forgot about chicanes @ T1 and T7/8 so have the brake fluid changed for something stronger like Motul 600.

T1: pretty safe turn for you (the speeds you will be runing) but do use the extra track on the right just before the braking zone (at the exit of the pit lane)
T2: cool to experiment with a little lift off and/or extra gas to learn car control
T3: the entry should be in the middle as the outside is off-camber. Also I would be very gentle on in this corner as far inputs are.
T5: cool but nothing special. Sharp turn-in.

In the afternoon you will run the whole track. Here are some pointers for that part as well
T9: blind corner where you will not see the exit but it is going to be there so it will take some practice. Also use the track at the exit. Many people do not as they are scared they will run off.
T10: downhill hard braking
T11-T13 (esses): Slow in, fast out. Give up carrying speed thru T11 so you can be setup for T12/T13 and the back straight.
T11: late turn-in, late apex, end up setup for T12 (somewhere in the middle)
T14: late turn-in. You will see baking markers 3, 2, 1. Imagine there is a 0 and there is your turn-in point. T14/T15 should be taken in one smooth motion although your instructor will probably caution you to slow down a little before getting on the main straight. Be careful not to go agricultural (drop 2 wheels off a the exit of T15.) If that does happen, DO NOT TRY TO STEER BACK ON TRACK as you might lose traction and head straight for the wall. Just hold the steering wheel straight, slow down and EASE on track.

I was supposed to be there as well as an instructor but I pulled a back muscle so I am skipping this one. Have fun.

 

t-hill on a bike > t-hill in a car

LOL!

have fun man, take it slow and work on your line, the speed will come!

 

Have you tried it? I am yet to try it... Not too many bike days @ Thil...

 

i havent done it in a car, but i did it on my gixxer last monday, and my next track day is 0ct. 17th on the bike. there are A LOT of t-hill track days for bikes.

 

Thanks again, guys. Had a blast today. Craziest thing out there was an 18 year old cowboy that brought his mom's Suburban, but hey, at least he's learning how to drive better. I definitely still have lots to learn, so there will be a few more track days in the future. The only down side of track day is that you can't drive the other great rides out there.

 

such as? pictures?

 

Your kidding? I didnt think they allowed vehicles with rollover warnings on the track...

 

on street tires you should always try to get it so you have max tire pressure while on the track...this will compensate for softer street tire sidewalls...
anyone who tells you to run low tire pressures isn't steering you in the right direction...
if you go too low and really pull thru a turn you can pop the beed on the tire or kiss the rim to the tarmac and all sorts of crazyiness will ensue.

lower pressures shold only be used on track tires (r-compound or similar) something designed with a stiff sidewall made for lower pressures.

if you know your tire pressure will grow (for example 8 psi) fill to about 9 psi below max rating cold.

just a saftey tip i've learned over the years.