There are few things more exhilarating than taking your car for a proper drive around a race track. Racetracks are the only place you can really put your car to the limits, see how fast it can really go and how it handles when at those speeds. But your average car is not actually designed to race, so there’s some things you should do to get your car ready for the racetrack in Hamilton Ontario.
Get The Car Serviced
Going around a track will push your car to its limits, and the last thing you want to happen while going around the track is for bits to start flying off the car. Before you head to the track you’ll want to give the car a full service, make sure everything is looking good both internally and externally.
Two primary things to consider, and things that you should be checking all day at the track are the tires and the fluids. Racetracks are notorious tire killers, especially if they have lots of tight corners, so check to make sure the tires still have enough grip. The fluids are going to be operating at a higher temperature than normal which can cause some issues too and they may need to be replaced.
Modifications
Modifications aren’t strictly necessary for a track day, but if you want to get the most out of your car there are some things that can be improved.
Weight: Weight reduction is a relatively easy modification to make, and one that can be easily undone as well. Removing heavy things from the car will make it go faster, things you’re not going to need like the back seats.
Brakes: Going fast is important on a racetrack but slowing down is even more important, regular street brake pads are not generally designed for stopping at extreme high speeds, so depending on the track you’re going to, improved brake pads may be on the agenda.
Seats: Not the first thing you may think of but if your car goes fast enough then the track’s safety regulations may require you to put in a safety harness instead of just a belt.
Insurance
Something to keep in mind is that a regular road insurance policy does not cover accidents that occur on a racetrack, so if something goes wrong while you’re out there you could end up seriously screwed over. Insurance companies usually offer single or multi day coverage that you can apply for in advance of a track day.
Accidents on the track are quite rare, but like all things it’s better safe than sorry, and having that coverage is a little peace of mind.