So I have a DE tomorrow, and it's going to rain all day.

with my Evo I never really minded, with AWD and all I was usally the fastest one out there while still being reasonably in control

This'll be my first track day in the wet with my EG, so I'm a little apprehensive. The only tires I have for the wet are my street tires, which are 80% tread OLD school Azenis. The tires are probably 4+ years old and hard as a rock.

I'll be a-slippin and a-slidin' tomorrow!

 

I run in anything. Paid for the event, so I'm going to run.

What event are you running?

 

I've done it before a few times. The rain does kind of suck but it really forces you to slow down and concentrate more on driving a better line.

 

my wifes' first event was at VIR full in the wet. in 30-40 degree weather. in a miata. with falken azenis. it was an invaluable experience that taught her a LOT. although it was miserable, she still enjoyed it a lot. it also gave her a lot of confidence.

 

other than it being a pain that you have to have the windows open, it's a great forced car control education.
Also your forced to find different lines through some corners due to puddles or even better, small rivers.

 

wet

My first (2) HPDEs were in the wet...and I learned so much. I wouldn't have had it any other way

 

My last day of school was in the rain with race tires. Talk about learning how to be smooth. It was great experience.

 

I'd love to do an HPDE event in the rain. Sadly Southern California never rains; well hardly ever rains.

 

+Eleventy for doing it. Countless raindays here in a variety of car setups (tires, suspension, etc.), teaches you a lot about what can and can't be done. If you're on your way to a race license, now is the right time to learn too, not during a race. My only suggestions:

-Bring a waterproof tent, or have some other way of getting OUT of the rain when not driving, and
-Bring several pairs of dry clothes, especially socks. Driving in wet socks just sucks *****.

Also, if you can, try a session or two on your non-street tires (I'm assuming some R-comp). You might be surprised

 

i havent driven on track int he rain in a whole (since the glen almost 3 years ago) but it definately teaches you alot.

 

The only thing I hate about the rain is if you are using track compound brakes pads like Hawk Blue or similar, when you hit puddles, any brake dust on your wheels will be permanetly baked on. This happened on my discontinued Racing Sparco NS II's. Now it is not even an after thoguht since they are destroyed already...

I would definitely use tires with some grooves, switch to street tires with more grip if you have them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .one lane &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd love to do an HPDE event in the rain. Sadly Southern California never rains; well hardly ever rains. </TD></TR></TABLE>
That's what I did, Streets of Willow, 40 deg, windy, raining like crazy. Fortunately I was doing an HPDE in a street car so I had wipers and could roll the windows up!

Invaluable experience!

 

I dont mind racing in the rain, unless I'm in an open cockpit car. Its not too fun having a rooster tail of dirty water constantly spray your helmet shield. As long as I can see where I'm going I'm ok

 

Def a really good experience, my first session in my first hpde it was raining.. pretty fun

 

hi.

i LOVE the rain! every NASA race weekend, when driving the Probe in PTE, i pray for rain! it really evens things up between the 'expensive, well prepped' racecars, and the super low budget machines (thats me! LOL). rain equalizes most things; rain makes driver's skill and bravery and car handling much more important that having a sunbelt motor, or moton shocks..... gimme rain every time!

here is a neat clip of me from last month, up at Watkins Glen, in my old used-to-be-H1 racecar (EG hatchie with K20 power). it had just poured rain, and was easing up. this is with the Riesentoter PCA, with whom i instruct frequently. this clip is from the Red/Black combined group (that is the Advanced drivers, plus the Instructors). i had taken off my old S05 hoosiers, and put on my street tires; these were old old old Yoko 032Rs about 1/2 tread. i hadn't used them for 5 yrs!!!! they were really slippy, and you had to be uber cautious with them! in the vid clip, the #340 993 Porsche is Bob T; he's a NASA racer too, and runs in GTS3. he and Eric Wong typically battle it out! after i passed Bob T, he hung in there behind me, and i couldn't really shake him. he stayed +- 20 car lengths back there the entire time.... toward the end of the vid you can see a 2003 EVO spin and lose it entering the brake zone to the bus stop; it was TREACHEROUS up there; i eventually almost lost it once, and then the battery in the camera died, and about a lap later i slid straight thru the bus stop brake zone too!

http://www.vimeo.com/1461897

i LOVE driving in the rain! it really separates the men from the boys, and shows who has the Mad Skillz!

todd
ReidSpeed

PS the Probe is very very much easier to drive in the rain. the Civic really keeps my attention at 100%!!!!!!!!!


Modified by Todd Reid at 9:17 PM 8/17/2008

 

I love the rain! VIR, pouring rain, spinning the tires halfway down the back straight!!!!

 

I don't love racing in the rain. Racing is more enjoyable in the dry. However, we will have to do it at one point or another. Therefore it is in your best interest to practice in the rain.

Racing in the rain is miserable. And often time, if the rain is hard enough, it will mess with your electronics.

I do not believe anyone love racing in the rain more than the dry. Some said they love it because it will perceive them as more manly

Racing in the rain bring a whole new different challenges. It forces you to be extremely smooth with your driving. It requires different "racing line". In the end, I truly believe the front runner in the dry will still be a front runner in the rain.

 

It's not that bad if you dont have 90% bald falken azenis front and rear.

The BIGGEST thing about HPDE'ing in the rain is to keep dry between sessions. You will get wet - so have a small tent or something to be able to duck into and changes of clothes and tarps to keep your tools, personal stuff, etc somewhat dry because it sucks packing up all your soaking wet gear into a track exhausted car

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Andrie Hartanto &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In the end, I truly believe the front runner in the dry will still be a front runner in the rain.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

have you ever watched a formula one race? i mean seriously, that's where most of hondas points come from is the rain races because not a lot of F1 drivers seem to be as good in the wet as they are in the dry..

 

Expect something like WMHM8 this year

 

Buttonwillow in the wet twice. I enjoyed it a lot. Never spun that many times in one day.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by E-AT_me &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

have you ever watched a formula one race? i mean seriously, that's where most of hondas points come from is the rain races because not a lot of F1 drivers seem to be as good in the wet as they are in the dry.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That has a lot to do with strategy not the ability of the drivers/machine

Look at lap times, the top driver still get the fast lap times.

 

So it didn't rain a drop all day. It was supposed to have 80% chance of precip every hour of the day. It did rain a little that evening on the drive home, but not on the track.

I usually have a garage, so staying dry isn't really an issue.

Yeah, my car leaks a little too, and I get water on my ECU. that sucks.

Anyway, all went well. In the morning I was really unhappy with my driving and car's handling, but was driving a consistent 3 seconds faster than in the afternoon, when I thought I was hauling booty. very strange. maybe the heat had something to do with it: it got at least 10 or more degrees hotter after lunch. maybe I was just tired.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blacK20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've done it before a few times. The rain does kind of suck but it really forces you to slow down and concentrate more on driving a better line.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not always.. it can force you to drive a totally different line... one without puddles.


plus it's wet..your car gets REALLY dirty.....

makes change tires a really dirty mess... all your **** gets wet....

pretty much it sucks... but I will always run in the rain if they allow it.. not gonna waste my money.


it also shows you how little traction you really have in the rain..

 

I don't enjoy running in the rain near as much as when it is dry... but it certainly teaches you different tactics on the track.