Pit equiptment/ race checklist
 

Here are a few questions about some of the equiptment everyone uses. If you use it let us know what you think about it and how it has helped/hurt your driving and any problems you have had with it. Also what brands you have used and how they compare.

Car to Pit radio
Lap timers
remote datalogging

Also what does everyone take to the track (post your packing checklist :)) What are some things you wish you had at the track?

Matt

We don't use radios for timing we use stop watches. The SCCA times us with our transponder. No datalogging. I forget what brand it is but a temp gun for tire temps. We have a old yamaha moped with a rack on the back to get around the track. We are just running club races so if we blow a tire its over not worth the effort to change unless runoffs. We carry lots of duct tape (racers tape :) ) We have a 48ft enclosed goose neck trailer with generator and AC. We don't carry a compressor we carry nitrogen to fill the tires as it doesn't expand in the heat. We have air tools and hand tools anything we might need. Spare tranny, clutch, rearend, gears, rearend gears, ect ect ect... We carry a set of scales, an extra airdam, fiberglass and resin, exhaust parts, suspension parts. And much much more can't think of everything just gives you an idea. We are usualy pretty well prepaired. Also we tow with a 90's ford dulley with dual tanks and two extra tanks in the bed, one with regular gas and one filled with race fuel for the car. We run a GT-1 car.

We use Motorolla radio's. I consider them a must have. The driver tells me things about the car. If there is a problem I can figure out what I have to get ready before he pits. I call flags before he can see them. I can tell him where to go in traffic. I can tell him where there are wrecks on the track or if someone blows an engine and dumps oil on the track I let him know where it is.
I let him know lap times and if he needs to go faster are save the car. Radio's are a must have to anyone that wants to win.

for the pits we take:

1-2 quarts each of all fluids; Brake, Gear, oil

5 gallons of water.

A full set of tools

4 jack stands

a floor jack

role of race (duct) tape

Lots of zip ties

a coat hanger (have had to use one to hang the exhaust back up more than once)

2-4 spare wheels

10 gallons of fuel

and the four wheeler to go back to the trailer to get what we forgot.


I'm sure there are some things I forgot.

Mike

some of the stuff they said above plus

- tire gauge
- sunscreen
- hat
- 2 gallon water sprayer to spray the oil cooler(s) and radiator to cool the car off
- air compressor
- pen and paper
- safety equipment
- tools
- food and water

and some other stuff i'm forgetting. it helps to go with friends in bigger cars so they can carry your stuff :)

radios are great if you can afford them, but not a necessity. Datalogging is also very helpful but is a very expensive piece of equipment. I am not a fan of lap timers since most groups use transponders and post results quickly. as for supplies at the track
things needed: water, food, sunscreen, and cash. depending on your tow vehicle and trailer bring all tools needed to work on the car, including setup tools, any spare part that can be changed easily in a couple hours. no real need for a spare motor if it takes ten hours to change. if space is limited bring hand tools and a floor jack.

GT-1 car trany = 40min engine = 2 hours gotta love tube frame and removable body work :).

I have to agree with mr. importguy. tube frame purpose built race cars are the only way to go. I just finished (today) my friends ASC car. it is a converted Southwest Tour stock car. built to be a road racer. I built this car for a little less than I spent building my RX7 turbo II and the stock car is 10 seconds a lap faster on average at the tracks we race at. it is also alot easier to work on. motor and trans can be removed in about 2 hours as one piece. I wish I had the budget to race a "real" GT-1 type car, but not at this time.

The guy I crew for has been racing SCCA and CanAm for over 30years I know CanAm is not longer. He designed and built the frame him self. It saves alot of money doing it that way.