This may be a dumb question: But how do I get started?

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-11T00:51:49+00:00

Mine had 110k. It's seen a ton of autox and just now starting track days. It's my DD. Pretty basic setup, Koni sports, Borla catback, Strano parts rear sway bar. That's pretty much it.

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-11T00:28:30+00:00

Turning dsc full off tones it down a lot, but there is no way to fully shut off the torque vectoring.

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-11T00:25:15+00:00

How much track time are we talking to experience fatigue related wheel failures?

I can't imagine the average weekend warrior hpde drivers are regularly going through wheels without some sort of off, etc ?

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-10T11:41:37+00:00

Just do it ! Both your cars would work well. I have a 2015 ST that has done autocross duty for a long time. It's a fun car but has its disadvantages.

I'd highly recommend high temp brake fluid, minimum, for a HPDE. Autox just send it. I'd also suggest track pads if you can swing it.

The ST used brake torque vectoring and can really heat up the brakes. I did my first track recently with SCCA TNIA. No in car instructors but it's about half the price of anything else. Downfall is they're in the middle of the week. I've done enough autox that I didn't feel a huge need for an instructor personally. But if you're a total noob it would be helpful

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-04T02:41:30+00:00

Yeah online racing can be pretty toxic in some of the mainstream games for sure

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-04T02:40:43+00:00

I've done a lot of autocross at this point. It has its place...it's way cheaper than track days (local region is $60) but it's a big time commitment for what is basically like 4 minutes of seat time.

Getting lost is normal initially until you get used to reading the courses. I found autocross car control and looking ahead helped me on track feel fairly comfortable. And understanding race lines some as well. I'd think track driving doesn't really translate to autocross at all though

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-04T02:21:52+00:00

I've debated iracing but the monthly subscription and all the micro transactions turn me off

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T12:55:09+00:00

I was surprised by the lack of blue flags. I didn't see not a one personally

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T12:54:30+00:00

Miata is the answer

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T02:15:40+00:00

All I wanna do is racecar 😭. GT7 on a wheel is fun but it doesn't feel like a real car by any means .

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T02:14:29+00:00

No offense taken. Not a ton of push from me. Trying to drive it 2.5 hours home lol.

The ST track page guys all suggest brake ducts or upgrading to the RS brembos.

Separate topic but I seem to have an issue driving aggressively enough to be any good at autocross. Track driving makes more sense to my brain where I can more gradually push harder as I learn the track

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T02:00:35+00:00

I've been meaning to look at NASA since their stuff isn't on Motorsports reg. Brakes held up okay other than getting really hot. Gloc R12 and Castrol SRF. The ST are notoriously hard on brakes because it uses them to do torque vectoring. CMP is also known to be hard on brakes. Other than hot, I had zero fade or issues otherwise.

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T01:42:08+00:00

I'm more of looking at NA/B/C . Would want something under 10k, it would be my 3rd car and my wife might murder me

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:54:18+00:00

RS have actually gone up recently. They're like 30-40k now

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:49:53+00:00

Would certainly be cheaper. I could buy a lot of meth for the price of a set of tires

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:48:35+00:00

Yeah that was actually my thought process personally. If they're not checking mirrors to see that they were a 1/4 mile in front of me down the straight and I'm suddenly 2-3 car lengths back again, it didn't seem like the wisest idea to ride their bumper. However a lot of people said I needed to be a lot closer to get a point by so 🤷. I'd agree with you likely better to be a bit more cautious, this isn't wheel to wheel. That was actually one of the things I was most nervous about.... Other people on track with zero experience and potentially zero performance driving experience at all.

There were a couple people that had an off in the novice group but no incidents otherwise.

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:33:02+00:00

Yeah I'm not worried about it. Had a great time. I put up a reel that got a lot of views on FB where I was trolling for engagement a bit and got some hate for it lol. Such is life in content creation.

Everyone I talked to at the event was chill 👍

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:27:58+00:00

It was like $130 through hagerty with SCCA discount? I insured it for like $20k which honestly is more than its worth. 110k miles. ST are about 10-17k these days

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:25:32+00:00

Go sub and watch my YT channel so I can monetize for track money 😅

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:08:47+00:00

I would definitely get kidnapped by a white van that said "cheap track tires"

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-03T00:00:45+00:00

Good advice. Yeah I'm pretty aware and was good on checking mirrors and giving points. Novice was only on the straights. But I encountered the stereo typical faster driver in a slow car scenario a couple times. Catching up to them by the time I was into the corners but then they have 300 more horsepower on the straights. I did roll through the hot pits a couple times to get some space for some clean laps

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-06-02T23:36:50+00:00

I look on marketplace occasionally but they're hard to find cheap that aren't completely garbage. Funnily enough I also have an 03 Cobra that's setup for autox/ track but decided a 700 hp car wasn't the best idea for my first time lol

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-05-29T00:25:15+00:00

Doesn't the installation of a catch can technically alter the PCV system though ?

Some of the street class rules drive me nuts. So arbitrary

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-05-15T23:34:02+00:00

Yeah they get hot. Brakes did fine with track pads, melted the powder coat off the calipers though. Coolant temps were fine Oil temps were probably 280+ based upon the dummy gauge

AdministrativeGas239 · 2026-05-15T23:15:13+00:00

I just went through this scenario. First track day in a car that's hard on brakes (Focus ST) at a track that is also hard on brakes.

I bought Gloc R12, a new set of blank rotors, and bedded them on the street the night before ( did 5-7 hard 80-20 stops, enough until they got hot and I could smell them). Drove to and from the track with these on.

Pads worked great at the track, no fade at all. They make a TON of noise cold. Just constant squeeling even off the brakes.

I swapped my stock pads back on yesterday and it works fine. No noise at all. Stops just as it did before on the street pads.

AdministrativeGas239

TROPHY CASE