I went to my first track day (HPDE) this past weekend. The event was held at TWS, where we ran the 2.9 mile road course clockwise. It was in the 40's the entire weekend and we had some rain saturday morning and sunday afternoon.

It was a two day event, but I had some car troubles on Saturday. Two instructors drove my car, but a bad voltage regulator caused enough issues so that when they were finally ok with a 40 year old car going out on the track, the battery was fuming. This program just isn't set up to handle older / built cars. This program is used to 'new' cars, so the only two guys who 'built' a car out there drove my car to give the 'ok', though both didn't like my throttle. Saturday night I replaced a few burnt wires, replaced the battery and voltage regulator, and modified the throttle (too aggressive off-idle).

Day 2: Everything was good to go. First time out on track my instructor held me back, but the car handled quite well. Second session the instructor said go at 60%, brake twice as early, and really work on coming in to the turn with enough speed that you don't need throttle until after the apex. I did drop half a tire off the track coming out of one corner during this session, but the instructor didn't mind and a quick straightening of the wheel kept me on track.

Third (and final) session I had a different instructor, who wanted me to just keep working on what my primary instructor had worked with me on. I was not passed by a single car in the third session, and we probably passed 8-10 cars in that session (including mustangs, STI, grand sport corvette, miatas, etc). The Duster flat out stuck in the corners, and we closed ground on all cars we came up on in short order (especially in the corners). It was drizzling for the third session, but there was minimal grip reduction for the majority of the session. I did push the car a couple times, kicked the rear out coming onto the main straight on a high speed corner, and missed a heel toe downshift coming off the main straight that locked up the rear and caused a good bit of wheel hop. All was easily saved- just felt like a shifter kart save in slow motion.

We had open track for the first few laps, and I clicked off a 2:11 & 2:13 when there wasn't much traffic. For reference, my buddies in C6 z06's run 1:58-2:02's on a dry track on Hoosier R6 scrubs, and do not get passed in the Red (advanced) run group.

My goal time is to break 2:00 on this track. There are a few things I need to clean up, and I think it's very possible I could get there (though maybe not on street tires). I'm still not carrying enough speed into most corners on the track, so I'm looking for 2:05's on my next time out with the car as-is. I'd like to get all I can out of corner speeds before I worry too much about speed between corners and pushing my braking zones. At this type of event, you have to be fastest in the corners, as that's the main consideration when looking to pass or be passed. No one likes the guy who gets caught in the corners and drag races the straights to get away from the miata who just ran him down.

Specs:
1973 Plymouth Duster
6.1 stock hemi with Hilborn intake
tko600 5 speed
ford 9" floater, 3.60:1 gears with locker
18x9.5" wheels with 265/40/18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports
gen 3 viper calipers on all 4 with 14" rotors around (dr diff front, my work in rear). Dr Diff 15/16" master cylinder. Stock CTS-V pads all around (ferodo 2000 compound)
1.04" TB's, 0" arch oval track springs, 1.5" drop spacers
One Off Hellwig front sway bar, shelf Hellwig rear sway bar
RCD Bilstein shocks (lowered version)
3/16" height bump stops
2.5" suspension compression before bump stop
73+ k frame boxed and welded
Borgeson PS box
TTI's

For those who followed my build - I blew my 415 rwhp 5.7 hemi at the texas mile. Went 146 mph N/A, and melted a few pistons from a lean condition. Seems my main battery cable ground itself to the frame, which killed my pump flow. Stuff melts fast at 7,000+ rpm.

I put a bone stock 6.1 in the car last week, along with TTI headers and a Borgeson box (which fit like ****). Major interference at the box, at the idler arm, at the coupler, at the torsion bar, etc. All that to say I didn't get to start the car until Saturday night at 9:45 PM, roughly 8 hours before I drove the car to TWS. Oh, and I tuned it on the highway headed to the track (not recommended).

I did not take any video, but *might* have some action pictures once the group loads them online.

Problems I had on track:
-Ran lean after a long sweeper. Fuel was low. Probably ran my external fuel accumulator out of fuel. Got out and got back in it and it was fine.
-Brake pedal wasn't returning to rest- it would hang down low (and brakes would drag). A quick 'pull' with my foot would get rid of that, but I need to either add a spring to it or find the cause of it. Really only did that when the brakes were hot. Anyone got ideas?

List before next track day in 2 months:
Engineer throttle cam for easier throttle modulation
Diagnose and fix hanging brake pedal
Clean up part throttle tune on 6.1

Awesome I have nothing to add. Best regards on the fixes.

Did they have an instructor go with you since it was your first HPDE? What did the instructor think of the Duster on the big track? Any feedback from people watching the car move through the turns?

Sweet, let's see some pics!

Great action report and a "Tip Of the Hat" to you!

Curious, are you running stock pitma on/idler arm or fast ratio with that boregson box?

Wade, what is your feedback on the Borgeson? You really were pushing your luck cutting things that close you know? Kudos for the testicular fortitude.

Instructors seemed to like the car on track. Handled quite well. Didn't hear from anyone else.

Regular length pitman and idler arms.

Borgeson box was nice. No complaints.

Car weighs 3620. 54% front.

Very good effort. You pretty much did a marathon to get that car ready.