Subaru Speed Expo: 2021
Cool breeze, warm weather, and some sun. Couldn't have asked for a better day!
This year we had the pleasure of being one of the sponsors for Subaru Speed Expo facilitated by Chitown Subarus . Being a small family owned business it was very exciting to be a part of and experience the event. We proudly had a few of our customers and one of our team members participate as well and it was their first time on the track for all of them!
For those who are unfamiliar with the event, it's an annual Subaru track day held at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois. There are three tiers Novice, Intermidiate, and Advanced. Each Novice driver is paired up with an instructor to help them learn the rules and lines of the road. It's a great event for enthusiasts to gain knowledge and experience in high performance driving events (HPDE).
What did we do to prep for the track?
First things first you want to make sure you have a sound car. The last thing anyone needs is a blown motor, engine oil, coolant, or some other automotive fluid being dragged across the whole track that will take hours to clean up. Not only can it cost you money for repairs but you may lose popularity points among your fellow drivers who are eager to get their lap times in.
Ways that we got ready for the track:
- Track pads
- Dot4 brake fluid
- Checked all fluid lines for leaks
- 5w40 or 5w50 engine oil with fresh filter (make sure to swap back to 5w40 or 5w30 after)
- coolant flush or swap with water (make sure to swap back to coolant afterwards)
- Track tires
- Battery tied down securely
- Long pants
- Snell Certified helmet/track approved helmet
Those are the essentials to getting ready for the track. It's important to note that most events (like SSE) will have a check list and will actually perform Tech Inspections prior to cars getting on the track.
As a Novice, keep in mind that power and speed is not always the goal. Handling and control are a lot more important. Understanding the characteristics and personality of your car when under high pressure (hard corning, hard braking, and hard accelerating) is the fundamental to becoming a better driver. This way you start to figure out what the car needs based on your driving style.
Being the first year back since the Covid-19 Pandemic first hit, it was a great turnout. There is a lot more that we would like to do to prepare for these events and also to help host similar events in the future. Our goal is always to bring people together. We are very excited to see what the future holds for events and opportunities and we can't wait to share them with everyone.
We are still learning and growing in this new avenue, but are very excited to share what we discover along our way! We hope this little snippet helps you along your journey in HPDE as it has helped us and that we will see you next year at the next Subaru Speed Expo!
Questions or concerns? Shoot us a message on our facebook page, send us an email, or give us a call during our business hours! We'd be more than happy to help.