Lotus Elise PITTRACE TNiA Novice 8/23/2024

Pittsburgh International Race Complex hosted a Track Night in America event on 8/23/2024. I attended as part of the novice group for my first time on track and wanted to make this video to give an idea of what to expect from the event specifically at PittRace as a novice.

0:00 Intro
0:30 Instructor Led Pace Laps
2:11 Session 1
7:45 Session 2
24:13 Session 3

I am driving a 2006 Lotus Elise with a boe rev400 supercharger kit and supporting modifications.

To prepare I flushed the brake fluid with new Motul rbf600, changed the oil, and gave everything a once over to make sure there were no mechanical issues prior to the event. I also took the time to do the TNiA tech sheet beforehand. I also found a huge list of things to bring on reddit, and brought most of them. Ultimately, I only used a torque wrench and a tire pressure gauge.

Not shown in the video is the parking situation, sign in process, the driver meetings and debrief sessions. When you arrive there is a novice paddock you park at. The intermediate and advanced groups are located elsewhere. Once you park, you can empty your car and get your parking spot setup however you like. During sign in, they'll check to make sure you're on the list, give you a packet with a printed version of a drivers meeting, track info (passing zones, turn numbers, etc), a tech sheet, and a few stickers.

For the first drivers meeting the staff is introduced and they give an overview of what to expect on the track, emphasize safety, and explain what to do and focus on for the paced laps. They want you to get familiar with all the flag stand locations, passing zones, and the ideal driving line.

After the paced laps, during the debrief session, the instructor goes over all of the flags, how to give point bys, and the rules related to passing. They again hammer on safety, a one team mindset, and tell you to get ready for session one. Subsequent session debriefs are held after each session. The instructor unpacks the previous session and answers any questions from the drivers.

Overall, the experience was great. I was very hesitant to get on track for years and after doing this event I wish I had done it sooner. If you have any inkling you would like this, don't give yourself excuses - its totally worth it just sign up and give it a go.