Five Tips for Taking it to the Track 2

Make Sure Your Car is Really Ready to Rock

Is the fluid in the master cylinder reservoir clear and amber? Or does
it resemble something sliding off a hill after a rainstorm? When was the
last time the oil was changed?

Are your tires in good
condition, or do you need a dusty manuscript to decipher the DOT codes
because they were made in the last century? Make sure all the ball
joints and tie rod ends are tight, and that the brake pads are well over
50 percent. If not, spring for some high-quality, performance-oriented
replacements. Also, a good alignment will have the car tracking
straighter, and make it easier to drive at the limit.

And don’t
forget the battery tie-down! More cars fail tech at my local autocross
because of those than everything else combined! To make sure
I haven’t forgotten anything, I use a checklist.