Spring is a great time to give your car a thorough safety checkup before you get on the roads. This is especially true when you are planning to join NSCC at a racing event. Spending time now prepares your car for optimum performance and safety!Here’s what you can do at home to prepare your car for the track. ·Empty the car of any/all loose objects. Leave as much as you can at home. ·Seatbelts: need to be checked for good operation. ·Windshield: cannot have any cracks that threaten safety. Be sure your wiper fluid is full to keep the windshield clean. ·Brakes: adequate pads, rotors in good shape, and adequate fluid. Solid pedal with no “sponginess”. When did you put in new fluid last? Be sure your brake lights work. ·Tires: street legal with minimum 2/32” tread in good shape. (Racing slicks exempt). Be sure to check your tire pressure. ·Tie rods, ball joints, and steering links: solid, no play or binding. ·Motor mounts: no play of mounts or engine rubbing on hoses or cables. ·Coolant system: all hoses free of cracks, clamps tight and reserve tank to the full line. Have you had it flushed lately? ·Fuel system: throttle linkage free and tight. Hoses solid, clamps tight, no visible leaks. ·Oil system: be sure it’s topped off with no visible leaks. ·Helmet: Snell or DOT (loaners are available) ·Battery: make sure it is secure. Our Gymkana events are low speed. However, you will do lots of braking, turning and generally putting your car through actions not experienced in everyday driving. A car that is carefully maintained and given a good going over on a regular basis can save you problems later—it’s especially important for a racing event. -Ed Harms, NSCC Safety Chairman
