Late to Grid - Grassroots Racing

The Solo Survival Kit: Everything You Need to Pack for Track Day Success

• Bill Snow • Season 5 • Episode 14

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In this episode of Late to Grid, we dive into the checklist every racer needs to have before heading to the track. Whether you’re new to autocross or you’ve got a season of wheel-to-wheel under your belt, this is your solo survival kit for stress-free events.

Bill shares his essential gear picks, pro tips for packing, and lessons learned from a very wet practice day at Mid-Ohio. Learn why peanut butter & jelly might be your secret weapon, why painter’s tape belongs in every trunk, and how being prepared helps you stay focused on what matters most: driving.

If you’ve ever forgotten your torque wrench or shown up with foggy visors—this one’s for you.

🔧 Topics include:

  • Must-have driving gear
  • Tools & spares that save your day
  • Why you should never rely on track concessions
  • The comfort hacks pros won’t skip
  • Lessons learned the hard way at wet track days

Track ready setups for time trial drivers and others 

Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing. The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.

Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website.

Hitting the track soon, but feeling a bit overwhelmed with what you need to pack. Don't worry, I've got you covered. This week I'm talking about putting together a list of everything you need to pack so you have a successful day at your next event. Let's throw the green flag on this episode. As I mentioned, I'm going to cover the essentials you need to pack to make sure that you have a stress free and successful event. Doesn't matter if it's autocross track day. Wheel the wheel racing. All of this applies when you put the helmet on at your event. You don't want to have to worry about anything that something's missing or something's not right. We're going to get you 100% focused, so that's what you're going to be on. Focused on driving. Also, at the end of this episode, I'm going to talk a little bit about what I learned at a wet practice day. It's really important. There's big takeaways. If you're an experienced racer, you probably already have a list of what you need to pack, but this might serve as a good reminder of things you maybe have forgotten about. If you are new to motorsports, this is a must listen to episode because I'm going to cover again everything that makes the day better. Before we start packing, we need to plan. This happens when you are registering for the event. Once you hit the submit button on that registration. Now is the time to start thinking about that list. Do you have a list? Let's make a list. Go through the list, but more importantly, put a date on the calendar. When are you going to start packing? You need to go through everything. And why is that important? Well, let's say that you realize that your helmet's out of date. We're going to talk about that. How about if your numbers need to be updated or there's some things you need to order. You have to have enough time to order them and have them delivered and get them set up. Don't wait till the last week. Don't wait till the last day. Plan in plenty of time. So let's start talking about this packing list and what you need to take for a stress free event. Item number one. Let's talk about driving gear a proper helmet if you're doing autocross track days. Time trials racing. You need a helmet that is in good shape and meets current specifications. Check whatever event you're running, whatever group you're running with. Check what the requirements are. Make sure your helmet meets those, those specifications. If it doesn't get a helmet. Call the friends at track first. I'll get you all hooked up. Here's a funny one, though. Does that helmet smell? When was the last time you took it out of your bag? Make sure that when you put that helmet on, it doesn't have some some weird odor. And there's. You can buy chemicals to clean that up. Make sure your visor looks good. It's clean. It's not cracked. Pack some driving gloves. Now, this is a this is a preference if you're endurance racing or wheel racing gloves are a must. Got to have fireproof gloves. If you're doing an autocross or track day or time trial for that matter, gloves are a personal preference. Maybe you want to wear it for comfort or grip. Maybe you don't want to wear it at all, but it might be something you want to think about putting in your in your pack to take comfortable driving shoes. So a lot of folks like to wear a specific driving shoe during an event. A lot of times it has a stiffer sole so you have better pedal feel. But I'm going to say if you are taking racing shoes, pack another pair of shoes. Here's why. When you arrive to the event in the morning, guess what? That grass is always wet. Last thing you want to do is soak your driving shoes because you wore them to the event. You don't want slippery shoes on your pedals. You don't want wet feet. Bring another pair of shoes, or even sandals or flip flops for that matter, to make sure you're going to be comfortable all day long. Number two, let's talk about a tool kit and a supply kit and a spare kit. You need a good set of tools. Now, I'm not talking about dragging your entire toolbox to the event, but pick up a small tool set and you can buy these at Harbor Freight for as low as $40, or about $200 at a Home Depot or a part store. And what they are. It's about $150. I'm sorry, 150 piece tool kit and it's in a black molded case. It's kind of everything you need. It's got screwdrivers, sockets, wrenches. Sometimes it'll come with a small hammer. That's all you need for a track event or autocross. You definitely want to have that. Let's talk about spare fluids. You need to take some motor oil. You should take some engine coolant. If your car has power steering and it's a hydraulic system, it uses fluid. Take that. Take glass cleaner. Take some microfiber bug and tar removal. Products. You're going to want all of those there. And some paper towels and some microfibers. You might be surprised if you haven't been in the sport very long, how dirty your car gets. And last thing you want is a dirty windshield. So take those items and you're going to be covered for the event. Also, take a funnel. That's one thing that I get asked all the time when I'm at an event. May I borrow a funnel? Because people forget to do that. You know, I'd be spilling chemicals all over your engine. And then what you're going to want to do is put all of that into a kit, small tote. And that way it's always ready to go. Let's talk about spares now, for most autocross events or track days, it's unlikely you're going to take a bunch of spares with you. But if you're racing, endurance racing or, or even sprint racing for that matter, take some spares. What what breaks on a regular basis, what do you know wears out that you need to have with you? But going back to the autocross or track day, what if you what if you know that your cooling fan always blows a fuze when it gets hot? At the end of the day, take those spare fuzes. Think about what you replace on a regular basis. Make sure you have that in your spares kit. You're going to want a quality tire pressure gauge. You know, these are it's very important to have that you want to wear. It can measure in 1 pound increments. You don't want to go buy one that goes, you know, five, ten, 15. Get one that goes 1 pound increments because you're working with your tire pressures throughout the day, and you're going to want a good tire inflator as well. My personal favorites, the M12 from Milwaukee. You'll find out you're going to use it at home as well for under 200 bucks. I think it is. You get the tool, you get the battery, and you get the charger. It's well worth it because last thing you want to do is show up to an event and find out that there's no air compressor on site. Other people may have forgotten theirs. Be prepared because you're going to again be adjusting those tire pressures up and down. So good quality tire pressure gauge allows you to release the air out of the tire and set the tire pressure. But if you got to put more in, you're going to want that tire inflator. There. One thing it's always good to have in your in your kit is tape. I'm talking blue painter's tape, black electrical tape and regular duct tape. Hopefully you don't need duct tape to hold things together after an on track incident, but painter's tape comes in handy. Sometimes you want to paint. You want to put painter's tape over your, headlights to keep them from cracking. If a stone were to get tossed up by another car. But also, if you forget your numbers or the event organizer says, hey, you gotta have numbers on your car. This is where the painter's tape definitely comes in. And if you have the room, take a jack and Jack stands. Hopefully you don't need to use it, but it's always good to have that. Just in case you need to check something under the car, or move a wheel or even, rotate your tires at the event. And lastly, you're going to want a good torque wrench. Reason being, you should be talking your lug nuts throughout the day, at least checking them. They will heat and expand during the day. You're going to talk to anyone that's done, track days and motorsports events. They can loosen up. And last thing you want to do is have one that's over tight or have one that's loose, a torque wrench and know your torque specs before you get to the track is a must have. And again, I talk about totes all the time. You can put these items in multiple totes. You can have one tote. Whatever makes it easy and stress free for you is what you're going to want to do. All right. The third category I want to talk about is food and staying hydrated. You're going to burn more calories than you can ever imagine at a track day. You're going to have a lot of thirst going on as well. You want to stay hydrated. So my recommendation is pack a cooler with some waters, maybe some sports drinks that are high in electrolytes. I'm not a pop drinker, but if you are, maybe you throw a couple sodas in there and then ice it down. Make sure it's nice and cool so that you can, you know, refresh yourself in between sessions and especially during the lunch break. You want to put some snacks in there, too? For some protein bars, maybe some meat sticks. So you can get some protein during the day, some fruits and veggies. And then I always I always put pretzels in my, my, track snack bag. I don't know why, but that's really easy to eat as you're kind of going around your car and, you never want to rely on the concession stand at the event. I've been to events where it was promised that there would be an either food truck or onsite concessions, and guess what? There weren't. And I don't like to leave the event at lunchtime. I like to stay there so that I can work on my car, or I can meet other competitors and talk about our great industry. Be prepared. And if you've seen me at the track, you always know I always pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That's my go to. It's easy. It's delicious. It's stores. Well, during the day. Make sure you're taking, something to eat during the day just so you can stay hydrated and fueled. You fueled your car. You should be fueling yourself as well. Category number four comfort and convenience. This is a big one. You want to make sure that you're really enjoying the day. Take a comfortable chair. There's going to be any place to sit for sure. And you don't want to have to walk over to the pit wall just to find a place to sit. If even if you're allowed to sit over in that area. I call them camping chairs. These are the foldable chairs that go in the bag. I have one that that's my go to track. It fits in every car that I've ever taken to the track. It's comfy. It's predictable. If somehow it gets lost or forgotten, it's not the end of the world. That's. It's my go to chair. Make sure you take one. You're going to want sunscreen and a hat and certainly sunglasses to. I mentioned earlier about people always asking for a funnel. There's another thing. I always get asked for sunscreen and Advil. I'm gonna talk about that in a minute. Yeah. Make sure you're taking some sunscreen, because hopefully the sun's out. And the last thing you want to do, though, is burn. And that's where the hat and sunglasses come in as well. If you're outside all day, probably not in a lot of shade. The last thing you want is a sun induced headache to put a damper on your day. So a hat will help protect your head and your face from the sun as well as your eyes. Sunglasses will help too. I mentioned Advil or some sort of pain relief. You're out. I don't know why, but it always seems someone's looking for some Tylenol or Advil when I'm at an event. I should probably start. Packaging is selling it, right? Make sure you take some, because maybe you have a headache just from the night before. Maybe have a headache because of the sun. Maybe your muscles ache a little bit. Be prepared. Have that in your pack. I like to bring a small tarp and blanket to attract. A reason being is if it's going to be wet, rainy. I want a tarp to protect my items. Because when your car is on track or competing, your stuff is not in the car. It's back in the paddock. A blanket too, just just to cover things up or, Yeah, if it gets chilly, you got something to cover yourself up with as well. Now, even when I would take a miata to track days, I would always take a big sports umbrella. You've probably seen these at the beaches or at some soccer games. It's a large, oversize umbrella that kind of secures the ground. Two people can sit under it comfortably. For me, that was always a great place to kind of claim my spot in the paddock. Put all of my tools and accessories and gear underneath that. I have shade that way if it's sunny, if it's raining, I got a place to kind of hang out and not get wet. I always enjoy having that at the track. Remember the extra shoes I mentioned? I also recommend for comfort a spare shirt. If it's a warm day, you're probably gonna get a little sweaty. You don't want to drive home in a sweaty shirt, so take an extra, extra shirt. And you might want to check with the event organizer. Some events require you to wear a long sleeve t shirt, unless you want to show up as something. You know that short sleeve. So you might want to take a long sleeve just in case. And then, depending upon a forecast, I always like to pack a rain jacket or a hoodie. Sweatshirt just to stay warm. You don't want to be shivering during an event. Category number five of what you need to pack for a successful track day are your electronics. You need to be doing some sort of data acquisition, whether it's a free app on your phone, whether it is a Garmin Catalyst or an Aim device, or an apex Pro, make sure your device is charged. Make sure the software is up to date and make sure it is packed. If you need chargers or adapters, suction cup mounts. Make sure those are in your kit. Maybe you run a GoPro. Make sure that the SD cards are ready to go. Make sure it's charge. Make sure you have all your mounts, but make sure that stuff is packed. I like to have a little separate tote for just those items that way. It's always there. Your cords are always there. Your mounts are always there. There's no question where that stuff is. And then category number six I'll just throw in. There is everything else. So this goes from having a notebook and pen. You ought to be recording at the end of your day. And at the end of each session your notes, what worked, what didn't, what do you need to buy that you forgot to bring to the event? Is there, some follow up items you need to work on? Did you meet somebody and jot down a phone number to follow up with them? That's a great idea of why having a notebook or pen at an event is great. Sometimes cell coverage isn't great, and if you're trying to connect with someone on social media, you might not be able to pull up that and find them. So jotting it down is a great idea. You might have to bring a text sheet. So just about every event you go to there's going to be a check sheet. The tech sheet that you need to have filled out make sure that is with you. Some events are cash only. When I give presentations, at some events, I always talk about this. There was a, cash only event I did, and the guy paddock next to me did not have any cash. He could have been sent home. They figured out a way to make it work. But make sure you know how you're going to pay for the event. If you need to pay tolls on the way, do you have money for tolls or make sure E-ZPass is there? How about numbers? Some organizations require you to run numbers during the event, even for some track days, because they want to be able to identify you or have corner workers call in to say what a great job you're doing. Or black flag that car he just put four off. So make sure your car is identifiable if it needs to be for that. All right. So here are my final thoughts on doing, you know, putting together your packing list. Review your checklist. Make sure you have one updated as you know, as your season goes on, because you're going to find out there's more things you want to take or maybe even less things. So update that I can't talk about it enough. Plan early, plan often, and execute that plan. You're going to have a much better day than if you're scrambling the night before, or trying to figure out where things are. Maybe something was left at your office. Maybe something was left at your shop. Do it the way before the event. It'll be such a smooth day. I want to wrap up this episode by talking about a wet weather practice day that we just had. So if you go to if you go to our socials, you know, on Instagram, Facebook or even YouTube, I uploaded a video that I recorded at Mid-Ohio. It was a very rainy and cold Mid-Ohio event. And it got me thinking, why does so many people cancel a track day when it's wet? They shouldn't. We all need seat time. Whether it's wet seat time, dry seat time. Go to the event. Also, you're going to learn what's not working on your car when it's wet. Last thing I do is show up to your competition and realize, oh shoot, my wipers don't work quite like I need to. My front window defogger doesn't work like it needs to. And that's exactly what happened to us. We took one of the radio racing neons to Mid-Ohio to shake it down. As I mentioned, it was wet and guess what happened? The inside of our windshield fogged up and we realized that while we have a switch for a blower motor, there is no blower motor. I'm glad we learned it at a test day and not at a event or race, because I would've had some upset drivers and some upset sponsors. So anyways, the point I'm trying to make is when we attend events that are kind of outside the norm of the weather we're looking for, we learn a lot. You're going to learn the tire pressures. You're going to need to set your car right. If you have the ability to change your suspension settings, you can do that. If you need a new wiper blade, you're going to figure that out as well. The other part of it is what sort of gear do you need in the wet, you know, do you want a rain jacket? Do you want to take different shoes or boots when it's wet? Attending a wet weather event helps get you there. So we learned a lot. I hope me sharing that, helps you get ready for your next wet weather event as well. So I'm going to wrap up and, I just want to say thanks for being a listener. It's great to have you along here listening to everyone's motorsports journey. I do have a couple requests. Tell a friend about our industry, drag them to the next event, have them be your your, you know, your pitstop guy or just taken some data for you. Let's get more people involved in grassroots racing and also tell some friends about the show. Let's spread the word. Let's grow our sport. When there's more people at the track, we have a great time and I'd like to hear about your motorsports journey. So connect with me on our Instagram account, our Facebook. It's at late to grid. Heck, you can send me an email to Bill at Atomic Auto sports.com. I'd like to hear what you're up to and and what you're racing and where you're going with your motorsports journey. And one last thing don't be late to grid.