[craig66]

I am sorry if this is a really obtuse question but bear with me

If tracking a car one needs to take extra care in oil changes, break fluid, etc, etc

On the other hand spirited driving and letting the car visit redline and active use of all components allows the engine "to breath" and generally cars that do this are healthier than cars that dont. In this case no special care is needed aside from regular maintenance.

I guess I am asking at what point do your spirited drives and drives through mountain passes become closer to tracking.

 

[johan]

I guess we all track in a different way.

But spirited driving does not include braking as my life depended on it.
Or cornering with the risk that i would go of the road.
And to be at redline as much as i could.

Offcourse these things happens when i drive spirited but not every time i brake or turn.
On track i try to be on the limit as much as i can.

 

[jimmuller]

I can't speak from much track experience but I think @johan described it accurately. On a track you can practice each turn until you know what's coming, what the road surface is like, just how close to the limit you can be. On a public road you don't drive the same corner over and over again just a few minutes apart. You don't know what's around the bend or whether the surface is the same here as it is there or what oncoming traffic will do. So you simply can't push it to near panic situations on purpose on every turn for long periods of time.

 

[jimmuller]

... break fluid, etc, etc

My choice for break fluid is dark roast Sumatra.

For brake fluid however DOT5 (silicone) has less tendency to pick up water and therefore corrode the inside of the cylinders. For long term cars like vintage British roadsters it was a good choice. IIRC, it has to be poured carefully because it captures bubbles easily. You can't mix DOT3/4 and DOT5.

 

[DJB]

There is a significant difference in stress on a car between spirited street driving and track IF you are not risking life and limb on the street, and are a reasonable driver on the track and push it a bit. The street is simply not safe to drive hard on. There is no way to know if there is moisture, sand, oil etc around the next corner, much less animals, broken down cars, pedestrians.

Most who drive on the track will be on the throttle much longer and on the brakes much harder. Its certainly much safer to push your car on the track assuming you can control yourself

I assume the primary stress will be on the tires, brakes and cooling system. If on street tires, they act like a fuse in a way and limit the stress on suspension and other chassis components.

David