A Clean Car Is A Happy Car

Weekly race car maintenance starts with cleaning and inspection. 
Remove all filters and seal off all areas that do not need wet. Plug header openings with plungers or foam footballs. Remove any panels that aid access to the race car's dirtiest parts. Once ready, presoak the vehicle to help loosen those stubborn areas. Products such as Purple Power, Simple Green, & Super Clean are all perfect for these areas. Just be mindful that prolonged exposure to the tires can affect the tire's chemical construction and cause lab testing failures. 

After a thorough cleaning, the inspection process starts. Check all moving suspension parts for bends, cracks, and binds. Make a list of any parts that were replaced at the event or need replacing before the next event.
Note the number of laps that each part has endured. High-stress areas will need to be replaced often. 

Next, clean the air filter elements, change the fluids in the drivetrain, rinse out the radiator, and inspect the fan blade for fatigue. Inspect any bent or torn body panels and repair or replace them as necessary. Composite body panels from Stakt and MD3 are very popular on the right sides and filler panel areas on the car and are known for durability over their aluminum counterparts. 

Put together a parts list for the Monday morning phone calls. In our case, we have to let the wrap guy know that our right sides have more donuts than Dunkin. We are also running low on tear-offs and duct tape. 

Remember that more races are won and lost in the shop than at the track.