[y5e06]

While out on my run last night I was pondering the issues I'm having w/ my new clutch (arrghhh!). I then began to wonder, "How do race cars break in their clutches when they can't drive them easy on the street first?" So that then expanded to other items such as engines, rear end (gears), etc.
If the car isn't street legal, and you need to put in 500 miles or so on a specified part to break it in, what do you track only guys do? Are the items you use 'race only'? i.e. they don't require the same breakin proceedures and come near 'ready to use'? What methods are used on a clutch, or even an engine, when you can't put in those easy miles before beating on it?

[y5e06]

I also suspect a 'no load' break in would be insufficent. You wouldn't generate the required heat, if in fact, work hardening is required. Also you wouldn't be loading up on the parts the same way as if you had significant resistance. I know the clutch really isn't mileage related but is based on engage/disengage cycles, mileage is just a simple rule of thumb. I'm thinking here more of a general discussion for race car break-in than on, say, the clutch specifically. There are a number of different components that require break-in. Not to mention components/systems that need to be cycled in actual conditions to verify that they are tuned correctly, installed correctly, free of defects, etc.