fizzer

Hi all. Just want to check and see if I should expect any other 8s from here at the school at NHIS with COMSCC this Saturday. It'll be my frist track day and I'm pumped

Imp

1st Track day for me too. I'm in Grp 4. After a whole bunch of peer pressure from COM regulars these past 3-4 years, I'm finally making it to the track.

--kC

Spin9k

If you guys get hooked, don't forget there is a 4 DAY BMW-CCA school "End of Summer Meet" at Loudon the 28th thru 31st. You can go just one day or any combination...days start at $145/day for weekdays!!

Imp

I blow my vacation days on SCCA nationals.

--kC

fizzer

Awsome, I'm in group 4 as well. I'm guessing that's the first-timer group - see ya there!

BTW, what tires are you running? I'm hoping to nicely finish off my pilot sports before I get some all seasons - they should be well and truly cooked after 15k miles, 10 autox's and a track day. I'm hoping to go to dedicated autox tires for next season and some of them konis now that i'll be outta the novice class

Imp

The stock Bridgerocks and if time allows, my left over R-compounds.

Imp

Wow, I did have a great time at my 1st event.. got to hang out with teh k3wL APR groupies. Did I go through a lot of brake fluid trying to fix the problem? It invaded my dreams last night.. "Down... Up... down.... up... down..."

For those that didn't know, I went out with a spongy pedal and that freed up the air into the pass/rear line and after the 1st session when bleeding that caliper, mucho air got forced out. The brakes felt fine afer that... so I went through about a liter of brake fluid in total.

As far as the instruction received, it was fantastic. 1st thing that I had a hard time with was pulling the ABS fuse. When it was explained to me... it made sense. Going out on the 1st session with a spongy brake pedal wasn't the best, but it was just to learn the lines, track etiquette and where the corner workers were. 2nd session was working on braking zones and learning more about the lines. (Lines? What lines... see a cone and turn!) Was a bit faster and having working brakes, I was just a tad aggressive on them... in other words... late on most corners. So much so, I kept sliding past the apexs.. silly kid.. I'm on STREET TIRES.. that's what's you're gonna do! Slide more! Turn 9 was the bane of my existance. I couldn't get it right... late braking on off camber at one point in time had Fizzer behind me see all the nice decals on the side of the car. At one point, I was coming in too hot on one over the crest at 8 to see an SER going kinda slow in 9 and I locked them up... "new brakes.. just getting used to them".

3rd session was working on confidence and working more on braking. Well.. still was getting too deep in the zones and had to back it off... but was still having a problem finding the right point to brake (which was ... 'back there some where') Craig and another car saw the side of my car in turns... and craig at one point (see pic above) decided to pass on the inside... in a no passing zone. One complement I did get after that one.. 'nice save... don't so it again... both feet in.' At one additional point in time Fizzer saw the side of my car after the front straight heading into one... I throught I was just going to contue straight through the oval.

Then during the end of three, my instructor had me work on 'fixing' turn 8 into 9. The problem was I was straight-lining the cones from 8 to 9 and not finishing the turn at 8, and getting pinched at 9. That essplains a lot. Only was able to work on it on one lap and then the session was over. 4th session...I got it down, finished off 8 and THEN turned into 9... I was carrying so much more speed that I needed the full track out after 11... so THATS what it feels like? I pulled back my braking zones more than 3 and got quite a bit more consistant... and it started to feel good.

As a bonus... I didn't get any flags pointed at me... there was a Blue Cobra that would catch up to me on the straights on 3rd and 4th sessions, but I would lose it on the turns, especially on 3 and 6 and pull away from it. I pointed it by in the last session coming out of 12, but then the checkered flag got thrown.

I'll be back again. Count on it.

Astral

sounds pretty awesome!

just curious, what was the reason for pulling the ABS fuse?

Imp

In a spin, you'll keep going straight.... and 9 times out of 10 that's a good thing.. because you'll be in a corner when it happens and there's most likely plenty of runoff and be pushed off the 'line' where other cars won't hit you.

ABS may point your car to the inside of a corner and when you're on power.. walls are usually at the inside and you'll hit one, or hit or be hit by a car on the line right behind you.

--kC

Imp

Some pics (like 1100 or so...)

http://www.jeremykeith.com/index.cfm...IS102205&tab=0

fizzer

One word - awesome! Yet another happy 8 owner who belongs to the "You have GOT to see what this thing feels like at the track club". I'd say KC and I were in the top 4 or 5 in the run group, if not the fastest 2. What a blast! So much so, that I'm signing up for the BMWCCA school there next weekend. I have to get just ONE MORE event in for the season, plus, I'm not down to the warning strips on the pilot sports yet and I have to get my money's worth before I trash them right? - hehe

Anyways, they still have spots open and I'm signing up for Saturday if anyone is interested, more 8's = more fun Plus, they'll probably be running the oval configuration - takin that thing at 100+ ought to be interesting.

Here's a link to some more pics from the event. http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/...rt=0&password=

Imp

Just finished getting pointbys heading into 3...



I like this one too... coming out of the bowl (turn 6).

Spin9k

Wow! Looks like you guys had a blast. NHIS is one fun technical track where the 8 really can shine - - - just keep it in the 'straight ahead' position hee hee Love the 'Cobra behind' shot and glad to see a couple more feeling the addiction! Nice mix of cars there it looks like as well.

BMW-CCA here we come....

fizzer

I love that top photo, looks like a road race

That orange M3 was a tough cookie running with R compounds, but that didn't stop KC and I from forcing him to give us point-bys, hopefully he'll be at the BMWCCA event - muhaha.

Spin - are you going to be there on saturday? Looks like there's still some uncertainty on the weather but the forecast is getting better. I'm reaaallly hoping it'll be dry and they run the oval configuration.

KC - you feel like goin? I know u want to try out the Kumhos

Imp

Nope.. not going. Have things to do this weekend and next.

Spin9k

I haven't signed yet, but weather looks to be looking OK, Sunday the warmest. Guess I better decide... Done, booked for Sunday, the "warmest day" 58 deg high LOL.