First Track Event Tomorrow..Nervous! Words of Wisdom?

[NegativeCambre]

I'm really impressed about the level of advice that was given here... its nice to see that BF.c can provide this kind of support. I spend to much time in the E36 forum that I forget that this forum is still first and foremost tech and driving!

I agree, this should be stickyed... sort of like Dave's drag-launch tricks were.

Steve

[MSH]

I'm really impressed about the level of advice that was given here... its nice to see that BF.c can provide this kind of support. I spend to much time in the E36 forum that I forget that this forum is still first and foremost tech and driving!

I agree, this should be stickyed... sort of like Dave's drag-launch tricks were.

Steve

IMO...the track/autocross forum is the best forum here at Bimmerforums

MSH

[Steve J.]

Theres a thread on dtm about this, and BF keeps coming up as everyuones source for info. Great to be a part of forum of such caliber...while there may be a bunch of bs floating around, its usually in good taste between club racers/friends.

Its a small world, and the motorsports community is pretty tight.

[BabyM]

How do we get this thread 'stickied'... it would be nice to have it at the top of the forum for all track newbies! (I just signed up for my first DE)

[SilverStreak]

Consider it done...

[RRdawho?]

[MyGlue]

I have my first event, BMWCCA CVC Limerock drivers school. I am reading over the information sent about the track, rules, etc etc. and getting a bit nervous. I am in the beginner class, but what should I expect? I assume at the basics I will not be driving near the limit of the vehicle, but rather learning about technique? I feel like I have never driven a car before..

Just a bit scared of the unexpected I guess, any advice anyone can offer is appreciated!

Just wanted to share my $.02. At the track, especially if the road surface gets really hot, you want to run a lower air pressure in your tire. Unlike what some people will tell you at auto-x you want to have a lower tire pressure because the temps will rise and so will the tire pressure. Secondly, by letting out the air your going to have more traction and a little more "give" on the track.

As an example, i learned this when i was at willow springs. I had a ton of tire pressure from auto-x that i just have never let out. At willow springs there are a couple long sweepers and chicanes (sp?) both up hill and downhill. When i was on the high tire pressure the car felt squirmy and loose on the downhill chicane under braking and corner exit. I was fighting the car even through the long sweepers. In short, it was kinda scary to drive and not very fast.
After talking to an instructor (a good tip, as mentioned earlier) he suggested that i should lower my tire pressure and it made a world of difference. The car just settled over the bumps and around the corner and i had a lot more confidence and a heck of a lot more fun.

Sorry if that was kinda long, but i thought it should be mentioned. It shocked me how simple it was to do and yet made such a huge difference on the track. Like everyone has said, your there to have fun so do so.

[dorikin_86]

this forum is without a doubt the best....

i've learned more here than a year over at the other forums discussing which rims are 'porno'

[tEckniks]

nice tip myglue..

im gonna start pokin my head thru here now.. since i want to start autox/tracking

[catseye]

Alll advice here is excellent. Only thing I have to add is "keep your eyes UP!" Look beyond the turn you are coming to and into the next turn or beyond. You will find you will be driving much smoother and hitting your marks much more consistantly. Alos, don't try to absorb all this stuff to seriously, HAVE FUN! You'll do fine and have a BLAST!!!!

My last weekend at VIR Patriot course:
http://www.catseyeweb.com/dinanm3/VI...riot_short.wmv

[Aren G]

just keep on keepin on. have your eye on the tiger and the hidden dragon will reward you.

not too much throttle into turns or -- AGGOUT!! the S54 will bite your head off

[Guido]

great advice guys ill have to remeber all this when i hit the track this fall

[enokawa]

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/hyperformance7/driving.html

[CorgiCoupe]

I found Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets more helpful the more times I read thru it. Since my 1st 2 schools were at Road Atlanta I was hoping for more about that track, but it doesn't have 10A and 10B in the schema. Another real helpful book is Driving Faster, from Skip Barber. Keep reading them over again to get additional insights.

[Uli]

What tire air pressure is recommended for street tires on an E36 being first time on a track? To what pressure do you adjust it for the following sessions when your tires are warmed up?

[Jim Bassett]

What tire air pressure is recommended for street tires on an E36 being first time on a track?

Well, it's been a while since I've run street tires on the track, but pumping them up to ~36-38psi cold seems to sound familiar. Typically higher than you usually run on the street to help keep the tire from "rolling over" during cornering.

To what pressure do you adjust it for the following sessions when your tires are warmed up?

Unless you are experiencing some really odd handling characteristics (or your instructor makes a suggestion), you should leave the pressures alone. As a first timer (I assume you are, if not, I apologize), you want to the car to be consistent so you can work on the skills being taught and not have the car feel different each time out.

Hope that helps,
Jim Bassett
1998 M3/4
1993 325is #44 JP

[Uli]

Thanks for your feedback Jim. This will be my first track event. So I enjoyed reading this thread with all the advice from the experienced drivers and instructors. Thanks!

[m lew]

I haven't read all the other responses to this post, so apologize in advance if anything I say here repeats info posted elsewhere.

I am a BEGINNER and just finished my first 2-day event at Thunderhill Park in Central California. Here are a couple of observations:

1. Your instructor will focus you on hitting 3 points on every curve: turn-in, apex, and track-out. At my track each point was marked by a cone. Speed was not an issue. The main point was precision. Try to memorize the turns of your track before you get there. Although this will not give you the turn-in points, this will help you get around the course on the proper side of the road, to set up for the next turn.

2. Clean out your car before going to the event. This includes everything in your door pockets and trunk. You can store small objects in your glovebox. Anything not bolted down has to be removed before you are allowed on track. This includes floormats, etc. So don't take anything valuable with you, as everything has to be set on the ground (no lockers) in the pit area. So bring a moving blanket or a tarp if it's going to be wet.

3. Don't hesitate to ask several instructors to give you rides in their or your car. I have never seen my car (E36 M3) driven well and I was shocked to see how well it handled in the hands of a really good driver. I also almost lost my lunch when the brakes on my instructor's Porsche turbo Carrera showed me the meaning of negative Gs. (It was an Audi Club event).

4. Eat light meals while at the track. (I'm talking about the ones they provide).

5. Use RainX on you windshield if it's going to be wet.

6. Bring duct tape to cover your door speakers if it's raining. You have to drive with the windows open, rain or shine.

7. Make sure your car will pass tech inspection. Every club is different, but you can always get an advance copy of the tech inspection report to see what items are checked. This includes small stuff like functional lights and blinkers, good brake pads all around, proper torque for all lug nuts, and proper air pressure on all tires.

8. Last, but not least, they will check the Snell rating on your helmet.

Hope this helps.

[bread320i]

i pull the fuse for the wiper and blinkers as they get annoying and some people think it funny to point it out.

[BlownM3Bill]

To start buying real mods after your event
you will definately start realizing whats important and whats not, if you dont already,I cant stop with the upgrades I try hard but just cant
Have fun!

[Dolemite]

I just completed my first DE at MSR in Cresson TX about 2 weeks ago. WOW, what an experience.

First day was chilly but dry, second day was foggy, wet and the track was slick. I stayed for the 2 morning sessions on sunday but got the call and had to head back to Austin so I missed out on the afternoon sessions.

My goals heading into this were mainly to test the limits of my car and my ability behind the wheel (and of course having fun). Although I didn't push either I had a blast. Most of all I have a new found understanding of how my car handles underload. And the verdict is

As many/most have said, check the ego at the gate and listen to your instructor [period]

I had a great instructor that guided me rather than barking orders in my ear in an already intense setting. He guided me through the line, let me take corners on my own (and make my own mistakes) and then offered advice on how I could improve on my breaking, turn-in etc... on the next lap. I think the best advice he gave me was "you're learning/have learned to drive this track, learn the fundementals so that you can take it to other tracks". Another good piece of advice I was given was that after your session was over, "run 2 laps in you head, remember what I told you and try to apply that in your next session".

I have some bad habits to break; the urge to rest my right hand on the stick going into a turn anticipating a downshift when not neccessary, using clutch peddle as a foot rest (always a bad habit, track or not), worried about the guy behind me rather than the line in front of me (hard to do when you have a Lamborghini Gallardo on your ass).

Don't have much else to say that others haven't already said. I think I lucked out with my instructor, we were a good match. But, I can see why it's good advice to try multiple instructors. I talked to a few people that weren't happy/comfortable with their instructors. One girl in a Miata spun out (luckily in a safe/slow part of the track) 2 cars in front of me and later in the day told me she was freaking out because the inst. was yelling at her when it happened.

So for my limited, newb advice:

-If you are not comfortable with your instructor after your first session, ask for a new one because if you don't, you'll be stuck with them all weekend. I don't think anyones feelings will be hurt but your experience will be if you don't speak up.

-Don't focus on learning to drive the track you're on fast, learn to drive fast. Your next DE will most likely be at a different track or if it's the same track they may be running in reverse.

-Look ahead but don't follow the car in front of you (duh).

-It's said that learning to drive in wet conditions is a great learning tool and I agree. But, learning to drive on a wet track is another story. The 'dry' line is so slick that it doesn't even take a blip of the throttle to break the rears loose. One guy went off the track in wet conditions, unseated his right side tires and had to pull off the right side skirt to get the mud out. If you're like me, you'll wanna drive you car home unharmed and to work on monday.

-Oh, and most definitely take a ride in your instructors car with him/her driving. I was scared for the first 2 laps he was so fast, then I got comfortable and learned a lot from that as well. That alone was almost worth the price of admission.

All in all, I'm hooked. I'm signed up for the next event in March, I was 'promoted' to blue run group but I'm glad I'll still have an instructor as a co-pilot. Solo is not a goal for me at this time, too much knowledge to gain from the instuctors experience in the passenger seat. There were a few guys bitching about which run group the 'thought' they should be in but I think those guys were missing the point of the weekend.

Lot's of A-type personalities at the track, don't buy into it if you trully consider yourself a student.

Have fun, learn and be safe.

[Abrahams/101CM]

Drink a bottle of Rum the night before.

[Irish1]

Good information here. I've done 25+ track days in cars as various as an e30 325iS, a Volvo 740 Turbo wagon (Don't laugh, it dynoed at 250+RWHP and dusted 5.0 Liter Mustangs) and most recently a modded 99 Mustang Cobra. Track days are great fun and require a kind of humility: no one's really watching you except your instructor, so being comfortable with learning and not excelling right off is important. I find track days really relaxing: it's an environment where you concentrate explicitly on the sequence of tasks involved in smooth driving and let the day to day stuff stay elsewhere. Staying hydrated IS important, and remembering to BREATHE is also important. I've coached students that were self-conscious and just held their breath through corners: scary. Goodness of fit with an instructor IS important: if you feel irritated or confused by your instructor ask for a change. We've all got different personality dynamics and learn differently, so find someone you can hear. DON'T drink alcohol the night before, it dehydrates you and screws up your metabolism. Have a bunch of Margaritas after you leave the dang track. Eat a bit every hour or so: maintains your blood sugar and helps with concentration. Have fun. It's a great way to learn smoothness and to hard wire in correct skills for scary times on the everyday road.

[CosmosMpower]

See you at the SE-R convention this year Geo, James Vick has told me a lot of great stuff about you. Hopefully my red 92 se-r will make it back under it's own power

[NegativeCambre]

Good information here. I've done 25+ track days in cars as various as an e30 325iS, a Volvo 740 Turbo wagon (Don't laugh, it dynoed at 250+RWHP and dusted 5.0 Liter Mustangs) and most recently a modded 99 Mustang Cobra. Track days are great fun and require a kind of humility: no one's really watching you except your instructor, so being comfortable with learning and not excelling right off is important. I find track days really relaxing: it's an environment where you concentrate explicitly on the sequence of tasks involved in smooth driving and let the day to day stuff stay elsewhere. Staying hydrated IS important, and remembering to BREATHE is also important. I've coached students that were self-conscious and just held their breath through corners: scary. Goodness of fit with an instructor IS important: if you feel irritated or confused by your instructor ask for a change. We've all got different personality dynamics and learn differently, so find someone you can hear. DON'T drink alcohol the night before, it dehydrates you and screws up your metabolism. Have a bunch of Margaritas after you leave the dang track. Eat a bit every hour or so: maintains your blood sugar and helps with concentration. Have fun. It's a great way to learn smoothness and to hard wire in correct skills for scary times on the everyday road.

Good non-driving advice in there. Lots of stuff that a beginner might just forget out of excitement..!!

Steve