Took my car to Brainerd International Raceway this weekend

[Don Vito Corleone]

This past weekend, the North Star BMW club, of which I am a member, held its Performance Driving School at Brainerd International Raceway. I had never previously been on a full-blown racetrack (though I had taken an Advanced Car Control Clinic last year on a small closed track built for training police officers).

What a great event! Brainerd is normally a very fast 3.1-mile track (they claim to be the fastest road track in the United States), but since they were simultaneously holding drag races on the main straight, we used the 2.5-mile competition track, which is shorter and more technical. Top speed on the short track was probably around 120 MPH in my instructor's 330i (he had an E46 Performance Package car with a heavily modified TC Kline suspension). I probably did 10 MPH less than that in my own E90 330i Sport.

The club ran a great event, and my instructor was awesome. Unfortunately one guy went off at high speed (one of the fastest parts of the track is actually a turn, Turn 2, and he flew off the bank and rolled his E30), but he and his instructor were fine.

The most impressive cars there were probably a fully race-prepped 911 Turbo (IIRC it was a 996), a stripped and race-prepped Nissan GTR (what an amazing noise, and it passed other cars like they were parked - I think it was the fastest car there), an orange Gallardo, a race-prepped E36 M3 Lighweight (another great-sounding, amazingly quick car), and a Noble M400 (which, unfortunately, broke down before I had the chance to see it run). There were also several E46 M3s, including three Competitions, a few Elises and Exiges, several various 911s, and a number of other awesome cars.

I only had the chance to ride with two instructors, my guy in his E46, and another guy in a slightly modified first-gen Mini Cooper S, which was stunningly fast and nimble.

Here are some pics of me in action (I have a 2006 BMW 330i with 6MT, Sport, Premium, and Cold Weather packages and a few other stand-alone options in Monaco Blue over black leather). I was really amazed by how competent the car was on the track, in light of how comfy and even luxurious it was on the ride home.

In line waiting to enter the track

Another pic in line

Getting after it . . .

At speed

Passenger side at speed

If you have any reasonably sporty car, I highly encourage you to get it on a track! It's a blast and will help you a lot with your driving skills.

More pics of the other cars available here. Not all pics have been posted yet.

 

[Aikouka]

Ohh that sounds like a lot of fun! I don't think I have any rather local tracks though .

 

[BW86]

:thumbsup:

sounds like an awesome time

 

[SparkyJJO]

I'd like to go on a track sometime but I doubt my car is up to it. Needs some work/upgrades first.

 

[Arkaign]

Awesome

 

[zerocool84]

Driving in a real track, not drag, is so damn fun.

 

[Viper GTS]

I'm doing PIR on Friday, it's my first track day as well. Not quite sure what to expect but I think I'm going to have a blast.

Just what I need, another expensive hobby.

Viper GTS

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I'm doing PIR on Friday, it's my first track day as well. Not quite sure what to expect but I think I'm going to have a blast.

Just what I need, another expensive hobby.

Viper GTS

Nice! What are you driving? I tend to think that, as with learning to shoot, you're better off with a fairly low-powered car initially, because it will force you to develop good habits. A Miata (if the track lets you drive convertibles - BIR does not) or Mini Cooper would be ideal. I was passing some much more powerful cars (including an RS4 and an M3) at times (and, in fairness, was passed by some less powerful cars, including a non-M E30). Horsepower can, unfortunately, be a substitute for talent and care - there was an instructor at my class with a modified Mustang, making a ton of power, who was constantly missing apexes.

Hopefully you will go out with an instructor. Focus on hitting your turn-ins, apexes, and trackouts, and being smooth with your inputs. Don't push your speed - that will come naturally as long as you're doing things right.

 

[Viper GTS]

It's a Mustang GT... Somewhere in the middle of the pack compared to the other cars that are scheduled that day. I have 4x20 minute sessions, each with an instructor, with review/eval in between sessions.

And don't worry, speed is not my goal this time out... I'm much more worried about keeping my car on the track and right side up.

Viper GTS

 

[ViviTheMage]

I like my tires

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's a Mustang GT... Somewhere in the middle of the pack compared to the other cars that are scheduled that day. I have 4x20 minute sessions, each with an instructor, with review/eval in between sessions.

And don't worry, speed is not my goal this time out... I'm much more worried about keeping my car on the track and right side up.

Viper GTS

Sounds great. That track looks like fun, and very fast due to the long straightaways. Your Mustang should be pretty quick on the track.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I like my tires

As it happens I don't like mine! I have Bridgestone Potenza RE050 runflats, and I look forward to wearing them out so I can move to non-runflats, probably Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetrics.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I'd like to go on a track sometime but I doubt my car is up to it. Needs some work/upgrades first.

Who cares, it's still fun but obviously better when your car comes from the factory track prepped. The only reason I got my car.

 

[Koing]

What car do you have? You don't have to upgrade it, just push it as hard as it can go. All cars could do with upgrading in 2-3 ways for most cars unless they are race spec already which most are not, no matter how much the manufacturer thinks it is already from the factory

I've done 2 track days and they are so much fun. Definately one of the best value for money things you can do imo.

Interesting your different federations don't let convertibles. I've never heard of that in the UK as I'd be f0cked with my S2000.

Got any more planned? I'm trying to work out a long 4 day weekend to take the S2000 to The Ring this year

Did you feel any weaknesses in your car Don? For me my car rolls a bit too much for my liking at Donnington after the first swining right and in to the down hill s bends I swear I was going to flip the car (highly unlikely but it felt like that to me lol). The brakes for me were rock solid. I wasn't braking as late as my mate in his S2000 and he feels brake fade in his car but he's a lot more aggressive on them then I am. I feel my car is also serioulsy p!ss poor on a damp track also. The backend just brakes out on a damp track it's ridiculous, but once the track is dry it really bites in properly!

Man I just want to get in the car and SMASH it about!

Koing

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Koing
What car do you have? You don't have to upgrade it, just push it as hard as it can go. All cars could do with upgrading in 2-3 ways for most cars unless they are race spec already which most are not, no matter how much the manufacturer thinks it is already from the factory

I've done 2 track days and they are so much fun. Definately one of the best value for money things you can do imo.

Interesting your different federations don't let convertibles. I've never heard of that in the UK as I'd be f0cked with my S2000.

Got any more planned? I'm trying to work out a long 4 day weekend to take the S2000 to The Ring this year

Did you feel any weaknesses in your car Don? For me my car rolls a bit too much for my liking at Donnington after the first swining right and in to the down hill s bends I swear I was going to flip the car (highly unlikely but it felt like that to me lol). The brakes for me were rock solid. I wasn't braking as late as my mate in his S2000 and he feels brake fade in his car but he's a lot more aggressive on them then I am. I feel my car is also serioulsy p!ss poor on a damp track also. The backend just brakes out on a damp track it's ridiculous, but once the track is dry it really bites in properly!

Man I just want to get in the car and SMASH it about!

Koing

I asked about why the track doesn't permit convertibles. I was told that (not surprisingly) it relates to safety. The off-track area is soft dirt, so even on cars with roll cages (which are the exception rather than the rule) there is the risk that the roll cages will dig into the ground and the driver and passenger might suffer broken necks. They do allow convertibles with hardtops, because they don't create this concern.

I will definitely be doing more events. I will go back to Brainerd in the fall, and am also looking at events in nearby states (I think it would be fun to drive at Road America in Wisconsin, which I am fairly familiar with from driving it in the Forza games).

My car handles amazingly well but it is definitely a little soft for the track. If I were to continue to track it a lot I would look at getting a full TC Kline suspension setup. The Kline suspension in my instructor's car was amazingly flat yet still fairly comfortable. I would also like more power, but honestly I think I might prefer my car's rock-solid 255 bhp NA engine to the 300 bhp turbo engine in the 335i, which seems to suffer from cooling issues and to drop into limp-home mode often when driven hard. I could safely add a bit of power through exhaust and an intake, but the cost-benefit ratio doesn't make these upgrades all that attractive to me.

On balance it might make more sense to just get a more track-friendly car, rather than upgrading mine - the seat heaters and wood trim don't exactly connote raciness! Still, BMW makes one HELL of a car, and I really think the 3 series and M cars offer a combination of track ability and comfort that is pretty well unrivaled.

 

[boomerang]

The track close to me, Waterford Hills has a fun day every year in the fall. This year it's October 17th.

You can bring nearly anything you want and drive the track. As long as they don't deem it unsafe, it's good to go. You get a single lap at a time. One lap and back in line. Even though they do it this way, there usually is one car that gets rolled every year.

There are lots of days where different clubs rent the track just like the OP did.

It's great fun.

 

[RichieZ]

BMWCCA actually doesn't allow convertibles to run in their HPDE, I believe its an insurance issue.

PS: The RE050A RFTs are just awful tires, you're in for a nice surprise when you change them out.

 

[Q]

I'm playing Godfather II and now when I read your name I think of the game.

Yeah, that's all.

 

[helpme]

Wow, hopefully the guy who rolled with his instructor wasen't a new driver... The instructor should have been keeping him in check. Usually when you have a passenger you tone it down a notch.

Anyway, I've been bitten by the bug for over 2 years now, and have over 20 days so far. It's great fun! Just make sure you keep your car well maintained (brakes, wheel bearings, tires, hoses, fluids, etc) and you'll be in for a ton of fun every time you go out. Don't worry about upgrades, the only thing you'll probably need for a long while are semi race or race brake pads.

Can't beat living near to Infineon Raceway, Laguna Seca and Thunderhill Raceway. I've even made it down to Streets of willow and Horse thief mile once...

Here are a couple of exports from my data logger the last two track days... See if you can ID the tracks.

http://iidx.smugmug.com/photos/548108892_wLuvo-X2.jpg
http://iidx.smugmug.com/photos/526940325_vU22f-X2.jpg

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone

Originally posted by: Koing
What car do you have? You don't have to upgrade it, just push it as hard as it can go. All cars could do with upgrading in 2-3 ways for most cars unless they are race spec already which most are not, no matter how much the manufacturer thinks it is already from the factory

I've done 2 track days and they are so much fun. Definately one of the best value for money things you can do imo.

Interesting your different federations don't let convertibles. I've never heard of that in the UK as I'd be f0cked with my S2000.

Got any more planned? I'm trying to work out a long 4 day weekend to take the S2000 to The Ring this year

Did you feel any weaknesses in your car Don? For me my car rolls a bit too much for my liking at Donnington after the first swining right and in to the down hill s bends I swear I was going to flip the car (highly unlikely but it felt like that to me lol). The brakes for me were rock solid. I wasn't braking as late as my mate in his S2000 and he feels brake fade in his car but he's a lot more aggressive on them then I am. I feel my car is also serioulsy p!ss poor on a damp track also. The backend just brakes out on a damp track it's ridiculous, but once the track is dry it really bites in properly!

Man I just want to get in the car and SMASH it about!

Koing

I asked about why the track doesn't permit convertibles. I was told that (not surprisingly) it relates to safety. The off-track area is soft dirt, so even on cars with roll cages (which are the exception rather than the rule) there is the risk that the roll cages will dig into the ground and the driver and passenger might suffer broken necks. They do allow convertibles with hardtops, because they don't create this concern.

I will definitely be doing more events. I will go back to Brainerd in the fall, and am also looking at events in nearby states (I think it would be fun to drive at Road America in Wisconsin, which I am fairly familiar with from driving it in the Forza games).

My car handles amazingly well but it is definitely a little soft for the track. If I were to continue to track it a lot I would look at getting a full TC Kline suspension setup. The Kline suspension in my instructor's car was amazingly flat yet still fairly comfortable. I would also like more power, but honestly I think I might prefer my car's rock-solid 255 bhp NA engine to the 300 bhp turbo engine in the 335i, which seems to suffer from cooling issues and to drop into limp-home mode often when driven hard. I could safely add a bit of power through exhaust and an intake, but the cost-benefit ratio doesn't make these upgrades all that attractive to me.

On balance it might make more sense to just get a more track-friendly car, rather than upgrading mine - the seat heaters and wood trim don't exactly connote raciness! Still, BMW makes one HELL of a car, and I really think the 3 series and M cars offer a combination of track ability and comfort that is pretty well unrivaled.

Thats why I'm not a fan of upgrading cars (lack of funds, obviously if I had loads of £££ I'd be upgrading and having it as a strict tract ar or I'd get an Atom/ Exige ). Just doesn't make much £££ sense unless you can afford it.

Can't wait to get a few more track days and make a trip to The Ring this year and get an E46 M3 next year to feel the differences.

helpme thats some sweet data logging!

Do any of you guys feel 'f0cked' by the time you have done 5/6 laps? I know I do? I don't even drive to the track in the morning as they are usually 2-3hrs away. I go the night before and stay somewhere near.

Koing

 

[ballmode]

Just what I need, another expensive hobby.

Viper GTS

Buy a miata for the track, then it will be cheap

 

[JulesMaximus]

Do a track day on a motorcycle...now that's fun!

 

[thescreensavers]

I do have a small track about 50 miles north of me. Its like a 1 minute course, I don't know if they changed it.

But I dont have a helmet! How much are they?

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: Koing

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone

Originally posted by: Koing

Koing

Do any of you guys feel 'f0cked' by the time you have done 5/6 laps? I know I do? I don't even drive to the track in the morning as they are usually 2-3hrs away. I go the night before and stay somewhere near.

Koing

Yeah, that 2-3 hour drive the morning of is a killer (gotta get to sleep real early ).

Depending on the track, I usually need to have a break if I am on for more than 30 minutes. It also depends if I am trying to set a fast lap, or am dealing with traffic.

One of the local clubs basically lets you get unlimited track time. I've run 70 laps in one day at Thunderhill (3 mi) in 100F weather, and was so beat up afterwards...

When I run with that group, since track time is not an issue, I tend to stay out longer if I see my times being consistent each lap, or getting faster each lap. If I am getting erratic or stuck in traffic, I will pull in for a break. Usually I will take off by 3 pm since track time is not an issue.

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: SparkyJJO
I'd like to go on a track sometime but I doubt my car is up to it. Needs some work/upgrades first.

Who cares, it's still fun but obviously better when your car comes from the factory track prepped. The only reason I got my car.

I've seen bone stock cars out there ripping past people before... I've seen a Hyndai Accent, prius, Toyota solara, a couple trucks, Chevy Cavaler with slicks... regular mitsubishi lancers (not evos).

Install the driver mod first, then worry about the car (with the exception of brake pads).