Lightsped

Now THIS thread is what Evos are all about! Not tacky bodykits, lots of decals, leather seats, and big stereo speakers!

Awesome post. Any pics of your Evo at Laguna Seca? What was your best lap time?

Secret Chimp

iTrader: (2)

Gald to hear there is another track day convert!

You just learned that it's all about the driver! You will see much greater improvement on course by investing in track instruction that you will by upping the hp initially.

You will pass cars that you never thought you could. You'll run equally with supercars. And it's not because of your hp....it's because you will know how to properly handle your car!

SC~

Cali_EVO

Thanks for all your kind response.

For those of you interested, it is a bmwcca (BMW CAR CLUB of AMERICA) event (www.bmwcca.org)

There are different local chapters all over US. I joined the LA chapter http://www.bmwclubla.org

they have events at buttonwillow, california speedway. etc thru out the year.

And dont worry, you dont have to have a BMW to join, all cars are welcomed

I havent join any other driving schools but i ve heard this the one of the best. The crowd is mature and the organizers are very professional. Awesome instructors

evofan0717

Guys,

Another great option is the NASA events. It is called the HPDE (High Performance Driving Event) It cost you on the avg. $150 per track day( depends on which track) plus $35 for a one year membership. You get around 3-4 20min sessions on the track. It is set up in 4 driving groups ranging from beginner(group 1) to advance (Group 4). In group 1 the typically have an instructor with you to teach you how to drive the line, as you progress through the groups you get more freedom to pass and eventually you can use these classes to get a NASA racing licence. the great thing is that you also get critiqued and graded in your performance by the instuctors, you even have a log book that they use to pass you to the next group. here is the link : http://www.nasaproracing.com/

Hope to see you guys there !!!

Cali_EVO

sorry lightsped, didnt take pic. But there were some nice cars there, M3, M5, Porchse Gt3, Ferrari 360 Modena,

timing of any kinda is strickly prohibited because of insurrance restriction and perhaps safety reasons. I did get up to 90+ on the straight. I could have gone faster but there was this 180 hairpin after the straight that you cannot see due to elavation change, didnt have the ***** to keep accelerating when i cant see whats ahead...

Lightsped

How fast going into the corkscrew before the downhill drop? How fast through the final left turn?

m3jstock

iTrader: (1)

BMW CCA is found at

www.bmwcca.org

You do not need to be a BMW owner to join the club or participating in events like autocrosses, rally (tarmac) and
track events.

There is also BMW Club racing (which I am part of) at www.bmwccaclubracing.com.

And yes Laguna is a fun track to drive.

In SF Bay Area, the local chapter (Golden Gate) also organizes excellent car control clinics.

www.ggc-bmw-cca.org is their URL.

BlewEvo

..

Buckkaaaa!!

iTrader: (2)

awesome!!!! great post =D

Cali_EVO

I dont really have time to look at the gauges during my runs... major sensory overload with braking, steering, thinking what i did wrong last corner, how to set up for next coner, a million things were in my head...

thats why i redlined the car a few times, not during the corkscrew, of course, I didnt want to but i couldnt pay attention to the tach)

All i remember is I used 3rd gear in the cork screw (recommeded gear) because if you use 2nd, you will need to change gear again during the decent.

pretty cool with the negative g (not lateral, but up/down g forces)and all, as if you were driving down a ramp on one of those multi storey parking structure really fast... you cant help it but that a deep breath, extend you neck look down to see where the hell you are going...

some other guys need to shuffle the steering wheel in the corkscrew but thanks to the 2.6 lock-to-lock steering ratio... one less thing i need to worry about...


i was in 2nd gear in the last turn, i would guess i was going 20+mph or somthing like that... a lot of people spun out in that corner

Mxt 1

reading posts like this one makes me wish i lived in a place where winter temperature doesnt dip below 60. come spring time, im making a trip out west for skip barber. mmmm vipers on laguna seca.

fastmarsh

This is great!!! I'm an instructor for several of the car clubs in South Florida, including the BMW/CCA.

It's fun to instruct students and help them to get better with their cars and to see the level of their skills develop. Most of them come back and move up in classes and run groups.

Most of the time I will take them out in my EVO and narrate a few laps for them, but the smiles that they come back in with are awesome!!!

I highly recommend track days, autocrossing or any event that allows you to turn the car (IE: Not drag racing)

The Evo is a great track car and I expect to see more of them at the open track events as their popularity (and true purpose) grows.

If anyone has any questions, PM me, as I am glad to help.

Lightsped

How is insurance handled at these events? Just the big companies like State Farm and stuff.

That is what has kept me off the track. I am afraid I might rub up against a wall or bend a fender and the insurance folks wouldn't want to do any repairs since I was on private property at a track event.

Kayaalp

iTrader: (1)

There's no need to go all the way to the left coast: there are plenty of tracks near NJ. Join the NJ Chapter of the BMW CCA (a great bunch of guys/gals). They run events at Lime Rock and Summit Point. Lime rock is only about 1.5 hours (and a beautiful drive up the Taconic) from northern Bergen County.

If you're willing to drive a bit further, you have even more options. Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant (one of my personal favorites...Mosport is the other) is about 8 hours away. Watkins Glen is maybe 6-7. VIR is not too far, either. Then there's Pocono, which can't be more than a couple of hours drive (I' haven't been there yet).

There are plenty of options out there. Once you are a member of any chapter of the CCA, you are welcome at events run by any other chapter of the CCA or the BMW Club of Canada. You can literally run events at almost any track in the US and Canada since there are chapters all over the place.

Emre

fastmarsh

Your insurance company won't particularlly like to see a claim if you are doing an open track event.

I've seen cars totalled and the insurance company will fight, eventually pay, and then drop you like a stone.

Since it's on private property, a police report isn't needed most of the time (They've looked at a few, but since it was on private property, they say "Oh Well")

The smaller ones you can try and pay for out of pocket if you have resources.

There are inherit dangers in doing the type of driving. The best thing is to do it under instruction and learn what the car is doing.

Most of the incidents are because the driver was to GUNG HO and over drove the course. When you are on course, SAFETY should be your number one concern. And also, it's not a race. You are on the track improving your driving, not trying to pass the guy in front of you.