The Race Track Thread

[iminhell1]

Originally Posted by HFW003

Have no idea what Powercruise is sorry, but ok, you’ve never timed a lap. All good.

I'm actually in amazement that you don't know what Powercruise is. It started in Australia. https://www.powercruise.com/
Gup came up here 11 years ago now and started it at Brainerd. It's been slow growth but it's growing.
It's the only Summer event I look forward to.

[HFW003]

Originally Posted by iminhell1

I'm actually in amazement that you don't know what Powercruise is. It started in Australia. https://www.powercruise.com/
Gup came up here 11 years ago now and started it at Brainerd. It's been slow growth but it's growing.
It's the only Summer event I look forward to.

I’m so pleased I have been able to amaze you! It was indeed my goal this morning when I got out of bed.

Never heard of it. Each to their own but huge vulgar blowers and shit sticking up out of bonnets and driving around at 20 kms hr is just not my thing.

I prefer a more subtle type of performance vehicle.

[SherM4n]

No idea on lap counts, but from 2006-2015, all in the USA:

Atlanta Motorsports Park: 2 days
Barber: 6 days
BeaveRun: 2 days
Mid-Ohio (with chicane): 16 days
Nelson Ledges: 1 day
NCM Grand Full: 1 day
NJMP Thunderbolt: 7 days
Road Atlanta: 14 days
Roebling Road: 4 days
Summit Point Main: 6 days
Summit Point Shenandoah: 4 days
VIR-Full: 28 days
VIR Grand: 4 days
VIR North: 2 days
Watkins Glen: 4 days

Two of those days were in Acura TSXs owned by the Mid-Ohio School, 35 were in my '02 TT, 24 were in the RS 4 I had from 2007-2015, and 40 were in my TT RS.

[bucketfoot]

Originally Posted by Dave 90TT

Fellow Coloradan. Wonder if I've seen you there. Drive with NASA.

Yep, all of my track time has been in HPDE with NASA RM, although I do want to give a BMWCCA event a try one of these days.

Which events were you at last year?

[dreamingat30fps]

One of my businesses does track side tire support for NASA events here in South Florida. So all of my track time has been at NASA events here locally. Never kept track of all that info but tracks I've done HPDE events at are.

1. Sebring
2. Homestead
3. Palm Beach International Raceway

Listed in the order I like them. PBIR is just crap, I hate that track.

[Mandi90TT]

Originally Posted by bucketfoot

Yep, all of my track time has been in HPDE with NASA RM, although I do want to give a BMWCCA event a try one of these days.

Which events were you at last year?

I skipped 2019, due to life. Will be there in 2020, though.

[bucketfoot]

Originally Posted by Dave 90TT

I skipped 2019, due to life. Will be there in 2020, though.

I drive a pretty oddball car when it comes to track days (E84 X1), so I'm pretty easy to spot

[Ryan13]

Great discussion thread. I’m not a major poster, but this one is right up my alley. I instruct for BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Bill Scott Racing (the Summit Point group). Run somewhere around 40+ days per year.

Have a couple of Z4Ms, wife drove a 128i for years but moved to E46 M3 last year. She’s not an instructor yet, but I’m trying to get her comfortable getting in the right seat.

Tracks Include Watkins, Summit (all 3), Pitt, Dominion, VIR, Road America. Just never had the motivation to go to Jersey. We are trying to fit Mid-Ohio in this year. We are fortunate to live in Virginia, lot of good tracks within a 5 hour drive.

Towing two cars just makes the further options like Road Atlanta, Barber, Limerock and even Road America difficult. Like to add the first 3 soon, but try to get to last one once a year with some friends (there over July 4th weekend this year).

Since this isn’t an opinion thread, I’ll just say they are all good. However, while you will spend 2-3 hours per day on track, it is how you spend the other 6-8 hours a day in the paddock that is more important and more meaningful...friends, cars, coffee, wife for me, and a few beers at the end of the day. Life is good.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Ryan13

Great discussion thread. I’m not a major poster, but this one is right up my alley. I instruct for BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Bill Scott Racing (the Summit Point group). Run somewhere around 40+ days per year.

Have a couple of Z4Ms, wife drove a 128i for years but moved to E46 M3 last year. She’s not an instructor yet, but I’m trying to get her comfortable getting in the right seat.

Tracks Include Watkins, Summit (all 3), Pitt, Dominion, VIR, Road America. Just never had the motivation to go to Jersey. We are trying to fit Mid-Ohio in this year. We are fortunate to live in Virginia, lot of good tracks within a 5 hour drive.

Towing two cars just makes the further options like Road Atlanta, Barber, Limerock and even Road America difficult. Like to add the first 3 soon, but try to get to last one once a year with some friends (there over July 4th weekend this year).

Since this isn’t an opinion thread, I’ll just say they are all good. However, while you will spend 2-3 hours per day on track, it is how you spend the other 6-8 hours a day in the paddock that is more important and more meaningful...friends, cars, coffee, wife for me, and a few beers at the end of the day. Life is good.

Great points and congratulations on having this hobby to share with your wife!! I definitely wanted to stay away from a "this-track-is-better-than-that-track" fiasco as they all have different characteristics which make them special.

Further, you're 100% correct on the paddock time. I wish the fellowship and good will in the paddock could permeate the entire world. I've seen guys all jump under the hood and under cars to help a compatriot get back on the track. I've seen guys go into their own parts stores and literally give away parts worth several thousands of dollars to do the same. Coffee and breakfast spread around without fail, good conversations, no politics, no distractions. Just like-minded people sharing a thing they love. It may not be nirvana but it's pretty damn close.

Cheers-mk

[jmg]

Just got sucked into this hobby last year! Hoping to venture out more this year!

Buttonwillow, CCW#1, 20+ Laps, USA - B5 Audi A4 1.8T
Big Willow, CW, 140+ Laps, USA - F80 M3, F80 M3 CS
Streets Of Willow, CW, 40 Laps, USA - F80 M3 CS
Autoclub Speedway, Infield CW, 30+ Laps, USA - F80 M3 CS
Thermal Club, South Palm Circuit, 40+ Laps, USA - F80 M3/4, F90 M5

To do list:
Laguna Seca
Chuckwalla
Sonoma
Spring Mountain

Bucket:
Bathurst
Road America
Lime Rock
VIR
Long Beach
Watkins Glenn
The Ring

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by jmg

Just got sucked into this hobby last year! Hoping to venture out more this year!

Buttonwillow, CCW#1, 20+ Laps, USA - B5 Audi A4 1.8T
Big Willow, CW, 140+ Laps, USA - F80 M3, F80 M3 CS
Streets Of Willow, CW, 40 Laps, USA - F80 M3
Autoclub Speedway, Infield CW, 30+ Laps, USA - F80 M3
Thermal Club, South Palm Circuit, 40+ Laps, USA - F80 M3/4, F90 M5

To do list:
Laguna Seca
Chuckwalla
Sonoma
Spring Mountain

Bucket:
Bathurst
Road America
Lime Rock
VIR
Long Beach
Watkins Glenn
The Ring

Nice!! Add Hockenheimring to that list and a couple of other Grade 1's. You won't regret it.

I need to add Bathurst to my list as well as The Glen and Laguna Seca.

[M5Rick]

Brands Hatch in Kent,about 10 laps in a Porsche 928S.
Merc World in Surrey,lost count of how many laps done mainly in a C63.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by M5theonlyone

Brands Hatch in Kent,about 10 laps in a Porsche 928S.
Merc World in Surrey,lost count of how many laps done mainly in a C63.

Nice!!

I'd love to do Brands as well. One of the best covers of Autoweek was with a 928 as the featured car, at speed, with the simple title: Battlecruiser!

I love that car!!

The C63 is a great car as well!!

[IllSic_Design]

Only a few under my belt, just got into HPDE in 2018 and didn't get to do any HPDE in 2019.

1. Thunderhill Raceway Park East/3 Mile - Bypass config - ~ 25 laps - Willows, CA, USA E92 335i
2. Thunderhill Raceway Park West/2 Mile - ~30 laps - Willows, CA, USA E92 335i
3. Monticello Motor Club - North Course - ~20+ Laps - Monticello, NY, USA - F80 M3, F82 M4, F90 M5

Hoping to do a lot more HPDE this year, and maybe make it to Laguna Seca and Sonoma if I can get my car to pass sound limits there lol

[infinitekidM2C]

1. Big Willow
2. Buttonwillow
3. Thermal
4. Autoclub Speedway

Had to change "willowsprings" to "buttonwillow" as i get confused

[jmg]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

Only a few under my belt, just got into HPDE in 2018 and didn't get to do any HPDE in 2019.

1. Thunderhill Raceway Park East/3 Mile - Bypass config - ~ 25 laps - Willows, CA, USA E92 335i
2. Thunderhill Raceway Park West/2 Mile - ~30 laps - Willows, CA, USA E92 335i
3. Monticello Motor Club - North Course - ~20+ Laps - Monticello, NY, USA - F80 M3, F82 M4, F90 M5

Hoping to do a lot more HPDE this year, and maybe make it to Laguna Seca and Sonoma if I can get my car to pass sound limits there lol

F80's with just MPE's are getting meatballed at Laguna quite often. Efficient mode or early upshift at the metered section of the track are ways around it. Super annoying, but it can be done without changing exhaust setups. I've heard some GT3 guys have a GPS activated flap module to restrict their exhausts in that section.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by jmg

F80's with just MPE's are getting meatballed at Laguna quite often. Efficient mode or early upshift at the metered section of the track are ways around it. Super annoying, but it can be done without changing exhaust setups. I've heard some GT3 guys have a GPS activated flap module to restrict their exhausts in that section.

Yeah most GT3 guys run GPS setups, pretty trick. There are "Laguna pipes" that I could try, don't know if they'd get me low enough though. I could always ease up or short shift, but it almost takes away from the fun in my eyes. Push around the whole track then bam, gotta ease up and lose your flow(and time) around the track. I'll make it there one way or another though lol

[jmg]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

Yeah most GT3 guys run GPS setups, pretty trick. There are "Laguna pipes" that I could try, don't know if they'd get me low enough though. I could always ease up or short shift, but it almost takes away from the fun in my eyes. Push around the whole track then bam, gotta ease up and lose your flow(and time) around the track. I'll make it there one way or another though lol

Lol I just googled Laguna pipes. I never thought Bosozoku style would ever be functional!!

[img]https://images.autotrader.com/scaler...eca/260090.jpg[/img]

[Samurai of 2day]

I've only been to Thunderbolt in NJ and spent 4 days honing skills for two years in a row, but I plan on venturing to VIA and Watkins glen in the future.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by jmg

F80's with just MPE's are getting meatballed at Laguna quite often. Efficient mode or early upshift at the metered section of the track are ways around it. Super annoying, but it can be done without changing exhaust setups. I've heard some GT3 guys have a GPS activated flap module to restrict their exhausts in that section.

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

Yeah most GT3 guys run GPS setups, pretty trick. There are "Laguna pipes" that I could try, don't know if they'd get me low enough though. I could always ease up or short shift, but it almost takes away from the fun in my eyes. Push around the whole track then bam, gotta ease up and lose your flow(and time) around the track. I'll make it there one way or another though lol

Originally Posted by jmg

Lol I just googled Laguna pipes. I never thought Bosozoku style would ever be functional!!

[img]https://images.autotrader.com/scaler...eca/260090.jpg[/img]

I can be heard from well over a mile away at full chat in the M6. Scratch Laguna off the track list for me.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

I can be heard from well over a mile away at full chat in the M6. Scratch Laguna off the track list for me.

Yeah it's rather unfortunate. Idiots want to buy land and build mansions right next to/near a historic race track that's been there for years, and then complain about the noise. They can only have so many unregulated noise days per year, and most of those are for the actual race days there. Only a handful of 103db days, which I would be able to pass (or atleast I do at Thunderhill), but they are with driving groups I've never been with before. Think I'll have to join one of their groups to start hitting up Laguna. All the rest of the track days are a ridiculous level of 90-93/95db.

[Gesler]

Autoclub roval : ~ 5 track days in e90 M3 and —~ 5 in GT4
Autoclub infield: 1 day in M3
Big willow: 1 track day M3
Streets of willow Springs: 3 in M3, 1 in GT4
Buttonwillow CCW: 1 track day in GT4