E90Post
 


 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > Tracking, Autocrossing, Dragstrip, Driving Techniques > Thunderhill Report..after repaving/improvements



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      08-11-2008, 09:37 AM   #1
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Thunderhill Report..after repaving/improvements

Well, I hit Thunderhill this weekend with the BMW club..and I have the following comments regarding the repaving and berm alterations.

Lets see...berm at the end of T3 is a "CURB" not a berm you can drive on...same thing for the apex for T6...and T8...so now you cannot go over the apex berms on T6, T8, T9, or T10. The exit of T8 is now NEGATIVE camber on the exit berm. The gully in T14 is GONE..it is replaced by a flat apex berm. The only good thing is the exit berm on T15 has got POSITIVE camber..so it throws you back on the track.

So, long story short..the motorcycle guys will hate the next setup..plain and simple. It makes the track slower for the car guys..unless you dont care about ruining a wheel.

Supposedly the track folks have said that the berms will be altered due to our comments..but I gotta believe that they got the guys who built the sewage draining ditches in downtown Chico CA to do the concrete work on the berms. You can tell they had never taken a car on the track..or they wouldnt have been built the way they were. Be careful out there..because if you hit one of those new "curb-style" berms you will definitely damage a wheel...no doubt about that at all.

As for the pavement itself...seemed smoother..but the braking at T1 is still a bit rough at turn in. Track out to the hot pits at T15 is really full of gravel..but that will be swept away with time...Oh, and I dont remember if this was here before..but the exit at T15..for the entrance to the pits also has a nasty dip..dont go thru there fast.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 11:46 AM   #2
nicknaz
Lieutenant General
nicknaz's Avatar
3183
Rep
10,509
Posts

Drives: C6Z
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NorCal

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
Lets see...berm at the end of T3 is a "CURB" not a berm you can drive on...same thing for the apex for T6...and T8...so now you cannot go over the apex berms on T6, T8, T9, or T10. The exit of T8 is now NEGATIVE camber on the exit berm. The gully in T14 is GONE..it is replaced by a flat apex berm. The only good thing is the exit berm on T15 has got POSITIVE camber..so it throws you back on the track.
That doesn't sound good at all! Thanks for the update though, I'm hitting Thill in 2 weekends so this is great info.

By the way, could you please clarify 'curb'? Do you mean it is pretty much like a sidewalk now?

Also for T8 exit, your description implies that tracking out all the way to the exit berm is now a bad idea?

Thanks,
Nick
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 11:53 AM   #3
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Nazareno View Post
That doesn't sound good at all! Thanks for the update though, I'm hitting Thill in 2 weekends so this is great info.

By the way, could you please clarify 'curb'? Do you mean it is pretty much like a sidewalk now?

Also for T8 exit, your description implies that tracking out all the way to the exit berm is now a bad idea?

Thanks,
Nick
hard to explain without a picture..but the new berms are at a 90 degree angle from the track at the bottom..then are rounded at the top..but go up about 5-6 inches. You cannot drive over them..you will pop a tire..or ruin a wheel...period.

You can still track out for T8..just dont go more that about a foot, maybe two fees, into that new asphalt there..because after that..it starts to go down slightly. I am guessing it is for water diversion when raining hard.

These are nothing like the berms at Laguna. Laguna's are the ferrari of berms..these are the mack truck version.
__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 01:11 PM   #4
nicknaz
Lieutenant General
nicknaz's Avatar
3183
Rep
10,509
Posts

Drives: C6Z
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NorCal

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
hard to explain without a picture..but the new berms are at a 90 degree angle from the track at the bottom..then are rounded at the top..but go up about 5-6 inches. You cannot drive over them..you will pop a tire..or ruin a wheel...period.
Thanks for the heads up

Interesting.... Check out this thread on BARF. One of the seasoned riders seems enthusiastic about the changes at thill
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 04:59 PM   #5
S4to335
Brigadier General
United_States
431
Rep
4,380
Posts

Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: San Jose, CA

iTrader: (5)

Garage List
Yep..here is a pic..this is the exit of T3..actually looking backwards.

__________________

Car is now gone .... :-(
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 08:23 PM   #6
nicknaz
Lieutenant General
nicknaz's Avatar
3183
Rep
10,509
Posts

Drives: C6Z
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NorCal

iTrader: (0)

yea I saw that pic. it really does look like they stuck a sidewalk at the edge of the track
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 10:01 PM   #7
sg335
Captain
52
Rep
648
Posts

Drives: 335i
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

I heard they hired the guys who built Autopia at Disneyland. Made to prevent drivers from running of course...
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 10:54 PM   #8
nicknaz
Lieutenant General
nicknaz's Avatar
3183
Rep
10,509
Posts

Drives: C6Z
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NorCal

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by sg335 View Post
Made to prevent drivers from running of course...
Through fear of great personal injury when on a motorcycle, and fear of expensive equipment damage when on a car :thumbsdown:
Appreciate 0
      08-11-2008, 11:15 PM   #9
e92phreak
General
e92phreak's Avatar
United_States
382
Rep
21,747
Posts

Drives: E92 335i TiAg/E46 323i TiAg
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CA

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
2007 E92 335i  [9.50]
2000 E46 323i  [0.00]
Quote:
Originally Posted by S4to335 View Post
Yep..here is a pic..this is the exit of T3..actually looking backwards.


Yeah... That's a curb now.
__________________
07 E92 335i | TiAg | Step | Padl | Cmft | Alum Trm | PDC | Nav | Assist | Sat | Lthr | Prem | Sprt | Rear Splr | RDSport Quads | iPod | V1 | LT Refl | VS Clear Bra | OEM Lip | KWV2 | Mtec Sides | BBS LM-R
00 E46 323i | TiAg | 5sp | Sport | Roof | RDSport Cams | RDSport tune | RDSport Shift | Volk LE37 | M3 spoiler | PSS9 | SuperSprint | Brembo
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:29 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST