Circuit of the Americas Photos by PhotoMotion

[chamba002]

Originally Posted by redpriest

Yeah, I didn't have a problem with my power steering fluid at Laguna Seca or Thunderhill, but 1 session at Buttonwillow, and it was spewing all over my engine bay. Fixed with a rag + zip ties :/

Yeah I brought rag and zip ties just in case too. But thankfully nothing happened even in the 100 degree heat.

[MasterP]

My fix is a sports arm band from academy sports ($8.99 for 2) and a Zip tie.

[chamba002]

Here are some more pictures from the COTA track day.

[IMG]COTA 4 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 9 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 15 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 18 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 19 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 17 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]COTA 7 by Chamba, on Flickr[/IMG]

[1MOREMOD]

Track days there ridiculously expensive?

[ortho281]

Originally Posted by chamba002

Any of you guys running on stock bearings or upgraded bearings? I would like to attend the Nov 1 track day but Im just worried I could running on borrowed time....

Originally Posted by TrakBch

I went there on stock bearings in early '14. Engine had maybe 64k miles on it.

It broke. Spun a bearing, lost power. Tried restarting, bent and snapped a rod to boot.

COTA has long straights and high speed sweepers, you're on the accelerator a lot. Long periods of sustained high RPM's.

I won't add more to the conspiracy theory, but IF it was going to happen, COTA is the perfect storm. High Heat, High RPM's.

New engine has Bimmerworld Bearings, ARP hardware and I change the the oil every 180 track minutes or 1 COTA weekend.

Yes, you may just be on borrowed time. I was running stock bearings with 46K miles and 40+ track days when I spun a bearing and broke a rod. New engine or rebuild will have upgraded bearings and rod bolts. It is what it is and we just have to roll with the punches!

[chamba002]

Originally Posted by ortho281

Yes, you may just be on borrowed time. I was running stock bearings with 46K miles and 40+ track days when I spun a bearing and broke a rod. New engine or rebuild will have upgraded bearings and rod bolts. It is what it is and we just have to roll with the punches!

Im pretty sold on upgrading my engine bearings. I talked to Alex from ABR Houston and he was charging me $3k for the upgraded bearing service. I would say that is reasonable instead of paying for a used motor which around 15k. It would nice for a piece of mind.

[ortho281]

Originally Posted by chamba002

Im pretty sold on upgrading my engine bearings. I talked to Alex from ABR Houston and he was charging me $3k for the upgraded bearing service. I would say that is reasonable instead of paying for a used motor which around 15k. It would nice for a piece of mind.

I think that is a great idea! I was planning on doing the same but my clock ran out before I pulled the trigger.

[chamba002]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

Track days there ridiculously expensive?

Depends how much money you are willing to spend..... For the COTA tack day its $545. That includes 5 twenty mins session. You have pay to additional $100 for a driving instructor if you have no track experience (autocross doesn't count) or a novice driver. If you want to, you can pay another $100 for a shared garage or $400 for a personal garage.

I paid $745 which included a driving instructor and a shared garage. I didn't have to get the garage but the 100 degree Texas heat can get to you and I didn't want my car sitting in the hot sun while it was cooling down between sessions.

Then you have think about the maintenance of your car. COTA is hard on the brakes and tires. Luckily I replaced my pads, new brake fluids, ss brake lines and new tires in April.I roughly put 2k since then. I also did a oil change a month before my track day. So I didn't really have to do much after my track day. The pads and tires can probably do 2-3 more track days at COTA before I think about replacing them.

For me its expensive but totally worth the experience. COTA is one of the best tracks in the world and a bucket list. I just work extra shifts so I can go. You'll be there the whole day 7am-5pm. I took my parents there and they loved it. Plus you get to see other rare and cool cars. I saw two Porsche 918s at the track. That was an experience itself. Must be nice to be rich.

[MasterP]

One of the few tracks anywhere you can hit 150 plus.

[1MOREMOD]

I run at pacific and my underpowered e46 tops 140 on front straight and some cars see 170ish.

[chamba002]

Anyone going to the COTA track day on Nov 1?

[MasterP]

^ I will be there again.

[ortho281]

^ I was not sure if my car would be ready by then, so I registered for Nov. 29th with Chin Motorsports instead.

[MasterP]

Originally Posted by ortho281

^ I was not sure if my car would be ready by then, so I registered for Nov. 29th with Chin Motorsports instead.

I'll try to be there that day as well. I want to take advantage of the cooler ambient temps.

[chamba002]

Ill be there on Nov 1 to watch and take pics. Unfortunately I wont be racing, COTA gets too expensive but I do plan on coming back!