Roll Call: Apr 24-26 @ Summit Point

[BRDHNTR]

I am so excited and so nervous for Summit Point in less than two weeks. My E46 came back from getting the interior and roll cage painted, but it still needs a fair amount of work. I love my E92, but I hope that I don't have to bring it.

If this is your first event of the year (like it is for me), now is a good time to make sure you have your tech sheet done and have spares/extra brake pads and fluid.

[drivendriver]

I will be there on the 26.

[BRDHNTR]

I'm surprised that there won't be more E9X guys at Summit Point this weekend. It looks like I might be driving my E92 because as of now the wipers on my E46 don't work (they worked before the cage, so we didn't check them until two nights ago as there was still a lot of other work). Luckily the dealer just did a brake fluid flush on my E92 about a month ago, so the car will tech without touching it (though I'll swap out pads). Hopefully my buddy will be able to fix the wipers with the advice he found on the forums, and It'll be on the trailer by the time I leave work.

Drivendriver, come hell or high water, I'll see you down there.

[von_zoom]

Just curious - I have driven Summit several times, but never in my E92. I was wondering how well the E92 performs at Summit, particularly if in stock form, i.e.tires and brakes.
Thanks
vz

[drivendriver]

Originally Posted by von_zoom

Just curious - I have driven Summit several times, but never in my E92. I was wondering how well the E92 performs at Summit, particularly if in stock form, i.e.tires and brakes.
Thanks
vz

I did one event there with my E92 (actually, that was my first event with this car) and I had a great time. Here is what I wrote after I came back:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...93#post5707793

I have good memories of SP Main. It's not as technical as VIR, but I think it has a very good pace and is very "flowing".

[von_zoom]

Thanks for the comment, and for the link.
vz

[MTROIS]

Would have loved to join you guys but I am flying out to Switzerland on Sunday night! Have fun there and look forward to meeting you at future event.

[drivendriver]

Now I'm not sure that I want to get up at 5AM tomorrow to drive on a wet track. We'll see. It might be a very good learning experience.

[adc]

Hey, I went there on April 21st (check my report).

I absolutely loved the rain. How did you fare?

[drivendriver]

Originally Posted by adc

Hey, I went there on April 21st (check my report).

I absolutely loved the rain. How did you fare?

I bailed out. I drove to the track but did not stay. Not enough sleep and too much water. I just wasn't feeling it.

[midlifecrisis]

For anybody interested, the NJBMWCCA is having an ITS/advanced school at Summit main on Mon. and Tues. May 17 and 18. Drivers need to be at least intermediate level. Plenty of room left.

More info available at www.njbmwcca.org.

[skierman64]

It was a great day on the big track at Summit today. I ran in the green run group and got one session of dry but the other three were in the wet. It was all fine as there is plenty of grip on that track now that it's repaved. Nice and smooth and lots of track references. One thing that was counterintuitive is in the wet the new patches of pavement in the turns were very shiny, shiny usually means stay off, however at Summit, the shiny pavement had a lot more grip. Rain driving rocks and you can learn a lot.

There were 7 no shows in the green group, which meant lots of open track and no trains. It was very nice.

Drivendriver, you missed a great day...I can't believe you paid the money and showed up but didn't drive. I couldn't have just burned $225 myself.

I counted at least 4 E9x M3s there. 2 for sure in the red group.

[skierman64]

Here's my video from Green group session 3. My only dry session.

[drivendriver]

Originally Posted by skierman64

Drivendriver, you missed a great day...I can't believe you paid the money and showed up but didn't drive. I couldn't have just burned $225 myself.

I know, but I figured that if I stayed it could cost me much more than $225. When I'm like that, I tend to make mistakes. And I did have a nice sleep when I got home.

Nice video though. It almost gives me regrets . Do you have one of a wet session? I'm curious.

[BRDHNTR]

I had a awesome time this weekend. I was there for all three days, and even though it rained on Monday I still had fun. I feel bad for the novice in the E46 M3 who ended up on his roof at the end of the day on Monday. An incident like that can cause you to never come back especially at that level.

The E9X M3's are heavy for Summit Point even the main track. I ran my E92 there last July with Carbotech XP10 pads, and I had virtually no brake fade throughout the session. The real issue becomes tires. I know that a lot of instructors tell everyone to stay on street tires, and while I totally agree with that as a general statement, I disagree when it comes to the E9X M3. The car is so heavy that it will just cook the tires. My PS2's are scalped from running them at The Glen and at Pocono in the fall. Also, a friend of mine literally broke the bead of the tire at the Jefferson Circuit at Summit Point this weekend because he just pushed it too far. Luckily he did that to his driver front tire and he carries a full spare with him that happens to be a driver front PS2 on the OEM rim. So, I think his next mod will be some track rims and some PSC tires.

[adc]

Originally Posted by BRDHNTR

The E9X M3's are heavy for Summit Point even the main track. I ran my E92 there last July with Carbotech XP10 pads, and I had virtually no brake fade throughout the session. The real issue becomes tires. (...) So, I think his next mod will be some track rims and some PSC tires.

+1.

With XP10 front and XP8 rear I didn't have fade, but I had heavy vibration due to uneven deposits (probably more an issue with my braking style or traffic conditions than with the pads themselves).

What tires do you have in mind?

[BRDHNTR]

I'm sure there are other threads on r-comps. I am currently running Yokohama A048's on my E46 (the e92 will only be making track visits if something fails on the e46) in 265/35/18 rubber. I really like them, but I have no other R-comp experience on the track so take my recommendation with a grain of salt. I have read a lot of complaints about the Toyo R888's, but I know several instructors who love the Toyo RA1's. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires would be on my short list of possible tires as well. I have seen E92's running the PSC's with good results. I will say that whatever you choose, put them on seperate rims and change the wheels at the track. You don't want a blowout on the highway, and if something happens at the track, you want to be able to get home. Trust me 4 wheels, a jack, and your gear will fit in the interior of your car. I saw a 135i do it last year at Summit Point.

[skierman64]

See if this link to the wet session will work on here. It's posted on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/skierman64?v...id=50112225836

The areas that had patches had more grip than the regular part of the track. Which was good, because that's all the corners except corner #2.

Let me know if that link doesn't work.

[MTROIS]

Originally Posted by BRDHNTR

I feel bad for the novice in the E46 M3 who ended up on his roof at the end of the day on Monday. An incident like that can cause you to never come back especially at that level.

Oh no!! What happened?!?

[skierman64]

The very last run of the day was a combo yellow and red group. It was on a wet track, there are patches in all the corners (except #2) and the patches provide more grip than the rest of the track. So if you come around a corner on a patch and then come off the patch accelerating, it can get sporty as you lose grip as you track out. I was consistantly experiencing this at turns 1&2 and at turn 9. Well the guy in the E46 was out and probably came off of turn 9 under power as you accelerate up the hill. Then according to his instructor the back end stepped out on him (power on oversteer) and he was a little slow to react or correct and ended up sliding into the inside tire barrier near the track out point. When they hit the tire barrier the car rolled onto it's roof. No one was hurt but the car was obviously messed up. This was his third track day (or event, not sure) but luckily he had track insurance, so he's only out 10% of the car's value.