Track Day w/ M3 and Touareg

[Ross08E93M3]

Yesterday I went to a small open track event @ Pocono Speedway w/ the Bayshore Corvair Club with no Corvairs :P . It was my first time having the M3 and the Touareg out on the track.

M3
All I can say is WOW. That car can handle through the twisties, and kill anything on the straight. WRX's, John Cooper Works Mini's, a couple of vettes, and modded RX-7's couldn't keep up with the M. I had my tire pressures at 33front/35rear cold, and it was a perfect balance. The car felt very stable and almost all-wheel-drive ish. Never had an issue with losing control, even going through some of the tough turns on Pocono's north course over 60mph. On the main straight, I was able to get up to 127mph, which I was pretty impressed with. One of the guys I went to the track with took his E92 M3, but I lost him on the straight. Guess he wasn't getting into it the way I was. The Pilot Sport 2's handled well but got the piss beaten out of them.

Touareg
So I decided to register the tow vehicle just for fun, to see how it would handle on the track. Surprisingly, I felt pretty comfortable going through the turns with such a heavy, high truck. Of course I had to go through the turns slower in the T than I did in the M3, but nonetheless I was impressed. On the straight I was able to get up to 110 which was impressive as well. I had it out for one session, and when I got back in my tires were smoking and I just thought about how those tires are not designed to undergo such conditions so I ended its racing career

PICS--Enjoy!

[roverrich]

Great fun on the track isn't it! Be careful though with your brakes, check out my earlier post about my brakes and the track....

[rzm3]

interesting they allowed trucks... thanks for sharing

[signes]

And convertibles, not a good idea... Cool pics, thanks.

[Ross08E93M3]

They said as long as it was a hard top they were fine with it. My brakes are still a little bumpy but its slowly working out. Tires on the other hand.... toast.

[Deda]

very interesting.

[torredresen]

Looks like fun
Will be tracking myself some day
Greets

[bruce.augenstein@comcast.]

Originally Posted by Ross08E93M3

Touareg
So I decided to register the tow vehicle just for fun, to see how it would handle on the track. Surprisingly, I felt pretty comfortable going through the turns with such a heavy, high truck. Of course I had to go through the turns slower in the T than I did in the M3, but nonetheless I was impressed. On the straight I was able to get up to 110 which was impressive as well. I had it out for one session, and when I got back in my tires were smoking and I just thought about how those tires are not designed to undergo such conditions so I ended its racing career

Back when the Touareg was announced, I got to fly out to Firebird raceway outside of Phoenix for some on-track comparisons, and during the flying laps, an instructor holding point would attempt to calm the pace by doing an exaggerated "slow in, fast out" move at each corner. I wasn't thrilled by this, so with four of us aboard a V8 X5, I hung back before a long corner much like the Carrousel at Mont Tremblant. Then, talking to myself all the way around for the late apex ("Stay out! Stay out!), I nailed the turn, and the four of us actually got by the unprepared instructor in the Touareg, waving gaily.

I got some severe guff over the radio, but back in the pits, the instructor actually laughed, and they let me continue to play.

Had to say I was stunned by how good these vehicles actually were (including the X5), when being pounded as hard as possible on a real track.

Tires were trash, of course.

Bruce

[footie]

Bruce,

Get yourself on to the track again, only this time in an X6, you will be amazed.

[Manny212]

I really want to hit the track soon...can i just show up any day to hit the track for a few laps?

[lucid]

Originally Posted by footie

Bruce,

Get yourself on to the track again, only this time in an X6, you will be amazed.

There was an X6 on the track last week. It sure was holding its own against the competition!

I remember seeing it register better skidpad numbers than a stock 335 on a magazine test.

[flyinggonzo]

Thanks for the awesome post.

I haven't been to the track with my current cars yet so your post was pretty cool. Who would've thought someone else would have the same combination of cars (M3 and Touareg)?

[skierman64]

Great pics and story by the OP, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Manny212

I really want to hit the track soon...can i just show up any day to hit the track for a few laps?

I doubt any HPDE would let you just show and drive without any experience. First of all most of the instructors will already be assigned students, second, your car won't have been tech'd or inspected prior to you just showing up.

I recommend, getting on bmwcca.org and signing up for a HPDE near you next season.

[win-by-miles]

looks like a fun day

[thome22]

Cool. Jealous!!

[Year's_End]

Wow, the e92 driver must've sucked if he couldn't hang with you in the straights. He must not know how to exit corners properly.

[KKSigs]

Looks like you had a fun time thanks for sharing.

[slikk66]

Originally Posted by Ross08E93M3

Tires on the other hand.... toast.

Wow, that's crazy, I had my ps2's out on one autocross and burned probably 30% off of them, I knew they wouldn't last on the track.

I ended up getting some BFG R1's off of craigslist, 245 in the front, 265 in the back. I got the rears for $300, and fronts for $160. Rears looked basically untouched, and the fronts had about 80% tread left. I still have the guy's contact information if anyone is interested, he says he has more.

I ran them at Cal Speedway this last BMWCCA session, and they will EASILY last another 2 track sessions.. they pretty much don't look any more worn than they did when I got them. I picked up some 18" rims off tire rack for about $500.. so over all out the door with mounting was just under $1000, a stock set of ps2's are $1400, and this set will last longer, and I can sell the rims.. highly recommended.