Couldn't stop thinking about getting to Buttonwillow with the M3 before the baby gets here, and figured I should get up to the track while I still can, so I went out for a Test Day.
Haven't done a test day before, but man... It's way more fun than most official track days. Showed up in the morning, ran a few sessions, made minor adjustments, took business calls, ate a sandwich and was home again by 3pm. Awesome.
The M3 didn't disappoint -- actually, it continues to impress the f*(k out of me. I haven't changed anything from Chuckwalla. Didn't even wash the car.
Oh wait, I changed one thing... I put the Recaro Pole Position back in the 1M-clone for its new owner to pick the car up this Friday. I picked up the new floor mount / slider combo from European Auto Source / Macht Schnell and decided to try out the new Sparco Evo. This thing is light! I didn't weigh it, but I'll weigh it with the mount and hardware next time I'm at the shop.
Installing seats is never fun, but the new mount setup does make it easier and the sliding mechanism is effortless since there's no room for error. Also has built in anti-sub holes for a 6pt harness and gives you tall people a ton of room. My seat is actually way too low, and I'll fix it, but tons of room for adjustment. Better pictures soon -- don't mind my garage.
I hadn't been to Buttonwillow since December 2019, so just about a year, and of course I've never driven the M3 there. The 295 A052s were definitely pas their prime and really only had one hot lap in them before falling off considerably. This was their 3rd or 4th track day. While visually, they looked good, it seems like they just heat cycled out, but still, I was able to throw down a way faster lap than I was expecting, despite the rear grip struggle. You can see I stay in 4th gear a lot to avoid oversteer, and I'm on maintenance throttle for a while at Truck Stop and through the Esses. Need to improve there.
The worst thing about the day was realizing that I was an idiot for driving without a harness. At Chuckwalla, I didn't really feel off just running the factory belt with the fixed back seat, despite knowing it's not the best move. Not a ton of hard braking there and the corners are all pretty lovely and flow-y. Buttonwillow, by comparison, feels like a UFC fight. I was really struggling to keep my body in place, supporting my self with my neck, knees and wrists, and I was exhausted by noon, so I just called it quits.
Somehow, despite the seating position issues (which resulted in an embarrassing 3rd gear clutch dump downshift into Sunset), I ran a 1:56.12. This was a 1:55 lap without that error alone, and it looks like taking Sunrise and Phil Hill in 3rd instead of 4th would further improve the time, paired with staying flat out through the Esses if I man up. So, new goal for this car is a 1:54 with no aero on street tires. Seems like a fun challenge!
Here's an in-car, with speedo this time. Spent way too long making that in Race Render.