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      05-11-2011, 06:32 AM   #1
LiM3y
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First Track Day of 2011 - Lime Rock

[reposted from Bimmerfest]

Took the M out to Lime Rock Park yesterday for the first time in 2011. It was a fantastic day - 65 - 71 and sunny. I was running my new wheels/tires and brake pads - Apex ARC-8 18 x 10's, Carbotecch XP-12 brake pads and Nitto NT-05 275/35/18. This was a great set up! I met with Paradocs and there was a couple of other M3s running too. I didn't film until the last session, so I missed a good chance with 3 M3's running head-to-tail for several laps.

The first session was a bit hairy, I was put in Intermediate 2, which was full of race cars getting an early season shakedown and passing on any straight, which was interpreted as passing anywhere. I was getting used to my set-up and I was getting dive bombed by Miata's and every other f**king thing coming into the corners - it was a close to racing as I have ever come, and they were in race cars and rentals and I was in my daily driver. On top of that, these aren't the best race drivers either (me included) so I spent the whole session looking in my mirrors looking for nutters... if they were dumb enough to put themselves in that spot, what are they going to do next! My favourite was looking for the apex of Turn 1 and seeing a Mazda Miata next to my wing mirror! Anyway, I moved groups to Intermediate 1, which was much more civilized! It was good to blow the cob webs off. I need to slow down a bit and work on lines etc., I had more lines through Big Bend and the Esses than Shakespeare! I was getting a little over 130 on the speedo on the front straight. I had a pucker moment near the end of the session where I went far too deep into Turn 7 at the bottom of the Uphill, right into the spoogle of rubber and dust...I have seen race cars end up in their and it hasn't ended well. I got away with one!

I am off to VIR in a week or so...

Here's a clip of me chasing a tuned Corvette in the last session. He had about 445 RW HP against the 360 of an M3, so I could not keep up with him on the straights, but could carry more speed through the corners. I chatted to him afterwards and he was having fun too - he was a big fan of the M after driving one at the PDC - so we hugged it out!

The M is awesome. I threw it about all day on the track, pack up and drive off like nothing happened

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Last edited by LiM3y; 05-11-2011 at 06:37 AM..
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      05-11-2011, 07:14 AM   #2
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Looks like you had some great weather and a fun day! Its great that the track season is finally here. Have fun at VIR. I really want to get out there one of these days.
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      05-11-2011, 10:18 AM   #3
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Hey there LiM3y. It was good to meet you at Lime Rock. Definitely a good time. I was also doing my new square setup--18x10in Forgelines with 275/35-18 Nitto NT-01s. This was my first time on trackday rubber, and it was an education. The tires were sticker-new, and during the first session they felt awful. Wobbly, greasy, all over the place. The second and continuing sessions were MUCH better. The tires felt more solid, with much better grip. They definitely don't squeal/communicate like a regular street performance tire, but they do make some noise under load so you can tell what's going on.

The last time I was at Lime Rock was for a Skip Barber driving school. I had forgotten how tight and physically exhausting the track is. Especially compared to Watkins Glen, which is much more flowing. Lime Rock almost feels like an oversized autocross course with a long straight. The uphill is a blast. The car moves around a lot at the crest of the hill as the suspension unloads. You definitely have to make sure the car is going as straight as possible at that point.

I also noticed quite a bit of rear-end wiggle under heavy braking. Not sure if this is inherent to the car, or due to my tires or maybe brake balance. Any thoughts?

The M3s in attendance made a good showing. I was probably the slowest M3 of the bunch, but had a good time and felt like I improved during the day. A couple of the M3s were consistently harrassing Corvettes.

A couple of fun moments--seeing a brand-new Jaguar XF-R (all 4000+ lbs of it) rip around the track. This luxury sedan did better than you would think in the corners, and when he gave me a point-by on the front straight, he didn't let off the gas much to let me around. The result: Me feeling like I was in a rowboat trying to pass him--hey buddy, cool the supercharger a bit and let me around! Also fun to see a couple of Mini Coopers on race rubber tearing it up. VERY fast in the corners. I was right behind one for a couple of laps and he was consistently lifting an inside rear wheel in the sharper corners. Yee-haw!
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      05-11-2011, 10:26 AM   #4
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Hey there LiM3y. It was good to meet you at Lime Rock. Definitely a good time. I was also doing my new square setup--18x10in Forgelines with 275/35-18 Nitto NT-01s. This was my first time on trackday rubber, and it was an education. The tires were sticker-new, and during the first session they felt awful. Wobbly, greasy, all over the place. The second and continuing sessions were MUCH better. The tires felt more solid, with much better grip. They definitely don't squeal/communicate like a regular street performance tire, but they do make some noise under load so you can tell what's going on.

The last time I was at Lime Rock was for a Skip Barber driving school. I had forgotten how tight and physically exhausting the track is. Especially compared to Watkins Glen, which is much more flowing. Lime Rock almost feels like an oversized autocross course with a long straight. The uphill is a blast. The car moves around a lot at the crest of the hill as the suspension unloads. You definitely have to make sure the car is going as straight as possible at that point.

I also noticed quite a bit of rear-end wiggle under heavy braking. Not sure if this is inherent to the car, or due to my tires or maybe brake balance. Any thoughts?

The M3s in attendance made a good showing. I was probably the slowest M3 of the bunch, but had a good time and felt like I improved during the day. A couple of the M3s were consistently harrassing Corvettes.

A couple of fun moments--seeing a brand-new Jaguar XF-R (all 4000+ lbs of it) rip around the track. This luxury sedan did better than you would think in the corners, and when he gave me a point-by on the front straight, he didn't let off the gas much to let me around. The result: Me feeling like I was in a rowboat trying to pass him--hey buddy, cool the supercharger a bit and let me around! Also fun to see a couple of Mini Coopers on race rubber tearing it up. VERY fast in the corners. I was right behind one for a couple of laps and he was consistently lifting an inside rear wheel in the sharper corners. Yee-haw!
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      05-11-2011, 01:58 PM   #5
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The XK-R was a dick. He did that to me too...three times!
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      05-11-2011, 06:20 PM   #6
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So it wasn't just me...It reminds me of the old man on the highway who drives 48mph, and then drag races you when you try to pass!

Forgot to mention how much fun it was to watch that 60s Mustang race car with straight pipes. That thing was LOUD!
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      05-11-2011, 06:48 PM   #7
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Oh that XF-R is fast. On a "straighter" track, it would be much more difficult to catch. The guy who drives it was running beginner last year and was the fastest by a long way.

Not lifting is a dick move. You've already been caught by the car behind lapping faster...let them go.
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      05-12-2011, 01:13 PM   #8
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Hi Rob. Very nice video. I havent been on LRP for two years but will be there on june 1. Did a few mods to my 135i susp. and the car is a lot faster now with BFG R1 tires. Always wanted to go to VIR but its so far from my place. 8 hours one way. Which club are you going with?
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      05-12-2011, 02:22 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3 09 AND135I 11 View Post
Hi Rob. Very nice video. I havent been on LRP for two years but will be there on june 1. Did a few mods to my 135i susp. and the car is a lot faster now with BFG R1 tires. Always wanted to go to VIR but its so far from my place. 8 hours one way. Which club are you going with?
First Settlers Region PCA. It is a 3-day event, so I figured it was worth the 12-hour ride. I am going down with an SCDA guy - he drove a blue Z06 at NJMP when we were there in June last year.

Your 135i was plenty fast before the changes!
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      05-17-2011, 11:47 AM   #10
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I would love to get my E92 M3 on the track and within driving distance of Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, New Jersey Motorsports, etc

Sorry to hijack your thread but I cannot figure out which club or what I need to join to race at these tracks?
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      05-17-2011, 12:15 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boosted-M View Post
I would love to get my E92 M3 on the track and within driving distance of Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, New Jersey Motorsports, etc

Sorry to hijack your thread but I cannot figure out which club or what I need to join to race at these tracks?
You can't "race" simply by joining a club. Racing requires competition license and you have to show some competence in the art of high performance driving before anyone will just let you "race" on a track.

If you mean "drive" on a track at high speed and learning how to do it and do it right, check in with your local BMW CCA.
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      05-18-2011, 12:42 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boosted-M View Post
I would love to get my E92 M3 on the track and within driving distance of Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, New Jersey Motorsports, etc

Sorry to hijack your thread but I cannot figure out which club or what I need to join to race at these tracks?
Your local BMW CCA, or NASA, SCDA, or Hooked on Driving. There are quite a few well-run organizations out there...
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      05-18-2011, 01:17 PM   #13
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Nice video and great weather. Looks like fun, would love to hit some east coast (or west for that matter) tracks... Have a great season and keep the vids coming
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      05-20-2011, 07:51 PM   #14
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I was in the AM session. Sounds like you were out there in the PM.

Great video. I'm looking forward to being back there on 6/1.
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      05-26-2011, 02:51 AM   #15
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Damn, that's a real nice track.
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