M Track Days are back for 2017! But at a price...

[P1]

Signed up for COTA also. Fingers crossed it's fun.

[Loft23]

It was fun. My private invite last year was free and had a blast. My only recommendation is if you get a little car sick, sit out when your buddy/partner gets in the driver seat. At the last event, it was 95 degrees and when I stepped out of the car, the smell of brake dust and gasoline on the track triggered me to throw up. Was a little embarrassing, but now I know to only drive and not be in the passenger seat.

[50shadesofhockenheim]

Originally Posted by Loft23

It was fun. My private invite last year was free and had a blast. My only recommendation is if you get a little car sick, sit out when your buddy/partner gets in the driver seat. At the last event, it was 95 degrees and when I stepped out of the car, the smell of brake dust and gasoline on the track triggered me to throw up. Was a little embarrassing, but now I know to only drive and not be in the passenger seat.

I remember getting a little dizzy on the NASCAR banking (I think around 20º) at Homestead at around 110mph

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by BMWILUVU

To me, riding shotgun and drag racing does not count as track time. Can anyone who has done this please let me know how much actual track time there is?

Very little to none

[edwinm3]

Originally Posted by Brake_Late

Very little to none

^This

[alz0rz]

At IMS last year I'd say cumulative at least 30 minutes of track time over the course of 2 hours.

[izzyM2]

I'm in for Thermal Oct 6, 8 to 1. My only chance to do a control trash on M cars since I'm driving a Honda for now (lol). AMG Academy to Sep 29 at SECA too courtesy of my wife AMG.. See yah!

[GioM2Comp]

I have a reservation for Monticello on May 23rd at 8:00.
Something came up and I can't go on that date anymore.
I know that the reservation is non refundable.
Is there a way that somebody could take my reservation so I can get some of my money back. Even better would someone be willing to switch dates with me?

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by izzyM2

I'm in for Thermal Oct 6, 8 to 1. My only chance to do a control trash on M cars since I'm driving a Honda for now (lol). AMG Academy to Sep 29 at SECA too courtesy of my wife AMG.. See yah!

Headed there now ... thermal time !)

[Brake_Late]

Good day

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by Brake_Late

Good day

Pics didn't load

[Brake_Late]

LSB F80

[izzyM2]

NICE! I went to a low key bmw driving experience auto cross event. Anytime you get to trash a bimmer is always fun.

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by Dwdrums00

Sounds fun! Can a friend participate if he doesn't own a BMW?

Yes

[IrvineTim]

Originally Posted by Bosozoku

Agree completely.

I might go all the way down to Thermal again for the full M School, but maybe not. (Yearly GGC BMWCCA HPDE at Laguna Seca is far more likely.)
And hopefully the $250 will scare off something-for-nothing cheapskates.

It is not about something for nothing. It is about allocating your time in a worth while environment. If you spend $250 in a club in one night, well, that says a lot about how you value your time and money.

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

It is not about something for nothing. It is about allocating your time in a worth while environment. If you spend $250 in a club in one night, well, that says a lot about how you value your time and money.

Worth it just in the amount of petrol smashed in an absolute M_Frolic

[aerostar]

Just got back from Monticello. I'd say the $250 was worth it for someone looking to be introduced to some of the aspects of tracking.

The instructor hot lap was hilarious. Our instructor went right over one of the bump curbs and we got airborne. The lady in the car with my friend and I started freaking out.

I do have one question though: Is that much tire debris normal on a track? I wouldn't ever feel comfortable tracking my car with the amount of tire chunks pelting the shit out of the front of the car.

[chris90]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Just got back from Monticello. I'd say the $250 was worth it for someone looking to be introduced to some of the aspects of tracking.

The instructor hot lap was hilarious. Our instructor went right over one of the bump curbs and we got airborne. The lady in the car with my friend and I started freaking out.

I do have one question though: Is that much tire debris normal on a track? I wouldn't ever feel comfortable tracking my car with the amount of tire chunks pelting the shit out of the front of the car.

Can you talk more on your experience aerostar? How much time behind the wheel did you get? I am going to monticello on Tuesday- wondering what to expect

[aerostar]

Originally Posted by chris90

Can you talk more on your experience aerostar? How much time behind the wheel did you get? I am going to monticello on Tuesday- wondering what to expect

Sure.

Started with a brief classroom introduction and you get split into 4 groups.

There was:

- Drag Race (M6, M6 cab, X5M, X6M)
- M2 five laps as driver, five laps as passenger taking turns behind the instructor
- M3, same as M2
- M4 autocross
- M3 instructor hot lap

Overall it was pretty damn fun. Our M2 laps were kind of shitty b/c we had an old lady in our group and she was going 80 on the back straight. The M3 instructor noticed she was slow and made her follow him for two laps to get more comfortable. By the 2nd lap we were going 120 down the back straight.

Drag race was more about being able to brake at the right time than it was about actually beating anyone in a straight line. Launch control and MDM wasn't allowed for this portion. For this portion, there's a box with a red X in the middle; you pretty much want to slam on your brakes after you pass that box to be able to stop on time.

M4 autox was fun. I got the 6th best time of the day out of 44 and it was my first time doing it so yeah. The M4 feels like it's on rails. For the track and for autox you get to run in MDM w/ partial traction off.

Instructor hot lap was pretty much them drifting through all the turns and apparently trying to get some air on the tight S toward the end of the track.

Overall it was damn fun for someone who's a beginner on the track. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's experienced at the track, though. I think it might be boring especially if you get put in a novice group on the track portion.

I think the funniest part was during the parking. They directed all the non-BMW drivers over to the wall to get them out of sight. My friend drove us there in his porsche and we had to go to the treeline like second class citizens. xD

[omasou]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Just got back from Monticello. I'd say the $250 was worth it for someone looking to be introduced to some of the aspects of tracking.

The instructor hot lap was hilarious. Our instructor went right over one of the bump curbs and we got airborne. The lady in the car with my friend and I started freaking out.

I do have one question though: Is that much tire debris normal on a track? I wouldn't ever feel comfortable tracking my car with the amount of tire chunks pelting the shit out of the front of the car.

At the couple of BMW HPDE that I have attended, there is some melted tires and some sticks to your tires making you think there out of balance but I don't remember the amount of crud flying up like there was at this event. Heard one instructor say to another the one of the M3 windshield we broken.

Originally Posted by aerostar

Sure.

...

Overall it was damn fun for someone who's a beginner on the track. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's experienced at the track, though. I think it might be boring especially if you get put in a novice group on the track portion.
...

When you sign up you specify if you are a beginner, intermediate or pro. Which helped some.

[aerostar]

Originally Posted by omasou

At the couple of BMW HPDE that I have attended, there is some melted tires and some sticks to your tires making you think there out of balance but I don't remember the amount of crud flying up like there was at this event. Heard one instructor say to another the one of the M3 windshield we broken.



When you sign up you specify if you are a beginner, intermediate or pro. Which helped some.

Yeah... I'm not sure how pro some of those guys who put "pro" were, though. Especially looking at the autox times. xD

['Cane]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Sure.

Started with a brief classroom introduction and you get split into 4 groups.

There was:

- Drag Race (M6, M6 cab, X5M, X6M)
- M2 five laps as driver, five laps as passenger taking turns behind the instructor
- M3, same as M2
- M4 autocross
- M3 instructor hot lap

Overall it was pretty damn fun. Our M2 laps were kind of shitty b/c we had an old lady in our group and she was going 80 on the back straight. The M3 instructor noticed she was slow and made her follow him for two laps to get more comfortable. By the 2nd lap we were going 120 down the back straight.

Drag race was more about being able to brake at the right time than it was about actually beating anyone in a straight line. Launch control and MDM wasn't allowed for this portion. For this portion, there's a box with a red X in the middle; you pretty much want to slam on your brakes after you pass that box to be able to stop on time.

M4 autox was fun. I got the 6th best time of the day out of 44 and it was my first time doing it so yeah. The M4 feels like it's on rails. For the track and for autox you get to run in MDM w/ partial traction off.

Instructor hot lap was pretty much them drifting through all the turns and apparently trying to get some air on the tight S toward the end of the track.

Overall it was damn fun for someone who's a beginner on the track. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who's experienced at the track, though. I think it might be boring especially if you get put in a novice group on the track portion.

I think the funniest part was during the parking. They directed all the non-BMW drivers over to the wall to get them out of sight. My friend drove us there in his porsche and we had to go to the treeline like second class citizens. xD

Do they give out any swag?