jdando
05-20-2007, 05:08 PM
Hey gang!
Back from another High Performance Driving School with the BMW club. This is my third school with them.
I guess they thought I had skills since I was put in the "A" run group. Not sure I belonged there, but someone has to be last. This is a two day event with 4 track sessions a day.
Day one highlights;
Not much to report; got a covered parking area, mounted the track tires and was ready to rock.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/mm23.jpg
The car ran well, I let the big kids pass and worked on being smooth. My BCFE deadpedal worked like a champ and helped keep me pinned in the seat. The day warmed up a lot and by the end of the day it was 87 and sunny. I was a little surprised to see the car running hot, so I backed off a bit and she dropped right back to normal.
On the way to the hotel I noticed a bad vibration on the passenger side, not to self; look at that in the morning. Slept like a rock.
A cold front blew through in the night and we woke to 60F and rain. Got to the track and started my pm (rotate tires, check everything). Here is what I found on the passenger side front.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/badrotor.jpg
Glad I checked the equipment before I went out. Not sure the rotor/brake pad/caliper would have survived a high speed stop.
I spent the next two hours changing out the rotors with my new fancy/dancy slotted and cryo-treated rotors from Todd at TCE. The Wilwood set up is very slick and easy to work on.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/goodrotor.jpg
I only missed one session. The weather improved, the track dried and I got to run after lunch and everything was working well.
I was very pleased my instructor said I was ready to be signed off so I can drive solo. Not sure if I was going to get it in the "A" class. Had three really good run sessions. Really focused on braking earlier so I can accelerate through the turn. In the last session I was doing really well and getting on the power sooner and harder. Good for driving, tough on equipment. After the last session I noticed I had "corded" a tire. The drivers rear really took a beating from the mass, speed and torque.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrearcord2.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrearcord.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrear.jpg
To be it looks like I am just destroying the tire, not wearing it out. I guess it is time to call Tire Rack and see if they can offer anything that will put up with my abuse.
With any luck the Track Photographer got some pictures of the car, if so I will post them up!
As always the BMW guys are great. Some of the best quotes of the weekend; "those brakes are as big as my wheels!", "That car is so big, it has its own gravitational field", and from my instructor "I am going to be talking about this car for a long time".
jeremy
Back from another High Performance Driving School with the BMW club. This is my third school with them.
I guess they thought I had skills since I was put in the "A" run group. Not sure I belonged there, but someone has to be last. This is a two day event with 4 track sessions a day.
Day one highlights;
Not much to report; got a covered parking area, mounted the track tires and was ready to rock.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/mm23.jpg
The car ran well, I let the big kids pass and worked on being smooth. My BCFE deadpedal worked like a champ and helped keep me pinned in the seat. The day warmed up a lot and by the end of the day it was 87 and sunny. I was a little surprised to see the car running hot, so I backed off a bit and she dropped right back to normal.
On the way to the hotel I noticed a bad vibration on the passenger side, not to self; look at that in the morning. Slept like a rock.
A cold front blew through in the night and we woke to 60F and rain. Got to the track and started my pm (rotate tires, check everything). Here is what I found on the passenger side front.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/badrotor.jpg
Glad I checked the equipment before I went out. Not sure the rotor/brake pad/caliper would have survived a high speed stop.
I spent the next two hours changing out the rotors with my new fancy/dancy slotted and cryo-treated rotors from Todd at TCE. The Wilwood set up is very slick and easy to work on.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/goodrotor.jpg
I only missed one session. The weather improved, the track dried and I got to run after lunch and everything was working well.
I was very pleased my instructor said I was ready to be signed off so I can drive solo. Not sure if I was going to get it in the "A" class. Had three really good run sessions. Really focused on braking earlier so I can accelerate through the turn. In the last session I was doing really well and getting on the power sooner and harder. Good for driving, tough on equipment. After the last session I noticed I had "corded" a tire. The drivers rear really took a beating from the mass, speed and torque.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrearcord2.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrearcord.jpg
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/3/1/0/2/driversrear.jpg
To be it looks like I am just destroying the tire, not wearing it out. I guess it is time to call Tire Rack and see if they can offer anything that will put up with my abuse.
With any luck the Track Photographer got some pictures of the car, if so I will post them up!
As always the BMW guys are great. Some of the best quotes of the weekend; "those brakes are as big as my wheels!", "That car is so big, it has its own gravitational field", and from my instructor "I am going to be talking about this car for a long time".
jeremy