Back from HPDE BMW Club at WG

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Just got done with the last HPDE for the year... It was with BMW club at Watkins Glen this past weekend.

Had a good time, lot of E36 M3 as well s M5's, in my group.. Weather held up and only minimal carnage.. Less 2 M3 in this world.

Did make some "friends" but they were not to happy having a 200 Hp chase them around when they had 300-400 Horses on tap.

Its funny driving an Ford SHO, as a momentum car.. with 3200+ lbs I would normally not put it into the same category of say a miata.. but when your chasing an M3 or M5, you have to drive it that way.. and when you get caught behind some traffic or slower cars and they catch up, it really is not fair, sitting there eating M dust..

Here are some pics of the event.. Enjoy
Alex

Some carnage







Our Track Vehicle a 91 Ford Taurus SHO.. and its owner Tom.




And our Buddies, 911 (930 turbo)

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Some of the competion at the HPDE








Take care
Alex

PS I should be buying a converter soon to get some of the videos up, as there was some good chasing going on..

[volkdent]

Man, those guys had some crying to do, and then they had to explain it to their wives/girlfriends!

I have an Audi track event(HPDE?-is that High Performance Driving Experience?) this weekend at Infineon, and I hope my E36 M3 doesn't end up looking like those poor guys!!! I just got Kumho Ecsta V710s and 18x9 OZ Ultraleggeras on Monday, and this will be my first even on R compounds, so I'm a little apprehensive, but apparently they let go pretty smoothly. Wish me luck!!!

Jason

PS, I'm sure you guys have given a new M3 driver a surprise or two coming up on them!

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Volk, posts some pics.. please.

I just got my rca to usb adapter to do some encoding.. just have to get past the install and patches for vista..

I tell you when it comes to drivig events.. like HPDE, or BMW equivalent R-compounds are the way to go. The only recommendation is to pay attention to the tires. Unlike street tires that whine and cry when you push them and then progressively let go, R-compounds differ from brand to brand. With Avon's you can feel the feedback thru the wheel, and throttle back to keep from pushing or sliding..
Also the limits of adhession are higher, so you will be going a lot faster thru corners and ultimately quicker around the track.. but again, you can get them to hot.. ask me how I know

Some R-compounds tend to let go alot easier so again pay attention, make sure they come up to temperature, and then see where the limits are..

You will be quite surprised with R-compounds.. just don't get rain and cold weather that day.
A

[volkdent]

I wanted to get BFGoodrich R1s, but they don't have my size. They have the trademark squeal before they let go apparently. I don't know how the Kumhos are.

Sounds like you have an off-track experience to share? My highlight, or lowlight, however you see it, was a 100mph 5-360 wipeout coming out of turn 10 at Infineon, with Chip Herr on my tail at that. No harm done, but it was a big wakeup call, that corner is the grim reaper of Infineon and cars and people are damaged their regularily. I'm a little apprehensive there now, and we'll see how I do with that corner with R compound on.




Turn 2 Laguna Seca


Corkscrew Laguna Seca


Reno-Fernley


Some competition-Reno-Fernley

[Bug@5speed(US)]

I will need to upload one of my old subaru pics coming around a nasty left hander at the Glen..

I really like your car, its one of the cars I am looking down the road to hopefully acquire for this purpose.. The E30's are going up to quickly in price specially the M3 variants. The E46 M3 is to expensive for my blood.

Incidently I have a DD that is a E46 330i with ZHP package.. but due to being a DD, not making the same mistake I did with my scooby and will keep it off the track.. It would be fun since it runs very close to a stock E36 M3..
Alex
Again nice pic!

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Finally got this Pinnalcle thing working.. returned it and got a newer version that was Vista compatible from the start.. still working on playing with aspect ratios, quality and sound, but after having a little fun converted a fun scene.

Here we (Instructor and me) chasing a Older M5.. took us a little due to the extra weight, and the lack of power.. Driving an SHO against higher power cars is like driving a miata.. think momentum car.

We got away from the M5 but slow track and a yellow at one of the corners permitted the M5 to catch us and provide the point-by.. Darn Traffic.

Enjoy.. there is some wind noise.. so don't need to blast the volume

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...67085296&hl=en

Alex

[volkdent]

Here are pics from last weekend. It was probably the most fun HPDE I've done to date, and I've done quite a few now. The Brembos were absolutely awesome and combined with the Kumho V710s, I couldn't put a foot(tire) wrong!









Jason

[Bug@5speed(US)]

Volk,

Looks like you were having some 3 wheel action fun.. I noticed alot of the BMW's doing that last month.. I didn't notice how much wheel lift occurs until it was pointed out to me.. R-compounds are awesome, you really start to pull some good G's, and the bit is crazy..

Figured it would be nice to pay a tribute to my old scooby.. she was passed to greener pastures, that don't see the track.

She's gone and I can't move on

I did manage to make the move to the BMW Dark side.. but for now this car is not going to the track.. I can thank my wife for that. I had to make a deal with the devil but that is ok, heck that is driving me to build my project as quick as time permits.
03 330i ZHP I have crossed over.

[volkdent]

Those Scoobys are quite a lot of car for the money! Get the right springs and shocks on there, throw on some R compounds, and you've got a pretty potent track car!

Once you've driven a BMW it's hard to drive anything else unfortunately! But it makes a great reference point, something I use as I'm crafting the Bug.

I forgot to mention the "excursions" at Infineon HPDE, first time out with the D group, this guy in a TT puts it into the wall through the esses on the second lap, I mean please, let your mind warm up at least! Then my buddy in the blue '07 Turbo Porsche in the pic above completely sideswipes the car overcooking it into the hairpin. Fortunately he's got lots of clear bra stuff on there, and no bent sheetmetal, but it will take some work, it's striped from front to back. Finally, on our last session, someone decided to combine C&D groups, I guess we were running late. Well, needless to say, a nice S4 Avant in the C class got totalled heading into a wall coming out of the esses. I think the C's were feeling pressure from the D's unfortunately. There were lots of cars there, and those were the only casualties, and besides the S4, everyone else drove home, so I guess it went pretty well!

Jason