My 2 days at Thompson Speedway

[brake-fade]

So I just got back from a two day driving school at Thompson Speedway's brand new road course in Connecticut. In short...it was a BLAST!!

This was my first track event, so as far as the track is concerned I can't really compare it to any other track. I can tell you that I liked it quite a bit. It's 1.7 miles long, with 11 or so turns, five short straights and one long straight. It's not super fast like a Watkins Glen. At the end of the long straight I was hitting 105-108 mph before braking HARD!!! (I must say, the stock brakes are awesome on these cars!!) You will probably stay in 3rd gear the whole time until you hit the long straight, at which point you'll hit 4th. IF you use second gear it's not for long, and at one spot. I didn't use 2nd at all. For me it was 3rd and 4th gear the whole time. It's more of a "technical" track, from what people were saying.

The first day I was giving "point bys" (letting cars pass) quite a bit. It wasn't that I was going super slow, they were just faster. My focus was on learning the track. As a bit of a side note here. If you do attend one of these driving schools, check your egos before you get in the car and let faster cars pass. This will accomplish two things: It allows you to concentrate on the correct line and braking points without worrying about the car(s) on your ass. And it keeps you from pissing off the faster driver stuck behind you. Don't worry that you're a little slower than them, you'll catch and pass those same cars later that day or the next. You'll be smother, more consistent and drive the better line. That's what happened to me. By the end of the two days, of 11 cars on the track with me, there were only two drivers that were faster...One in an e30 track car, and the other in a super charged Scion FR-S. But they weren't a whole lot faster.

About my car:

It's a very basic 128i with a 6sp MT. This is my daily driver, and with the poor road conditions of Rhode Island, I'm not going to go too crazy with the suspension. The only mods I have on the car are; Koni adjustable shocks and struts, (set in the middle) Swift springs, and 225/40/17 Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position tires at all four corners. With this setup the car did pretty well and was a blast to drive.


What changes will I make to my car based on my time on the track?

- First, designated track tires and wheels. My tires were okay, but not great on the track.

- Second, Camber plates and M3 bits up front. Need more negative camber for the track.

- Third, more supportive seats. My stock, almost flat bottom seats suck!

And eventually rear subframe bushings. Although I didn't notice it so much on the smooth track surface. So I'll wait a bit on that.

What I didn't like about my car:

Either the traction control system got in the way, or I was experiencing fuel starvation...or both! There were two spots on the track where this was happening. One spot was in a sweeping right hand turn, just after the S turns, just before the long straight. The other spot was just before the long straight and just after the long right hand sweeper. You're cookin' along, coming out of a fast turn onto the long straight. The track dips a bit, then up and over a crest onto the straight. The car gets very, very light and the traction control light flickers. I'm sure cars will get air born on this section, if they haven't already. That was the only part of the track that caused me to be a bit hesitant...kind of like skiing on ice. Oh, and the tires went away half way through each session cause they were working hard.

So in short, (Hahaha) go drive your cars like they should be driven!! At a safe, well organized BMW CCA driving school with top notch instructors...it's well worth the 300 bucks or so you'll spend!!!

Here is a link to some in-car video from another car, not mine, different run group but same event.

[E82MSport]

Originally Posted by brake-fade

About my car:

It's a very basic 128i with a 6sp MT. This is my daily driver, and with the poor road conditions of Rhode Island, I'm not going to go too crazy with the suspension. The only mods I have on the car are; Koni adjustable shocks and struts, (set in the middle) Swift springs, and 225/40/17 Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position tires at all four corners. With this setup the car did pretty well and was a blast to drive.


What changes will I make to my car based on my time on the track?

- First, designated track tires and wheels. My tires were okay, but not great on the track.

- Second, Camber plates and M3 bits up front. Need more negative camber for the track.

- Third, more supportive seats. My stock, almost flat bottom seats suck!

And eventually rear subframe bushings. Although I didn't notice it so much on the smooth track surface. So I'll wait a bit on that.

Congratulations on your first track event! Very nice post with a humble approach.

It sounds like you have the dampers and springs sorted, which in my opinion is the first suspension mod anyone should do. The stock dampers are fine for daily use but tend to lack the accuracy of a good damper like Koni or a number of brands. Springs in my experience is really up to the driver and what they feel is right for their setup. Sounds like you have a good basis to start from.

My absolute first suggestions for "track" or dual duty are to flush the brake system with a high quality fluid like Motul 600 RBF or something equal. In addition, look into a suited brake pad for both track and daily like Hawk HP or StopTech.. do some searching and see what suits you best. Stock pads, although adequate for moderate track for beginner use will soon be over heated and fade quickly as you get faster. The last thing you want is to get to the end of that last straight and you don't have brakes. Track pads may provide moderately shorter braking distances but the real reason for running is the heat tolerance which allows repeatable and consistent braking. In addition, track pads (based on your driving and feel) provide different bite and modulation.

I agree the stock alignment settings need a little tweaking for a more well-mannered track setup, this is what I suggest - remove the alignment pins from the front upper strut mounts or get suitable camber plates (Dinan fixed, Ground control or Vorshlag) for even more negative camber. Depending on your budget, sky's the limit. I'm guessing if you get the alignment right the tires you have will perform much better. If you go with an adjustable camber plate I would skip the M3 bits, but if you go with fixed like Dinan then the M3 arms are a good complement.

Tires are really up to you and if you still daily your car I would choose a tire fitting for both. Popular tires seem to be Michelin Pilot Super Sports for dual duty (I run them and track them) or something a little more track purposed like the Dunlop ZII's. Do some searching and see what's best for you.

As for the seat issue I suggest getting a harness rather than switching seats. I've used Schroth harnesses in the last two cars I've owned and love them. I'm currently using the Schroth Quick Fit in my 135 because it's simple, removes easily and they are DOT approved.

Always good to see someone enjoying their 1er as it was intended.

Cheers..

[Groundpilot]

OP, if it was your first ever track day and you liked it, good for you. If you liked this track, you are going to love most other tracks better. I say this because, i didnt really like it at all. I was there yesterday with NASA. This is not a tipical road course. Very short, not a free flowing like LRP, two second gear corners, no run off areas. If you spin, or go off, most likely you will hit something. Dont want to be too negative, but i can compare this track to others, and its at the bottom of the list for me.
I did have fun though, learned the course in one session and my car was second fastest in HPDE 3/4 besides Ariel Atom.