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      06-18-2014, 03:45 PM   #1
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My 2 days at Thompson Speedway

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. http://www.1addicts.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.gif 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!!!
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      06-18-2014, 03:52 PM   #2
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I recently had my first BMWCCA on-track school event and had the same observations re: the car's handling that you do. I also plan on the upgrades you mention.

As for fuel starvation vs. DCT, I doubt it is fuel starvation. Up at BIR Turn 2 is a right-hander flat out in 5th gear that is more of a curve than a turn. Never experienced fuel starvation (or DCT intervention when I had it turned on), so I'm guessing your ass got light and it cut power.
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      06-18-2014, 04:29 PM   #3
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Here is a link to an in-car view. It is not me, but same event.

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      06-19-2014, 12:32 PM   #4
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Nice!!!
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