Impressed with my E30 at the track (video)

[Timeizmoney22]

Great job dude

[cocofunk]

At Buttonwillow I am never worried about oversteer, but at Laguna Seca I pstchologically keep very concerned about oversteer and never let the car do its work. I gotta get rid of that problem. More Laguna Seca I guess.

[Rennsport]

A small tip that can help with your oversteer on exit is to let the car track wider off the apex, slowly straighten the car back out while on throttle will allow it to unwind and keep the rear end where it's supposed to be.

[entrpn]

Do you have power steering?

[ed94r]

Instructor's can be a sort of mixed bag, at least the one's that I had during that era. Although I respect (highly) their desire to jump into a strangers car and hurl themselves into the unknown, some are better than others regarding skill and even (gasp) their ability to know the "where to be and when" on the track.

I personally tended (and still do tend) to learn the most from ride-alongs....your paradigm of where to carry speed or when to jump on the brakes is often shaken when you ride along with someone with more track experience. I always asked to ride along with an instructor I respected and was usually treated to a awesome and enlightening ride.

Ed

[agent]

Rather than give up track time entirely, you might consider doing some HPDEs with someone in the right seat. When I've done an HPDE with an instructor riding shotgun, I tended to focus more on balancing the car and the fast line, as opposed to going maximum attack like I did when I was by myself in the car on a "track day" or in A-Solo.

Having someone coach me around the track - telling me what I'm doing well and where I could improve in real time - has been far more valuable to me than trying to shave lap times on my own.

[kronus]

Is red mist the common name for it?

yup!

if it's a 2002 knob it's spin-on and not clip-in, which is probably why it's not staying put. I think someone makes adapters..

[Panici]

- that mustache is absurd

- nice lap

- even if it's not required by the organizers, a helmet is a good idea

- go easy on your shifter, you were close to tearing it out of the car a few times

- red mist is not an uncommon condition to get on a track. you can only really figure out a way to deal with it while in it. we have a sticker on the steering wheel of our race car that says "SAVE THE CAR YOU FUCK" that helps.

Is red mist the common name for it? New one to me.

If I had to guess about the shifter effort, I would say it might be because two of the clips inside the knob are broken. So I have to press down or the knob comes off. I haven't thought about how to fix it (besides gluing the knob on). I wasn't aware it was noticeable. I guess if you can see it in the video I should fix it eh?

Afaik it's a wood knob from a (70s) 2002 or similar vintage, and I love it, so switching to something else isn't an option.


I think I was avoiding the helmet on purpose (without consciously realizing it) hoping it would keep me out of the red mist. Didn't work though. I even brought one with me on Wednesday but didn't wear it. I was certainly going fast enough to warrant it last time. I will be sure to wear it if I take the car to the track in the future.

[kronus]

- that mustache is absurd

- nice lap

- even if it's not required by the organizers, a helmet is a good idea

- go easy on your shifter, you were close to tearing it out of the car a few times

- red mist is not an uncommon condition to get on a track. you can only really figure out a way to deal with it while in it. we have a sticker on the steering wheel of our race car that says "SAVE THE CAR YOU FUCK" that helps.

[Panici]

That's some pretty smooth driving for your first time on track! I'm guessing you've got experience in karts or on bikes?

I spent my first couple of seasons on track in a totally stock '91 318is on 14" all-season tires. Didn't even use track pads! This was about 20 years ago, so it was a pretty common setup. Learned a ton with that car.

My advice would be to join the Trillium chapter and start doing some HPDE events with proper instruction. Once you've driven Mosport, Calabogie, and Tremblant you won't be able to go back to TMP, Shannonville, etc. :devil:

Thanks!
Yeah, I used to do motorcycle trackdays (think I did 9 in total over a few years), but I haven't ridden my Yamaha R6 trackbike more then once in the past 4 years. Been busy with E30 stuff mostly!


I went one more time on the 12th of October. (Once I have a chance to review my video over the winter, i'll post about it in detail in my build thread.)

For now, I will just say that I'm not planning to take my E30 to the track again.

Let me explain:
When I drive/ride fast at the track, sometimes I go into what I call "red" mode, or I guess you could call it "pushing".

I am able to run significantly faster then when i'm operating normally, but I am not able to actively and consciously improve my skills. I also disregard machine condition and focus on running the fastest possible time. When I get into this mode I don't learn, and I don't enjoy myself as much.

For reference, on my trackbike, I could run a consistent slow-to-medium laptime in intermediate group while riding normally. But when I went into "red" mode I was running slow advanced group laptimes.

The first time I had my E30 at the track, I maybe got into this mindset for one or two laps only, before I reigned myself in.
At the trackday I did on the 12th, I ran in this mode for at least half of my laps.

I'm sure when I review my videos from the 12th, I'll find I had some very fast laps with the car on the limit. I know I was passing significantly newer (and probably more powerful) cars.

Trouble is, I never intended to make my E30 into a track car, rather I just want a comfortable summer DD. Running my car hard like this can only end in sadness when I bump it on a wall, or worse.


My plan as of now is to get back to riding my trackbike next summer, and potentially get involved in some organized racing.
Long term, as time and budget allows, I'll be building a track car (thinking about an E36 328i), that I can thrash without worry. Then I'd be glad to get involved with the Trillium chapter and go to some other tracks.


I'm not saying I will never track my E30 again, as I am sure I will. But right now I'm not willing to risk all the hard work i've put into the car when I could be getting my kicks on my R6 at the track.

[craz azn]

My advice would be to join the Trillium chapter and start doing some HPDE events with proper instruction. Once you've driven Mosport, Calabogie, and Tremblant you won't be able to go back to TMP, Shannonville, etc. :devil:

+1! Totally agree 100% :)

[Emre]

That's some pretty smooth driving for your first time on track! I'm guessing you've got experience in karts or on bikes?

I spent my first couple of seasons on track in a totally stock '91 318is on 14" all-season tires. Didn't even use track pads! This was about 20 years ago, so it was a pretty common setup. Learned a ton with that car.

My advice would be to join the Trillium chapter and start doing some HPDE events with proper instruction. Once you've driven Mosport, Calabogie, and Tremblant you won't be able to go back to TMP, Shannonville, etc. :devil:

[Panici]

I could see this thread veering wildly off course.

That's fine, as long as everyone is respectful.

I'm planning on proposing to her!

[LJ851]

I could see this thread veering wildly off course.

[Panici]

Don't mention girlfriend here or they are going to ask for her pics.

Well, she's in my build thread already. Helped me pull a motor a few years ago.

She's lost about 50lbs since those pictures though, and put on a fair bit of muscle on top of that. She can leg press over 500lbs IIRC. ;)