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      05-14-2012, 05:28 PM   #1
mclemens
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Road America Track Days

Last weekend I drove at Road America with the North America Road Race Association. NARRA is somewhat like NASA in that they have races, time trials and DE during their events. I drove my 1M in the solo DE group. The time trial group drives in the same session. It was pass anywhere with points preferred (there were very few) but not required. There were about 20 cars in my group - my 1M, a 911 twin turbo, a couple of Z06s and the rest were Vipers of various favors including a few ACR-Xs. It was interesting driving with them.

The 1M was great on the track. It was my first time on the track with the 1M. I've done thousands of laps at Road America but its always interesting the first time in a new car.

I was able to weigh my car on the platform scale in the tech building. It was 3,276 without me and with about half a tank of gas.

I have an AIM Solo DL so I was able to watch coolant and oil temps during my sessions. The coolant temp ranged from 180 to 190 on the track and the oil temp maxed out at 252. The air temp was between 65 and 70. The AIM is wired into a CAN bus connector just behind the glove box.

I drove the car in normal mode, MDM mode and with traction control completely off. Normal mode is terrible on track, MDM mode isn't bad but the traction control still comes on, mostly when applying the power just before the apex of a turn. It was best with traction control completely off. With the data from the AIM you can actually see where the traction control is applying the brakes.

I'm using the Continental (made by Hoosier) Grand-AM take-off slicks (265/35 18s). I found that starting them at 24psi was best. They would get to about 30psi at the end of a 30 minute session.

The front brake rotor temps were about 650 and rears about 450 after 30 minutes on track. The temps were taken within 2 minutes of getting off the track at turn 14. I'm going to investigate getting some backing plates so I can hook up some ducts to the RevoZport splitter that's already installed.

Here's my current list of mods:

Apex ARC-8 18x10 wheels
P3Cars digital display
Bimmerworld wheel studs and steel brake lines
Meisterschaft stainless exhaust and resonated mid pipe (GT Haus)
Burger oil catch can
Extreme Turbo System inter-cooler
Evolution Racewerks charge pipe with TIAL Q blow off valve
PFC-01 brake pads
RevoZport front splitter and trunk lip spoiler
AIM Solo DL wired directly to the CAN bus

Mods going on next:

KW V3 coil-overs
Ground Control camber plates
E9x M3 front sway bar

Overall the 1M was great on track, faster than most of the cars I've driven at Road America - Z4 M Coupe (completely stock), Audi S4 (mostly stock) and 944 S2 PCA race car but slower than my old E46 M3 (lots and lots of mods). I expect with a little more track time the 1M will be faster than my old M3.
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      05-14-2012, 06:02 PM   #2
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Great info. Thanks for posting.
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      05-14-2012, 06:09 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mclemens
Last weekend I drove at Road America with the North America Road Race Association. NARRA is somewhat like NASA in that they have races, time trials and DE during their events. I drove my 1M in the solo DE group. The time trial group drives in the same session. It was pass anywhere with points preferred (there were very few) but not required. There were about 20 cars in my group - my 1M, a 911 twin turbo, a couple of Z06s and the rest were Vipers of various favors including a few ACR-Xs. It was interesting driving with them.

The 1M was great on the track. It was my first time on the track with the 1M. I've done thousands of laps at Road America but its always interesting the first time in a new car.

I was able to weigh my car on the platform scale in the tech building. It was 3,276 without me and with about half a tank of gas.

I have an AIM Solo DL so I was able to watch coolant and oil temps during my sessions. The coolant temp ranged from 180 to 190 on the track and the oil temp maxed out at 252. The air temp was between 65 and 70. The AIM is wired into a CAN bus connector just behind the glove box.

I drove the car in normal mode, MDM mode and with traction control completely off. Normal mode is terrible on track, MDM mode isn't bad but the traction control still comes on, mostly when applying the power just before the apex of a turn. It was best with traction control completely off. With the data from the AIM you can actually see where the traction control is applying the brakes.

I'm using the Continental (made by Hoosier) Grand-AM take-off slicks (265/35 18s). I found that starting them at 24psi was best. They would get to about 30psi at the end of a 30 minute session.

The front brake rotor temps were about 650 and rears about 450 after 30 minutes on track. The temps were taken within 2 minutes of getting off the track at turn 14. I'm going to investigate getting some backing plates so I can hook up some ducts to the RevoZport splitter that's already installed.

Here's my current list of mods:

Apex ARC-8 18x10 wheels
P3Cars digital display
Bimmerworld wheel studs and steel brake lines
Meisterschaft stainless exhaust and resonated mid pipe (GT Haus)
Burger oil catch can
Extreme Turbo System inter-cooler
Evolution Racewerks charge pipe with TIAL Q blow off valve
PFC-01 brake pads
RevoZport front splitter and trunk lip spoiler
AIM Solo DL wired directly to the CAN bus

Mods going on next:

KW V3 coil-overs
Ground Control camber plates
E9x M3 front sway bar

Overall the 1M was great on track, faster than most of the cars I've driven at Road America - Z4 M Coupe (completely stock), Audi S4 (mostly stock) and 944 S2 PCA race car but slower than my old E46 M3 (lots and lots of mods). I expect with a little more track time the 1M will be faster than my old M3.
Pics?
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      05-14-2012, 06:41 PM   #4
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Great report, Mike, and a pleasure meeting you on Friday.

What were your lap times?

Neil
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      05-14-2012, 07:32 PM   #5
mclemens
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Best time was 2:42. There's probably another 5 to 7 seconds for me to get. The suspension mods should help as will more seat time.

The AIM data really helps to show you where you are losing time on the track due to not being consistent lap to lap. I spent a lot of time working on braking technique. Another area where the AIM data is really great.

I'll post a couple of photos of the car after I finish getting it cleaned up. Its amazing how much rubber the Vipers were shedding. I did clean the track wheels today and found a couple hand fulls of rubber chunks on the inside of each wheel.
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      05-15-2012, 01:38 PM   #6
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Someone asked for some photos - here they are:











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      05-15-2012, 02:44 PM   #7
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Glad you had a good time!
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      05-15-2012, 03:55 PM   #8
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car looks great!
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      05-15-2012, 09:59 PM   #9
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Mike... are you the CDI for Badger Bimmers? your name and perhaps face are familiar to me from Ofest 2010.

Agree with the comments on traction control.. personally.. I have found I can actually lap rather quickly with it on by being smooth and correcting my line for slightly less yaw. With MDM on, I can lap at least a few seconds faster than a well driven E46 M3 with traction control off..

Of course... when it's time to break out a can..... or running with the BIG dogs... i go full manual.



Dang... must go back to Road America.....

Last edited by M3 Adjuster; 05-15-2012 at 10:27 PM..
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      05-15-2012, 10:13 PM   #10
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Nice pics! If I didn't already have an AW 1M I would have car envy. Instead I just have lawn envy. :)
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      05-15-2012, 10:23 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ///BYU View Post
Nice pics! If I didn't already have an AW 1M I would have car envy. Instead I just have lawn envy.

LOL
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      05-16-2012, 06:39 AM   #12
mclemens
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster View Post
Mike... are you the CDI for Badger Bimmers? your name and perhaps face are familiar to me from Ofest 2010.

Agree with the comments on traction control.. personally.. I have found I can actually lap rather quickly with it on by being smooth and correcting my line for slightly less yaw. With MDM on, I can lap at least a few seconds faster than a well driven E46 M3 with traction control off..

Of course... when it's time to break out a can..... or running with the BIG dogs... i go full manual.



Dang... must go back to Road America.....
I'm not the Badger Bimmer chief instructor but I am our chapter's driving events coordinator and generally run the meetings at our schools along with our 2 co-chief instructors. I did run the driver's meetings at OFest in 2010.

We do have a 3 day event at Road America at the end of September (28-30). Friday is for advanced students and instructor along with our instructor clinic. On Saturday and Sunday we have a normal BMW CCA driving school. Let me know if you are interested.
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      05-16-2012, 08:16 AM   #13
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Good stuff but 30 psi hot seems very low to me. Were you told to aim for 30? Hoosier R6's, for instance are prime around 37-38 psi on a car 500 lbs lighter then the 1M. A different tire but....
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      05-16-2012, 10:46 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Parker View Post
Good stuff but 30 psi hot seems very low to me. Were you told to aim for 30? Hoosier R6's, for instance are prime around 37-38 psi on a car 500 lbs lighter then the 1M. A different tire but....
Yes, the guys that collect the tires from Grand-AM events were told by a number of teams that around 30psi hot was the target. I did also try starting them at 30psi cold (they got to 36-37 hot) but the car felt much better when they were 30 hot.
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