[longodj]

Anyone going to Watkins Glen tomorrow? It'll be my first HPDE and it would be nice to have some fellow E90Posters there!

I have my helmet ready, new wheels/tires (Kosei K1/Bridgestone RE-01R), my oil's at a good level, brakes feel fine, everything will be out of my car by tomorrow morning. Anything I'm missing? Any other preparation I need different than autocross?

Thanks,
Dave

[S4to335]

Watch out for the blue armco walls....

Have fun.

[longodj]

so I'm posting this from watkins glen and I have to say a) this is SO much fun and b) I just almost passed a new m3! Like I was on his back with my instructor readying me to pass and the frigging checkered flag went up... So cool! This track is wicked fast and its doing funny things to my tires. Last lap they were approaching 50 psi. Also this event has inspired me to look into a shift light... Pictures will come tonight.

[S4to335]

Originally Posted by longodj

so I'm posting this from watkins glen and I have to say a) this is SO much fun and b) I just almost passed a new m3! Like I was on his back with my instructor readying me to pass and the frigging checkered flag went up... So cool! This track is wicked fast and its doing funny things to my tires. Last lap they were approaching 50 psi. Also this event has inspired me to look into a shift light... Pictures will come tonight.

That kink looks like fun...dont lift there. I have pics of my friend racing there...I know what its like..even though I havent been there personally.

[longodj]

Wow so that was awesome...until my car hit limp mode after surpassing 300 degree oil temps....oh and this is before I noticed the obnoxious wobbling from my left from wheel was because ALL of the bolts came loose.....yes ALL of them. I really need a bigger wrench At any rate, by the end of the day I was properly utilizing the entirety of the track and gaining a ton of time. I will definitely be doing this again...probably not until Pocono North on 5/31 though...

[leftcoastman]

Originally Posted by longodj

Wow so that was awesome...until my car hit limp mode after surpassing 300 degree oil temps....oh and this is before I noticed the obnoxious wobbling from my left from wheel was because ALL of the bolts came loose.....yes ALL of them. I really need a bigger wrench At any rate, by the end of the day I was properly utilizing the entirety of the track and gaining a ton of time. I will definitely be doing this again...probably not until Pocono North on 5/31 though...

Yowzas.

Step/6MT? Oil cooler?

What were ambients? I've gotten daaaamn close to 300 but never limped from oil temps.

[longodj]

6MT, ambients temps were 65ish....not sure about the oil cooler.

[Bubbles]

Originally Posted by longodj

6MT, ambients temps were 65ish....not sure about the oil cooler.

Wow you hit 300 degrees? I have a 6mt w/ oil cooler and ran in a HPDE Saturday in 85+ temps and never hit 250 F. Good to see limp mode did not take away from a lot of track time.

I assume because you have an xi, you don't have an oil cooler unless you bought the 18 wheel package.

[longodj]

Yes I have the 335xi with sport but no 18 in wheels. So I definitely need to keep track of that company releasing the new oil cooler

[S4to335]

shift light? that is only necessary for finicky race cars..not for a street car.

[longodj]

lol, well I felt like I was redlining in 3rd and just not noticing. Idk....I was managing by the end it's just ridiculously difficult to keep track of all that.

[Dascamel]

Originally Posted by longodj

lol, well I felt like I was redlining in 3rd and just not noticing. Idk....I was managing by the end it's just ridiculously difficult to keep track of all that.

I can imagine, with so many things to focus on, every little bit helps. I posted my fastest laps in DS mode, but its not nearly as fun. Anyway, time for a manual car next.

[longodj]

What a rip off! Track Time Photos charges $20 PER HI-RES JPEG!!! Anyway, I ordered 3, and I'll post them ASAP. There's some really good ones of me with a Sunoco emblem behind or me in front of corvettes

[S4to335]

I usually spend $60 for a disk with all my images on it. Yeah..those guys sound expensive. I have bought from Motorsport Visions Photography / Gotbluemilk.com / Head-on Photos / Sideline Sport Photography...and a few others that I cant remember.

[longodj]

Here are some pics

[S4to335]

In the last pic..your instructor is pointing out the flying toaster going by? or is he saying.."go right" or "look way ahead"?

[longodj]

lol he's saying look way ahead. I'm still getting used to scanning, he was yelling at me the whole way

[leftcoastman]

Great pics, man! I really like the 2nd one. Two visually ostentatious cars being led by a low-key but fast as hell BMW.

[leftcoastman]

And are those Sunoco stickers permanent?!?!

[longodj]

lol no, I got to talking to a local Sunoco race fuel distributor near one of my autocrosses in Jersey and they wanted me to promote their stuff so I stuck it on my car and handed out business cards. I'll take them off after this season :-P I really just find it funny :-D

[S4to335]

One of the best things to learn in track driving is looking way ahead..you make way more of your apexes..and your lines are way better..besides you are prepared for stuff like accidents and such WAY before you get there.