Photos from Thunderhill - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum

hkj · 06-08-2006, 08:21 PM

This past Tuesday I took my E90 to an HPDE event at Thunderhill raceway. Lots and lots of fun.

This is actually my second time attending this class, so I was much better prepared than the first time around. I signed up with the intermediate group and we got to run 5 sessions on the track with an instructor sitting next to me the whole time. Each session lasts for about 25 minutes followed by a classroom discussion.

I felt this is really the best "mod" I did for my car - upgrading the driver.

Those of you who live in the area (NorCal), I highly recommend this track. It's perfectly suited for beginners: with many technical turns for you to learn the proper driving techniques and huge run off areas where you won't have to worry about hitting anything in case you screw up.

My pure stock E90 handles great on the track, and I was really pushing it pretty hard by the afternoon. For those with steptronics, I recommend leaving it in DS mode and just focus on throttle, braking, and steering input. The car shifts fine in DS mode, with perfect throttle response that I never felt the lack of power coming out of the turn.

Here are some pics I took. Unfortunately the track photographer wasn't there that day so I couldn't get any shots of me driving on the track. Those track photos were taken by me during a parade lap.

Morning prep

Maserati and Cayman S

My car cooling off

Nice variety of cars

A Mustang coming down the main straight

An STi and SLK 55

American muscle (with that pacific muscle in the background)

Thunderhill raceway: 15 turns

Hill leading up to turn 5

A chicane before turn 8

Getting ready for turn 9

Turn 9: head for that water tower

Turn 14: better brake hard

The golden gate chapter of BMWCCA is having a 2 day HPDE in August on this track. I hope to see many E90s...

Or, Z4, in the case of Ward

-hkj

LWL · 06-08-2006, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkj

The golden gate chapter of BMWCCA is having a 2 day HDPE in August on this track. I hope to see many E90s there... Or, Z4, in the case of Ward

you are in BMWCCA too?? My memebership just expired thou

Are you planning to go to the August one??

hkj · 06-08-2006, 08:29 PM

Hey LWL.. didn't know you're in the BMWCCA.

I signed up for it when I bought my car. Been enjoying the Roundel magazine ever since. Also my BMWCCA membership came in handy when I bought my M-tech kit few days ago.

I was at their car control clinic earlier this year. I didn't find any e90post memeber at that event. But yeah I do plan on going to their HPDE this August. Are you and Ben going ?

-hkj

ZuerstBMW · 06-08-2006, 08:32 PM

Cool, thanks for sharing the pics.

LWL · 06-08-2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkj

Hey LWL.. didn't know you're in the BMWCCA.

I signed up for it when I bought my car. Been enjoying the Roudel magazine ever since. Also my BMWCCA membership came in handy when I bought my M-tech kit few days ago.

I was at there car control clinic earlier this year. I didn't find any e90post memeber in that event. But yeah I do plan on going to their HPDE this August. Are you and Ben going ?

-hkj

hahah.... I signed up with BMWCCA when I got my car, too. I totally agree with you, Roundel mag is such a great great magazine with tons of information for me to learn about BMW and cars.

I have been thinking about going to car contorl clinic, driving school, and those autocross that GGC got, but never sign up for them. Maybe I will join you next time, so let me know if you are going to any of them. :rocks:

txusa03 · 06-09-2006, 08:48 AM

hkj, do you have auto or manual? Nice thread, glad to see you getting good laps out of your e90.

hkj · 06-09-2006, 11:31 AM

txusa03: I have an auto. The whole time I was on the track I left it in DS mode.

LWL: yeah definitely check out their CCC. They really drill the techniques by having you repeat various exercises all day.

Check out my write up on my previous experience:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13327

-hkj

LEDZEP · 06-09-2006, 01:11 PM

My Masurati does 185. I lost my license, now I don't drive.

Nice pics! Looks like a blast.

diesel007 · 06-09-2006, 01:38 PM

T-hill is a good track not very technical though. It was the first place I dragged knee on my bike so it holds a special place in my heart.

hsiaochinsan · 06-09-2006, 02:21 PM

I wanna go, too Ben......
Call me ba

HRC · 06-09-2006, 02:43 PM

Nice Ben!!! W00T!!! :rocks::rocks:

Thunderhill is cool...now try Laguna Seca!!! Now that place is special!!!

Danny

foofighter · 06-09-2006, 02:47 PM

that track is great...wished we had a nice one like that down here in socal...

hkj · 06-09-2006, 03:57 PM

Hey foofighter, you guys got Buttonwillow near Bakersfield. I've never been there myself but have heard that track is totally wide open and beginner-friendly like Thunderhill. I'm sure the LA chapter of BMWCCA host track days there.

hsiaochinsan: awesome! next time let's go up together.. .and show them what E90 can do.

Danny: ya, Laguna Seca. After doing so many laps on this track in GT4, I have to see this in person. But err, I need to bring my skill up a notch before I try to run there.

-hkj

diesel007 · 06-09-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkj

Hey foofighter, you guys got Buttonwillow near Bakersfield. I've never been there myself but have heard that track is totally wide open and beginner-friendly like Thunderhill. I'm sure the LA chapter of BMWCCA host track days there.

Buttonwillow is a great track. It has lots of run off and is pretty technical.

dkizerian · 06-09-2006, 04:09 PM

Nice pics! I wish there were some good ones of your car out on course! (I'm sure you do too!)

I'm doing my first trackdays 6/24 6/25 at MMP just outside of SaltLakeCity utah! I'm very excited!

foofighter · 06-09-2006, 04:15 PM

true...but from a scenic standpoint thunderhill is much "greener"

bavarian19 · 06-09-2006, 04:25 PM

Can we get that track here in the DC Metro area??? geeze... Other than ovals, I dont think we have a racetrack for miles....

hkj · 06-09-2006, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkizerian

Nice pics! I wish there were some good ones of your car out on course! (I'm sure you do too!)

I'm doing my first trackdays 6/24 6/25 at MMP just outside of SaltLakeCity utah! I'm very excited!

Have fun at your track event.

There is a professional track photographer who takes great photos on Thunderhill. But he wasn't there that day. Next time I'll make sure I get some photos taken of me driving on track.

-hkj

BMW0 · 06-09-2006, 05:28 PM

Nice track, looks like fun

shragon · 06-09-2006, 06:20 PM

looked fun!

ward · 06-09-2006, 07:14 PM

I can't belive that they put a chicane before turn 8 those bastards!!!

you'd be surprised that without that chicane you can go through that corner with the pedal to the floor at about 85 mph, and easiliy hit triple digits on the way up to the hill (aim for the water tower!)

I gotta get back out there!

ward · 06-09-2006, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diesel007

Buttonwillow is a great track. It has lots of run off and is pretty technical.

www.hookedondriving.com is going to buttonwillow at the end of the year,

guarantee I'll be there!

06-08-2006, 08:21 PM	#1
hkj Major Drives: BMW Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,205 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Photos from Thunderhill This past Tuesday I took my E90 to an HPDE event at Thunderhill raceway. Lots and lots of fun. This is actually my second time attending this class, so I was much better prepared than the first time around. I signed up with the intermediate group and we got to run 5 sessions on the track with an instructor sitting next to me the whole time. Each session lasts for about 25 minutes followed by a classroom discussion. I felt this is really the best "mod" I did for my car - upgrading the driver. Those of you who live in the area (NorCal), I highly recommend this track. It's perfectly suited for beginners: with many technical turns for you to learn the proper driving techniques and huge run off areas where you won't have to worry about hitting anything in case you screw up. My pure stock E90 handles great on the track, and I was really pushing it pretty hard by the afternoon. For those with steptronics, I recommend leaving it in DS mode and just focus on throttle, braking, and steering input. The car shifts fine in DS mode, with perfect throttle response that I never felt the lack of power coming out of the turn. Here are some pics I took. Unfortunately the track photographer wasn't there that day so I couldn't get any shots of me driving on the track. Those track photos were taken by me during a parade lap. Morning prep Maserati and Cayman S My car cooling off Nice variety of cars A Mustang coming down the main straight An STi and SLK 55 American muscle (with that pacific muscle in the background) Thunderhill raceway: 15 turns Hill leading up to turn 5 A chicane before turn 8 Getting ready for turn 9 Turn 9: head for that water tower Turn 14: better brake hard The golden gate chapter of BMWCCA is having a 2 day HPDE in August on this track. I hope to see many E90s... Or, Z4, in the case of Ward -hkj __________________ Factory [ 330i \| SG \| Black/Alum \| STEP \| ZPP \| ZSP \| NAV \| PDC \| CA \| Folding Seats ] OEM [ Spoiler \| Sunglass Holder \| Illum. Door Sills \| iPod \| Split Armrest \| ///M-Sport Kit \| CF Diffuser \| ///M3 Steering Wheel \| Pearl Trim Cover \| ///M3 Footrest \| SS Pedals ] After Market [ Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R \| CF Strut Brace \| Koni FSD \| Eibach Pro-Kit \| H&R Sway Bars (F+R) \| LUX 4.0 \| OSRAM 6000K HID \| Clear Turn Signal ] Last edited by hkj; 06-08-2006 at 11:40 PM.
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06-08-2006, 08:29 PM	#3
hkj Major Drives: BMW Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,205 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Hey LWL.. didn't know you're in the BMWCCA. I signed up for it when I bought my car. Been enjoying the Roundel magazine ever since. Also my BMWCCA membership came in handy when I bought my M-tech kit few days ago. I was at their car control clinic earlier this year. I didn't find any e90post memeber at that event. But yeah I do plan on going to their HPDE this August. Are you and Ben going ? -hkj __________________ Factory [ 330i \| SG \| Black/Alum \| STEP \| ZPP \| ZSP \| NAV \| PDC \| CA \| Folding Seats ] OEM [ Spoiler \| Sunglass Holder \| Illum. Door Sills \| iPod \| Split Armrest \| ///M-Sport Kit \| CF Diffuser \| ///M3 Steering Wheel \| Pearl Trim Cover \| ///M3 Footrest \| SS Pedals ] After Market [ Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R \| CF Strut Brace \| Koni FSD \| Eibach Pro-Kit \| H&R Sway Bars (F+R) \| LUX 4.0 \| OSRAM 6000K HID \| Clear Turn Signal ] Last edited by hkj; 06-08-2006 at 11:41 PM.

06-08-2006, 08:32 PM	#4
ZuerstBMW ¡Viva España! Drives: 12 TiAg E70 / 12 Glacier F30 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tampa, FL. Posts: 7,294 iTrader: (67)	Cool, thanks for sharing the pics. __________________ 12 X5 3.5i TiAg Cinnamon, Bamboo, Convenience Package, Sirus, Running Boards, Spare, BMW Apps MODS OEM M 333 20" Wheels W/ Extention Arches, Perform Grilles, Painted Reflectors, Xenon Fogs, 3M Bra, Side/Rear Window Shades, Black X5 Emblem, Black OEM Frame 12 F30 328i Sport Line Glacier Silver Black w/ Red Stitching, Xenons, Prem package, sirus, heated seats MODS 3M Bra( w/ Rockers), Side/Rear Window Shades, Perform Grilles & Rear Spoiler, Painted Reflectors, Red Line mats, Black OEM Frame, Xenon Fogs

06-09-2006, 11:31 AM	#7
hkj Major Drives: BMW Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,205 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	txusa03: I have an auto. The whole time I was on the track I left it in DS mode. LWL: yeah definitely check out their CCC. They really drill the techniques by having you repeat various exercises all day. Check out my write up on my previous experience: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13327 -hkj __________________ Factory [ 330i \| SG \| Black/Alum \| STEP \| ZPP \| ZSP \| NAV \| PDC \| CA \| Folding Seats ] OEM [ Spoiler \| Sunglass Holder \| Illum. Door Sills \| iPod \| Split Armrest \| ///M-Sport Kit \| CF Diffuser \| ///M3 Steering Wheel \| Pearl Trim Cover \| ///M3 Footrest \| SS Pedals ] After Market [ Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R \| CF Strut Brace \| Koni FSD \| Eibach Pro-Kit \| H&R Sway Bars (F+R) \| LUX 4.0 \| OSRAM 6000K HID \| Clear Turn Signal ] Last edited by hkj; 06-09-2006 at 05:07 PM.

06-09-2006, 01:11 PM	#8
LEDZEP Lieutenant General Drives: 2009 E70 & 2011 F25 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Area 51 Posts: 12,277 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 X3 35i M Sport [3.93] 2009 X5 M Sport [0.00] 2007 328xi E90 [0.00] 2006 325xiT E91 [0.00]	My Masurati does 185. I lost my license, now I don't drive. Nice pics! Looks like a blast. __________________ I think it is bad luck to be superstitious

06-09-2006, 08:48 AM	#6
txusa03 Major General Drives: TS330iPPSP6MT Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 6,569 iTrader: (2)	hkj, do you have auto or manual? Nice thread, glad to see you getting good laps out of your e90.

06-09-2006, 01:38 PM	#9
diesel007 Not Stock Drives: 325I Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,774 iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 325 [0.00]	T-hill is a good track not very technical though. It was the first place I dragged knee on my bike so it holds a special place in my heart. __________________ *Wallpaper of the month* 1/1/072/1/07

06-09-2006, 02:21 PM	#10
hsiaochinsan 中華民國大總統 Drives: AW F10 M5 Join Date: May 2005 Location: SF Bay Area/Cupertino Posts: 1,026 iTrader: (5)	I wanna go, too Ben...... Call me ba __________________ 台灣人來報到噢~

06-09-2006, 02:43 PM	#11
HRC MAUI BUILT Drives: 2006 330i MT Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: NORCAL Posts: 7,780 iTrader: (10) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Nice Ben!!! W00T!!! :rocks::rocks: Thunderhill is cool...now try Laguna Seca!!! Now that place is special!!! Danny __________________ Arctic/Blk Leather/Alum.Trim/MT/ZSP/Sunshades/Blk Lines/M3 Illuminated Knob/Alcantara Performance Wheel/M-E-Brake Handle/Euro Fog Switch/Koni Yellows/H&R Sport Springs/19" VMR V718's w/PS2 Tires/M-Tech Body Kit/Carbon Fiber Spoiler/Bimmian Interior Bulbs/OEM Eye Glass Tray/SSK/Alcantara Boot/Split Armrest/OEM Dual Rear Power Outlets/Rear Ashtray Delete/OEM Alum. Pedals/Osram 6000K/Brex Rings/LED Side Markers/BMS Power Box

06-09-2006, 02:47 PM	#12
foofighter Captain Drives: 2013 Ford Flex EcoBoost Join Date: May 2006 Location: The OC Posts: 815 iTrader: (1)	that track is great...wished we had a nice one like that down here in socal...

06-09-2006, 03:57 PM	#13
hkj Major Drives: BMW Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,205 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Hey foofighter, you guys got Buttonwillow near Bakersfield. I've never been there myself but have heard that track is totally wide open and beginner-friendly like Thunderhill. I'm sure the LA chapter of BMWCCA host track days there. hsiaochinsan: awesome! next time let's go up together.. .and show them what E90 can do. Danny: ya, Laguna Seca. After doing so many laps on this track in GT4, I have to see this in person. But err, I need to bring my skill up a notch before I try to run there. -hkj __________________ Factory [ 330i \| SG \| Black/Alum \| STEP \| ZPP \| ZSP \| NAV \| PDC \| CA \| Folding Seats ] OEM [ Spoiler \| Sunglass Holder \| Illum. Door Sills \| iPod \| Split Armrest \| ///M-Sport Kit \| CF Diffuser \| ///M3 Steering Wheel \| Pearl Trim Cover \| ///M3 Footrest \| SS Pedals ] After Market [ Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R \| CF Strut Brace \| Koni FSD \| Eibach Pro-Kit \| H&R Sway Bars (F+R) \| LUX 4.0 \| OSRAM 6000K HID \| Clear Turn Signal ]

06-09-2006, 04:09 PM	#15
dkizerian Digital Ruler Drives: 325i AW/Terra Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Riverton Utah Posts: 166 iTrader: (0)	Nice pics! I wish there were some good ones of your car out on course! (I'm sure you do too!) I'm doing my first trackdays 6/24 6/25 at MMP just outside of SaltLakeCity utah! I'm very excited!

06-09-2006, 04:15 PM	#16
foofighter Captain Drives: 2013 Ford Flex EcoBoost Join Date: May 2006 Location: The OC Posts: 815 iTrader: (1)	true...but from a scenic standpoint thunderhill is much "greener"

06-09-2006, 04:25 PM	#17
bavarian19 General Drives: Car Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: VA Posts: 18,657 iTrader: (22)	Can we get that track here in the DC Metro area??? geeze... Other than ovals, I dont think we have a racetrack for miles....

06-09-2006, 05:28 PM	#19
BMW0 Colonel Drives: AW E90 330i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 2,059 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Nice track, looks like fun __________________ 330i 6MT l 255 HP @ 5900 rpm 214 lb-ft Torque @ 3500 rpm l Alpine White l Beige l Aluminum l ZSP l 494 l PDC "Freude am Fahren" = "Joy to Drive"

06-09-2006, 06:20 PM	#20
shragon Moderator Drives: 2006 325i SG Sedan Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 27,448 iTrader: (6)	looked fun! __________________ www.cardomain.com/id/shragon

06-09-2006, 07:14 PM	#21
ward Major General Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T Posts: 6,162 iTrader: (0)	I can't belive that they put a chicane before turn 8 those bastards!!! you'd be surprised that without that chicane you can go through that corner with the pedal to the floor at about 85 mph, and easiliy hit triple digits on the way up to the hill (aim for the water tower!) I gotta get back out there!

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