BMW Track Day

[B_Hxn]

Hi.
I wondered if anyone here has ever done the BMW track day in CA?

I've done as much research as I can on the forum, but had a few questions.

I'd probably go for the 1 day course.

I'm fairly new to M cars. I bought my first M3 a couple of months ago.

I'm really excited by the course just to learn how to drive the car better, and I really want to learn some racing techniques, and of course, drifting.

I've never driven a manual car though, so will this course be a waste of time for me? Or do they still have autos available to drive?
Has anyone been and had total beginners like myself? A bit concerned of making a fool of myself

Any input welcome.

Thanks!

[jmg]

It's a bit confusing since they offer so many different packages at the BMW Performance Center. I've done the M Track Day (half-day), 1 Day M School, and 2 Day M School.

M Track Day is a few minutes of instruction on the basics of high performance driving.
Then you split into different groups and head to an event. The event order depends on what group you are in.

DRAG RACE - You hop into several cars including X5M's and X6M's, M5, M4/3 etc and drag race against another driver. However, it's not just first to the finish line, you have to stop the car within a box at the end of the strip. Overshoot or undershoot and you lose. You get to drag race each car they have.

SMALL COURSE - This is the track in front of the BMW Performance Center building. You usually hop in an M2. They time your run and once again you have to stop in a box at the end. Same rule applies as drag–you are disqualified if you over or undershoot the box. Times are compared and small foam trophies that look like traffic cones are awarded to the top 3 drivers.

THERMAL - You head over to the track next door at Thermal and do some lead follow laps in the M5 and M3/4. They pace your top speed to around 120ish. I've hit 142 on the same straight during M School, so it's a little safer for a more casual M Track Day. Laps are not timed, but it's still a lot of fun.

DRIFT DEMO - The day ends with a demo. Sit in an M5 or M3 with the instructors behind the wheel and they will do some hot laps in full drift mode, going sideways through all the corners, creating lots of smoke and noise. It's a blast if you've never experienced that sort of thing! You don't get to do it yourself however, that's what M School is for.

I have not done the full day M Track Day only the half day, but it looks like they include a second bigger timed course at the BMW Performance Center using the other half of the track. Probably similar to the one I did for M School.

All in all, M Track Day is a good taste for high performance driving. The goal is to have fun and touch on a few basics. However, if you want to actually challenge yourself and get into tracking your car regularly with a head start in how to dance on that edge of control for faster lap times then I highly recommend the 1 Day and 2 Day M School which skips the crowd pleasing but ultimately useless DRAG RACE and replaces it with the DRIFT PAD where you learn to induce, hold, and recover from a drift. You get more classroom instruction, that second bigger course I mentioned, another competition on the drift pad (rat race where you try and catch another driver on the pad while sliding around), and if you do the 2 Day M School, almost a full day at Thermal working your way up to going faster and faster. They are also more constructive at M School. If they see mistakes at 1 Day M School they might let it slide so long as it's not a safety issue, or just make a quick suggestion. At M School they will tell you right away and attempt to correct you. It's school, so the goal is to get better. It will challenge you to find the limits of your comfort zone. It's more grueling if you want it to be, trying to get faster, brake later, apex later etc. M Track Day is to have fun, not necessarily to get better, so it's more casual. To me, 1 Day and 2 Day M School were more fulfilling and therefor fun. I had tracked once before those schools. Now I track every other weekend.

[B_Hxn]

Wow, that's really helpful, man. Thanks.
Really appreciate the detailed reply
Seems like M school is the one for me.
I want to actually learn how to properly track the car.
Was just afraid that I'd be the only total beginner, but I guess that's what school is for...lol

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by B_Hxn

Wow, that's really helpful, man. Thanks.
Really appreciate the detailed reply
Seems like M school is the one for me.
I want to actually learn how to properly track the car.
Was just afraid that I'd be the only total beginner, but I guess that's what school is for...lol

I agree with what jmg has written. The M-Track Days are inexpensive fun events to get your feet a little wet. The M-Track Days event is kind of like a roaming circus that goes around the USA to different tracks to host their events. All the cars, tents, instructors, and maintenance set ups travel together in this circus. IMO, has too many filler events like the aforementioned drag race. And most of the cars you drive aren't M cars.

The M-Schools are permanent at the BMW Performance Centers at Thermal (CA) and Spartan (SC). I love the Thermal track. If have you the money to blow, do the 1-Day or better yet the 2-Day M-School. They're very expensive, but it's all inclusive and they'll make you feel very special and you will actually learn things from the focused instruction.

Be warned, you'll be addicted after.

[lexibothersme]

My brother got me the 1-day M-Performance course as a Christmas gift and I went to the Thermal, CA location on Oct. 31, 2019. I was the only one that showed up for that course that day, so I had a lot of drive time. You typically have to pair up and share cars with someone in a class of 12 or so people.

From memory, we went thru the following activities:
- brief class instruction
- skid pad
- autocross
- small track, timed. I got to do this 6 times.
- Lunch break, great food was served
- emergency braking maneuvers (two different exercises)
- large track, follow the leader. I went over 140MPH, so that was exciting and a first for me. I got to drive around 8 laps
- no drifting exercises, unfortunately
- we switched to M2, M3, M4, and M5 cars depending on the exercise. All were DCT. I was really impressed with how the M2 handles.

I had to take frequent breaks due to motion sickness. If you're prone to motion sickness, bring some meds if you have them.

While I was there, there was a smaller group of 5 or so people that was there for a 1 hour session that allowed them to drive the various M cars. I'd probably do that some time to try out the new G80/G82 cars.

[D_SheerDrivingPleasure]

Originally Posted by lexibothersme

I had to take frequent breaks due to motion sickness. If you're prone to motion sickness, bring some meds if you have them.

Me too. I nearly vomited in my helmet during my first track day. Ask your Dr. to prescribe scopolamine. It is a small patch placed behind the ear which transdermally administers a motion sickness drug. Very effective. Minor side effects include dry mouth.