Track forum general chit chat

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Just don't hit the armored glass

They should have used the same wrenches and stuff they used in testing.

I think that would drive over a Miata so not worried about contact on track

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by MaynardZed

Yeah, good tip. We raced with a fun group of CA based specE46 cars at Chuckwalla this year. They were right in the mix with most GTS3 cars, a tad slower than the top GTS3 cars that had aero. Good racers and we had a lot of fun with them all weekend.

Mike Halpin, who helps Leroy at Flatout Motorworx here on occasion in Phoenix used to race in the World Challenge series with the E46. He much prefers the non M E46 (or any E36) over the E46M3 chassis. Says the E46M3 pushes too much, won't rotate like the non M E46. Mike's old car is for sale, so is another World Challenge E46 car on eBay. $30K or so gets you a car with over $100K in parts alone.

Made it out to chuckwalla last weekend and what a blast. Fun track that flows and nothing in the runoff area except the front Straight pit wall.

See you posted times on this track and not many others have, were you running CCW?

[MaynardZed]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Made it out to chuckwalla last weekend and what a blast. Fun track that flows and nothing in the runoff area except the front Straight pit wall.

See you posted times on this track and not many others have, were you running CCW?

I've run it both ways in the E36 race car. Best I could manage was 2:06-2:08's IIRC in that car. I might of been there once with the M4, really slow I'm sure as I was learning the track. The long flat 180 degree turns throw me off. I have a hard time finding my marks, and the bowl gives me a weird vertigo feeling too.

I run so many tight technical tracks around the Phoenix area, that is sort of what I've gotten used to and what my car is set up for. This is Wild Horse Pass West track (Bondurant West). It's only 1.1 miles long and has a tight carousel thats fun to drift the car around on.

[fanatic1]

Getting good mileage out of these, but I think these are just about done. Didn’t think it was a good idea driving home 200 miles on cords.

[Kelse92]

Originally Posted by OhioRiderAaron

I was looking yesterday and the regular SS 1LE is right around $30k now and the ZLE's are getting close to $50k. Both are fantastic deals, but I'm leaning towards the much more affordable SS1LE.

The Camaro’s in both variants sound great until you own one and actually take it to the track. I have 5 friends that have them and the three that heavily tracked theirs (and set some pretty smokin’ lap times locally on stock everything except takeoff slicks) said the consumables were just wayyy too high. All three have now sold them and gone onto different platforms. Custom offset wheels are a big purchase that has to happen to run the right tires, and even still they were going through brakes and tire sets in a matter of 3-4 days. Car is just way too heavy.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Getting good mileage out of these, but I think these are just about done. Didn’t think it was a good idea driving home 200 miles on cords.

No .

These are barely half worn. There are two tread "depth levels" to the NT01, the first 3/32" has more tread groove and the second 3/32" is almost a semi-slick with only two longitudinal grooves. Nitto say in their literature that the first 3/32" can be shaved off for optimal dry performance. Your tires are shot when the "wear holes" and longitudinal grooves in the tread disappear. I've run quite a few fast laps with cord showing on my NT01 . Those tires a very stout .

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by Kelse92

The Camaro’s in both variants sound great until you own one and actually take it to the track. I have 5 friends that have them and the three that heavily tracked theirs (and set some pretty smokin’ lap times locally on stock everything except takeoff slicks) said the consumables were just wayyy too high. All three have now sold them and gone onto different platforms. Custom offset wheels are a big purchase that has to happen to run the right tires, and even still they were going through brakes and tire sets in a matter of 3-4 days. Car is just way too heavy.

Don't doubt your account, but it's <100 lbs. between F8X and SS 1LE. It's no more unqualified as a track car due to weight than the F8X. Sounds like your buddies were quick and on slicks. That's a recipe in any 3600-3700 lb. car for a high rate of consumables.

GM consumables $ as compared to BMW though?

Apex offers affordable Camaro wheel fitments.

Sorry, it's a bit funny when M enthusiasts downplay the track readiness of another platform... Chevy dealer will dial in (GM spec) track alignment, exchange fluids for track use, you're out the door for the price of a BMW oil change. Car's stock limitations/durability won't be touched by the vast majority of DE participants.

Push the limits, run slicks, etc. then yeah, select mods are probably a good idea. So, put 1/2 as much into an SS 1LE as you do an E9X or F8X and see what you get.

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Getting good mileage out of these, but I think these are just about done. Didn’t think it was a good idea driving home 200 miles on cords.

+1 on CanAutM3. You're just getting into the good stuff based upon those photos.

Not that NT01's are any good in the wet in any condition, but you really can't run them in standing water now. That's your use limitation. Sounds like you drive to and from. Need to get some tire totes and start swapping them at the track. You can fit 4 in a CS, yeah? 1 trunk, 1 passenger, 2 in back seat.

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

No .

These are barely half worn. There are two tread "depth levels" to the NT01, the first 3/32" has more tread groove and the second 3/32" is almost a semi-slick with only two longitudinal grooves. Nitto say in their literature that the first 3/32" can be shaved off for optimal dry performance. Your tires are shot when the "wear holes" and longitudinal grooves in the tread disappear. I've run quite a few fast laps with cord showing on my NT01 . Those tires a very stout .

merci beaucoup!

This is indeed great news, you are a wealth of knowledge.

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

+1 on CanAutM3. You're just getting into the good stuff based upon those photos.

Not that NT01's are any good in the wet in any condition, but you really can't run them in standing water now. That's your use limitation. Sounds like you drive to and from. Need to get some tire totes and start swapping them at the track. You can fit 4 in a CS, yeah? 1 trunk, 1 passenger, 2 in back seat.

Actually fit 4 in the back seat, 305's in the middle. Been lazy lately with local tracks - local in Socal is still around 200 miles. Arrive and drive day trips are the norm recently.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Actually fit 4 in the back seat, 305's in the middle. Been lazy lately with local tracks - local in Socal is still around 200 miles. Arrive and drive day trips are the norm recently.

It's so wonderful how you can fit 4 tires in the back seat of M cars

I don't feel it's worth it to do that for NT 01s. The RE71 is as fast, lasts as long and is way better in wet.

What I run now is a set of RE71 for the 'street' and R1 in the back seat for the track

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

Don't doubt your account, but it's <100 lbs. between F8X and SS 1LE. It's no more unqualified as a track car due to weight than the F8X. Sounds like your buddies were quick and on slicks. That's a recipe in any 3600-3700 lb. car for a high rate of consumables.

GM consumables $ as compared to BMW though?

Apex offers affordable Camaro wheel fitments.

Sorry, it's a bit funny when M enthusiasts downplay the track readiness of another platform... Chevy dealer will dial in (GM spec) track alignment, exchange fluids for track use, you're out the door for the price of a BMW oil change. Car's stock limitations/durability won't be touched by the vast majority of DE participants.

Push the limits, run slicks, etc. then yeah, select mods are probably a good idea. So, put 1/2 as much into an SS 1LE as you do an E9X or F8X and see what you get.

SS 1LE at yesterday's HPDE and was impressed how "flat" the car cornered. Ultimate grip was pretty impressive as well, partly due to tire compound.

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

SS 1LE at yesterday’s HPDE and was impressed how “flat” the car cornered. Ultimate grip was pretty impressive as well, partly due to tire compound. I may have had the upper hand on the straights, not by much.

Yeah, same experience here. GTS has it on the straights, not sure if anywhere else. Had one behind last time out this season, talked afterward. He couldn't understand why my "M4" was so fast on the straights.

Ran into this the other day. Stock SS 1LE w/ pads. For those who haven't been, 2:22 at Sebring is really not f'ing around territory.

[fanatic1]

No, dog was not driving

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

No, dog was not driving

How does this compare to M cars or other? not familiar with the track or lap times

[fanatic1]

Its rippin fast, not many cars break 2:00 unless trailered

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Its rippin fast, not many cars break 2:00 unless trailered

Right...

[bracer]

My first time at Chuckwalla I was at 2:00. Havn't been back yet and would be much faster now (engine was stock then, added swaybars, stiffer springs, brakes, etc...)

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by blackey

My first time at Chuckwalla I was at 2:00. Havn't been back yet and would be much faster now (engine was stock then, added swaybars, stiffer springs, brakes, etc...)

Thats faster than most of the open passing advanced groups I've run with. What tires?

[MaynardZed]

2:00 is cooking there in an F8X. 1:57 is mid ST2 or ST3 pace.

http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/N...%202-16-19.pdf

Please ignore my last place GTS3 placing. My clutch pedal was giving out, I suck at that track, and Joe punted me off the track halfway through.

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by MaynardZed

2:00 is cooking there in an F8X. 1:57 is mid ST2 or ST3 pace.

http://timingscoring.drivenasa.com/N...%202-16-19.pdf

Please ignore my last place GTS3 placing. My clutch pedal was giving out, I suck at that track, and Joe punted me off the track halfway through.

Nice reference, E46 “Racing ruined my life“ was out there last weekend.

[bracer]

It's been a while, but I think that was Pirelli scrubs. It was either that or Toyo RR's.