Just got back from a Track day at Sebring FL

[Bam2002]

I have been auto Xing for 4 years now and doing track days on Motorcycles for 2. But this was the 1st time i did a "drivers Ed" day at Sebring with the PCA. I had a great time. I was not able to use my R compound tires due to some spacer issues. But with some good street tires I was very happy with my results.

I went out there with 2 other friends that have some upgraded E30 ES cars. Braces, spring shocks, camber plates and R compounds. They are planning on doing m50 engine conversions later.. Any way.. on our second run I ended up catching up to a group that was held up by a slower car. One of these E30s was in the pack. As we passed the slow car it ended up me in the Ti and the E30 going down the back straigth between turn 16 and 17. I actually had more power than him and was able to get about 6 car lengths. I really thought it would be closer since the cars are within 10 Hp..

I was able to slowly pull away from him in the following corners, but I feel that was due to the PSS9 coil over kit I had in the car..

So I will be going back to work on my shifting.. i need to work on downshifting... Plus decide if I want to DASC the car.. OR drop the S50 engine in my E30 and use that for a track car..

I will admit Iwas very suprised on how well the 4 cyl did.. The car behaved perfectly.. i never was worried about loosing it , even on street tires..

B

[DocDuvi]

cool i will prob auto X my Ti as soon as I get a chance see how it do
see how i can drive RWD since I am used to driving my WRX on full coilovers and lots o other shiet to Stock Ti with 15" for now haha!

[mohaughn]

Glad to hear you had a fun and safe time out there. I'm hoping to pick my car up from the mechanic today after having my safety inspection for Sebring this coming weekend. Never tell a mechanic you are not in a hurry or they will make you wait until the last minute..

Did you end up going with the PSS9 kit? For some reason I thought you were leaning towards the GC kit.

[Bam2002]

Yea I got the PSS9.. I was able to get a great deal on it.. Plus it is one of the few that had the adjustable rear perches. even thought I have them at the lowest setting on the rear. So I dont know if one really needs it to be adjustible in the rear. I just went in on a set of scales with a friend that has a shop. So ill be putting it on the scales and setting it up in a few weeks.. for the next event..

B

OH BTW.. there is a shop in Tampa that can tech your car in 30 min.. I know its not close for you though.. I had mine done there. We actually did 3 cars in a hour..

[mohaughn]

That track is so much fun. I just ran the full weekend with PBOC. I met a lot of the people that organize and work the PCA events so I think I might start doing some events with them as well. My instructor was talking me into doing the Morosso event in three weeks.

My car felt so much better our this time vs. last time on the worn out suspension. I was able to reel in much faster cars through the carousel and through bishops bend. I was taking 13 at a high rate of speed and basically running wide open through 14 and almost revving out in 4th gear before braking for 15.

By the end of Sunday I was taking 17 in third practically redlined and shifting into fourth well before going under the bridge. My shift point was moving back about 10-20 feet each time as I came through 17 faster and faster.

On Sunday my run group was practically empty and my instructor did some really great downshifting heel-toe exercises with me for two of my runs. I went from not really being able to heel-toe that well to nailing my downshift into 3rd on turn 3, and I was double downshifting pretty well into turns 7 and 10. Doing heel-toe downshifts and hitting the right turn in, apex, and turn out on 7 definitely needs more work as I'm pretty slow through 7. I'd either pass people through the back or front straightway and blow them away through 3 just to have them pass me after 7 because I was losing so much speed.

I ended up buying a CD from one of the professional photographers out there. So I will have some awesome shots from all over the track once they mail out the CD.

[Bam2002]

I have never been to Morosso, there are quite a few cycle races there. But fellow riders stated due to the differnt road surfaces it was less than ideal. I guess that would not be an issue with a car.

There is another PCA one then end of June , maybee. ill be out there again. I need to get my R comounds figured out. I need to space out the front tires with the Avon tires due to the way they stick out past the rim. I just ordered 1/2 inch spacers , I think that will do the trick.

Once that is done then I should really be able to handle the back area.. turns 13 to 16..

So how was your car in the back straight? I was only able to get up to 105?? I did start braking alot later in 17 so that helped..

I also bought the CD and have some good shots.. and need to work on Heel/toe - Rev matching..

Glad you had a good time. I need to get out there with some other TIs so we can guage the way the mods benefit the cars.


B

[mohaughn]

Last time out on the stock suspension I was only able to hit about 105 or so. I think I hit a little over 110 on the few times that I nailed 15 and 16 perfectly. I almost spun in 15 one time. Dropped the clutch a little to quick. Luckily I was able to catch it and before it got to far out on me. I was not having any traction issues on my MX's. I think I may also have more negative camber on the front as I have adjustable camber plates. Somewhere around -2.5 to -3 degrees at the track setting.

I was also up shifting the car at 6k rpms. So I'm sure I could have gone faster doing 7k rpm shifts, but why kill the engine at a DE.

I was reading some overviews on Morrosso and I guess the issue with the surface is that it is very close to the beach. A lot of sand gets blown onto the track and over the years it has been ground into the surface, so it is very abrasive. That event is actually father's day weekend so I will not be making it.

I do however plan on doing the 1 day PCA event at the end of June, and then I'll be back the next weekend doing the full weekend with PBOC. You should try to make it out one of those weekends.

I'm still running in the novice group for the time being. Until I know I can go out there and hit almost every lap perfectly I don't want to move up in the runs groups as the intermediate/advanced group in PBOC is stacked with some high horsepower mustangs, corvettes, and porsches. I don't need those guys running up my ass at warp speed. I'm getting much better about managing traffic around me, but some of those p-cars close on you at ungodly rates. And in the novice group I get to blow by some M3's and mustangs which is always an ego boost to the hamsters.

[Storz]

Sounds like a blast, I got to do two laps at Sebring in a C6 ZO6 a couple years ago, what an awesome (albeit rough) track!!

[Bam2002]

Photos are now online...

http://www.keeperofcars.com/sebring/index.html

[ChItalian1027]

bam what type of exhaust are u running?? also nice shots dude!!! glad u had a blast dude!!!

[Bam2002]

Stromung group buy a few months ago..

I like it but it wasnt bent right so it vibrates on the rear subframe

[mohaughn]

Hmmm.. Still waiting on my photo disc... I am all registered for the June 30th DE, just got my confirmation packet the other day. My mechanic has got to be loving all of these safety inspections he is doing.

I'm also still planning on doing the July 7th-8th event with PBOC. Although at this point I may not be able to afford two DE's in July and I have plans to do the July 28th-29th event with some friends. My 328i is starting to have automatic transmission issues so I'm having to budget for a new ZF manual swap for my daily driver.. Kind of sucks as that was my seat/harness/roll bar budget.

[Bam2002]

I tried to sign up last week the novice group was full. So need to look at the july ones I guess.

I also am looking for a ZF.. let me know if you find a place that sells them. I happen to have an Auto with 26k miles out of a 2000 Z3 2.8L , not sure if it will work on your car.. But I was just about to put it up on Ebay.

B

[mohaughn]

Zionsville has them for 700$ or so... Also ebay. But I've not seen any good ones at really good prices on ebay. For the time being I'm trying to keep it running but not using 1st gear, but it is going to strand me one of these days.

[mohaughn]

Bam- I just signed up for the July 7th-8th event. There is hardly anybody signed up. PBOC is doing their event at Moroso this weekend so I would expect the registration to start filling up after this weekend.

You wouldn't by chance be buying a ZF tranmission in Wesley Chapel are you? I just contacted a seller and he has another buyer in the works, just waiting for him to get back into town. If so, let me have it!