My first track day in the MCS....long!

[djafactor]

To get involved in driving schools I would suggest first becoming a member of the BMWCCA. Find out where your closest local chapter is and join in. It's just $35 a year, for that you get a great monthly magazine, "Roundel" (The only magazine I truly read from cover to cover), 15% discount on all BMW parts at most dealers (including MINI parts), and the joys of meeting fellow gearheads at your monthly meetings and events. At our local chapter the club has embraced the MINI with open arms, it is a BMW in everyone's eyes as it should be. Once you are a member you always receive a discount on any BMWCCA event. For this school the cost was $300 vs $350 for a non-member. Being a member is well worth it just for the monthly magazine.

I highly recommend everyone to try a driving school at least once. You will find your MINI is a great learning tool that will provide you endless amounts of fun. I would also suggest doing a BMWCCA school as they are always well organized with great instructors both on the track and in the classroom. Safety is also always the number one priority of all the schools. All passing has to be pointed by the car ahead and must only occur on designated straights. If you go off the track 3 times you are out of the school.

Totals for the weekend were 3 1/2 hours of driving time 3 hours of class instruction, and 2 hours of instructor rides. These were all in half hour sessions. A lot of people are burned out by the end of the weekend and skip the last session...woosees

I can tell you after my sessions people would come up to me and tell me how they were thinking about getting a MINI but weren't too sure about it on the track. Needless to say they were now sold and couldn't wait for Monday to put in an order . BMW needs to start sending me a % of the commision HA!

take care

Amit

[minicoopersgirl]

To go along with this thread.
I had my first track event this past Sunday (Oct. 6) at Homestead Miami Speedway.
All I can say is Holy Sh*t! My MCS handles better than I ever imagined it would. I knew it handled really nicely on the street and in corners, but once you are on the track you can really push the limits.
By the end of the day "Olivia" passed a 911 Carrera, 3 Honda S2000s, and a fast Acura Integra.
I tried driving with DSC on and off. I wasn't happy with either. This car needs a LSD!!
All in All I was thoroughly impressed. Got many compliments at the track.
Aimee

[Cape Cod MINI]

Quote:

Originally posted by minicoopersgirl
To go along with this thread.
I had my first track event this past Sunday (Oct. 6) at Homestead Miami Speedway.
All I can say is Holy Sh*t! but once you are on the track you can really push the limits.
By the end of the day "Olivia" passed a 911 Carrera, 3 Honda S2000s, and a fast Acura Integra.
I tried driving with DSC on and off. I wasn't happy with either. This car needs a LSD!!
Aimee

Outstanding!
It's good to see that brass balls know no gender

[gromit]

Quote:

Originally posted by minicoopersgirl
To go along with this thread.
I had my first track event this past Sunday (Oct. 6) at Homestead Miami Speedway.
All I can say is Holy Sh*t! My MCS handles better than I ever imagined it would. I knew it handled really nicely on the street and in corners, but once you are on the track you can really push the limits.
By the end of the day "Olivia" passed a 911 Carrera, 3 Honda S2000s, and a fast Acura Integra.
I tried driving with DSC on and off. I wasn't happy with either. This car needs a LSD!!
All in All I was thoroughly impressed. Got many compliments at the track.
Aimee

Every guy on MINI2 that's not already head over heels in love with her, is now. What a woman!!!

[minicoopersgirl]

Aww shucks, that's nice of you to say. I really enjoy racing. I've been practicing racing karts for about a year and half now, but have never entered an actual race. I think that really helped my driving skills on the track. My instructor immediately moved me from Novice 1 to Novice 2 that morning. They are only allowed to move a student up one level, so there I was Novice 2 within 2 hours of track time. I did however, have a bad habit of throwing the car into the turns, like you would with a kart. Had to remind myself when I approached a corner that I needed to be smooth or it'll make me miss my apex.
My next track event is November 3rd at a much smaller track in West Palm Beach called Moroso. Hopefully I will go from a level Novice 2 to a Solo driver The only thing different I will have done to my MCS will be H&R Springs, which I am putting on this weekend.
I'll let you know how that went and who I passed (evil laugh)
Aimee

[Kita]

I just had to add my name to the list of those who are amazed at the MCSs capabilities on the track. Just did 2 days (Oct 9 and 10)at Watkins Glen. I had driven the track in my old 911 SC and have to say that the MCS is fantastic. I used my stock 17 Euphorias and was quite happy with them. As many have said before the MCS is a fast car on the track. Most 3 series BMWs could not stay with me as well as a bunch of 911s, Corvetts, etc.

Great Fun!

Greg

[bluesmini]

more about the classes? i'm doing the BMWCCA "tarheel and toe" class at VIR next month. (www.virclub.com) i can't wait. for now my MCS is all stock. maybe after the event i'll do the chip and intake but for now i want to see what it can do.

[eltel]

Now, minicoopersgirl, I seem to recall some photos of your outing posted on another site. I've saved them on my hard drive, but don't you think that everyone here should see them?

They're great photos and would be of interest to the group here, but I'm not sure who the photographer was, I'd like to credit him/her.

Let's know if you want them posted.

Regards, ElTel

[nonsequitur]

Are there any interesting updates to this thread? It was a fun read, but each of you probably have new experiences to share.

[klint]

Great Story, thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Thanks for sharing...

[RSAmerica]

FYI, My red MCS is stock on street tires vs the one with the Union Jack Roof with pulley/Koni/R-compound tires we are both Instuctors and I was only a little slower.


Same turn just a little faster in my normal Track Ride. (note: before the concrete was added)
This car sees ~ 3000 track miles per year .

One last one from Lime Rock Park

Upgrade the Driver!!!...

[nonsequitur]

Great pictures. Do you have a first time story to go with them like the earlier posters? Or, some tips on technique to help them hustle a MINI around the corners?

[RSAmerica]

Quote: Originally Posted by nonsequitur

Great pictures. Do you have a first time story to go with them like the earlier posters? Or, some tips on technique to help them hustle a MINI around the corners?

First Time: Boy I did not know I was such a sh_tty driver.
Tips: It's all good instruction and lots of seat time.

David K.

[nonsequitur]

Couldn't ask for better or more appropriate advice to first timers from someone who has worked at getting it right. Thanks, David!

Do you have special static-cling numbers (964) for the rear quarter window on track days?

[nlevine]

Did 4 track days this year in my MCS (all with the BMW CCA Bostson Chapter at NHIS), in addition to my normal complement of SCCA road racing in a non-MINI.

First time out (May '03) the car was box stock (performance run-flat tires) - one of the best stock street cars I've had on track. Could not get the car to do anything evil, even if I lifted off the throttle mid-corner. Issus: brakes went away fairly quickly (NHIS has lots of braking zones with no long straights), and the tires made a LOT of noise sliding through the corners.



Second time out (August '03), I upgraded the front brake pads to Carbotech Bobcat compound, Zimmerman cross-drillled rotors, and Motul brake fluid. Still stock tires. Less brake fade, but still not like I like them.

Days 3 & 4 (October '03) were a two-day school. Wheels and tires upgraded to Yoko AVS ES-100s on Kosei K1 Racing wheels, brakes replaced with EBC Red stuff (all 4 wheels). Added Madness 22mm adjustable rear sway bar. Starting to dial in a little evilness into the handling (a little evilness is good - and faster). I ran the sway bar full soft, which was still better than stock, but I think I could stand to go a little firmer on the bar. Brakes stopped well, but the front pads were COMPLETELY worn off by then end of the second day. To be fair, it wasn't just me driving the car. I'm in the BMW Club Instructor Development program so I had not only my track sessions on the pads, but also instructors-acting-as-students-with-me-in-the-passenger-seat sessions (a couple of hundred track miles).

The car's got plenty of power in my opinion, but needs a little help in the braking department. A little more stick would be nice, too (but that's mostly tires in my case). Most important upgrade to start is to tighten the nut behind the wheel!

-noam