[khcoaching]

^^^

Got it, thanks!

[DaveC113]

Originally Posted by Wera313

Thanks for the heads-up on the BMW CCA autox this weekend. I’m in the process of registering for Saturday. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Sounds good! Make sure you DON'T go where google would take you if you type in FRA or CASP. Take exit 299, left on Manilla Rd, cross Colfax and the train tracks and immediately go R through the gate. Don't exceed 45 mph on the airport's Perimeter Road, as you approach the end of the road you'll see a large brick building on the L, at that point you can't miss it.

Here's the coordinates: 39°47'10.5"N 104°31'11.2"W. I try to get there around 7:30, registration closes at 8. See ya then!

Looks like BMW club dropped a location as well:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ro...4d-104.5268403

[Wera313]

Originally Posted by DaveC113

Here's the coordinates: 39°47'10.5"N 104°31'11.2"W. I try to get there around 7:30, registration closes at 8. See ya then!

David, thank you again for introducing me to the BMW club autocross series. I had a really fun day getting to spend it around car people. Thanks again for being so gracious with information on setting these Camaros up for track use + autocross advice. Really appreciate it - look forward to seeing you at an autox soon.

A short video from my best run of the day!

[Wera313]

Just two good ol' boys,
Never meaning no harm
Beats all you never saw,
Been in trouble with the law
Since the day they were born

[DaveC113]

Hey, you bought a Camaro, not a Blazer!

Good to meet you and hope to see you at an autox soon! I'm probably going to sign up for the BMW driving school Sep 3-4 which will be 2 days at HPR.

[Wera313]

Originally Posted by DaveC113

Hey, you bought a Camaro, not a Blazer!

Good to meet you and hope to see you at an autox soon! I'm probably going to sign up for the BMW driving school Sep 3-4 which will be 2 days at HPR.

I hope you have a great time at the BMW club school if you decide to go. I'd be there too but will be out of town that weekend.

This week I joined the Novice run group for SCCA's Track Night in America at High Plains. It was a fun opportunity to be at the track to begin learning in this car. The run group was smallish and well-mannered on track. I was focused on driving so didn't spend much time messing with video, etc. Though I did capture my second session so created a short lap video from that. Session three was when the dots started to connect for me though.

I plan to be at the PCA HPDE event in October and hopefully a handful of open lapping days in Sept and Oct too.

[Wera313]

neymar png

Update on wheels and tires: I now have Apex VS-5RS wheels sized 18x11.0" ET35 with Nankang AR-1 tires on the car. I chose to run a square setup. The tires are 315/30ZR18s. There was some material removal needed to fit the wheels but that was only two hours of shop time to complete.

The new wheel/tire combo felt much better on track last weekend. I had greatly enhanced feel everywhere. Also had to recalibrate to higher levels of grip. Very happy with the investment.

Here's a video of my favorite lap from the two day DE at High Plains offered by the PCA Rocky Mountain Regions this past weekend. I can't say enough praise about the quality of the organization; logistics, communications, instruction, courtesy between drivers, vibe at the track - all has been great.

This isn't fastest lap but is the one where I felt good about smoothness and my lines - already looking forward to next season!

[Checkmate1]

Fantastic stuff. I have driven the GT4 twice, apart from the obvious lower curb weight, it felt short for me in the following areas-

• Rear end stability/damping was poor.
• Steering feel (Way better in the 6th Gen Camaro)
• Pricing (It wasn't a $120-$140k driving experience)

[Wera313]

Originally Posted by Checkmate1

Fantastic stuff. I have driven the GT4 twice, apart from the obvious lower curb weight, it felt short for me in the following areas-

• Rear end stability/damping was poor.
• Steering feel (Way better in the 6th Gen Camaro)
• Pricing (It wasn't a $120-$140k driving experience)

I feel similarly about this. During one of the weekend's session I rolled out with two GT4s at front of the group. Stock-for-stock, I thought the cars were relatively even. The GT4 that had been modified with JRZ dampers and Giro rotors+pads was ~2secs per lap faster than me and the stock GT4 in our little sub-group. But the stock GT4 and I traded point-bys several times so that we ran together. I don't have nearly the time on track that those other drivers have. So one of my take-aways is that the Camaro is easier to extract performance from relative to the GT4 for my skill level. This is partially informed from the PEC LA session that I did earlier in the summer in a GT4.

One of the things that I'm thankful about is riding along with my instructor in his GT3 for several laps. I learned the lines he was coaching me on - that was the primary goal. But I also saw what a whole different level of speed and pace feels like on track. Super helpful for me to understand the delta in my own skill rather than car limitations. For what it's worth, both of my instructors were very impressed by the car and its setup. That meant something me to coming from a racer with decades of race experience + a DE instructor who has been coaching for many years.

[DaveC113]

Nice, HPR is a fun track, looking forward to getting back out there. I was very happy with my setup. I took the OEM SC3s instead of the RT660s. It was a hot weekend and the RT660s would have melted. I replaced the OEM Ferodo pads with DS3.12 which were amazing, probably worth quite a bit of time but hard to believe you can spend that much on brake pads.

Also just picked up a DSC magride controller and am going to order some custom springs with a good bit higher spring rates and ~1" drop. I'm not quite going ZL1 1LE stiff on the springs, about halfway between SLE and ZLE rates. Let me know if you're interested, springs aren't too expensive the DSC unit retails for $1400, but it's a lot less $ than a high end suspension, DSC charges about $8k for their complete coilover setup and this should be just as good, although less adjustable.

Vid looks great, smooth and good lines! HPR is pretty technical, it'll take a while to get it down and show what the car can really do. I need to work up to full speed in a few places, vid does not show how scary turns 5 and 10 really are! We ran North course one day at BMW school, which allows a ton of speed going into 9a and 9b, braking for 10 is way more intense. It took quite a few laps to get anywhere close to full speed going into 9a!

[Wera313]

Thanks for the heads up about the DSC magride controller. I didn’t realize those exist as an option. My plan was to go with JRZ dampers but they are really expensive. I’ll connect with you on the magride controller alternative.

Are you using the Ferodo pads with stock rotors? I can’t recall if you have Girodisc on the front… I’m still on stock plans and debating a big upgrade to AP calipers and rotors for next season.

Couldn’t agree more about video not showing the reality in those turns. For me, the most risk is at T4 because of the speed carrying through into T5. Then T1 because I’ve seen a car spin and come back into the inner retaining wall separating the pit-out. I’ve also now got faster through T7 it’s clear that an ‘off’ there has consequences because of outside wall and speed up the hill. That T7 is like a slingshot and I was coached on a late apex while driving up in the ‘gutter’ takes a lot of risk out. But it also really surprised me into T8 the first time that I got it right. I was carrying so much more roll and exit speed that I really had to shift my brake point in T8. Went super deep the first time.

I’d like to try North sometime. PCA runs it one day a year too.

[DaveC113]

Sure, I'm going to order some custom springs with rates of 325/900, OEM is about 180/550 and ZLE is 450/1100. I'm also thinking a 1" lower ride height with a bit less drop in front to account for Vorshlag camber plates, which drop the front maybe 3/8". So a bit more drop in back to compensate. DSC said they would help with adjusting the magride tune to the new spring rates. I'm waiting on a final quote but I think the springs will be in the $300-400 range. It'll take some testing to optimize damping as the DSC unit allows full control of the shocks based on any sensor data and also individually, so you can have the damping doing different things for braking, accel, l vs r turns, etc. The guy I bought mine from claimed a 2s improvement at VIR vs OEM programming.

I'd try the Ferodo race pads before getting new brakes. Some guys run the Ferodo DS3.12 all the time and it's no big deal if you don't drive the car much on street, but they're more abrasive when cold vs OEM for sure. The difference in braking on track is night and day though, I'd bet they're worth a lot of time. Honest Assembly Garage is a BMW club sponsor and Corey got me a decent deal on the DS3.12s, just over $1k after tax and shipping... while pricey I have heard they last longer and work a lot better than other options, and you can switch back and forth w/OEM w/o bedding in.

https://honestassembly.com/

At HPR I'm braking late into the middle of 2 and 11 and late apexing, pretty similar to the lines you're taking. I've been behind some cars taking more conventional lines and you have to be careful not to t-bone them as they go around the outside of the turn, lol. I've seen a few different lines through 11 which all seem to work, not sure what's best tbh. You can actually run straight off 4 and back onto the track between 5 and 6, never seen it but have heard that's what to do if you can't make 4. But at over 130 I'm paying a lot of attention! North course is really fun as you approach 9a at the top of 3rd. It's tempting to come off the gas passing 9a but the car is actually far more stable if you're on the gas a bit until you brake for 10. Just takes some big cahones to keep your foot on the gas, lol.

[Wera313]

Photos from Porsche club HPDE at High Plains a couple weekends ago:

[Vivid_1LE]

Originally Posted by Wera313

neymar png

Update on wheels and tires: I now have Apex VS-5RS wheels sized 18x11.0" ET35 with Nankang AR-1 tires on the car. I chose to run a square setup. The tires are 315/30ZR18s. There was some material removal needed to fit the wheels but that was only two hours of shop time to complete.

The new wheel/tire combo felt much better on track last weekend. I had greatly enhanced feel everywhere. Also had to recalibrate to higher levels of grip. Very happy with the investment.

Here's a video of my favorite lap from the two day DE at High Plains offered by the PCA Rocky Mountain Regions this past weekend. I can't say enough praise about the quality of the organization; logistics, communications, instruction, courtesy between drivers, vibe at the track - all has been great.

This isn't fastest lap but is the one where I felt good about smoothness and my lines - already looking forward to next season!

How far past the fenders do the tires stick out with this wheel/tire setup?