Sort of OT: Sebring track day photo

[DanDombrowski]

Thought you guys might like a quick track day photo from this weekends "springfest" that Sunshine Bimmers and PBOC put on at Sebring.

I know its not E34 content (never got my E34 out on the track, I wanted to though), but I thought it was a cool photo some of you track junkies might like.

I can post plenty more if people want, but if you want me to take my E46 crap somewhere else, thats fine too :)

Enjoy

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9586-1.jpg

[BMWDriver]

Nice. You did say OT, so that's fine. Let's see some more !

[GJPinAU]

There's a lot of hard stuff to hit if you make a mistake.

Does the circuit open up after that section or is it just concrete walls everywhere?

[repenttokyo]

any exotic stuff?

[healtoeit]

There's a lot of hard stuff to hit if you make a mistake.

LOL that is not that bad, the idea is not to hit it in the first place!

[DanDombrowski]

any exotic stuff?

There was a Ferrari out there, but I didnt get any photos of it. It was only out for 2 laps.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9182.jpg

[DanDombrowski]

Ok, you guys asked for more!

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9645.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9431.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9156.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9182.jpg

Let me know what you think!

[DanDombrowski]

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9700.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9315.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9391.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9356.jpg

[repenttokyo]

e46's just look soo chunky on the track.

[BMWDriver]

I agree, these are excellent shots ! More !

[GJPinAU]

interesting - RHD
Didn't think they would exist over there.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9356.jpg

[th3_blur]

Wow! Those are some great pictures that you got. Please post any more that you might have.

[DanDombrowski]

Wow, so glad you guys like the photos! My father took them all, he'll be happy to hear that. He's a semi-pro with a canon EOS and some massive lens (sorry, I dont know much about it), but he had a blast out there. I got him a ride in my instructors car (911 Carerra) and he loved it! Anyway, here are some more photos. Im still sorting through them, so keep looking back for more goodies.


Working in the paddocks, bleeding my brakes after the frist session on the second day.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9145.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9146.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9149.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9153.jpg

[DanDombrowski]

LEEEAAAAANNNNN N' over. White 330 cut off my line and I had to brake after my turn in.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9329.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9330.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9336.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/Sebring%202008%20Misc/IMG_9337.jpg

[DanDombrowski]

Here's a short review of the event:

Overall, I seemed to do very well, at least my instructor thought so. The white 330i had quite a few mods to his car (harder after market suspension, swarbars, strut bar, intake, exhaust, and software, and lighter wheels), which should have made him much faster than me, but it was still a 4 door with an automatic.

My car is 100% stock but with brand new sport suspension shocks and a manual gearbox.

The silver 330Ci seen in a few photos had several dinan upgrades (throttle body, software, exhaust, intake) and was a coupe, but also an automatic.

In the first several sessions, I was clearly faster than both cars and made fast gains and pulled away quickly once I passed. The very last session, I was on the tail of the white 330i through the entire course. I was faster than him in the turns, but on the straights we were almost neck and neck (he would pull from me slightly at times). I don't know if this is because he had power upgrades or because he could come through the corner in a lower gear (being an automatic) at higher RPM and make more power early out of the corner. My brakes were also holding up better than his, as he said he was having brake fade at the end of the day when I talked to him afterward.

My instructor was very pleased with my progress. I tried to come in with a positive attitude and not try to show off (I've read the dozens of threads in the track forum). My instructor did a great job of teaching me the lines and let me know when I could push the car further or when I had to tone it down.

I was very rarely passed except by much more experienced drivers or cars that were MUCH more powerful than mine (Z06 passed me like I was pushing my walker across the street, and some sort of black porsche put 3 car lengths on me by the time I had my hand halfway out the window for a pointby).

I think my cars biggest deficiencies were the tires and the differential. When the tires got real hot, I started sliding a lot more in the corners than my earlier sessions when it was cooler out. I also came out of most turns in 3rd gear at about 3000 rpm, which is too low in the powerband, but shifting to 2nd cost me more time. A 10% reduction in the rear diff would have been perfect.

Overall, it was a wonderful time. It is an addictive event (I could do these every weekend) but I have to admit the expense is a bit much to do this all the time. $350 for the weekend + the wear on the tires is too much for me to do more than twice a year. If it were $150 for a weekend and I could put together an E30 and split the cost with some friends, I'd be out there once a month. Don't take my advice on this though, I'm notoriously cheap.

[DanDombrowski]

Thanks! I posted a whole lot more! Hope you like them!

[DanDombrowski]

More leanin'

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/ddombrowski/IMG_9391.jpg