[Mr.E46M3]

Nice view of an M2 chasing an E46 M3 at Road Atlanta...didn't know if it was someone here?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8C7Ip8U8o

[Fly320s]

That M2 looks squirrely.

[Mr.E46M3]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

That M2 looks squirrely.

The M2 does seems to bounce...

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by E46M3Ceylon

Nice view of an M2 chasing an E46 M3 at Road Atlanta...didn't know if it was someone here?

WoW, driving on a track (and not the public highway) seems like immense enjoyment..

I have to get me the right car and try it one day..

And yes, the M2 feels too bouncy at high speeds, to be considered a appropriate track weapon but it works really well on the street, as it was intended to do..

[omasou]

I didn't notice it in the video but when going under the bridge you need to line up w/the yellow flag b/c all you see is sky for a few a seconds before going downhill to the front straight and it's scary as sh*t.

[M2C-NLUSA]

Running an M2 right. Love the folks who have never been on track armchair judging whether its a good track car or not... Stick to street racing on the BQE

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by omasou

I didn't notice it in the video but when going under the bridge you need to line up w/the yellow flag b/c all you see is sky for a few a seconds before going downhill to the front straight and it's scary as sh*t.

It's nothing now...the old days before they filled in the bottom of the hill, put in the chicane and rerouted the path under the bridge to make a much straighter path, it was a lot more scary. Back then the apex of turn 11 was right under the bridge, and you typically used a lot of the track over into the pit entrance lane on track out (in the old days there was only one pit, the one on the outside of the track). It's hard to fathom, but getting some decent tail drifting oversteer under power heading down the hill from the apex was very controllable (as long as you don't lift).

[omasou]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

It's nothing now...the old days before they filled in the bottom of the hill, put in the chicane and rerouted the path under the bridge to make a much straighter path, it was a lot more scary. Back then the apex of turn 11 was right under the bridge, and you typically used a lot of the track over into the pit entrance lane on track out (in the old days there was only one pit, the one on the outside of the track). It's hard to fathom, but getting some decent tail drifting oversteer under power heading down the hill from the apex was very controllable (as long as you don't lift).

That explains it. I attended a Peachtree Chapter DS for Octoberfest 2000 as part of M Day.

The instructor told me to line up on the yellow flag and coming out from under the bridge all I saw was sky for what seems like a lifetime. Unfortunately, my instructor wasn't a talkative type -- gas, gas, brake, brake, gas...-- and going downhill he finally got talkative but was saying we're going too fast and I got the feeling he was fully expecting us not being able to transition to the straight and hit the wall. All the while I'm thinking to myself well now you want to speak up and no way I'm gonna lift. We made it fine but not sure about his pants

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by omasou

That explains it. I attended a Peachtree Chapter DS for Octoberfest 2000 as part of M Day.

The instructor told me to line up on the yellow flag and coming out from under the bridge all I saw was sky for what seems like a lifetime. Unfortunately, my instructor wasn't a talkative type -- gas, gas, brake, brake, gas...-- and going downhill he finally got talkative but was saying we're going to fast and got the feeling he was fully expecting us not being able to transition to the straight and hit the wall. All the while I'm thinking to myself well now you want to speak up and no way I'm gonna lift. We made it fine but not sure about his pants

They redid the track in late 1996-1997 time frame...

EDIT: found a track map from old days (which reminds me of seeing GP Motrocross events there in the 70s before they dug out the hill destroying the mx track and made a new inside pit).

[CSBM5]

This is a great classic in car Super8 film from when RA just opened. It gives a pretty decent look at the end of the back straight drop (we used to call it the elevator shaft) and then the steep uphill into the bridge turn along with the actual turn apex about centered under the bridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3NhmB0PBY0

[CSBM5]

Sorry, getting carried away here on a slow Friday afternoon, but just found a clip from 1992 in a Datsun Z car on the old layout. I set it to start just before the downhill dive. Notice how long the he can stay wide open...up the hill some toward the bridge. The hill was very steep (down and up), and made a superb braking zone.

https://youtu.be/NopT08yIBtA?t=142

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

This is a great classic in car Super8 film from when RA just opened. It gives a pretty decent look at the end of the back straight drop (we used to call it the elevator shaft) and then the steep uphill into the bridge turn along with the actual turn apex about centered under the bridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3NhmB0PBY0

My first time there was 2006, touring laps in the M5. Mike Renner leading, we hit 120 during touring laps. Later that day I road a hot lap with him in the V10 M6.

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by Poochie

WoW, driving on a track (and not the public highway) seems like immense enjoyment..

I have to get me the right car and try it one day..

And yes, the M2 feels too bouncy at high speeds, to be considered a appropriate track weapon but it works really well on the street, as it was intended to do..

I find the M2 Comp fine for track days fully stock. It may not be as planted as other cars but is plenty fun and more suited to the track than most other cars.

That being said, I do want camber plates, and better brake pads for longer life and even more enjoyment on track days. But to keep it close to stock to be enjoyable on the street and twisties as well.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

My first time there was 2006, touring laps in the M5. Mike Renner leading, we hit 120 during touring laps. Later that day I road a hot lap with him in the V10 M6.

My first track event there was in 1981 at the Walter Mitty Challenge (which back then had open track sessions for street cars from clubs that signed up which was usually BMWCCA, Ferrari, Jaguar and Porsche clubs). Brian Redman led the driver's meetings even!

[richard in NC]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

My first track event there was in 1981 at the Walter Mitty Challenge (which back then had open track sessions for street cars from clubs that signed up which was usually BMWCCA, Ferrari, Jaguar and Porsche clubs). Brian Redman led the driver's meetings even!

Did you have your E39 M5 back in '06 and possibly did the touring laps that day? I still have the video online

https://vimeo.com/722949

PS: I met Brian Redman at Daytona 2015. Quite a character.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

Did you have your E39 M5 back in '06 and possibly did the touring laps that day? I still have the video online

https://vimeo.com/722949

PS: I met Brian Redman at Daytona 2015. Quite a character.

I bought the M5 in Feb 2004, but I wasn't at RA with it back then. I did a few track events at VIR with it in the 2005-2008 time frame though.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by richard in NC

I find the M2 Comp fine for track days fully stock. It may not be as planted as other cars but is plenty fun and more suited to the track than most other cars.

That being said, I do want camber plates, and better brake pads for longer life and even more enjoyment on track days. But to keep it close to stock to be enjoyable on the street and twisties as well.

I believe you .

The Comp. has the better cooling and oil supply pick-up, for heavy lateral G-turns, without possible oil starvation, so it has the endurance to keep up and must be playful as hell on the track but I feel like I would prefer a car with a little more precision, for heavy track duties..

Just throwing out one of Bucket List pledges, I have nothing again the M2's potential abilities..

[Mr.E46M3]

Originally Posted by Poochie

I believe you .

The Comp. has the better cooling and oil supply pick-up, for heavy lateral G-turns, without possible oil starvation, so it has the endurance to keep up and must be playful as hell on the track but I feel like I would prefer a car with a little more precision, for heavy track duties..

Just throwing out one of Bucket List pledges, I have nothing again the M2's potential abilities..

Yeah, not sure if you noticed but the ride along car is a Porsche GT4 Clubsport. Not every Porsche dealer can sell those so I’m not sure if most ppl know what it is...definitely a rare track focused car.

[Mr.E46M3]

Originally Posted by Poochie

WoW, driving on a track (and not the public highway) seems like immense enjoyment..

I have to get me the right car and try it one day..

And yes, the M2 feels too bouncy at high speeds, to be considered a appropriate track weapon but it works really well on the street, as it was intended to do..

Don’t wait for the right car. Track days are fun. Any car that’s mechanical sound should be fine. M cars do have a good balance for street and track use if you have one car but a lightweight low horsepower car is equally as fun and cheaper...less you spend on brakes, tires, fuel etc. brz/86/Miata are all great track cars. I’d go brz/86 so you have room in the trunk for your tools and wheels.