Author Topic: Footage from Watkins Glen September 25-26th GVC Chapter (Read 6557 times)

dude8383 · « **on:** September 28, 2010, 11:36:33 AM »

Hey all,

So I attended my third HPDE event at Watkins Glen with a couple of friends over the weekend. What a friggin blast!!! Watkins Glen is an amazing track, it felt faster than the Monticello and NJMP Lighting Circuit.

I destroyed my front pads the first day, luckily Greg (rpob5t) was there to save the day. He a set of BP-20 pads because he has Massive's 280x22 kit as well! My instructor Jeff was a life saver as well because I ran out of brake fluid and he gave me his bottle of ATE Super Blue.

The second day I destroyed the second set of pads too and my master cylinder threw in the towel as well

Jeff was confident enough in my abilities based on everything that I had learned on Saturday and Sunday (up until my master cylinder failed) that he offered a chance to drive his Spec E30. This wasn't something that I could turn down because...Jeff is the man and I wanted to know what a race car felt like around Watkins. R-compounds are f'in amazing...coming out of the "S's" I was already getting into 5th gear around 120mph...10mph faster than my car!

Anyway, I had a fantastic experience and I'm hoping to wrap up the season with one more HPDE @ Pocono Raceway.

Here's the video's I've put together thus far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leOxIC_l_DA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuqWp21hM8s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv1zUYLYNdM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODwsVHGurdQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkdlthO9aqw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DebB3qfnFFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMu9jvlNL3E

YetiX · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2010, 01:38:41 PM »

You've got a skinny neck! :p

I'm surprised you left your keychain on. That's a pet-peeve of mine, I hate rattling keychains on track.

Looked like you were having a good time and your car sounded great and looked tight.

dude8383 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2010, 01:52:37 PM »

Quote from: YetiX;96937

You've got a skinny neck! :p

I'm surprised you left your keychain on. That's a pet-peeve of mine, I hate rattling keychains on track.

Looked like you were having a good time and your car sounded great and looked tight.

LOL, I'm a skinny guy...what can I say?!

I couldn't hear the keychain at those speeds

It didn't bother me at all to be honest, the stupid wrist band was really annoying though...constantly sliding further down my arm. I think there are several moments where I'm adjusting it.

It was a BLAST! Thanks man

Warsteiner · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2010, 07:28:13 PM »

Wish I could have been there with you. I haven't been out instructing all season due to a medical issue and then surgery that I just had. GVC is a great group to run with. Who was your instructor? And who was your Guest instructor? And what happened on Part 2, under a minute going through the esses onto the back straight?? LOL You forgot to SHIFT!!:rolleyes: You were too busy talking.....hahahahaha

Your car looked really good going though the corners and you seem to have a grasp of your apex's and track outs. Awesome!! Maybe next season we can meet up and I'll give you a ride in my E30M3 300HP+ monster:D It's a fast ride around that nice long track......Great Job!

As a side note, I actually took my Instructor training and evaluation test many years ago in my 318is at Watkins Glenn!!! I wonder how the 318is will run with my stroker motor at the Glenn?? Might just have to try it sometime.

dude8383 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2010, 08:14:02 PM »

Quote from: Warsteiner;96950

Wish I could have been there with you. I haven't been out instructing all season due to a medical issue and then surgery that I just had. GVC is a great group to run with. Who was your instructor? And who was your Guest instructor? And what happened on Part 2, under a minute going through the esses onto the back straight?? LOL You forgot to SHIFT!!:rolleyes: You were too busy talking.....hahahahaha

Your car looked really good going though the corners and you seem to have a grasp of your apex's and track outs. Awesome!! Maybe next season we can meet up and I'll give you a ride in my E30M3 300HP+ monster:D It's a fast ride around that nice long track......Great Job!

As a side note, I actually took my Instructor training and evaluation test many years ago in my 318is at Watkins Glenn!!! I wonder how the 318is will run with my stroker motor at the Glenn?? Might just have to try it sometime.

Hey man! Hopefully you'll be out by next season

Jeff Caldwell was my instructor and the guest instructor was a friend of mine, Kish Galappatti.

Are you referring to this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-2yyt6fgY

Coming out of the esses I didn't want to push too hard because there a lot of traffic up ahead and the temp gauge was bouncing around. I was just telling him "oh look the gauge is going crazy, I'm going to turn the fan and the heat on to bring things down a notch."

I'd love to go out in you E30 M3...there was a race being held over the weekend as well and man, those E30 M3's were HAULING it through the corners. One of the e30 m3's set a track record...something like a 2:09 lap!!

The next step is to really make sure the braking situation is kept in check so that I can concentrate on braking a bit later...and perhaps even switching to a more aggressive tire compound!

There was another instructor there with a 318is and he was puttin a hurtin on the other instructors while they were going around...supposedly he was passing E36 M3's, E46 M3's like nothing to it. I can't confirm it but I can certainly believe it, you can gain quite a bit if you can really carry the momentum through the corners!

Warsteiner · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2010, 07:52:06 AM »

Yeah that was the clip. It looked like you were taching at like 5-6K?
I know Kish and Jeff.....LOL No wonder:p Just kidding, they are great guys!

Yeah the other 318is there was prob black and had the Motorsport Flag stickers on it right? He has a DA supercharger and revs it to 7500 rpm on every shift. Fast car. This is the one I was talking about a while back when we were discussing rpm limits and front pulleys in a different thread. His name is Tim Moriarty.

If you are still in learning mode than I would start with the brakes. When you move to R compound tires everything changes. You'll think that you are Superman on the track. Great pads to run are Hawk HT-10's. You will however run into a problem if you're driving really hard....the pads wear very fast on a 318 with stock brakes. You can then start thinking about a Wilwood kit from Lee Vuong at Massive Brakes.
http://www.massivebrakes.com/kits/e30/null/null/null/318-325

I can't wait for next season!!

Cheers,
~Ralph

dude8383 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2010, 09:04:10 AM »

Quote from: Warsteiner;96957

Yeah that was the clip. It looked like you were taching at like 5-6K?
I know Kish and Jeff.....LOL No wonder:p Just kidding, they are great guys!

Yeah the other 318is there was prob black and had the Motorsport Flag stickers on it right? He has a DA supercharger and revs it to 7500 rpm on every shift. Fast car. This is the one I was talking about a while back when we were discussing rpm limits and front pulleys in a different thread. His name is Tim Moriarty.

If you are still in learning mode than I would start with the brakes. When you move to R compound tires everything changes. You'll think that you are Superman on the track. Great pads to run are Hawk HT-10's. You will however run into a problem if you're driving really hard....the pads wear very fast on a 318 with stock brakes. You can then start thinking about a Wilwood kit from Lee Vuong at Massive Brakes.
http://www.massivebrakes.com/kits/e30/null/null/null/318-325

I can't wait for next season!!

Cheers,
~Ralph

Haha yeh I was like shit the temp gauge is bouncing around like MAD, so I said we may get a bit toasty

Thats the car!! I knew it couldn't have been a stock m42...he was my friends instructor on Sunday. No wonder he was soooo quick.

Funny that you mention brakes because the first thing I did was post about em when I got back:

http://r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=184480

I have Massive's 280x22 kit already...Wilwood BP-20 pads in front and Hawk HT-10's in the back. I'm going to get some DTC-60's for the front and I'll pick up another set of HT-10's for just in case!

I also ordered 4 blank corrado rotors machined to fit because I'm officially through with slotted rotors...I mean I was from day one but after Watkins it just proved how bad they can be.

Denis

Warsteiner · « **Reply #7 on:** September 29, 2010, 12:44:02 PM »

Yeah Denis getting the right pad is the key to having a fun filled uninterrupted weekend!! I run HT-14 front and HT-10 rear. Super initial bite. At the end of the back straight at the Glenn 140mph to 90mph at turn in comes pretty fast. They are great pads. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

Cheers,
~Ralph

dude8383 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 29, 2010, 03:16:37 PM »

Quote from: Warsteiner;96964

Yeah Denis getting the right pad is the key to having a fun filled uninterrupted weekend!! I run HT-14 front and HT-10 rear. Super initial bite. At the end of the back straight at the Glenn 140mph to 90mph at turn in comes pretty fast. They are great pads. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

Cheers,
~Ralph

Yeh, definitely learned my lesson! Do you know the difference between HT-14's and DTC-60's?

140!! Wow. Thats quick!

Warsteiner · « **Reply #9 on:** September 29, 2010, 06:35:37 PM »

I wouldn't get the HT-14's...they have a major initial bite...prob too much. I would stick with HT-10's all the way around. You'll love them.

dude8383 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 29, 2010, 11:26:05 PM »

Quote from: Warsteiner;96969

I wouldn't get the HT-14's...they have a major initial bite...prob too much. I would stick with HT-10's all the way around. You'll love them.

Gotta check to see if they make them for a Wilwood Dynapro caliper! I'm currently waiting for my friend to get back to me with some quotes!