[m.dreamin]

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VIP Track Day Fun
Well, BMWofSanRafael and Sunwise Auto Group did it again: they sponsored another VIP track day at world famous Laguna Seca, and it was a blast!

What a privilege to be part of a community that this dealership actively nurtures. I honestly know of no other dealer group rewarding its loyal customers/fans like this. 🙏🤩

Lots of ///Ⓜ️ models in attendance from all sorts of generations, lots of great new people we met, and lots of rubber deposited on the track.

Thanks as well to the great folks at Shift Sector and Weather Tech Laguna Seca for ensuring we had a safe and fun track day. I'm still beaming from how much fun these events are to attend!

Notes on my second track day (ever) vs the first:

• Turn 1: finally identified the right telephone pole to target in order to blast through it quickly. So far I tallied 119 mph as my top speed through this turn and up to the crest, but with more track time I think I can best that
• Turn 2: still not sure how to hit the right line, but i think a single apex with an eye toward the exit is the best
• Turn 3: still too easy to take too wide and end up getting into the track rubber
• Turn 4: this one's remarkably easy to get wrong, but getting it right allows for maintaining good speed headed toward turn 5
• Turn 5: requires skilled trail-breaking in order to hit the apex right, which I haven't nearly mastered
• Turn 6: still my favorite! Get it right over the rumble strip and it slingshots you right up the hill
• Turn 7: this is more a kink than turn, so my eyes simply target the overhead steel lines as the landmark to get on the brakes and line up the right side of the car against the rumble strip. Fastest speed was 108 mph going up the hill
• Turn 8: "the corkscrew" requires headed toward the 2nd tree to get the right line
• Turn 9: yep, I still hate turn 9. lol. It's off camber and never feels like I nail the approach just right
• Turn 10: another favorite! Though I still haven't mastered it, getting it right is like another slingshot feeling
• Turn 11: this one sees me turning in too early and neglecting to realize how slow a turn it really is. More practice needed...

Hot lap
My ancient GoPro Hero 3 recorded some crappy video and sound, so I'll share a good lap from my first trip to Laguna last December. I performed a little better this time around but still have tons to learn.

Gratitude
One more massive thanks to BMW of San Rafael! I cannot sing their praises enough. Andy the GM, Artem and PJ (and Rommel) on the genius/sales side, and Tom in Service all deserve kudos for their candor and expertise. Seriously, what a joy it is to do these things with a group like them.

[jmg]

Congrats! I love Laguna Seca! If you have a lap time, post it in the Official G8X Road Course Lap Times thread!

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by jmg

Congrats! I love Laguna Seca! If you have a lap time, post it in the Official G8X Road Course Lap Times thread!

Thanks! I didn't know that thread existed!

[BMWRacer523]

Very cool! LS is def top of my bucket list for US tracks I have not been to.

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by BMWRacer523

Very cool! LS is def top of my bucket list for US tracks I have not been to.

Thanks! The elevation changes combined with somewhat complex corners makes it a fun challenge.

[JrCidR1]

What organizations did u go with ?

[Jackhammer909]

that's great.

I wanted to do the BMW UDE M track day at Laguna Seca last year but just couldn't get the logistics to work out. was hoping to do it this year but they didn't put LS on the calendar this year so I ended up flying to Austin to do COTA.

maybe next year UDE will be back at LS.

my local dealer just offered some parking lot autocross with M240/340/440's, not M-cars on a bid track

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by JrCidR1

What organizations did u go with ?

This was with BMW of San Rafael (who sponsored the event) and Shift Sector as well.

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by Jackhammer909

that's great.

I wanted to do the BMW UDE M track day at Laguna Seca last year but just couldn't get the logistics to work out. was hoping to do it this year but they didn't put LS on the calendar this year so I ended up flying to Austin to do COTA.

maybe next year UDE will be back at LS.

my local dealer just offered some parking lot autocross with M240/340/440's, not M-cars on a bid track

Right on! That's why I sing the praises of my local dealership: I know of no other dealers treating their loyal customers like this.

[Mr.blue]

Looked like a lot of good fun!

[walmark]

Originally Posted by Jackhammer909

that's great.

I wanted to do the BMW UDE M track day at Laguna Seca last year but just couldn't get the logistics to work out. was hoping to do it this year but they didn't put LS on the calendar this year so I ended up flying to Austin to do COTA.

maybe next year UDE will be back at LS.

my local dealer just offered some parking lot autocross with M240/340/440's, not M-cars on a bid track

I did Laguna Seca last November and then COTA this past Monday (light blue group), both as BMW M Track days. Laguna Seca is an absolutely awesome track. The feeling of dropping as you turn in right on top of the corkscrew is breathtaking (both literally and figuratively).

Which day did you come to the COTA?

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by walmark

I did Laguna Seca last November and then COTA this past Monday (light blue group), both as BMW M Track days. Laguna Seca is an absolutely awesome track. The feeling of dropping as you turn in right on top of the corkscrew is breathtaking (both literally and figuratively).

Laguna is so far the only track I've driven, but man it's indeed awesome. My first track day was fun as hell and I thought I knew the corners very well. Then came the second track day and I realized how much nuance they have. In particular I changed course on my approach to turn 2 with its potential for either a single or double apex.

The team at Shift Sector made it clear: it doesn't matter if you prefer a double or single apex, just focus on your exit. To me that meant a single apex made better sense: get in and get out as fast and as clean as possible.

Still a ton to learn, but regardless, driving Laguna is like playing in the playground of the giants that have raced those exact same turns on a professional level. The "track bug" is definitely real and I've been bit.

[Jackhammer909]

Originally Posted by walmark

I did Laguna Seca last November and then COTA this past Monday (light blue group), both as BMW M Track days. Laguna Seca is an absolutely awesome track. The feeling of dropping as you turn in right on top of the corkscrew is breathtaking (both literally and figuratively).

Which day did you come to the COTA?

friday morning, white group

[ellipsis212]

Any LSB M's? That would be fantastic

[khoa@x-ph.com]

[GOLFFRR]

such a cool day and group! love to see it

[P1]

Some nice photographs there!

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

Looks like a lot of fun.

[kiw1]

This is really cool. I got invited by my dealer to a track day in mid October at The Thermal Club in Indian Wells, CA. Any tips for how I can prepare for this as it's my first time on a track.

[Jackhammer909]

Originally Posted by kiw1

This is really cool. I got invited by my dealer to a track day in mid October at The Thermal Club in Indian Wells, CA. Any tips for how I can prepare for this as it's my first time on a track.

What dealer?
I did the 6 lap m drive experience there and it was fun.

[kiw1]

Originally Posted by Jackhammer909

What dealer?
I did the 6 lap m drive experience there and it was fun.

BMW Encinitas. I didn't realize at first, but it's sponsored, so I just need to worry about getting there and hotel costs.

[m.dreamin]

Originally Posted by kiw1

This is really cool. I got invited by my dealer to a track day in mid October at The Thermal Club in Indian Wells, CA. Any tips for how I can prepare for this as it's my first time on a track.

Right on, you'll have a blast. Biggest tip will be to do the beginner sessions. My first track day was the Laguna trip I posted in December, and I really wanted to learn track etiquette and the meaning of all the flags and hand gestures. The beginner session is where we all learned these bits, and then we did a series of lead-follow sessions where we'd be in a train of cars following a pace car. They start off slow'ish so that you can get a sense for the track's corners and lines, and you'll learn how/when to apply braking and throttle.

Once you've done a few beginner sessions and have a good feel for the track and your machine, then you can move up to Intermediate. That's where it gets even more fun but there's more risk as well, so depending upon your comfort and skill level, track day insurance may be a good investment.