[BMW GENIUS]

Yesterday I had the pleasure of experiencing my very first track day at Palm Beach International Raceway in my M235i and it was a blast to say the least! I didn't originally plan on bringing my 2 series as it is my daily driver, and I have a 1989 Mazda FC RX7 with an LS2 swapped into it that we have dedicated for track days but we couldn't get the cage finished in time. However, when I was offered the opportunity I wasn't going to say no! So my best friend and his father headed down to West Palm Beach from Ocala! We ended up bringing my 235i, his ESS blown E92 M3 and his Spec Miata so we had plenty of toys to play with!

So we arrive in West Palm the night before and got a great nights sleep and we woke up bright and early the next day and got to the track @ 7:30 for the driver's registration and driver's meeting! The track day was with PDG (Performance Driving Group) and the cost for the day was $300 and that included five 25 minute sessions and one 40 minute session AND also an instructor to ride in your car (for the beginner class only) at no additional cost! After our meetings we got to meet our instructors and got ready for our first session!

My instructor was a Romanian named "Mike" and he had his own performance shop in the area and was a common volunteer as an instructor at the local raceway. My first session I learned that I was going too fast in and too slow out of the corners, so Mike invited me to go out on the track during the "Advance" session with him as a passenger in his track prepped Subaru BRZ to learn the ideal racing line and to see how he never brakes and corners at the same time. I learned quite a bit in that session and it gave me a lot more confidence in what was possible in my car before the next session.

I got back into my 2 series for the next session and I improved my technique and my braking dramatically and I was able to find a rhythm for the track. Before long, it was my last session and we were able to go out on the circuit with both the "Intermediate" and the "Advance" classes and that was a blast! I was able to share the track with some sweet cars and I ended up surprising myself with how much better I became and what I became competitive with! Although I have modded my 2er with JB4, Catless DP, aFe intake, and H&R sport springs, I was able to keep up and pass a few C6 Corvettes, a C5 Z06, a 993 Porsche Carrera S, and a Nissan R35 GTR! (obviously due to other driver) I started off with my fastest lap time in my first session being a 1:55.3 and by the end of the day I had shaved off of 16 seconds from my time to give me a 1:39.1! Not only that, but my buddies best lap in his ESS E92 M3 was a 1:38.6 which made me happier all the more!

When the track day was all over, I had the President of the SCCA of Florida come to me and tell me I had a lot of potential with it being my first experience on a track and that made me feel like a million bucks. I had such a great first track day experience that I have without a doubt found my new and expensive hobby! In the end though it all seems worth it!

[m3peat]

Awesome! That was my first track I drove on (pre-course remodel) back in 2005. I was hooked instantly and spent the next two years at Sebring, which I'm sure you've spent plenty of time at.

[BMW GENIUS]

Originally Posted by m3peat

Awesome! That was my first track I drove on (pre-course remodel) back in 2005. I was hooked instantly and spent the next two years at Sebring, which I'm sure you've spent plenty of time at.

Actually I have not been to Sebring before, but they are having another event there soon that I may go to! Sebring is just a little bit unforgiving from what I have heard

[M3 Number 86]

when you go in too fast or too hot into a corner, with practice, you can do this. if they say no drifting allowed, just say you went in too hot and had to save it, that's what I say at least

[m3peat]

Originally Posted by BMW GENIUS

Actually I have not been to Sebring before, but they are having another event there soon that I may go to! Sebring is just a little bit unforgiving from what I have heard

You just have to treat Sebring with a little more respect but it's not that bad. It takes a while longer to get 'up to speed' because there are so many turns and high speed turns at that to remember. I've spun elsewhere but not there, which is where I've done most of my track days. I did go off track twice to avoid incidents they were straight offs.

Once you go, you'll never look back. It's a blast!

[alexc93]

Originally Posted by M3 Number 86

when you go in too fast or too hot into a corner, with practice, you can do this. if they say no drifting allowed, just say you went in too hot and had to save it, that's what I say at least

Great video haha!

[alexc93]

Originally Posted by BMW GENIUS

Actually I have not been to Sebring before, but they are having another event there soon that I may go to! Sebring is just a little bit unforgiving from what I have heard

Where are you finding the info for sebring?

Me and a couple of the South Florida guys would like to go too

[ketema]

Awesome. I just went to PBIR for first time yesterday. Nice track