[ric124]

Originally Posted by M3Fahrer

BMW M Track Days in Homestead in June again. Was this event free in the past? It's showing that it's $250 now, but still seems worth it considering I'm an amateur on the track other than a few laps on Nürburgring.

You may want to consider doing a track day with www.performancedrivinggroup.com its way more on track time than a M track day. PDG Usually gives you about 5 x 30mins session. You can sign up as a beginner with an instructor who will sit in your car and give you turn by turn directions. M track day you play follow the leader but in their car which is a plus.

A few of us on here might be going to the next track day at homestead on //May 13th

[Aaaaaaaaa]

For those who went these in the past, were there any incentives offered for attending?

[AYTifosi]

Booked for The Ridge Motorsports Park. It will be a nice road trip and chance to sample all the cars with some spirited driving.

[KillrM3]

Signed up for Homestead.

[dasblack]

Originally Posted by pheerix

For those who went these in the past, were there any incentives offered for attending?

Originally Posted by pheerix

For those who went these in the past, were there any incentives offered for attending?

Gift bag that consisted of a reusable tote bag, m performance lanyard, coffee thermos

[SMGCFP]

Booked for Montecello, Fri morning, 5/19...did the free one at Lime Rock last year. It was fun.

[ASAP]

Did this for free last year and it was an outstanding event... not sure I would do it again, especially for $250... that's pretty much HPDE pricing.

[aerostar]

Is it good for a beginner at the track?

I feel like I'm going to total the car during autox.

xD

[Wah]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Is it good for a beginner at the track?

I feel like I'm going to total the car during autox.

xD

This should be fine for beginners. I've been to a couple BMW track events and they all limit the speeds you can reach by either using short tracks with lots of turns, or using a lead car that you follow. Although, I was once a passenger in a car where the driver ended up off the track and spinning in the grass.

[cayenne444]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Is it good for a beginner at the track?

I feel like I'm going to total the car during autox.

xD

Definitely good for a beginner. If you've never been on a track before this is a good way to get your feet wet with some intro instruction and spirited driving. Just be honest about your skill level when you sign up so the faster guys don't get stuck with you

The instructors will go as fast as the slowest guy in the group can handle. They love going fast, too.

[CosmosMpower]

Originally Posted by rconn14

You wouldn't pay to drive Circuit of the Americas, where a track day usually costs more than $1000 bucks?



It's just a different experience. 1/2 day versus full day. Intro instruction on a racetrack versus deep dive one-on-one time (albeit not on a racetrack).

If you want to go play around at a super cool location for a half day with some friends and try all the new M cars, the $250 is for you. If you want one-on-one driving instruction and a full day experience, the $750 is for you.

When was a track day ever 1K at COTA? Average is 500 for most groups and with BMWCCA you can get a whole weekend for less than 1K at COTA. I've driven COTA 10+ times and never paid once except for entry fee into an 8 hour endurance race there last Dec.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by aerostar

Is it good for a beginner at the track?

I feel like I'm going to total the car during autox.

This is a perfect introduction to the track for a beginner. As others have said, the track session is instructor lead/follow. Just make sure that you let the instructors know you've never been on a track before and you'll be put in a slower group. No shame in that, we all had to crawl before we could walk, and walk before we could run. Remember that no matter how fast you think you're going, the car is capable of much more. If you are following the instructor's line, then the car you're driving is perfectly capable of driving exactly the same line at exactly the same speed. Just go with the flow and don't panic, don't get overwhelmed. You should be able to do each lap slightly faster as you learn how the car feels as you build on your experience. Smoother is faster.

There's also other exercises, and if possible, do the track session last, as you will learn handling techniques during the other exercises, particularly the autocross and skid pad (not so much the drag race!).

For the autocross, your first lap is your recon lap, so just go slowly and learn the course. Push yourself more each time but make sure that as your speed picks up, your braking is harder and sooner. It's all relative, the faster you go, the harder you have to brake, and the quicker you have to turn the wheel. Again, smoother is faster, establish a rhythm.

One thing to realize is that you will driving much more aggressively than you would on the street, particularly with your braking. On the street, braking is done gradually, to slow down for traffic and slow down and stop for a traffic light or a stop sign, but here your braking should be done to slow down as quickly as possibly in the shortest distance, so you'll be braking way harder than you would on the street.

[495evo]

Anyone know from past experience if the spots are limited. Also how many drivers per session. I will be attending Monticello. Thanks

[Dwdrums00]

Sounds fun! Can a friend participate if he doesn't own a BMW?

[calbears]

Originally Posted by 495evo

Anyone know from past experience if the spots are limited. Also how many drivers per session. I will be attending Monticello. Thanks

Spots are limited.

2 per car, broken up into 4 separate events (but the on-track session/lead-follow was 2 sessions with 2 different cars). Think it was about 32 people or so per half-day when I was at Road Atlanta

[calbears]

Originally Posted by Dwdrums00

Sounds fun! Can a friend participate if he doesn't own a BMW?

Open to all, as long as you pay up and get yourself there

[calbears]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

There's also other exercises, and if possible, do the track session last, as you will learn handling techniques during the other exercises, particularly the autocross and skid pad (not so much the drag race!).

In my experience, if you sat in the front row for the brief, then you were track session first. If you want to do other sessions first, sit in the back. YMMV

[Antartic]

Are we allowed to have a GoPro mount inside or outside the car while driving?

[calbears]

Originally Posted by Antartic

Are we allowed to have a GoPro mount inside or outside the car while driving?

Inside for the track session (lead-follow). I'd say probably not outside given the potential speeds. Other than the track session, you can mount either inside or outside.

[hlothery]

Registered for COTA......so excited! What a track to get to drive. Can't wait!

[Zeroblade]

Saw the email for this and knowing how quickly they fill up I became flustered tried to register lol. After fighting with the site and my credit card protection fraud kicking in, finally got in for a Sat AM session at Monticello.

I did the free event at LimeRock last year too and loved it. I was sad to see it costs $250 but its still totally worth it. Considering a 2 Day M school costs $3k, 1 Day $1.5k, Car Control Clincs $750, $250 is freaking bargain. Yeah it sucks its not free but I guess they wanted to see if they'd make any money off it and hit gold.

[Wingman335]

Just signed up for the COTA track. Have done autocross once and never been on a track, so I figured I might spend the $250 bucks to get to drive on an international track with someone else's car!