Hope to see you guys out next season. http://www.birperformance.com/ May 06 Mon **Short** May 20 Mon **Short** May 31 Fri **Short** Jun 10 Mon **Short** Jun 24 Mon **Short** Jul 15 Mon **Both** Jul 29 Mon **Short** Aug 05 Mon Short Aug 26 Mon **Short** Sep 09 Mon **Short** Sep 23 Mon **Both** Sep 30 Mon **Short** Oct 07 Mon **Both** StreetSmarts Adavnce Defensive Driving Course for Teens Jun 11 Tue Jun 25 Tue Aug 06 Tue Aug 27 Tue
Awesome, those date's aren't available yet. I'll check with the staff and provide you an update as soon as I get something.
If you are doing this with your own car for the first time... at the end of the day, how much wear and tear is done to your car. Should you replace your brakes before AND after? Does one go through a set of tires during an event? I really want to do something like this, just need to make sure i get all the costs figure out to have fun, be safe, and have a car to drive home in
You may shorten or tire and brake life a little but nothing to be concerned about. the only thing I did was changed the oil and other fliuds before and after events
There could be if there's enough interest! I'd be happy to work on a deal if we had committed drivers. I know it's early but I already know which dates I'm planning on being there. For those interested that aren't in the know, MAP will be hosting two Proving Ground Events in 2013. If you want to be competitve taking advantage of a day at BIR in advance will get you that much closer to a possible podium. And for the rest of us who just want to spend a day on the track with other Subie friends it would be a fantastic idea to come out in a group and BBQ and talk shop while at the track.
Great question - yes, brakes, tires, fuel, fluids and many other consumables life will be shorten. To which extent will all depend on your driving and how receptive you are to instructions. Planning ahead and asking good questions is very important, that will ensure your safety and making sure you'll have fun while learning more about the sport. Plus you'll have a much better experience. BIR recently repaved the whole 2.5 mile track, what does this mean? It means we've gotten ourselves a brand new track, smooth surface and it's going to be blistering FAST! Time for some new track records! I'yah punk!
In my WRX last summer I went through 2-3 tanks of gas, wore down my star specs(nothing major have 18k on them 1 day at BIR, and probably 80ish auto-x runs and could do another day at BIR and be fine). The biggest issue I had with the WRX was the brakes. I went thru probably 85% of a set of pads(stoptech). Not sure if it was just the pads not handling the high heat or if it was driver error. Can't wait to get out to BIR with my new STi and see how that does.
You can always sign up through Track Time Motorsports. Its a good way to save about $50 compared to the rates on BIRs website. All the schooling is exactly the same as it is strait through the BIR site. http://tracktimemotorsports.com/ as for advice for new guys, make sure your car is in good shape and i would highly recommend upgraded brake pads (at least in the front) as well as some fresh DOT 4 brake fluid such as ATE Super Blue/ Type 200. Its hard to build confidence when you start to pick up your speeds and your brakes get all squishy. its also common for beginners to ride/drag the brakes too much and unnecessarily overheat them. Before i started trailering my Integra I would have a set of track only pads for the front that i would swap in just before events. Tires last based on what tire your using and how hard you push them. less appropriate tires will chunk and fall apart if you push them too hard, but a good set of performance tires (like Hankook RS3, Kuhmo XS, falken azenis 615) will last a while if your not pushing to hard and will wear more normally. The Kuhmo XS is a great for getting started, provides lots of grip and they scream nice and loud when they run out of grip to let you now you should ease up, while the RS3s provides more grip, they don't really make any noise to warn you that your pushing them too hard. This is what i have seen on my Integra at any rate. A good set of tires should easily last much more than one event so long as you don't flat spot them. There is a good chance Subaru guys have a preferred track tire I dont concern myself with as i use 15inch tires so i have limited options.
Ok, I finally put these on my calendar, and unfortunatley, the first two HPDE's in May are out for me Good thing there are plenty more after that
I went to BIR last year and used the Spec Racers (my pickup doesn't belong on the track...) and it was a good time too!
**Update** BIR has paved an additional 10 feet of pavement on drivers left all around the track. This will help make it safer for driver to recover if they end up going too wide from over shooting the turn or have a mechanical issue and yes you may now be able to run turn 2 flat out WOT. They have also moved back lots of agriculture and added lots of drainage throughout the track this will definitely make driving in the rain a lot safer for sure. They have made as much improvements as they can legally. This is only the first phase of improvements, the pit enterance will be in the future perhaps in the fall or early next season. I'm really looking forward to my first day on the track as it will be a whole new learning experience all over again.
This new Safe Guard driving program has some very interesting and exciting elements that will surely interest some people.
You just do your part and be extra extra nice to her buddy and things will workout even if she doesn't
Yes please come out and join me at the track. I am still a Honda guy at heart, I started out racing Honda's. If it helps I'm one of the Instructors for BIR so you won't be there alone. Last year StarGSR brought his Integra GSR out and created one hella cloud of smoke into thru 3 when he locked up the front tires and we caught it on camera, we both joked about it and just had a blast.
Here's an alternative for those looking for an opportunity to get out on the BIR track this summer. Same program just another gateway to get out and have some fun on the track while saving a few bucks. See you out there. http://tracktimemotorsports.com/day-at-the-track/track-schedule/
So its $295 for a day? and Track Time is the same thing but cheaper threw a group discount or what? I have Rim's I need to get straitened wrapped in M Pilot SS's a long with break lines and fluid but what pads should I run? I'd like something street and track able that wont fad, something like a Porsche would have. Rotors? Do they allow open faced helmets?
Thanks for the question! TTM - works with BIR to offer drivers an alternative to get on the track. These prices are not group rates. BIR has a different price for Group/Coporate Rates. If you're new or have a few events under your belt I'd recommend just making sure your street car's maintenance is up to par. They'll put you in the novice run group so the speeds will be a lot slower and you can slowly build your way up. As long as your brakes and tires are in decent shape you should be fine, what's most important here is don't drive over your head. It's great to go really fast but if you drive smart you'll find that going fast takes a lot less effort then most people think. And that in turn means less wear and tear on your vehicle. BIR has loaner helmets and we do allow Open Face as well. If you have more questions feel free to post them and I'll do my best to respond.
How much time would I be actually on the track driving? How long are the wait periods in-between sessions? Just trying to get an idea of how much of a pounding my car will take.
You'll have at a minimum +4 x 25 min sessions and after 2pm open sessions which means everyone can run together if they choose to since a lot of people leave by then. There are 3 run groups, Advance, Interm and Novice w/Spec racers. The pounding will all depend on the driver. What you think you'll give and what you'll give are two different realities. Hope to see you there.
Today we had an Instructor day at BIR to allow us an opportunity to observe what's changed with the track and to learn the new lines. The new surface is very grippy even with the cold weather we had today. I was driving an old retired police cruiser all day and boy was it fast. I drifted it around a few turns while trying to see just where exactly the breaking point was on the tires and every time the back end looked like it was going to start stepping out it would come right back. There is so much more room around the 2.5 mile track now that you can literally go WOT thru some of the turns. The best thing is the new surface still gives you the same old track feel which is completely awesome. I'll be back on Monday hope to see some of you there.