[tombiowami]

I am the new owner of a 2016 228i. Loving it!

I went on a passenger ride with a friend of mine to a charity lap track day and had a blast and considering attending a high perf driving school.

I live in NC, VIR and Charlotte tracks are within driving distance as is the BMW location in SC.

Has anyone attended one of these that can offer their thoughts/recommendations on the experience?

I don't want to do any real racing but improve my general driving and attend some of the high speed track events as a driver.

Thanks, Tommy

[BimBimM2]

Originally Posted by tombiowami

I am the new owner of a 2016 228i. Loving it!

I went on a passenger ride with a friend of mine to a charity lap track day and had a blast and considering attending a high perf driving school.

I live in NC, VIR and Charlotte tracks are within driving distance as is the BMW location in SC.

Has anyone attended one of these that can offer their thoughts/recommendations on the experience?

I don't want to do any real racing but improve my general driving and attend some of the high speed track events as a driver.

Thanks, Tommy

Hey Tommy, I am in MN and we have some excellent performance driving schools/courses here, ranging from auto cross to rally, from drifting to racing. I find these things popping up all over Minneapolis. When I moved here I took one of these tailored around teaching you rally techniques for bad weather driving blah blah... totally worth it and was fun.

And here is the funniest part: my instructor, a fantastic woman, ended up one of my wife's long lost high school gal pals. Funny how the world works.

[dradernh]

I've been to quite a few driving events and recommend them to anyone who wants to experience the full range of what our cars can do. Your local BMW chapters sponsor events at VIR and Charlotte and would likely be good clubs to join for an introduction to driving on the track. One advantage BMWCCA events offer is that the club is committed to high-quality instruction of novice and intermediate-level drivers. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to share your on-track experiences with drivers who are driving cars either just like or very similar to your own.

A quick look at the BMWCCA site (https://www.bmwcca.org/) shows that the Tar Heel and Blue Ridge chapters are closest to you:

http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/track.html

http://blueridgebmwcca.org/.

Let us know here or in the Tracking /Autocrossing section if you have any further questions.

[msej449]

You're very sensible: I'd always recommend doing some driver training on a track before switching to SPORT+ on a public road. Here's myself and another driver in a Euro 1 Series M140i RWD at Goodwood Race Track in the UK, at the start of the preliminary wet track session, simply taking off as fast as we could. The surface is fairly smooth and obviously wet, but not anything more. After about a half hour we'd progressed to doing reverse J-turns, which up to then I'd thought impossible in an auto - particularly useful for getting away quickly after parking at the supermarket.

[overcoil]

https://www.porschedriving.com/atlanta

there's been some changes in cornering technique in the past few years. a combination of amazing tires and on board data collection.

[ralawren]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I've been to quite a few driving events and recommend them to anyone who wants to experience the full range of what our cars can do. Your local BMW chapters sponsor events at VIR and Charlotte and would likely be good clubs to join for an introduction to driving on the track. One advantage BMWCCA events offer is that the club is committed to high-quality instruction of novice and intermediate-level drivers. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to share your on-track experiences with drivers who are driving cars either just like or very similar to your own.

A quick look at the BMWCCA site (https://www.bmwcca.org/) shows that the Tar Heel and Blue Ridge chapters are closest to you:

http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/track.html

http://blueridgebmwcca.org/.

Let us know here or in the Tracking /Autocrossing section if you have any further questions.

Tarheel BMW Club will be at VIR three times next year. Full Course on 4/25-4/26

They run a very safe event with a coach in the car the entire weekend.

The Sandlapper Chapter of BMW also runs at Carolina Motorsport Park in October. But VIR is a much better track.

Join the club, just $30 if not a member of the National BMW Club and see you at the track.

Here is the link to the Tarheel BMW Chapter

http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/

[Maynard]

Warning: this is extremely habit forming; it is like a crack addiction with a much bigger carbon footprint. No prudent person should consider it, even once. The risk to health and safety (of your bank account, and neighborhood decorum) is just too great. See you on the Tracking pages next summer.....

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Warning: this is extremely habit forming; it is like a crack addiction with a much bigger carbon footprint. No prudent person should consider it, even once. The risk to health and safety (of your bank account, and neighborhood decorum) is just too great. See you on the Tracking pages next summer.....

No kidding, right!

I think I passed 200 days at the track this year, and I'd do another 200 days if I wasn't getting too old to keep it up. AFAIK, that's the only reason to stop. Well, except for running out of money to support this wonderful habit!

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by dradernh

No kidding, right!

..... except for running out of money to support this wonderful habit!

There's like, some automated safety shutoff to prevent this, right? Like for the low tire pressure..... <nervous laugh...glances at your build summary again...reminds myself that I have willpower and I can stop whenever I want to...>

[CP911]

Join the PCA (Porsche Club of North America) and attend one of their 2-day HPDE events throughout the year. I used to live in the Raleigh-Durham area and would drive just over an hour to VIR. PCA puts on a great HPDE and welcomes BMWs. VIR is a phenomenal track! I think the BMW CCA does at least 1 HPDE there each year as well...you would have a blast and learn a ton in the process!

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Maynard

There's like, some automated safety shutoff to prevent this, right?

Yes, there is. It often has the following name (more of a title, really): The Wife; or, as I heard one club honcho refer to his automated safety shutoff, The Minister of Finance.

Excepting common sense (always a variable commodity, so unworthy of discussion here), that's the only shutoff device I'm aware of. Just my 2 cents, of course.

[BetweenTheWheels]

Originally Posted by tombiowami

I am the new owner of a 2016 228i. Loving it!

I went on a passenger ride with a friend of mine to a charity lap track day and had a blast and considering attending a high perf driving school.

I live in NC, VIR and Charlotte tracks are within driving distance as is the BMW location in SC.

Has anyone attended one of these that can offer their thoughts/recommendations on the experience?

I don't want to do any real racing but improve my general driving and attend some of the high speed track events as a driver.

Thanks, Tommy

My wife - amazing woman - bought me a BMW Performance Driving M School day a few years back. That was either the best or worst of days, depending on how you view my immediate addiction that started from that point.

I bought a track (mostly) car as a result and I've done more than half a dozen track days and spent more than a few bucks since.

I can't recommend the M school in SC enough.

[9t2hoo]

Originally Posted by BetweenTheWheels

My wife - amazing woman - bought me a BMW Performance Driving M School day a few years back. That was either the best or worst of days, depending on how you view my immediate addiction that started from that point.

I bought a track (mostly) car as a result and I've done more than half a dozen track days and spent more than a few bucks since.

I can't recommend the M school in SC enough.

I can’t agree more on the M school. If you’re going to do it, you get a 15% discount with BMW CCA.

[tombiowami]

Many thanks for all the responses! Just what I was looking for, I am checking out the BMW club chapter classes next year.

Did you guys who took the BMW class, did you do the one or two day? And if you took the one day did you end up wishing you had done the 2 day course?

Tommy

[BetweenTheWheels]

Originally Posted by tombiowami

Many thanks for all the responses! Just what I was looking for, I am checking out the BMW club chapter classes next year.

Did you guys who took the BMW class, did you do the one or two day? And if you took the one day did you end up wishing you had done the 2 day course?

Tommy

I took the one day and the instructors provided a ton of track time and it felt just right. I'm sure the 2 day is fun but I didn't feel cheated.

[BEM-S4]

I did one day at the performance center. It was awesome. I'd start with a single day if you haven't done something like that before, you'll be wiped.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by tombiowami

Many thanks for all the responses! Just what I was looking for, I am checking out the BMW club chapter classes next year.

Did you guys who took the BMW class, did you do the one or two day? And if you took the one day did you end up wishing you had done the 2 day course?

Tommy

I think you're asking about the Performance Driving School, and I haven't been to one of those events. If you go with your local BMW club to VIR or Charlotte, it's likely going to be a two-day event. If you find that you have a choice between one day or two days, I'd recommend two days. The reason is that running successive days increases your skill set much faster, especially in the beginning.

Please let us know what event you end up doing, and what you thought of it!

[ralawren]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I think you're asking about the Performance Driving School, and I haven't been to one of those events. If you go with your local BMW club to VIR or Charlotte, it's likely going to be a two-day event. If you find that you have a choice between one day or two days, I'd recommend two days. The reason is that running successive days increases your skill set much faster, especially in the beginning.

Please let us know what event you end up doing, and what you thought of it!

If you join the Tarheel BMW Chapter you will have access to a special M-School at the Performance Center. They are one day classes for about $750 which is 8 activities. Rat races, auto-x, handling course, skid-pad, etc.
- My understanding this is about 70% of the 2-day class.
- All the cars are M Cars. M2, M3, M4, M5s
- They put two drivers, all fellow BMW Club members from TarHeel or National Chapter in the car. Which is how they keep the cost down.

This is a much different experience than driving your own car on a track at speed. But it is a hoot! I have done it twice. I also did 6 days at VIR with my 228i this year. I am very glad I did both.

[BetweenTheWheels]

Originally Posted by ralawren

If you join the Tarheel BMW Chapter you will have access to a special M-School at the Performance Center. They are one day classes for about $750 which is 8 activities. Rat races, auto-x, handling course, skid-pad, etc.
- My understanding this is about 70% of the 2-day class.
- All the cars are M Cars. M2, M3, M4, M5s
- They put two drivers, all fellow BMW Club members from TarHeel or National Chapter in the car. Which is how they keep the cost down.

This is a much different experience than driving your own car on a track at speed. But it is a hoot! I have done it twice. I also did 6 days at VIR with my 228i this year. I am very glad I did both.

Don't mean to hijack with this question, but being that I've just returned to BMW, how do BMW clubs view geography related to which chapter to join? I'm in Virginia so I assume I'd be in the Mid Atlantic? Or Tarheel due to how close we are to NC? Thanks.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by BetweenTheWheels

...how do BMW clubs view geography related to which chapter to join?

AFAIK, you're free to choose which chapter(s) you wish to join. I'm a member of two chapters - one is in Ohio, and the other is in Massachusetts.

[John in VA]

Originally Posted by BetweenTheWheels

Don't mean to hijack with this question, but being that I've just returned to BMW, how do BMW clubs view geography related to which chapter to join? I'm in Virginia so I assume I'd be in the Mid Atlantic? Or Tarheel due to how close we are to NC? Thanks.

If you're in the VA Beach area, the Tidewater Chapter is the closest. As mentioned, you can choose to be a member of a different chapter. The National Capital Chapter is the largest in the country, and one of the most active. In addition to events at Summit Point & VIR, the chapter has several M Days at the Performance Center (east & west). The NCC M Day events will give you more laps than the PC events.

[BetweenTheWheels]

Originally Posted by John in VA

If you're in the VA Beach area, the Tidewater Chapter is the closest. As mentioned, you can choose to be a member of a different chapter. The National Capital Chapter is the largest in the country, and one of the most active. In addition to events at Summit Point & VIR, the chapter has several M Days at the Performance Center (east & west). The NCC M Day events will give you more laps than the PC events.

Excellent, thanks. One of the things I missed as a MB owner was not having an active club community that we could share track events with.