After only owning my Camden S for 3 months, I've really been getting the itch to go fast. Maybe its that I live in Chicago (which is one of the worst places to drive and own a car) which makes me yearn for speeds faster than 30mph, roads smoother than swiss cheese and the legality of going faster than 55 on a long stretch of highway is alluring.

My brother is convincing me to go do a high-speed auto cross race called Acorn Sprints at Blackhawk Farms raceway in Beloit, WI. I've never raced before! But they teach you the basics of racing, how to drive the course in your own car, and then let you have at it.

Am I crazy for doing this?? I know my MINI is not a race car and I haven't done a single modification yet... Am I asking for car problems later on?

Below is a video of my brother running the course in his 240. His car is exponentially faster than mine, not to mention RWD and more track-oriented, but I think it would still be fun to see how it goes in my MINI.

Any race advice? Car prep tips? Talk me out of this? Talk me IN to this? Anyone from Chicago want to do it as well? It's 140 bucks for everything.

Forgive my inability to properly embed a YouTube video. It never seems to work for me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3IXArQu1Q (this is the track I'll be racing skip to 4:15 to see the action)


Thanks,
Chris.

 

Make sure to warm the car up before boosting and to cool it down before shutting down.

 

I can't believe I am saying this but I do not think that is the best event to start learning how to drive a Mini hard. That High Speed Auto-X is like a Time Attack where you get one lap to push the car to it's limits. Not the best place to be learning the limits of the car and driver.

I would first suggest a low speed Auto-X in a parking lot rather than high speed on a track.

Another thought is a more traditional High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) event on a track where you get more instructor training and more track time. Look for a local BMW club event. Even a Track Day event with an instructor would be better. Most track day events give you 3 or 4 twenty minute sessions on the track. That is a lot of seat time.

 

Even if half of the day is spent teaching us how to drive and drive that course specifically?

 

I totally agree, unless you have nine lives and unlimited funds.
There is a LOT to know about. Each item learned needs to become natural before testing your cars envelope.
Drifting, how is it different than being in a skid?
Heel and toe, rpm matching: Why, when, where and how?
Oversteer, how do you change it at 100mph?
Understeer, how do you change the dynamics of your suspension at 100 mph?
If you are comfortable driving on the edge, then this will be a fun day.
If not, you may be surprised at what skills you just do not have.
Progressive Seat time is the best teacher.

If you could practice with an instructor, after 40 progressively faster laps starting at 50% and increasing to 80% of the normal lap time and as you progressively are increasing your speed and your skill levels, you just might have enough seat time for a safe and fun day to solo on your own.

Unless you feel like you could go out and play professional foot ball with one day of field practice.

If you have the track to yourself and want a fun trip around the course, you can do it in a more leasurely fashion, but do not expect the kind of results you see from the others. Don't try to keep up unless you are comfortable.

Take this serious. It is unlearning a lot of your natural skills and developing a whole new set of skills.
Start on a smaller, easier paced track. This is why they have schools. There is a lot to know.

 

The instruction would be key. You will learn a lot during the half day as long as you or able to have good instruction. You will need to be very careful on track during the second part of the day because you do not have any warm up time or time to slowly gain speed. Just take it easy and don't worry about your times.

Also I am a little concerned with you being in the way of cars on a timed lap and feeling pressured to go faster.

 

Nobody mentioned SCCA (Sports Car Club of America).
http://scca-chicago.com/
They've got the talent and horsepower to take the greenest novice and turn them into an ace driver but it doesn't happen overnight.

 

Like quikmni, I don't think that this event is the best way to start one's track experience. On the other hand, it could be a great learning experience, if you can manage to drive within your limits when the temptation to go as quickly as possible is stronger than usual.

If this event is like the time trials I've done, only a few cars go out on track at a time, spaced so they wouldn't be able catch one another during their 2 or 3 timed laps.

I started time trials only after years of regular track events, and moving up to a solo run group. The temptation to put in quick laps (I'd never been timed on track before) led me to over-drive the course (Summit Point): I braked deeper and harder than I ever had before, over-drove the corners, and got back on the gas earlier and harder than I ever had before. My first timed lap was a shambles; no telling where I would have ended up if I hadn't already learned some car control. My second lap was a lot smoother, and several seconds quicker.

 

I've done Midwestern Council Events before. In the morning you do practice laps. New people go into the novice group and get instructors. There is also a novice meeting. Although not a full "school", you are not left on your own. In the afternoon you do your timed runs by yourself. It is a very good way to learn, you just need to not drive beyond your means in the afternoon. I recommend it.
Blackhawk Farms is very hard on brakes, but since you are just starting off and wont be driving as fast as the car is capable, you won't have any problems with your brakes.

 

Your gonna cook your OEM brakes

 

It sounds like a ton of fun, I would do it. Just be prepared to pay for some new brakes and tires afterwards.

 

+1 - I say go for it. As for trouble in the future, you are asking for trouble just driving in Chicago. You probably never hit the red line. You need to get your MINI out and let it stretch it's legs and breath deeply.

Have fun...but be careful - not slow - but careful.

 

I would do it. As long as you have that little voice in your head that regulates stupid behavior.. don't over-drive your limits, listen carefully to instructors, and don't worry about your times as was posted above.

 

I would check your local car clubs like BMWCCA and PCA. Or as someone else suggested SCCA or NASA schools. Do some car control clinics / driver skills events which are designed to teach you being smooth, looking ahead and weight transfer. In fact, do this couple times, then do some autox, then go to actual race track. I've spent 1 season volunteering with PCA on their driver skills event. They've autox after each event, and I had a chance to get familiar with my car(s), get rides with instructors etc.. When I went to Pacific Raceways for HPDS, I was already very comfortable with my car(s).

MINI does pretty good at the track. If your MINI is 2011, it should have brake ducts which will enable you to keep stock pads for a while. If you want, here is my MINI at Pacific Raceways:
www.youtube.com/paradigmic

 

Smooth line. You really did reel in a couple of cars in the corners although they could walk away from you in the straights. The early apex, two wheels off and the safety check were all well executed with finesse and prudent for the situation. There was a lot going on as you set up the turns (Some were mighty tight) I believe you hit 125 mph or perhaps just a tad more. Your shifts were well planned. Very very nice run. Tires were singing in the right places. Thank you for sharing your track day.

You proved, it is not always the car, but the skill of the driver.
Some have mastered the skills and have learned their limits.
Others can go beyond logic. If you have five minutes to invest, watch this story develop.
This clip is fun and yet, this clip is serious.
0 to 60 in 21 seconds,
Is she serious?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KiC03_wVjc

If you want a little more background on her chasing down a Jaguar in a transit van (Remember 0-60 in 21 seconds)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJKQjXpGQA

So, yes, you can do a track day and you can do it safely, but be aware, it is not as simple and straight forward as it seems.
Be safe.

Oh, and just one more little tidbit, Jeremy can drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L3o5...eature=related

one more mini adventure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDcKES5sv4k

Hope this has not been too far off topic.

The most important consideration is not what you drive, but what skills do you bring to the event.
If you have the right skills you can have a fun day.
Just remember, one slip of the wrench so to speak and you will have an expensive repair.
Do not test your air bags.

 

I've never been on a track with a car, but I used to do a lot of motorcycle track days, mostly in the Midwest, including a couple weekends at Blackhawk. It's been rebuilt since I was there, don't know how different it is. When I was there it was fun but had some spots that were knife fight in a phone booth tight, and the run-off if you had an oops wasn't good.

www.http://putnampark.com is a better track for newbies, and still a lot of fun as you get experience. A lil west of Indianapolis, not as close for you as Blackhawk, but not bad.

 

Christomapher, there is no quicker way to age your Mini and spend money. While a lot of fun and a great way to add skill your car will take a beating. Trust me, been there and done that.

I cannot deny the fun and adrenaline rush. There really is no substitute. But it does come at some cost.

I hope you have fun and if you do please post up and give us your feedback.

Regards.

Pat

 

Just do it!!! There is no one there saying you have to run your car to the ragged edge. Just go out and drive as fast as you feel comfortable and be safe doing it. The snow is coming soon in Chicago you don't have many days left to enjoy driving your car. I also would say the salt on the road will do more damage then driving you car in the Autocross.

 

Go for it! Don't worry how fast your lap times are, just go out and push the car to where you are comfortable and enjoy the experience. I took my '02 MCS to Watkins Glen Raceway a couple months after buying it. Didn't try to kill the lap times but drove it much harder than I ever did on the street. The more laps I did the more comfortable I became with the track and the feel of the car and I had a great time. As stated before, these tracks tear up tires and especially brakes. By the end of the day my wheels were black from brake dust. I'm planning an upgrade before my next track outing.

 

Thanks for the comments! MINI is an amazing car for track duty. Much better than I expected. I had very good instructors and I was very well prepared due to extended time I spent during skills days and autocross events.

 

True that. One advantage of MINI though, it is relatively cheap to run. Usually, track days are around $200. I forgot the details, but rest of the wear items (tires, pads, gas...) and maintenance (oil change, brake fluid change,...) comes to about $200-250/event. So yes, not cheap buy any means, but a lot cheaper than tracking an M3, GT3 RS, or heroin addiction.

 

Exactly...

I can't believe all the people saying not to do it. If there are practice laps to start the day, just practice and stay within your comfort zone. No big deal. The MINI is made for stuff like this. If you don't want to wear out the brakes as much, just brake a little sooner/slower... no big deal.

Go for it!

 

Here is a practice run at Blackhawk Farms
Soft shoulders, on the brakes a lot, 2 mile track, one nice straightaway.
http://www./watch?v=kB8Pw1tVVZ8&feature=related

Brakes get hot "500 degrees"

This is a better place to practice..
If you have not been here, then why go there?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blusUchQb7w

Pardon the wind noise, but here is an in car look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6_Wa...eature=related
again, in car look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zQ2m...eature=related
Which is not as much fun as this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpaaU...eature=related

.

.

 

It is Saturday.
Wonder how Christomapher is doing?
I know he must be excited.

 

When I started doing motorcycle track days at Putnam I learned that I had to remember to keep my mouth shut and swallow saliva, I had a tendency to drool. At least no one could see me.