Sportwagen at VIR...

[fantastic]

In time you'll be the 80 year old still racing on the track.

 

[edyvw]

That's what my friends are using. I just heard so much about how great this Endless stuff is I wanted to try it. Did not disappoint

Absolutely. It is remarkable stuff. Endless is definitely top of the pack.

 

[edyvw]

Not really. 15 track days for tires like this is v. good. 3 days for f. pads that coat $265 is also reasonable. Rear pads are roughly double that. Brake fluid is a bleed every event for good measure so about 1/2 a can. The big one I need to lower my cost on is rotor rings. I am looking at a more economical option for next time I need to replace them - getting about 10 days out of them so ~3x pads per ring which seems about right. Vs. street use? Sure it's crazy but for tracking a car that isn't a super light low power thing like a Miata it's not bad to me. I calc ~$275/track day in consumables including fuel, there are folks double that....ouch!

On such FWD biased vehicle, 15 days is remarkable. But, a lot depends on track too. I don’t think you need to bleed Endless every event. When I was tracking often, I did 2-3 times a year.

 

[TiGeo]

On such FWD biased vehicle, 15 days is remarkable. But, a lot depends on track too. I don’t think you need to bleed Endless every event. When I was tracking often, I did 2-3 times a year.

Every event for me is 2x this year so yeah, I wouldn't bother if I was doing another day in the next few mos but for my Nov event I'll do it. Even that is probably overkill

 

[edyvw]

Every event for me is 2x this year so yeah, I wouldn't bother if I was doing another day in the next few mos but for my Nov event I'll do it. Even that is probably overkill

Well yeah, OCD. Most people on track have it, especially when it comes to brakes.
Looking at that video, I really need to find more time to get back on track.

 

[TiGeo]

Well yeah, OCD. Most people on track have it, especially when it comes to brakes.
Looking at that video, I really need to find more time to get back on track.

It's like the short OCI folks here but a bit more at stake if longer ones don't work out . I had bad brake fade my first track day and went off so it's PTSD. I fixed it with a BBK, track pads, and frequent bleeds.

 

[edyvw]

It's like the short OCI folks here but a bit more at stake if it longer ones don't work out . I had bad brake fade my first track day and went off so it's PTSD. I fixed it with a BBK, track pads, and frequent bleeds.

Yeah, original brakes won’t cut it for your power.

 

[TiGeo]

Yeah, original brakes won’t cut it for your power.

But funny...my buddy with a MK8 Golf R stock is several sec faster than and his PB was on factory pads! They have big factory brakes...355x34mm 2 pot sliding calipers. Factory VA pads are semi metallic.

 

[edyvw]

But funny...my buddy with a MK8 Golf R stock is several sec faster than and his PB was on factory pads! They have big factory brakes...355x34mm 2 pot sliding calipers. Factory VA pads are semi metallic.

Can you bolt on those brakes?

 

[TiGeo]

Can you bolt on those brakes?

I can but at this point why bother, mine work great. They are also really heavy. If that had been out when I did mine BBK I would likely did that instead.

 

[shortyb]

My PB is a 2:14, couldn't get it this time and best this weekend was a 2:16. My consistent laps were 2:17-2:20 for this event. I have a buddy who got a 2:13 in an awd Sportwagen making less power and only lightly modded, he drives with a bit more "reckless abandon" than me so at some point I'm good with just crusing at this pace and having fun/not dying/crashing my car. Oh yeah, that wagon is totalled from driving like that...no thanks.

Full course?

 

[LDB]

... with some race cars passing me so turn it up for some awesome racecar noises! Quick run down of the BITOG-related stuff included.

I go with a buddy and his daughter so we are the VW crew! Ran the first 2 sessions of the day in advanced group but there were some race teams testing...IMSA Lambo Trofeo car and some Porsche Cup cars. So fast. The closing speeds were mental and really unnerving so I backed it down to the upper-intermediate group and had a lot more fun not worrying about getting runover. Car did well as usual, no real issues/drama. Uses about ~1/4-1/3 qt of the HPL Euro 5W40/day where day = 4 20-25 min sessions. Oil temps were in the 265-275 F range with cool ambients. Fram Endurance filter didn't implode Coolant gauge never moved so that means it stayed under ~235; My 70:30 water to coolant mix + water wetter seems to work well. Tires were kicked at the end...15 days on the Nexen N'Fera Sport R 200 treadwear 245/40/17s...that's about 60 heat cycles which is pretty good. Front left started to look bad after day 1 (some areas on the outer tread where the rubber was worn through to the inner layer. Lots of hard rights at VIR which kills that tire position. I rotated that evening so I could run hard on day 2. Had to swap out f. brake pads as well, right front outer pad was tapered enough to be near the backing plate on the lower forward portion so had to toss on my spares; EBC RP-X. I usually get 3 days out of them (these had 2 + a few K street miles)...I need to start rotating them which should help. The Endless RF650 fluid is amazing, no change in pedal feel ever like I used to get with the Motul RBF600. I may add a catch can in to my modified OEM PCV for this fall's event I'm doing just to keep that oil out of the charge pipes/cooler...my silicone hoses are sweating oil! Ran 93 octane on the first day and on day 2 I splashed in some E85 I brought along for the hell of it - I know I make a touch more power with it as an octane booster based on max speeds. I also ran a can of Liquimoly Speedtec each tand (Toluene) b/c LIQUIMOLY RULES!!! If I had a BITOG sticker I'd run it.

Here are a few highlights (I suggest you adjust it to 1080):

In 1975 I attended the Jim Russell school at Willow Springs. We drove Formula Fords. On Friday a guy brought his Ferrari 365 Daytona race car. We were up to 135mph limit. The Daytona ran 210mph on the long straight. It's incredible how good a race V12 sounds passing your open wheel car maybe 30 inches away and going 85mph faster than you. As an 18 year old the highlight of my driving life, probably still to this point.

 

[TiGeo]

Full course?

Yes Full Course - I've done Grand Course one day, it's rarely open so hard to get time on it and when I did it it was v. crowded so never got a chance to try for a decent time.

 

[shortyb]

Yes Full Course - I've done Grand Course one day, it's rarely open so hard to get time on it and when I did it it was v. crowded so never got a chance to try for a decent time.

I was gonna say, a 2:20 on the Gran Course would be absolutely flying. Still a great time for basically a family hauler on the Full Course .

 

[TiGeo]

I was gonna say, a 2:20 on the Gran Course would be absolutely flying. Still a great time for basically a family hauler on the Full Course .

The Garmin Catalyst says I have a 2:13 in it, I'd say that's accurate. Much more than that and risk level (for me at least) goes up significantly based on my feel driving it...it's definately not a GTI or R regardless of power/mods.