Jon2007E63P30

For those on the PL, this is a copy and paste.

So the night before the event and I am getting my stuff ready. Figured I would bring what I needed in case my rear pads needed replacing. Then I started putting on my R-s3 track tires (I only live 45min from the track), checked the rear brakes and decided they needed changing NOW. Actually very easy. The only tools I needed were a screw driver and small hammer. Knock out 2 pins, push back the pads, replace, put back the retaining clip and pins. I did remember to avoid over flowing the brake fluid in the reserviour. Spent 30minutes trying to remember where the PBOX was stashed. Filled out self tech forms and liability waiver. Sacked out.

Got to the track at 7am. Paid my fee and got placed into the lowest group labeled as "intermediate".

I decided to pay for a driving instructor that day. Jonathan Frost, who works at Skip Barber and was one of my instructors at the AMG Academy Advanced class in Nov 2009. It was not cheap. It was well worth it. frostyspeed@yahoo.com

The first session was slow. I will say that I picked up from the AMG Academy experience faster than I would have thought. The adrenalin was so high my left foot started to shake. Like being up un a 24ft ladder without a safety line. What was interesting was that learning the basic line was pretty quick. However, by far the biggest benefit of the instructor is making you think that extra second ahead of where you would normally be thinking. That is HUGE. The secondary benefit was he decided I should be in the faster "mixed" group and simply made it happen with the event organizers (Track Masters, Doug Gale).

The second session is a 18 minute video and not the most exciting. The smoke in the background is a controlled burn for fire fighting pratice. There was a lot of traffic which was a bit intimidating. Plus, you don't try to pass a Miata when they are trying to pass someone else. I am also trying to learn my line. One of the holdups was a convertable Mazerati which would hold up the Miata in the turns but was way to fast on the straight. At about 8:10, the Miata gets by in turn 4. We have to wait to get by, the thing has enough HP to hold me and the Porsche off for the front straight, but they are looking in their mirrors and start to over drive in turn 2. The Porsche takes him between 3 and 4 (10:10) and I take him coming out of 4. Now I am keeping up with the Porsche and he starts over driving. At 11:53 he uses the 4 wheel drive to put down 4 black marks in turn 2. He starts overdriving and at 13:25 totally misses turn 11 and gives me the point by. Yes!!! I am starting to get comfortable. The checkered waves at 15:29, not quite enough time to catch the Miata.

So now the third session.. The Rx7 in front is driven by an idiot we will see again later in a Cadillac STS. At 1:45 a Porsche passes me out of turn 11. Watch the RX7 move out on him at 1:51. At 2:10 the Porsche passes, and the RX7 driver comes and bad mouths him for it!!! Idiot. I get past him out of 4 and cook turn 5 a little. Me and Jonathan were busy complaining about this guy than driving (attention to the task is SO important). At 4:13 I get another point by from a Mustang. For the rest of the session I am effectively solo on the track, nothing in my mirrors, and time for focus on the proper line and technique.

Fourth Session. "I can't believe I caught an Exige!!!! Glad we have it on video". We look up and the damn camera was off. So really, I did catch him before he caught up with the old M3. Really! But then the checker comes out. Lap times now down to 1:51.86.

Final Session. Starts out with me letting by a GT3 out of the pit we thought we would hold up. At the end of the first lap (1:38) you can see that turns out not to be the case. We get held up by a Cayman for a lap. The GT3 takes on the front straight (3:40) and I take him after turn 4 (4:20). Now here I am chasing down a Porsche GT3. Between 5 and 6 we think he was letting off a bit for the sound measurement, and with an equal launch from 11 he would pull on me. We did a couple laps of this, but I finally got a good exit from 11, kept with him (7:18), filled his mirrors in 2, and got the point by out of 5. Yeah baby!!! The track is all mine again until 11:54 where I catch a NSX! I would have passed on the front straight, but he was to far to the inside and I did not want to pass on the outside (13:08). He finally gives way as we enter 5 (13:53). Now (14:35) I catch up with 2 guys held up by the same idiot that was driving the RX7 but now he is in a caddy STS. One of the Porsches points me by out of 11 (14:57) because he has gotten frustrated, I have passed him before, and he wanted to see how I dealt with this idiot. The high HP Porsche gets by, and I should have been able to pass easier than I did because I was worried he would come over. He did a bit (15:11), but with Jonathan urging me, I got by and then watched him in the mirror get totally out of shape in 2. After that, we were both gone. But now I am on the tail of another Porsche. Watch him drive his mirrors through 5 (15:51) and 8 (16:22 - he turned in way early). I taste blood and push too hard out of 11 (16:55), but the checkered flag saves him. I did my fastest lap of the day, a 1:50.88.

I had a blast!!!

Lessons learned and other info:
1. People do not know how to use their brakes. I made up tons of distance on everyone under braking. The GT3 in particular. I understood this the first time I got a hot lap in Vegas, I learned how finally with Jonathans help and I got less fade than at Thunderhill.
2. People do not know the right line. The 2 I found in particular were the late apex on 8 going into the corckscrew and 6 exit where staying right allows you to put power down sooner. To a lesser extent, the exit from 2 people tended to finish the turn late where I was more straightened out and was applying power before the apex.
3. Turn 5 is more complex than it looks. You are judging entry/exit speed based on a flat turn, but it turns up left and banks. Turn out a little sooner and apply power sooner. The turn tends to push you back to the left and compression gives traction.
4. Turn 1 falling away full throttle takes confidence. I did it once and was so pleased I did not get on the brakes fast enough. Session 5, 9:25, I hit 120MPH. Then look at my screwed up turn 2. I could probably hit the 120 and do the turn correctly if I was totally focused.
5. The paint on our calipers turns permanently bronze when heated with track temps.
6. I NEVER went into limp mode. Temps were 75F. Engine oil temps 129C worst case.
7. I did not turn off traction control, I used S, manually down shifted in turns 2, 5, and 11 to be in the right gear to exit. Never went past 4th gear. Note that a blinking traction control light was rare due to the limited slip and the very sticky tires. Plus, I was getting MUCH better at modulating throttle again thanks to Jonathan.
8. Doug Gale and TrackMasters is a class event. 2 - 458, 2 - 430, a CLK63BS (in the advanced group), a Lambo convertable, Mazerati, tons of Porsches (I call them "victims").
9. Almost forgot. Tommy Kendall drove this track in a C63, with me and another person. Both TK and I are big guys, and he did it in a 1:44.xx. Knowing what it took me to do the 1:50.88, TK is super human. Incredible.

I just wasted my morning at work. Hope you enjoyed.

Hellzno

nice runs. i bet that was hellafun.

Yacht Master

Sweet

splinter

On the contrary, I’d say it was time well spent. Thanks for the post and videos.

E55Dimon

Sounds like you had a blast. Planning on visiting more often now?? Wish I lived 40min away from Laguna Seca..

Jon2007E63P30

Wow, you guys are not into road racing. Only 10-15 views.

nextdoorwarren

It was like pornography for me

Z28Camaro

Great read, thanks for sharing! Sounds like the P30 E63 stacks up prety well. Did you let the instructor drive your car at all, or get any feedback from him on the car itself?

Jon2007E63P30

The instructor was an AMG Academy instructor in 2009, one of the reasons I asked him to teach me. Although when I took the class the W212 was available, earlier in the year he had plenty of W211 seat time.

Glad you guys liked it. I had a ball.

siamesecat

Hey Jon, just found this awesome thread (I typically only view the W212 forum).

That was great and the video quality is superb. It really surprised me that the E63 is capable of so much. I guess I'm only driving the car at 50%, because my car was one of the slowest cars at Thill yesterday (best lap 2:33.78).

What is the PL? I would like to check it. And also, what's your camera/lap timer setup? Your videos look so clean with very little wind noises. I use an iPhone app called TrackPro and it skipped laps at Thill due to poor phone/GPS reception.

Overall, excellent driving and great vids. I'm going to Thill again on 7-15 with HOD and will email Frost to see if he's available.

If you have vids for Thill/Infineon I would *love* to see them.

citylightva

Just saw this buddy.!!! Very nice, and looks freakin awesome! That really makes me wish I had a sunroof and P30 With a good set of track tires these pigs are not too bad to handle on track huh. Agree 100% on the correct track line. I guess some people just can't see it and maybe never will. Did you run with ESP off..?? I was surprised how much faster I was with it off my second track day out. I was also surprised how the car gets semi-neutral near the edge and a little twitchy. Loved that. OT but I was running NT05's and RE11's for 4 sets street and track then swapped on Hankook V12's since she's gone soon, and the steering feel is gooonneee...

citylightva

P.S. - That guy needs to give up and give me his GT3.

Jon2007E63P30

What was the track configuration? With or without turn 5 bypass. What was top speed into turn 1.
I have this data for Thunderhill, but only a few pictures.
The video was done by Mr. Frost with his equipment. For the GPS data I used a Racelogic PBOX and the free software from their site "Circuit Tools".

Looking up my lap times, I have to first note my tire configuration; Front - Hankook R-s3, Rear - End of life Goodyear F1 Asymetrics.
With 5 and 5A in place 2:26.22
With the bypass 2:20.77

My favorite pictures are these two
125MPH braking into turn 1

Off camber turn 3


Look at how sticky the R-s3 is coming off the track.

Jon2007E63P30

I am crushed by your quick skim of my dilligently written post.

Item 7 at the bottom - "Never turned off traction control"

There was a CLK63BS that does this 10 times a year who runs w/o ESP, but his is not a daily driver.

I will get there at some point, probably once the depreciation puts the price even lower.

Jon2007E63P30

Agreed.

P.S. Like your avatar.

MB_Forever

Great write-up Jon....

I know many people think the E-Class is a little big for the road course, but I personally think it is as much fun as many sports cars.... I enjoy every minute of it. At the AMG driving academy, I got the chance to ride shotgun a couple of times with TK as well so I know what you mean by super human

220S

I am. But I use my (what you call) "Victims" car on the track.

I do PCA DE events, etc.. I dunno, but I have just always felt these cars are too heavy and with too much body roll. And what about the front/rear weight shifting in a car like this? I guess I feel so much more confident in a lighter car and something like the E63 would make me too hesitant. The chassis just doesn't feel very confidence inspiring to me. And I'd be too worried about spinning something this heavy. But after reading your post maybe I just need to get it out there and try it.

I like what you said about brakes. I was also taught about correct braking as key and it's something that I have to work at always. One thing I like about the E63 are the larger brakes, but they're also needed because of weight. How did your brakes hold up overall in respect to fade, and what about the brake fluid?

Thanks for the details and posting the videos.

Jon2007E63P30

I could not have asked for a better intoduction to these pictures:
After 75000 miles it is time to replace the front disks. The brake fluid did just fine and fade was minimal. The caliper paint is another issue. It turned bronze. Guess spending the $$ on the Evosport titanium shims may be in my future.



I had some good company at the track

siamesecat

My iPhone app does not give that much information. All I got from the iPhone is that my max speed was 108.1 mph (I would guess out of 15 on the straight), avg 65 mph. Track config is with the bypass (no 5a), 2:33.71. Stock Pirelli Pzero tires.

In the afternoon, I *think* my lap times improved as I was driving much smoother but I have no idea how much. Between the GPS crapping out on me and no power out of corners/braking issues I didn't turn on my timer every session. When I did it only showed the in/out time with no lap times

I don't have the confidence to take turn 1 fast (or 8 for that matter). Too many rollover vids on youtube put the scare in me. I don't know how fast I was going since I did not once look at my speedometer. I would estimate no more than 65-70 mph. Definitely not over 80 mph. I mean I was braking way too early, probably at the flagger's station before the finish line. Almost every time I enter the turn, I knew I was too slow. While on the topic of confidence, I also did not dare to take 6-7 (and for some people, 8) flat on the throttle.

I'm dismayed to report my buddy in the M5 and my E63 were probably the slowest cars on Friday, excepting a few Cameros. It's alright though, we had a ton of fun and will keep tracking!

I've heard of the VBOX, it's pretty well known actually. I will look into this.

BenzoBoi

Awesome Awesome Awesome! I was just there this weekend! I ran with Speed Ventures and I ran in the "Intermediate" group. Was going to jump to the "Advanced" group but decided to stick in the same group so I can jump in my friends' cars for rides and vice versa! It was an ABSOLUTE BLAST! Definitely one of THE BEST track experiences ever and I will DEFINITELY go again! We should roll together sometime! I think it would be awesome!

***EDIT***

I ran on another set of stock wheels with Toyo R888's and they were AWESOME. Also had the car aligned and corner balanced the day before the track. These two things along with the coils definitely helped the car out A LOT. I'll let you know the next time I'm thinkin about rollin out there and if it's possible, would love for you to roll also! I think it'd definitely be a fun time with a fellow AMG'er!

***EDIT***

Jon2007E63P30

and that is the point. Have fun.

Hook up with frostyspeed@yahoo.com and he will give you the instruction you need. Track masters usually has instructors at thill so consider them as well. Much cheaper .. Free.

My car is my daily driver and I cannot afford to do more than trash a tire or rim.

citylightva

Hahaha, I kinda went straight to the videos after skimming the descriptions. I would say it's pretty easy to tell when you're at the limit with ESP off because the car doesn't really get "nervous" until right before. ESP tends to chew your brakes, but seeing as you got 75K out of your pads it doesn't seem to be a problem for you

citylightva

Thanks buddy.!!

siamesecat

Same here. BTW Here's a pic of me flat on the throttle out of turn 11, when I had power in the morning.

P.S.

I like the color your E63!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/64554713@N07/5877456463/

MJ50

good stuff jon!!!