BMW guy at AMG Challenge at Indy!

[KU Ned]

I am attending the AMG Challenge Graduate program at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this coming Saturday 7/24. While I am a BMW guy (330i ZHP and president of the Kansas City BMW Club), my dad is a Mercedes guy (1978 280CE, 1996 SL320, 2002 C32 AMG). He has wanted to attend the AMG Challenge since he bought his C32. He asked me to attend with him and I jumped at the chance when I found out it was going to be at IMS. Tony George does not let many groups use the speedway and even fewer on the road course. I have not heard of any events on the road course other than F1 and associated races on that weekend. The chance to drive on the F1 circuit along with the chance to drive the entire line up of AMG cars is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Cars: SL 55, S 55, E 55, CLK 55 and probably C 55 and SLK 55

<TABLE width=460>*******><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top width="27%">Event Schedule</TD><TD vAlign=top width="73%"> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>Time</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Activity</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>7:00am – 7:30am</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Arrival and Registration</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>7:30am – 8:15am</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>AMG Advanced Performance Driving "Chalk Talk"
Advanced concepts are thoroughly examined:

Line Theory, Eye Technique, Flagging
Situational Awareness, Oversteer/Understeer
Line Recovery Technique (LRT)
Car Control Theory
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>8:30am – 10:30am</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Behind the Wheel Activities

Advanced Skid/Brake Control in SkidCars

Confidence/Experience builder
One of the most unique experiences available

Passing/Drafting Exercises

Experience the '100mph parking lot'

Advanced Lapping Sessions

As real as it gets in the racing world

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>10:45am – 11:25am</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Gourmet Catered Lunch</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>11:30am – 12:00pm</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Afternoon Classroom Session
Racing skills beginning to take hold

Passing Line, Race Starts
Drafting Skills, Race Craft
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>12:05pm – 3:00pm</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Intense Racing Skill Sessions Behind the Wheel

Advanced Line Exercise

How to put it all together to go fast

Racing Start Exercise

Sure to get your attention

Advanced Lapping

See how you do against the clock

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>3:15pm – 4:00pm</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Participant Open-Track Lapping

Practice these freshly learned skills
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>4:00pm – 4:30pm</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Simulated Race Start With AMCI Pro Drivers</TD></TR><TR><TD class=text vAlign=top>4:30pm – 5:00pm</TD><TD class=text vAlign=top>Awards Presentation / Champagne Toast</TD></TR>********></TABLE>

The skid/brake control is in modified E55's with the outriggers used in roll over tests. The passing and drafting exercises are run with instructors/DTM drivers in the other car.

From what I hear, we will jump from car to car all day. I can't wait to hammer 469hp down the main straight and mash the 4-piston Brembo made brakes into turn one!

I will report next week after the event.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

One warning:

AMG cars are way under braked. Guys who track them warn about brake failure without warning. (This is aside from the other issue involving brake by wire ailing.)

[KU Ned]

One warning:

AMG cars are way under braked. Guys who track them warn about brake failure without warning. (This is aside from the other issue involving brake by wire ailing.)
Interesting. My dad has tracked his C32 24 days plus auto-x. He has not had failure but did have his front drilled rotors crack one weekend. They did not come apart but the cracks did run completely between holes in places.

In our experience with the C32, the brakes are better than my 330 but I have heard some say that brake assist (when traction control is left on) is very intrusive.

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Well, the complaint came from E55 guys. I should not have been so generic.

But the specific complaint involving brakes that caught on fire was kind of scary. Yikes.

BMW brakes have a much more progressive drop off in my experience.

[545iSMG]

Hey KU Ned, I was at the Challenge both Friday and Saturday.

It was quite fun, wasn't it?

What group were you in? (I was in the red group.)

[KU Ned]

I was in the blue group. I am somewhere in Missouri killing time on my Blackberry while my dad is driving so please excuse any typos.

The event was a lot of fun. The power of the AMG cars is amazing - particularly the E55 and SL55. I particularly enjoyed the “slide session� in the E55s. They set up E55s with hydralic outriggers that would take weight off either the front or rear wheels to induce understeer and oversteer. With500lbs of torque there were some pretty interesting slides.

More later.