650i Track Time

Hello All - I am new to the forum and wondered if any of you have taken your 640/650 out on the race track? We have a large group going out this week on a fantastic 2 1/2 mile road course called Willow Springs Raceway here in Southern California.

Any recommendations on car set up? Tire Pressure, etc.?

I haven't tracked mine yet but I would love to.

What I would do? Disable DSC and DTC, go in manual mode and have a blast!

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Although I haven't taken my 2012 on the track I did my 2010 650i. As you can see from the picture I was in the novice class. This was BMWCCA driving course held at the High Plains Race Track about 70 miles east of Denver.

As sponsored event there were requirements to be met. The car had to be Tech inspected which ensures the brakes and fluids are in good shape and the car is structurally sound to handle the added stress of a track day. Helmets had to be worn and had to meet race specifications. Unless you were a highly rated driver you had an experienced driver with you not only giving instructions but acting as a guide to make sure you drove the car safely, passed safely and instructed you on braking and turning lines to take for ideal turns.

In terms of physically preparing the car the only thing I did was to have the tire pressure increased to what the pro driver recommended. Unfortunately I just don't remember that setting.

One mistake I made was I forgot to turn off DSC by pushing the button for 1 second. You do want the ass end to slide a little other wise the car will feel sluggish coming out of a turn. If you remember from reading the manual there are really two off positions for DSC. The first allows the car to drift some but still have some computer assistance. The other off position is reached when you hold the button down for 10 seconds. That turns off all of the electronics to control stability.

Unless you want to end up in the grass or you are truly a high performance driver with reflexes and timing of a pro you should never turn off DSC completely. Almost all drivers, no matter their skills, want some computer assistance. A good place to try all of this is in the snow you will get a feeling for the differences of each setting at a speed that's safe.

Lot's of luck!

I disagree about turning DSC off completely, but I don't drive an expensive F13. Tires will want to be a bit over-inflated (~10%: 33psi -> 36/37) to keep tread wear even. If you have racing tires, then follow the recommendation.

BMW CCA track schools will work hard to keep you safe and have fun. I can't vouch for other schools.

If on a controlled track, I think it's okay to turn DSC completely off, but that's just my opinion. Being an aviator as well, it's good to know what the absolute limitations are on your machine. We practice aerodynamic stalls ad nauseum. Gee wiz electronics can fail at any time and it's good to know where the breaking point is. You won't kill yourself or the car as long as your head and your ass are wired together.

Once upon a time when we didn't have DSC...

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+1. Of course if DSC were to fail, there's no chance of falling out of the sky...

[QUOTE=Itinj6;7334180]Once upon a time when we didn't have DSC.../QUOTE]

... I was a wee lad who wanted to grow up to be a Power Ranger.

Is that what you meant to follow those ellipses?

[QUOTE=southern6er22;7334300]

Originally Posted by Itinj6

Once upon a time when we didn't have DSC.../QUOTE]

... I was a wee lad who wanted to grow up to be a Power Ranger.

Is that what you meant to follow those ellipses?

I see you had to fall back on a secondary career. Didnt anyone tell you that you can be whatever you want to be as long as you put your mind to it?

Besides, Voltron > Power Rangers

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Originally Posted by Bönz

+1. Of course if DSC were to fail, there's no chance of falling out of the sky...

On the contrary... You ever see how high a car can get in the air after it rolls, flips and hits that sweet spot? Lol

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Originally Posted by Itinj6

Besides, Voltron > Power Rangers

WTF is Voltron?!?! lol

Originally Posted by southern6er22

WTF is Voltron?!?! lol

I really hope the winky smiley face means you're kidding lol

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Originally Posted by Itinj6

I really hope the winky smiley face means you're kidding lol

I do surprisingly know what it is. I've never seen an episode, but it went off the air a good 3 years before I was born.