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| Turner Motorsport Track Day Prep
Spring is here, folks. Track days, events, and spirited drives are right around the corner. For all of you itching to jump on the track this year, especially if this will be your first season, we have put together a list of our Top Ten Track Tips to make sure you’re ready to go out and drive your BMW to your limits. Don’t forget to brush-up on our older articles that delve deeper into many of the systems we will list here, but this should be a good start. Here are our top suggestions for your BMW to perform this season: |
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Maintenance
Maintenance is key if you want to take your BMW for a day at the track. After all, you can have the fastest car and the fastest driver, but if it isn’t maintained, your performance will suffer greatly. We suggest checking all your fluids before any competitive driving:
- Oil Change
- Brake Fluid Flush
- Check Spark Plugs/Coils
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Brakes
Brakes, either stock or performance, should be new and up to the task of some hot laps. We offer several service kits if you just want to keep it OEM, as well as several performance options. Don’t forget to read our Keys To Performance Braking article for a refresher on some of the more technical information. | |
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Suspension
Suspension settings are crucial. If you have OEM suspension, lowering springs, or a cup kit, chances are you will be limited to how much you can adjust. Make sure your alignment is properly set to maximize your grip and tire life on the track. If you have coilovers and other adjustable suspension components like control arms, sway bars, end links, etc., you have a lot more to play with. Go over to our Keys To Performance Suspension article if you want to see a more thorough explanation of how to properly set up your car. |
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Short Shifter
While not a necessity, for you manual transmission drivers, we suggest the new Turner Motorsport Ultimate Adjustable Short Shift Kit. This shifter assembly is designed to tailor the shift feel for your exact preference and can make massive differences in your experience on or off the track. | |
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Racing Steering Wheels
Racing wheels, as we mentioned above, are more tactile and do not have airbags. Higher classes of racing generally prohibit airbag steering wheels, or at least require that they be disconnected. OMP and MOMO both make incredibly popular steering wheels that give you better feel and grip for a more engaging driving experience. | | | |
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Studs & Spacers
Most racing bodies require wheel studs. While you may not need them off the bat, they are about the single most convenient modification you can make to your BMW. The studs are both stronger than traditional bolts as well as easier to deal with during wheel swaps. Spacers also help you widen your track, which helps manipulate some of the weight transfer through corners in your favor. | | |
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Wheels & Tires
Apex Wheels are a popular BMW driver’s choice for their light weight, low cost, and aesthetics. They are available in several fitments that are proper for BMWs and make for perfect track wheels whether it’s your first season or you’re a veteran. We highly suggest having a spare set of wheels for your track tires so you can have the most grip possible. | |
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Track Safety
Track safety is especially important as you progress. If you are not sure whether you need harnesses, you should probably look at the rules for the event you wish to attend and class you wish to join. Generally, we recommend racing harnesses if you have a racing wheel since they will prevent you from injuring yourself in the event of a crash on the hard surface of a non-airbag performance racing wheel. Additionally, the majority of race tracks require you to have a fire extinguisher mounted inside your vehicle. If you don’t have one, we highly recommend a mount and extinguisher for any car that sees time on the track. | | |
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Tools
Tools are equally important to your performance as your car. Without the proper tools to both effectively and quickly prepare your car, you will undoubtedly spend more time wrenching and less time driving. We suggest at minimum having a set of proper jack stands, a low profile jack, brake fluid bleeder, and a travel tool kit. | |
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Track Articles
Lastly, go check out our Track Day on a Budget article featuring Bill Griffin for some pointers on where you should concentrate your funds for a season of racing. While it still is a fairly costly hobby, there are ways to get the most experience and enjoyment out of the sport without exceeding a reasonable budget. Of course, should you want some more info on getting started, Don Salama, the Turner Motorsport Crew Chief, gave us some tips in an interview to help us better understand what it takes to get into the sport.
With these handy tips and all your maintenance squared away, you should be more than ready to go tackle a track day or hit the street this spring for some spirited driving and enjoy your car to the fullest. Be sure to share any of your prep and track day pictures with @turnermotorsport on instagram for a chance to be reposted! |
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