As most of you know, i attended the VW Club Kyalami Track Day. An awesome day, epic fun and the best part about it, you get to know your car by putting it through its paces.
In all honestly, myself included, we can all be called professional straight line racers. Once you through a corner into a race, many people will back for obvious reasons. I was never comfortable doing a corner a high speed, im sure its as dangerous as it sounds and how often does one get a chance to actually do this on a track? This is what made me attend and participate in the track day. Wasn't a race, it was more to gel with the car. Feel its weak and strong points. This is exactly what i did...
Video's will be up soon. But here is a "review" of how my day went...
Got to Kyalami just before 8am on Sunday morning. Met Dev and a couple other chaps in the queue to Scrutineer and sign, etc. Was a lovely warm morning.
All the checks done and off to the pits. Where i find a spot next to Devon, btw thanks for chilling around with me Dev and Morne.
First session, i had pre-arranged with a friend who had been around the track a few times to be passenger as i drove so he could show me lines. Thanks Lucian, this was great as i had step by step, turn by turn instruction on how and where to be. Which was good for a noob like me. 15 minutes went by so quick. I think we did about 5-6 laps. Was slow at first, but then picked up the pace a little.
Second Session, I went out alone. A little bit more confident. Picked up my speed by 10km/h from the first session. Pushed it a little harder through the bends. Did 6-7 laps on this session.
Third session, i took Brendon with me. This guy is a legend. First lap, he held the steering and turned while i accelerated. This was at 20km faster than the first session. So, through the bends at around 120-140. Straights where hitting 180-200km. Man this guy is good. 9 laps done. He then took me as passenger in his SLK (Same one i raced in the drag)! This guy handles that car around that track. Was epic.
Fourth, Fifth and Sixth session, i got brave. Hooned it. Didnt do more than 9 laps, i think that was the fastest i could go safely.
Seventh, i took Sherwin and did 3 laps then came back and cooled off.
Overall Feel:
I am surprised with the way the E90 sedan handles. It sat snug on the bends, little wheel screech through the corners. I pushed it out the corners and the car leveled easily with little to no body roll.
Didn't actually feel any over or under steer. She stuck to the corner and to the line quiet well. I didn't expect that.
The only downfall, that flippen lag. Well not lag, but the lack of boost before boost... I had left it in DS around the track, with no paddle shift and needing 2 hands on the wheel it was difficult in manual mode (Props to Dev and Morne though), most of the corners the car was sitting under boost (Below 1700rpm) so i had to throttle just before i was out of the bend. I had to brake brake brake, turn turn turn, accel accel accel...
Powerbrake fronts held up dam well, i did not experience any fade, she stopped when i needed it to. The discs where shining silver after the 6th session. Compared to some of the other cars, the brake dust level was half off those with OEM brakes. But they did their job and stopped.
I am so happy with the way the car performed. Attending the track day really made me alot more confident when driving. Also, since the track day, i dont feel the need to put foot on public roads. I had enough on Sunday for a while.
I will do the track day again, with proper slicks..