I?ve delayed posting until I got these pictures, but I returned from my first track day with my M5 at Putnam Park Raceway about 40 miles southwest of Indianapolis. This was a Porsche Club Driver?s Education course with about 100 participants from all over ? some as far away as San Francisco. I wanted to start at Putnam for my first track event because it is a very forgiving track, with lots of runoff. I only ran Saturday since I had to be back in Cincinnati Sunday morning, but what a BLAST!

The drivers were divided into four groups, each about 25 cars, two beginner and two advanced groups. I registered for the beginner group since my track experience was limited to a few days at the Mid-Ohio driving school. I was really impressed with the organization and planning of the event. Friday night when I arrived, I went through tech inspection and registration at the hotel, and then stayed outside for some good food, beer, and track videos. The advanced drivers had arrived earlier Friday and had spent the day at the track. Patrick rolled up his RV and projected track videos of the day on the side of the RV. The quality was outstanding, lots of great footage and quite a few spinouts complete with graphic commentary that prompted quite a bit of hooting, hollering, denials and accusations of post-race editing.

The next day it was raining, and I did some cautious laps in the beginner group in P400 with my instructor showing me the best line. I had somehow lucked out and gotten the fastest driver in the instructor group. The second session was drier, and with much coaching I started to increase the speed and get more comfortable. After the second session, my instructor moved me to the advanced group. There was a great combination of cars, 996/997 Turbos, C6/C5 Z06 vettes (a 650 HP Lingenfelter), 996/997 GT3?s, and assorted 911?s and Cayman/Boxter types and a sprinkling of Audi?s, VWs, spec Miatas and even a couple BMW?s (no other M5?s). There were quite a few trailered cars with slicks, roll cages etc?

I had the advantage of having my instructor, with me in the car for the advanced group runs, and with the additional advantage of P500 and the SMG that really comes into it?s own at the track, I started moving right along. In the last session they relaxed the passing rules so we could pass anywhere on the track, and the highlight for me was passing a Cayman and a 911 on the inside of turn 8. The M5 was just a brute on the straightaways, and the handling in the turns is incredible for a 4,000 lb car. I was able to carry enough speed through turns 9 and 10 onto the main straight that nobody went by me there in the last session. (Ok, I did get passed a few times coming out of the sharper turns by a couple 911?s and a different Cayman?) Overall, people were impressed how well the big sedan could hang with the sports cars.

That evening, we were treated to more great food and beer, and another fantastic video show by Patrick. He took a ton of pictures of the cars coming out of Turn 10 onto the main straight, and he got some great shots of the M5 below. I could not have had a better time. I met some great people, everyone was extremely helpful and friendly, and the whole event was very well organized. I would enthusiastically recommend a Porsche DE event for anyone who wants to get a feel for what a great track experience is like. I will definitely be doing this again in the very near future. What an incredible car this is!

I?ve got ?the bug?.

 

Thanks for the great read! Now, onto more important matters, where is your pulley and AA remap? I saw the Dallas mini-meet vids.

 

OK, I'm REALLY tempted on the pulley, and I just called Dinan about their chip.

 

Nice! EuroCarFan is doing both the pulley and 3.91 diff. It's only a matter of time before he does the software as well.

 

Thats awesome! I have to do it sometime... its very high on my list to track my car. I've took my MINI once out on the track but it wasnt really planned and it was A LOT of fun.

Thanks for the write up.

 

Good job #125.

How'd the brakes & tires hold up?

 

good read. what an awesome experience

 

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like something I'd enjoy.
I also read about the Dallas meet and watched the videos. I doubt Warren's ECU was completely flashed.

 

Both held up very well, partly because the first two runs were in the wet. The second runs in the dry were much faster. The Contis will be good for at least another two days. According to my service indicator, I took 6,000 miles off the front pads, and 3,000 miles off the rear pads.

PS - I just ran through the still shots on disk, and that's a 997 turbo that I'm leaving behind in turn 10...