fedlawman

I attended a track day at Pacific Raceways yesterday with my TSX and had a great day.

This was a "Novice Day," which means you ride with an instructor and gradually speed up as you master smooth driving techniques and become more familiar with the course. I already have some track days, driving schools, and autocrosses under my belt, so it was more of a "skill refresher and refinement day" for me.

The TSX felt a little timid my first two times on the course, but then my instructor took me out for some hot laps in his '96 Porsche 911 Turbo to show me what the track feels like at speed.

After these laps, I felt more confident that I could push my TSX harder through the course. When we got back in my TSX, I also realized that I had forgotten to turn VSA off during my previous runs, so I switched it off and entered the track.

I immediately felt like the car was more eager to attack the corners and track out under power (although I now had to feather the throttle to prevent the outside front wheel from spinning-can you say LSD?!?!). I feel that after my third run, I had a real feel for the capabilities and limitations of the TSX, and was ready to go "balls to the wall" on my fourth run.

By the time my group lined up for our fourth run, the instructors were taking students for demo rides in their cars, and I entered the track just as an instructor-driven E36 M3 exited turn 9. I dropped in behind him and decided to try and keep up with him for one lap.

I was absolutely driving at 10/10ths at this point, and quickly realized that the tires and brakes are not track-worthy. I did the best I could and hung with the M3 through one complete lap. He pulled away from me down the straight and through turn 1, but I late-braked before turn 2 and followed him around the sweeper. He hooked up at the apex and slowly pulled away as I scrabbled for grip but grabbed him again through the turn 3 hairpins. At track out, he again gained distance as his car hooked up and my right front tire struggled to grip...and so it continued.

I scared myself a couple of times as I braked a little too late and needed the ABS to save me from exiting the course, but the brakes held on and served me well. By the end of that lap, the wheel was shaking under hard braking, but they never faded. My instructor was very impressed with the performnace of the TSX, and also commented on how smooth the car was (he couldn't believe it was a four-banger when I told him).

Third gear is definitely where the TSX is happiest, but I needed fourth for turns 2 and 7. I needed fifth gear just before turn 1 and got up to 120 MPH before late-braking for turn 2.

All in all, a terrific day and an impressive sedan. Many of the other attendees were impressed with the TSX, and I also got more than a few admiring comments, questions, and lookey-loos in the paddock (everyone who approached me thought it was "the new TL" and was shocked when I told them it was actually a 4 cylinder "European Accord").

I don't think I'm going to mess with the near-perfect engine/suspension setup from the factory. Instead, better brakes and stickier summer tires alone will transform the TSX for my occasional track days without compromising it's everyday balance of comfort and performance.

xizor

Summer tires are a must, I'm trying to get a some new ones after melting my sidewalls autocrossing on them.

I don't know about your car, but the TSX definately has some noticable understeer under hard cornering *edit to clarify* . I installed a CompTech rear sway yesterday and it almost eliminates understeer and induces a slight amount of oversteer. Supposedly the upper front tie bar also tightens up steering some. I'm looking fwd to trying both of mine out at my next autoX.

fedlawman

Any factory "stock" car, be it a BMW or our TSX, will understeer at the limit of adhesion.

However, you should never experience understeer when braking because a car cannot understeer when it's traveling in a straight line.

I'm definitely learning a lot about vehicle dynamics and how to improve performance (and lap times) through driver smoothness and input control.

fedlawman

I've got some photos now if someone can tell me how to post them...

xizor

you need to cost on a 3rd party server and use the IMG button to display them in the post. cardomain is one possilbiity.

fedlawman

Got it. Thanks Xizor!

dom

Very nice writeup and photos.

fedlawman, I closed the other thread and updated the title of this one.

Dan Martin

Nice pics!

I can't wait to get my TSX out on the track. It's really amazing what these cars can do when pushed to their limits. I cringe when I see guys driving STi's and 911's that will never see anything but city streets. If you buy a fast car, learn how to drive it and use it where it belongs...on the track.

fedlawman

Thanks Domm, I had a hell of a time figuring all of those processes out last night. I guess it's the "over 30 syndrome."

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Colin

I remember going to a BMW CCA event back in 2000 with our S2000. It was great fun, I remember mentioning to someone afterwards, "I could have gone faster if it wasn't for all those BMWs in the way"

You can see my write up after the event and pictures on my webpage here Good work with the TSX, remember with sticker tires, you'll transmit a lot more energy to the brakes when you stop, be sure to upgrade these at the same time. Good pads and a high temp fluid should be enough, but I'd bet the rear brakes are the first to overheat.

fedlawman

Thanks for the reply Colin, that's good advice about the tires and brakes...it never even crossed my mind.

Nice web page and write up. Our event was the same...my instructor drove my car for four laps to show me the course and the line, then we switched. The rules were the same too...don't pass until waved by (though everyone was very good about doing this). Finally, we too became stacked up rather quickly as I rapidly got stuck behind "all those BMW's in the way."

I'll definitely be doing this more, though I will most certainly upgrade the brakes first (I'll keep the stock tires for now).