I just returned from a track day and this car is a BEAST! The suspension is nearly 95% sorted and I was hitting 150-160 on the back straight of PBIR.

I toasted my rotors a put a bit of wear on the tires but this tune is FAST across the entire powerband. It was around 85 track temp and the car overheated once on the second run due to heat soak from the first run. The light went away in 5 seconds so I short shifted a lap and then never saw it again.

 

Sweet!

 

Wow, 150-160 at PBIR is fast! I haven't been out there with my XKR, but I only hit about 130 in my porsche boxster S. And don't feel bad about toasting the rotors... I toasted the pads on my boxster after only three half-hour sessions.

 

Were you running the Road Course @ PBIR?

 

Yes I the road course

 

It had no problem with GTRs, modded M3s were nothing at all.. I was surprised I could keep up with a RSR on the back straight. Hopefully the club posts some pics and videos on Facebook.

 

I have to find another rotor solution and fast. They never shuddered or faded but I can't go through a set of rotors a weekend at 1200 an axle. Part of it is on me as I was really hard on the brakes as I was trying out different lines.

 

Oh and fuel mileage... 2.8MPG and went through a bit over 3/4 of a tank in a 30 minute stint.

 

I have had good success with brakeperformance.com

 

What are you getting on the street?

 

"I have to find another rotor solution and fast. They never shuddered or faded but I can't go through a set of rotors a weekend at 1200 an axle. Part of it is on me as I was really hard on the brakes as I was trying out different lines".


While it is a "blast" to run a car like yours on a open track day, and especially a road course, the road courses will eat up the car.

I have seen this happen so many times, and the costs for brakes, rotors and tires will soon outweight the excitement that one gets by tracking a car, especially a road course.

It just becomes way to costly to run a street car on a road race circuit, unless the driver has lots of disposable income to enjoy tracking their cars.

This is why I have always been opposed to placing my XKR on my local track.

 

I couldn't agree more after crashing two street cars on tracks. Bruce H. is one of the people who seem to be able to keep speeds and cornering speeds under control when he tracks his XKR but, those of us who get carried away by the competitive spirit may watch our priced street cars wrecked or otherwise damaged on the tracks.

All it takes is one small mistake and it does not even have to be from you. It comes very often in the form of a car ahead blowing an engine, usually at the fastest portion of the track when you go 160MPH, lay down some oil and at that point there is nothing to stop you from going straight into the steel or concrete barriers. I could not count the number of high priced cars, including my Lamborghini, that I had seen in major accidents on the track.

Really want to race? Buy a dedicated race car. Cheaper, faster, much easier to repair after crashing...and, I almost forgot, much safer with a good roll cage and an auto fire system that protects you in case of the unexpected.

Having said that, Max, I am very impressed with your progress on the developments of the XKR.

 

sounds like fun. where you at the "hooked on driving" event today? if so any feedback would be appreciated. I was going to sign up for one at lime rock park in ct and they are also having one at Watkins glen.....also I'm going to assume you didn't do a timed quarter mile today? unless it's posted and I didn't see it

 

Congratulations, Max...and I'm really glad to see another XKR being tracked! I know you bought the car with this use in mind, as did I, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. This really is one of those cars that is as enjoyable on the track as it is refined on the street. And it's amazing just how effortless and reliable it is to track.

I think it might help some to understand if you explained why you chose the XKR to use for the odd track day sometime. My new car is being built starting this coming week, and I've felt a real sadness as the time draws closer to part with the XKR, and knowing I won't be able to track it again. My fondest memories of two years with the XKR are of weekends driving to, around, and back from the track, and one other separate weekend away with my wife. Yes, it was also lovely to use the odd time, and to mostly stare at in the garage...but the epic times were all at the track. I'd have never let it go if it had the manual gearbox I've found I don't want to be without, and might have eventually done some of the mods you're doing.

Hopefully you'll also minimize your risks with a safe attitude, avoid the "Red Mist", and be selective about the events and participants you run with. I'll be following your XKR track adventures with great interest and envy. Enjoy!

Oh, and hopefully you'll find your brakes last longer in the future as you become more acquainted with the car and any new tracks you're running as you'll likely become less hard on them.

Bruce

 

I've also tracked mine, as you know, and intend to do so again. But I didn't buy it with track days in mind; it's just that it is such a great car and I can only safely enjoy its full capabilities on the track. I could thrash it around B-roads instead, which would have a similar effect on brakes, tyres, etc., but that would be not only illegal but far more dangerous. On the track, there's (usually!) no oncoming traffic, cars coming out of side roads, stray animals, etc.

There's a perception that tracking the car is somehow much, much worse and more dangerous than spending a day canyon carving. I think the reverse is true. Keep the fast stuff off the street!

 

In my case I am simply trying to warn people to the possible consequences to tracking cars.

There is a definite line in the sand between just tracking a car for having fun, or getting carried away by competitive pressures and end up all out racing. I drove tons of canyon races on public roads at insanely illegal speeds, winning almost all of them against exotic cars and superbikes. Not a single crash, or even a spin, simply because I always kept something in reserve for the unexpected. On the race track with my beautiful street cars, 2 crashes, one car totalled, the other permanently screwed. So the verdict for me; no nice street cars for the track. (BTW - no more banzai racing on public roads either. Been there, done that, survived that).

Nobody drives their street cars to the track thinking that they might crash and have to worry about getting home and hauling the wreck away. Those things supposed to happen to "other" people. Yet, it happens to all too many people. Ngarara, I remember watching your video footage from the Nurburgring track as you were cruising around and seeing some crashed cars in the process. Yes, sh*t happens on tracks. So, if you are disciplined enough to stay out of crowds and let those pimple-faced kids in their beat up, yet built-up Civics and WRXs to blow the doors off your XKR on the track than you can disregard my warnings.

One more advice for tracks: stay FAR behind when following other cars, particularly ones with soft slick or R-compound tires, as they pick up off-the-track gravel into their hot rubber and at the next session will shoot that gravel to anything that follows them, basically gravel blasting any paint job. Just look at the front end of most racing cars.

Other than the above; good luck and keep it safe out there.

 

I got 20MPG on the way home

 

Yes it was hooked on Driving and I met Matt the who runs here in SoFlo at a car show last week. I arrived late as my primary purpose was to meet a representative from the local Lamborghini dealer to look at a Caterham for my full time every weekend track car. Once I was there I had to get on the track and it was a good group of people. Everyone stayed away from each other on the track, no one was racing each other hard and everyone followed the rules. As always on a track pay attention to everything around you and faster cars behind you. Let them go don't race them or yes you will end up in a wall.

I also liked the fact that I just showed up and they let me drive, knowing I have a racing background.

The dragstrip was closed so I have to come back Wednesday or Friday this week to do some runs. It will probably be friday evening as I'm having the cats and diffuser installed this week.

 

Probably too short experience to tell but, how does that compare to the pre-tune MPGs?

My take is that stock supercharged XKRs would do about 23 MPG highway? I know my XKs would do over 25-27.

 

Pretune I was getting about the same MPG as I have a heavy foot. On trips over 50 miles I'm usually getting around 19-21 MPG before the tune.