NT4HIM

November marks a year since we started taking our vettes to the track, mostly at Texas World Speedway, which is our favorite track, but this was our first time there with Chin motorsports. I just wanted to say what a great organization this is, and what a well-run event they put on. The Chin format allows for a lot more track time. You really get your money’s worth. I didn’t realize just how much more track time until I started having to make extra trips to the gas station during the day and took a look at my brake pads.

Since this was our first Chin event, we both had to have check rides before driving in the intermediate solo run group. I really appreciate that they do this and make sure that each driver is safely assigned, because Chin allows for passing in the corners in the intermediate and advanced solo run groups. The instructor that did my check ride was very helpful and gave me some areas to focus on to help improve my times during the event. BTW, I have a huge respect for anyone willing to get into the passenger seat with a complete stranger, especially a woman driver. I believe the instructor that did my husband’s check ride has something like 1:44 at TWS in his vette…crazy fast. Hubby met his weekend goal of consistently running sub 2 min times. I met my weekend goal of keeping it on the track the whole weekend.

Chin also allows for other registered drivers to ride as passengers, so I thought I’d ride shotgun with hubby during the “Happy Hour,” which is a mixture of all run groups (novices with their instructors, intermediate solo, and advanced solo). I learned during happy hour that I am not a good passenger. Hubby has only been driving his C6 at the track for a year, but he has over 20 years dirt track experience, and I think he must drive the vette somewhat like he drove the modified on the dirt track. Anyway, it made me nauseous, and he had to bring me in. He rode with me the rest of the session and gave me some pointers.

I highly recommend attendign a Chin event if you haven't already. Wish there were more of them in Texas.

harrydirty

It is not unusual to get nauseous as a passenger.......I made the head instructor of my club nauseous during my checkout.

_BlueZ06_

I enjoyed the TWS this weekend as well. My first time out on that track, but not running with Chin motorsports. Chin is a good organization to drive with for sure.

Suns_PSD

Link to the next TWS event with Chin as I'd like to join you guys?

NT4HIM

If you go to texasworldspeedway.com then click on the Programs/Performance Driving School button, the track usually has a school scheduled once a month. The next one is December 19th and 20th. I don't think there is another Chin event at TWS until next year, though. If you take a look at the TWS calendar on their website, there are also several other organizations that have events at TWS.

I'm not sure where things stand now, but the track was supposed to close this summer. Luckily, we have a few more months (at least) to enjoy it.

63Corvette

TWS is my home track. Sounds like you had a great time.
I wish I had been there..............

Chets LS3

Im the one in the white C7 across the garage, good talking to y'all! was definitely a fun weekend with great weather! I ran a personal best of 1:56 and was super pumped especially since i was on street tires. I love TWS even the distance from Louisiana its worth it!

tmtraylor

here's the 2016 Chin Calendar...

https://www.chinmotorsports.com/Calendar.aspx

I primarily run with Chin. It's a classy group and organization and I have never left an event thinking, "I could use a few more sessions". I'm worn out come Sunday evening.

Tim

NT4HIM

Yes, great meeting you as well! We made lots of new corvette track friends this weekend. I think I counted 19 corvettes and half of those were C7s, which was unusual for the track days we normally attend.

Congrats on your new personal best! See, you didn't even need those slicks, lol! I know the Z06s run times like that on their stock tires, but that's awesome for a Z51 on street tires. I've run a 2:01 on my Michelins, but I don't think I got below that this weekend, even with the stickier tires. Actually, I wasn't keeping times, so I could focus on getting my confidence back....last time at TWS, had a bad spin that tore off my front splitter and knocked both tires on the passenger side off the rims, so decided I'd better cool it and just focus on being smooth this weekend. The laps in Happy Hour when Mike rode with me, he timed me, and the best lap was a 2:03, and mostly 2:04s, but they were consistent times and not all over the place, so I take that as an improvement.

How did your brake pads fair this weekend? My brand new rear pads are toast and the fronts don't have another full day left. I've never used up my rear pads before the fronts, and this was with all nannies off, so I can't blame it on the PTM. Maybe I need to ask for a BBK for Christmas

Chets LS3

...I just got the car off the trailer yesterday...So I haven't got to the brakes yet...I know my michelins are about done though.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

Are you using stock pads?

NT4HIM

No, not for a while now. I've been experimenting with different pads....carbotech 12 front/10 rear and even 20/12, but they overheat my OEM rotors and begin to fade after a few laps at a hard braking track. They do wear very well and evenly, though. My car is a Z51, so I do have ducting, but it's not up to the task apparently. This weekend I tried Racing Brake brand pads and the pedal stayed firm the entire weekend with much longer sessions than I usually run, but I had to change rear pads before I could drive to work Monday. I can't seem to find a happy medium with my stock rotors and calipers.

Suns_PSD

Thanks. I'll try and jump in on their April event at TWS.

Chets LS3

well hell my xp12's are shot... 2 days!

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

What tires are you guys using? The Z51 cars have been nightmare on pads ZO6 not so much iron rotor cars.

Chets LS3

I was on stock MPSS...I think she was on Hoosier R100's then converted to R888's Ill let her speak for her car though.

My rear XP8's actually held up fine.. they have another event in them for sure...and I was running with some nannies on majority of the time.

NT4HIM

That is correct. I started out on the R100's, but had a bad right front vibration, so we switched over to the R8888s, This was the first time I've run on anything other than the MPSS, though, and I've not really had a pad wear issue until this weekend, so maybe just the added track time with the tire upgrade? I don't think I would have been that surprised to see the front pads so worn after all the track time we had, but the rears being completely gone did shock me. The rear pads have always lasted me at least twice as long as the fronts, even when I used the nannies, and everything was completely off this weekend. My issue has been brake fade and overheating the stock rotors, which was actually not an issue this weekend. I'd just like to find a happy medium.....something that wouldn't overheat my rotors AND lasts longer than a weekend.