Saturday I got on a road track for the first time in my life. I was a student in the local BMW club’s high performance driving school (can’t use the “R” word). No timing, just emphasis on driving the line, being smooth, entry speed, exit speed, etc. The event was at the track in Pueblo the only track going right now in Colorado.
http://www.pueblomotorsportspark.com/
First off the car held up beautifully, no problems at all. Nothing broke, and nothing overheated. No brake fade at all though I did engage the ABS a couple times.
I would have to put the day down as one of the most fun days of my 50 year life. OMG, the car is simply amazing on the track. Nothing upsets the suspension, and massive power is always on tap. Most of the track was 3rd or 4th with one turn requiring 2nd on the exit. Driving down Fri. night I was wondering if I would be aggressive or cautious. I was aggressive. I found the line quickly (all that autox experience), and placed the car on the edge of the track in numerous locations. It was simply too much fun to be cautious. Since I had no experience they placed me in group C (there was A-D). I was faster than the entire group. I ate up every car I came upon, and even lapped a couple several times. And we're talking among others M3's and 335's with the twin turbo 6.
The best fun of the day was in our last session (we did 4 of 8 laps with classroom in between) when I came upon a modded 911 turbo. I was out driving him in the corners, but on the straights we were about even. We went through several turns and then roared down the 4,000 grandstand straight with me as close as my instructor would let me get before finally braking at about 135 to enter turn 1. I was so much faster in the turns he finally waved me by after turn 4, and by turn 8 I couldn’t even see him the rearview. At the end of the day we had a little get together. One of the corner workers told me how they and the people watching got a kick out of watching us drag down the straight, and then were floored when I showed up the next lap and he was nowhere to be seen.
All that said, I have tons to work on. I was not smooth, I was not consistent, and I tended to drift towards a turn coming up to it instead of staying on the line, or cheat as one of my instructors said. Nonetheless one instructor said I was "amazing" for a first timer. The reason I was fast is because I was driving the line for the most part, pushing the envelope, and of course because of that wonderful machine I was driving. The tail came out on me a couple of times, but I snapped it right back in. When we rode with instructors in their cars after lunch though I got to experience a “4 off” when he spun the car at about 60. We did 2 360’s, then slide off into the dirt/sand passenger side first, and I got a face and lap full of dirt/sand.
If your hesitating about taking your Z06 to the track – don’t! DO IT! It’s what the car was made for. That was most evident by the gearing ratio’s at speed. It is a wonderful track car. My goodness I can't wait to get back.
... of course you know there is no cure for this addiction ... it's terminal. 
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