Arpieb's 2022 BRZ Journey

[arpieb]

Little late starting this thread as my account took a minute to get validated *cough*. Picked up my new-to-me 2022 Subaru BRZ Premium on May 2, 2026, in Kingston, TN. It was bone-stock, CPO, and only had 18k miles on it - still has the OEM Primacy tires and brake pads. Can't say enough nice things about the folks at Sutherlin Subaru with me being an out of state buyer. There's a funny side story about the initial interaction though, ask if you really care.


This is a second car, purchased for track day and autoX use. I've never tracked a car before, and only made a stab at autoX a couple times in a past life with my old 2005 Lotus Elise. I do intend to keep the BRZ street legal for the time being, but upgrades are going to be guided more by what makes sense on a track than what I can live with daily driving it.


As of now, it's still bone stock but working on some basic upgrades I need for safe track usage - nothing crazy.


I did attend last week's SCCA Track Night @ Road Atlanta as a lurker since I was too late to get into the novice run group. The Twins were well-represented, and the drivers were great to talk to and learn from. Looking forward to my first actual Track Night in June.

[arpieb]

I did get the full front clip + mirror backs + full rockers PPF'd last week - figure between track days and Atlanta roads it very much needed the protection.


Remaining upgrades planned for this summer:

- 5W30 synthetic (+ 0.5L overfill on track days)
- DOT 4+ brake fluid change
- Brake pads (tbd)
- Continental ECS 02 on stock rims (daily/track wet)
- Sticky shit on spare rims (track/autox dry) (tbd)
- Data logger (tbd - prob AiM Solo 2 DL)
- Camera + mount (tbd)
- Exhaust (Dual tip, slashcut, catback, 2.5/3")

ECS 02s are en route, should be installed next week. Checked the date codes on the Primacies and they are from early 2021, so well past their prime and need to go buh-bye.

I picked up some parted-out OEM 17" rims for my dedicated track tires, prob will allocate those shoes out of next month's track budget. Thinking about painting/powdering them an orange-pink color to 1. easily distinguish from my street rims and 2. think they would kinda pop against the Sapphire Blue. Construction Orange is so meh...

[arpieb]

Getting new shoes today - Continental ECS 02's all around.

[DarkPira7e]

Originally Posted by arpieb

Getting new shoes today - Continental ECS 02's all around.

Few things are as rewarding as a new set of shoes!!! I still need to try conti tires someday. Looks awesome, always fun to watch a build come together

[arpieb]

OK, knocked out a few more things prepping for my first track day:


- 5W30 change - Liqui Moly Full Synthetic
- DOT 4 - RBF 600
- Brake pads - DYNAMIC FRICTION Active Performance Pads (F+R)


Whoever put me onto them, really like Patrick @ AllPro in Alpharetta. Straight shooter, no upsell, honest answers, quick turnaround.


Dropped off the spare rims to get my dry track tires mounted. Was a bit of a circus:


- I ordered Kumho V730's from Discount Tire b/c TireRack reported the Potenza RE71RS was discontinued, and TireRack didn't have a complete set of V730s in stock.
- Then DT called and said the V730s were discontinued, what was my 2nd choice - I said Potenza RE71RZ since TR (and even recent GRM tire guide) reported the RS was also discontinued.
- Checked in today, DT aid they can't get the RZs but have a lot of RS still available if I was fine with those.


��


Maybe I'll get my dry track tires before June 17th for Track Night...? Be my luck I'll go through all this and Atlanta will provide us with a wet track that night, which the ECS 02's I already have on the car will be fine for...


That being said - anyone tried the new RE71RZ compound? Comparisons to the outgoing RS?

[arpieb]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

Few things are as rewarding as a new set of shoes!!! I still need to try conti tires someday. Looks awesome, always fun to watch a build come together

Thanks! I was torn between PS4s and Contis, have had Pilot Sports before on my 2003 Tiburon GTV6 and 2005 Lotus Elise, great tire - figured I'd try out the Contis since it seems the community is split between them for a wet-friendly summer tire, see if I like them any better.


So far I can say without a doubt they hook up MUCH better than the OEM Primacy did. I see noticeably more TCS activity with the Contis and a lot less wheelspin on hard accel/steep inclines (our driveway is hella steep).

[arpieb]

Finally got my 2nd set of tires sorted out - got the 215/45-17 RE-71RS installed on the spare rims last week, got to try them out at a PCA Peachstate autox event on Sunday - first "track type" driving both the car and I have experienced. In spite of the intermittent thunderstorms and ensuing steam saunas at the Atlanta Motor Speedway complex, got 10 runs in and dropped from a first-ever solo run @ 73s to a respectable 60.5s.


I did get a chance to ride along with another participant with a mostly-stock BRZ (wider tires, front sway bar update) who has a ton of experience in autox, was running 10s faster than me (and most of the Porsches out there) - and I was blown away how the car handled without losing composure. Definitely happy with my choice in track car!


Next up is SCCA Track Night @ Road Atlanta on Wednesday, running with the novice group (first time I've ever been on track). Very excited to see how the BRZ feels out there; fingers crossed the weather is better than it was on Sunday!

[arpieb]

First actual track day (ever, in any car) is now in the history books! I ran with the SCCA Track Night in America Novice group, got ~30 laps in four runs (first run was parade laps). Best time was 2:03.24, car was rock solid and crazy confidence inspiring. Very glad I got to push it the previous weekend in autox so I had a comfort level with how it felt at the limits.


Only "uh-oh" moment was I got a break between trains on the back straight, got it up to ~120mph, and braked a bit too late into 10a - brakes didn't go away, but definitely pushed them to their limits trying to stay out of the gravel.


Can't say enough nice things about the SCCA crew running the event. Very helpful, always checking on us, and very professional. If you're ever considering a first track day event, I strongly recommend giving the SCCA TNiA program a shot.

[arpieb]

Had a great time at the PCA HPDE at Road Atlanta last weekend! While the SCCA event was fun, this was on a whole other level - and tbh a bit less hectic a schedule. I was running in the Novice group with an instructor all weekend, had 9x30m sessions scheduled but cooked my front brakes at the end of the 7th session so had to call it a short weekend.


Met some great people, learned a lot, and had a great time. At the suggestion of my instructor to get true track pads and rooting around on here, I ordered Carbotech XP10s all around to see if I can get more life out of them as well as better braking under high load (like coming into 10a on Road Atlanta). We'll see if the money justifies the pads compared to the Dynamic Friction pads I had on before. (My instructor actually said they had nice bite and modulation when he took Maggie out for a spin, but also noticed what was either ice mode or high-temp fade braking late into 10a, hence the experimentation with high-temp track pads.)


Registered for the SCCA Starting Line School in August down at AMS/Echo Park, we'll see what all I learn there about autocross and car handling skills.


Enjoying the journey!