Meet up with my buddy Grant at 6am at the petrol station to head down to Brands Hatch for a day on track. Weather forecast was good and it looked like it would stay dry.
Arrived at track in plenty of time, lots of E30 M3's already there. We found an empty garage and dumped all the gear out of the cars.
Then we went to sign on and get a cup of tea and say hello to a number of friends. Track briefing was next and then the sighting laps to get to know the racing line and the circuit features for those who had never driven there before.
The weather was holding and the track was drying quickly. I decided therefore to put on my R888 Toyo's (stickys) which just give you so much more grip it is unbelievable.
Track dried out nicely and with the car, tyres and brakes warmed up it was time to do some quick laps. Came in to check the tyre presures and put some more air in the tyres. With the E30 M3 you need to check the oil and make sure it is just above the top mark as the engine can suffer from oil starvation when pressing on round some bends.
Most of the guys and girls there were from the BMW Car Club www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk and the S14 board www.board.s14power.com and the Bavarian Board www.bavarian-board.co.uk
Some of the guys have fitted carbon fibre airboxes and Uwe had dynoed his car before and after to prove that the addition of the airbox gave 20 bhp more at the wheels!!!!! This convinced me I had to get one of these as a Xmas present - spoke to John in Munich and put my order in :-)
John tells me it will be here in 2 to 3 weeks - could be just in time for Xmas?
Only had one moment on track when at the bottom of Hill bend I went wide as I could see another car coming up my inside fast and thought I might have to take evasive action if he tried to overtake me mid corner - in the end.... I went on the painted white strip at the edge and of course it was still wet and slippy. Front and then rear wheels slipped causing a buttock clenching moment but then I had it under control and back on line. I could see John's face in his M3 behind me and I could see him thinking don't go on the grass....
Chased a new M3 CSL and after a few corners he let me through - sheer horse power is not a benefit at BH as demonstrated by me following a new M5 for a couple of laps until he let me through ( he was on road tyres).
An excellent day was had by all and only 2 stoppages for off's - one was Mark in his newly acquired E30 M3 not pretty the whole side was scraped and dented - he took it bravely :-(
Performance BMW did a photo shoot so you can see some pictures of the 50 or so BMW's that turned up for the day, it should be in their January 07 edition.
As the light was fading another E30 M3 went off Paddock backwards into the kitty litter and that was the end of the day. Time to change the wheels and tyres to the road wheels pack the cars and head home - only 2 hours round the M25/M3....yawn.........
Arrived at track in plenty of time, lots of E30 M3's already there. We found an empty garage and dumped all the gear out of the cars.
Then we went to sign on and get a cup of tea and say hello to a number of friends. Track briefing was next and then the sighting laps to get to know the racing line and the circuit features for those who had never driven there before.
The weather was holding and the track was drying quickly. I decided therefore to put on my R888 Toyo's (stickys) which just give you so much more grip it is unbelievable.
Track dried out nicely and with the car, tyres and brakes warmed up it was time to do some quick laps. Came in to check the tyre presures and put some more air in the tyres. With the E30 M3 you need to check the oil and make sure it is just above the top mark as the engine can suffer from oil starvation when pressing on round some bends.
Most of the guys and girls there were from the BMW Car Club www.bmwcarclubgb.co.uk and the S14 board www.board.s14power.com and the Bavarian Board www.bavarian-board.co.uk
Some of the guys have fitted carbon fibre airboxes and Uwe had dynoed his car before and after to prove that the addition of the airbox gave 20 bhp more at the wheels!!!!! This convinced me I had to get one of these as a Xmas present - spoke to John in Munich and put my order in :-)
John tells me it will be here in 2 to 3 weeks - could be just in time for Xmas?
Only had one moment on track when at the bottom of Hill bend I went wide as I could see another car coming up my inside fast and thought I might have to take evasive action if he tried to overtake me mid corner - in the end.... I went on the painted white strip at the edge and of course it was still wet and slippy. Front and then rear wheels slipped causing a buttock clenching moment but then I had it under control and back on line. I could see John's face in his M3 behind me and I could see him thinking don't go on the grass....
Chased a new M3 CSL and after a few corners he let me through - sheer horse power is not a benefit at BH as demonstrated by me following a new M5 for a couple of laps until he let me through ( he was on road tyres).
An excellent day was had by all and only 2 stoppages for off's - one was Mark in his newly acquired E30 M3 not pretty the whole side was scraped and dented - he took it bravely :-(
Performance BMW did a photo shoot so you can see some pictures of the 50 or so BMW's that turned up for the day, it should be in their January 07 edition.
As the light was fading another E30 M3 went off Paddock backwards into the kitty litter and that was the end of the day. Time to change the wheels and tyres to the road wheels pack the cars and head home - only 2 hours round the M25/M3....yawn.........
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