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P u b l i s h e d B y Tr e eF r e e P u b l i s h i n g a Division of Webtronic Enterprises
Ed i t or - i n - Chi e f / Pub l i s h e r Ian Rae EDI T ORIA L We s t C o a s t US A Ed i t o r Mi d We s t US A Ed i t o r
No r ma n Ne l s o n Da v i d L e w i s
E a s t C o a s t Ed i t o r
Cr a i g Ne l s o n
S o c i a l Me d i a D i r e c t o r
Je s s e Ne l s o n
Mi d We s t Me d i a
Je n n i f e r L e w i s
S e n i o r Wr i t e r
A s h l e i g h Mo r r i s
S e n i o r Wr i t e r
Flor De Oro Cabrera
S e n i o r Wr i t e r
Mi c h a e l J. D e s c h a mp s
PHO T O GR A PH Y Photographer
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Cr a i g Ne l s o n
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HO W T O RE ACH US
Phone: (905) 467-5148 ianrae@motorwerksmag.com
The Ultimate Reading Experience - 1
CONTENTSFebruary
FEATURES 16 MINI Wins Daytona 32 Factory Racecar - The BMW M235iR 42 A Classic Year for Toby Grahovec 48 Dreams Come True - Gino Carini 52 Rossa Veloce - RMP Competizione 54 Rooster Hall Racing - Stepping it up 62 Simply The Best - George Thielen’s 2002 68 Thunder Down Under - Harrop Engineering 74 New beginnings - A TVS 900 MINI kit 114 Pefect Symmetry - BMW at Laguna 126 O-Fest On Track - Mazda Raceway 2 - MotorWerks Magazine
132 100KM Report on Project 3ThirtyFive 156 335i Odessey -Micheal Lewis 158 A Little Moxie for the Soul - Jason Gipson 184 New Kid on the Block - SCB 192 One of a Kind - Octane’s MINI R58 202 Gonna Tell You a Story - C.R. Krieger
PICTORIALS 27 2016 PRI Show 80 BMW True North - Great cars, great photos 98 SRM BMWs at Bathurst 12 Hours 2017
184
152 On The Emerald Isle - Tom Maxwell 166 Speed Hillclimbing - Tom Maxwell
200 A Familiar Face in a BMW - Billy Johnson
RACING ROUNDUP
REGULARS
35 A Classic Championship 78 HSR Schedule Released 94 Haber Goes M6 GT3 102 Drivin’ All Night - The Thunderhill 25 Hr 108 The Flying Kiwis - Castrol BMW Series 176 Eric Hochgeschurz - 2016 Super Touring 180 Michel Sallenbach - 2016 Touring
210 Tick Tock Against the Clock - CSCS
4 New Products 8 On The Grid 20 MINI Challenge Corner 25 BTCC BMW 58 Technology and Coaching - Ross Bentley 142 Featured Photographer - Mark Campbell 222 Contact Point - Visit our Advertisers The Ultimate Reading Experience - 3
NEWProducts
Dayton, OH based Forgeline Motorsports chose to introduce their new ultra-lightweight “Carbon+Forged” Series two-piece carbon fiber and forged aluminum wheels at the 2016 SEMA Show. With two more wheels to be announced early in 2017, full production and delivery is tentatively expected to begin in the first quarter of 2017. For nearly twenry-five years, Forgeline Motorsports has been driven by an unyielding commitment to technology and performance innovation. Now with the new wheels 4 - MotorWerks Magazine
Forgeline has taken another technological leap forward, by announcing their exciting new partnership with EMERGENT™ Carbon Wheels and the launch of the Forgeline “Carbon+Forged Series”. Utilizing weight-optimized CNC-machined forged aluminum centers combined with Emergent’s revolutionary proprietary carbon fiber barrels, Forgeline’s new made-to-order Carbon+Forged wheels will deliver the ultimate in technological advancement, exclusive styling and unparalleled lightweight performance.
The Forgeline Carbon+Forged wheels are not just another pretty wheel; they are also engineered to set entirely new standards of appearance and performance. The super lightweight carbon fiber barrels utilize a high-density carbon fiber bundle, highclarity resin system, and unusually large carbon weave pattern to create a rim that is attractive and visually distinctive. The resulting rim is 42% lighter than its aluminum equivalent, delivering a weight reduction to the wheel’s most critical outer perimeter, where it has the greatest reduction in unwanted inertia and yields real-world improvements to acceleration, braking, cornering traction, ride quality, NVH (noise, vibration, & harshness), driver/passenger comfort, and fuel economy. Forgeline’s Carbon+Forged carbon fiber barrels are also engineered and tested to deliver industryleading levels of fatigue strength, impact/damage resistance, and deflection stiffness. Tested by an independent automotive industry laboratory, they have proven to be incredibly strong and robust, exceeding all existing SAE and TUV test specifications and surpassing the AK-LH 08 Radial Impact Test standard. The first wheels to be released from Forgeline’s new Carbon+Forged Series will be the lightweight racing-inspired CF201 (featuring a five V-spoke design and aggressive I-beam machining details) and the stylish CF202 (featuring a very unique directional sculpted angular spoke design). They will be initially available in 20 and 21-inch fitments, each uniquely engineered for exclusive modern sport
and luxury vehicles, including the Corvette Z06, Ferrari 458/488, Audi R8, Acura NSX, Lamborghini Huracan/Aventedor, Porsche 918/GT3/GT3RS, as well as Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes, and BMW applications. The SEMA Show also saw the unveiling of five new traditional forged wheels from Forgeline. Three new models have been added to the incredibly popular One Piece Forged Monoblock Series, the CV1, the VX1-6 and VX1-Truck. The handsome CV1 is a one piece forged monoblock version of the extremely popular three piece CV3C, featuring a muscular concave tapered 7-spoke design. The new 6-lug VX1-6 (conceived specifically for Dodge Viper applications) is based upon the original 5-lug VX1 and continues the exciting evolution in Forgeline monoblock styling with a dramatic Y-six spoke design, long spokes that wrap around the lug holes, striking sharp angles, deep concave profile, and a radically-chamfered outer edge. The VX1-Truck, designed is specifically for 6-lug truck and SUV applications, finally provideing performance-minded truck and SUV owners with a wheel option that is engineered to be lightweight while simultaneously delivering minimal deflection,
excellent fatigue strength in larger 6-lug fitments. The latest addition to our Competition Series is the exciting one piece forged monoblock VX1R. Engineered for those who like the look of the popular VX1 but need a load rating that is suitable The Ultimate Reading Experience - 5
for dedicated track duty, the VX1R is a full trackready competition wheel equal in weight and strength to our famous GA1R and GS1R Competition Series wheels. It features a sharp Y-spoke design (with long spokes that wrap around the lug holes), striking sharp angles, deep concave profile and a chamfered outer edge. The only new three piece wheel to make the 2016 lineup is the new Heritage Series FL500. The FL500 pays homage to the classic Magnum 500 wheel but unlike its predecessor, the FL500 is a modern 3-piece wheel that is manufactured from fully-forged 6061-T6 aluminum centers using the latest engineering and manufacturing technology. A traditional five-spoke design with inverted tapered spokes, the FL500 evokes a very traditional old-school muscle car character while delivering modern technology and performance.
precision measuring equipment, how to select the correct clearances for your particular application, how to file piston ring end gaps and how to check bearing oil clearances among many other skill required. Building or assembling engines can be an immensely satisfying task and performing this work yourself allows one to have complete control over the entire process. By watching an introduction video, see the full curriculum and purchase the course here: Engine Building Fundamentals. The introductory price of $129USD won’t last long.
https://www.hpacademy.com/courses/enginebuilding-fundamentals/
C3 CUSTOM CARBON COMPOSITES Open now in Ontario We have some good news for those requiring custom carbon parts or repairs in the South West Ontario area. Kevin Stittle a local Time Attack standout recently opened C3 Custom Carbon Composites located in Collingwood, ON. He told us, “We can handle making custom prototype parts for any application and only use 100% epoxy resin and carbon fiber. Our standard line of products includes flat carbon sheets to make door cards, switch panels and rear seat delete panels.
HPA Adds Engine Building Fundamentals to Courses
In addition to the great EFI courses they have on the Internet, New Zealand based High Performance Academy now has an Engine Building Fundamentals course available. You can learn the following, What engine blueprinting is, essential engine machining processes, how to use 6 - MotorWerks Magazine
CARBONMINI.COM Exclusive - MINI Cooper N18 Engine Carbon Fiber Engine Cover Overlay Kit for models R55 to R61.
Some of our CARBONMINI.COM loyal clients requested that we develop a carbon fiber kit for their N18 engine. So we said why let supercars like Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren have all the carbon fun? Our upgrade kit will transform the dull plastic engine cover to Motorsport carbon fiber worthy of our MINI supercars. The factory MINI or JCW logo can be removed and reattached on top of the new carbon fiber cover or you can leave it logo-free for a stealthy clean look. Mention “MotorWerks” when you inquire about this kit to receive exclusive tier 3 level discount and free priority shipping.
AIR LIFT PERFORMANCE OFFERS PERFORMANCE AIR SUSPENSION KIT FOR BMW F30 (3-SERIES)
for the BMW 3-series is completely adjustable, allowing you to tailor your ride and performance characteristics to personal preferences and driving conditions.” The front-end kit features double-bellow air springs and threaded-body monotube dampers, which make it easy to adjust the height of your BMW by changing the air pressure and by spinning the lower mount up and down. The dampers can be fine-tuned to your comfort with adjustable rebound and compression, and the camber plates offer geometrical adjustment for a drop of 3.6” from stock height. In the rear, compact, bolt-in, double-bellow air springs are used to generate superior spring rates and loadholding capability. The setup is completed with matching threaded-body, monotube dampers, also featuring adjustable rebound and compression, giving you the ability to drop a full 5.1” from stock height. Kit installation is made simple with Air Lift’s clear and detailed instructions. If you can wire a stereo, you can install one of Air Lift’s air suspension kits. In a matter of hours using only basic hand tools, you can have your BMW 3-series hugging the ground and ready to roll. Air Lift Performance is committed to delivering the best quality parts that stand up to street and track use. Engineered for ultimate performance, fit, and finish, the company’s air suspension kits are road and rig tested for over a million cycles to give demanding drivers 100,000 miles of service. A one-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, superior technical support and a responsive customer service team back up each purchase. Model Fitment: BMW 3-series (except M3 models) * 2012-2016 F30 - AWD and RWD models with a 3 bolt front upper mount
LANSING, Mich. - The ultimate driving machine deserves the ultimate in lowering and dynamic driving technology. Air Lift Performance delivers just that with its air suspension for the BMW F30 (3-series). The kit from the leader in air suspension products for more than 60 years offers the versatility of an air suspension with exceptional ride quality and a lowered profile without the worry of bottoming out. “Nothing beats the adjustability of an air suspension that can be controlled with the touch of a button,” said Air Lift Performance Marketing Manager Devin Pringle. “Our kit The Ultimate Reading Experience - 7
OnTheGrid MARCO X2
Two years after winning his first championship title, BMW Motorsport Works Driver Marco Wittmann has once again secured the DTM driver’s title in the 2016 season finale at the Hockenheimring. To honour this success, BMW M is launching the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition. Compared to the series production BMW M4, the edition model, which is limited worldwide to 200 units, delivers a power output that has been increased by 51 kW/69 hp to 368 kW/500 hp and a maximum torque of 600 Nm, an increase of 50 Nm. Top-class motor racing technology for drive and suspension as well as a specific design following that of DTM racing cars built by BMW Motorsport render the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition a high-performance coupe with a focus on racetrack deployment and an exceptional collector’s item. “Congratulations to Marco Wittmann, his team RMG and the entire crew from BMW Motorsport,” says Frank van Meel, President of BMW M GmbH. “We have the pleasure of honouring Marco’s performance by producing a BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition in 2016 to mark his winning the DTM driver’s title. Never before has one of our edition models been so closely linked to motor racing.” 8 - MotorWerks Magazine
In terms of driving performance, the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition impresses with outstanding figures. It completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds, for example; top speed is limited to 305 km/h. This remarkable performance is not least possible through innovative water injection technology featured in the straight six-cylinder power unit already known from the BMW M4 GTS. Cooling of the combustion chambers made possible by this technology significantly raises the engine’s thermally-related performance limits, as the 16 percent increase in power output vs. the production model proves.
A distinctive exterior design inspired by DTM racing cars. The BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition 2016 is exclusively available in Alpine White. Design and shaping of the additional foiling is reminiscent of the look of DTM racing cars produced by BMW Motorsport, thus making the edition model’s close ties with the brand’s successes in probably the world’s most popular international touring car series evident at first glance. Moreover, various aerodynamics components finished in visible carbon give the car that distinctive racing car look. These include the front splitter, the aero flicks positioned in front of the front wheel arches, exterior mirror caps, side skirt attachments, a rear diffuser as well as the large rear wing firmly mounted on the boot lid.
Pure motor sports atmosphere in a classy, reduced interior. Inside the two-seater BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition 2016, both driver and co-driver sit in M Carbon bucket seats covered in exclusive Alcantara/Leather Merino. Furthermore, the entire interior is lined with exceptionally high-quality covering material Alcantara, also used on the M Sports steering wheel sporting a grey “12 o’clock” marker. Behind the front bucket seats of the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition, a white rollover bar replaces the rear seat system.
In terms of comfort and safety, the edition model is by no means sparsely equipped. Features include the BMW navigation system Professional, air conditioning, adaptive LED headlights with BMW Selective Beam (glare-free high beam assistant), OLED taillights, Park Distance Control (PDC) at the front and rear as well as automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors.
Extensive measures to enhance driving dynamics. Compared to the production version of the BMW M4, the DTM Champion Edition impresses not only with enhanced performance, but also with further optimized dynamic handling qualities. This is also the result of even more consistent implementation of the lightweight construction concept. In addition to other components, the bonnet, roof, instrument panel support and rear diffuser are made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The end silencer of the double-flow sports exhaust system featuring two pairs of tailpipes is made of exceptionally lightweight titanium. Optimal contact with the road is ensured by Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 high-performance tyres size 265/35 R19 at the front and 285/30 R20 at the rear designed specifically for use on the racetrack and mounted on light alloys boasting a star spoke design 666 M in Orbit Grey matt. M carbon-ceramic brakes guarantee fade-free braking even in tough racing conditions. The individually adjustable 3-way coilover suspension is mechanically adjustable both for rebound and damping, thus allowing the car’s handling characteristics to be adapted according to personal taste. The BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition 2016 is limited to 200 worldwide and available with immediate effect at a price of 148,500 Euros (Germany).
our MINI is up to the challenge. We can’t wait until the kickoff race at Virginia International Raceway in April.” The team is riding a wave of momentum into the 2017 season. 2016 was a very successful year with Taylor Handwerk of Jim Thorpe, PA standing on the podium at every race except for one. This consistency allowed him to clinch the 2016 Northeast Conference Championship of the SCCA Majors Tour. The team hopes to continue their winning ways in 2017. Bimmertools.com will not be going it alone in 2017. They will be teaming up with Indian Summer Racing, who will also be running a MINI in the TCB class. The team car will be driven by Travis Washay of Milford, CT. Indian Summer has many years of experience with the MINI and are the ideal partner for trackside and logistical support. The road to the 2017 championship starts here! We are happy to announce our partnership with Bertil Roos Racing School for the 2017 season. Bertil Roos offers full licensing programs taught by some of the country’s finest instructors. Visit RaceNow.com for further information. Visit bimmertoolsracing.com to stay up to date. Bimmertools.com is the number one source for specialty and hard to find tools, specifically for BMW and MINI. We also offer a wide variety of high quality automotive tools for any enthusiast.
BIMMERTOOLS.COM GOES PRO RACING IN 2017 Full season commitment to Pirelli World Challenge TCB class Jim Thorpe, PA, January 4, 2017– Bimmertools.com will be competing in the Pirelli World Challenge TCB class with its MINI for the 2017 season. Taylor Handwerk, team owner and driver, had this to say; “We are very excited to make our debut in pro racing with Pirelli World Challenge. This is a great opportunity to further our brand as well as our partners’. We will be battling in the very competitive TCB class but we feel The Ultimate Reading Experience - 9
1 WAY NON-REMOTE (1WNR) Monotube Design 18 clicks of rebound adjustment 22mm strut shafts
2 WAY NON-REMOTE (2WNR) Monotube Design 14 clicks of high speed compression adjustment 18 clicks of rebound adjustment 22mm strut shafts
2 Way Remote (2WR) Monotube Design 14 clicks of high speed compression adjustment 18 clicks of rebound adjustment 22mm shafts Adjustable reservoir nitrogen pressure 3 WAY REMOTE (3WR) Monotube Design 14 clicks of high speed compression adjustment 5 clicks of low speed compression adjustment 18 clicks of rebound adjustment 22mm shafts Adjustable reservoir nitrogen pressure
10 - MotorWerks Magazine
motioncontrolsuspension.com
TURNER MOTORSPORT GEARED UP FOR THE 2017 IMSA SEASON - ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA DRIVER LINEUP CONFIRMED. Amesbury, MA. -- January 18th, 2017 -- With one BMW M6 GT3 and four of the best BMW drivers from around the world, Turner Motorsport is geared up for the 55th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona to kick off the 2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in just over one week. The 2017 Rolex 24 of Daytona will mark the team’s 354th professional race with BMW. Less than two weeks ago, the team tested their BMW M6 GT3 at the Roar Before the 24 on the 3.56 mile, 12-turn Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the team’s eighth consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona. As in years past, the seven time championship winning BMW team’s driver lineup includes some familiar faces as well as some of the best BMW works drivers from around the globe. Turner welcomes Justin Marks back to the blue and yellow for the first time since the 2005. Marks comes from a long history of racing dating back to the early 2000s as a factory supported BMW driver racing with BMW of North America. Mark’s racing pursuits quickly grew as he drove for Turner Motorsport in 2004 and 2005 in both World Challenge and Grand Am as well as in other series including the American Le Mans Series, the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR. Marks also recorded a Rolex 24 GT class win in 2009. Marks will be joined behind the wheel by drivers Jens Klingmann, Maxime Martin and Jesse Krohn. All three return to Daytona with Turner after an impressive fifth place finish last year in the M6 GT3’s world race premier with Michael Marsal. Jens Klingmann will be sharing driving duties in the Turner Motorsport car for the season. Klingmann returns back behind the wheel of the M6 GT3 after recording two race wins in the 2016 WeatherTech Championship with co-driver Bret Curtis as well as a second place finish in the 12 Hours of Sebring. “We are looking forward to being back at Daytona for our eighth race start for the Rolex 24,” Will Turner said. “Although we had a strong finish last year, Daytona has still remained that one race that we dream about winning. I think that with a full season under our belts with the M6 GT3, we have enough experience and familiarity with the car to do really well if we can avoid trouble and any mechanical issues. Here goes another Rolex 24 and to another year with the M6 GT3.”
Turner welcomes some new and returning partners for the 2017 season including Katerra, IHG Rewards Club, H&R Springs, aFe Power, Motul Lubricants, Borla Exhaust, The Hilliard Group and Pagid Brakes. On track action begins on Thursday January 26th with practice and then qualifying. Visit IMSA.come to view live timing and scoring from each session. The 55th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will take the green flag at 2:40pm ET on January 28th, 2017 and will be televised LIVE from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on Fox Sports 1. Follow Turner Motorsport on social media for all the unique behind the scenes look into the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Driver Quotes: Justin Marks – No. 96 BMW M6 GT3 “This is a program I’m really excited about. I have a lot of fond memories with Turner Motorsport from earlier in my career so to kind of come home to one of the teams that is familiar is going to be a lot of fun. The IMSA GTD class is quickly becoming one of the most competitive and diverse in all worldwide GT racing. Turner and BMW have had a lot of success in North America so I think we’ll be very good so I’m very much looking forward to driving the M6 GT3.”
Jens Klingmann – No. 96 BMW M6 GT3 “I’m really excited coming back to Daytona with Turner Motorsport. We are going into our second season with our BMW M6 GTD and after scoring 2 victories last season the expectation are high. We’ve got a strong package including a very strong driver line up and strategy for the Rolex 24 I can’t wait for the race to start and hope to see many, many BMW and Turner fans supporting us on and off track!” Jesse Krohn – No. 96 BMW M6 GT3 “I am really looking forward to going back to Daytona. Last year was the first for me in the Rolex 24h and it was the first year for the BMW M6 GT3. Since then everyone has learned a lot more about the car and I am sure we have taken a step forward. I am also very happy to share a car with Maxime Martin, Jens Klingmann and Justin Marks. We all have experience from the Rolex 24h and I could not wish for a better lineup for the next weeks race.” Maxime Martin – No. 96 BMW M6 GT3 “Daytona is one of the races that I always look forward to competing in each year. Last year, Jesse (Krohn), Michael Marsal and Markus Palttala had a great run so I look forward to repeating a strong race again behind the wheel of our BMW M6 GT3.”
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BIMMERWORLD ANNOUNCES 2017 PLANS BimmerWorld Racing team principal James Clay recently announced plans for the 2017 racing season. BimmerWorld will focus their efforts on the team’s two BMWs with a focus on winning the Street Tuner (ST) class championship in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series in 2017. Clay, of Blacksburg, Va., and Tyler Cooke of Matthews, N.C., will continue to codrive BimmerWorld’s No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i. Stepping into the team’s No. 81 BMW 328i will be two drivers from the Next Level European (NLE) program: Ari Balogh of Menlo Park, Calif., and Greg Liefooghe of San Francisco. “We are excited about our 2017 program and we have been hard at work on it since October,” said BimmerWorld Racing Principal James Clay. “We continue to spend the time we have before season start improving our BMWs even further, testing and concentrating on making BimmerWorld Racing the best we can. IMSA’s Continental Tire Challenge ST class is very competitive and you have to enter the season and each race at your top form. We are going to focus on doing just that.” Although BimmerWorld’s sister team, Next Level European, was a successful venture with an early victory and podium finishes, at this time Clay does not plan to field its two Porsche Caymans in the series in 2017 in order to put their full attention on the BimmerWorld program. “We are rooted in BMW, love the brand, and I want to focus fully on our core strength. With the Series’ changes pending, including GT4 and TCR adoption, we won’t build a third BMW to join the fight but instead concentrate on running the two F30s we have,” Clay said. “Losing Seth and Dan for the 2017 season feels like a loss in the family, but having Ari and Greg in a BMW will be great. Ari is a BMW guy at heart, and Greg joined the team in a BMW in 2011, and both are eager to be back in the Munich car.” Although Seth Thomas, Dan Rogers, Kyle Tilley and Jerry Kaufman won’t be with the Dublin, Va.-based outfit in 2017, there are already plans in the works for 2018. 12 - MotorWerks Magazine
“With BMW’s GT4 M4 on the horizon, we are already looking forward to a reunion tour after the 2017 season,”
Clay said. Both current BMW cars are turbocharged and BimmerWorld is the only team using the F30 chassis. The No. 84 finished tenth in the Continental Tire series point standings in 2016. BimmerWorld won four pole positions in 2016 and ran at the front of the field at multiple events as it developed the F30 turbo-powered platform. It delivered the car’s first podium finish in the series at Sebring in March. BimmerWorld started prepping for 2017 immediately following the 2016 season finale at Road Atlanta, where they led the most laps. They look forward to getting the 2017 season started with testing at Daytona at the Roar Before the 24 Jan. 6-8. The 2017 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season opener is the BMW Performance 240, a four-hour race on Daytona’s 3.56mile road course on Friday, Jan. 27 that supports the Rolex 24.
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST TYLER CLARY JOINS BIMMERWORLD FOR DAYTONA Olympic gold medalist swimmer Tyler Clary has said all along that he wanted to become a professional race car driver when his days as a world-class swimmer are over. That dream will get a major boost on Friday. Clary is scheduled to join James Clay and Tyler Cooke as the co-drivers of the BimmerWorld Racing No. 84 OPTIMA Batteries BMW 328i in the BMW Endurance Challenge, the season opener for the IMSA Continental Tire
SportsCar Challenge series, on the 3.5-mile road course at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Clary, who won gold in the 200-meter backstroke in record time at the 2012 Olympics, tested with the team at Daytona earlier this month. He is expected to qualify the car on Thursday afternoon and then take the green flag on Friday at 12:15 p.m. for his IMSA debut. “Tyler is a friend of Jerry Kaufman, one of our 2016 team drivers, who introduced us at Lime Rock last year, where we briefly discussed his racing goals,” explained Clay, BimmerWorld team owner. “In just over six months Tyler has ramped up, proven himself behind the wheel of cars, and earned his IMSA pro license in anticipation of his Daytona debut. This is quite the amazing path, and we are excited to be part of the journey.” Clary set up a GoFundMe.com fundraiser to help raise money for his appearance. On the page, he said he fell in love with racing as a youngster while doing fundraisers for his local swim team at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. He has competed in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race at the IndyCar Long Beach Grand Prix, trophy trucks in the desert, Legends cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Skip Barber formula cars, to name a few. Last September he tested a Spec E46 3 Series BMW with BimmerWorld Racing at VIRginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. and late last year he also did two multi-hour races and ended up on the podium both times. “The first was with DriveGear Motorsports at Summit Point [Summit Point, W.Va; it was an eight-hour AER event where we ended up with a second-place finish,” Clary said. “The most recent one was with Team LMR at Circuit of The Americas [Austin, Texas] in early December. We battled from a 24th starting position to a third-place finish.” The latter was an eight-hour World Racing League event where he drove an ex-BimmerWorld car, a former ST-prepared E90 BMW. Clary said he also learned a great deal at the “Roar before the 24″ test at Daytona earlier this month. “It’s hard to put all of the things I learned at the Roar into a short quote!” Clary said. “It is a brand-new car to me, a brand-new track, and a different caliber of competition. I learned that Turns 3 and 5 are easy to overdrive, that Turn 6 can be questionable on exit, and that the Bus Stop has a large potential impact on your lap time if it isn’t
executed correctly.” In the weeks since then, Clary has been doing his homework. “I’ve been watching race video and visualizing as much as possible,” he said. “Also, going over the data again from the Roar is helping me remember the nuances of the track and is reminding me of where I can still make significant improvement. “I think the key thing for me to remember going into this week is that I have a huge wealth of experience around me in James, Tyler, Greg, and Ari,” he added. “I look forward to picking their brains more about strategy and mindset for my stint. “To be competing at this iconic track with a seriesleading team is a dream come true,” he concluded. “I am inspired by the premise of sharing the same pavement with some of the greatest drivers that the world has ever seen. It feels great to be part of a team that is so passionate about being the best. It reminds me how powerful competition can be and how potent a group of people with the same goal is.” Recent support from Pervasive-Intel has helped make his racing debut possible, but Clary’s GoFundMe page is still active for those looking to contribute. It might seem like he is being thrown into the deep end of the pool, but he’s been dreaming of this day since he was a child, even before he worked in a merchandising trailer at the races in a fund-raising effort for his swimming club. With the experienced BimmerWorld team to help him, one gets the feeling it won’t be long before he’s going for gold again. This time it may be for a gold Rolex watch, though, instead of an Olympic medal.
The Ultimate Reading Experience - 13
CTCC UNVEILS NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH PIRELLI Indianapolis, IN, USA. December 8th, 2016
The Canadian Touring Car Championship is very excited to announce a three-year partnership with Pirelli Tire Canada. This new association will see Pirelli becoming the official tire and presenting partner of the CTCC. This announcement caps off an incredible year for the CTCC as we saw sustained growth in the series.
“This is a wonderful development that will support our growth. With a worldwide renowned brand, Pirelli is an obvious choice when it comes to racing tires and we are happy and proud to partner with them“, stated John Bondar, President and owner of the CTCC. “Our drivers reported solid results from early testing and they are anxious for the new season to begin. We are looking forward to working with the whole Pirelli team.”
The CTCC is proudly Canadian owned and operated and is one of the longest-running professional sports car series in Canada. It features race cars based on their original showroom versions in three different categories; Touring Class, Super Touring Class 14 - MotorWerks Magazine
and Grand Touring Class. Over two hundred drivers have raced with CTCC over its first ten years and the championship has helped to further the career of over thirty drivers. Based on early interest from new drivers
and teams; 2017 is shaping up to be one of the best seasons of the series. “It is very exciting for Pirelli to be part of the CTCC Championship. This new partnership shows our commitment to the growth of the commercial motorsport business in North America, and Canada in particular” added Pirelli’s NAFTA Motorsport Manager Orazio Mastracchio. “Aligning championships across the border provides a unique experience that is important to us and it also allows drivers to take part in multiple championships using the same P Zero racing product.” The CTCC presented by Pirelli will kick off its eleventh season in May and wrap up by October 2017. The official schedule is under development and will be released soon. Fans can follow the championship via the following social media platforms: Facebook: touringcar. ca, Twitter: @ctccracing, Instagram: ctccracing, and of course, on our recently revamped website at www. touringcar.ca.
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THE PROOF Seven National championships, multiple podiums. Four Grand Am Sports Car Championships Track records at Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, Thunder Hill, Sebring, Road Atlanta, VIR, Homestead, Miller Motorsports Park and many others.
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$2195.00 The Ultimate Reading Experience - 15
MINIWins Daytona! MINI Takes The BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona
2017 unveiled a new era in racing for racers in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge; the two and a half hour long events that have been a staple of the series for many years have been shortened to two hours and two of the ten events will be run over four hours. Daytona was to be the first of the new four-hour format opening with the BMW Endurance Challenge. After a great ‘Roar Before the 24’ test in early January the MINI JCW Team were looking forward to the race with great anticipation. Luis Perocarpi, team principal of LAP Motorsports who run the MINI JCW Team said, “We ran the fastest lap in the last session at ‘The Roar’ and were in the top three all weekend during the test We cannot be more ready to get this season started.” While the cars from LAP Motorsports would look very similar, the driver line-up had a different look. Mat Pombo and Derek Jones were the only two drivers to return with the same pairing as 2016. Canadian James Vance would return to the team after missing the last events of 2016 and he would be paired with former ICTSC Champion Mike LaMarra in the #37 MINI JCW. Mark Pombo and Nate Norenberg both return to the JCW Team and pair up together to pilot the #52 MINI JCW at Daytona. Practice and qualifying went well for the team when Mat Pombo was quickest by over a tenth of a second 16 - MotorWerks Magazine
Words Ian Rae, photos Halston Pitman, MSM
in Practice 1 in the #73 with a 2:04.666. Norenburg followed in fifth with a 2:05.214. Jones in the #73 seventh running a 2:05.687. Mike LaMarra continued to get used to front wheel drive and placed 18th. Practice 2 was slower for most teams and none of the MINI drivers improved. Mark Pombo got to lay down a lap in Practice three and made it onto the charts with a 2:07.221.At the end of practice it was Mat Pombo holding down the top spot he had set down in P1 but the BimmerWorld BMWs showed they could challenge by improving in the last two sessions. Qualifying could only get more interesting, and it was! Connor Bloom planted the RS1 Cayman on pole with a 2:04.900 which was slower than Mat Pombo’s P1 lap time. Next up was Pierre Kleinubing rocking the C360R Audi S3 with Derek Jones firmly planting the first of the MINIs in third with a 2:05.794. Norenberg
continued his great job with sixth and a 2:06.139 with LaMarra showed he now had a handle on the FWD configuration of the MINI with a 2:06.443 and a great improvement to ninth spot. The new four-hour format had many fans and teams wondering who would come up with the best tactics for the longer race? Some teams employed a third driver like BimmerWorld who gave Olympian swimmer Tyler Clary his first taste of Pro racing alongside James Clay and Tyler Cooke. Derek Jones drove a super smart early portion of the race, staying out of trouble but running close enough to the front that he could keep an eye on the leaders. The first yellow came out and Jones stayed out; at the first hint of the green he jumped up to second before hitting the front four laps later. LaMarra was mighty impressive in the #37 and he and James Vance ran as high as second before some gremlins intervined. Reviewing the lap charts tells an interesting story. The #73 MINI JCW ran out front three times for a total of forty-five laps led. It was a dominant performance by the MINI JCW Team both on and off the track especially when the next car up was the RS1 run Porsche Cayman of Connor Bloum and ICTSC rookie Aurora Straus, the Cayman that had grabbed the pole for the event. “Today was a classic MINI JCW Team effort. We had flawless pit stops, perfect driving from my co-driver Derek Jones, and as always a little bit of luck. The LAP team with Luis and Rob had the #73 MINI on rails. I am so happy to have pulled out a win for our team at the world center of racing, Daytona International Speedway. Our MINI’s ‘Defy’d Some Labels’ today and took down some pretty stiff competition consisting of Porsches, Mazdas, BMWs, Nissans, and Audis. The win makes us the point leaders heading into our next race in March at the historic Sebring International Raceway. Looking forward to keeping the momentum going at another world famous track with so much history.” Derek Jones who qualified the #73 and drove the opening stint was over the moon when Mat Pombo crossed the finish line ahead of Eric Foss in the #56 Mosing Motorcars Porsche Cayman. “The #73 MINI LAP Motorsports car was just amazing. The car was absolutely perfect and ran consistently throughout my stint. Although aero is not the MINI’s strong suit, our performance through the infield and bus stop allowed us to keep the car upfront. The team did a stellar job with the pit stops and strategy calls! That allowed us to keep
the car upfront the whole time. To win at Daytona is incredible but to win in a MINI is a dream come true.” Mark Pombo, had a race he would rather forget. Running thirty laps down after a broken half shaft he got crowded and had brake fade on the outside of turn one. The resultant off got TV coverage but not the sort he would have liked. He told us, “We broke a half shaft about thirty minutes into the race. Without the local MINI technicians working with the team and their intimate knowledge of the car, the JCW #52 wouldn’t have gotten back in the race. Unfortunately my off was just a racing deal, I shouldn’t have put myself in that situation unless I was battling for the podium. Nobody touched me, I was just pushing too hard, I am very disappointed I damaged the car, it is a real bummer.” James Vance had a weekend that promised so much but the racing God’s were against him again. Don’t worry James it WILL turn around. A disappointed Vance told us, “It was great weekend all said and done. The #37 of Mike LaMarra and myself showed great pace and that we have what it takes to compete at the front of the ultra competitive ST field. The #37 ExpoSystems MINI JCW ran flawlessly all weekend and allowed us to show its pace, and strengths. With fifteen minutes to go in the race we were running in P3 when the car suffered a sudden reboot which pushed us back down to ninth. Following that was a restart I’d rather forget about: one which ended up with us being knocked into the wall exiting corner one. Ultimately the MINI JCW Team and the local MINI technicians worked flawlessly this weekend, I can’t thank them enough. The team performed incredible and it feels so good to be back with my racing family. A massive congrats to my team mates Mat Pombo and Derek Jones on the win, it is a huge milestone for our team and MINI USA as a brand. A big thank you to ExpoSystems for their continued support, my family and friends as well. Onto Sebring! Nate Norenberg who paired with Mark Pombo was
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another with a smile on his face as he toldus about his race, “Wow what a weekend for the Mini JCW team! Our first team victory and truly a team effort! The weekend started out strong for all three cars putting down fast laps in practice and finding the pace quickly. When it came down to qualifying we had a good plan in place that quickly went out the door with a mistake I made while exiting the pits at the beginning of qualifying. It forced me to do a drive through penalty and separating the MINI JCW Team cars. After my drive through I was upset and told myself my mistake wouldn’t take me out of a top starting position. On my first flying lap I jumped from last to third and was super excited and relieved. These cars are strong! It wasn’t the same for the #73 car after I screwed up our plans. We were able to find each other on the track with enough time left for Derek to finally through down a flyer putting him into third place! After the shuffle I was placed sixth with our other sister car ninth. The race was a different story. It being our first four hour race ever I took the start cautiously making sure we would be there for the finish. I was able to keep the car in the top ten but after about thirty minutes we ran into some mechanical issues forcing me into the garage for repair. The team worked their butts off to get the car fixed! Changing a half shaft and a wheel bearing in under sixty minutes allowing me to get back out only losing thirty laps! The car was still very strong after the fix but would be tough to fight back for the top spots. I was still able to help out our sister cars draft down the straights gapping their competition. Overall it was an amazing team effort to get the #73 to victory lane! A little bittersweet for the sister cars #52 and #37 crashing out of the race but a flawless race by all for sure! Can’t say enough about this team and how much they all deserve a strong victory! We hope for many more to come! Totally new to the MINI JCW Team for 2017 was Mike LaMarra who had won the ST championship in a BMW that current LAP team principal Luis Perocarpi had built. LaMarra as we notedput in a workmanlike appraoch to the weekend and learning the idiocyncosis of the FWD MINI. He talked to us about the Roar and race weekend, “I really enjoyed driving the MINI and the support from the manufacturer and team is amazing. James Vance and I have signed for the year with MINI JCW and I think we have a good pairing. We struggled 18 - MotorWerks Magazine
a little with the handling at the Roar and on the Thursday before qualifying, but once we identified the way we wanted the car to be engineered, the team provided us with a great car for raceday. The drivability and balance of the MINI is simply amazing. We were grateful for the team’s effort working diligently to provide us with a great race car that was also fun to drive and fast. This was the first time for me in the MINI and driving a front wheel drive car w hich takes some adjustment (from rear wheel drive), but I am hopeful that Daytona was a leading indicator for the things to come this season. The MINI can be a serious contender and we hope to see the podium, along with our teammates,sometime soon.” That rounds up the team report from Daytona. And now onto something else equally as important.
Not all things are equal!
By Ian Rae This is an informative piece for those not totally aware of how cars like the Porsche Cayman, MINI JCW, Mazda Miata and BMW 328i can all run together in the same class. On the road you know the Porsche is quicker than the MINI but here at Daytona the MINI was dominant. While MINI fans love that don’t get to excited yet. IMSA has a thing called BoP or Balance of Performance. In other words they balance to perfomance of the cars to match them; it sounds a great idea and should provide close racing for the fans which can only be good for the sport. But it is a difficult thing to do as certain cars suit certain tracks, the MINI for example has the aero of a brick and good aero is needed around Daytona. Other than brake pads, shocks and safety equipment, the LAP MINIs are not much different than the street cars sold in MINI showrooms. In fact a road going MINI is probably quicker in a straight line than the race version with the BoP rules implemented.! So to many people their winning in such a dominant fashion was a surprise. Normally if you are really quick and have bad aero the reason is lots of horsepower, but you can quantify that and see the lap times of many of the leading cars were all very close. So what else allowe the MINI to run up front three times? Good tactics and calls from the pits? For sure that can account for it. But Luis and his crew worked hard over the winter on drivetrain and suspension, that helped for sure. Now all I wish for is no change in BoP for at least a few races. Unfortunately IMSA can change it tomorrow with no warning and that is not good for MINI fans!
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MINIChallengeCorner
REECE BARR Heads to MINI UK Challenge Reese Barr recently made his car racing debut with ExcelR8 Motorsport as the young racer stepped up to car racing as part of the new British GT racing calendar. The 16 year-old from Belfast has started his 2017 preparations with ExcelR8 Motorsport with an impressive outing with the big boys at the Snetterton race circuit in Norfolk. Barr who just completed his GCSE year at school said, ͞I’m really excited to be joining the Andy Priaulx Young Drivers Academy and my seat with ExcelR8 Motorsport for my development campaign. There is loads of interest in this series and the competition will be incredibly close, but I know ExcelR8 will give me a great car and working with the Andy Priaulx team will provide the necessary support to learn and develop my skills. So many great drivers have developed their racing careers in this championship and this are exactly where I want to be. The young racer is on steep learning curve and has 20 - MotorWerks Magazine
prepared well for the new championship format which will run over six rounds alongside the 2017 SRO British GT calendar and two headlining Mini Festivals at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch. He will also be pushing hard to be part of the 2017 Porsche Young Drivers Programme as he continues his development with leading Porsche team IN2 Racing for 2018. Nick Dudfield team principal at IN2 Racing added, “Reece is a real talent and from what we’ve seen he has what it takes to be a great racing driver and he’s a very professional kid who is taking his opportunities very serious.”
PAUL BELL Graduates to MINI UK Challenge Scottish Celtic Speed MINI Cooper Cup Champion Paul Bell is moving south in 2017. It is not a full time move but the director at Balgonie Motor Company is shifting his focus from racing MINIs in Scotland to joining the MINI
New partnership with Elms MINI Cambridge Charlie B-H to help launch new MINI Countryman
UK Challenge and emulating fellow Scotsman Chris Knox who is the only two time Challenge Champion. Bell will be joining AReeve Motorsport and will be racing one of their F56 JCW cars. He said, “I am looking forward to the new challenge, Chris Knox proved racing MINIs in Scotland gives you all the qualifications needed to be competitive in the MINI UK Challenge, I think I will do just fine.” After winning the Celtic Speed MINI Cooper Cup his prize was a test in in the JCW car which Henry Neal and Team Dynamics ran last year. The test was organized through links with his home track Knockhil Racing Circuit in Fife and newly crowned BTCC Champion Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden and Matt Neal. Neal put Bell behind the wheel of Henry’s JCW MINI so he could show his pace. An ecstatic Bell told us, “ I was hooked from the get go! The power and handling of the JCW car was phenominal, Matt Neal was very hands on, helping me get comfortable in the car and pointing me in the right direction in getting the maximum out of the JCW on track. Thanks to Matt, Henry and ‘Flash’, for putting this together, the test was a dream come true.” He went on, “Now signing with AReeve Motorsport, I am moving on to the next step of the ladder. It will be a challenge in more ways than one, but I am confident I am up to the task and April can’t come soon enough!”
MINI CHALLENGE star Charlie Butler-Henderson has teamed up with Elms MINI Cambridge for the 2017 season. Former CHALLENGE champion Butler-Henderson, who is also a Brand Ambassador for MINI UK, will feature Elms Cambridge logos on his car and race suit throughout the year, and will also be a key part of the dealership’s promotional activity this year. As part of the new deal, Butler-Henderson will be attending the launch of the new MINI Countryman at the Cambourne dealership on February 11, complete with his F56 JCW CHALLENGE racing car. Elms MINI staff will also attend selected MINI CHALLENGE races this year as VIP guests. Butler-Henderson said: “It’s great to have this partnership with a mainstream dealership like Elms MINI Cambridge, and I’m really excited to have them on-board for this season. “I’ve been talking with Daniel Lynas and Stephanie Campin from Elms for a few months now and I see this as a really exciting partnership that has the potential to be a long-term arrangement. “The launch of the new MINI Countryman will be a great thing to be involved with. It will allow customers and MINI fans the chance to do a meet and greet with me and get up close and personal with the awesome F56 JCW CHALLENGE race car, as well as the new road-going Countryman, which looks a superb piece of kit.”
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O’DWYER Joins AReeve Motorsport AReeve Motorsport is pleased to announce the signing of Sheffield driver Richard O’Dwyer to join Scotsman Paul Bell in the premier JCW class of the 2017 MINI UK Challenge. With O’Dwyer’s signing the Aaron Reeve now has a full complement of racers in every class of the prestigious MINI UK Challenge. New for 2017 is the MINI Challenge JCW class running on SRO Motorsports Group race weekends, headlined by the British GT and the BRDC Formula 3 Championships. AReeve Motorsport team principal Aaron Reeve said “We are very much looking forward to working with Richard in 2017 and have him join the ARM team, he has previously showed good pace in the VAG Trophy and has lots of MINI experience from his Time Attack days.” He went on, “We’re delighted to work alongside such an enthusiastic and passionate driver during the upcoming 2017 Mini UK Challenge JCW season. Being part of the British GT package will gain the series and drivers more exposure and you can be sure that ARM will be focusing on having our drivers running at the front of the grid.”
is going to be a great year I can’t wait to get started and get to Oulton Park in April.”
A Reeve Performance is an independent BMW, Audi, Porsche and Mini specialist based in King’s Lynn. For over 10 years, A Reeve Performance has supplied servicing, repairs and MOTs to all makes and models of vehicles. A Reeve Motorsport is the competition arm of the company and has been http://www.arperformance.co.uk www.facebook.com/areevemsp Formerly a standout in British Time Attack Richard O’Dwyer is a 28 year old from Sheffield, England. More famous for his TVShack.net legal issues with the United States government O’Dywer is determined to put that behind him and to make his mark in motorsport; moving to the MINI UK Challenge marks his second season in circuit racing. https://facebook.com/odwyerracing78/ http://www.odwyermotorsport.com
BLADON takes the Challenge MINI Challenge Cooper champion Max Bladon will make his endurance racing debut at Daytona International Speedway as his prize for winning the Sunoco Challenge contest. Bladon beat off competition from 166 drivers competing across eleven other UK categories to win the Sunoco Challenge, which rewards the highest-scoring driver over the season with a fully funded race outing in the Continental Tire Sporscar Challenge four-hour support race at the Daytona 24 Hours. He will now swap his MINI Cooper for a Racers Edge run Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4. A happy O’Dwyer said, “It will be good to get back into a MINI, I enjoyed my time with one in Time Attack. The new JCW car is different with the sequential box but the basics are just the same. I am absolutely delighted to be stepping up to the MINI UK Challenge series, I’ve watch the championship for a few years and never ever imagined I would be on the grid. It was great to be part of the team’s first Autosport show and having a test outing in the JCW class car recently and I know they have the same enthusiasm and drive to win as I do. 2017 The Ultimate Reading Experience - 23
SCOTT JEFFS tests F56 MINI at Rockingham Our man in the UK, Mark Campbell met up with Scott and his father at Rockingham for a test day in their new JCW class MINI Mark told us, “As soon as he headed out he looked strong on the corners and was getting quicker on each lap once the tyres had reached their optimal tempreture. Scott told us that the car felt very different from the R56 Cooper S which he raced in last year. He didn’t have anything bad to say about the R56 as it’s a very quick car in its own right and was perfect for the transition from karting to cars. He found it very forgiving and was a great car to learn the ropes in. However when he got into the F56, it straight away felt like he was in a proper race car, some of the main differences he noticed were; the Quaife Sequential gear box felt much quicker than the R56 synchromesh gearbox. He prefered the new Cosworth PI Research dash as it’s much easier to read. Adding in a noticeable increase in speed and power from the 1.6 turbo’s R56 to the 2.0 turbo in the F56, brought a smile to his face. The handling felt very sensitive in a positive way but the track conditions were poor he had not got a good feel of the car yet and was not confident in pushing harder as there was nothing to gain. He also intimated the gear box is much nosier due to the straight cut gears making it harder to listen to any noises the car may be making, but it sure makes it feel like a real race car.” Jeff added, “Overall it was a good day settling into the car, I am really looking forward to testing at Silverstone GP circuit in February.
For Scott Jeffs news watch www.carsceneuk.com
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GEORGE SUTTON RACING is a GO for MINI CHALLENGE UK in 2017 George Sutton, 16, comes from a Karting background, his father supporting him in the sport from a young age, now the duo stepping up their game, by moving up the MINI UK CHALLENGE. The move will be a large one for George who will be the youngest competitor on the grid; all eyes will be on him to see what he can bring to the show with many other drivers of different ages and experience. The teenager has been competing in national motorsport for the past four years in cluding last year’s Junior Saloon Championship. His father Mick Sutton said: “George is currently testing out his new car before the racing season starts in April. He is sixteen now and eligible to compete in an adult series. To do that we had to get a new car and sponsorship for the series. The new car is three times more powerful and the MINI UK CHALLENGE championship is a major step-up for us.” He went on, “Competing with professional racing drivers is a huge leap forward for George. The Mini Challenge UK Championship is extremely high profile, it is great that all eight rounds will be televised on TV and the crowds can number as many as 25,000 to 30,000. We will be running a two-year campaign. We are all very proud of what George has achieved. He has won some very highlevel races. The move to the MINI Challenge is the next step on the ladder to his career goal of competing and winning in the British Touring Car Championship.” George works in his spare time for a kart racing team as a mechanic and driver coach for cadet kart drivers to help fund his racing career.
BTCCBMW West Surrey Racing are proud to reveal the BMW 125i M Sport to be raced by Andrew Jordan in the 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. The WSR-designed-and-built car was officially unveiled at Europe’s largest racing car show, Autosport International, in Birmingham on Thursday January 12. Jordan, the 2013 BTCC drivers’ champion, joined Dick Bennetts, Team Principal of WSR, the reigning series champion constructor and team, to reveal the BMW to the media and public. Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Champions WSR had an excellent three days of testing prior to the show with new signing Andrew Jordan completing many miles of important winter running. Andrew, who will race for WSR in the BTCC for the next two seasons, got behind the wheel of his BMW 125i M Sport for the first time at Brands Hatch on Tuesday and the 2013 series champion completed further running at Donington Park on Thursday and at Silverstone on Friday. With the BMW running in an interim livery this week, Andrew – who has never raced a rear-wheel-drive touring car – gained valuable experience of the machine that guided WSR to the BTCC teams’ and constructors’ titles in 2016. After completing 119 laps in tricky and changeable track conditions at Brands Hatch – the venue for the opening round of the 2017 BTCC – on Tuesday, WSR then chalked up a further eighty laps at Donington and even more at Silverstone as a variety of set-up options were evaluated. Jordan also sampled Dunlop’s new-specification tyres,
which will become mandatory in next year’s series. Jordan said: “I’m really pleased with how it’s gone this week with the BMW. From day one at Brands Hatch the 125i M Sport felt very user-friendly and it didn’t take me very long to feel at home – despite some changeable weather. You can really feel the level of engineering that’s gone into the this car and that’s made things much easier to adapt to, especially as I’m also learning a rear-wheeldrive touring car after spending my entire BTCC race career in front-wheel-drive machinery. It’s also been great to start working with the engineers and mechanics and start building relationships with everybody in the team.” Dick Bennetts, WSR Team Principal, said: “It will hopefully pay off when you can start your winter testing programme before Christmas, so to have three days of solid running this week and to give Andrew some experience at three different circuits with the BMW is definitely going to benefit him and the team. The car is still in 2016 trim, as we still have to convert it to use all of the mandatory components for next season, but we’re not far off and this week has helped us to see where we are and given us lots of very useful data that we’ll now analyse.” Website: http://www.wsr-racing.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/West-SurreyRacing-262917063914071/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Official_WSR
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Powerbrake unveiled their new S-Line BBK This new range has been specifically developed for the street-performance and track day markets and matches our new mid-size 6-piston S-Line caliper to either 330x32mm or 350x32mm 2-piece floating disc assemblies. Our S-Line big brake kits include a lot of design DNA and features directly from our championship winning X-Line race brake systems and truly bring race brake technology to your road or track day car. S-Line big brake kits are available in a choice of caliper colours, which is a first from Powerbrake and will be appreciated by our street-tuning customers. We are confident to claim that none of our competitors can currently match the balance of features, materials, hardware, manufacturing processes and pricing that we are delivering with our new S-Line range. To view the catalog follow the link below https://issuu.com/motorwerksmagazine/docs/ powerbrake_s-line_big_brake_kit
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PRI 2016 A photo pictorial Photos by Ian Rae and David Lewis
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The ST Suspensions DZX wheel spacer features a patented adapter ring to center the spacer
Steve Schardt of Forgeline grabs a few minutes to himself during a busy show.
Bob Schuetz of KW Automotive shows the new ST Suspensions DZX wheel spacer line. 36 sets of spacers, 45 adapter rings fit 19,000+ combinations
I talked E85 and fuel injectors with Jens von Holten of the Fuel Injector Clinic 28 - MotorWerks Magazine
James Clay of BimmerWorld/ Suspension discuss racing. (W
The Fuel Injector Clinic can handle all sorts of injector sizes especially if you are going E85
Johan Drenth and US Auto Performance were displaying the line of Drenth Motorsport Gearboxes
/Lifeline USA and Jerome van Gool of Motion Control What else would they talk about?)
Motion Control Suspension build both road and race suspensions in Atlanta, GA Have you heard of The Docol R Series tubing? It has advantages over CrMo tubing. Article coming! The Ultimate Reading Experience - 29
Now available from the High Performance Academy Our new Engine Building Fundamentals Course. The introductory price of $129USD won’t last long!
www.hpacademy.com/cour‌/engine-building-fundamentals 30 - MotorWerks Magazine
Daryl and Jill Perusic of PE Racing were again on hand to showcase their state of the art easy to install pedal box. Their simulator allowed attendees to see how functional and adaptable it is.
If you are looking for a hand held fire extinguisher for your car, there is none better than Safecraft.
New player in the clutch market, Australia’s Xtreme Clutch were recommended by Harrop Eng to me! The PRI Trade Show Is The Epicenter Of New Racing Technology Buyers From All 50 States And 70+ Countries, 1,200 Exhibiting Companies Totaling Over 3,000 Booths, More New Racing Products Than Anywhere On Earth TRADE ONLY!
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FactoryRacecar The BMW M235i Racing Shows its pace!
Released in 2014 in Europe the car is used in series and events such as the VLN Endurance Championship and the Nürburgring 24 Hours on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The BMW M235i Racing is also successful on international stages for BMW Sports Trophy drivers. The motorsport genes are also easily recognisable in the production version of the BMW M235i Coupé, courtesy of the aerodynamically optimised body design. It is propelled by the most powerful petrol engine developed so far for a BMW M Performance Automobile: a sixcylinder in-line engine with M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology. With a capacity of 2,979ccm, the racing version is capable of generating 333hp. Motorsport-specific driving aids such as ABS, DSC and traction control provide the required support motorsport newcomers will benefit from. The car also comes with mechanical limited-slip differential, which is also available for the BMW M235i Coupé in the original BMW Parts range. The racing car is also fitted with features such as the FIA-certified safety cell and the modern safety tank. On top of this come components from the BMW M Performance Parts range, such as the rear and front spoilers, diffusor and carbon wing mirrors. 32 - MotorWerks Magazine
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt says,“The basis our engineers had to start with when developing the racing version of the BMW M235i Coupé was exceptionally good. The production models from the BMW M Performance Automobiles range are already incredibly sporty. Because of this, we did not have to make many modifications in order to get the BMW M235i Coupé up and running as a racing car. BMW Motorsport can look back on a long tradition of allowing ambitious teams and drivers an affordable way into motor racing and of offering them an absolutely competitive car. While in 2016 the BMW M6 GT3 will be the top of the BMW model range in customer racing, the new BMW M235i Racing means we are excellently positioned in the field of production-based racing cars.” Our Editor Ian Rae, watched the debut of the M235i Racing in the 2016 PWC with interest and was not surprised when it was successful. Then towards the end of the year the cars started coming out of the woodwork. Turner Motorsport announced they would be running three cars in the PWC in 2017. Rae said, “Will Turner is a smart guy and he knows people will be lining up to get into one of the M235iR seats. the car is great value
for money and with the PWC race format you get lots of seat-time every weekend. I am hearing of lots of cars coming to North America and in more than one series too. I had the chance to crawl over the Classic BMW Motorsports cars at CTMP and they are indeed a work of art. When you read the reports on the cars in the following pages you will see that they are economical to run and easy to drive. Plus you have the track support from BMW as well., that almost makes it as good as being a factory team.” In addition to Turner Motorsport adding three cars Samantha Tan Racing is switching from Honda to the BMW M235iR and adding another for fellow Canadian Nick Wittmer. Samantha’s father Ken will be team principal with Benjamin Distaulo taking the team managers job. The Canadian Touring Car Championship may see up to four of the cars; series owner John Bondar told us, “I am excited to see these cars come to the CTCC. They are excellent value for a proven product. We have always had a healthy entry of BMWs, the M235iR brings in the next generation of BMW racecar and one that is truly focused towards the privateer racer. I can’t wait to see them running here in Canada.”
SPECIFICATIONS DIMENSIONS Length: 4,454mm Max. width: 1,862mm (without mirrors) Height: 1,380mm Wheel base: 2,690mm Max. track width: 1,608mm ENGINE / TRANSMISSION Straight six-cylinder petrol engine BMW M Performance TwinPower Turbo Capacity: 2,979ccm Output: 333bhp Torque: 450Nm Racing exhaust with racing catalytic converters Steering wheel with shift paddles BMW M Performance limited-slip differential TANK Motorsport safety tank SUSPENSION / STEERING KW dampers H&R suspension springs Front: H&R anti-roll bar (2-way) Rear: H&R anti-roll bar BRAKES Front: High-performance motorsport braking system with Performance Friction (PFC); 4-pot fixed caliper Rear: BMW M Performance 2-pot braking system ABS / DSC / ASC BMW Motorsport specific racing application
In BMW M Performance livery 24h Nürburgring 2014
TYRES / WHEELS BBS 18x10 inch alloy rims SAFETY COMPONENTS Cage with DMSB certificate and FIA approval 6-point racing harness from Schroth Racing seat RECARO Pro Racer SPG
Martino, Oberheim, Warum, Kratz driving the Team Securtal Sorg Rennsport, 24h Nürburgring 2015 The Ultimate Reading Experience - 33
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MOMOMOTORSPORT
by Eric Maas, Classic BMW Motorsport Photos by Ian Rae
ip h s n io p m a h C ic s s la C A
The whole thing seems surreal. With no real plans to do anything mind blowing for the 2016 season, I was met with a text from Toby Grahovec shortly after the BMW Sports Trophy event he attended in Munich in December. He told me that BMW had decided to bring the M235iR to the United States and that the car would be able to compete in the TC division of Pirelli World Challenge Series. We quickly made the decision to buy two cars and work with BMW to get them dialed in for racing in the U.S. Testing went well and the cars were delivered to Classic BMW roughly three weeks prior to the season opener at Circuit of the Americas. Out of the box the cars were ready to go. We did a small amount of testing and felt comfortable with the cars and we crossed our fingers as we headed to Austin. It actually seemed to go to be true. Race ready out of the box? Reliable and competitive? This venture was very different from the racing efforts that we have been making over the last 12 years. At COTA the cars were fast. Gino Carini had a bit of a bump with a wall and we were challenged to get the car running in a straight line all weekend, but Toby Grahovec had his car dialed in immediately and positioned the car near the front of the field in early practice and eventually grabbed P2 in first qualifying session. The cars were full of power, but still a bit heavy making the twisty sections a challenge but the long back straight
was a blessing and evened things out a bit. Race one was a quick glimpse into what the entire TC season would be like. It was a constant change of leadership at the front of the pack with lead changes occuring several times during each lap. Vesko Kosarov and his Nissan managed to muscle his way into the lead and Toby had little answer for the Nissan 370Z. Our focus for the season from our initial conversation to the last race of the year was our mantra, “a podium finish is a victory.� Race one ended with the Classic BMW M235iR finishing on the podium in its very first appearance on American
soil! Race two found the M235iR and Grahovec battling for the lead early on and obtaining the lead mid-race---and never relinquishing! The first race win for Classic BMW Motorsports and the M235iR, proving our choice of the new cars was the right one. I flew to Munich after the race for the BMW 100 year anniversary celebration and had the thought that this may have been the last victory for BMW during its first hundred years. It may have marked the end of a fantastic century and the beginning of the next hundred years would be filled with many more podiums and more victories, even
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a driver’s championship for Toby Grahovec and a Team Championship for Classic BMW Motorsports! The year was amazing! The battles were intense and as we battled onward, we continued to place on the podium with ten out of twelve finishes. The combination of Grahovec and the M235iR had victories in Austin and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) and amassed 1146 total points for the season. The racing in the TC class was by far the most entertaining of all of the Pirelli World Challenge classes and thankfully Toby had the 36 - MotorWerks Magazine
stamina to fight his way to the top. Our relationship with BMW has been professional and one based on a total partnership. The future for this program is uber bright as more racing concepts will appear in the years ahead. The initial year of racing will prove to be a precursor to the great years ahead for both BMW and for its customer owners and drivers. I foresee more championships during the next hundred years of BMW!
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Toby grahovec TC Champ
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pion
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Classic BMW TC Team Ch
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hampion
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AClassicYear for Toby Grahovec
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Toby Gravohec is an integral part of the Classic BMW team; more than a team manager, more than a race car driver and more than a Pirelli World Challenge class champion. He explained how that came about, “I began racing for Classic BMW in 2005 at the SCCA Runoffs at Mid-Ohio, where we qualified on pole and won the race. I continued racing in SCCA, US Touring Car, Grand-Am, NASA, and Pirelli World Challenge over the last decade and even moved to Texas to be with the team. I began working at the dealership full-time after moving south in 2014 to become manager of the race team after the passing of our former manager Tom Bull. The race team also takes care of all of the performance upgrade installations for customers at the dealership.” So how did Toby and Classic BMW make the decision to race the M235iR in North America? Toby told us. “When we first heard that BMW was going build the M235iRacing, we immediately contacted BMW asking them to bring this race car to the USA because it seemed like it would be an exciting platform to race and since Classic BMW is a BMW Motorsport dealer, we can sell these cars and the parts that go with them. At that point we decided the team should campaign them and show potential customers their full potential. Racing the M235iR has also helped us gain valuable knowledge about the car and that we can share with our clients.” As the car was originally built to compete in the M235i Racing Cup we wondered what needed to be done to meet the TC class rules? Toby told us, “Not too much
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really, we had to install the optional wing package to the M235iR and lower the power level to meet PWC’s TC class specifications. They also required us to install a Motec data system to monitor the car’s performance.” He went on, talking about the car, “Overall, the M235iR is a very well balanced car. The greatest advantage of the car is the speed at which it upshifts gears. The handling is amazing and the reliability of the car is excellent. It’s difficult to criticise the car since its performance is generally great, but we have a disadvantage in that it is not quite as nimble as the lighter cars in the series.” He raved about benefits of the automatic transmission, “Driving the M235iR without a clutch improves the reliability of the vehicle’s drivetrain. You do not have to worry about over-revving the engine and that in turn extends the length of time we can run the engine and reduces the cost of motor rebuilds.” When asked about the learning curve with the new car and how he managed to put it in the Winner’s Circle in only the second race he said, “BMW Motorsports was involved with us every step of the way providing engineering support. They were a great asset to our team this year and we could not have won the championship without them.” Asked about the M235iR favoring any particular type of track, he did not take long to say, “In general, it’s suited to most of the tracks in the series. However, it performed particularly well at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin and Road America
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Toby Gravohec is an integral part of the Classic BMW team; more than a team manager, more than a race car driver and more than a Pirelli World Challenge class champion. He explained how that came about, “I began racing for Classic BMW in 2005 at the SCCA Runoffs at Mid-Ohio, where we qualified on pole and won the race. I continued racing in SCCA, US Touring Car, Grand-Am, NASA, and Pirelli World Challenge over the last decade and even moved to Texas to be with the team. I began working at the dealership full-time after moving south in 2014 to become manager of the race team after the passing of our former manager Tom Bull. The race team also takes care of all of the performance upgrade installations for customers at the dealership.” So how did Toby and Classic BMW make the decision to race the M235iR in North America? Toby told us. “When we first heard that BMW was going build the M235iRacing, we immediately contacted BMW asking them to bring this race car to the USA because it seemed like it would be an exciting platform to race and since Classic BMW is a BMW Motorsport dealer, we can sell these cars and the parts that go with them. At that point we decided the team should campaign them and show potential customers their full potential. Racing the M235iR has also helped us gain valuable knowledge about the car and that we can share with our clients.” As the car was originally built to compete in the M235i Racing Cup we wondered what needed to be done to meet the TC class rules? Toby told us, “Not too much really, we had to install the optional wing package to the M235iR and lower the power level to meet PWC’s TC class specifications. They also required us to install a Motec data system to monitor the car’s performance.” He went on, talking about the car, “Overall, the M235iR is a very well balanced car. The greatest advantage of the car is the speed at which it upshifts gears. The handling is amazing and the reliability of the car is excellent. It’s difficult to criticise the car since its performance is generally great, but we have a disadvantage in that it is not quite as nimble as the lighter cars in the series.” He raved about benefits of the automatic transmission, “Driving the M235iR without a clutch improves the reliability of the vehicle’s drivetrain. You do not have to worry about over-revving the engine and that in turn extends the length of time we can run the engine and reduces the cost of motor rebuilds.” When asked about the learning curve with the new car
and how he managed to put it in the Winner’s Circle in only the second race he said, “BMW Motorsports was involved with us every step of the way providing engineering support. They were a great asset to our team this year and we could not have won the championship without them.” Asked about the M235iR favoring any particular type of track, he did not take long to say, “In general, it’s suited to most of the tracks in the series. However, it performed particularly well at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin and Road America in Wisconsin. I was glad it suited COTA as my most significant memory of the year was winning the second race of the season at COTA because it was the first race victory for the M235iR in the USA and the first race any M235iR had ever competed against other manufacturers. Additionally, it was rewarding to win in Texas in front of our hometown fans and family members. It came close to matching my most significant memory of the year which was the birth of my son in September, right before the last race of the year.” His hopes for 2017? “More of the same, our goal is to continue to get podium finishes, score points and hopefully win the championship again.” Now the season is over there is only one event left on the schedule, BMW’s big night in Munich where they honor their winners and champions. Toby told us, “Last year I got an invite that says you are in the top twentyfive. This year I got an early invite for winning the PWC TC championship so that was sort of cool”
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Milwaukee’s Gino Carini drove the second M235iR for Classic BMW Motorsports during the 2016 PWC season. When asked, “How did you get involved with the Classic BMW team?” he replied, “I have known Toby for years and raced against him as a club racer. We’ve always had a good competitive racer/friendship relationship. In 2015 I raced against him in Pirelli World Challenge in the TCA class at Road America where I was driving a TechSport Mazda RX8. Toby and I had battled all weekend long, door to door and just had a super clean race. He beat me for the last podium spot by 1/1000 of a second with a last corner pass. Not what I was looking for but something to be proud of looking back.” He went on, “After the season was over I was attending the PRI Show in Indy, we ran into each other, talked about plans for the 2016 season. At that time, I had some options, but nothing contracted as of yet. He explained to me that he had something “confidential” that he was looking to talk to me specifically about…….it turned out to be this Classic BMW program with the new BMW M235iR.” “I took a chance and I passed on a couple of other offers with other manufacturers just hoping that the BMW deal would come through. Because if it didn’t I would be scrambling in the 25th hour to find a ride. So, I waited penitently with updates from Toby and BMW MotorSports in Germany as to the status of the cars. The crazy part was, I had nothing from Classic BMW in writing until two weeks before COTA because at that point we still didn’t even have cars. All we knew was that the cars had been shipped from Germany and were waiting release at customs. Then eleven days before the season opener at COTA, we got the news that the cars were being released from Customs in New Jersey and would be at Classic BMW within days. So I immediately booked a flight to Dallas for a day of testing with both of our half stickered, half livery’ed (I made this word up) cars. And it turned out to be amazing!!! Waiting till the last moment made me anxious but after that first test it was big smiles all ruound.” When asked for his thoughts on the M235iR racecar and what do you think its strengths and weaknesses are? Calmly he said, “First let me say that with all the support we have received from BMW, my transition into this racecar has been pretty simple. The strengths of the M235iR is that it’s a real easy car to learn to drive. 48 - MotorWerks Magazine
DREAMS
Come True Words by Gino Carini, Classic BMW Motorsport Photos by Ian Rae
Mostly because it reacts exactly how you want it too, it’s the kind of car anyone can race.” Additionally he said, “The car is solid well built car and has this amazing ability to deliver grip and power when you need it most. The 8 speed transmission is just “insane”. I have raced automatic paddle shift cars before, but this trans is like no other. It’s almost fool proof. To have the confidence that you can’t over-rev on the downshifts just takes one more thing to worry about during a race. The only weakness I can think of how the Pirelli World Challenge BOP Rules have made the car so heavy. We are 100’s of pounds heavier than the heaviest race car out there. But with that being said, both Toby and I still managed to run only two sets of brakes and pads for an entire season of testing and racing!! Look at that, another strength!! It is inexpensive to maintain.” When asked about the differences between this car and something similar that still has a clutch rather than a
torque convertor, Gino smiled and said, “Three words…. Speed, Ease and Simplicity. It’s going to be tough for me ever to go back to a standard stick shift race car after this experience.” We talked about the tracks the PWC visits and what was his best event and favorite track? “That’s easy: Road America and Road America. With Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca coming in a close second. Road America is my home track and is one of the best race facilities in the world. The fact that I have a ton of miles around RA doesn’t hurt either. When we get so much support from local businesses, media and to have all our family and friends attend, along with our local sponsors come out, it’s just so incredible. Sadly, TC will not be racing at RA in 2017.” Asked about his most significant memory of the year, Gino responded in typical team player fashion. “That would have to be for the team, it was Toby’s first podium
at COTA with the M235iR which was the also the first in the US, then winning the Team Championship at the end of the season just capped the year off for me. Both were equally exciting and pretty damn rewarding for me and everyone at Classic BMW, BMW MotorSports and my personal sponsor Palermo’s Screamin Sicilian Pizza.” His hopes for 2017? Obviously to be back with Classic BMW Motorsports racing the same car and maybe winning a race or two. Gino Carini has been racing for fifteen years. When not at the track he is President of the Marenzo Construction Group who are also one of his associate sponsors. Carini is hoping to be back in one of the Classic BMW Motorsports M235iR cars in 2017.
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During a discussion with Eric Maas, the owner of Classic BMW and the driving force behind Classic BMW Motorsports he told us there were changes coming in 2017. “Our Motorsports division will be closing down and will be replaced with a new LLC titled Fast Track Racing. Fast Track will be the racing entity that will be handling all of the coordinating and race functions for Classic BMW including crewing and team management for our clients that will be racing in Pirelli World Challenge and other series for 2017.” He went on, “Classic BMW will be selling all of the BMW produced racing cars and will still be the source for all BMW Racing and Motorsports Parts. We believe that there will be enormous interest in the m235iR as well as the soon to be launched M4GT4 especially with IMSA going that route with the GS class of the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge.” One point Eric emphasized, were the benefits to running as a privateer in a major series with a BMW, “All drivers and teams running BMWs can enter the 50 - MotorWerks Magazine
BMW Sports Trophy Drivers’ and Team Competition. They score points based on their finishing position, the type of event and the number of starters in their class. The competition is open to racers and teams worldwide and has lucrative payouts, the drivers share 250,000 Euros with the winner taking home 30,000 Euros ($32,700) and even the 25th placed driver gets 2.000 Euros. The teams vie for a total of 100,000 Euros with the top team also taking home 30,000 Euros.”
Classic BMW and Fast Track Racing 6800 N Dallas Pkwy Plano, Texas Phone: 1 214-778-2605 E-Mail: tgrahovec@classicbmw.com
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Rossa Veloce - RMP Competizione
I first met Rocco Marciello and Mike Delle Donne back in 2010 when they were running a pair of BMW 330i cars in the Canadian Touring Car Championship. It was odd for two proud racers of Italian extraction to be fans of BMWs but they are. Mind you Rocco’s car of choice for Ontario regional events is a Triumph TR8 that he has used to good effect and won the 2012-13 and 2015 GT1 CASC GT Sprints Championship. The duo had some issues with reliability that made them withdraw from the series after a few years but they took the off time to sort them out and in 2016 they came back with a vengeance. With new engines, suspensions, modifications and tuning under the belt, the pair of 2006 BMW 325i’s equipped with BMW’s N52 motors showed they were ready for the new season after a hugely successful test at Shannonvile on the Fabi circuit. The CTCC opener at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (Mosport) vindicated at the hard work that was put in with the cars running well and being reliable all weekend, the weekend turned out to be a great success with 52 - MotorWerks Magazine
Michael DelleDonne finishing on the podium taking a stellar third place out of an impressive thirty cars that raced over the weekend. A week later and it was off to Calabogie and the second round of the CTCC. as well as being a double header with the GT Sprints series. Confident in the BMWs new found reliability Marciello and DelleDonne decided to run the cars in both series. Lap times dropped and both cars showed they were capable of running at the front of the field. The cars again proved to be reliable and with over four hours of racing Marciello finished the weekend with three podium finishes. By then the North American market and racing scene had started to talk about BMW’s one make championship for the M235iR that had been pressed into service by Classic Motorsports and was the car to beat in the Pirelli World Challenge’s TC class. When talking about the M235iR with Marciello you can see he is excited about racing the car in 2017. I got to climb all over the car and check out some of the super trick things that BMW built into the car that makes it so
Notice the second brake reservoir adding to the brake fluid capacity when running endurance races
Low maintenance powerplant for affordable racing suitable for a multitude of races. Being originally created for an endurance racer BMW Motorsport put a lot of thought into what was really required to make the car super competitive and low maintenance. The PFC brake calipers have HUGE pads in them to ensure long intervals between changes. When the pads wear down during a race the second brake reservoir makes sure there will be no shortage of brake fluid with the need to position the pads closer to the brake rotor. An inbuilt jack system is mounted to the chassis to help reduce tire change times. They really thought of it all.
All standard M235iR except for the Motec dash
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Rooster Hall Racing Stepping it up!
Another team aligning themselves with the BMW M235iR is Rooster Hall Racing (RHR) based in Louisa, VA. Todd Brown, owner of RHR, has a long history as an active BMW CCA member, driving school instructor and club racer. The RHR BMW M235iR debuted at Sonoma Raceway in a BMW CCA Club race before heading to Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca for the BMW CCA Oktoberfest event. Driven by longtime BMW CCA club racer Anthony Magagnoli and marked the first amateur entry of a BMW M235iR in the history of BMW CCA Club Racing Team RHR will campaign the BMW M235iR in the 2017 season of SCCA Pro Racing’s Pirelli World Challenge, in the TC class. Louisa, VA, August 16, 2016 – Following a successful test session at NJMP at the beginning of this month and continued development on the car, the RHR BMW M235iR will make its debut appearance at the BMW CCA Oktoberfest Club Races in Sonoma and Monterey, California on August 25th through the 27th. The car will be piloted by pro driver and coach, Anthony Magagnoli of DriveFasterNow, who resides in Dexter, MI, and will mark the first amateur team entry of a BMW M235iR in Club Racing in America. Rooster Hall Racing, along with Anthony Magagnoli 54 - MotorWerks Magazine
as its driver, is preparing to make its pro-racing debut next year, running the complete 2017 season of the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge (PWC). “I am thrilled to be teaming up with RHR for what I know will be a great racing relationship. I’ve worked with the Brown family for a few years now and know what a class act they are personally, how committed they are to their endeavors professionally, and how naturally well we work together. I thank Todd and the team for having the confidence in me to bring me on board and look forward to racing with BMWCCA at Oktoberfest before progressing with the team into the professional ranks next year!” Todd Brown, owner of RHR, has a long history as an active BMW CCA member, driving school instructor and Club Racer. In addition to sports car racing, Todd’s experience extends to Karts and Baja Racing. “I am proud to have assembled a
team capable of running up-front in the Pirelli World Challenge Series. As the first amateur owner of a BMW M235iR, I hope to demonstrate BMWs commitment to bring a proper and rather affordable race car to the public.” Anthony Magagnoli has been a BMW CCA Club Racer and driving instructor since 2007, is a facilitator of BMW CCA Club Racing Schools, and has been coaching and racing professionally since 2011 through his company DriveFasterNow. Anthony was the 2012 NASA SpecE30 series National Champion and is a Vehicle Dynamics Performance Engineer for FIAT/Chrysler Automobiles. For the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) races, live-streaming coverage is available online at www. world-challenge.com/streamvideo. Race fans can keep up-to-date with the RHR team via the RHR Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/
RoosterHallRacing, and Instagram and Twitter. About Rooster Hall Racing Rooster Hall Racing (RHR)campaigns four cars primarily in BMW CCA Club Racing. Drivers include owner Todd Brown, his son Sean Brown, and pro-driver Anthony Magagnoli. Eric Meyer is RHR’s full-time mechanic and crew chief. Anna Maripuu and Michelle Brown cover team media relations and logistics, respectively. BipolarAware.org: Carol Anne’s Mission for Bipolar Disorder Awareness is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization established in 2010 as a repository of information about Bipolar Disorder, an illness that affects as many as 1 in every 33 people. The website was established by Todd and Michelle Brown after the suicide of their daughter, Carol Anne. BipolarAware.Org is now the most visited website in the world with respect to Bipolar Disorder awareness. Information about RHR can be found at https://www. facebook.com/RoosterHallRacing/. For media information, including photography, email amaripuu@starpower.net.
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FCP Euro Partners with Rooster Hall Racing for 2017 Pirelli World Challenge Season FCP Euro is proud to announce its partnership with Rooster Hall Racing for the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge season. Rooster Hall Racing, and its President, Todd Brown of Louisa, VA, are campaigning the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge 6-race Touring Car (TC) schedule with a BMW M235i Racing. The 2017 schedule includes races at some of the most iconic racetracks across the United States and Canada, including Virginia International Raceway, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Lime Rock Park, Circuit of the Americas, Miller Motorsports Park, and Laguna Seca. The car will be piloted by professional driver and coach, Anthony Magagnoli of DriveFasterNow. com, who resides in Dexter, MI.
In addition to FCP Euro, two of its vendors - Rowe Motor Oil and Rein Automotive - are also providing support. ROWE has a history of winning races including the 2016 24 Hours of Spa in a BMW M6 GT3, and FCP Euro is excited to be working with ROWE to bring the same lubrication technology used on the track to its customers. In German, ‘rein’ means ‘pure.’ And in the automotive industry, the Rein Automotive name has quickly come to stand for quality and reliability. For many years, FCP Euro has worked closely with CRP Automotive, Rein’s parent company, to offer OE-quality automotive parts at significant savings without compromising quality. ROWE and Rein products can be found on www.fcpeuro. com. Todd Brown, President of Rooster Hall Racing and Brown Harris Wealth Management is no stranger to success and knows how to assemble a winning team. “In partnering with sponsors, it is truly important to me that their corporate culture align with our team and my investment firm. After visiting FCP Euro in Connecticut and meeting with both REIN Automotive and representatives from ROWE, I am confident that each company shares a vision to be the best in their respective industry. That being said, let’s go win some races!”
“Let’s go win some races!” FCP Euro is an online retailer of OEM, OE, and Genuine auto parts for European cars, specializing in BMW, Volvo, Audi, VW, Mercedes, and Porsche parts. “We have been selling European auto parts online since 2001, and we are honored to put our FCP Euro brand in front of an entirely new audience for us this year,” said FCP Euro President and Founder, Nick Bauer. “Todd Brown has assembled a team that has the car, the driver, and the support to run up front, and FCP Euro is looking forward to making this a long-lasting partnership.” FCP Euro CEO, Scott Drozd continued, “The Pirelli World Challenge partnership reinforces the FCP Euro brand nationally, positively impacting our business both on and off the track, and underlining our commitment to investing in our customers, our industry, and automotive enthusiasm throughout the world.”
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Technology and Coaching
Words by Ross Bentley, photos by Ian Rae When I first started instructing high performance and race drivers, I relied on four things - my eyes, my butt, my ears, and my voice. That’s because most of what I was doing was sitting in the right seat, telling students what to do. As I began coaching (which is different from instructing), I added a fifth - my feet to walk to different areas around the track, so I could observe the car and driver from the outside. While today these are still the Traditional coaching sitting alongside the student.
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main tools I use to help drivers perform better, I have added others. Technology provides us with many more tools. Over the past few years, the topic of how fast street cars have become, and whether instructors should be sitting in the right seat, has been discussed and argued over ad nauseam. As it should. It’s a serious topic. For a novice driver, there is no substitute for a good, qualified instructor in the passenger seat. Being able to instruct and advise a student in real time, and observe immediately what the driver is doing, is the best way. Technology cannot do a better job. With an advanced, experienced driver, someone in the car is more of a distraction for the learning process than it is a benefit. If I sit in the passenger seat with a driver of this level, providing commands and instructions, all the driver truly learns is how to follow my instructions. They’re not learning how to drive their car, based on what they see, feel, and hear. Let’s say you and I go to a track and I hop in your car, equipped with the latest and greatest data acquisition system, and set a sample lap. We look at my data - my
speed trace, throttle position, brake pedal pressure, steering wheel angle, what gears and RPM I’m using and then you go and work at matching what I did. What did you learn in that process? You learned what the car can do when I drive it (that may or may not be its limits). You learned how to copy my driving. What you didn’t learn in this process is how to feel the limits of the car, how to make it do what you want, how to figure out where the car should be placed on the track, how to feel how late you can brake for a corner, and so on. You didn’t figure out how to do that on your own, and you’ll need to rely on me (or someone else) to continue to set a datum lap to match. That’s a short-term fix, not a long one. If you’re looking
for one fast lap, at this track, on this day, then this is a good way to go about improving. But if you want to figure out how to drive fast, consistently, at any track, on any day... and without someone there to set a sample lap for you, then this is not the best approach. What about drivers who fit in between the novice and advanced categories? Currently, there seems to be an on-off switch with most instruction; a driver has an instructor in the car until he’s “signed off to solo,” at which point the driver is on his own. On. Off. There should be a transition, a weaning-off of an instructor. And technology can play a big role in this transition process. How? • Using data. There’s a whole book here. • Using video. A book could be written about using video review and analysis. • Using simulators. And once again, another book could be written about how to use simulators to help train drivers before they get on track. • Using radio communication. Notice that this is the only piece of technology that allows easy real-time instruction and coaching. Not the sexiest piece of technology, but effective.
SPEED SECRETS
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in a one-on-one situation. Here was a driver who was seemingly stuck at a best lap time he’d not been able to improve on in almost five years. He was excited about me hopping in the right seat, riding alongside him, and telling him how to drive faster. When I informed him that I would not be getting in the car with him, he was surprised. And disappointed. I reassured him that he would make good progress without me in the car, telling him what to do. In one day, he knocked just over four seconds off his best time. Without me The all important debrief AND lunch! riding in the car with him. There are all sorts of opportunities today for these tools For drivers who have come up through the car club high to be used in a way that transitions a driver from in-car performance driver education (HPDE) ranks, having a instruction to coaching from outside of the car. That’s a right-seat instructor is the only model they know. For good thing for both the driver, and the instructor. There’s drivers who have come through the open-wheel race car not enough room to get into the details of how each can ranks, coaching from outside of the car is the only model and should be used, but one thing is clear: Coaches and they know. instructors should be using technology. The best coaches have experience with, and use both inThe more tools a coach has in their toolbox, the more car and outside-of-the-car methods to help their drivers. productive they will be. Of course, I could have all the With the use of technology, coaching from outside the carpentry tools in the world in my toolbox, but I wouldn’t car is becoming easier. Not easy, but easier. recommend you live in a house I built! It’s what one does Preparing drivers used to mean giving them a paper track with the tools that matters. map and telling them to study it. Now, video is critical Just because a coach has many tools, such as data - and not just for watching a bunch of laps you found acquisition systems, video and video analysis tools, on YouTube (which may or may not be showing you the simulators, communication tools, and so on, Use your camera to record that doesn’t mean they know how to use them your lines, feet on the pedals, hands on the steering wheel. in a way that really helps the driver. In many After all it is all data! ways, these technology tools have become too accessible, allowing anyone with a laptop, video camera, and data system to claim they’re the best in the business. It’s what you do with your tools that matters. As a coach, I need to prioritize which tools I use, and make sure I’m using the right one for the job. It’s no different than knowing when to use an open-end wrench before a socket and ratchet. Some coaches get locked into believing that the ratchet is the only tool, when corner observation right things). Using video to prepare should involve doing or simply asking the driver questions will lead to better a “virtual track walk,” where you break down the track learning for the driver - learning that lasts. and study the details, preferably with an experienced Recently, I spent a day at Thunderhill coaching a driver coach sharing their insights. 60 - MotorWerks Magazine
Preparation should also involve the use of a simulator. There are drivers who claim that simulators are not real enough, but they’re missing the point. Work your way through the learning and adapting stage that it takes to get used to a simulator, and it becomes a hugely important and valuable tool. Going back to video, it’s not just a tool for preparing, right? It’s also to be used for reviewing and analyzing how a driver has performed. Views from inside the car, and comparing one car to another from the side of the track are all tools and approaches a coach should use. Data acquisition systems have come down in price and accessibility, to the point where it’s possible for every driver to have some form of data to review, analyze, and to be coached with. Upper-end systems cost in the thousands of dollars, simple systems for a few hundred, and the latest smartphone apps that cost less than what you spend at Starbucks in a month can do wonders. All of these tools are ones that I, and other good coaches, use on a regular basis. It all comes down to what’s the best way to help the driver perform even better. Funny, but while technology provides more tools to coaches, I often find myself going back to the basics talking to my driver, asking questions, listening to them, looking into their eyes, observing the car from as many different angles and corners as I can, and sometimes seeing the driver and feeling the car from inside. What tools did I use to help the driver knock four seconds off his best time at Thunderhill, without getting into the right seat? My eyes, my ears, and my voice. No data. No video. No radios. No butt in the passenger seat. I asked a lot of questions, suggested he work on certain techniques, observed from the side of the track, asked more questions, suggested he work on different techniques… and viola, four seconds. Okay, we used a stopwatch to know what the lap times were - but not until after coming off the track. He did not know what his times were while driving. More technology helps. I would have loved to have had more tools to use with my Thunderhill driver, but I didn’t. So I relied on the basics. And that’s not always a bad thing. A safe and competitive New Year from Ross Bentley SpeedSecrets.com The Ultimate Reading Experience - 61
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The
SIMPLY BEST George Thielen’s BMW 2002
Words by George Thielen, photos by James Razor
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What makes a 17 year old buy an eleven-year old, rusty orange BMW 2002? Growing up in the 70’s, my parents drove Swedish cars. My Mom always drove a Volvo and my Dad a Saab. He was a Car and Driver subscriber and I anxiously awaited the delivery of every issue. As a pre-teen, the ribald language and automotive hijinks that was standard there at the time was very appealing. I absolutely loved all of it, and could not wait to drive. Our local Volvo dealer also happened to sell BMW’s. When my mom picked up her new Volvo wagon in 1980, seeing the new 320i s had me captivated. It had all the sportiness of my Dad’s Saab 99EMS with the additional benefit of rear wheel drive which, as a well-read 13 year old, I “knew” to be superior. Unfortunately, five figures would be more than I could spend on a car for another ten years. Once I got my license and secured gainful employment at minimum wage, I began searching for the car that begat the 320i, the legendary 2002. I had read David E Davis Jr’s now famous article “Turn your Hymnals to 2002”and was smitten. Fortunately, rusty and high mileage cars were relatively plentiful and affordable. This car was the fourth one I test drove and also the only one where I had forgotten to ask the seller about the color before heading out to check it out. In 1985 no one wanted an orange car, but I had driven 30 minutes to see it and figured I had better not insult the owner. The car drove so much better than the others, which, in hindsight, had been badly neglected examples so I bought it despite the color. Fortunately, I assumed (correctly) that Inka orange would be a color I would grow to love. I had already joined the Buckeye Chapter of the BMW CCA months earlier and read about autocross and driving schools and even joined the SCCA. Once I attended my first Buckeye Chapter driving school at Mid Ohio, I was hooked. I had been regularly competing in autocross and had a fair amount of
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success with the car but the track events would really change things for me. In 1988, as a student at Mid Ohio, Mike Valentine of radar detector fame was checking out my car and told me that his wife had purchased one just like it brand new back in 1974. He then told a story about carrying a Porsche 914-6 muffler in the trunk that had shifted and made two small dents in the rear panel. As he reached into the trunk to show me where, the dents were there. This was indeed their old car. It turns out that I had purchased it from the second owner. By then the car was rusted pretty badly, compromising its ability to be safely tracked. I had the car completely restored in 1989 and a couple of years later I became an instructor and began using it to instruct at BMW CCA schools at Mid Ohio, Nelson Ledges, Putnam Park and Grattan. The car has all of the typical mods of the era that improve performance without sacrificing drivability.
Drivability was especially important since the car served double duty as my daily driver for all those years. I finally retired it from track use when I replaced it with an E30 M3 around 1994. Since then, the car has been driven only on the street and still cleans up pretty well. In 2005, with 230,000 miles on the odometer, I entered it into the Ault Park Concours in Cincinnati, OH and was fortunate to receive an Award of Excellence. I still really enjoy driving it today since the driving dynamics that made the car so exceptional when it first came out have only been amplified with the weight, complexity and isolation of today’s cars. Sure, heated seats, air bags and ice cold A/C are nice to have, but sometimes it’s worth the trade off to just get behind the (non-power assisted) three spoke steering wheel of an old friend and simply drive.
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Thunder d m o Fr
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down under
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You may not recognize the name Harrop but in its home country of Australia, the Melbourne, Victoria based company is more than well known. Started in 1955 by Len Harrop and his wife Elsa Harrop began producing weaving machines and kept their customers happy by using good old Australian ingenuity and working hard. Business was good and savvy Harrop decided to expand into other industries such as industrial food-processing equipment, heavy haulage and earthmoving accessories. In 1963, the Harrop’s son, Ron, joined the company and brought a new vision. Ron was handy as a youngster and by age ten, he was welding up go-karts in the back shed. Once he reached his teens
he got into cars and built a MG TC powered Morris Minor. He then left behind the British Morris and moved on to Australian cars with a Holden EH before building his now famous FJ which dominated on the drag strip. Solving problems and being able to engineer the solutions inhouse is what has made Harrop Engineering the powerhouse it is today in the Australian automobile arena. In December 2008, Harrop become part of the Adrad Group of companies, an Australian family owned company whose speciality is all sorts of radiator manufacturing. The Harrop name has not disappeared with the acquisition as third generation Tim Harrop continues as Operations Manager.
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The Harrop range of Superchargers utilise Eaton’s Twin Vortices Series™ (TVS™) technology. They are a Roots-type positive displacement supercharger designed to deliver more power and torque for uncompromising, high-performance driving. The TVS™ supercharger is capable of running with a high thermal efficiency (up to 76 percent) across a wider operating range. It’s the same supercharger rotating group utilised by the new C7 Z06 with factory supercharged LT4 V8 engine package.
SPECIFICATION Designed specifically for BMW M3 E9X Eaton / Harrop FDFI TVS1740 World first positive displacement supercharger for S65 engine Front Drive / Front Inlet design for shorter less restrictive path Latest intercooler system technology Unique bypass actuation control OE appearance and operation Designed & Manufactured by Harrop Engineering Bolt-On Installation with superior vehicle integration
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Above: The M3 GTS body kits subtely changes the lines of the E92 Bottom Left: Numerous track days helped develop the E9X M3 TVS Supercharger kit Bottom Middle: Almost a sleeper except for that rear wing.
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Bottom Right: Three piece Forgeline wheels give plenty of space for the Harrop Ultimate Big Brake Kit.
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With positive displacement generating boost from low in the RPM range Harrop has developed an electronic bypass control valve that integrates with the ECU Calibration supplied. This strategy for managing boost transition develops impressive torque low in the RPM range and carries it through to redline, dramatically improving the mid-range performance where the driver will feel it the most.
20xx BMW M3 E92 • One thing Harrop does a good job of is developing parts for particular cars. To make sure they properly engineered the products for the E92 and the BMW S65 engine they bought a M3 to use as a test mule. That meant the car would see all sorts of use, everyday driving to fast road and the occasional track event. Their products have to be capable of doing it all and this M3 was their way to prove each and every component the company built for the BMW. • An ever evolving project, the Harrop M3 is kitted out with the following products. • Harrop TVS1740 Supercharger Kit is the world’s first positive displacement supercharger for the S65 V8. • Harrop Ultimate (BBK) Brake Kit – 6 Piston Front, 4 Piston Rear Lightweight Aluminium Calipers and larger bobbin drive rotors. • Akrapovic Evolution Exhaust System consisting of dualoutlet mufflers, flow-optimized link pipes, and an X-pipe that incorporates high-flow 100 cpsi sports catalytic converters and resonators. • Forgeline GA3R 3 Piece and GS1R Monobloc Wheels – 18x10 Front and 18x11 Rear • KW Clubsport 3-way Coilovers • BMW M3 GTS Carbon Aero Kit The Ultimate Reading Experience - 73
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New Beginnings A TVS 900 for all MINIacs
As the years pass R53 MINI owners are seeing the need to refresh their Eaton M45 supercharger due to poor maintenance or failure of parts in the Power Take Off (PTO) that drives the water pump. While we all love the whine that comes off the M45 other noises can mean something much worse. It means it is time to attend to the supercharger or suffer the consequences which tend to lead to a terminal failure of the OEM supercharger. Other manufacturers have attempted offering a replacement unit but we do not know of too many that have hit the road. Part of the problem seems to be overheating issues in the inlet charge when the W11 motor has been built to produce more power. Well my friends there is light at the end of the tunnel for anyone that wants an easy, state of the art solution. Harrop Engineering of Melbourne, Australia is one of Eaton’s Master Distributors and they have been watching the MINI supercharger saga for a few years. Then they decided to do something about it. Heath Moore Harrop’s General Manager explained, “MINI is not the only manufacturer using the Eaton M45 supercharger and we know second hand units are snapped up as soon as they come on the market. We have been developing
applications with Eaton TVS technology for the past eight years and during our R&D program planning we identified the TVS900 would make a great upgrade and replacement for the M45. TVS is sixth generation supercharger technology and provides superior performance to the fifth generation M series through thermal and air flow efficiency. Being larger displacement than M45, the TVS900 also provides higher performance potential for modified engine packages” He went on, “Our Engineering Team agreed an important
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criteria was the need for the kit to be plug and play kit like our existing range of supercharger kits. Vehicle integration is a key strength of our engineering programs by providing a solution for customers that is easy to install and getting running.� So what is the TVS900 kit going to look like? The supercharger will be mounted in the OE supercharger location and use the stock belt path and tensioner (6pk) with cast aluminum throttle body adaptors and billet outlet and heater hose adaptor. A larger capacity water pump and wiring loom will form part of the kit along with necessary ancillary items that will suit stock and aftermarket top mount intercoolers.
develop the kit fully and also we gain insight where we can talk to customers who want to do the same thing knowledgably. Boosted applications respond well to E85 with combustion temperature and timing advantages for higher performance. Australia has reasonable pump access to E85 in most cities.� Harrop are finalizing the tooling for the cast components that are required. They anticipate having kits available for the North American market in the summer of 2017 if production goes to plan The expected price will be around $3,000 US. No dealers have been named as of yet but you can be sure you will hear about it here first.
Underdrive pulleys will be available for those wanting to develop more power with higher boost levels. How close are we to seeing the Harrop kit on the market? Well there is an R53 running around the state of Victoria testing a unit as you read this. If fact the car recently was on the Harrop dyno running E85. Moore said, “When we engineer a kit we try to make sure we test as many combinations that potential customers might want to run. E85 is getting popular for those running a power adder and wanting to keep the inlet charge temperatures down so we test with the E85. The data we get helps us The Ultimate Reading Experience - 77
CLEARWATER, Florida (October 19, 2016) - Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) officials announced today the 2017 HSR event schedule that will feature eight race weekends on legendary road courses throughout North America, including milestone editions of some of the most popular events on the international historic and vintage racing calendar. Schedule highlights include the 40th Anniversary of The Mitty at Road Atlanta, April 20 -23, that will fittingly see Porsche showcased as the event’s Featured Marque. One of the oldest historic and vintage races in the U.S., The Mitty has earned “must-attend” status over the last few decades for competitors and race fans alike. The 2017 HSR racing season will also see the globally popular Classic 24 Hour at Daytona, November 8 - 12, and Classic 12 Hour at Sebring, November 29 - December 3, held in the same year for the first time. The back-to-back scheduling of the season-ending Daytona and Sebring blockbusters will have just two weeks between the events, the ideal format for international teams and drivers to compete in both races in just a single trip across the pond. In addition to the Classic 24 Hour and Classic 12 Hour formats, the respective year-end race weekends will also host the traditional Daytona Historics and Sebring Historics that annually bring the HSR championship seasons to a close. “The 2017 HSR racing season promises to be both exciting and memorable with more than one milestone event on the calendar,” said HSR President David Hinton. “It begins at the 65th edition of the 12 Hours of Sebring, which will be followed by the 40th Anniversary running of The Mitty, and then we end the season with the Classic 24 Hour and Classic 12 Hour events running in the same year for the first time. Combining these fantastic Road Atlanta, Daytona and Sebring races with other events at top venues like VIRginia International Raceway, Mont-Tremblant and Savannah Hutchinson Island will make it even better. We are looking forward to another great year in 2017.” The 2017 season kicks-off with HSR’s exclusive exhibition race at Sebring International Raceway, March 15 - 18. 78 - MotorWerks Magazine
This limited-entry event is a chance to race on the legendary track on the same event weekend that features the 65th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hour of Sebring. Following the Sebring opener and The Mitty, the third event of the year will be the VIR Historic Races, which return to VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) for the second-consecutive Memorial Day weekend after a successful 2016 debut. The summer highlight of the 2017 schedule is a return to the picturesque Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, Canada, for the 13th edition of the popular Sommet des Légendes. A joint event with the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA), the Mont-Tremblant race is scheduled for July 6 - 9. A return visit to Road Atlanta for the Fall Historics, September 14 - 17, kicks-off consecutive race weekends in the Peach State, with the Savannah Speed Classic
returning on its traditional October 25 - 29 date. The Savannah race is held on the Grand Prize Circuit of Hutchinson Island, just across the river from downtown Savannah. Additional information, competitor entry forms and details on spectator tickets can be found at www.hsrrace.com. Next up on the 2016 HSR race schedule is the Savannah Speed Classic presented by Mingledorff’s on the Grand Prize Circuit on Hutchinson, Island, October 27 - 30. 2017 Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) 2017 Race-Event Schedule* March 15 - 18: 65th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring HSR Exhibition Sebring International Raceway - Sebring Florida April 20 - 23: 40th Anniversary of The Mitty Road Atlanta - Braselton, Georgia May 25 - 27: VIR Historic Races VIRginia International Raceway Danville, Virginia July 6 - 9: Sommet des Légendes Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant - MontTremblant, Quebec, Canada September 14 - 17: Atlanta Fall Historics Road Atlanta - Braselton, Georgia October 25 - 29: Savannah Speed Classic Grand Prize of America Course on Hutchinson Island - Savannah, Georgia November 8 - 12: Classic 24 Hour at Daytona and Daytona Historics Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida November 29 - December 3: Classic 12 Hour at Sebring, Pistons and Props, presented by the Alan Jay Automotive Network and the Sebring Historics Sebring International Raceway - Sebring Florida *Schedule subject to change
Congratulates
LAP Motorsports and the MINI JCW Team on their first win in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge Also used by Team Octane, North America’s winningest MINI Cooper Race Team! MotorWerks Magazine’s Project 3ThirtyFive and CooperRSR James Houghton’s record setting and CSCS Championship winning Acura Integra Type R
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The year was 2012, and car clubs in Canada still functioned solely using internet forums controlled by anonymous owners, patrolled by moderators with aliases, and populated by ‘club members’ who no one really knew. It was the best online social interaction the internet had to offer for quite some time, but it quickly got stale and uninteresting for most enthusiasts in the scene; as other more engaging methods of virtual social interaction were becoming the norm. While forums offered a wealth of information, its anonymity prevented it from building a strong and active community outside of the forums. Around this time, the increasing integration of social media had also changed how social communities are created and its
members interacted with each other. People spent less time going to a forum, and more time interacting with mobile applications which fed information to the user in real time. The founders of BMWTrueNorth recognized that the way people communicated online was rapidly changing and that through online applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, the club could reach out to people and encourage them to meet in person, drop the forum aliases, and come together in a real social experience outside of the confines of the internet. In 2013, BMWTrueNorth (BMWTN) was registered as a not for profit BMW enthusiast club in Toronto with the goal of building a highly active car club both
Words by Nick Maroulis President and Founder of BMWTrueNorth www.bmwtn.com nickm@bmwtn.com 80 - MotorWerks Magazine
Owner: Scott Shadbolt Photographer: George Bucur
online and in the real world for BMW enthusiasts across Ontario. Events organized by our staff include club meets at exclusive locations, track events, club cruises across Ontario, as well as private photoshoots and rallies. BMWTN also supports surrounding clubs and car events by taking part in their events and car shows. In fact BMWTN hoisted its flags and tent at over fifty events in 2016, which is impressive when you take into account the length of a Canadian winter. The overall result has been extremely successful with the club amassing over 4,800 members in just over three years. In 2017 the club is releasing its own app that can be downloaded for free and used on all existing phones and tablets. The app will allow club members to interact with staff, sponsors, and participate in events in new ways. Our staff members are constantly investigating how social media is evolving the social experience and how we can adapt accordingly in an effort to stay relevant while
simultaneously growing our follower and member base. The use of social media has opened up an avenue where we can help those less fortunate in the community. One of our greatest achievements is the impact our club has played in helping create awareness for charities across Ontario. In 2015 we dedicated the entire season to collecting money for “Olliestrong”; a fundraising initiative started by Rob and Mel Ferguson, the parents of Oliver Ferguson, a 5 year old boy that was diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia. This is a rare blood disease that affects two people in a million every year and as a result his bone marrow is producing at 10% capacity. In addition to being a loving and wonderful family, Rob has also been a club member of BMWTN since its inception. We are happy to announce that Oliver has had his bone marrow transplant (with Oliver’s two year old sister Scarlett as the donor) and is currently on the long road to recovery. The recovery process will not be easy, and any help they can get is greatly appreciated. We
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Owner: Brandon Scott Photographer: Kunal M Pahwa Model: Bree Leigh
encourage everyone to Google Olliestrong and see how you can help. In addition to Olliestrong, BMWTN has donated money to other charities such as Ride for Sight (Canada’s longest running motorcycle charity event), McMaster Children’s Hospital (located in Hamilton, Ontario), and has donated hundreds of toys to shelters over the Christmas holidays. Every year since 2014, BMWTN ends its season with a toy drive that involves everyone gathering at one of our sponsor’s locations, with each member bringing new and sealed toys for children who are less fortunate over the holiday season. In 2015 the club collected over three hundred and fifty toys for the Toys for Tots program and single parent shelters in Toronto. We intend to continue this tradition this year, and look forward to begining our 2016 Toy Drive in mid-December. In order to spread awareness of the club and the charities we support, the staff of BMWTN network with other car events as much as possible. In 2016 we rallied for the first time to Montreal for three days to take part in Eurokracy, a Eurocentric car brand meet which we consider to be one of the top three in Canada in concept and scale. BMWTN club members paid a fixed fee to take part in the rally which included the cost of hotels, events throughout the day, dinners, private security at night for their cars, and much more. In addition, Elite Custom Storage & Transport (One of our club sponsors) accompanied us with their enclosed trailer in case 82 - MotorWerks Magazine
anyone’s car had mechanical issues along the way. Within Toronto, BMWTN had a 25,000 sq.ft display at Importfest, which is the second largest car show in the city (The Toronto Autoshow is the largest), showcasing our club members’ cars which ranged from a rare carbon fibre accented i8 to a fully modified wide body Varis M4. Our club members enjoyed the opportunity to showcase their cars at the event, and we displayed track ready M3 E30’s, E36’s, E46’s, E90’s and E82’s. Aside from providing a platform where our members can display their custom builds, a lot of our club member’s gravitate towards us due to our continuous effort to work diligently with local automotive shops and services within our community. As a social club, we believe the stronger the communication with the company and end user, the stronger and more positive the end result will be. Some of our 2016 sponsors include PFAFF BMW, Royal Bank, Marlin Travel, Eurocharged Canada, Simplytire, Restyleit, and Nextmod to name a few. In 2016, BMWTN had over thirty sponsors for the season. As a result of creating strong relationships with our sponsors, we are able to offer exciting exclusive events to our club members. In 2016 PFAFF BMW was able to dedicate a private track day at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park where we had the entire facility for our own use. Club members enjoyed a full day at the track with professional driving instructors, sessions on the skid pad to better understand their cars, along with a fully catered lunch. Our club members loved
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Owner: Martim Moreira & Sally Lopes Photographer: George Bucur
the experience and PFAFF BMW has offered to host several events for BMWTN in the 2017 season. In addition to track days at Canadian Motorsport Park, BMWTN with the help of other clubs and facilities has offered track days for our club members at Toronto Motorsports Park (Cayuga), Shannonville Motorsport Park Inc., and in 2017 we plan to organize a two day event at Calabogie Motorsports Park. Some of our most popular events are our organized cruises through some of Ontario’s greatest roads. Every year we cruise through areas such as Muskoka, Niagara on the Lake, the Sandbanks, and Wasaga Beach to name a few. These cruises are full day events where we meet at a location early in the morning where rules of the road and maps of the route are handed out to all our members. Often cruises stop at picturesque locations for photoshoots, and lunch breaks are had at restaurants booked by our staff members for our club. The day is carefully structured with everyone’s safety and enjoyment as the highest priority. In 2016 we launched our VIP membership card program.
Black E30 M3 Photographer: Kazim Alikhan White F82 M4 Owner: Holden Liu Photographer: Tishan Baldeo Model: Nicole Arruda Red E30 M3 Cabrio Owner: John Michelis Photographer: Tishan Baldeo Model: Nicole Arruda BMW’s Flying High! Owners: Nick Maroulis, Asif Husain, Kunal M Pahwa, Holden Liu Photographer: Tishan Baldeo
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@KW_Suspensions
facebook.com/KWsuspensionsUSA
Š 2016 KW automotive North America, Inc. All rights reserved.
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2015 Toy Drive BMWTN Club Members Donated over 350 New Toys White E46 M3 Track Car Owner: Scott Shadbolt Photographer: George Bucur M4s and Fighter Plane Owners: George Y, Paul S Photographer: Kostas Tsikourlis Models: Rachael Nemi, Melody Chang E30 Toronto Skyline at Night Owner: Chris Chua Photographer: George Bucur
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The membership card ensured that dedicated club members were registered and gaining all the benefits the club offers. With over thirty sponsoring companies within the Greater Toronto Area, sponsors offered special pricing when a membership card was shown. In addition, private events such as the PFAFF Track Day at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the photoshoot at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum where members were able to park their cars next to the warplanes for photographs, were restricted to VIP card holders only. This also allowed us to collect money for donations to charities without having to completely rely on sponsorship contributions. Overall the membership
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card program was well received this year, and we will be releasing a 2017 card for next season. BMWTrueNorth has made a major impact in the automotive scene in Ontario, and Canada as a whole, in a relatively short period of time. We believe that through social gatherings and events we can bring BMW enthusiasts together under one roof, connect the consumer and the seller through social interaction for a better service experience, and in the end, give back to our community and those less fortunate. For more information about our club and how you can take part in the upcoming 2017 season, we invite you to visit our website at www.bmwtn.com for more details.
BMW 2002 and Toronto Skyline Owner: Martim Moreira & Sally Lopes Photographer: George Bucur
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Orange M6 Owner: Jason Vu Photographer: Tishan Baldeo Model: Alahia Mcpherson
Grey M5 Owner: Rahim Reshamwalla Photographer: Tishan Baldeo Model: Bree Leigh
Blue LibertyWalk Kit E92 M3 Owner: Asif Husain Photographer: Tishan Baldeo Model: Jasmine Ferguson 90 - MotorWerks Magazine
RMP Motors
RMP Competizione
OUTPERFORMING YOUR EXPECTATIONS The most frequently needed and important vehicle maintenance is often the most forgotten. Changing your oil at the recommended intervals helps protect engines from wear and damage. Constant exposure to heat, moisture and air leads to oil degradation. The end result is oil thickening, sludge build up, carbon deposits and corrosive wear. Sludge in your engine can block up oil passages and cause crucial engine components such as BMW’s Vanos system to begin to stick or even fail. To keep your vehicle running at top performance we recommend high quality synthetic oil services every 8000 Kilometers or every 6 months whichever comes first. For extra protection we also offer TUV approved engine flushes and Moly Slip oil additives. Call today to book your next service appointment and protect your engine from sludge! 12 Goodmark Place Unit 2,Etobicoke, Ontario, M9W 6R1 416-679-0302 905-951-0002 E-Mail: info@RMPMotors.com
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Go as Well as Show! The BMW True North club is more than about cars shows. Many of our members enjoy going to the track for lapping or Time Attack like BMW Toronto sales person Scott Shadbolt. Scott has done us proud by winning the Canadian Sport Compact Series Super Street RWD class for the past two years. We are in the midst of finalizing our on-track events for 2017, so come on out and join us if you have a BMW and want to have fun.
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Photo by Ian Rae, MotorWerks Magazine
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Words By Morgan Haber, Photos courstesy of team and Kevin Ehrlich, @rennphoto
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I had my first experience driving at GT3 car in 2015 when I competed in the Australian GT Championships in a Mercedes Benz SLS. During this year I also had the opportunity to race a MARC Cars Australia prepared XX in a couple of 24 Hour races in Barcelona and Dubai. This put me in a prime position to join the MARC Cars Australia team and I received an offer to join their new BMW GT3 program. Early in the year the team owner, Ryan McLeod and I took the opportunity to test their new BMW M6 GT3, which was recently purchased by SRM and was the first one imported into Australia. After having a handful of laps I had a good idea of how the car handled and knew it was going to be a fast car. The M6 was very balanced, I could easily predict what it wanted to do and was able drive out of any situation, particularly when the car got loose. Even at a rather small track, which had only a few high-speed corners, I could tell that the car was going to be very stable at high speeds. Shortly after the test, another new M6 was ordered and shipped to Australia. With it arriving in Australia two weeks prior to the first round of the Australian GT Endurance series at Phillip Island. Once the car arrived, some updates had to be carried out in order to prepare the car before our first test day. As a Mechanical Engineer I have a strong passion for the design and theoretical side of building 96 - MotorWerks Magazine
a race car and I believe the BMW M6 GT3 is one of the most stunning GT3 cars available on the market. The car has been completely redesigned from its original purpose as a road car and transformed into a real race car, unlike some GT3 cars where there is still a strong resemblance to their road going versions. For our first test day, BMW had sent Alexander Sims out to Australia along with a race engineer to help prepare the team for the race at Phillip Island. I learnt a lot from both Alex and the engineer about both driving the car and the car itself by the end of the day, I felt very comfortable going into our first race. The Phillip Island event consisted of two sprint races and a 101-lap endurance race. BMW once again extended a helping hand and flew DTM Factory Driver, Canadian racer Bruno Spengler to Australia to be my co-driver. I was very excited to race with Bruno and made a point of learning as much as possible from him. In both the sprint races we struggled for a result as we were hit off the start in the first race and sustained a bent rear control arm and in the second race, we received a drive through penalty. However, our luck turned in qualifying for the enduro as Bruno and I managed to put the M6 on the front row with a combined qualifying position of 2nd. Early in the race Bruno managed to grab the lead, but soon after he suffered from a right front tyre blow out
on the last turn forcing him to have a slow in-lap on the blown tyre. After a quick change of tyres and driver change we rejoined the race mid pack but had lost a lot of ground. This made it tough to claw back through the field, but the fast flowing track was really suited to the BMW and we started to comfortably pass our competitors. I managed to get back up to 8th before suffering another tire blowout, this time the left rear as I was going into turn one, a fast 240km/hr turn, and once again we had to complete another slow in-lap. I handed the car back to Bruno to finish and he managed to cross the line in 14th position. Although we didn’t get the result we had hoped for, there were a lot of positives to take from the weekend and it was awesome to be able to race with someone with the knowledge and experience of Bruno. As we were preparing the car for the second round of the endurance series a unique opportunity arose to race in Thailand. As we were out of the championship hunt in the endurance series we opted to pursue the Thailand deal. The car was shipped there and the team flew out to Thailand a few weeks later to compete in the Buriram round of the Japanese Super GT Series. It was incredible to be able to race in such an exceptional category!! I didn’t get much practice as our other driver, Chonsawat Asavahame, who hadn’t driven the car before so the team thought it would be best to provide him with as much seat time as possible. Qualifying was set up as a knockout formula where the top 14 drivers from the first 15-minute session would move onto a second 15-minute session. I drove first and qualified 15th; narrowly missing out on the second qualifying session. Chonsawat Asavahame started the race and was holding his ground until he was given a drive through penalty; this hurt us greatly and we fell a lap down. Once we completed our driver change I had a big job ahead trying to recover some positions. I managed to pass the leader
and get a lap back and had started working my way back through the field, however traffic was proving to be very tough and I was caught up with a few cars, which allowed the leader to catch back up. Unfortunately, this resulted in another drive through penalty for “holding up the leader”. After carrying out the penalty we had fallen back through the field again and crossed the line after 300km in 20th position. Our next planned outing in the BMW M6 GT3 will be the ‘Challenge Bathurst’, which is a sprint style event at the iconic Mt Panorama. It will be an integral test before the
Bathurst 12 hour in February 2017 and it will provide us with some valuable experience and data from the track. Although we experienced some ups and downs this year, there are still plenty of positives to take away from it. Driving the M6 has been amazing, it truly is an incredible piece of engineering and I can’t wait to see how good it will be at Mt Panorama. Hopefully we can do the car justice and see it on the podium.
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MARK SKAIFE, RUSSELL INGALL and TONY LONGHURST shared a BMW Team SRM M6 GT3 at this year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour race. Photo Kevin Ehrlich, @rennphoto
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STEVE RICHARDS and the Laser Racing team took the 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup and 2017 move to the Australian GT Championships with the BMW M6 GT3. Photo Kevin Ehrlich, @rennphoto
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I’M drivin’ all night, Drivin’ like a bat outta hell! A Photo Pictorial of the USAF 25 Hours of Thunderhill by Doug Berger, DBPics.com
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presented by Hawk Performance
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December 3rd and 2016 was coming to a close but there was still one major sportscar event left to run in the USA and it is one unlike no other. The NASA run 25 Hours of Thunderhill is the longest endurance race in North America and it pits club racers and team so some of the best pro racers in the game. BimmerWorld BMW team owner James Clay and his drivers Tyler Cooke and Greg Liefooghe amongst their pros as well as talented shoes like the man from Red Line Oil, Cameron Evans. Driving for other makes were the likes of former CTSC Champion Stevan McAleer, ex-Indycar racer Al Unser Jr. and current Acura hotshoe Ryan Eversley. What makes the event even more interesting is the wide variety of cars that compete in the event. Everything from GT3 Audis to home built club racing BMWs. But it was the #45 Flying Lizard Audi R8 that prevailed in the end winning for the second year in a row after the dominant #57 Ginetta of Ryno Racing had to pit to fix a right rear suspension problem at 9:15 a.m. Mechanical issue were the story for many teams including BimmerWorld Team Principal James Clay who thouroughly enjoys the event and had come out West for some end of season fun, he said, “The El Diablo Motorsports team was going for our fourth win in five years which is a lot of solid preparation, but
quite honestly there is a level of luck involved. We had an awesome car as always, but at about one and a half hours in, we started to run into problems. We experienced a hole in a radiator, a failed crank sensor, a broken diff output shaft, a failed fuel pump; all of which were top quality, fresh parts. As it turned out, most of our problems came in the first four to five hours, so it was nice to get them out of the way and get back to charging through the field. But for a team, that is a demoralizing thing. I can’t say enough about every person there with us who continued to dig in deeper, nobody got frustrated or mentioned quitting, and pushed us to a podium finish, making up a bunch of laps on the leader through the night and morning hours. This race is always a challenge, and it takes a special kind of person to call it “fun”. Luckily, we have six drivers and a host of crew that are really special, and running this race with my friends every year is a great way to cap off the season, win or lose. Teammate Dale Sievwright added, “What I love about this team is we never give up. To claw back up to the podium after all the issues we had was a huge testament to our drivers and crew. Lance’s ingenuity definitely helped as well. Next year we are coming back to take what is rightfully ours.”
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Cameron Evans added, “After the third mechanical on a very well prepared car, all inside four hours, some of us were ready for the fourth issue and a trip to Mexican food in Willows. But, this team doesn’t quit and we ground it out. Every driver and teammate contributed, it was vintage El Diablo, I was so glad to get that podium from those scrappy Italians in the Lotus.” Tyler Clark who was part of the 2016 - ART Racing 1 team made the podium and told us, “I participated in the race with my BimmerWorld teammates Ari Balough and Greg Liefooghe, along with Michael Shawhan. It was my first ever twenty-five hour race and what a race it was. All the differences in cars, racing with the changes between day and night, and the changing outside air temperature. Its a race everyone should do at least once in their lifetime, because what car guy doesn’t like falling asleep to engine sounds. We finished second, but it was a great battle right to the end. Having to pit one more time than the class leading car is what cost us. Thank you to the team for all the hard work and great effort!
In the E1 class it was another BMW, the #95 BMW of Grip Racing that edged out the #46 BMW of Art Racing 1; both cars finishing on the same lap. Drivers Mason Filippi, Chuck Hurley, Mark Drennan, Eric Sidebotham and Andrew Newell covered 677 laps during the event. Taking the E2 Class was the #29 BMW of KD Motorsports The 29 was driven by Americans Matt Lowell and Kevin Doyle, Canadian Corey Peters completed the driving line-up and the covered 645 laps to win their class.
The No. 29 BMW of KD Motorsports came home as the E2 Class winner covering 645 laps. The 29 was driven by Matt Lowell, Corey Peters and Kevin Doyle.
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The Flying Kiwis Words by Raewyn Anderson, photos by Matt Smith Photography
Castrol BMW Race Driver Series Close racing, passion, camaraderie and adrenaline; this is what makes the Castrol BMW Race Driver Series so successful. Started in 2005 by a group of enthusiastic members of the BMW Car Club NZ, the idea was to organise and promote a series that was relatively low in cost and would result in fast, action packed door-to-door racing. With a mandate to have vehicles running with close performance similarities, that were fun to drive and remained as close to standard configuration as possible, the BMW CC NZ E30 Championship was born. Fast forward ten years and it’s no longer one class with a handful of cars. The Castrol BMW Race Driver series is now the largest single make series in New Zealand, with the current season enticing over 100 competitors to enter their machines, half of which have entered into the E30 Championship alone. From road legal E30s to full-blown track dedicated M3 machines; the series now caters to multiple classes with five categories to choose from.
‘Close racing, passion, camaraderie and adrenaline’
E30 Championship: In this class the chassis is limited to the E30 platform; with control tyres, suspension, engines (1.8 or 2.0 litre) and minimum weight requirements. This makes for very close racing throughout the field. All cars have to have a current Warrant of Fitness (proof of road worthiness). The M40 4 cylinder cars run at a minimum weight of 1075kg and the M20 6 cylinder cars run at a minimum of 1175kg.
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including suspension, body panels, wheel size, weight reduction and engine modifications. This is a fast growing class with some very fast new cars being built for it every season. Open Championship: For any BMW Chassis running any N/A BMW engine. The 3 classes with this category are divided by time breaks into three groups: A, B & C who run together on the same grid. You can’t move the firewall or suspension mounts. Turbo cars require committee approval to which this will be reviewed in 2017. Come 2014 and the decision was made to add a fully funded race ready E30 Scholarship Car to the mix. Appealing to aspiring race drivers young or old, the winning applicant would drive away in a 2 Litre powered E30, which would also include a race engineer, tyres, brakes and lubricant. Held at the Hampton Downs motor racing circuit, we look the next best thing as far as drivers are concerned, an enthusiastic and respectful guy or gal, someone who shows talent, will promote the series in a positive light, and potentially will continue through our series in their own car after the season is over. Now running in its third consecutive year, the E30
Scholarship has proved successful in attracting new talent to the series as well as providing positive exposure for motorsport overall. For more information on our series, please visit bmwraceseries.co.nz or our Facebook page facebook. com/BMWRDSNZ
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Name: Andrew Nugent Class: Open A Chassis/Engine: BMW E92 M3 GT2 - S65B40 (stroked to 4.6L)
One could say that the passion for motorsport runs in the Nugent family with Andrew’s father running the BP NZ Grandprix Support Program, he would often see the likes of Bonnier, Rindt & Moss coming through the house when he was a youngster… and so Andrew’s excitement for motorsport began. Being a spectator of the sport initially, Andrew first got behind the wheel of a racing powerboat at the ripe old age of 15. His “youthful lack of fear and no concept of paying the bills” meant he was reasonably quick at it! Though this wasn’t enough to keep the adrenaline up, so Andrew also started doing car club activities in his modified Austin A30 as well as racing stock cars in Christchurch on the odd Sunday afternoon. Moving to Auckland in the 1970’s, Andrews’s main focus was his work life until…. The BMW Race Driver Series came along! An E30 was built and raced for a solid three seasons, however needing more of a challenge Andrew then purchased a half built E46 M3 race car. Finishing this off with a stroked S54 engine built by Randell Edgell, this vehicle proved to be a success with Andrew managing third place in the 2011 112 - MotorWerks Magazine
Open A Championship. But that wasn’t enough for Andrew, and with that the idea of the E92 M3 GT2 was born. Being designed from the ground up, an incredible two years was spent developing and building the new car. It was soon seen competing in the NZ Castrol BMW Race Driver Series - BMW Open A Championship - as well as the North Island Endurance Series amongst other GT events, with Andrew taking out a well-deserved first place in the Open A Championship last season. With a championship win under his belt, Andrew’s overriding goal going forward is to “learn to drive the car better, and to race better, and to have a heap of fun doing it. The people side of racing is really important to me” with the main challenge of “Pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to keep enhancing my driving performance”. With the season now in full force, Andrew would like to extend his thanks “to all who have assisted, developed, or supported me along the way. You and I know who you are and I will be always grateful. And to my fellow Open Class racers and friends – keep the humour going!” To his sponsors, Buro Seating, Prophets Rock Wines, Eat Your Books.com, Neil Allport Motorsport, Motorsport Electronics and Sunoco Fuels, “thanks for your wonderful support”.
Name: Matt Griffin Class: E30 Series Engine: M40B18 (4cyl 1.8 litre) A young 23 year old from Auckland, Matt Griffin has loved cars, engines and racing ever since he was born. This sure shows as he took out the E30 Championship for the 2015-2016. Matt’s father, Laurie Griffin (who also races in the series) fortunately got Matt into Quad Bike racing when he was only 6 years old, then onto karting
when he was 13. Matt progressed from there, occasionally winning meetings and also claiming a North Island title in 2009. The first step for Matt into racing E30s was in 2011 and he has never looked back since. He chose to race in the E30 Class because it was a fantastic stepping stone in Motorsport, not only being cheap an affordable, but also because it meant racing with a great bunch of people. With Matt’s experience and skill, he was fortunate enough to win this last season however not without a long hard battle with some fast competitors – this made for some spectacular racing from a spectating point of view. Having a sturdy engine prepped by P&S Autocentre certainly helped. Winning the E30 Series Championship this season wouldn’t have been possible without his father Laurie, and his sponsors for helping him along the way. Matt would like to thank his father and his sponsors: Speedfloors, IDAC Construction, BNT Manukau and, Susan Ball Professionals Real Estate.
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Perfect Symmetry ‘BMW at Laguna Seca’ Words by Ian Rae Photos by author, Norm Nelson, Janis Rae
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Take two icons and place them together, what you get? Magic that’s what you get! When it was announced that BMW would celebrate their 100th anniversary they could not have picked a better race track than Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca; it’s eleven turns and 2.238 miles were perfectly suited for BMWs 100th birthday Bash as drivers and fans alike love the track nestled in the foothills above Monterey Bay. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion with BMW as the featured marque got added to the MotorWerks Magazine schedule very quickly after the event was
announced. And with the BMW CCA Oktoberfest running the following week at the same track, it would make for a perfect Germanic trip down memory lane. Memory is a great thing and when you are in your sixties like Norm Nelson and I there were many great cars in racing that made an impression on us and they raced on both side of the Atlantic. The BMW CSL is a true icon in motorsport, those big slab arches, huge rear wing and BBS rims. It was a standout, both in memory and on the track. Mazda Raceway had them aplenty! And Norm and I were in heaven, hopefully you will too, enjoy the photos. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 115
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Owner: Steve Walker Luigi Racing CSL chassis 001. Luigi and Francesco Cimarosti campaigning a BMW 2002 in the Belgian Production Touring Car Championship, winning it in 1970. They went on to take the top step of the podium at the Spa 24 Hour race in 1974 and 1975 proving to BMW they could take the Munich marque to the Winners Circle. In 1976 when the Group 2 saloon car regulations placed restrictions on wheel width, aerodynamics and engine configurations the Cimarosti Brothers saw an opportunity for Luigi Racing to step up and compete in the European Championship as BMW had no interest in running a factory team. Their previous accomplishments had impressed BMW enough that they supplied the duo with two CSL chassis for the upcoming
season. Walker bought the car and had it shipped to Seattle in 2014. Over the years it had seen many modifications including the addition of Group 5 box type arches and a smaller fuel cell that had been used when the car was running in hillclimbs.
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Owner: Scott Hughes TC Kline Racing ran this BMW 320i in the North American Super Touring Car Championship Defending Super Touring Car Champion, Randy Pobst switched brands when TC Kline Racing replaced the Honda Accord with a BMW 320i. The change to BMW did not yield the success the team or Pobst had hoped for and there were no wins in 1997 but consistency and finishes allowed Pobst to finish fifth in the championship. Seen here dropping through the Corkscrew TC Kline himself is piloting the car for Scott who is driving his Valvoline sponsored E36 in the same race.
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Watch for more from Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca next issue!
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O-Fest On Track! MAZDA Raceway at Laguna Seca Words by Ian Rae, photos by author and Janis Rae
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Laguna ck on it now Looking ba ce for e perfect pla 2016 th s a w a c e S their CA to hold y as the BMW C nt especiall e v e t s e rf e Oktob onterey the Rolex M ric it followed of THE histo e n o ; n io n add u Re just have to u o y t a th ts us even st the previo li t e k c u b r to you ic was a class weekend. It sic BMWs s la c d with e ll fi k c a tr e rac
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ecial lex event sp o R e th e d that ma cars any of the ay but when m b s USA irthd W M B g in d est atten for the O-F r e v o d e y bash sta kend it llowing wee fo e th t n e v e l for the more specia n e v e it e d gously ma ful who reli h it fa b lu c BMW st. attend O-Fe
O-Fest was typical le u d e h c s MW The HPDE and B , s s ro c to u with A BMW Car Add in the . g in c ra A C C tion rides rica Founda e m A f o b Clu g for as somethin g that and there w rin a veryone we everyone. E l that is! hite rounde w d n a e lu b
When you become a BMW factory driver there is much more to your life than driving a racecar. Quebecois driver Kuno Wittmer drove in selected races in 2016 for RLL Racing in the works BMW M6 in the IMSA series and helped Michael Mills to the SprintX GT Sportsman title in the Pirelli World challenge series. At MAZDA Raceway Wittmer was driving all sorts of BMWs and having fun interacting with fans and drivers. Throw in a little testing in a M235iR and he was a happy man! The Ultimate Reading Experience - 129
Melvin Delivers The 2016 BMW CCA Oktoberfest is behind us but the memories are still fresh. While shivering through another Upstate New York winter its refreshing to remember the warm sea breeze in the morning lightly wetting the constant car show in the parking lot at the host hotel. Where else but Monterey during Ofest can you go out for dinner and come back to find your space at the hotel occupied by a new McLaren in carbon fiber. And you’re not really upset by it. If you’re a car person (notice I didn’t say guy, I’ve met my share of car nuts of the other gender to know its not linked to a chromosome) the atmosphere at the 100th Anniversary celebration in Monterey was an experiential overload. One of the great parts about Ofest being back in Monterey was it gave me an excuse to drive Leguna Seca again. I love the track. Many people talk about the cork screw but there are a couple of other corners on this track that challenge your skills as a driver to carry speed through. This is the third time I’ve been there, the third different car I’ve driven on track and I’d go back in an instant if I had a good excuse to. This year I had rented a Spec E30 race car which was a pleasure to fling around the track. The E30 may not be a powerful car by todays standards but with it’s balance and toss-ability you can cause consternation amongst other cars on the track. Part of my activities this year included volunteering during the Charity rides at lunch. I’d just finished a stint on track in the aforementioned Spec E30 race car so a quick bottle of water and I was on pit road, still in my fire suit. Probably looked a little out of place. haha. I assisted the passenger swaps for those taking charity rides with the performance center drivers. A little hectic at times but judging by the mammoth smiles that replaced the tense grins at the finish of each session everyone had a great time. Over the three days these thrill rides were offered 141 people got to see Leguna Seca the way it should be - in the Ultimate Driving machine driven by great drivers. And just as good was the $11K dollars raised for the BMW CCA Foundation to continue it’s work of preservation of BMW CCA history and promoting the Tire Rack Street Survival program for teen drivers. I’ve been an instructor with the Tire Rack Street Survival program since 2006 and believe it’s one of the best things going for new driver education. 130 - MotorWerks Magazine
Remembering last year just raises my anticipation about Ofest in New Orleans in 2017. I plan on being there and I hope we have a chance to meet during the event. Just look for the straw panama hat covered in OFest pins. Hopefully, I’ll be checking your belts and sending you out for the e-ticket ride during the Foundation Charity sessions at that track. Mel Dillon - Genessee Valley Chapter, BMW CCA
What impressed us at MWM was the variation of cars taking part in the track activities. Old, new, sporty, SUV and even the odd land barges getting thrown around like there was no tomorrow. The common factor with most of the drivers? The huge grin when they got out of their cars!
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100K KM REPORT
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It was just before Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 and I was driving out of Budds’ BMW in Oakville in my new Titanium Silver BMW E90 335i LCI. It was THE car I’d wanted for years, a bad-ass 3 series with twin turbos and over 300 horsepower. Now after seven years and 100,000 km how do I feel about the car? I still love it; it still goes well and it really has not cost me much over the years (touch wood) and I still have that grin on my face when I go for a spirited drive. With it being my first BMW has it been the experience I expected? Yes and no, I always had BMW on a pedestal along with Mercedes and Audi as one of the premium brands. It is the Ultimate Driving Experience after all. Or is it?
ISSUES I may have rushed into buying the car without doing my homework and luckily that did not bite me. I never knew about the dreaded N54 High Pressure Fuel Pump issue because I bought it. I never Googled the car or went on any BMW specific forums to see if there were any issues with the 335i, it was a BMW after all. Now having said that I never had any problems with the HPFP or going into limp mode suddenly, Budds’ BMW did change the pump and three injectors but that was the result of a recall not a problem. During the time I was reading up on the HPFP I was wondering what did I do, how could I have bought a car with an issue like this that, one that would eventually cause many Class Action lawsuits to be brought against BMW. What was more disappointing was the fact that BMW really did not seem to want to do anything about the problem 134 - MotorWerks Magazine
until they were forced to. It was not what I expected from a company producing premier cars. What else has gone wrong? Well there was the time I was heading to Indianapolis for the Performance Racing Industry show and my sunroof exploded about my head, showering me with toughened safety glass. What caused it I do not know but I have since heard of others having similar issues. Budds’ helped out with the costs on that so kudos to them. The Takata air bag inflator recall hit BMW as well as many other brands and in February of 2016 they recalled 840,000 vehicles in the US alone. The current issue is there are no updated parts available for replacement and it may be nine or more months before this changes. The front anti-roll bar bushes creak in the winter but that never really bothered me that much, maybe it is time to talk to James Clay about some bushings from Powerflex USA to correct the issue. So you can see after listing all the issues I can really say they were insignificant, not bad for seven years and 100,000 km.
MAINTENANCE Scheduled maintenance came free with the car but as I was going to be keeping it after the lease there was no way I was going to adhere to the recommended intervals of 24,000kms. Since BMW went to maintenance included with the purchase price, condition based servicing has became the norm. The car’s computer would tell you when to change the oil or when the brakes required looking at. Don’t you just love modern technology?
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March 2010 - The first winter for Project 3ThirtyFive is over and done with. The 18” wheel and tire package that arrived from the Tire Rack had to be rebalanced before they could be used but TR stood behind their sale and refunded me the cost of re-balancing without any issue. The Bridgestone Blizzak tires performed admirably in the snow and cold and are still in use today. Although I love carbon fiber I am glad I changed to the BMW Motorsport Aero kit and no longer have the BMW Motorsport bumper lip pictured.
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May 2011 - Our Signature Black Morr VS8.2 wheels arrived just in time for the summer driving season in Canada. My set was #32 and was signed by the owners. The wheels came as 19”x 10” rears and 19”x8.5” fronts. The design of the rear was such that the tires had to be mounted from the rear.
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May 2011 - The tire of choice fitted to the Morr wheels was Continental Tire’s Extreme Contact DW a summer performance tire. You can see the ‘DW’ on the tire in the photo at the right. The D and W are are positioned at two different depths and actually work as wear bars do. When you can’t see the ‘W’ any more it should not be used in the wet and replaced. When it was time for the Foregline GA1R wheels to go on, there was no other choice of tire as far as I was concerned. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 135
The question I had was whether technology was really that smart or was BMW hedging their bets especially as they were paying for the oil changes? As much as the our governments are telling us all these changes to cars and fuel is to make our World a better place to live in I don’t believe them. Ethanol in cars is not good, it is just a convienient drum they can bang telling the public they are putting things in place that will ensure the World survives for our offspring. Ethanol and direct injection as used on the N54 and many other new engine designs automatically adds to the consumers running costs. Sealed PCV systems recirculate the engines internal fumes back down the intake runners. Previously fuel would help wash them into the combustion chamber where they
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would burn away. DI engines have no fuel to do this and the result is oily residue getting burned onto the runners and valves. This eventually shows up as a performance drop off and your only recourse to properly sort out the issue is walnut blasting. We had to do this around 65,000km and luckily it was covered under warranty. What else? Not much until I am finishing off this magazine and the car will not change gear in Manual mode!! What is it? From what I hear wiring to the shifter is an issue, but I will tell you about that next time!
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2011 - Early one Sunday morning just after the Sun came up, shot from the East end of the Distillery District. The CN Tower in the distance
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2009-Now - Cliff Fraser took the extra effort to get me into a 335i instead of a 328i when I leased the car. And until this day he calls and me on my birthday and sings Happy Birthday to me. Highly recommended to anyone looking to purchase or lease a BMW!
“We are not reinventing the wheel - Just Protecting it” Protect all 4 rims for less than it normally costs to refinish just one!
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The new HPFP at the right, the red arrow indicates the super trick fix, a magnet that collects the shavings in the pump as it spools up to designed speed and pressure.
7 For some reason the techs at Budds’ BMW changed three of my injectors. Whether they needed changed or not depended on the numbers seen here at the right, so I assumed it was a batch problem that could be traced to the numbers on the injector. Weird thing was I never had any issues and no codes were ever thrown.
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Pretty well every photo above show Project 3ThirtyFive with the MORR wheels on it. Well that all came to an end after the PRI show in Indianapolis a few years ago when I was ironically heading over to Dayton, OH spend the rest of the weekend with my friends Steve and Nicky Schardt of Forgeline Motorsports. Just before I left Indiana a moron passed me and with all the room available on the highway he still 138 - MotorWerks Magazine
decided to chop in front of me. So intent was I on not being hit I never noticed the pothole that was so deep the Exxon Valdez could have disappeared in it. Bang, bang and I knew it was bad, almost immediately the low tire pressure alarm on the dash came on. I got out and you can be sure there was plenty of Anglo Saxon and Scots words said about the bad drivers parentage. Well the sidewall was out of the
Conti non runflat but I had a emergency kit in the truck but was worried about the size of the hole. The goo was oozing out big time but with a foot firmly placed against the hole the sound of escaping air reduced enough I was ready to seek out the nearest tire store. I managed to get off the highway before I had to pull over and re-air the tire. Luckily the good old GPS found a store really close but they had no tires in the size, the only option was fitting snows and that meant a pair. While we were waiting for them to be delivered the front wheel was checked and it was bad, split around the rim and to the lip. The store could not gaurantee that they could make it hold air but after applying copious quantites of black goop it seemed to work. Then we discovered the rear had a six inch flat on the inner lip but it would not stop me from driving. So with sixty miles to go I headed for Ohio, got there and Steve had a beer ready for me. We did not even look at the damage. That could wait till tomorrow. On arrival at Forgeline I pulled into their tire bay and on inspection the wheel experts around, and there is lots of them were shaking their heads and giving it the last rites. Steve was so adament I was not to drive on it that he loaned me a set of snow rims and tires to get home. While I was there they showed me a set of GA1R rims in grey that the customer had provided the wrong info to them. They would fit my car but I wanted to wait and see what the BMW wheel and tire insurance I was going to pay for. After much back and fore my advisor told me they would pay for the from wheel and tire. Not what I wanted to hear even more so when I found out I could not get two replacement wheels as they were no longer made. So I got onto the insurance company myself and after a frustrating discusion where I was told to read the small print where it says wheels will not be replaced if they hold air. I was fuming! I asked for a supervisor who said let me look at the photo it took all of five minutes on the phone with him to agree to two wheels and a tire. Thanks you sir for seeing sense! The wheel story does not stop there, I put the check toward the Forgelines had my new Contis delivered and headed south to pick up the GA1Rs and spend a weekend at Mid-Ohio one of my favorite tracks with
some of my favorite people, the Buckeye Chapter of the BMW CCA. Back in Canada I had to drive into Toronto, something I don’t do too much but because of various issues I kerbed new wheels twice in four trips. Not a happy camper but when they came off for winter they were heading back to Ohio for a refresh and new color. I chose transparent blue to offset the TiAg of the car and I love it! Just at that time my buddy Pat Fletch was going to work with Alloygator NA and he showed me what the product was all about and we decided to install a set of silver Gators that just look amazing and they have saved a rim already. Watch for the install article next issue. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 139
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Mark Campbell
FEATUREDPhotographer
CarSceneUKMedia Devon, United Kingdom
Photography has been a true passion of mine, since I picked up my first camera at age ten. Taking a photo and then seeing it develop was something I really liked and thought was really cool, magical almost. What you see with your eyes, doesn’t always mean you have really seen it, but in a photo you can take your time looking at what you captured, see the things you may not have noticed at the time you pressed the shutter. Then as time went on and I shot all sorts of different photos I realized I had a passion for motorsport and it led me to where I am today. I used to work at Silverstone as a Supervisor for Security and during that time I met a few people and took photos where I could, seeing people from the media take photos and thought that’s what I want to do too. So I started to build a Portfolio and did a few events, bought some new kit starting off with a Nikon D90 which served me well, and then moved up to the D200 and D300s. I had a few lenses with my favourite being the Sigma 150-500mm VR which is great for panning and subjects far away. Yes I’m a Nikon user and that is only really down to the handgrip on them. Canon didn’t really have the handgrip I was looking for so Nikon was the choice for me.
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2016 rang in a new era for the UK MINI CHALLENGE with the updated JCW class, the ultimate in MINI racing with slick tyres, 3 way adjustable Nitron dampers, Quaife sequential gearbox and a SCS Delta Motorsport ECU. 2016 Champion David Grady was rewarded with a fully funded test in a Motorbase Performance Ford Focus at Snetterton, courtesy of MINI CHALLENGE official tyre supplier Dunlop.
EXIF Camera: Nikon 300DS Lens: 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Focal Length: 32mm Exposure: 1/320th F-Stop: 5.6 ISO: 320
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Vaughan Gitten’s Monster Mustang is one bad Pony always pleases drifting fans.
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I did some work for HEL Performance and made contact with a driver who I took too and loved the photos I produced. Charlie Butler Henderson made me his Official Photographer since his S2000 days in the UK Time Attack back in 2013 and he is now racing in the MINI CHALLENGE UK Championship. He won the championship in 2015 and would have been challenging again if it were not for some bad luck when he crashed his car badly. As the Official Photographer for the MINI CHALLENGE UK and working with Anthony William’s who is the Championship Director, we will be providing photos from the 2017 series to MWM showcasing the great action we have in the UK Challenge. So please make sure you take a look at what we do via social network and on the website MINI CHALLENGE UK. In addition to my MINI Challenge work I cover the BTCC and worked with Eurotech Racing Team in 2016 and am looking forward to working with them again in 2017 supplying them with more cutting edge images of their incredible Honda Type R cars in Red....
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Sam Tordoff used his West Surrey Racing BMW to good effect and challenged for the British Touring Car Championship right up to the end.
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THE iconic shot from Brands Hatch, looking back at Paddock Hill Bend. EXIF Camera: Nikon 300DS Lens: 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Focal Length: 32mm Exposure: 1/320th F-Stop: 5.6 ISO: 320
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The Neal Boys! Matt Neal is without doubt one of the UK’s premier Touring Car drivers with the family run Team Dynamics squad. In 2017 both his boys, Henry and Will will be competing in the UK MINI Challenge JCW class.
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With Motorsport being a big part of my life I have made many contacts and people I now call my friends all over the world, I also work for an agency called Celebrity Photos UK which is a Celebrity Agency covering Movie Premier Events including concerts, show’s and exclusive opportunities which are published in all the major papers and magazines. This gave me a great opportunity to expand my skills and work with the celebrities, one that I would never take back and I am always striving to do the best that I can. Photography in general is very hard to make a living from, so with the motorsport work that I do and the weddings I like to do also I feel that its me doing what i love todo and make people happy in what they don’t see. Those that are looking to take up Photography i have some advice that may or may not help, but its helped a few to get places. Nowadays you can buy a decent DSLR which does most of the work for you. Now it is time for my rant. it is one that is common amongst pro shooters that really make a living out of photography. Calling yourself a professional photographer because you have just bought a decent camera doesn’t make you a pro. Protect yourself by doing what you are good at and give yourself time to progress in becoming a professional in whatever field you choose. get to know your style and experiment and only time will tell if your a professional. I learn new things everyday and I have been doing this for over seven years.
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The Goodwood Hillclimb and a Formula 1 Mercedes are shown at their best in this lighting situation.
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EXIF Camera: Nikon 300DS Lens: 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Focal Length: 32mm Exposure: 1/320th F-Stop: 5.6 ISO: 320
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being in the right place when something like this happens is more luck than skill. The important thing is the drivers who we tend to get friendly with, walk away unscathed.
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Ben Mason 2016
Deano Macdonald
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Whether its adding to an existing design or starting from a blank canvas with our computer generated designs, Rennat Design can cater to all your needs. Rennat Design is based at the Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife, Scotland but deals with racers worldwide. Contact us for a quote by e-mail or by Facebook. Our new website will be online later this year. info@rennatdesign.com www.facebook.com/ rennat.helmetdesign
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Lando Norris - Macau GP 2016
Rennat Design provides a top quality helmet painting service for some of the worlds top racers. Our in-house design capability offers comprehensive design services working with you the customer to incorporate both your partners or personal
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The new JCW class cars made for some spectacular shots like the one above as Charlie B-H
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Racing in the BTCC is tight as can be seen here.
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Capturing the weekend for the Eurotech Racing Team can be challenging but fullfilling when I sit back and look at some of the images I captured. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 149
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On The Eme
Photos by Tom Maxwell, Ra
Irish eyes are smiling on motorsport in Northern Ireland these days with three permanent circuits Kirkistown in Kircubbin, County Down, south-east of Belfast, Nutts Corner located close to Belfast International Airport and the Bishopcourt Circuit near Downpatrick. In addition there are numerous hillclimbs and some of the best road rallying roads in the world. Tom Maxwell has been a friend on Facebook for a little while and he is regularly seen at Kirkistown and the Garron Point and Knockagh hillclimbs and offered to put together a Photo Pictorial on BMWs, MINIs and one of my favorite rally cars. Watch for more great shots from Tom in future issues. 152 - MotorWerks Magazine
erald Isle
aceline Photography.
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Only one non MINI or BMW here and it will be a stranger to those on the West side of the Atlantic. GM through their British subsiduary Vauaxhall produced a Chevette that was much like the American one, a car for the masses. The car above is a Chevette HSR that was built and homologated to run in rallies all over the world. Powered by a 2.3 litre DOHC motor some used the Lotus 907 head until it was banned by the FIA. Its weak point was over-revving and throwing the timing belts and resultant valvetrain carnage! The Ultimate Reading Experience - 155
My name is Michael Lewis and I am the proud owner of this 2010 BMW 335i. I purchased the car new in January of 2010 with six miles on the odometer and have spent the last seven years transforming a family four door saloon into a potent and competitive racecar.
Words by Michael Lewis, photos by Max Fallor, Max Fotography 156 - MotorWerks Magazine
Odyssey
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The car began its life as a daily-driver that was more than capable of turning heads, with the rare LeMans M-sport package exterior, and breaking necks, with a 3.0 liter twin turbocharged straight six motor (designated the N54) that pumps out 300bhp and 300ft-lbs of torque. The N54 motor was introduced in 2007 and had a solid four years of research and development before I took the reins of my car in early 2010. Although I had a very surface level understanding of the motor and its capabilities through reading various forums and magazine article, I knew that the N54 had tons of potential if I ever wanted to go that route and “modify� my car past stock power levels. So when I finally got behind the wheel and test drove the car for the first time, I was instantly in love and purchased the car that next day. It also happened to be the only LeMans Blue MSport, e90 (4 door designation), 6spd manual 335i in the Western States at that time; It 158 - MotorWerks Magazine
was almost meant to be. During this time I was a senior in college (studying Biology and Music) and had been working as a manager of a retail clothing store for almost 3 years. I quit my job as the manager and began working at a local performance shop, HP Autosport, as their internet sales manager and assistant to the owner. It so happened that they ran a 335i shop car in various Time Attack competitions in Southern California. As I stated above, everything just sort of fell into place. I began immersing myself in the e90 chassis, learning all I could from my boss with respect to performance, reliability, and maintenance. It is in this immersion that I decided to introduce myself to autocross, as it would only help my ability to connect and help future customers with advice and recommendations with not only BMW related questions, but motorsports in general. I began auto
An APR GT-250 71� rear wing and a home grown diffuser complete the rear aero.
The APR Performance chassis mounted splitter creates a sufficient amount of downforce with limited drag to provide maximum level of front grip.
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crossing in late 2010 and gained a real idea of how capable the chassis was. At my first event I placed 4th overall, out of around 45, and first in my class. The bug had bit and it was off to the races (clichĂŠ, I know). As in any motorsports progression, you start small and eventually work your way up to bigger events once your confidence and skills permit. After a handful of auto crosses I decided to partake in my first HPDE at Willow Springs Raceway in mid-2011. Josh Shokri, who is now a great friend and fellow enthusiast, is the leader of the organization Speed District that hosts HPDE/Track Days at local circuits around Southern California. Being the novice I was, he urged me to take some instruction that his company offered, so I did. As a side caveat, I cannot stress the level of importance on gaining proper training when first starting out on a large road circuits. The variables are immense and every novice NEEDS a professional to simplify the task at hand and help you CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR. I have seen instances of arrogance from novice drivers that have
The fuel entry point was relocated as the taller tires were rubbing on the oem fuel tubing going to the fuel tank. 160 - MotorWerks Magazine
led to extremely dangerous situations. Please, use your time on track for learning and driver improvement, not showing off. Having professional guidance is the single most influential experience that I have had during my motorsports career. Even after sixplus years of experience on the track, I still love the moments when my coach, Jordan Yost of Yost Autosport, hopped into the passenger seat and let me know that I am still learning. Fast forward about five years, countless HPDEs, a hand full of pro-amateur Time Attack events, and you arrive at where the car sits today. I will be attending the NASA and BMW CCA wheel-to-wheel racing schools this coming February and begin my competitive career the following month. The last five years have been an accumulation of hard work, failures, and countless hours of testing. The car has gone through numerous suspension, turbo, tuning, and alignment settings before arriving at a place where I feel comfortable gaining more seat time and really dialing in the car for competition. The following
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are just a few of the many modifications that have been installed over the five years: The twin turbo setup has been replaced with a Motiv Motorsport Single turbo kit, which uses a Garrett/TIAL GT3586R with a ball bearing and .82AR. Going to a single turbo reduced the low end torque and greatly improved the ability of the rear wheels to put the power down early and efficiently. For classing purposes within NASA ST1, BMW CCA Club Racing B-Modified, and SCCA T1, the power is limited to around 530whp & 460ft-lbs at 7200rpm running at waste gate pressure (1.1bar or 16psi). It seems counterintuitive to run a somewhat large turbo at only 16psi, but the lower boost reduces the overall load on the motor and will allow the power to be delivered effectively and consistently over long periods of time. It was somewhat hard, but mostly fun, adapting to a single turbo on a road course; you need to roll on the throttle before hitting the apex, using the predictable qualities of turbo lag as a tool for getting on the power early. The suspension has been completely revamped, showcased by the custom JRZ Motorsports front and rear (converted from shock + spring) coil overs and top mounts. Spring rates are currently at 758lbs front and 396lbs rear. I prefer to run softer springs as I like the car to lean and utilize the weight (3416lbs/1550kg) to load that outside wheel and really put the power down early as I exit a corner. All other suspension arms are fully adjustable and utilize solid bearing connecting points to minimize unnecessary deflection. Brakes are provided by a company that is relatively new to motorsports: Sparta Evolution. The car is utilizing their Triton BBK (big brake
kit), boasting the Triton 2600 6-piston 355-32 (soon to be 380-32) fronts and Triton 2400F 4-piston 345-30 rears. This kit is meant to fill the void between the Stoptech Trophy Sport and Brembo GTR kits. I was pleasantly surprised when I made the switch to Sparta Evolution, as I could not feel a difference between them and the Stop Tech Trophy sports I formerly ran and loved. Rounding
out the “legs� of the racecar, we have a custom set of BBS E88s (18x11 et6 front and 18x11.5 et15) wrapped in Pirelli DH racing slicks (285/645-18 fronts and 305/68018 rears).
As we upgraded the engine and suspension components, the car needed to go on a diet. A stock 335i runs around 3850lbs (1746kg) with all fluids and a driver while my The Ultimate Reading Experience - 163
335i racecar weighs 3416lbs (1550kg) with all fluids and a driver. This extreme weight savings was achieved through a full gutting of the interior. All panels, except for the oem dash for classification requirements, were removed. HG Motorsports fabricated a full 8-point welded in roll cage for NASA & BMW CCA requirements, along with a Sabelt fire suppression system; Halo bucket seats and 6-point harnesses were provided by Sabelt as well. Other interior parts include a CAE gated shifter (to improve feedback and throw distance) and an OMP flat bottom steering. Exterior modifications include an IDL WTCC (world touring car championship) replica wide body kit, custom blown diffuser, custom APR front splitter, and APR GT-250 71” rear wing. The overall goal for the 2017 season is to be somewhat competitive in the NASA ST1 division and finish top 3 in points for a season. Having no wheel-towheel experience, I am sure that this year will be full of learning experiences and frustrating moments. However, a vast majority of the drivers are more than willing
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to share their knowledge and love of the sport; I am excited to soak it all in. I am also currently re-approaching my partners with a new livery design for 2017 in the hopes of even more support this year as we become more competitive and receive more exposure. I have been blessed with amazing relationships thus far and hope to continue them through my motorsports journey. Thank you to MotorWerks Magazine for the opportunity to showcase my car and my incredible partners. Happy driving everyone! To follow my journey, please follow me on instagram under the username “turb0mik3.”
HG Autohaus, located in San Diego, handles all of the installation and post-track inspections, making sure the car is always in perfect operating condition.
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SpeedHillclimbing Speed hillclimbing is an entry level motorsport popular in the United Kingdom that has become the stepping stone to greater things just like autocross has in the United States. Former British BMW works driver Andy Priaulx is a great example, he started hillclimbing while still a teenager, on his local Guernsey hills, becoming the Clubmans class champion in 1991/92. 1993/94 saw him move to the British Hillclimb Championship on mainland Britain where he shared a Pilbeam-Hart MP57 with his father Graham. Moving into a Pilbeam-DFL MP58 he took the RAC/MSA British Championship title in 1995 with ten wins and eight track records in ten events. His open wheel career faltered at Formula Three but after getting involved with BMW GB in 2003 his career in Touring Cars took off. He would also win the BMW Sports Trophy for non-works BMW drivers in that year. Fast forward thirteen years and he has moved on from BMW but not before winning one European Touring Car Championship and three World Touring Car Championships in and amazing four straight years. The regular man on the street car can drive to the hill in his road car and compete without too many modifications. It is Grassroots Motorsport at its best, check it out.
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ulA little Moxie for thArcehivesos and son Words by Jason Gipson, photos Gip
Eric King
We look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “Who are you?” around the car can be a deal breaker. The poet Charles Bukowski answered in response, It began for me, back in 2003. I was visiting my brother “Ahh, the eternal question. The eternal answer? I in Los Angeles. While crossing La Brea at Sunset don’t know..” As car guys, is it truly possible to have Boulevard, I was almost clipped by a speedy little some sort of bond, maybe a spiritual connection, with a twerp of a car. It was a model I had never even seen machine? Can it become part of you? Maybe? But the or heard of back home in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. I car has to have a soul for you to feed, and it has to feed was intrigued! As I squinted up La Brea, I was able to yours in return. make out only numbers across the back right corner of I’m a simple man, at least as it applies to my car of the little guy… “2002”? What? Later, when I was back choice. I don’t need incredible power to weight ratio. I home in Cincinnati, I fired up my new, smoking fast, high don’t need OBDII to trouble shoot the running condition. Heck, I’m a “slow car fast” kind of guy. My soul’s desire, my passion’s fire, my only need is the automotive equivalent of a ruckus three chord song with a slick riff and a catchy, sing along chorus. Yes please, one that I can sing at the top of my lungs! Well, after nearly a decade of living and loving one particular model of car, that song is the BMW 2002. And has been for me personally, since about, well, day two. Like that perfect three chord song; this over Summer 2010. Just getting to know her. simplified yet ground breaking little sedan has gotten me through some of the ugliest, and the most speed, 2Mbps broadband connection and searched “2002 beautiful times of my adult life. It has given me joy, car”, and that friends, was the dawn of a long running brought me inspiration, a creative outlet, and kept me obsession. sane. Believe it or not, it even brought me closer to Prior to that day, I was a hard core Mopar man, but with my wife by giving her the ability to understand me and a twist. I had grown tired of the typical Mopar owner, my needs as an individual. But most importantly, the tired of the drag race scene. And because of it, I built culture around the BMW 2002 has provided a new world my 1969 Plymouth Valiant as a road racer. Effectively of great people that I never would have discovered blowing the minds of all my friends as it simply did otherwise. And as any car guy knows, the culture not compute! So when I began incessantly reading 168 - MotorWerks Magazine
everything 2002 that I could find, and scouring historical images and articles about its history, well, like a young boy who had just discovered girls, I began to fall in love, fast. The 2002 had the old car stylings that I refused to give up, yet was engineered for driving!? Steeped in gritty road racing history, the 2002 was the new beacon of hope for my floundering excitement! Guess what got sold off, almost immediately? That’s right, all things Mopar.. And the hunt for my first 2002 began! The beginnings of my BMW hobit (yes, hobit..hobby/ habit.), they weren’t glamourous. And they still aren’t, but I know my stuff. I learned quickly that the rust belt wasn’t good to 2002s and that they pretty much dissolved in the salty, snowy climates. Like any knowledgeable rust-belt car guy, I began to shop out west. Eventually, I found eBay and bought a nonoperational 1972 Inka orange orphan. It had plenty of road-rash and was missing the top end of the motor. It wasn’t shiny, it wasn’t running, but it wasn’t rusty - and it was MINE! It was 2007, and as quickly as the 2002 rolled in, it rolled back out. Economic troubles happened, and alas, I had to sell the thing. Thanks to modern advancements in interpersonal communication, I posted my first Craigslist ad! It was bittersweet. While the ad was for the sale of the 2002, and while I had to suffer the humiliation of letting a total stranger roll off with my baby, oddly that stranger became a friend. And in meeting that stranger, I was launched into a whole new 2002 experience, one that would later save me, the culture and the people around the machine. Over the next couple years, I stayed in touch with the guy who bought the ’72. He invited me to local events organized via e-mail ring (remember those things?!). And as our family economy rebounded, so did my desire to get back into a 2002. 2009 was to be a landmark year. It was going to be different! I could feel it. Turns out, unbeknownst to me, that stranger-turned-friend had teamed up with my wife to help find a replacement car for me. And as an early birthday gift, we bought a car out of San Francisco! It was game on! My wife buying me that 1975 Verona red road warrior was the best thing that that could have happened to us. We named her “Moxie”. As the economy sank further and further into the abyss, it took much of our hard work with it. I think we all watched in horror, am I right? But the one thing
that was to stay this time around was my 2002. Over the next several years, as un/under-employment happened, I found ways to generate an income with my new found “hobit”. As time was at a surplus, I became embedded in the national 2002 scene. I even started a Facebook group for regional owners. I discovered common needs, common interests, and common projects with fellow enthusiasts. Some of which, I took on as a challenge to find a solution for myself, and later turned them into a product offerings. I began to find connections to basket case cars that became part outs. And in the interest of supplying parts to fellow enthusiasts, I was able to generate supplemental income for my family, as well as topple fun small projects for my 2002. I found purpose, I found WORK! I found a community of friends, and I found sanity in the abyss.
Summer 2009. Getting a little help from Henry. What was initially an attraction to a shiny object became a lifestyle involving like-minded individuals. One that fosters an excitement in owners who then find themselves driving hours to meet, and then go driving their 2002s on ‘spirited drives’ together. That shiny object brought together folks who have one foot in the barrel of historical correctness, and the other in firmly planted on the gas pedal, with no shame in taking that automobile and making it their own, tastefully. And when we aren’t in the same place, we are constantly checking in via the interwebs, adding ideas and helpful information for others to benefit The Ultimate Reading Experience - 169
from. And as importantly, the August 2015 That one time I thought I could paint it in 6 months. guys around the 2002 have developed a culture where the women who love us, tolerate our obsession, and become better friends than maybe we men do. I think Prince said it best.” It’s a world of never ending happiness; you can always see the sun.” At this time, that seemingly meaningless, hap-hazard introduction on the streets of LA became a passion, an obsession, a lifestyle, and a saving grace. Not just Enter, the Schnob. for me, but for my 2002, itself. Unrecognizable from Thanks to the Internets, I had stumbled onto a horribly the day Moxie rolled off the truck from California, We neglected, but structurally sound pastelblau ‘76 . Bound have evolved together. My 2002 has been a trusty and determined to be ready for the 100th anniversary driving companion, the fosterer of hope, and the show season, and because I knew I had all the parts inspiration for ideas, both good… and bad. I hadn’t at home to revive it, in a fit of passion I bought myself seen it looming, not until a few years ago.. But from a surrogate 2002 on March 21, 2016. I refused to miss that first modification of removing the strut spacers centennial celebration at the east coasts biggest vintage in the first week of delivery to its current state of being stripped and repainted, and the hundreds of hours in between, I was preparing for a huge event in the BMW world. One that fate had me just happened to be alive for. By 2014, I had set my sights on driving Moxie to Monterey, California to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the brand, and the 50th anniversary of the model. I was all-in for having it all come together for November 2016. Finally in primer..........to be continued! a brilliant cross country caravan back to the shores of the Pacific. Back to where I BMW event, The Vintage. found my 2002.. We had exactly sixty days to get a car that was sitting But as fate, and all large car projects seem to go, the since 1998, ready for the six hours trip south to Asheville, time line for paint and body prevented those dreams North Carolina… and BACK. from coming true. Years of momentum came to a The next 30 days were a blur. Every available minute screeching halt. As March of 2016 rolled around, went into the Schnob. First, lower and firm up the it was clear that Monterey was out of the question. suspension. All new brakes. Then the clutch. Next, Magically, I had found myself without a 2002 for the the cooling and ignition systems. Blown head gasket? 100th anniversary of BMW!!! Change the head and cam. Heck, slap on a set of dual Dellorto 40mm side draft carburetors, and put on 170 - MotorWerks Magazine
2016 The stand in. #beersnob02 a header while you’re in there. Convert the big DOT bumpers to proper European chrome bumpers. Add an Alpina airdam. Etc, etc, etc. On it went. We even bolted a beer bottle opener to the driver side kink. Wilhelm Hofmeister would be proud, maybe. Well, he would at least have a bier. By late April, we had the Schnob at the local Cars and Coffee a couple of times, and it was ready for our group drive! On April 23rd, it led the gang on a two hour jaunt through the hills of old Kantucky! Never missing a beat! Over the next 30 days, it was given fluid changes, tuning tweaks, and a sundry of goings over. And Boom, it was show time. Asheville here we come! The weekend was wonderful; the car was a hit with everyone who came across it. Again, without flaw, the old gal performed. The Schnob got me, my wife Karie, and itself, there and back in one piece. It has forever since been known as “The Beer Snob”. Wait! One more story.. just one more. Promise.. Ok, to top it all off, in June of this year, we were invited to bring the Schnob to the Cincinnati Concour D’Elegance Tarmac party. It was the only 2002 invited, and it was among a very elite group of select BMW cars. What an amazing sight it was to see that little blue car in a million dollar line up with some of the most famous of BMW’s sport sedans. That little blue car who was just three months
prior was sitting forgotten, waiting to be sold for scrap! Well, it stole the show, it had a ring of people around it from the moment I parked it next to the bright orange M3. And from there, my surrogate for Moxie, the Beer Snob has taken on a life of its own. Loved by many, and driven by anyone who asks permission, we share the love for our little three chord song, no matter where we are. How does all of this tie in to the original story? Well, I’m a simple man, at least as it applies to my car of choice. I don’t need incredible power to weight ratio. I don’t need OBDII to trouble shoot running condition. Heck, I’m a “slow car fast” kind of guy. My soul’s desire, my passion’s fire, my only need is the automotive equivalent of a ruckus three chord song with a slick riff and a catchy, sing along chorus. My BMW 2002 is that three chord song, and this is how a little “Moxie” saved my life, my sanity and probably my marriage. –And along the way, it made the BMW world smile as it saved a funny little blue basket case of a 2002. ..Oh, and that connection I asked about in the beginning? -it’s a thing, believe me. Jason Gipson: Husband, Father of six, Photographer, Coffee shop owner/ host to Cincinnati’s Cars and Coffee, Network Engineer, 2002 freak. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 171
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Eric Hochgeschurz Super
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r Touring Champion
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2016 was a great year for 8Legs Racing in the Canadian Touring Car Championship presented by Continental Tire; particularly for Eric Hochgeschurz of Carelton Place, ON. Hochgeschurz who along with Arek Wojciechowski is one of the Team Principals at 8Legs Racing had a stellar year with his #11 W.O. Stinson and Sons and Carleton Collision supported BMW 330i e46. Never having won an event before the new season started, Hochgeschurz turned 2016 into the year he would take the top step of the podium with glee. And it was so successful even a ventilated engine block in the last race failed to deny him the Super Touring season’s championship. Coming off a second place in 2015 Hochgeschurz and Wojciechowski were determined to go one better in 2016, their pair of 330i BMWs were prepared better than ever before and the Ottawa based 8Legs Racing team were determined to compete for the championship. Erics yellow #11 is a 1999 BMW Motorsport chassis serial number DTC-007, that had seen duty in the Dutch Touring Car Championship before BimmerWorld bought it for World Challenge. It is 3.2 liter with 12.5/1 compression controlled by a Motec ECU allowing the motor to push out 305whp. Moton suspension, Brembo brakes and either 17” Apex or BBS wheels with series spec Conti 245’s are fitted on each corner of the chassis. An OEM 6 speed
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transmission and driverain feed the 4.44 ratio differential that is built by Diffs on-Line. Both drivers agree they could not do this without their crew of Grant Cybulski, Mac Graham and Shawn Bernier. You may ask about the name of the team, 8legs Racing? I did! Well they are a two car race team based out of Ottawa, Ontario. When we started there were four of us, eight legs you see. When you add in Arek loves the Spider logo we use, it was job done and it has been that way ever since. When asked about the future, Eric stated he will be back but he is not sure if he will continue in the Super Touring class or move up to Grand Touring. He certainly could run with them at some tracks in 2016.
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Michel Sallenbach Tour
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ring Champion
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There is no harder working person in the CTCC, Michel Sallenbach is no prima donna driver, he gets stuck with the Team Octane crew and does what needs to be done. 2016 saw Michel earn his second Touring title; it would be the first for his R58 MINI Coupe. Will he be back for more, you bet he will although he does intend to spend part of the summer cycling with his wife Alyne. What a nice guy! Sallenbach the Roxton Pond, QC resident finished the
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year with 1912 points ahead of Jon Young of M&S Racing who collected 1743 points. Paul Gravel with a second Team Octane MINI made it two out of three when he finished third with 1597 points. It is with great interest all of us here at MotorWerks Magazine awaits the unveiling of Octane’s F56 racer. Soon there may be two teams to cheer for in the Continental Sportscar Challenge, but we will just have to wait and see.
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New Kid On The Block -
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Words By Ian Rae/Ilker Starck, Photos By Lucas Scarfone
Sports Car Boutique
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Ian Rae with Ilker Starck Photos by Lucas Scarfone
BMW colors. At that point the article focus changed to the M235iR and the teams that were going to run them.
When I decided to write this article about the M235i Racing it was all about Classic BMW and their two car team. As the year progressed I heard more and more rumors about more similar cars coming on the scene. Local Toronto team RMP Competizione had sourced one car and were looking for another. Then BMW powerhouse Turner Motorsport announced they were going to run three cars in the Pirelli World Challenge series. It seems as if the floodgates had opened and M235iRs were pouring through them into North America. Next I saw photos on Facebook on the SportsCarBoutique page showing a M235iR in Policaro
Ilker Starck is the owner at the SportsCarBoutique and Team Principal at SCB Racing, a Toronto based one stop shop for racing products and racecar preparation. He agreed to talk to me about his decision to use BMW Motorsport and their M235iR as the basis for their endurance racing program.
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Ian: What made you decide to go for a BMW M235iR, especially as they were not commercially available in North America? Ilker: We were in touch with some teams in Germany trying to compare the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport and the M235iR for endurance racing, etc. The car has been on my
Left: The M235iR has an aggresive stance Below: A regular BMW dealer like Policaro BMW can carry out all the maintenance on the M235iR
Ilker: Again – having raced Porsche for the past 6 years – it is a most welcome opportunity to run a well sorted “entry” level car so cost effective. Other than the bodywork and some motorsport related parts – the car can be serviced / repaired by a BMW dealer. The running cost is significantly less than our Porsche race cars – that allows us to bring more gentlemen drivers and young drivers up the ladder with less budget concerns…the car is amazing to drive and makes you feel connected at all times without major over or
radar for almost two years – and after discussing the car with the Classic BMW team that runs them in Pirelli World Challenge – our decision was made to add the BMW to our team. Ian: The pricing on the M235iR was very good from BMW when the car was released in 2014 Has the interest in them in North America pushed the prices way up? Ilker: Unfortunately YES a little bit – we have been in touch with some teams in Germany and lately they are not willing to sell the cars at all or at the price we initially paid for our car… Ian: What are your thoughts on the M235iR racecar and what do you think its strengths and weaknesses are?
understeer… Ian: Explain the differences between this car and something similar that still has a clutch. Ilker: Well lets say that when you have driven a race car with a racing (straight cut gear) gearbox and the 235 with a streetcar related gearbox – its night and day…especially when you are going all out…but you get used to the very small delay… If your question was in regards to a manual transmission car and the BMW – well there is only one thing that can be said: its quicker and you can focus 100% on your driving with your hands rather than heel and toe and taking your hands off the steering wheel in corner entry or exit…I don’t care what so called hard core enthusiast say about driving stick shift…in racing paddle shifters are a no brainer! Ian: You tested the car at Toronto Motorsport Park from a The Ultimate Reading Experience - 187
photo I saw, how did it perform on track? Was it what you expected? Ilker: As a matter of fact I tested the car at Mosport the first time out and I told everyone the same words: great car to drive – still manageable on the limit – AND I got out of the car not exhausted and totally sweaty – unlike some other race cars that I have driven… Ian: Sponsors etc for next year? Ilker: For the BMW program I am happy to announce the partnership with Policaro BMW in Brampton Ontario. I have known members of the Policaro family for quite some time now and they have always shown great support and interest in racing. This is a perfect fit for our team – working with a group of people that actually care about the cars and motorsport… Ian: SCB is going to maintain and support the car, explain to readers what SCB does. Ilker: SportsCarBoutique is the shop and SCB Racing is the race team looking after the track and race cars. We offer high end products for sport cars and luxury cars as well as full service and repair. Majority of our clientele has Porsches, BMW M-cars, Audi RS / S cars as well
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other exotics and luxury/sports cars. We are the largest HRE wheels dealer and distributor in Canada as well as Akrapovic exhaust systems and BMC Air Filter from Europe. SCB Racing maintains track and race cars and offers a full arrive and drive program with track support. SCB Racing also has one of the few 3 axis Full Motion Racing simulators in Canada that can be rented by drivers and teams. Ian: John Bondar of the Canadian Touring Car Championship told me he has not decided what class in the CTCC to place the car in, what are you hoping for? Ilker: Super Touring based on the lap times at Mosport (in stock configuration) Ian: And your hopes for 2017? Ilker: We are planning on a full Season in CTCC with two BMW M235iR cars and minimum of two Pirelli World Challenge races. Plus lots of happy customers and race car drivers in the SCB family…Canadian Motorsport needs every single one to come out and have fun in 2017.
905.467.5148
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Top Left: The cockpit almost looks like a standard M235i. Middle Left: A carbon fiber door card has reliefs to match the factory installed roll cage. Bottom Left: Sparse but functional, just as a quality racecar should be. Above: The same thought process that goes into the BMW Motorsport M6 GT3 cars went into the rollcage and chassis on the M235i Racing.
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ONE KIND OF A
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2012 MINI John Cooper Works COUPE (R58) Engine : MINI 1.6 l. L4 cylinder , turbo (N14) VANOS on intake cam, full OE specs (no modifications) including JCW OE ECU and mapping JCW OE factory airbox with OE filter Custom stainless straight-through exhaust sytem by CMV with dual-pipe exit tips Custom built CMV aluminum radiator Transmission: Manual 6 speed (OE MINI), OS Giken Limited slip differential. BULLY custom clutch disc with OE pressure plate. Assembly balanced by BULLY. Suspension: Remote canisters custom built MAVITEC shocks. Custom top plates including external camber adjustments Rear swaybar TARETT Engineering Front swaybar H&R TARETT adjustable rear toe arms Brakes: Front: OE Cooper “S” 1 piston calipers with G-LOC pads, 2-piece discs with aluminum hat Rear: OE JCW calipers, G-Loc pads, OE discs MINI Challenge brake ducts Wheels and tires: Tires: 225/45R15 Continental slicks, CTCC compound Wheels: 15”x8” 6UL 949Racing Wheel studs: M12x1,5 by TURNER Motorsports Fluids: Engine oil: Castrol EDGE (TWS) SAE10W60 European Formula Transmission: Gulf Competition 75W-90 LS Brake fluid: Castrol SRF Coolant: distilled water with Red Line Water Wetter
Photos Main: The super sturdy rollcage was built by CMW Left: OEM spec other than strut brace and datalogging cables Middle: The cutaway doors are super light Right: A CMV leg brace protects the driver’s legs in the footwell. The Ultimate Reading Experience - 195
Body: Custom roll cage by CMV JCW rear spoiler Custom front and rear tow hooks by CMV 2016 Minimum weight by CTCC rules: 2575lbs , including driver Paint: AXALTA automotive finishes, custom orange color mix. Interior: MOMO Lesmo race seat Sparco race steering with Lifeline quick disconnect Schroth Enduro belts from Perry Auto Laval Cool Shirt driver cooling system AIM digital display, data acquisition, Smarty Cam HD camera.
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Photos Above Left: The battery kill switch is located at the left of the dash, easily reached by both the driver and corner workers. Left: A Schroth center net is designed to contain the driver and stop him flying into the passenger side of the car. Below: Ducts from the MINI Challenge are used to get cool air into the brakes.
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Qualifying normally sees the Team Octane cars runs as close together to get a draft. Sometimes they just get seperated as in this shot.
Reflections on the weekend. Michel had more than this photo to reflect on as he won the first championship for a R58 in North America.
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Things can get interesting in the first corner at Calabogie Motorsports Park. Michel goes through sandwiched by a Super Touring Honda and Jon Young his major challenger.
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A FAMILIAR FACE IN A BMW?
Billy Johnson Talks Blue & White Roundel
The name Billy Johnson is familiar to all fans of the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge. Mostly at the wheel of a Ford Mustang, the transplanted Californian has made a name for himself wheeling cars for the likes of Roush Racing and Multimatic Motorsports. But is was not always the Blue Oval that Billy drove to the Winner’s Circle. On the odd occasions he was behind the wheel of a car with the blue and white Roundel, that’s right, a BMW. When I started putting together this article I never knew that Billy had a single seater past and his series of choice was Formula BMW. Over a couple of evening Billy and I chatted away about his past and his involvement with the Bavarian brand.
Q&A With Billy Johnson Ian: Sorry to hear about the new ‘Billy Johnson rule’ that is going to stop us seeing you run in the Conti series. But let’s talk about your history with BMW? Billy: Thanks! In 2012 & 2013 I did about half of the season in GTD with Turner and in 2015 I was in the rain storm at Road Atlanta with Turner, when Andy Prixaulx 200 - MotorWerks Magazine
drove. Ian: How was it to drive with Turner Motorsport, from the outside it really seems as if they have their act together? Billy: It was always great to drive for Will. He has a great team around him and they had a lot of success with the Z4s in GTD. Unfortunately the BOP wasn’t great at Road Atlanta and the Z4 really struggled in the rain but back when they ran the Riley M3’s I got a podium with them driving with Michael Marsal at Laguna Seca and another 2nd in 2012 with Auberlen & Paul Dalla Lana Ian: And is Don Salama the super strategist everyone says he is? Billy: Another very nice guy! Yes he is. A very bright guy, great driver, and stays up the entire 24 hours to keep things running as planned. Ian: I heard that. Any other BMW related stories for our readers? Billy: I was a BMW Factory Junior sponsored driver racing I drove for PTG in Formula BMW in its inaugurial season of Formula BMW USA in 2004. Other “Junior” scholarship winners that year were Tom Milner Jr, Graham Rahal,
Group Z4 M-Coupe in GS with Tom Milner Jr & Andrew Davis. You can also throw in a great outing finishing 2nd overall and winning the E0 class of the 2008 25 Hours of Thunderhill in an E36 M3 for Achilles Motorsport. Ian: Everyone here at MotorWerks Magazine wishes you all the best in the future and can’t say we will be disappointed if we see you back in a BMW at some point.
James Hinchcliffe, so you could say I was in pretty good company. Ian: Indeed, What made you change to touring cars? Billy: Opportunity. I didn’t have the funding to go further in Formula cars, and I could get discounted and free rides in sports cars though my performance, ability to make the cars faster, and coach other drivers on the team. Which led to drives with the likes of RumBum Racing in a E92 M3 in GS in 2012 at Lime Rock with Jeff Segal, and in back in 2008 drove the Motorsport Technology
Photos from Billy Johnson Archive
Turner Motorsport team principal Will Turner was one on those who had been watching Johnson closely, “When you look at his career he is very accomplished, he is always quick, he adapts easily to different cars, and finally he is a great guy! Before I put him in my car I had been watching him for years.” he went on, “Another thing about Billy is that he knows when to be aggressive and when to chill. He also follows directions from his boss (which was me) and sometimes that can be unusual from pro driver. (said with a little snigger.) Famed Turner Motorsport strategist Don Salama has worked with Billy many times and has watched his career wirg interest. He said, “Billy is as well rounded a pro race driver as I have seen in my career. He has been fast and smart in a huge array of cars; he doesn’t make mistakes.. critical to being a winner; he listens and follows direction... something I critically value as a strategist; he provides great technical feedback in setting up a car and lastly he is a great guy; everyone likes him... he gets along with every team I have ever seen him with. Billy showed last year that he could win a GS championship in a car that wasn’t the fastest. He also proved to everyone that he deserved one of the best rides in the world.. with Ford in the GT.”
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Gonna to tell you a Story! It is not often you get told something by a lawyer without recieving a bill but it this case you are getting it for free AND it is a long one, but a real goodie! - Ed
Words by C.R. Krieger This whole dreadful tale must be told - and I was the only one there the whole time. It’s a long read. After a couple weeks of swapping emails and hastily made plans, I “girded up my loins” and headed to Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Field at 5:15 Saturday morning (October 20). I found it propitious that I picked up a Bavarian cream pastry at the convenience shop where I got gas after I rolled in at 5:35 AM. Arriving at Mitchell, I was alert enough to pick a parking spot on level 5 (the BMW-like graphics caught my eye) in the Red Section (remembering Da Red Dog) C (my first initial). I slipped the parking ticket inside the comforting ‘Little Blue Cloth’ (those with complete tool kits will understand) and put my stereo’s face in the trunk, as well. I would miss my car for a few days. This was to be my first actual airplane flight since 1999. Not that I’m afraid of terrorists or of flying - rather that I simply don’t trust the folks we went out and hired away from McDonald’s to protect us from the terrorists. But that’s another tirade. The TSA folks briefly sniffed at my sneakerless bleary-eyed carcass and looked over my meager traveling kit (didn’t bat an eye at the obviously lethal set
of Minnesota license plates I was carrying) and waved me through like 90 minutes early. I had a nice flight over the familiar Detroit/Windsor area on a sunny morning and landed at Cleveland Hopkins where, if something goes terribly wrong, I know more lawyers and friends to call than anywhere else in the world. But nothing did, and an hour later, I hopped onto a second 57-passenger Embraer 145 for a 58-minute trip to RaleighDurham. I already knew the lay of the land, having extensively Googled it, including the satellite view, and concluded that even though I was traveling a mere 2.8 miles, as the crow flies, from the terminal to my destination, that said RDU was just laid out plumb wrong for my purposes. My path would have crossed about a mile of space apparently used by an air national guard unit and another mile of a relatively undeveloped state park through which a stream lay across my route, no doubt harboring precipices over which I might bumble
to my death, assuming I was neither arrested nor shot by the ANG folks. So I got into a cab. The Raleigh Durham airport is also bordered on 3 sides by Interstate or heavily traveled divided highways that compelled my driver to exit the airport diametrically opposite the shortest trip he had probably ever made. It took a $20 cab ride to go to the other side of 3 miles of nothin’. Plus a tip - and he didn’t have change for a hundred. There it sat, next to a “beautiful blue Fiat” which I’d opined is a contradiction in terms. A somewhat scruffy black 1988 635 C (the ‘si’ having gone AWOL). The cab driver found it interesting until he got a look inside, then he hurriedly concluded our business and left me to my fate, which was to be to drive it back to Milwaukee. [Hey, I’d volunteered for this. There is nothing I can give or do for Johnny Guest to adequately thank him for fetching my current ride up out of south Florida (although I still would, in a heartbeat), so I decided to ‘pay it forward’ by doing essentially the same favor for Chris Spargo, another E28er out of Minneapolis.] Chris bought this car from the notorious ‘Reverend Al’ Taylor in North Carolina, and I really wanted to meet him. As it turned out, I never did, but we spent plenty of ‘quality time’ on our cellphones. But, back to the car. Al had secreted a key inside the front bumper and he’d impulsively decided to leave a second one on top of the The Ultimate Reading Experience - 203
left rear tire. I quickly tried this one in the trunk lock (pursuant to the note on the window that said, “Use trunk to unlock!”) and found that it didn’t want to turn. The second key, however, worked fine, and I was free to discover the wonders that lay within. Tossing the bum key into the glovebox, I saw that Al had, indeed, left the radio on the floor in case I wanted to sort out the wires that he hadn’t deciphered so I had entertainment on my way. Nope. Didn’t need it. All I’d asked for, when informed that the a/c didn’t work, was an operating sunroof (it did) and a working cigar lighter. Al allowed as how I might have to hook up the wires for the lighter. I stuck my finger into the lighter hole and hit bottom on carpet. Scratch that idea. Plan B would ensue. The rest of the interior looked a lot like wolves had entertained there, while leaving the glovebox to the mice. I do not think any interior panels were presentable or usable (which is OK since they’re a really ugly gray anyhow). As I plopped into the beat-up blue driver’s seat, I was instantly reminded of the contrast between 6’3” 135-pounds-dripping-wet Al and me at 5’6” and trying-to-rememberwhen-I-was-last-135. I could neither see over the dashboard nor reach the pedals. I could, however, reach the power seat button array, which did me about as much good as being able to see Orion at night. I pushed every last one of them and - nothing happened. Well, hell, I am not going to drive this thing halfway across the country looking like a ‘blue hair’! I stepped out and surveyed the situation. Hmmm. There’s something odd. A handle 204 - MotorWerks Magazine
where it shouldn’t be. Another one ... and another one! The seats were manual! Whooooeeeee! I quickly ran it forward and up, up, up. By the time I could see and reach the pedals, I’d decided not to risk Al’s warning about the rake adjuster being all wonky. The seatback rake was just right. Al had kindly left a crappy nylon seat pad for me to sit on that, after trying to get it straight and not entirely bunched up under my butt, quickly ended up in the back seat for the duration. I told Chris to mail it back to Al. The torn, crappy-looking seat felt just fine. Up on the parcel shelf lay the remains of a once-proud third brake light that I tossed down to the seat. I am not going to listen to them rattle for two days. Time to fire it up. “Scraaak!” The sound of a starter not quite willing to engage every time. “Park on a hill at night..., do not shut down until you are where you don’t mind staying for a while....leave running while fueling, pee on the side of the road with it running,” I had been warned. I already know this routine from E28s. Turn the key back off; try a second time. It cranks and fires immediately and runs smoothly. Yes; I hear the fuel pump noisily doing its best during its last weeks. Amplified by the 12” exposed woofer between the rear seats (the rear a/c console is in the trunk). The tach doesn’t work and the dashboard is lit up like a Christmas tree: coolant level, brake light, brake lining, parking brake, SRS, ABS, - did I miss any? The only thing not lit up was the OBC, dammit! The shifter feels good and clutch uptake is light and firm. I head out onto the road and it feels
good. Getting up to speed, there is the usual E24/E28 shimmy at 60 that you can drive through by 80. Waitaminnit; there are the damn license plates in my backpack! I pull into a short gated driveway into the airport (no guards around) and I hop out. Back to the trunk. Open the toolkit. Nothin’. Less than nothin’. The tool tray almost falls off, being held on by only one remaining screw. I try the screws that are driven into the nylon grommets and they move. So I put the plate on and screw them in finger tight. I try a couple of key tips, but none of them seems to be philips head. I decide to take my chances. I’ve got two plates, after all (Minnesota apparently sticks all the stickers on each of your plates!) and I only plan on sticking one on the back. There are no front screws anyway ... Finding myself marginally legal by 3 PM local time, I head out once again, only to discover my next problem. The speedometer doesn’t work, either. Alright, my Garmin iQue will give me a speed readout, but I have to have power for it if I expect it to work for more than an hour or so. The cigar lighter is absent. It’s time to regroup. Rolling with heavy traffic on I-40, I spot an Iron Skillet and this reminds me that a) Iron Skillets always coexist with a trucker’s store where you can buy weird stuff like I need; and b) since my Bavarian cream pastry this morning, I have only dined on the fine selection of peanuts and juice that Continental Express laughably calls a “snack” on their flights. Iron Skillet it is. After 15 minutes of indecision (How much do I want to build; how much can I slap together?), I pick out an alligator
clip power receptacle with about two feet of wire (Who operates anything within two feet of their battery?), a 12’ extension cable, and a short roll of duct tape. Then, the clerk pisses me off by demanding I.D. for a lousy $26 credit card purchase. One split pea with ham cup of soup/salad plate/broiled chicken breast/potatoes with white gravy dinner later, a second clerk pisses me off by asking me the same thing 25 feet away ... Outside in the parking lot, I quickly kludge things together. Clip to the negative post; check. Positive will reach, but leave it off at first. Plug in extension; check. Wire tie extension cable back to firewall and across to rear passenger corner of hood; check, check, and check. Duct tape bright red cable to base of A pillar to just above mirror; check. Carefully
run cable inside and close door carefully; check. Connect positive and carefully close hood, taping wire away from crash assembly in that corner of the hood; check. Plug in phone and iQue. We have power. Opening the Garmin’s antenna, we get GPSin’. This is gonna work! Hit the road again and listen to the nice lady telling us how to get away from town. The car’s getting hot inside, so let’s decipher the E24 ventilation system sans a/c. This looks a lot like the old E12 stuff I’ve seen. Those big vents up on the dash center do little for me. They blow toward the roof and they are not adjustable. I slide the center control to the right. A mere 5 minutes later as I am driving down the road with the fan on high (the only setting at which
it works, screaming like a banshee, to let you know), I am greeted with a blast of leaf litter, and whatever else the mice have left in there, as the fresh air vents open. By this time, I recognize the flaw in my nav system plan. iQue Shift. With every turn, it slides around on the dashboard where it must be in order to pick up the satellites. I have to pick it up and focus on a 1/4” high number to see how fast I am going. I figured on a pleasant blast through the Appalachians before a day of boredom in western Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, but I am not yet having fun. Needing fuel, I pull off onto the fortuitously named Akron Avenue in Winston Salem. While there, in desperation I slap a strip of tape over the iQue’s antenna, taping it to
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the edge of the dashboard. It still reads the satellites. I slap on a few more to hold it securely. It obediently hangs 2 inches from my right hand with the display pointed my way. Yessssss! I have instrumentation! OK; in fairness, two things on the dashboard actually did work. The temp gauge steadfastly informed me that this lovely-running 3.5 never once got past 11:00 on the dial, and the fuel gauge did its job. The parking brake light went off when the parking brake went down and the turn and high beam indicator lights correctly informed me when those lights were used. But that is all. Otherwise, it was but a dimly lit red decoration at night and not even red during the day. Getting the iQue planted and working was just a part of the constant war. The battle I could not (and did not) win was with the power jack. For some reason, it will not maintain contact, and I have a little pilot LED on the top to tell me so. Without constant power, it will automatically shut down in 3 minutes. So I spent the rest of the day fiddling, twisting, pushing, pulling, and eventually even duct taping the damn thing into a position where it would work. But it never lasted more than 15-20 minutes. I ended the day early and nursed my tired frustration with a Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty in Princeton, WV. Morning was cool and I was ready to roll before sunup. I wanted to get to Delaware, Ohio, to watch the F1 race at 11:30 with my younger brother, Mark, at his new home. The wipers worked! I wiped the dew off and rolled about 500 feet down the access drive when I smelled ‘too much’ fuel. In a gas station
parking lot, I saw it dripping from a 2” hose near the back of the head. Right onto the manifold, where it could pool a little bit. Now in all honesty, if it had been the CSV hose, I might have ignored it for the trip. At speed, if it isn’t leaking too fast, it simply drips down onto the block and evaporates. Without an ignition source, it smells lots worse than it is and it blows away. But this was right out there - easy to reach. I went back to the desk clerk and asked if he had a screwdriver. “No.” Seeing my need, he looked through some drawers and came up with a set of
valleys had some fog yet to burn off. The leaves were golden, red, yellow, and orange. The road was perfect. Almost deserted, smooth, and twisty. Left turns were brilliant, but rights were producing a worrisome vibration. Then, straights were producing a worrisome vibration. Finally, moving over 40 mph was producing a worrisome vibration. I tried I-77 in the hope that getting over 80 would help. Nope; it got worse. I got off and started making phone calls to both of my brothers in Ohio and to anyone I could think of near Columbus, Ohio. Todd &
1967 a young C.R. and another car that could tell a few tales I bet!
jeweler’s screwdrivers. Nope; not big enough. The day clerk walked in and said the maintenance man had just rolled in ahead of her. She went to ask. Fearing it might be too much, I asked if they had a flashlight. One appeared instantly. I took both out to the car, tightened each of two small worm clamps, and checked it. No leaking. I was off. One of the most magnificent drives I have ever made was marred by a growing problem. As I drove US Route 19 through the hills and small villages, the sun was coming up. The
T.C. Kline both got calls. I was sure a front wheel bearing was well and truly on its way out. I even shook the wheels and felt looseness in the left front. I called Chris to tell him we’d have to trailer the car. Then I started looking for a trailer or dolly on Sunday morning in the middle of West Virginia. Both of my brothers were looking around at home and I tried rolling up the road. Not 5 miles later, I spotted a truck rental dealer/ convenience store in Shady Spring, WV. It was open. Really. In the lot was a car trailer. Really. I went The Ultimate Reading Experience - 207
the edge of the dashboard. It still reads the satellites. I slap on a few more to hold it securely. It obediently hangs 2 inches from my right hand with the display pointed my way. Yessssss! I have instrumentation! OK; in fairness, two things on the dashboard actually did work. The temp gauge steadfastly informed me that this lovely-running 3.5 never once got past 11:00 on the dial, and the fuel gauge did its job. The parking brake light went off when the parking brake went down and the turn and high beam indicator lights correctly informed me when those lights were used. But that is all. Otherwise, it was but a dimly lit red decoration at night and not even red during the day. Getting the iQue planted and working was just a part of the constant war. The battle I could not (and did not) win was with the power jack. For some reason, it will not maintain contact, and I have a little pilot LED on the top to tell me so. Without constant power, it will automatically shut down in 3 minutes. So I spent the rest of the day fiddling, twisting, pushing, pulling, and eventually even duct taping the damn thing into a position where it would work. But it never lasted more than 15-20 minutes. I ended the day early and nursed my tired frustration with a Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty in Princeton, WV. Morning was cool and I was ready to roll before sunup. I wanted to get to Delaware, Ohio, to watch the F1 race at 11:30 with my younger brother, Mark, at his new home. The wipers worked! I wiped the dew off and rolled about 500 feet down the access drive when I smelled ‘too much’ fuel. In a gas station 208 - MotorWerks Magazine
parking lot, I saw it dripping from a 2” hose near the back of the head. Right onto the manifold, where it could pool a little bit. Now in all honesty, if it had been the CSV hose, I might have ignored it for the trip. At speed, if it isn’t leaking too fast, it simply drips down onto the block and evaporates. Without an ignition source, it smells lots worse than it is and it blows away. But this was right out there - easy to reach. I went back to the desk clerk and asked if he had a screwdriver. “No.” Seeing my need, he looked through some drawers and came up with a set of jeweler’s screwdrivers. Nope; not big enough. The day clerk walked in and said the maintenance man had just rolled in ahead of her. She went to ask. Fearing it might be too much, I asked if they had a flashlight. One appeared instantly. I took both out to the car, tightened each of two small worm clamps, and checked it. No leaking. I was off. One of the most magnificent drives I have ever made was marred by a growing problem. As I drove US Route 19 through the hills and small villages, the sun was coming up. The valleys had some fog yet to burn off. The leaves were golden, red, yellow, and orange. The road was perfect. Almost deserted, smooth, and twisty. Left turns were brilliant, but rights were producing a worrisome vibration. Then, straights were producing a worrisome vibration. Finally, moving over 40 mph was producing a worrisome vibration. I tried I-77 in the hope that getting over 80 would help. Nope; it got worse. I got off and started making phone calls to both of my brothers in Ohio and to anyone I could think
of near Columbus, Ohio. Todd & T.C. Kline both got calls. I was sure a front wheel bearing was well and truly on its way out. I even shook the wheels and felt looseness in the left front. I called Chris to tell him we’d have to trailer the car. Then I started looking for a trailer or dolly on Sunday morning in the middle of West Virginia. Both of my brothers were looking around at home and I tried rolling up the road. Not 5 miles later, I spotted a truck rental dealer/ convenience store in Shady Spring, WV. It was open. Really. In the lot was a car trailer. Really. I went inside. The guy who was there reminded me of Pat Buttram’s ‘Mr. Haney’ in Green Acres. A friendly hilljack like many I’d known growing up in southern Ohio. He had to squint a bit while working the computer to check the one-way rates for Columbus, then Milwaukee, then Minneapolis (“You mean Minnesota?”), finally good-naturedly telling me to come around the counter and do it myself. Hey; I was going to have hours to kill waiting for my tow vehicle. As I poked around, a real customer came in to pick up a truck, so I entered his driver’s license information and made the reservation at the clerk’s direction (probably highly illegal somehow, but we were just three guys having some fun early in the morning). When I stepped outside to confirm arrangements with my brother, he told me he’d find and bring a trailer and haul me to our old home town; I just needed to keep moving (“Every mile you drive is two less for me.”). I went back inside and apologized for the trouble and I drove on. Within another few miles, my meager
instrument panel and phone were not charging. WTF? The splitter I was using had blown its 0.0000000001 amp fuse. Crap! I happened to be pulled off within sight of an AutoZone where I figured I could pick up a fuse, so I turned into the lot. What inspired me to think about the car at that point I don’t remember, but it suddenly occurred to me that I’d felt this vibration before. I stopped, got out the lug wrench (along with the jack thoughtfully left there by Al, the only two tools I had) and bent down to the front wheel. One missing lug bolt. Four loose ones. I am a f**king moron! Before I even tightened them up, I was on the phone to my brother to inform him of this fact. He’s in the shower and I tell his wife to tell him not to come. Then I call my other bro, telling him I would be coming to his place anyway. I spun them in. I drove back out to the road. It was smooth. I was so delighted, I just tossed my splitter, connected the iQue, and turned off my phone. It was drivin’ time!
HeadsUpRacer.com is pleased to be once again attending the Motorama Custom Car Show and Motorsports Expo in 2017 Our focus in 2017
• Racepak Tune-Up. Bring your Racepak and laptop to the show and for $50 we will update your firmware to the latest version, prepare your laptop for the upcoming season and archive your config file for safety and easy recovery. • Powerbrake Big Brake Kits. Come talk to us about the new Powerbrake S and X Line brakes from Powerbrake. Know when you should step up to race brakes! Delon Murphy of Powerbrake will be here all three days! • Check out CooperRSR on the only Forgeline GS1R four lug rims in the World. Plus lots of other great products.
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Tick Tock
Against the Clock
Words and photos by Ian Rae 210 - MotorWerks Magazine
Scott Shadbolt - Super Street RWD Champion The Ultimate Reading Experience - 211
Below: Joe Liu - Unlimited AWD
Above: Sasha Anis Unlimited RWD Champion
Bevan Gray - Unlimited AWD Runner-Up
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2017 will see the Canadian Sport Compact Series enter its 15th season, CSCS is recognized as Canada’s largest sport compact championship and is based in the Provice of Ontario with occasional forays to the neighboring Province of Quebec. The CSCS is dedicated to the growth and prosperity of the Canadian automotive scene by working with industry leaders to produce a safe and entertaining motorsports event for both enthusiasts and competitors. Events include Show and Shine Car Shows as well as Time Attack, Drifting and Drag Race events fo those with a competitive bent. The CSCS Time Attack series allows enthusiasts of all skill levels to compete with a wide range of entries from street driven track toys to 700 horsepower race cars. Comprised of nine different classes based on vehicle model and modifications, CSCS provides a venue for racers to show off their skills in front of 5,000+ spectators. Each driver has plenty of time to shakedown and tune their cars during the open lapping/Test & Tune sessions before the official Time Attack competition begins. Drivers
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CLASSES and 2016 CHAMPIONS • Street FWD Lap Li • Street AWD Ryan Byrne • Street RWD Ramesh Krishnan • Super Street FWD Conrad Falkenberg • Super Street AWD Richard Boake • Super Street RWD Steve Bortolotti • Unlimited FWD James Houghton • Unlimited AWD Brian Wong • Unlimited RWD Sasha Anis are given five laps during the competition. One warm up, three timed laps and one cool down lap. The fastest of the three timed laps is the only lap that is taken into consideration for the competition. Morning and afternoon testing sessions do not count.
Above: Kabeer Shaikh Right: Alan Candelma
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Chris Boersma - Unlimited FWD Runner-Up
Richard Boake - Unlimited RWD above and SS AWD Champion
Billy Wheels Co - Unlimited RWD
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Left Column Slava Koval - Super Street RWD Christopher Campacci - Street AWD Riley Sexsmith - Drift Column 2 Giulio Pontello - Street RWD Stephen Van Sluewen - Drift
Center Orey Fidani - Unlimited RWD
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Column 3 Michael Gunter - Street RWD Jacob Gettins - Drifting a one of a kind Cummins diesel powered Mazda Miata Column 4 Luigi Montanez - Street FWD Cody Welsh - Street RWD Nelson Montiero - Drift
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My Name is Igor Kost, 29 years old. I’m the owner of Iconicars garage which is where this BMW M3 and many others get built for track use. Car specs: 2001 BMW M3, 6 speed manual. S54 3.2L Inline 6 engine with ITB’s, headers. Car makes 310whp on a custom tune my Mark D. Reinforced chassis, KONI suspension, Brembo 4 piston brakes, Apex wheels, Pirelli tires.
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Igor Kostenyuk - Street RWD
Championship Winning Brakes from now available thru www.headsupracer.com The Ultimate Reading Experience - 219
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James Houghton - 2016 UNLIMITED FWD CHAMPION Jim Houghton not only excels when he races in Canada, he is a force to be reckoned with wherever he travels. And he travels a bunch! Atlanta, Buttonwillow, Although he does not race a BMW or a MINI Jim is going to be working with us on a series of articles on datalogging. Our Editor Ian Rae will be working with the team to accelerate their learning curve on the Racepak IQ3 datalogger that is getting installed over the winter. Using Racepak’s proprietry V-Net communication network a Hondata EFI module and selected sensors will be installed before the season commences. Watch for James running in the Global Time Attack and Gridlife series as well as returning to Buttonwillow for the GTA SuperLap Battle.
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CONTACTPoint
www.bilsteinus.com 1-858-386-5900
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Mark Campbell mark@carsceneuk.com www.carsceneuk.com
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Dear Readers, first of all, I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers you have been sending me after being diagnosed with cancer. Going thru chemo at this time has been tough on me mentally more so than physically, it makes it hard to focus but all your kind words makes it easier. I want to confirm that after this Mega BMW issue our intent is not only to reduce pages but to publish more often which will make the news items more current. This should actually make it easier on me as I will be spreading the work out over a longer period. Our timing is good for Daytona and the LAP Motorsport win as well as the Bathurst 12 Hours. Unfortunately, some of the articles I planned for this issue must be held over to the next issue due to the size of the issue, more than 220 pages is a huge issue by any standards I want to welcome Mark Campbell to our crew; he is going to be our point man with the MINI UK Challenge and is responsible for getting us content from those events as well as doing team profiles. This relationship is going to allow us to insert mini issues between the regular four per year I plan on publishing. Kevin Ehrlich has offered to help out in any way he can and the photos for Bathurst were an example of it.
Gaining a larger readership for the magazine with timely content is our goal and I thank each and every one of you who takes the time to read it. Thanks again for all the good wishes Ian Rae, Editor
ianrae@motorwerkmag.com
COMING NEXT ISSUE IS A NEW LOOK WITH LESS PAGES AND MORE OFTEN STILL FREE ONLINE BUT AVAILABLE IN 'PRINT ON DEMAND'
