First track weekend in my Spec E30

#1

Just came off of 3 days at Roebling. Huge fun. I know that I’m preaching to the choir, but every turn was an exhilirating exploration of the differences between the Spec E30 and it’s Toyo’s and my 911 and it’s street tires. Goddamn how it was fun.

The grippier tires, additional camber, different weight distro and reduced hp meant that I wasn’t trying so hard to get straight early. Instead, I was trying to understand just how much turning I could do under max acceleration. Then I was trying to find turn-in points and apexes that supported the new geometry of "how much turning can I do under max accel".

It was so damn fun. I was running 1:29’s at Roebling, so I’ve a ways to go before I can run with the big boys. My worst turn is 1. It will take a little time before I have the confidence to really haul ass into 1.

Y’know, I tell my buddies how much fun this is, and they just can’t seem to get off their butts and participate. What the heck is wrong with people?

#2

Glad you enjoyed it. .29s is pretty good considering its your first trip out in the e30. How prepped is the car right now?

#3

It is Eric Rupert’s old car, so it’s ready to race. Well, ok, maybe it needs a new exhaust system (sigh), and it could use a better driver. But I’m in no hurry to race. I’ll jump in with you guys once the thought of wheel to wheel doesn’t scare the crap out of me.

Untimed, I found 4mph more at turn 9 exit so I think a high 1:28 is low hanging fruit, but fixing turn 1 is going to take some time.

There’s usually one of you guys at all the Roebling DE’s. I’ll find someone to tag behind and see where I’m losing ground on the other turns. Ultimately I’ll badger/bribe someone into driving my car for a few laps so I can collect Traqmate data on why they are so much faster.

#4

On a related note, I took mine to an autocross this past weekend. It was a pretty large lot, so had a fairly open course. My gosh, was that fun! I’ve autocrossed in several cars over the years, but the E30 with this setup is really a blast. Some of you may want to try it in those dead periods between events for a little fun.

#5

Turn 1-2 is just plain hard to do right everytime so don’t sweat it. I found after a few sessions if the car felt good in the center of that corner then I was just flat out slow. Turn one is super fast on entry. If the car isn’t dicey through the center trying to scrub speed so you can turn back into the apex of 2 then you didn’t carry enough speed in. With the HPDE group I was with I noticed alot of people cheating the entry and turning in super early. This forced them to brake twice and turn in to ‘each corner’. With a slow car like ours you can almost turn it into one corner with a double apex.

I found the most time there was through 4-5 and exiting the carousel at full speed as it leads onto a huge straight.

#6

Scott, I noticed you are signed up for the Tar Heel CCA comp school at Roebling in December. Good for you! Are you planning to race over the weekend? I know some of our SE30 rookies in 2007 (Geiger, Robinson, others?) took the 2006 edition of this comp program, and they could probably fill you in more on how it goes if interested.

I know a few SpecE30 guys are going to run in KP for the Sat/Sunday races. Patton and myself for sure, possibly Skeen, possibly Pantas in some of his new creations (Snoopy and/or Red Baron).

Anyone else interested? This event is a combination VDCA vintage event with a CCA race group thrown in. Lots of really cool vintage machines and a good Saturday night deal too. A chance to get one last ‘fix’ before the real offseason.

#7

Am not planning on racing that weekend. I was thinking of doing a second racing license school, SCCA in Feb/Mar(?) before attempting wheel to wheel. There’s just so many rules, written and unwritten about racing that I need to understand first. And that’s apart from the fact that W2W intimidates the crap out of me. The examples are endless. I remember watching you guys race at Roebling last month. I was watching you come around turn 9 and trying to understand just when it was you were allowed to accelerate. And then everyone goes flying into turn 1, and I’m trying to understand just when you can "close the door" and when you have to give the passer his room. It’s one thing to read the rules, but I don’t think that the nuances are really understandable until you’ve seen and lived many many examples.

I will hunt up Geiger and Robinson. That was a good tip, thx.

My understanding is that NASA does not honor the BMWCCA license, is that correct?

#8

I started my racing career by attending the BMWCCA race school. Its great and you will learn a ton. I feel like after the school you won’t even need to attend the scca school. the only way you will get over the intimidation factor is to get out there and do it!

#9

So does NASA accept the BMWCCA school as the basis for a license?

#10

So does NASA accept the BMWCCA school as the basis for a license?

#11

what does the CCR say?
Also check with your region’s Director as they may have local considerations.
bruce

Scott Gress wrote:

#12

CCR doesn’t mention BMWCCA.

#13

They took mine

#14

Scott Gress wrote:

Rules here: http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/ccr.pdf see page 51

short answer:
The Mid Atlantic Region will accept a BMWCCA comp license as a basis for a NASA Provisional. The catch is that Provisionals are regional only. Contact the Regional Director (Pantas in SE, Cobetto in MA)

#15

Scott, the school… I had done a bunch of DE’s and then decided to do the BMWCCA Club Racing School at Roebling last December (with TJ Brewster, not Jim Robinson - Jim did the NASA comp school later) before going racing. I felt pretty comfortable in the E30, but not with racing. I would not want to be "that guy" who screws up my first race for jumping into the deep end too soon if you know what I mean. The BMWCCA school was a blast. It turns out most of what you need is experience and practice and the school gives you just that. Assuming you have decent car control under your belt going into it, this is the perfect next step. We had a variety of very skilled people teaching at the school (James Clay and Seth Thomas among others). You basically practice passing, running 3 wide at Roebling around the entire track, and the best part, 16 practice rolling starts racing until T4. Bunch of other practices, all culminating with a mock race at the end of the 2 days. My first race at Road Atlanta was a lot easier after going to the school. I highly, highly recommend it. They also talk about the "chess game" of racing, a small amount of racecraft (nothing’s free in this world), but quite a bit of track etiquette… which I’ve found very useful. I think there are other writeups about the school on bimmerforums if you want more opinions. Before the school, I was intimidated to race. After that school, I was amped to go racing.

Edit: NASA SE honored my BMWCCA Club Racing School certificate/passing/recommendation to get my rookie license. Just needed my medical, tech and other paperwork and I was off to the races. Literally.

#16

Thanks guys, that was very helpful. You’re making me look forward to the racing school a lot. -S

#17

Did my 2nd 3-day weekend in the SpecE30. Running mostly 1:27’s with a few 1:26’s (on my rains, having corded my dries). Obviously an E30 is going to be different then a street 911, but the differences just astound me. My lack of skill in the SpecE30 leaves me feeling…inept. Worked hard on turn 1, where I’m suddenly especially awful. Forcing myself to go into it far faster then I’d grown comfortable with. Absolutely fudging terrifying. It works, but it scares me out of 10yrs growth each time.

Fixing turn 1 should allow me to break 1:26, but breaking 1:25 like you guys are doing is, well, distant. Come on down to some of these off-season trackdays and show me how you do it.

I gotta tell you, I see some of you going to tracks that you are relatively unfamiliar with…kicking ass and taking names…and I absolutely marvel at it with wonder.

#18

Scott

That’s great that you have improved your time so much.

Congratulations!

#19

Your times are too close to get any help from us! I only ran a 25.02 last time there…

#20

If you want to run with The Machine it’ll take a 124.0.

Regards, Robert Patton