Autocross results - smoked some M3s

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

Participated in the local BMW club autocross on 4/19 - the sole Porsche there. Didn't do too bad considering this was only my second autocross in the 911. Out of 35 entrees finished with 5th quickest time - the event was won by an Integra type R running slicks! I imagine there were a few annoyed BMW owners. Behind him was an M coupe and 2 modified 325s. The M3s were a bit slower. The course was very tight and the slight oversteer on the tight turns with the Yokos were a blast. Those local to the area should try to attend their next event (Mike, Mark, Steve, Doug, Sean, etc.)

Adam Nitti was there with his 2002 (very nice resto) but had a mechanical issue at the onset of his first run. He did say he should have brought the 911!

Here's a link to the results:

http://www.peachtreebmwcca.org/PTAuto_X.asp

usurpah · usurpah's Garage

Owned by Integra! Doh!

Another suprising result is the 03 Vibe. Pontiac Vibe keeping up with M3's?!

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

The Vibe must have been a new ride for the wife because this guy was driving it pretty hard. I could only assume his car was down for repairs at the time.

Drew_K · 04-28-2002, 07:49 PM

I wish I could find an autocross with just 35 entrants. I just got back from the local BMW car club autocross, and there were at least 100 cars. They break the event up into three run groups now since there are so many cars. The local SCCA autocrosses usually draw 200-250 entrants.

NYSCAR · 04-29-2002, 06:20 AM

At an autoX, its 90% the driver

That being said, the high powered front wheel drive cars (Integras, modified CRX's etc) come into their own style of 'cornering' when attacking one of those ultra tight AutoX turns that offers advantages over a rear wheel drive car. I used to AutoX a 97 M3 and did quite well, but the car had so much torque that I had to be careful. Either it would break the rear loose (fun but kills times) or push the nose way out.

Brad

Ray B · 04-29-2002, 06:04 PM

Mike, You gonna be at the Peachstate PCA auto-x on the 5th? Hope to see you there. Ray

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

Brad - I agree, the Integra seemed to do very well in the tighter turns while the some of the M3s were overpowering the same. This course layout was idea to keep the car in second gear and focus on smoothness.

Ray - according to the Peachstate website that event was moved to June 9 (SCCA did same) - I'll be there. Also just mailed application for late June DE at Road Atlanta.

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

Hey MM....check your calendar. You won't be at the June 9 auto-x. I believe you'll be in Montreal with me watching F-1 races, drinking ourselves stupid, and making blathering fools of ourselves in front of the European hotties that follow the F1 series around the world

But if you'd rather do the auto-x, I understand...

...NOT

BTW....great job showing up the bimmers. Maybe next time we can generate a respectable showing by the Atlanta Pelican heads. C'mon guys, Mike's making the rest of us look bad! Besides, it sure would be cool to have 2 or 3 911's take the top spots at a BMW event!

ttweed · ttweed's Garage

I have run my '73 911 three times at the San Diego BMW club autocrosses, now, and have a 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall placing to show for it. They limit entries to 80 cars max., and if 80 BMWs show up, they don't allow any X (exhibition class) entries.

The only BMW cars which have beaten me so far are well set up and driven M-coupes, and I missed TTOD once to a highly modified Suburu WRX by .5 sec.

My best result is at http://www.sdbmwcca.com/Auto-xResults/feb-16-02.html

TT

mm86911 · mm86911's Garage

TT - now that's something to make you smile - what tires were you running? Also, maybe see you next Saturday at Kurt Starnes place?

Mike F - this year is becoming a blur - guess we'll have to catch the next event - prob local SCCA later that month or July.

ttweed · ttweed's Garage

Mike-

Yes, I'm going to try to make it to Kurt's on Sat. That is also the date of the next BMW club autox at Qualcomm, but I think I'm going to skip it. I've been driving almost every weekend since Xmas, and I need a break to get the car ready for the CA Festival of Speed at Fontana on the 17th (and to get some of the backlog of "honey-do's" done at home).

There's also an SCCA practice autox at the Q that day which I would normally choose to run over the BMW club event, since it is cheaper and only requires a 1/2-day committment of time instead of all day, and I can run my Formula Ford in SCCA without the tech guys freaking out, like the Porsche and BMW clubs do when an open wheel car pulls into line. I have been finding the Formula Ford to be a blast in autocrossing, making my Porsche feel sluggish when I get back in it.

As far as tires go, in the first BMW event I went to, I drove the car down to the stadium on my DOT legal Kumho V700s and ran. I lost by .5 seconds to the WRX, so the next time I took the trailer and ran Goodyear slicks and beat everybody. The next time I ran the slicks again, but they were starting to go away by the end (too many heat cycles) and didn't have the same grip, plus I made a few mistakes on the timed runs, and let a couple BMWs beat me.

The Kumhos are 245/45-16 F and 265/45-16 R, on 8 & 9" Fuchs, and the Goodyears were 9 x 23 x 15" Sports Car Specials in 210 compound on 7" rims both F & R.

C'ya,
TT