E30 Racing 2005: Inaugural BMW Drivers’ Cup Series

First Round Calder Raceway 19^th / 20^th February 2005

Friday 18^th February 2005 Free Practice

Report by the Spin Doctor

Neil “Ando” Anderson and Dr Spin arrived relatively early, as did David “Sleepy” Knight and Bruce the Minder. Geoff “Bowlesy” Bowles was in a garage a couple of doors up, and Julie Showers arrived later. Kylie Patten and Mark Lawrence came too late to get out on the track, and Paul Kertes having arrived in his red M5 had to cool his heels and hang around until his car was delivered, unfortunately too late for practice. Paul’s car looked great (if you like orange!), having been newly resprayed and, judging from the vastly improved performance down the straights, improved or refreshed mechanically. Mark’s car was also repainted – from silver to dark blue, a colour faintly reminiscent of Ando’s Estoril Blue beauty. The Stillwell Entourage made a magnificent entry with trailer, including Nick’s Café and Lunchspot inside, expert race mechanics and, of course, race cars. Nick’s sported new livery, with red, green and white stripes from bonnet to tail (did you order the Capricciosa, Sir?). Mechanical improvements were also noted, coil-overs having been fitted and engine, I’m sure, tweaked just a tad judging by the subsequent greatly improved track times. David “Stilly the Kid” Stillwell’s silver racer also later managed some excellent lap times too, sparking some intra-familial rivalry (even without the Coil-overs!).

Saturday dawned misty and grey, and stayed that way all day, with light rain falling most of the morning. The relief from the sun and heat was welcome, but the misty rain did make the track a little greasy, but only at first. Gary Pearce arrived in the morning, having just returned from OS on Thursday, and was a little frazzled initially, having to get his stickers on and ready in a hurry. Maree did her best to help, but was feeling so bad having contracted the ‘flu OS, that she had to leave after lunch. Gary ’s arrival completed the complement of racers, eleven in all, at this inaugural E30 Race Meeting, the first with our own grid. Practice was OK on the lightly moistened track, traction not being too bad as the session progressed. This was reflected in consistent lap times in the 1:11s by the fastest four drivers (modestly prevents me revealing the fastest driver, but I can show you a copy of the lap times!) Ando said, “We’ll get into the 10s, no worry” and so it came too pass, as the two top qualifiers achieved that, although Ando was just off by 0.457. Qualifying held a couple of exciting moments, one incident resulting in Sleepy taking a drive through the grass at the end of the straight, having been slightly put off by The Mother of All Lunatic Lunges by yours truly down the inside. Well, I got through, didn’t I? After a talking to by Sleepy, Bruce the Minder, Ando and just about everybody else, a suitably chastised Dr Spin vowed not to do it again (but there’s always that seed of doubt, isn’t there guys?!). Sleepy topped qualifying with a 1:10.8429 to take pole position, with Dr Spin (or is that Dr Chagrin) on 1:10.8588 taking the other spot at the front. Ando was sitting pretty behind Sleepy, and guess who was going to be shut out wide on that first corner in the first race. Bowlesy took position four, Paul Kertes on five, Nick and David on six and seven, respectively, Gary on eight improving by a second on his practice time, and Julie, Kylie and Mark filled the remaining spots.

And there we were. The First Race of the season. The First Race of the E30 Drivers Cup. History in the making. Tell me, dear reader, why it is that, after sitting there for several minutes on the track, focussed on the coming race, concentrating on the starter, the 30 second sign, the five second indication, it’s always such a surprise when that red light goes out! We’re off. A clean start at the front of the grid, although Dr Spin, true to form, managed a fair amount of wheelspin in first AND second gear. True to prediction, the Red Rocket is held out wide by Sleepy, and Ando hot on Sleepy’s tail not ceding an inch to let me in. I thought you were my friend, Ando. Ah, there are no friends out there on the Racetrack - it’s a Race! A certain amount of fishtailing by yours truly around turn one caused a bit of a commotion at the rear – slowed me up but slowed them up even more. Sleepy and Ando pulled away somewhat, and despite their dicing, which eventually resulted in Ando taking the lead, and the race, Dr Spin couldn’t get within cooee. But I had a box seat view of Ando’s brilliant overtake on Sleepy’s inside at the end of the main straight on the last lap. Meanwhile, Bowlesy was starting to loom large in the rear vision mirror, but the eight laps and a slight speed disadvantage did not allow him enough time to mount a challenge and he came in a gallant fourth. Nick came in ahead of Paul, followed by Kylie, all with at least one lap in the 1:11s . In fact, the first six drivers’ best lap times were within half a second of each other. That’s what we want, close racing in similar cars, where driving skill is the final arbiter of placings. Gary put in a commendable performance with a 1:12.3394, especially as this was only his second time in the car, Julie and Mark filling the next spots, while Stilly the Kid had a DNF (Did Not Fink, or was it a mechanical problem?).

Race two started well, this time Dr Spin, hot on Ando’s tail, managed to keep out Sleepy – ah, revenge is sweet! And that’s how the first three placings came out. Dr Spin couldn’t quite get close enough to Ando to mount a challenge (man, is he good on the turn out onto the straight), and then over the last four or so laps, Sleepy loomed larger and larger in the rear view mirror. Then Sleepy started to harass and challenge on a couple of corners, with one final desperate lunge at the end of the straight which nearly came off, and caused me to get considerably out of shape. Going up the hill, I received a gentle tap on the tail as a rebuke for holding Sleepy off, and then managed to defend to the chequered flag. Paul Kertes turned the tables on Nick this race, leading him in, followed by Bowlesy, Kylie with a commendable drive, Julie, Stilly The Kid, Mark and Gary, who was having considerable trouble with his brakes. Again, this was close racing, just what we were hoping to achieve with this one class racing, and, again, the six fastest lap times were within half a second or so of each other. Well done Neil, notching up another win on top of the Inaugural First Race win. Tomorrow should be interesting, a reverse grid has been organised, and it will certainly be a challenge for those at the back.

Sunday dawned cool and overcast, thankfully for the drivers, as the E30 racers gradually arrived. Ando uncharacteristically did not need to tinker with his car, as he had put on new pads the afternoon before. He did however have the bucket and sponge out to get the Blue Bullet all shiny and clean – goes faster that way, don’t you know? The Red Rocket received a couple of new front tyres, due to a number of brake lockups during practice and qualifying. There seemed to be a general shortage of brake pads, which became more obvious as the day progressed, various un-named parties cadging pads, any pads, even used ones. Gary ’s brake problems continued throughout the day, with spongey pedal feel and long travel. New pads, deglazing the discs, bleeding the brake lines, nothing seemed to help. Throughout the morning, spectators, BMW car club members, friends and family arrived. There were many enquiries about E30 Racing in the BMW garages, a number of interested parties keen to join up. In fact, one guy was all ready to put his money down on Stilly the Kid’s E30, but his plans were thwarted. More on that later!

So to the Reverse Grid. Stilly on Pole, Marc beside him, then Gary and Julie, Kylie and Bowlesy, Pizza Man and then Paul’s Oriflamme (OED: A bright conspicuous object or colour), Sleepy and Dr Spin, and finally Ando’s Blue Bullet.

We’re off and it’s a mad scramble to the first corner, with the Dynamic Duo of Ando and Dr Spin making some significant gains in the confusion. Stilly had a problem first up and had to come into the pits, losing the lead immediately and ultimately bringing up the rear at the end of the race. Mark lost his lead to Bowlesy, who held on for the remaining seven laps to take the chequered flag, Mark hanging on to second place valiantly until the last two laps, but with a creditable fifth place ultimately. The Red Rocket, with the Blue Bullet close behind, gradually worked their way through the field, moving up one position per lap. Gary , having trouble with his brakes, kindly let us through and eventually Nick Stillwell ceded his position to come in a creditable sixth behind David Knight, who seemed to have got caught up in the action at the rear. Paul moved from 8th on the grid to fourth, then third for the next five laps, overtaking Mark on the seventh lap and fending off the Red Rocket for the last two laps. Dr Spin pinched the inside line from the Oriflamme around the last corner, but Paul held on (just), and accelerated away to take second place. Ando came in fourth, Kylie Patton came in 7th, followed by Mark Lawrence, Gary Pearce and Julie Showers.

An impromptu meeting was convened in front of the E30 garages to discuss some of the finer points of the scoring. The main outcome of the meeting was the abandonment of the single point allocation for fastest qualifying time, although it was resolved to record such points to be used as a sort of tie-breaker in the event of a tied Championship.

The grid for the fourth race was determined by the aggregate of the placings in both the previous days' races plus the reverse grid, and saw Ando on pole once again, with the Red Rocket beside him. Bowlesy lay in wait behind him, with the Oriflamme behind the Red Rocket and Sleepy behind Bowlesy. This race was a 10-lapper. Sleepy overtook Bowlesy on the second lap but had fallen behind the leaders somewhat and had to work very hard to put himself in a position to challenge for second position by the last couple of laps. At the end of the straight on the last lap, Sleepy made a big move on the inside at Turn One, but Dr Spin shut the door (no, NOT slammed) and received more than just a gentle tap in the rear quarter, almost causing The Spin Doctor to live up to his epithet. Cut that out, Sleepy, people will start talking! Ando led from Pole position to take the chequered flag, Dr Spin coming in second with Sleepy in pursuit, followed by Bowlesy. Nick held his grid position throughout the race, while Paul lost his place early, coming in 6th after overtaking Stilly The Kid on the 8th lap. Julie beat Mark into 8th position, with Gary limping home.

At this stage the race meeting positions were very close, only a few points separating the top 4 cars. Sleepy had set a new lap record in race 3, with a 1:10.8344, but the final race would change all that. Ando was on pole (again!), with the Red Rocket beside him (again!), Sleepy and Bowlesy in 3rd and 4th positions and Nick and Paul gridded in behind. Stilly incurred some panel damage on the previous race, but worse was to come. Another clean start and Neil led into the first corner, with David Knight closely behind, edging Dr Spin back into third position, with Bowlsey harassing from behind and Paul and Nick behind him. Sleepy overtook Ando on the first lap and led until the final lap when Ando pulled the 'inside manoeuvre' on Sleepy at the end of the straight on the last lap (again!). Neil managed to hold off a desperate attempt by Sleepy down the inside on the back straight to take out the chequered flag once more. Unfortunately, Stilly had a major off and T-boned Kylie's car, causing some severe right door and body panel damage, and even worse damage to his already damaged front. A shaken Kylie reciprocated later by boning the “T” out of David’s sobriquet. Stilly's car sale plans were put on hold indefinitely. As for Sleepy’s lap record, well that was history. Dr Spin, Paul and Sleepy himself went under the record. And Ando? Well, he just went and stole the prize with a new lap record of 1:10.2966, didn’t he? You’re a Legend, Neil!

That was the last race in a very exciting race program for our first E30 racing grid, and it will be a memorable occasion for many. Ando was no doubt the hero of the day, with four out of five wins and a fourth in the reverse grid, giving him the Number One podium position, followed by Doctor Spin, and Sleepy Knight on Three. A great start for Ando's Quest for Motorsport Fame, after a disappointing season last year with mechanical failures. Congratulations Neil Anderson and to all the participants in a fantastic couple of days of close racing. By next Meeting we should have an even bigger grid, and judging from the interest being shown in our Race Class, the future for E30 Racing appears bright. All agreed it was a highly successful start to the BMW Drivers’ Cup.