BMW to Compete in One Lap of America in M3 Competition Package w/ M Performance Parts

[Draper]

Originally Posted by SteveMaguire

This is becoming a sickness! May means Mike & I leave our respective spouses for 10 days and travel over 3500 miles around the eastern United States competing in the Brock Yate’s One Lap of America.

We visit eight race venues, competing in 19 events throughout the week starting on Saturday at Tire Rack in South Bend, IN traveling as far south as Florida and then make our way back north to Michigan before returning to South Bend the following Saturday.

Each day we compete in two or three competitive events, ranging from time trials at race tracks, autocrosses and a drag races. All testing the capabilities of both car and driver.

For further punishment, we usually leave the track mid-afternoon and drive 500 to 600 miles to a hotel, (which in our case is an IHG hotel who is one of our sponsors), near the following day’s venue. So, as you can imagine driving this kind of distance means we arrive late at night, resulting in only a few hours sleep before waking up, having a quick shower and breakfast and heading to the track for a 8:30am start.

Each year we have chosen a vehicle from the BMW Performance Center fleet representing one of the current family of M models, and this year we selected a 2017 BMW M3 with Competition Package option. To this we’ve added a few goodies from the BMW M Performance Parts catalog, including front splitter, rear spoiler, coilover suspension, steering wheel with race display, carbon fiber mirror caps, and the titanium exhaust with carbon fiber exhaust tips. As for shoes, we’re running the recently released Continental Extreme Contact Sport.


Steve Maguire

Thanks for sharing the details. It sounds like an awesome time all-around.

Are you planning to do a post-event writeup somewhere?

[JibSTir13]

Originally Posted by FuriousLucy

Question for any reader - Can anyone give me the correct BMW Part Numbers for the complete M Performance Coilover Suspension? (Driving 2015 M4 coupe, non-ZCP). I've been watching BMW M Performance webpage, (shopBMWUSA.com), but have seen nothing for M3/4, but I believe it has been stated in numerous articles that BMW was releasing the suspension through BMW MPerformance as an option. That would beat depreciating a new M4 just to get the suspension pieces! Thanks Guys

Is there an M Performance Coilover Suspension kit apart from the M Performance HAS kit?

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

makes sense they are went with full coilovers... if for nothing else, to add in some front negative camber to save the tires

Originally Posted by FuriousLucy

Question for any reader - Can anyone give me the correct BMW Part Numbers for the complete M Performance Coilover Suspension? (Driving 2015 M4 coupe, non-ZCP). I've been watching BMW M Performance webpage, (shopBMWUSA.com), but have seen nothing for M3/4, but I believe it has been stated in numerous articles that BMW was releasing the suspension through BMW MPerformance as an option. That would beat depreciating a new M4 just to get the suspension pieces! Thanks Guys

Originally Posted by JibSTir13

Is there an M Performance Coilover Suspension kit apart from the M Performance HAS kit?

I'm pretty sure that the BMW M Performance "Coilovers" referenced in this press release are the BMW M Performance Suspension and are not true coilovers (integrated shock and spring), they are Height Adjustable Springs (HAS) designed to work with the OEM ECD (M Adjustable Suspension). Dinan also offers a "High Performance Coilover Suspension System". Again, this is just a HAS system.

The M Performance "coilovers" don't allow for camber adjustment, you need camber plates for that.

There is an extensive thread on the BMW M Performance suspension kit on the BMW F80 M3 / F82 M4 Technical Topics subforum, complete with part numbers, and extensive feedback and reviews. They were released in January, so the best place to start is somewhere around page 30: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...191427&page=30

[JibSTir13]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

I'm pretty sure that the BMW M Performance "Coilovers" referenced in this press release are the BMW M Performance Suspension and are not true coilovers (integrated shock and spring), they are Height Adjustable Springs (HAS) designed to work with the OEM ECD (M Adjustable Suspension). Dinan also offers a "High Performance Coilover Suspension System". Again, this is just a HAS system.

The M Performance "coilovers" don't allow for camber adjustment, you need camber plates for that.

There is an extensive thread on the BMW M Performance suspension kit on the BMW F80 M3 / F82 M4 Technical Topics subforum, complete with part numbers, and extensive feedback and reviews. They were released in January, so the best place to start is somewhere around page 30: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...191427&page=30

My understanding is that the only coilover kit is the M Performance HAS.

But better to clarify on the off-chance there is a true OEM coilover kit offered for the F8X platform.

[Brake_Late]

Originally Posted by JibSTir13

My understanding is that the only coilover kit is the M Performance HAS.

But better to clarify on the off-chance there is a true OEM coilover kit offered for the F8X platform.

If it were me I'd always go gold. Motos
Cars all of it is bettered immensely by Ohlins

https://www.ohlins.com/2016/03/roadtrack/ best and first mod to make.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by Draper

Are you planning to do a post-event writeup somewhere?

I'm 100% positive that any post-event write-up will be found in the Roundel, the BMW CCA publication.

Coverage can be found on the One Lap of America Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OneLapOfAmerica/, and on their website: www.onelapofamerica.com.

Edited to add: Updates can also be found on the BMW Performance Center Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bmwperformancecenter and it looks like Steve Maguire is going to be posting updates in this thread!

Updates also available on the Tire Rack One Lap of America Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OneLapOfAmerica/

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by SteveMaguire

We are running on Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Here's a link for more info

Steve

Thanks Steve for the info and best of luck. It is awesome that you are posting on the enthusiast forums.

Is there any chance you can share the suspension settings you are using, and any impressions of those tires as the event goes on?

[SteveMaguire]

Originally Posted by Draper

Thanks for sharing the details. It sounds like an awesome time all-around.

Are you planning to do a post-event writeup somewhere?

Our plan is to provide daily updates and in-car video as time permits.

Steve

[SteveMaguire]

Mike & I left the BMW Performance Center early Thursday morning to drive up to South Bend, IN along with Tom Lappin who has been one of our team mates in previous years, but this year has paired up with Robyn Sparrow in his E92 BMW M3 Coupe.

The drive north was fairly relaxing until lunchtime when we gat caught up in the storms which had pummeled the Midwest over the last few days. Spending over 5 hours driving through heavy rain is not my idea of fun, it took great concentration to focus on the highway when you could only see a few yeard in front of the car. As Mike kept reminding me the competition started immediately when we left the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC. If we don’t make it to South Bend, then we’ve lost before the first green flag has waved! The good news was the Continental Extreme Contact Sports really did the job in these atrocious conditions. The car was extremely stable and didn’t experience any aquaplaning during the drive.

As usual cold and windy conditions welcomed us to South Bend, and as mentioned in the previous post, we’ve been competing in One Lap for many years, and every time we’ve been here, weather conditions have never been very cooperative.

We quickly checked into the Staybridge Suites, our home for the next two nights, and then walked over to the event host hotel to meetup with old friends and do a bit of bench racing before we all get to serious.

Today was a fairly relaxing time with only tech inspection, registration, and the competitors meeting filling the day.







In between these activities, we gathered around each other’s cars to discuss what new parts had been added and horsepower gains (you can never have to much horsepower) since last year, or in some cases why last year’s car had been retired and replaced with something perceived to be faster and/or more reliable.

So, what cars are we competing against? Well there’s everything you can imagine, from the Grizwold’s Ford LTD station wagon all the way to the other extreme of 1000hp Nissan GTR’s. Below are a few pics from today which will give you a flavor for the variety of cars teams have prepared for the event.














Tomorrow we head for the wet skidpad at Tire Rack and then drive 90 miles south to Grissom Air Force Base for the autocross, then its on to Memphis.

Steve

[2000Z3M]

looks like a blast. have fun, drive fast and enjoy. wish gateway motorsports in st louis was a stop. oval, road course, drag and auto cross and even kart racing all in one location

[ashburyn54]

When people realize the sportcontact 6 and extremecontact they all switch off is faster than the outgoing MPSS.

[raysspl]

The M3's lookin' good fellas!

[JibSTir13]

Are the competitors required to haul their own gear? The Vette and Toyota appear to to be.

Would you post some pics if you guys are hauling something? Interested in seeing the setup - it's rare to see something like that on an M.

[BklynNYBMW]

Do you always use M cars for the one lap? Would be kinda cool of you asked corporate for the new M550i. Would be a great way to introduce the model, do some publicity for it and, really test it out. Just a thought

[Ghostriderf80]

Originally Posted by SteveMaguire

We are running on Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Here's a link for more info

Steve

At what setting do you have the m-performance coil overs.

Are you running spacers?
How wide are the tires?

[SteveMaguire]

Originally Posted by BklynNYBMW

Do you always use M cars for the one lap? Would be kinda cool of you asked corporate for the new M550i. Would be a great way to introduce the model, do some publicity for it and, really test it out. Just a thought

Looking back over the years the answer is yes. It all depends on what is the latest model available to us that would be competitive in the event. We've have run the following non M cars 335d, M235i. Other year's we've competed with E90 M3, E71 X6 M, F10 M5, F13 M6, F16 X6M, F80 M3, F87 M2, and for this year F80 M3 with ZCP.

Steve

[SteveMaguire]

Saturday was the first day of competition featuring a wet skidpad at Tire and in South Bend followed by a 80 mile drive south to Grissom Airforce Reserve Base for the autocross hosted by the Indy Sports Car Club of America (SCCA).

On the wet skidpad the driver must be extremely precise in driving as close to the inside line as possible while dancing on the knife edge between adhesion and slip. Falling off the edge will result in the car drifting wide and thus loosing valuable milliseconds in this very competitive event.

Each driver drives two counterclockwise laps followed by two clockwise laps. The combined g force measurement of the four laps determines the drivers overall position.

Mike completed his four laps pulling 0.752g good for 11th place overall and first in the Luxury Sedan and Stock Touring Classes.

The Autocross consisted of three runs for each competitor through a maze of cones covering a large area of pavement and therefore enabling two cars to run the course simultaneously. Typically, the process for a good time is to walk the course multiple times before the competition begins while taking note of the ideal line and observing where grip may be compromised due to lose gravel.



The goal is to set the lowest elapsed time while avoiding knocking down any cones as hitting a cone results in one second been added to the time for each cone hit.

The traditional process is for the driver’s first run to be a “banker lap”, setting a decent time just in case they make a pigs-ear of subsequent runs! So if everything goes to plan the times will drop as the driver becomes more familiar with the course and the handling characteristics of their car around the course.

So Mike’s times for his three runs were:
1. 53.425 sec.
2. 52.368 sec.
3. 52.508 sec.

His second run was the best resulting in 23rd out of 68 competitors.
Looking at overall results after 2 events we are 17th and 1st in Luxury Sedan and Stock Touring classes.

[SteveMaguire]

Day two at Memphis International Raceway consisted of two time trials, a trip down the drag strip for outright time and an elimination bracket drag, so as you can imagine it was pretty non-stop activities for us all day. Gone were the winds & cool temperatures of Indiana, replaced by clear skies, slight breeze and temperatures in the mid 60’s. Great to be back in the south!

When we arrive at the tracks our first task is to unload the car, then depending on time available we’ll do a track walk, or if pressed for time Mike will walk the track while I continue to prepping the car for the day’s activities.

Once we return tire pressures are adjusted necessary, lug bolts checked for correct torque, and a general inspection is carried out around the car and under the hood.

For the time trails the cars are separated into groups of four or five depending on the length of the track with the groups defined by the speed of the car and capabilities of the driver so we don’t impede each other during the run. The session format consists of the group of competitors make one recce lap of the course before coming to a halt at the start/finish line. Then we’re sent on our way at 15 second intervals for three laps, competing against the clock for the fastest time.

BMW M3 Time Trail One Lap of America 2017 - YouTube

Mike had two excellent runs on the road course, his morning & afternoon times were within two hundreds of a second of each other and rewarding us with eleventh place each time, 3:47.077 and 3:47.208 respectively.


Once the runs were completed, the front straight was cleaned and prepared for the drag strip competition. The first run was a Low ET pass. Red lights and reaction time did not count to the scoring, just the elapsed time of the pass. Mike covered the quarter mile in 12.397 seconds with a top speed of 118.24 mph.

BMW M3 Memphis Drag Strip One Lap of America 2017 - YouTube

The second event was a Bracket Elimination. After the first run each team must calculate the expected Elapsed Time (ET) of the car that should not be exceeded. Going faster than the dial-in time causes break-out and automatic elimination, so the goal is to beat the car in the other lane without dipping below your ET. We managed to complete two of these runs before being eliminated which resulted in tying for sixth place.

So we left Memphis tenth overall and still leading Luxury Sedan and Stock Touring classes. Now it’s on to Road Atlanta for Day 3 and two time trials.

Steve

[NYAWE60]

Originally Posted by Downeaster1

That's veryyyyyyy opinionated.

It is, I didn't expect any replies about it. It was totally a joke-opinion. I happen to love them that much

[Downeaster1]

Originally Posted by Brantley847

It is. Good thing he's right.

[Oreganoflow]

may i know the front and rear tire sizes?

thx.

[calbears]

Originally Posted by SteveMaguire

Special Offer

If you have considered attending one of the BMW Performance Driving Schools in Greer, South Carolina or Thermal, California, this is the time to register.

We are offering a special during the 2017 One Lap of America. Register by May 15, 2017 and receive 20% off the cost of any 1 or 2-day school, and yes this does include the M Schools!

You can view the program options, amenities and full calendar at bmwperformancecenter.com

Redeem the discount by calling 888.345.4BMW and use code 1Lap2017.

1. Not valid with any other offer.
2. Certificate must be used before December 31, 2017

Steve

Steve, just tried to use the discount and they said it's not a valid/current code

EDIT: Looks like the code has now been verified. Should work now. I just scheduled a 2-day school at Thermal July 7