- 02/02/2017
- 2 Min Read
- By: Michael Hurczyn
I Need to Make a BMW E30 Last for 18 Hours of Racing at Watkins Glen
It's happening! We are going racing! FCP Euro has entered a BMW Spec E30 in American 
Endurance Racing's first event of 2016 at the iconic, and freshly repaved, Watkins Glen International in New York!
Why AER?
From AER's website, "Racing is about finding an advantage. At AER, we want to minimize the advantages you can buy." AER is looking to offer enthusiasts a chance to do what they love without breaking the bank! Isn't that what FCP Euro offers as well?
The format of the race weekend really hits the mark. Practice and Qualifying are held all day on Friday, a huge Pot Luck Dinner Friday Night sponsored by Sahlen's Hotdogs, and a 9-hour Race on Saturday, and a 9-Hour Race on Sunday.
There are rules around mandatory pit stops to prevent teams from needing to buy super expensive equipment to remain competitive. The cars are classed in groups based on the cars at the actual event, and not some complicated formula in anticipation of performance. All cars must use DOT tires with a treadwear rating of 180 or above. The entire concept is to make racing more accessible and challenging at the same time.
The whole weekend, including unlimited drivers, crew, and support staff is $1800. With a reliable car and good team, this is easily the best value in racing in the country! The proof is in the entry list. Where else can you find a field of 79 cars for an amateur race?
Check out all the advantages of AER.
Why is the BMW 325i E30 a good fit?
Simply stated- E30's are well balanced, reliable, relatively quick, and pretty cheap to maintain. Not only that, there is typically plenty of other e30's to play with in most series including 16 in this race. In fact, well over half of the field is comprised of BMW's!
Our 1989 BMW 325i Race Car
If you follow FCP Euro on Instagram, you have seen some teaser pics of the car. The livery is coming along nicely and there will be a full reveal very soon.
I bought the car in 2010 for under $10k with the intention of going racing in NASA's Spec E30 class. The car was professionally built, had all the proper safety equipment, and came with heaps of spares. The previous owner raced in BMW Club Racing and even won a K-Prepared Class Regional Championship in the car!
Specifications:
Engine: Stock M20
Suspension: Bilstein Sport Dampers, H&R Race Springs, Adjustable Camber Plates, 22mm Front Sway Bar, 19mm adjustable rear sway bar.
Brakes: Stock with PFC 08 Endurance Pads
Wheels: 15x7 Team Dynamics
Tires: 205/50R15 180 treadwear per AER rules.
Interior: Multi-point welded roll cage, Sparco Evo seat, Brey Krause Seat Back Brace, Sparco Steering Wheel, Schroth Profi II Hans belts.
So, while $10K is not nothing, it's relatively inexpensive in the racing world and this car has been super cheap to run. In the last five years of track days, around 40, I would say that I've put no more than $1500 into the car. Part of that is because I bought the car right and from an owner that took exceptional car of his cars, and part of it is the car is easy on tires and most of what I've spent is brakes and fluids.
Our Journey
Although the car has been reliable for track days, race conditions are much different. The level of preparation for a race car far exceeds that of a daily driver that sees occasional autocross or track use. Any weak spots in the design of a car are exploited in race conditions, and it's a given that racing for 9 hours straight will put any car to the test.
In the next article, I'll go into detail about what maintenance items are being replaced preventatively. It's a fairly long list and deserves it's own post, but here is a look at what arrived on Saturday:
Only precise, driven, brillian people work at FCP. A proper race team needs the same attributes. Getting a car through 18 hours of punishment in a single weekend requires precise drivers that are easy on the equipment and a skilled crew to keep the car on track.
I am close to being able to announce our full the driver line-up, but I can say it consists of a rally veteran and Pikes Peak HillClimb Class Winner; a SCCA Regional Champion, seasoned endurance driver who is also a pilot and jumps out of perfectly good airplanes; and an Austrialin National Champion in an M3R who also finished 2nd in her class at the Bathust 12hr in a GT4 Lotus with Christian Klien (former F1 Driver) as her co-driver.
Oh, and then there's me. I started Instructing for the BMW Club in 2001 at the age of 22, and raced from 2004-2006 in BMW Club Racing in a RHD DM E30, but then I got married, bought a house, had kids... you know the story. Priorities sometimes change, but passion doesn't. Instructing at driver's schools is how I got my fill of track time, but there is just something about racing that can't be replicated without actually doing it. I'm honored and excited to represent Team FCP Euro and share my passion with you, their audience. A passion that started at an early age for me:
