Driving school at sears point today. I didnt drive, but..

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.winnsecurity.com/norcal02

I still had a blast, I got a ride in a E28 M5 and a 2002 SMG M3. The track is so smooth now compared to how it was before the repavement. I think there were 5 2002's but one broke? Finally introduced myself to Jay, and when I was walking back to my car I saw a nice Polaris 2002 Turbo. I didnt see it anywhere else earlier in the day, I guess someone just brought it by. A very nice day, I'm exhausted and I didnt even do much of anything!

-Justin

[Guest Anonymous]

What happened was in the middle of the first session (second day) I suddenly showed no oil pressure. So I shut things down and pulled off the track. I subsequently got a nice lesson in how a car is pulled off the track by the track crew :-)

Anyway I checked the obvious and there was oil in the valve train (lots) and running the car with the valve cover off splattered a lot of oil, so I concluded that I had a sensor failure.

I take the next session and do 25 _hard_ minutes, pull in at the end and suddenly hear this AWFUL clanking noise.

Current guess is a pounded rod bearing, the only thing certain is that I have too many moving parts inside my engine right now ;-(

Crap in a bucket! Now I need to figure out what broke, I wish I could fire my engine-builder, but I did the work myself.

Damn that was fun before I had to retire. I was really starting to get the car to hook up. Sears point is great for 2002's. In the chicanes, I would have E46 M3's on my tail when I started and way back when I exited. SWEET! (of course when I got to the straight, they would blow right past me). . .

Cheers!

John N

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.winnsecurity.com/norcal02

But the only two guys that were there that I knew were Michael and Jay. I think I SAW all of the 02s, but which one was yours?

-Justin

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

Met Justin in the hot pits after my run session was over( too bad i not an instructor so could not take him out in my car)- I wanted 02 owner instructors to drive my car to give me feedback. Troy, a veteran intsructor and old time 02 pilot took my car for 5 laps and loved it. He said" i would not change a thing"... that was a relief to hear. He said he was amazed at what he could do with street ( shitty street see pyesterday's post) tires on the car. he had it dancing through the S section and put some nice hot laps in. My first instructor is an old time A4 owner and he loved the car too. He made the A4 dance too. Builder of the car and extraordinary racer Bill Arnold was my instructor for final session day 1. He gave me great pointers on lines and what the 02 can really do at Sears. Second day instructor is 73 tii owner so she knew dynamics and limits of the 02 as well.She said she had a really fun day coaching me in the car and thought the car was right on too. I could not have been a better group of instructors and I received great feedback and coaching from them all, including classroom. Sean Casey came by ( he usually is an instructor too) in his Polaris Turbo and we talked by my car until we both damn near froze to death. He is a great mechanic too and told me about some cool mods he did to his perfect 73 malaga tii which is his track car. He just wanted to see the action, say hi to all his CCA buds, check out the action- kind like me over all these years going to the schools like Justin to grab rides and meet people and see cool cars. Felt really bad for John: pleasure to hang with him and really felt his pain when engine made unnatural noise and I waved to him in the cab of the flatbed. (I have oil splashes on my shirt cuz i was the guy who verified he had oil to the top of the engine... just not enough!) Michael had a full school and Curtis looked like he was putting hot laps down... A really nice guy in a chamonix hybrid, part 69/part late nose, 40/40, Totally nice set up was driving really well in B group. The 02s were there in force. We need even more. Well, I will be broke The rest of life now , for sure, cuz I have got to go to all the schools : most fun I have ever had: (driving Sears has been a life goal) along with a few other places and it was a blast. The car loved it, the owner loved it more: We both ended up same way we began- no new noises/marks/"conditions". Pro photog was there and took a lot of pics of my car ( i asked for extra frames) so I will have plenty to post ( including my "excursion " in 2 in near future. There will be plenty more schools for me- i am "hooked" big time. Lisa and Curtis really coordinated a smooth weekend. Thanks to all - I really encourage all 02 owners to save up and take these schools: hell- after you get the line, they let you go and no cops ( except for the chief steward who will black flag bad behaviour)- but he is a fair guy and he likes to see cars go fast, and under control. You have to be a member of BMWCCA to drive in these schools. Good investment, good monthly magazine, and only 35 bucks a year.

[Guest Anonymous]

I am still recuperating emotionally! First time in any race track ever, it was a blast. The 02's were out there in force and we all hanged out and kept an eye on each other ready to help if needed. Even an E30 driver asked me for assistance in the parking lot, as he put it: "I know you must have brought some tools".

The first time on the track with a younger instructor who had never driven an 02 was probably an experience for both of us: "there is something wrong with you power steering" and: "what is that whisling noise?" (air noise), by the third session we were really starting having some fun. The second day I had an E30 M3 instructor who was more in tune with the performance envelope of a 2002, and made me take tighter turns and actually gain over the M3's and heavier cars in front, the only time where I saw their badge!

I was really debating which car to take: either the tii or the 38/38. For that course and that moment the 38/38 was the right choice. I would have had to shift a lot more with the tii, and for an experienced driver would have been too much to handle. As it turned out the 38/38 (with the 3.90) took me around Sears Point on third gear! It has the low end torque to pull you out the hairpin and enough top end too.

The best performance upgrade on you car is right behind the steering wheel.

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.winnsecurity.com/norcal02

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about your car. I love Sears Point, I hope to race there again someday. G

[Guest Anonymous]

Happy to hear you guys had a great time. Glad none of you succumbed to the red mist!

Yes Michael. It is both physically and emotionally draining. Good thing you guys had Sunday off to recover.

I would have loved to come up to visit, but had a double header weekend for soccer. It's probably best I don't come to the track as it's bound to open up old wounds. (in my bank account for tires!)

[Guest Anonymous]

It was really fun to see the unusually large number of 2002s at the Halloween track school. Jay, Michael, John, and Dante all did a fantastic job, and you shoulda seen the big grins. (Who did I forget?) Dante was eating them up in group B (advanced Intermediate); it's pretty amusing to see a 2002 keeping up in a sea of M cars. I encourage all of you to attend a BMW CCA car control clinic and a driving school. The Golden Gate Chapter does a model job of organizing and running these events in a safe, fun, educational way. You have no idea how much work the volunteers put into it.

[Guest Anonymous]

I think I know him. One of my old high school buddies works with him. Awesome guy.

[Guest Anonymous]

Right on. Dante is a cool guy as well.