Month: November 2016

After being swept up into a cloud of future racing happiness, I came back down to earth this morning with a thud. I have been reviewing the forecast costs for 2017. If you have the car, and are mechanically competent, PBMW is actually one of the most cost effective ways of getting into racing. The entry fees for all 7 race meets is around £2k. So adding on transport, consumables like tyres, accommodation for a few far flung meets I reckon you could do the season for £5-6k. Which when you consider the fun to be had that is a great deal.

However, in my case, I am mechanically inept. Rather than playing with cars from a young age, computers and tech was a more interesting option. Sadly that means there is no chance of me being able to prep a race car, and more importantly, keep it running throughout a season. So faced with that reality I have a load of extra costs.

The reason I chose GFR for the support was after doing some reading, Gary and his team come up pretty often in blogs, where people have praised him for helping them out prior, and during, the meets. Plus Gary has a record of being a great driver, and he qualified 1st and placed 1st in pretty much every 2015 race. That is a cracking record. I need a decent instructor to push me. Gary is an International Instructor with form: ticks the box.

Cost wise the numbers are adding up, but I am still contemplating the various menu of options. I don’t know yet, and probably won’t have to a final decision until the New Year.

I have began furiously reading up on PBMW and discovered that the Toyo Tyres Racing Saloons Championship is closely linked. The PBMW cars are eligible so it allows people to enter both series. As I a rookie I want as much track time as possible, so it’s good having that option.

I am really keen, as you can imagine, to get into the car and start to learn the balance and handing. The E30s have an open diff and not much power, so it will be interesting to compare to my Z4M with 360bhp and the M diff. So to get the ball rolling I have booked a day with Gary and GRF at Brands Hatch, Indy Circuit, on the 2nd December. It will be a chance to meet Gary in person, see what kind of service they offer in terms of full support, and give me a chance to be “assessed” by Gary. I wonder what the weather will be like…

After a very brief period of uncertainty, I made up my mind and called Gary back to confirm I would buy the race car and would enter the 2017 Production BMW Championship. In the end I didn’t want to miss the car, as they don’t come up in such good condition that often, plus life is too short, I’m not getting any younger, and I really want to compete.

The next day I transferred the cash and the car was mine..whoop. It looks in great nick. What is even better is it is dressed in a nice ///M livery and has the current owner’s name and racing number! OMG that makes this all the more real. Seeing the car with a massive M on the side actually made me chuckle. I am often cussing people on the Z4-forum for plastering M badges all over their 2.0 roadsters, plus owning a “proper” M car with its glorious S54 engine gives me at least some credibility in this area. When I have the spare cash I may well change the styling but until then she will be a 320i in M clothing ha.