ALL GERMAN RACE - VARA OKTOBERFEST 2020 - ESSEX

craterface

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Looks like a nice safe track with a lot of runoff. Is this the same car you used to have that was orange and black? What are the specs on the engine? How much does the car weigh?

Looks like you left the Capri in the dust, and I suppose the Cayman driver is a novice? As well as some of those 911s in the back?
 

Shawn Essex

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Buttonwillow is a fun track, have always enjoyed it. Very smokey this past October due to all the CA fires but did not effect the racing.

My brother Shanon owns the black and orange e9. This green one is my old drive train from my former red/silver e9 race car put into a better and lighter shell. Have always been a fan of the early e9 racers without all the aero bits.

Motor was a race build by Terry Tinney approx 14 years ago.
M30 3.5l
316 degree cam
12 to 1 comp
Triple Weber 45 DCOEs
When fresh, dyno'd at 279 rwhp. Motor due for a refresh, down about 50hp (but still a blast to run).
Car weighs 2,354lbs.

Some of the usual faster cars were missing this year but still had fun...but do look forward to a dance partner next year.
 

shanon

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Go team!

The Bros sporting the two-tone ;)
 

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JFENG

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Amazing sound and beautiful driving!
Looks like all the folks are racing safely (8-9 10ths), which is appropriate for vintage. No heroics and subsequently high attrition like what you see at Goodwood

I’ve always heard good things about Vara and your video confirms that.

Do the SVRA events on the west coast?

BTW, I don’t recall seeing a race car with that much sideways movement in the gearstick during cornering/braking. Are you using stock engine mounts?
 

Shawn Essex

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Thanks bfeng!

Always good racing with VARA and a very friendly club to new comers. They have a good rookie program to get you started.

Raced with SVRA this past Feb 2020 at SoCal Historics in Fontana, another great event and club.

Note: This coming Feb will be the LAST vintage event at Fontana with SVRA (and all clubs for that matter) since most of the 2.8 mile super speedway/road course "ROVAL" is being torn down and converted into a 1/2 mile NASCAR circle track only. Anyone wanting to experience high speed banking in a roadrace this will probably be the last opportunity on the west coast. Our coupes are really comfortable at these higher speed tracks and its always such good fun to catch the V8s when they run out of gearing on the banks ;)

My shifter moving in video is due to play in the linkage. Need to refresh wear items and tighten up...a call to UUC/BMW parts is in order this winter. My motor (M30) and transmission (G265OD) are all hard mounted to chassis (no rubber or urethane mounts)....also looking into CR transmission options, really would like a usable 2nd gear.

Hope to see everyone out on the track (or in the paddock) this coming Feb 5-7th at SoCal Historics in Fontana.
 

JFENG

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Shawn
I’ll be an annoying and under-qualified armchair quarterback here and say I think you could’ve caught that M3 with the big wing if you

(1) carry more corner speed and get back on throttle a hair earlier.

(2) be more consistent reaching the braking threshold (eg brake later and harder).

Your steering inputs are really SMOOTH, but when they are TOO smooth it means speed is left in the table. Of course, that conflicts with the goal of keeping it at or below 9/10ths.

John

PS: I am NOT saying that I can do any of these things... it’s easier to critique than drive
 

Shawn Essex

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Last year at Octoberfest 2019 my car had timing issues I was trying to sort out at the track dyno in the morning and wasn't able to run in the race. (Woodruff key broke on last lap at previous race at Willowsprings that took us a couple weeks to track down - thank you Terry, Shad and Jeff Tigh)

So ended up watching last's year's German race from the tower and Shane Wilcox in that winged DTM e36 M3 beat out Porsche factory driver Patrick Long in a beautifully prepared 911st....Shane is a excellent driver. And Geary in that GT3 914-6 was I believe a SCCA champ in that car in the 90's...truely great drivers.

With some more skills, a taller 2nd gear and maybe my additional 50hp back, you bet....I will be doing my best to give them a run....love a good challenge! :)
 

JFENG

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It’s a professional DTM prepped M3!

Oh ... in that case, good luck

I hope, if nothing else, you have the advantage of youth. If not you will have to cheat like I do.
 
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