I'm glad I've found this forum. In the past few days I've learned quite a bit.

Here's my situation. I'm buying a '98 M3 which I will use as a daily driver and autocross. The car has some minor mods on it which will unfortunately bump it up to BSP. It has a Dinan CAI, chip and air-flow sensor.

I don't think the car will compete really well with other highly moded cars in BSP. So, I'm considering two options.

1) find some stock parts and take out the Dinan mods. Then compete in BS class

or

2) Go with the SM classification

I'd like the car to be competitive without me having to spend several thousand in mods. It sounds like the SM classification is M3-friendly.

( and yes, I have spent good time and money already on driving schools, and plan on taking more)

thanks

:help

oldfart: why not try BSP? We need all the help against the Vettes :) another poster here, John in Houston, runs SM and he either runs his frankenstein mustang or his not so stock e36 M3. Are you in the BMWCCA?

yep, I've been autox'ing my MZ3 mainly in the BMW group for the last two years. That car would fall into ASP in SCCA so I've stayed away. The convertible is going bye bye soon to be replaced by the M3.

Ok, I think we've met before. Are you Dave?

E36 M3's aren't competetive in anything except SM if you add a supercharger. The Vettes are in BSP and the Honda S2000's dominate BS plus the E36 M Coupes and Roadsters are in BS next year. M3's don't stand a chance. Just have fun and work on your driving skills driving in local events.

Originally posted by OldFart
yep, I've been autox'ing my MZ3 mainly in the BMW group for the last two years. That car would fall into ASP in SCCA so I've stayed away. The convertible is going bye bye soon to be replaced by the M3.
Good news for you! You are going into BS next year.
Go kick some S2000 ass!

Hey BJO, yep I'm Dave....drive the white #86 M Roadster and run in AA class in the BMW group. I'm in 2nd place for the season behind my nemesis, B Dorchester....his M3 is a BSP and he is very hard to beat.

M3inSC, will ASP then go to BSP as a result of the switch?

Dave: yeah Bob is really hard to beat. I always get real close say within a few tenths, but he always pulls away on the last heat or so. Also, I believe that the Mroadster will be in BSP next year.

Locally, the only reason that the M3 is doing so well in SM is because no one shows up that can drive. If I show up on street tires, I'm usually still leading (although by a small margin). However, in talking to some of the WRX guys and F-body guys that run, alot of them are going to come over to SM next year... so it should become more interesting!

If I can get rid of the Mustang this fall, then I'll campaign the M3 in either BSP or SM (depending on how much of the funds I can use on further modifications).

But honestly, SM is not a cheap class. Not by a longshot! At a national level you'll need much bigger wheels & tires, real shocks/struts (ie: Coil-overs) and more power. The M3's at Nationals this year were really fast. 300 hp should do the trick.

Maybe we can all discuss this on Sunday at the P-car v. BMW challenge?

John.

PS- The mustang is running. Making 395 rwhp on the last tuning mission. Almost done wiring up the ABS. Have new 275x40 R compounds mounted. Should be out for the January event... in Street Modified!

PPS - Dave, was wondering where you were on Sunday (WWT-5). Guess this explains it!

Originally posted by BJO
John in Houston, runs SM and he either runs his frankenstein mustang or his not so stock e36 M3. Are you in the BMWCCA?

What the heck? Man, I've got Bilsteins, H&Rs, Dinan CAI and a chip. Oh yeah... and that damn SPARCO strut brace from E-bay ($50). That's it. The rest is all me!

Heck, I'm even running factory alignment specs!

Now the Mustang... well, that's a different story:devillook

Originally posted by OldFart
Hey BJO, yep I'm Dave....drive the white #86 M Roadster and run in AA class in the BMW group. I'm in 2nd place for the season behind my nemesis, B Dorchester....his M3 is a BSP and he is very hard to beat.

M3inSC, will ASP then go to BSP as a result of the switch?
BJO says the MZ3's are in BSP also, but I don't know. I just read in the last Sportscar Mag that they were in BS. I didn't see anything about Street Prepared. The S2000's are in BS but they are in ASP when they move to Street Prepared.

Also, if I remember correctly the Nissan 350Z is BS too, so it should be interesting for everybody except the M3's! :95

john:hehe, no flame intended. i didn't know how to classify your m3 in SM since you had mentioned that it had just a few mods. i still need to ride in the mustang on of these days. we should all talk some more this weekend.

The interestig thing about SM and Supercharged M3's is that Tunnel won BSP in a non-supercharged car and would have crushed the SM class with his time. However, he "IS" BSP M3 GOD!

I am jumping from BSP to SM next year because I WANT more competition, usually there is only 1 or 2 other vettes in my class and that is not fun. I am keeping my ride BSP legal but am competing in SM because they always attract 12+ cars in our local events.

All I have to do now is wait 4-5 months, damn you winter :mad:

Originally posted by ///Mracer
The interestig thing about SM and Supercharged M3's is that Tunnel won BSP in a non-supercharged car and would have crushed the SM class with his time. However, he "IS" BSP M3 GOD!

Yeah, I watched Tunnel in 2000 & 2001. Amazing. I'd love to ride through with him a couple of times!

I am jumping from BSP to SM next year because I WANT more competition, usually there is only 1 or 2 other vettes in my class and that is not fun. I am keeping my ride BSP legal but am competing in SM because they always attract 12+ cars in our local events.

Thats one of the reasons why I originally moved to SM. More competition as well as varied competition. If you show up at a Divisional or National event, you never really know what you are going to be competing against. You might be top dog locally, and cannon fodder when the other guys come to town. Plus... gridding next to those little import cars with my 395 rwhp Mustang with dumps... and then rapping the throttle.... priceless! The look on their faces when the tires are hazing through all of the straights... priceless!

All I have to do now is wait 4-5 months, damn you winter :mad:

OR.... move down south to Texas and race all year long*!

*Note: Texans do take time off for Christmas and New Years... but that's about it!

I've been running in BS this season (first season in the M3), but my region is _really_ small, and i've only got one other competitor in BS that's in an S2000 on Hoosiers, but i'm not too far off his tail while wearing street tires. Next year on new V700's should be interesting. :D

Next season at divisionals and national events, i'm going to run in SM because i don't want to be the only E36 M3 in a pack of 15+ S2000's (that will all probably whoop my butt), and, as John stated, SM has a nice variety of competing cars. I may still come in at the back of the pack, but it'll be more fun. :12:

I was hanging out with Darren DiSimo at the Florida State Autox Championships and the thought came up that the E30 M3 would make a really kick ass STX car. I mean think of the other cars that compete in that class...Maximas, Proteges, Civics.

We have under 10 drivers with registered numbers in BSP. We are usually 3-4 to compete, needless to say ... boring. I'll be in SM from now on, should be much more interesting.

John, I rode with Bob once and he rode with me as well. His 245x35x18 (if I remember right) hoo-hoo's grip pretty well, his custom rear end allows him to put a lot of power down and early, his car is on the light side as well. All this coupled with his ability to read courses very well makes him very very fast. It was a blast riding with him.