My BMW E34 Project: At the racetrack (Part 2)...

Face-off: BMW vs Mercedes Benz

Enough already with being starstruck on high-end race cars! How did Sergio and I do?

Once we had checked in with the organizers, we found out that we were slotted to use the track at 2:50pm. Before going any further, let me point out that what we were doing was a track run, not an actual race. This means is each driver gets a series of laps around the track to test his own and his car's limits. There is no real competition between cars in the sense that there is no placing order of any sort. In the interest of safety, overtaking is discouraged and only done upon being allowed by the driver ahead. The unwritten goal is to be able to hang on with cars faster than your own or at the least keep up with your group. With it, goes the inevitable bragging rights.

After leaving the venue for a leisurely lunch in downtown Subic, we returned about an hour before the appointed time and tried to observe and learn how the more experienced drivers go about the track. One of our fellow BMWCCP members was competing in the Philippine Touring Car Championship, a real race event, which was just about to start. As soon as the cars took off, I could easily appreciate how fast they were going and how good the cars handled on the turns. More doubt was setting in me, particularly on how fast I could go and being a first-timer, whether I could actually learn the flow of the track. In any case, all of these thoughts had to take the backburner for the meantime as we were engrossed in watching our friend take 3rd place after starting from the back of the grid due to some pre-start technical problems.

Touring Car Championship contenders entering the track

Soon enough, we were being paged by the marshals to get our cars ready. We all did our last minute checks, got into the driver's seat, and were directed to queue up at Pit Lane. Since there were only six of us, the organizers allowed a few other cars to join in the session. Not that I cared, because by this point my mind was shut out of who else was going to be there. All I wanted to think of was how to best tackle the task at hand.

At Pit Lane: I'm behind the white car

After a longer than expected wait at Pit Lane while the track was being cleared of the previous group, we finally were given the go-ahead to start our session. Here we go! I put the car in gear, stepped on the gas pedal and...nothing happened. Tried reshifting but I was still stuck in the same spot. What in blazes has happened? Has Sergio failed me even before a single tire has touched the track???

A quick glance at my instrument panel showed zero RPMs on the tach. In the excitement, I forgot that I had turned off the engine while waiting and being parked next to a loudspeaker blaring out rap music, there was no way to hear if it was running. A single turn of the key resulted in the engine coming back to life and raring to go. The problem wasn't with Sergio after all!

We were instructed that the first two laps were for practice but I tell you, once the adrenalin starts pumping, you try to go as fast as you can. The first turn is a sweeping uphill left, some esses, quickly followed by a right-left chicane. In my haste, I missed this right to the chicane (which I think is really the most demanding portion of the layout). Without any previous on-track experience, it is very hard to anticipate when this turn comes up. Fortunately, there is a bailout area which gave me enough room to steer my way back to the correct route. In the meantime, a Subaru STI was on my tail and I decided to let him pass on the next straight. Boy, that bugger was fast and added with all-wheel drive capability, he was taking the turns at a much higher speed than any of the cars I could still see.

Its really amazing how powerful harnessing one's full concentration is. By the time I started on the 2nd practice lap, the track layout was already burned in my mind. Starting line// straight// uphill long left// small left// small right// right left chicane entry// left right chicane exit// long downhill straight// left hairpin turn// uphill straight// sharp left (exit to Pit Lane ahead)// small right// long straight down to the start-finish line. Total distance I have been told is 2.8 kilometers. No overruns to report this time and I was also taking a better racing line going into the turns. Definitely a much smoother run. At the end of the lap, all cars were positioned in the starting grid just like in Formula 1 but even if it entailed another long wait, I learned my lesson and kept the engine running.

From the starting grid: I'm the second car on the left

For the main event, we were going to do two "hot laps" and a "cool down" lap afterwards. The hot laps are for going all out and the cool down is to give the engine an opportunity to slowly come off from full exertion; just as an athlete does not stop abruptly after finishing an event. In the meantime, I was thinking of all the factors I needed to consider. Among them was resetting my GPS unit to provide some idea of my personal performance and making sure that my camera was mounted and aimed properly. I had it set on video mode so as to have a record of how my drive went. Inspite of all the anticipation, we all were relaxed enough to take pictures and exchange a few tips while waiting.

In another few minutes, the signal was given to get ready. We hopped back into our cars, fastened seatbelts, and in my case, took a mental picture of the vicinity on the premise that it will help determine my relative position going around the track. Revved up the engine and then we were off the line. This was the real Lap 1.

Took off relatively smoothly without the heavy screeching and smoking of tires seen on TV, then accelerated down the straight towards the long left bend and esses. Kept in mind that the chicane was coming up and positioned the car to hit the apex of the turn properly. Held on to the correct line and in an instant, I was in the chicane. No drama at all. Gaining confidence, I followed the same procedure to exit the chicane and onto the long downhill straight. Unlike in practice when a big gap was immediately created as a result of my "dead" engine, this time I was able to keep close to the car ahead of me (a modified Honda Accord). The bad thing though was that as soon as we hit the straight, track debris started flying into my front end. I could see small stones heading towards the windshield. The competitor in me wanted to hang on but ultimately decided that it was not worth the risk of cracking the windshield. So I backed off upon reaching the hairpin turn in order to leave enough of a gap and avoid any UFOs. I looked back at my rear view mirror to check who was coming up and saw that the next car was far behind. My initial thought was that I really must have been going fast but just as quickly realized that he too must have slowed down because of my debris. Then came the esses before the start/finish straight. Accelerated hard, glanced into my tach to find out my RPMs and saw the needle very slightly past the 6000 redline. Backed off again to avoid damaging the engine but I guess I had to anyway because I was near the end of the straight. End of Lap 1.

Lap 2 was actually a more "relaxed" run. Not that it was slower, but more of a feeling of having settled down, being in a state of heightened awareness if you like. I was easily able to keep track of car positioning, engine speed, the sequence of turns, and other variables affecting my driving. The only thought in my head was of that particular moment. As a guy who normally thinks of as many different scenarios along the same theme, this is one of the few times of complete obliviousness to the rest of the world. And just like that, I saw the chequered flag being waved on my left.

It seemed to me that everyone was going as hard for most of the cool down lap and it was not until the last 300 meters or so when things dramatically slowed. Must have still been the juice flowing but after a couple of personal whoops on my part, I followed the rest of the cars back into Pit Lane.