Track Video Thread

[PenguinScotty]

Back on the track here in Scotland after a full resto and rebuild of the M3 over the past couple of years from a bare shell. So good to be back out!

Was great seeing your videos pop up in my YouTube subscriptions again after many years, haha. Car looks great and the gearmotiv box is really nice. Few friends here are running their h-pattern box, currently trying to convince them to go with the sequential so i can get their h-patterns :P.

Also just snagged a set of MRT front arms so looking forward to getting those on.

Looking forward to more vids!

[paulclaude]

Back on the track here in Scotland after a full resto and rebuild of the M3 over the past couple of years from a bare shell. So good to be back out! Rough spec as follows;

-S54 with intake & 288/280 Schrick cams - 378hp (flywheel)
-Gearmotive Sequential Gearbox with 4.1 FD & flat shift
-AEM Infinity, MK60 Standalone ABS, Pedal box w/bias adjustment, AIM PDM32 + display
-T45 Custom Cage
-Nitron NTR R3
-MRT Roll Centre Correction front arms, rose jointed / monoball rear
-27mm Convertible front roll bar, Stock rear (had a Turner adjustable front but felt too much understeer after the roll correction arms, the 27mm helps car rotate much better)
-Approx 2650lbs (1200kg) without driver

Raced at the 'local' Knockhill racing circuit this past weekend in the Modsports Championship which is mixed Class based on power to weight. Took three Class wins on it's first race outing once i'd remembered how to drive again!

Videos:

Race 1 - Terrible start in terrible conditions (rain/sleet) - ended up near the back but climbed back through. The clutch did not like 4500rpm launch and dumping the clutch with the tall 1st gear

Race 2 - Dry but overcast conditions with a better start, race ended early due to a Honda shearing it's wheel studs and losing it's front wheel - I also set a new Class C record this race

Race 3 - Dry and overcast again, took both P1 Class and P1 overall after the Pro Class Caterham had a mechanical (safety car) - broke Class C lap record yet again this race as was starting to get comfortable with the car

Very pleased with the car and the Gearmotive gearbox. Will find more pace with some further setup changes and should be into 54's. Think I need to use 1st out of the hairpin as those pesky K24 Hondas are pulling from me slightly out of there. 1st gear is good for 68mph so more than enough rpm to get the drive given it's around a 40mph corner. Also need to bring flat shift cut time down as set it pretty safe to get it up and running.

[George Hill]

Motorsport Ranch Cresson is one of my favorite tracks, here's a couple laps from last fall

[bojangles]

Another video from this past weekend at one of my favorite tracks in the Midwest, Grattan raceway.
Still loving the 4.10 and ATS diff. Felt extremely confident getting on power much earlier than in years past.

[bojangles]

Just want to throw in some build specs because there are so many ways to build these cars and make them fast....obviously driver being the most important part.
WGI: 2:02 with optimal best well under 2:01
600f/700r springs
Stiffest setting front sway bar, softest setting rear bar
Roll correction kit
high drag...good downforce...I am slowest car on the straights.
Detuned 295 peak HP, 3100lbs

Car is very pointy generally speaking.

fourmula1 - Curious what roll center correction kit you're using... I had the MRT offset ball joint one, but have had multiple issues with it destroying the nylon sleeves that fit into the spindle. Eventually got sick of it and went back to stock, unfortunately

[bojangles]

Hey guys, somehow I didn't know this thread existed until now, but I've spent the last hour+ reading and watching videos! Great to see so many folks out there tracking these cars. Somehow, I always seem to be the only E46 at the events I attend, but now I'm encouraged to see there are like a dozen of us 😂

I'll post a couple videos from the last year or so of my time attack events. I really should stop being lazy and update my build thread as well.

Here's a 1:34.5 from last year at Autobahn South:

[CrisSilberGrau]

A lap of CTMP - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park aka Mosport

2002 M3 E46
Lap 1:29:86 Done on July 18 2025
Built by Igor Kost Instagram @iconicarss, I was driving with a passenger
Power: 356whp
Weight: 2890 lbs wet
Tire: Nankang CRS 275/35/18
Suspension: KW Clubsport 3 way
Aero: Bimmerworld V2 wing
Spage sport custom front splitter
Differential: ATS carbonetics 2 way 3.91 ratio

https://youtu.be/s9LeEQARtWk?si=Dr5ImDPSIPNt0_oP

[fourmula1]

Just want to throw in some build specs because there are so many ways to build these cars and make them fast....obviously driver being the most important part.
WGI: 2:02 with optimal best well under 2:01
600f/700r springs
Stiffest setting front sway bar, softest setting rear bar
Roll correction kit
high drag...good downforce...I am slowest car on the straights.
Detuned 295 peak HP, 3100lbs

Car is very pointy generally speaking.

[samthejam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SfrbS41OqY&t=4s

cant figure out how to embed it like I normally do, sorry



New PB at Road Alanta, my AST shock I rebuilt on the LR was messed up but was trying to drive through it to the 39 and I did. 1:39.5, first time on the ECFs do not like them, if I had a better size wheel for them would like them more. They wore like iron though. Excuse my breakfast that is still in the floorboard, it did not stay shoved under the seat.

[eacmen]

Hot lap from last weekend at Summit Point with CCA. There is alot more pace in the car but I'm overall happy with beating my previous personal best:

https://youtu.be/0i5KjTp1AyU?si=5p_cqonP7aR2JP3u

[samthejam]

This past weekend my car was set up exactly how I like it, when the rear tires started to fall off it became a bit of a handful. Sharp turn in and easy rear rotation is what I prefer though.

Unfortunately I deleted the PBs from the morning because I am an idiot. However a friend was able to film the car from exterior with a close friend following, cool to see what it looks like on outside for inside.

Just having fun:

[Wernd]

I get what you're saying about softer on bumpy...... Those tracks aren't worth going to anymore. There are too many good options out there. For me that would be Hallett, super fun track when I had my ZHP but the last time I was there I swore it off until it got repaved. Which I hear actually happened this past winter.

No, no BMWCCA there, we run KCPCA there and they're very hands off, good chapter. I know it's a haul but I guarantee it will be worth it. It's in my top 5

The ring
Cota
Watkins glen
MSR 3.1
Ozarks

[bigjae46]

That's the thing though, no front bar will give you more front bite. It obviously won't give you more aero bias to the front, but it will move the balance forward. Think about it, your bar is lifting your inside tire off the ground..... Can you adjust your dampers to compensate for no front bar and keep the front end sharp?

Maybe you need stiffer front springs? Hank at bimmerworld corrected me when I thought lower springrate = more grip. He said it was actually the opposite, as the higher spring rate drives the tire down into the asphault. Even without a front bar I'm still 3 wheeling coming out of corners and Hank is telling me it's due to suspension geometry. The only way to eliminate it is with spring rates I wouldn't want.

On a different note, if you have the chance to get to Ozarks you really need to go, it's AMAZING! I'll be going for the 3rd time in a year the end of this month with KCPCA because it's that good.

it depends. I think there’s a target freq rate depending on surface and aero load. I’d argue I have a lot more grip running softer springs on bumpy tracks.

I can add some splitter tunnels which I think will rebalance the car to be more on the front axle.

I’d like to get there but its a haul. Does BMWCCA run there? I tend to avoid PCA. Some chapters are a pain in the ass.

[Wernd]

I run a stock front bar and no rear bar with 450/700 springs. I need more rear spring but the car just sits down when I get on the gas. I can put down the power and get a great jump out of the corners on much higher HP cars. I really like no rear bar. Not so sure about the front. I also have aero. Right now, it is a little bit too biased to the rear. I can drive around it, just need to trail brake deeper to the apex. I would love to get a little more front bias on the downforce.

I like the front end to be a little sharper which is why I don't think I'll like no front bar.

That's the thing though, no front bar will give you more front bite. It obviously won't give you more aero bias to the front, but it will move the balance forward. Think about it, your bar is lifting your inside tire off the ground..... Can you adjust your dampers to compensate for no front bar and keep the front end sharp?

Maybe you need stiffer front springs? Hank at bimmerworld corrected me when I thought lower springrate = more grip. He said it was actually the opposite, as the higher spring rate drives the tire down into the asphault. Even without a front bar I'm still 3 wheeling coming out of corners and Hank is telling me it's due to suspension geometry. The only way to eliminate it is with spring rates I wouldn't want.

On a different note, if you have the chance to get to Ozarks you really need to go, it's AMAZING! I'll be going for the 3rd time in a year the end of this month with KCPCA because it's that good.

[bigjae46]

No bar front or rear. Bimmerworld is wanting me to try the springrate increase first and then possibly a stock front bar. I've gotta be honest I'm really happy with how the car could be manipulated at NCM. I think it's a great track to be able to learn your car at. It's got a bit of everything but most importantly it's got corners you load your car up and keep it there for almost 5 seconds. Not many tracks offer the ability to slowly increase speed Ina corner to be able to test the limit

I run a stock front bar and no rear bar with 450/700 springs. I need more rear spring but the car just sits down when I get on the gas. I can put down the power and get a great jump out of the corners on much higher HP cars. I really like no rear bar. Not so sure about the front. I also have aero. Right now, it is a little bit too biased to the rear. I can drive around it, just need to trail brake deeper to the apex. I would love to get a little more front bias on the downforce.

I like the front end to be a little sharper which is why I don't think I'll like no front bar.