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BMW vs Corvette?

Shawn Wrote:

>Surely an M3 or an M5 could make a 'vette shudder at the track.  Am I
>right?  Please help!  What I need is HARD FACTS.  Proof that a FACTORY
>BMW can in fact outperform a STOCK Corvette.  On the track, in a straight
>line, wherever.  I just need proof.  Race results, articles, etc.
>


Just go ask the ZR-1 guy who just came from the Drivers School at Michigan
International Speedway! Half the course is wide open fast...some of the
Porsches were getting 150mph at the end of the straight (the E36 M3s were
getting about 125mph). I'm out on the track in my '72 2002Tii - stock
engine, lots of suspension mods, Comp T/A tires (not racing compound) -
trying to get up to 100mph by the end of the straight when this ZR1 goes
roaring past. He's a long way in front of me by the time I'm ready to turn
down into the infield (fun) part of the course. After 7 turns, when we're
just about ready to get back on the long straight, I'm right on his bumper.


He goes roaring away while I struggle again to get back up to 100mph. Back
down into the infield, I catch him again just before we go out on the
straight. This turned into a great, fun game for about 6 or 7 laps until
the session ended. And each time I was on his bumper going into turn 7!
During the cool down lap, the corner worker at turn 7 (who could see the
whole thing) gave me a very enthusiastic thumbs up as I went by...he must
have been a BMW fan or something.

Now I'm not saying that I'm some Juan Fangio driver (this was only my
second driver school), but clearly neither was the guy in the ZR1. My take
is that in the hands of your standard "Joe Average Driver", most BMW's can
outperform a Corvette on a road course. In the hands of true expert race
drivers, who knows.

Peter Grant
'72 2002Tii
'86 635CSi
'88 911 Cabriolet