Hey guys. Just got done planning my first track day since I got my SCI. Didn't want to jump right into a full on HPDE or open-track day, so I am going to be doing a drift-day on Horse Thief Mile at Willow Springs Raceway in Rosamond California. Should be a lot of fun. For those of you who don't know I am driving a 2004 BMW M3 with the SMG trans, which is an electronic true sequential/clutchless manual, which in my opinion is the best route to go if your injured and still plan on driving spiritedly. Dropping a lot of money into all the suspension and tires for this day, so just wanted to make a thread kind of in reservation of the video/photos that I plan on being taken. My only worry so far is the spasms that the g-force (I am predicting here) is going to generate for me, but we'll see.

Either way, should be a lot of fun, and if anything you guys' can laugh at my incar videos of me spasming into a spin!

Here's the event flier. I'd be driving grip but its Gymkhana, and there is no way I can do that and be effective with one-armed steering, aha.

Can't wait to see the photo's and video's.

ah that's so awesome... having resources is good... being a poor full time student is bad...

I'd love to see some pictures! Maybe pictures of the driving set up.

Sam!!! That's so exciting!!!! You better put up a lot of pics cuz that sounds like so much fun!

Excellent, dude,,,, I wanna see.
ed

Haha, well here is a teaser pic of mail that came in on Friday. My office smells like a tire shop!Click to view attachment

As for the pics of the driving set up, ill try to find a better camera than my crappy iPhone and take some shots for ya'll. It's basically an OEM M3 but with Menox hand controls and the shift-up switch was re-routed into a push button on the left side of the brake/throttle handle, letting me shift up from the hand control itself. My right hand sucks but with practice I was able to push the button effectively.

Also ill snap some pictures of the new suspension/install pics of my friends and I having fun with our car-rack out back (we are car enthusiasts in this family if you can't tell) etc etc

-Sam

Great stuff. When's it gonna be?

Hi Hikkakaru. Go for it, that looks like a really good circuit (just looked it up on the interweb) Make sure you get lots of pictures, I want to see plenty sideways action. On another note, I managed to drive my Land Rover Discovery yesterday for the first time since my accident (about 8 months) so maybe I will join you next time. Have fun!!!

Horse Thief is a very fun circuit. There are a TON of elevation changes with very little change in track camber, so it makes for some very white-knuckle cornering sometimes. The track doesn't help you stay on the track, if you catch my drift. The Discoverys have always piqued my interest, I did an inspection on one and it was really really nice, and ever since i've kept my eye on those cars. I am going to experiment a little later this week and see if the edition of a steering knob will A: be track allowed (I am kind of thinking it will not pass inspection, need to call a few people about it) and B : if it will be needed. It's easy to keep a small-correction small slip-angle drift going with power in my car, but since i'll only be correcting with one arm, I think it's going to severely limit how flashy I can be, haha.

We'll see!

-Sam

P.S. I added the flier to the first post.

P.S.S. Anyone going to D1GP in Anaheim,CA this upcoming Saturday? I'll be there with friends and could always use more company!

If I could, I would totally be there to cheer your ass on! Who knows, maybe I will be in So Cal at the end of May and I will totally come! You're gonna kick ass, you know it

Sweet, looks like a blast!

be careful dude...the steering wheels on the wrong side.

Sounds like you are gonna be having some fun very soon Sam!
I have a similar level of injury to your's and also a BMW... just not ///M!
Are you not planning on having any sort of harnesses to keep you still in your seat while playing on the track? I used to slide really well on the leather, even with 'sporty' seats.

Sounds like a blast! I've only had my M3 on a 1/4 mile dragstrip (12.68 sec.) and had the 'Stang on the Koni Challenge course at Daytona (and the 1/4 mile) but would love to do a full fledged road course like you are. Hope you post videos.

Actually with the adjustable side bolster and a fair amount of trunk strength I stay in pretty good... but since you asked...



along with a set of Schroth Profi-2 6 pts


are on the way.

Freight shipping to California from Canada SUCKS for a rollbar!

P.S. most of my suspension and the headers got in yesterday. Now I am waiting for the Shark ECM reflash to show up to get rid of the rear o2 sensors, higher rev limit, better tune and unrestricted top speed

As soon as the car we have up on the rack is done, which should be hopefully today, the M3 is going up and I am going to take lots of pictures for ya'll.

On a side note, what kind of BMW girlracer? They are all good!



How can you say you haven't done a full-fledged road course with a Koni Challenge track under your belt!?

Sounds like you had an E46 right? My E36 ran a 13.7 back in my able-bodied days, and I haven't gotten a chance to run the E46 yet. They have both been wonderful cars.

Very much looking forward to all the pictures from this. You're gonna have a blast, so enjoy. Having owned a couple of SMG M's myself, I know what a giggle they are.

I want to see shredded tyres when you're done!

Excellent!
Enjoy.

sooooo how did it go?

Sorry for the slow update.

It went terrible.

First problem was being mechanically prepared. I am/was a big gearhead before my injury, and now I have to rely on others help to get anything done in a timely manner, so of course from the third person it's very frustrating working slower than you know you used to be able to. For those of you that don't know, we were doing a HUGE amount of work on my car, and with BMW's a small amount of work can turn huge anyway. The entire suspension was unbolted and more or less reinforced/replaced as per needed and everything was inspected by me before going together. Now that I can't quickly exit my car incase of issues that show themselves on the track/street the quality of work is extremely important to me. Also, a German supplied adjustable spring perch decided to destroy itself with the help of a friend that didn't realize what he was doing was incompetent, thus letting me see how terrible overnight prices from Massachusetts(the race shop that deals with the German group H&R) to California are.

The second problem is that of legal/governmental roots. California STILL refuses to license me because of my disability. It's extremely discriminatory and I have been in talks legally about it. I was told my re-examination was to happen and that i'd be cleared to go to the DMV and reapply for a license, however the re-examination was little more than a man with no medical background asking me medical questions in front of a recorder, and whilst the recorder was off making discriminatory, biased comments based on my injury(like asking why someone with my injury would still continue to pursue a career/college/racing). Very frustrating, and very hurtful. I am frustrated I think more than the usual Joe because I have all of these underqualified people questioning my driving ability when in reality I have more formal driving experience and qualifications under my belt, despite my age, than any of them. For anyone who might think my license is being withheld for perhaps valid reasons, I am in perfect health-- an incomplete C5 with no existing illness other than impairment that presents itself as a low thoraic or lumbar injury (I have fine control of my right foot/ankle) and I STILL use a hand control as I don't trust my feet nearly as much as I did, AND I have 20/20 vision. I went about getting my license with a re-test, as do all para/quads, however it was suddenly suspended "due to disability" and ever since I have been unable to drive, which is a huge deal for me.

So regardless to say, I didn't make the trackday. I'm friends with a bunch of people who participate at WSiR and they understand my issues, so I got a race group rooting for me atleast .

My car is being driven to San Diego to participate in the BIG Euro meet at Qualcomm Stadium, so atleast i'll be able to snap some pics of it in good detailed condition to show you guys the suspension work atleast!

Sam

Man thats messed up. Cali's got a lot of bonuses but over regulation is not one of em. When i was in rehab i made sure to not let them dismiss me before i logged time with their driving instructor. He gave me a certification but once home I don't think they even asked for it (I don't think they really care much about it around here).
All they really do is put a restriction on there saying you require an assistive device(hand controls) to operate... just like if you were required to wear your glasses while driving.

On another note the guy i went to was a state certified driving instructor and i think if he gives you the ok then the DMV have to... this may be the simplest route. Find one certified and turn the regulations in your favor.

And if all else fails you can bring yourself & that sweet ass ride over to KY, get liscensed here and then go home & just transfer em.... After of course i introduce you to the iX on gravel.

I drove myself up to the certification location, he made me drive forward and backwards and signed it.
No wonder my friends in Cali call it the Peoples Republic of California.

I had to sell both my vehicles after my injury. Unable to drive them anymore, so no use.

I can understand your anger, and those shits at the DMV need a keep their yaps shut.

Aw, Sam, that really sucks and makes me so angry.

hey
some tricks that worked for me. we drive the same car and seem to have the same type of injury. i'm a c4-c6'ish incomplete. right side is ok but weak, left is almost dead. you can reroute your downshift to the right paddle and use your foot for acceleration, that gives you the advantage since you can downshift and rev match while still on the brake. after some trial and error, this worked out quite well. my only problem was my left leg kept swinging around and i wanted to tie it down lol and i also went to willow spring, the short track tho.



ps. you can't see it from this angle but my wheelchair was behind the door and notice the crappy tape job hah