Our Goal in 2018 was simple. Win a championship under the new JCD Racing/Bimmerspeed partnership operated under team name, Das Boot Motorsports. We decided to campaign a 1998 BMW M3 (E36) chassis under the GTS rules which ended up classing us into E0 for endurance racing. The plan started off to race the season with Max Fedler, which was later changed to Austen Smith and myself (JCD).
Our season started off good, with no testing our qualifying session we pushed our E36 on to the grid for the first time and rolled the dice. We started the race mid-pack and quickly found our way to the front of the pack. We then managed to take the class lead just be for pitting for fuel. Unfortunately, we would ultimately end up running out of tire and fuel just before the race ended causing us to have a late race stop. We ended up coming out 2nd in class which we were very happy with due to the unknowing feel going into the event.
The second race was eventful. This one was at Buttonwillow for 3 hours. We started 3rd in class on the second row, at the start of the race some cars in a higher class had contact in turn 1 causing a close call for our class into turn 1. The race continued on as everyone avoided the spun out cars. Later in the race, a local yellow came out and we managed to gain a position in a somewhat lucky pass at the end of the yellow flag. We ended up driving to the class win and tieing for the points lead.
The third race at Buttonwillow did not go our way. We started off the race 1st in class. We out-qualified our competitors by over a second and things were looking good. The race started off really good and it was looking like clear sailing to the end. I was managing fuel and tires while maintaining about a half lap lead over the 2nd place car in the class. Then disaster hit during our pit-stop as the car puked fuel causing a late-race penalty. We fell back to 5th and had to fight back. On the way back up to 2nd just a few laps before the end of the race we had hard contact with one of our competitors. Luckily both cars were able to finish the race.
Next race was in Utah for 6 Hours. This race Austen Smith stepped in to drive along with me (JCD). I managed to qualify us 1st in class for the race. We started off leading the race and when I came in I was under the impression we had the class lead as I was never passed on track and our pit-stops were good. Later we would come to find our competitor was cheating and using larger fuel jugs at the stop causing them to get longer time on track before having to pit, causing them to pass us while we had to pit for fuel. They got caught and putting us back in first. With just a few laps to go Austen fought hard but ultimately a very fast Achilles Motorsports E36 (BADASS Car) got around us for the win.
The last race was sad, to say the least. Austen and I went in ready to seal the deal. Sonoma 3.5 Hour. I got in the car first for practice, did a few laps and came back to get Austen in the car. Austen was showing strong and was looking good, came into turn 11 and just missed the brake marker by just a tad and the consequence was mega. Thankfully Austen was okay, the car not so much. With just a few hours till the race, we scrambled to find a car. Just hours before the race we found a car from the class below that a competitor was willing to rent to us. It was a dark green spec e46 with some miles on her, to say the least. We didn't have a chance but managed to hold our own and come home 4th in class, sealing the deal making us the 2018 NASA WERC E0 CHAMPS!!!
RESULTS:
Willowsprings 3 Hour - 2nd in Class
Buttonwillow 3 Hour - 1st in Class
Buttonwillow 3 Hour - 2nd in Class
Utah 6 Hour - 2nd in Class
Sonoma 3.5 - 4th in Class
Season Points: 450
Official Results Link: https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Championships/66246
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HELPED AND OR SUPPORTED US THROUGH THE 2018 SEASON.
The new car: 2016 BMW M235iR
