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FRANK N. STEIN - Finishing what we started! Here's how it happened. A couple years of Club Racing has allowed me to make an observation: newer BMWs are faster and handle better. Logically continuing that thought, if my 2002 had a newer engine and suspension, it would be faster and better handling. I considered and dismissed the E30 suspension as not sufficiently different or better that the 2002. The E36, on the other hand, now there's a modern suspension. But how could it fit under a 2002? |
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October 1st, 2007- BMW CCA Oktoberfest Race at Motorsport Ranch in Ft. Worth, TX Another big national race in the Frankenstein car. Last week we learned that we have suspension problems causing the inside wheels to lift in sharp corners. Without much time between events, we could only try small experiments - like installing smaller swaybars and changing tires. The smaller swaybars from a stock M3 didn't do much for handling, so the aftermarket front bar went back on, rear off completely, front tighter then looser, then smaller rear tires...the cars handling became a real handful! We may have to do some serious body lowering over the winter, but in the meantime, the group N Bilstein shocks are just too stiff and have to be replaced with adjustable racing shocks. And lighter front springs, and, and ,and. Racing again found me in midpack - but we'll do better. I hope. |
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September 20th, 2007 - Terry drives to Atlanta!
Here's Terry with more... "Back to Road Atlanta for my very first time! Road Atlanta is a very fast, beautiful track with lots of close, concrete walls. I attended the Panoz driving school there in 1999 when I was just thinking about racing, and I always wanted to go back. Road Atlanta is FAST! Did I already say that? The back straight saw my Frankenstein go 7000 RPMs in 4th gear - over 150mph we think. And I was just in the middle of 40+ pack of BMW racecars! These eastern racers are the cream of the crop and really, really quick. We learned something new at Atlanta: the Frankenstein suspension is now pretty well balanced, but tends to lift both inside wheels in sharp corners. And that's not ok. First of all, 2 wheels is not enough for optimum traction, and secondly, how do you suppose roll-overs start? So, Road Atlanta was interesting, but I certainly never mastered the track. I had a couple of decent races, but mostly learned that we still have alot to learn." |
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August 27th, 2007 Frank N. Stein, our monster 2002 in its' inaugural BMW CCA racing season has quickly risen the ranks of the CModified class to be the supreme leader of the season-long points race. Points are given for race results and to a small degree for participation. While Terry and Frank are in first place currently, much of the season is still left with many events before December, so things could still change before then. Keep it tuned right here for all the updates! - Click Here to See this summer's current Points Standings - |
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August 20th, 2007 Look at the new cylinder head being installed on Frank:
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July 20th, 2007 We got a teaser photo from our friends at Memphis Motorworks who are preparing a new cylinder head for Frank N Stein, take a look, it's a thing of beauty!
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June 26th, 2007 BC operates the race car scale in order to fine tune the ride height for balanced weight on all four wheels. A race car dummy was com-'pile'-d to simulate the weight of the driver on the track.
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June 16-17,
2007
Racing in the rain on any tires, on any car,
is very tense. All the cars are at the edge of being out of control
and even if you drive perfectly your car may loose traction, aqua
plane, at any time and leave the track or spin. Or, heaven forbid,
hit another car. I didn't do any of those things and the rain
tires were a huge Sunday the rain was even harder, and I decided
to skip the race and go home to have a pleasant nap. Frankly,
I do not want anybody to hit this car. |
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May 25-27,
2007 Photos by Birds Eye Photography George Adkins, Phil Hartman, & Terry took the Frank N. Stein modified racer to Oklahoma for the weekend to a BMW CCA Club Race. Fridays Practice went smoothly between rain squalls and Saturday was a cool day made for racing. Terry qualified in first place - his first ever pole position - and then drove smoothly away from the field to win his first ever Club Race! Sunday was another story - Rain Rain Rain. Without rain tires, the car did NOT want to stay on the track! After a massive agricultural excursion through the mud and grass during practice, Terry had to slowly cruise the course through the race - and finished last! Humble Pie, but no harm done.
Here's our article sidebar soon to featured
in Roundel magazine: BMW CCA Club Racing in Oklahoma----YOU Shoulda Been There! Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in May is a beautiful, fun-to-drive track in the green hills of northeastern Oklahoma. It's a great place to race and it has some of the best track food anywhere! For some strange reason, just nine of us signed up for this event----must be just nine racers in the country who remember that historically, Memorial Day was made for racing. And Saturday we did some racing. Terry Sayther qualified on the pole and then drove to his first ever overall win, but the real racing was for second place between Bob Mainini and Brian Beckett. Bob came from far behind---he had an early off track excursion, during which his inside mirror exploded and his shift knob flew off. He didn't know it at the time but his trans mounts also broke and he missed shifts throughout the race as a result. Even with mechanical problems and a hard fight with Andy Price he fought back to take second. A great job and a good time was had by all. Sunday's story was rain, rain, rain. Brian Becket's car turned out to have the best hull and keel design as well as the best Captain, clearly and he splashed to a win. Andy finished second in spite of a massive first lap, first turn agricultural excursion. Bob Mainini finally got his first ever class win in JP and Lynn Cochran persevered to wind up his rookie period. Sayther, with neither rain tires nor swimming skill, finished last. |
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May 14th, 2007
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May 9th, 2007
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April 2007 -New Photos! |
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| April 2007 Shots on the Dyno at Colvin Automotive | ||
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We took the 6 cylinder 2002 to Colvin Automotive (Lance Armstrong had his GTO restored there) for Dyno tuning and here's the photos:
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Terry
ventured to Atlanta for the weekend with Frank N. Stein (our monster
2002), and our friend Richard Walker to face off the C-modified
class in BMW CCA club racing. 
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