E36-chassis M3 on Koseis. Yum.
(And that’s before we even get to the LTW wing.)
Photograph courtesy JD Lamping
Architect and designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was well known for his fondness of the concept of “less is more.”
And, while more suspension, more tire and more horsepower is almost always more better, it doesn’t always equate to a faster car–or faster lap times.
Just ask driver JD Lamping, whose E36-chassis BMW M3 remains fairly stock, aside from Bilstein coil-overs and sway bars, Pagid brake pads, Nankang CR-S tires, upgraded ECU, larger throttle body and the all-important stripped-out interior.
Total output? Lamping lists just 250 horsepower. Yet that doesn’t mean the M3 is slow, however.
“I'm able to run sub 2:30's at COTA and sub 2:08s at ECR, times a lot of people have a hard time believing my humble M3 can achieve,” Lamping says. “I think people should see that they don't need a supercar or massive aero and turbo chargers to get their car fast.”
Lamping, who also does driver coaching and instruction, notes that the car serves as an excellent example of how effective driving a car that’s been setup correctly.
A great instructional tool, yes, but the car also represents a full circle moment for Lamping: “As a kid my dad took me to school in his purple E36 M3,” Lamping explains, “I grew up surrounded by racing and my dad’s BMWs, so naturally my dream car was an E36 M3. Now I'm 20 and I have my own E36 M3 I take to the track and run alongside my dad's M3.”
How to make that back story even better? Securing the title of Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car by winning our Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge presented by Grassroots Motorsports.
Join us on October 22 at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Texas as we simply set out to find the fastest track machine on four wheels.
Rules? We kept them simple, too: Can both the car and driver pass a safety inspection? If your answer is yes to both those questions, then enter your car today.
We’ll also have several prizes and awards to give out, and the Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge will be joining us as well.
The Tire Rack Ultimate Track Car Challenge is presented by Grassroots Motorsports in association with Wilwood, Vitour Tire, CRC Industries, Vbox Motorsport and Red Line Oil, with trophies from BimmerWorld, Nine Lives Racing and Falken Tire.
E36-chassis M3 on Koseis. Yum.
(And that’s before we even get to the LTW wing.)
Yes! We need more "analog" BMWs in UTCC.
In reply to Fair :
Totally yes.
We can probably assume JD Lamping is a very good driver too.
It's so much like my car it's scary.... I agree its a great setup. TC Kline coilovers, IRP shifter, poly bushings, bolt-in cage, seats, harnesses, full front half of interior, Koseis and RS4s. No power added.
In reply to DaleCarter :
Sounds like a perfect track car.
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