Dear members,
Now for my last message for 2022 and welcome in 2023.
What an amazing year we have had, busy, but great being back to a full year of events again after the hardships we all experienced through Covid, but first let me finish with December and some of the great events that happened this month before we launch into 2023.
4 December was the last round of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship for 2022 at Phillip Island with AROCA and the weather was amazing! We had a fantastic turn out of BMWs, with quite a few E30 Racing competitors joining us to practice for the following weekend’s final round of the E30 Racing Championship. It was great to see so many new faces and of course some old familiar ones on the day, enjoying the perfect conditions. Thank you to all the members who joined us there, it is a great family group, and it is also wonderful when most set up around the club’s trailer and help each other when they have a few technical issues or just join in the banter re-living their fun on the track.
6 December was our final twilight drive for the year, leaving from Mornington BMW and it was great to start the evening with some up close and personal viewings of the new 7 series and the new iX. The staff are always very obliging at Mornington BMW, so be sure to pop in if you need some advice or wanting to purchase a new car. Following Peter’s fantastic drive instructions, we headed along the beach road on what was just a beautiful evening with over 40 cars in procession. We tried something different this time and split the groups to make it easier to keep everyone together. This worked well and we will do this again with larger groups. We finished the drive at Sorento Back Beach, which I must admit, I have never been to before. Living on the Peninsula, I am guessing there are still lots of undiscovered spots for us to explore in time to watch the sun set. Thank you again to Peter Williams for all his fantastic drive instructions and to Jo who works very closely with Peter to book all the venues we go to on these drives.
10-11 December was E30 Racing’s last event for the year at Phillip Island. This event was a sprint and race meeting with some sprint sessions amongst the race sessions, allowing some of our new aspiring racing drivers to get out as well and have a spin around the track, whilst seeing a race meeting happen around them. It will be a great field next year with at least five more competitors that we know of, joining the field and possibly a few of the old competitors coming back on the track next year too. Congratulations to Alex Jory for winning the E30 Championship again this year, it is always great to see his orange BMW leading the field. He will have some tough competition with young Royce Lyne in his yellow E30 in 2023, as he was putting in some really quick times out there in his first appearance. Well done, Royce.
Unfortunately, I could not attend both days as we had our Club’s Christmas Show and Shine on 11 December at Cruden farm, where nearly 100 members and their amazing cars attended what will be an annual event at this venue. Cars started rolling in from 8.30am, with volunteers arriving earlier to help us set up. Thank you to all who volunteered either at the start or at the pack up, this makes life so much easier for us all.
With the show and shine cars all in their areas, the judging started while others enjoyed egg and bacon rolls donated by Bell Motorsport and cooked by Matt Kenny and crew, which helped us raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital. The staff from Cruden Farm were very busy making coffee while all members were able to enjoy some time catching up with old and new friends in the beautiful gardens. Thank you also to the ladies who sold the raffle tickets for some great prizes, I think most families went home with a prize! We are very lucky to have Celebrations Cellars Clarinda donate some amazing prizes so our members could go away with something on the day.
We were also very lucky to have Santa and his Elf turn up just before lunch to have photos taken while the Elf handed out lolly bags to all the old and young kids.
We also had Club sponsor, Sonax Australia, there with some last-minute Christmas bargains. I would also like to thank Peta and Stephan for donating a fantastic detailing pack as a raffle prize too. Stephan took some time out to also buff up our little Isetta on display, it really shone after his hard work.
With the breakfast and raffle sales we managed to raise close to $1,000, which is just brilliant. Thank you all who donated generously and those again who cooked and sold raffle tickets.
16 December was our last live hook up with Munich for the year. All who join these events always enjoy what is on show and the information we received from Munich. Thank you to the staff at BMW Classic for putting on these events and also thank you for allowing us to log in at a great time for us on the opposite side of the world.
On 17 December Jo and I put on a BBQ at the new Bell Motorsport storage facility which doubles as the new BMWDCM Club office. Unfortunately, Jo was taken away to hospital by ambulance around 12pm with severe back pain and she didn’t get to enjoy a day which was her making. She insisted I stay behind to welcome you all and ensure you all knew she was in good hands. We had club members and customers alike turn up to just chill and enjoy the day. This also will be an annual event, so please look out on our Facebook page for your invitation. Thank you to all who helped Jo while she was in dreadful pain, especially Jo Holliday and Tim Oh, this was very scary and also allowed me to not stress as much about how much pain she was in. Thank you to those who stayed till the end and helped pack everything away. You are all like family to us and we really appreciate everything you all do.
Just a quick update on Jo, she discharged herself that night so she could help me cook Christmas lunch for her family then we took her back in to hospital in more pain on Sunday night for her to be told total bed rest for at least a week, those who know Jo realise how bad it must be for her to actually listen to these instructions and do it. Lots of test were done so we will see the specialist in the new year. You will also see a slower Jo in the new year, doctors orders!
Looking to 2023 - January events will start pretty much straight away, as we are only having a couple of weeks off to recuperate after the busy year that was 2022.
As I type this, sitting in our caravan down the beach, I can see Jo still doing club stuff, organising the coming year, but at least we can sit back and relax whilst doing so, looking out at the beautiful view.
Our first event will be 15 January with the first round of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship kicking off at Phillip Island. I'm not sure if there are still spots left, but make sure you get your entries in asap if there are.
Thank you to Andrew and all the crew at Traction Tyres/Yokohama for again coming on board to sponsor our Drivers Championship in 2023. If you need any track or performance tyres, or indeed any tyres or advice at all, give Andrew or Shane a call. They are always happy to help, and continue to support our club and members in any way they can.
26 January is our Australia Day drive starting with at lunch from Hogans Hotel in Wallan and finishing at Panton Hills with dinner.
27 January is our first live hook up for 2023 with BMW Classic in Munich.
The AOMC Festival of Motoring at Cruden Farm on 29 January looks like this will be a huge event, so something to look out for.
We do have another event planned for January, which isn't yet up on the website, as we are just waiting for confirmation that the venue is ok. As we've previously mentioned, we will be running a Simulator Challenge for 2023 and Shannons Insurance have come on board as the sponsors for this event. We will run 6 nights over the year, hopefully starting at the end of January and then each second month at Shannons during our club members meetings. The winner of each event will get free entry to the next round. Thank you Shannons for sponsoring this championship. I think these nights will be lot of fun. Watch your email once dates are confirmed, as we will only have 20 spots and the last one sold out within a day. Members not competing are more than welcome to attend.
I did mention this special message in my Christmas email, please look out for each other over the festive season, it is very important to make sure we all stay in contact with our friends and loved ones. Some of our members are on their own over this period and it is nice to know other members have invited them into their home to enjoy the Christmas love.
This is one of the things I especially love about our club is that we are not just a club of car enthusiasts, but we all care for one another, as we are one big happy family. Thank you.
We have been invited to display our cars at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix again in 2023, with an even larger display next year than any club has ever had. With our cars and the E30 Racing cars side by side again, we will have the largest single make display at the event, by far! Expressions of interest have just closed for the display, but if you have something very special, we may be able to get you in still. Let us know if you do. It will be an amazing display of BMW’s history, ranging from the Isetta and 700 through to the latest cars available, with two special cars joining us from BMW Melbourne.
Some other special dates to mark in your diaries for next year:
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2-6 February –
Bathurst 12 Hour. There are still spots available and possibly Daniel Ricciardo will be there driving the Red Bull F1 car around the Mountain… I can’t wait to see that!
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Anzac Weekend Away – details TBC
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6 May - Our Fifth Birthday Celebration Formal Dinner! Yes formal, black tie for this one! Somewhere special in the city, to be announced very soon, once we tie up some loose ends, sponsored by our new Club Sponsors: Kalus Kenny Intelex, Lawyers. Welcome aboard KKI!
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King’s Birthday Week Away – South Australia – Tailem Bend. Dates and itinerary to be released soon but finishing up at Tailem Bend to support our members racing with the E30 Racing Series)
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10 December - Christmas Show and Shine at Cruden Farm
Keep watching your emails as Jo is working on some great events for 2023 and they will be released soon.
Jess has already started working on our fantastic magazine, idrive, for 2023 and we have some great articles for our fifth birthday edition. I know Jo has asked a few of you to write some special feature articles, if you can please get them back to Jess, asap with high resolution photos this would make her life so much easier, when they arrive late Jess has to re do a lot of her work. Not ideal.
If you have been at an event and have taken some great photos, please send them to photos@bmwdcm.com.au and we will put them up on our photo gallery.
Importantly, please check your Club Plate Scheme renewals and make sure you are driving a registered car. If you are caught without club membership or without a valid renewal, your car is both unregistered and uninsured. The fine is over $900 and I think 5 demerit points. It is your responsibility to have these documents up to date, don’t go calling us the day of expiration panicking that you need a signature. Remember we are all volunteers and sometimes we do have a life outside the club. There are so many ways to get your renewal done, there really is no excuse. Email your renewal to cpsrenewals@bmwdcm.com.au is probably the quickest and easiest way, or bring it to an event.
As mentioned in my previous emails, your hard-working committee are taking a break from club life until 9 January, we will be happy to assist you after then, or if it is urgent, send us an email and we will respond between swims or dozing on the banana lounge.
That is all from me for this year. I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas with your loved ones, and I personally wish you all a safe and Happy New Year. Thank you all for being a part of this amazing club and for your continued support and friendship, you will never know how much it means to us to have you with us.
Drive safe over the holiday break and we all look forward to seeing you at an event in 2023.
Graeme Bell | President
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
PO Box 81, Tyabb VIC 3913
Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council
Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club
