What an awesome weekend at Phillip Island, back in an E30 Racecar after three years. I spend so much time looking after other people and their cars, or organising and running events, I don’t often get to have a drive myself. Apart from the odd lap to take people for rides, I haven’t had a proper drive for years. This weekend reminded me of why I do this. There was nothing at stake, no championship or anything, just have a race and enjoy it.

I was a bit apprehensive on Thursday, when Alex asked if I’d like to do the enduro with him, not having driven in anger for so long, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it would be good to do. I did one session on Friday in the wet to see if I remembered how to do it, surprisingly I quite enjoyed pushing it in the wet.

Saturday consisted of a seperate qualifying session for us both in beautiful sunny weather. Alex went first and gave us a good start with second quickest, behind an E36 M3. My turn came and being a bit rusty, l was fourth quickest. Our combined times put us third on the grid. Pretty happy with that and even happier when we heard the car that was second on the grid had an engine failure, so they wouldn’t be on the grid on Sunday. Well, not happier, we don’t wish engine failures on our competition, but gave us an easier job with only a much faster car in front of us and the other E30’s in our class all behind us.

The three races on Sunday were progressive grids, so where Alex finished in the first ten lap race gave me the front row for my race and then where I finished would give us our start position for the 25 lap enduro.

Alex came home behind the E36 in second, so I started on the front row.

Sitting on the front row brought back lots of memories of past races, the feeling you get waiting for the lights to come on and then go out, is something racers love, there is nothing like it, and it is addictive.

Both our 10 lap races were on a nice dry track, lots of fun, being able to push the car a bit, get used to it and have a bit of fun playing with the other E30’s. It was good to know I haven’t lost all my racing skills, sometimes it’s better to let someone past and sit behind them, put them under pressure, then take the lead back when it suits you. Race craft is something that is learnt over years and when you don’t practice it, like a lot of things, you start to lose it. It was nice to see I still have a few skills and kept them behind me to also come home in second, behind the much quicker M3, giving us another front row start for the 25 lap enduro, where I would start, do the first half and Alex would finish.

Our luck with Phillip Island's weather ran out about an hour before the start of our final race, so it was with a lot of trepidation I lined up for a wet start. The formation lap showed us there was lots of standing water and even a few rivers running across the track, so lots of care would have to be taken.

I got a great start and went side by side with the M3 through turn 1 then had to let him take the lead in turn 2 when I got a little to hasty with the accelerator and got a bit sideways.

In the wet conditions I could keep up with the faster car but with the rain and spray and windscreen fogging up I wasn’t going to get too close and settled in to follow him around. The rest of the field disappeared behind us and when I was getting ready to come in for our driver change, fortuitously, a safety car was called, as one of the other E30s beached itself in the sand on turn 2.

John in the E36 M3 also thought it was a good time to pit, so we both peeled off for our compulsory 2 minute stop. I followed him in as close as I could get to his bumper and after doing our driver change Alex managed to jump him in pit lane when he stalled as he took off.

So now we were in the lead. Wow. Didn’t last long as the quicker car was soon on Alex’s tail and drove past him with its extra power.

We still managed to come home a very happy second place, the only other car on the lead lap! Very happy indeed.

I must say a big thank you to lots of people. Chris, who always helps us look after the cars and drivers, especially this year when we have had so many clashes with events. Jo who is always in my corner backing me and encouraging me and always there to help, even when hobbling on crutches. Alex for asking me to drive with him. Sean, for letting us use his car, all our friends and members of the Bell Motorsport and DCM families that came and watched and cheered us on on a cold wet winters day at Phillip Island. Thank you all. I really appreciate it.

Also, thank you to the other competitors, the trackside officials that brave the elements to allow us to do what we love (I must admit, it’s nice being in the car instead of out there doing it for a change).

I really loved getting back in the driver's seat. Hopefully won’t be a few years till next time.

Graeme Bell |  Member #1
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne