Event date: 18 August 2023
We began the day meeting at the Wellington Square Shopping Centre at Wallan. Ten cars joined us as we headed out to Romsey, enroute to Woodend and included cars from the E series up to the latest M2 (only 2 weeks old, believe it or not).
Right from the start, we were treated to some very interesting driving. We navigated a long uphill section called Pretty Sally Hill (which is a dormant volcano) and then proceeded to Romsey along picturesque roads so often experienced in the Macedon Ranges.
After Romsey, we proceeded to Woodend where we stopped to take a quick look around this very old town where the first settlement was established in the early 1840’s. This is where we first began to notice how very cold this part of the country can get and were pleased to have brought along some all-weather jackets.
From Romsey, we continued on some very interesting roads to Kyneton. Being an old gold-rush town, Kyneton has many interesting buildings dating back to the 1850’s which we explored, while trying to dodge showers of rain and freezing winds. We all parked where we could, in the main street (Piper Street), because of the abundance of boutique shops, museums, art galleries, cafes and restaurants which minimised walking and helped us all stay together where possible.
After our coffee break and exploration of Kyneton, we attempted to re-group on the outskirts of the town where we seemed to be missing a car. Unfortunately, a couple of members did not have UHF radios and therefore could not be contacted. We found them eventually and proceeded along the Bouke and Wills track towards Lancefield.
Lancefield dates back to the early 1830’s and has many buildings from that period such as the Lancefield Courthouse (1859), Coach and Horses Inn (1845), Commercial bank of Australia (1859), the Mechanics Institute (1867) and Anglican Church (1845). We all gathered in the Lancefield Hotel (1853) for a very enjoyable lunch (the size of one member’s lunch had to be seen to be believed!) and conversation catch-up with old and new friends. We were delighted to welcome back Graham Thomas after his brush with some very serious health issues. So good to see him again, looking well.
After being promised much rain by the Bureau of Meteorology, we were very relieved to only encounter a few showers during our day out, however the promised Arctic conditions were certainly delivered, not breaching 8.6 degrees the whole day. We thanked our very talented convoy leader Peter for the amazing job he did (and always does) in preparing our driving notes and for seeking out the very interesting and picturesque route for the day.
After lunch we proceeded to Kilmore for a brief look and a few photographs, then farewelled the members traveling home in all directions.
Ann Lane | Member #965BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Dear members,
Now, unbelievably, we are into the second half of the year and July started off with a Bang.
1 July was round 4 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship and as always, a great day out by all. Great weather considering we are in the middle of winter and at Phillip Island and all attendees had a ball.
4 July was round 4 of our Shannons Insurance Simulator challenge and again these nights are a lot of fun and some very close racing. The championship is only a few points from first to third so it is anyone’s game at the moment.
On 9 July we held our Christmas in July annual event. We started the day meeting at Caldermeade then took one of Peter Williams’ amazing drives through Gippsland, with a stop for morning tea at the New Haven Chocolate Factory, where some of our members took a tour of the chocolate making facility and others were served their drinks by a robot. A bit cute. A bit of necessary chocolate shopping done and then off to lunch at the beautiful Rhyll Foreshore Restaurant were we nearly booked out the whole place, which was brilliant. Thank you to all who dressed up this year. Each year gets better and better, it was great fun with amazing food and great company.
On 12 July we held our Geelong area Drop in Donuts night. Lots of cars, and lots coffee and donuts eaten, again, aways a great night.
On 23 July we held our first Motorkhana at Calder Park. What a brilliant day this was. Fabulous turn out of officials and attendees with a variety of cars. Weather started off sunny and dry, if a little cool, but it didn’t take long before the rain to set in and myself and many other officials spent several hours in the rain while our members had fun around the track. This is something we will do again; it was a bit of a tester to see what we can do there and how many layouts we can run at once, but very successful.
August is on us already and looking forward to the days getting longer and warmer.
Sadly, due to low numbers we had to cancel our August Come and Try day at Broadford. Thank you to all those who did register, your registration will be moved to the next one in October.
6 August is still happening with Round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. It will be great to see all our members out at this event. Broadford is a great track and always fun.
On 8 August we will be holding our members meeting at Ringwood BMW which is the newest BMW Dealership to open in Melbourne. Come and join us and check out the new dealership. We have invited the BMW Motorcycle Club of Victoria to join us at this event too, as Ringwood is also a Motorrad Dealer. this will be a great event and a great chance to catch up with our Motorcycle club friends again. Registration is here and is a must for catering.
On 11-13 August lots of our members will be at Sandown for the E30 Racing Round 4, come along and watch some grass roots racing at it’s best at the Vic State Circuit Racing Championships. Great news out today, Calder Park is back on the racing calendar, with the E30 Racing Round 7 there in October. Can’t wait to go racing at Calder again, might even get my E30 out again for that one!
18 August we will be doing a Friday lunch drive to some of Victoria’s Historic towns. This looks like a great day to have a day off, register here and join us for a weekday drive for a change.
27 August is German Auto Show. This is going to be a huge event. We need your help. We need officials, we need cars to display. This event is for our chosen charity Beyond Blue and we want to raise more that we did last year. If you own a German vehicle please come along and display it, if you don’t, then come along and check out this fantastic day with some amazing cars and bikes on display on the day. We will have great raffle prizes, silent auction prizes thanks to Kaos Custom bikes, German Auto Haus, Sirene Sea Pearls and many more. Check out the website: germanautoshow.com.au
Can’t make it on the day? You can still donate to the charity using this link. fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/german-auto-show-2023.
All donations are welcome, and all money raised will go to Beyond Blue.
Challenge Bathurst registrations have now closed, Jo has been busy collating all the entries and it looks like we are going to have a great group of BMWs at Challenge Bathurst this year from all over the country. We have members from DCM of course plus, South Australia, Canberra, NSW, Queensland and the other Victorian clubs. What a great event this will be and what a great job Jo has done to bring members from all the clubs together for this great event. We are still taking registrations for officials, so if you are wanting to help out and watch the fun of this event. Contact Jo on v.president@bmwdcm.com.au and she will get the information to you. All officials get free camping and meals for the whole weekend. Great treatment for all helping out and a great way to be involved.
Our AGM is booked for Thursday, 12 September at the German Tivoli Club, 6.30pm for those wanting dinner, be sure to book a table, and 7.30 sharp the AGM will start. We invite you all to join us for this event, without your votes we cannot form a committee.
Dates to remember:
We are looking at having a corporate suite at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2024. Dates are 15-19 February 2024. Event details will open soon so watch this space as this will sell out quickly. Make sure you book your own accommodation this year. Contact Jo to get a code for the Mantra Hotel in Bathurst, we have secured a limited number of rooms at the Mantra.
Our welfare team have, as always, been working in the background to assist some of our members who are needing some emotional help. Thank you guys you do a great job and remember, if you need help in any way your club is here to assist. Whether it be an ear to listen or a shoulder to lean on, get in touch.
Merchandise is selling well, and we still have a few of the summer stock which is heavily discounted. Check out our store here.
Membership remains over 750, welcome to all the new members joining our wonderful club. Like all clubs, people come and go for different reasons, but it is great to see we are still healthy and growing. The club is what you make it, so if you have any suggestions, drop us an email or give us a call, we are always open to new ideas and suggestions for events or things you’d like the club to be involved in. We try and do different things to suit everyone, but always open to something new, or indeed, if we have done something in the past you’d like to do again, let us know.
As always, take care out there, wet roads and bad drivers are everywhere, so take extra care and I look forward to seeing you out at an event somewhere soon.
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
Event date: 23 July 2023
What is motorkhana?? That’s where my mind went when I saw the invite.
Well, here’s my tale of BMWDCM’s motorkhana from July 2023.
Spoiler alert, it was fun, fun fun!
Now for the deets: Essentially, drivers are faced with short and tight obstacle courses, where time & cones are your enemy.
There are a few schools of thought about how to tackle tight courses. Some drivers take it calmly, focussing on accuracy and grip, others focus on flare, oversteer and risk (of getting it wrong). but since I’m yet to got to motorkhana track school I just flogged it & certainly dreamed of landing in the latter category.
Fun waa upsized with the day-long drizzle, making the tarmac super slippery. I doubled down on slippery by digging out my 22yo stock tyres, where the rubber is hard like plastic. My clutch control failed me frequently and my right foot targeted the tacho’s redline.
We were split into groups of between 4-7 through the day. I loved the support, laughs , claps and horn beeps between drivers. Some for major stuff-ups, needing to use reverse, wiping-out cones or nailing turns or whole circuit. The variety of experience made for plenty of mistakes as well as plenty of admiration.
We were so honoured to have so many people willing to official, in all the capacities needed. Standing in the drizzle, sorting out back-office entry forms, getting us lunch or creating courses - you ROCK!
So, keep an eye out for the next motorkhana and smile from ear to ear.
Martin Taylor | Member #598BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Motorkhana - Camaraderie
I would like to take a moment to share what was happening on the other side of the track for those who didn't experience it.
To set the scene we were running 2 courses top hat and pentagon with the same witches hats with one practice run and 2 timed runs and with such short courses if you got out of sequence there was no recovery and it was pouring rain and the bottom part of the track resembled a skid pan.
A competitor on their first timed run went around the first cone came back to the centre and got the starting cone dead centre and parked on it. I signaled to stop, went over and as I couldn't reach the cone asked the driver to back back so I could remove the cone, but it was stuck so grabbed it and they backed off. They were about 5 seconds into the run, so I asked them to go back to the start. They went back to the group and came back.
The second try went well with the course successfully completed and as the driver finished the other drivers honked as if there was a goal at the local footy. It was beautiful to see.
One of the other groups actually lined up across the track back from the start and tooted any good runs they had.
Adrian White | Member #606BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Third triumph for ROWE Racing at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)! In a thrilling race that remained close until the final hour, Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) drove the #98 BMW M4 GT3 to victory after completing 537 laps, securing the 25th overall win for BMW, the most successful manufacturer in the event's history. Eng claimed his third Spa triumph for BMW M Motorsport, following his victories in 2016 and 2018. Wittmann celebrated his first win in a 24-hour race ever, while Yelloly crowned a perfect week by adding his second endurance victory after the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) in 2020, which started with his first win in the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen (USA).
During the early stages of the 24-hour race, the BMW M4 GT3 teams had to work their way through the field after missing out on Super Pole due to heavy rain during qualifying. Initially, the BMW M Team WRT #32 BMW M4 GT3 and the #998 BMW M4 GT3 of ROWE Racing made the best progress, quickly battling for the top positions. Meanwhile, the eventual winning car suffered setbacks due to an unfortunate timed pit stop and a problem with the fuel system, causing it to fall far behind. It was only in the evening that car #98 launched an impressive comeback, taking the lead for the first time during the night. That position was briefly threatened by a 30-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, but in the end, Eng, Wittmann, and Yelloly reclaimed the top spot.
In sixth place, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 from BMW M Team WRT, driven by Augusto Farfus (BRA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Valentino Rossi (ITA), completed the race. They also showed strong speed but were repeatedly set back by time penalties. The #30 BMW M4 GT3 from the WRT team, with Niklas Krütten (GER), Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (FRA), and Calan Williams (AUS) at the wheel, secured second place in the Gold Cup category, making it onto the podium. The #31 BMW M4 GT3, piloted by Adam Carroll and Lewis Proctor (both GBR) finished 25th overall.
In the twelfth hour of the race, an unfortunate accident occurred between Neil Verhagen (USA) in the #998 BMW M4 GT3 from ROWE Racing and Charles Weerts (BEL) in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 from BMW M Team WRT. One car was directly behind the other, battling for the top positions when race control initiated an unclear Full Course Yellow procedure. That led to a chain of unfortunate circumstances, with both drivers receiving different information about the exact timing of the yellow period. Weerts reduced his speed, catching Verhagen off guard, and preventing him from avoiding a collision with the rear of the WRT car. Both vehicles suffered heavy damage, but fortunately, the drivers remained unharmed. The accident was followed by a roughly two-hour yellow period due to repairs to the barriers. The #35 BMW M4 GT3 from Walkenhorst Motorsport also retired early.
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “An incredible weekend with the first victory for our BMW M4 GT3 in one of the major 24-hour classics and the 25th overall win for BMW in the Ardennes! Many thanks to the drivers and the ROWE Racing team for their fantastic performance and to every employee of BMW M Motorsport who contributed to developing such a great GT3 car. The race started off challenging for us after missing out on Super Pole and having to start from the midfield. However, all our crews fought their way up the field during the first few hours of the race. It's a pity that the accident occurred during the night, resulting in the loss of two cars. It was a chain of unfortunate circumstances that we need to examine closely. Unfortunately, the home race for the BMW M Team WRT was disappointing, mainly due to this incident, although the #46 crew achieved a respectable sixth-place finish. I also congratulate the #30 BMW M4 GT3 team on their podium finish in the Gold Cup category! Additionally, there were reasons to celebrate in the GT4 European Series here at Spa-Francorchamps. Congratulations to the teams and drivers on their victory and podium finishes with the BMW M4 GT4.”
Hans-Peter Naundorf (Team Principal, ROWE Racing): “This was our toughest victory here at Spa so far. We know how challenging it is to triumph in this race, which makes it even more special. Our competition was incredibly strong, and the final result was incredibly close. I can't remember a more intense GT race. What impresses me the most is the consistency of our team. We have been on the podium in almost every race we've entered this year. Here at Spa, we have secured three victories and two second places since 2016. This can only be achieved with an incredibly motivated and ambitious team, and that's what we have. I am also pleased to see how valuable this victory is for everyone involved in this project. It was time for the BMW M4 GT3 to win such a significant race in its second year.”
Philipp Eng (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “Winning a 24-hour race is every racing driver's dream, and this is the most difficult GT race to win. Therefore, it means a lot to me to experience this for the third time in my career. It's a great honour for me. The race was anything but easy for us. At one point, we were one lap behind, and there was no indication that we could still win, but the team did a fantastic job to bring us back into the race. The last two hours felt like an eternity.”
Marco Wittmann (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “I've been trying to win a 24-hour race for about ten years now. Finally, it worked out! It's an incredible feeling. A big compliment to the team and my fellow drivers. We had an extremely good package of driver, team, and car that gave me my long-awaited first 24-hour victory.”
Nick Yelloly (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “A fantastic performance from the entire team. To win a race like this, so many things need to come together, and today, they did. Many thanks to everyone who made this success possible! Personally, this is the culmination of an outstanding week that started with the first GTP victory for the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, 6th place): “I'm happy. It was a positive race for me. It was my second time taking part in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. After finishing 17th last year, sixth place was a big step forward this time, but of course we want more and will make another attempt next year. Many thanks to the team and my fellow drivers for their great effort!”
Charles Weerts (#32 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, DNF): “The most important thing is that Neil and I are unharmed after that severe accident. The situation was very confusing, and I can't exactly say what happened. I received the information in the car that a Full Course Yellow was imminent. As a result, I reduced my speed. Neil was right behind me, and he obviously didn't have that information. It was very strange and needs to be investigated thoroughly because something like this is very dangerous and should not happen. I'm extremely disappointed because this is my home race, and I have been hoping to win here for several years. This time, we would have had a good chance.”
Neil Verhagen (#998 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, DNF): “Something went wrong in the communication of the Full Course Yellow before the accident. I didn't have any information that I had to slow down, obviously in contrast to Charles, but I can't say why that was. Everything happened incredibly quickly, and I'm just glad that we drivers are okay. It's extremely unfortunate for BMW M Motorsport to have lost two cars with a chance of winning due to this incident.”
BMW PRESS
Month in review.
The cold and rain has well and truly set in, but the good news is there's only two months left of winter..
We started June with our first 10 day trip to South Australia, where we spent time with our fellow BMWDCSA and BMWDCNSW members. We also watched many of our E30 Racing members compete at The Bend where young Royce Lyne made a clean sweep of the weekend.
____________________
On 6 June some of our members enjoyed our regular catch up at Daniels Donuts. We really do enjoy these informal catch-ups, even when the weather isn't so kind.
On 20 June we were invited to visit Sonax Australia, who shared their extensive knowledge on how best to use their products to keep our vehicles in the best shape possible. Don't forget that Sonax are one of our club partners, offering members 10% off online with code BMWDC10.
We wrapped up our events for the month at Broadford for our first come and try day for 2023. This even was extra special, being our first Alex Baxter Memorial event.
We had over 60 entrants in the day, which was brilliant to see. Richard Van Essen was the lucky, but well deserving, recipient of our first Alex Baxter Memorial award.
CHALLENGE BATHURST UPDATE
If you are intending to register and attend Bathurst Challenge, please ensure you register and complete all documents as soon as possible. All documents need to be finalised by mid-July.
If you are not able to drive but would like to officiate, please complete this application form, and return to events@bmwdcm.com.au as soon as possible. All officials will receive free campgrounds and all meals while at the track.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Welcome to our new members Phil Gleadhill, Jason Langton, Angus Dunn, Harry Vontelas, Nicholas Stillwell, Sidney Stillwell, Rob Marks, Stuart Gamble, Peter Mornement and Anthony Branchflower. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.
The month ahead.
Here's what we've got planned for July:
Tuesday, 4 July Simulator Challenge Round 4 - Sponsored by Shannons Spots are limited each round, so it is important to get your entries in early. There will be several simulators and we will be using the same track for the competition points, changing each round. Members who do not wish to compete are also welcome to come along and join in on the fun. Sunday, 9 July Christmas in July at Phillip Island We will meet at Caldermeade BP McDonalds, then travel along some beautiful scenic roads before arriving in Newhaven, Phillip Island, to explore the wonders of the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory before coming together for a festive lunch. Wednesday, 12 July July Drop in Donuts - Geelong Join us for our regular casual evening at Daniels Donuts, Belmont. Sunday, 23 July Driver Training/Motorkhana & 2023 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Calder Round 5 of the 2023 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship is at Calder Park and will be a Motorkhana / Driver Training day on the Thunderdome. Refreshments and lunch will be provided for all entrants.
An event for later in the year to put in your calendar now is German Auto Show. Those that attended last year will remember the huge success of the event, which we aim to repeat again in 2023. The 2023 German Auto Show will be held on 27 August at Calder Park. Click here for full details and registration.
Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar to stay up to date with more of our events. If you're attending a social drive or weekend away, we recommend checking out our event tips to help you get the best out of the event.
EVENT PHOTOS
If you attend any of our events and take high resolution photos that you would like to share with other members and for use on our website and in our newsletter and magazine, please send a link to your photos to photos@bmwdcm.com.au so we can add them to our photo gallery.
2025 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals.
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne is proud to be hosting the 2025 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals over Anzac weekend. Events will include a welcome meet and greet event, super sprints at Calder Park, a show and shine, a presentation dinner and scenic drives.
If you are interested in attending or getting involved as a helper, click here for more details.
News & Blog.
Our blog page on the website is constantly being updated with not just club news, but everything BMW from all around the world! We welcome you to submit any articles of your own.
Club blog.
Alex Baxter Memorial Come and Try Day
Our South Australian adventure
BMW around the globe.
More room for high performance: BMW M GmbH confirms development of a new BMW M5 Touring
Wine Fundraiser.
Last year BMWDCM set up a fundraising project with "Personalise Your Wine" to be able to offer our members a keepsake for winning 2021 International Club of the Year.
All funds raised through purchase of the bottles will be donated to the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
If you haven't already placed an order but would like to, you can do so here.
Get behind your club and a great charity.
Classifieds.
Have you seen our classifieds page?
Want to sell something? Looking for a specific item? Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!
idrive magazine.
Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.
Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.
Club partners.
Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. We believe in supporting those who support us. If you would like your business listed email us with your details.
As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296 Vice President | Jo Mawson 0412 661 900 Secretary | Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 Treasurer | Shaaron Glynn
Cover photo: Jess Bell
Proudly supported by:
All Commercial / All Residential Real Estate Berwick BMW Bill Lowe Events BM Tech German Auto Haus Kalus Kenny Intelex Melbourne BMW Mornington BMW Shannons Insurance Shepparton BMW South Yarra BMW
Southern BM Traction Tyres Waverley BMW
Welcome to the latest edition of my summation of the Club’s activities over the last month. As you can see we have been very busy again this month and not much sign of that slowing down anytime soon.
From 2- 11 June we started June with our big 10 day South Australian Adventure for some, with others joining us at the end of the week for 5 days.
This is the first time BMWDCM have travelled west to South Australia, and we will definitely do it again. With a small but friendly group, including a couple from the BMWDCNSW, we travelled through some amazing countryside and caught up with members from BMWDCSA. It was so nice for both clubs o come together. We joined 30 odd members of BMWDCSA for dinner on our first night in Adelaide and then a few of their members joined our adventures over the week that followed. At the end of the week some of us met up with the E30 Racing club to race at The Bend. Jo and I decided we will be doing some club sprint events here and we will definitely be doing another trip to SA in the near future. Lots to see, such a beautiful state.
6 June saw some of our members catch up at the Daniels Donut night which has turned out to be a great night and the numbers are growing each time we do this. Thank you to Lawrence for putting this on over the other side of the bay for our west-side members. Its great to do something on both sides to accommodate members from all parts of Melbourne and beyond.
On 20 June we had our members meeting at Sonax Australia. Although it was a freezing night, we had a great turn out and everyone walked away with great knowledge of how to use their products and also arms full of products to use on their vehicles. Thank you to Stephan and Peta for putting on a great night. Remember if you are wanting to order stock on-line use our clubs discount code. BMWDC10.
24 June was our first Come and Try day at Broadford for 2023, which well exceeded our expectation of entrants - we have over 60 registrants. Broadford is a great track to teach new and inexperienced drivers (and also new officials) some new skills. This was also the Alex Baxter memorial round and with Alex’s partner and family in attendance, it was a very emotional day. Richard Van Essen was the lucky recipient of the Alex Baxter Memorial Award.
July is going to be another busy month. Jo has been keeping very busy arranging events!
1 July is Round 4 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Phillip Island. There will be a lot of BMWs out on the track, and we are hoping the weather stays nice for the day.
4 July is Round 4 of the Shannons Simulator Challenge. We have a very close first, second and third in the championship at the moment, it could be anyone’s championship! Be sure to come along and watch if you don’t want to ‘drive”, join us for pizza and a warm drink and catch up with the others that just come to socialise. There are still spots left for this round, so get your name down and come have some fun.
9 July is Christmas in July at Phillip Island, with a great drive planned by Peter Williams, a stop off at the chocolate factory and then lunch at the Foreshore in Ryhll. Registration closes on 4 July, so make sure you don’t miss out on this fun event. Christmas novelty clothing competitions will be held, and all small children will go away with a Christmas something. This event is strictly by bookings only, so if you have not registered by 4 July you can join us for the drive but unfortunately not for lunch. GET YOUR REGISTRATIONS IN NOW! We want to see your ugly Christmas jumpers!
12 July will be another drop in donuts night in Geelong, so watch out for that in your emails. These meet ups are becoming popular. We may have to start something over this side of the Bay, so we can all enjoy some donuts and casual meet ups of an evening.
23 July we will be doing our first Driver Training/Motorkhana at Calder Park. Entries are open now for our first visit to Calder Park. This is going to be a lot of fun and we look forward to seeing you all there. It will be a bit of a test run to see what we can do at Calder, so come along and join us for some fun. Get your entries in quick as there are limited numbers for this one. There will be tea/coffee/cold drinks available, and we will also be doing a sausage sizzle type lunch which is included in your registration fee.
Other dates to remember:
We are after officials to help with Challenge Bathurst. If you think this is something you might link to help with, please contact Jo via events@bmwdcm.com.au and she will send you the registration forms.
We have a new winter windcheater which we are trailing to see how members like it. It will be pre orders only so have a look on our online store to see the new garments and specials. We also have in our store, for a limited time only, a book called ‘Telling my Story’, which is very inspirational. Get your copy now.
We have had an update from BMW Clubs Australia and have been advised that the recently elected Chair has decided to stand down with immediate effect after only three months in the role. So, Craig Florence (BMW Drivers Club South Australia Delegate), who was elected to vice-chair cars at the last Clubs Australia AGM, will take over as Chair until the next Clubs Australia AGM in 2024. At this stage we are unsure what will happen regarding the vacant position on the Clubs Australia Executive. Congratulations and thank you for stepping into the role Craig, we look forward to working with you going forward.
For those that don’t know, as an Official BMW Club, we are a part of a world-wide network of some 800+ car and bike clubs that is overseen by BMW in Munich through BMW Clubs International. Our regional Umbrella organisation is BMW Clubs Australia, which is made up of delegates from each on the car and bike clubs in Australia. Being a member of an Official BMW Club has its benefits, like personal tours of BMW Classic in Munch. For more on BMW Clubs Australia see here.
Our welfare team have been working away in the background, helping where they can and being an ear or a shoulder when needed. Remember, if you need anything at all, there is always someone to listen or call on if you need anything. We are one big family and are there for any of our members that need assistance. Check our website for contact numbers or email welfare@bmwdcm.com.au.
With winter now a month down and the winter solstice just past, we can start looking forward to longer days and dreaming of warmer weather, but whilst we are in the grip of winter, remember to drive to the conditions wherever you are and take care out there.
I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.
Event date: 2-12 June 2023
Packed the day before to prepare for an early start to Mt Gambier. Collected Adrian. Whoa!
Adrian had knee replacement surgery 3 and a half weeks ago and is meant to be on sticks for six weeks. "Don't worry", he says, tossing the sticks into the boot (where they would remain). Okee-dokee, off we headed at the respectable time of 10.30am. "The doctor says he can go, but has to stop every hours for exercises".
"Hmmm". The rest of the BMWDCM crew had left hours ago, and we were on a mission to catch them. With the assistance of some motivational music (eg. Bat out of Hell) and one only coffee break, we got to Mt Gambier 5 minutes behind the main crew. Need i say, "Don't mention this to Adrian's surgeon".
At Mt Gambier we checked out some seriously large sinkholes, like i mean huge. Jo found the possums particularly friendly, if you have pieces of apple in your hand.
Off we scooted, on the magnificent South Australian (SA) roads, more on this later, with a pleasant 110km speed limit even on two-way carriage ways with only a painted line to seperate them. (Hear that Mr Vic Premier).
Approx an hour into SA, the roads became decideadly rippled and bouncy, with occassional 100km/hr sections, for no other reason than they perhaps had run out of 110km/h signs. Just as abruptly they would return to 110km/h signs.
We noticed that BP themed service stations were branded OTR. Apparently this acronym stood for On The Run, so we still supported them.
Arriving in Glenelg (that's SA, about 20 minute south of Adelaide, along the Anzac Highway, and adjacent to beaches in the St Vincent Gulf). Pretty posh. We would eat dinner in fine style at fresh Seafood restaurants, Italian, Thai, and the less convincing Ottoman Grill, who slighty torched our food as though we were Greek spartans. More on spartans later.
Our first dinner in Glenelg was with the amazing, entertaining, and welcoming group of BMW enthusiasts from SA. BMWDCSA (i suspect you can work that one out). Several members joined us on a midweek drive. Michael (Mike) and Susan also joined us on a trip to Victor Harbor (no British nonsense about the 'our' in harbor, this is how the SAians spell it). Mike also lead our group to Murray River where it meets the ocean. We then returned to the other Michael's house in Woolwa, and were entertained by Michael and partner Jillian, with an elaborate bbq and great conversation, overlooking Snake River and Murray River, with Pelicans and a myriad of other birds trilling and crooning by the moonlit evening. The serenity and tranquillity, making it ‘The Castle’ of our destinations.
Over quintuples of dinners we discussed many topics, though i was particularly impressed with John C's description of Spartans. Greek warriors trained to protect their King and peoples at all costs, including their own death. These warriors were tough. More on this later. ps. John and Allison had travelled all the way from Sydney to join us. This was a National link up, and we were all enriched from the interstate linkups.
After a few early starts (9.30 am), Jo bought me a sympathetic insulated coffee mug, filled it with fresh coffee from the breakfast which i always slept through, and which Adrian delivered to my room, 10 minutes prior to my expected 'be in the drivers seat' time. Bliss.
This was amazing team work, and got me to the meeting site (had to walk to lift, press button from level 1 to ground level, and walk 15m to carpark), to get there just on time.
As usual, Peter had mapped out great destinations, and indirect routes along twisty back roads. Cruise control on Anzac Highway, and then we came alive. Briskly diving into corners, swiftly changing direction, and inadvertantly banging Adrian's knee against the passenger door. I didn't notice, so i kept doing it. At the end or the day, Adrian had a distinct limp. "Oh", i would say, "still recovering from surgery?"
Same thing next day. The day after that he travelled with Jo and Graeme. "Hmmm", i summised. Maybe he had been in pain, but did not want to complain, as a happy companion on the trip. That's when it occured to me. Spartans don't simply belong to the pre-Roman era, they still exist now. Adrian considered my enjoyment of the trip to be just as important as his. He toughened up, and to my embarassment, i have to thank him. Anyhow, back to me.
We, actually Adrian and me, used our free day to visit Mt Barker, and planned to head to Port Adelaide, and maybe Adelaide itself. We got as far as Mt Stirling Hotel (like 20 minutes away), and never got any further. Adelaide Hills can be like that. Pretty one minute, absorbing the next, and then you simply want to stay and relax. We had a great meal in front of a fire, enjoyed some live music (Nic Hutton), and i began an affair with Hahndorf Hill - Gru Gruner Veltliner (vibrant layers of citrus/ ruby grapefruit, spice, crushed thyme, juicy acidity and a delicious core of yellow stone fruit, with a hint of black pepper).
After a few days of pretty countryside and spectacular views, Peter replicated this experience further south, where we got to cross the Murray River a few times, without crossing a border (as most Victorians do when entering NSW). We even did one crossing with our hands off the steering wheel. Don't worry, it was on a ferry.
Ahhh. Tailem Bend for a bit of racing. Royce (16yo on E30 pole) slipped on take off, chasing the lead for several laps, prodding, dancing, until the lead made the tiniest of errors, and Royce sprinted away. He got to within 0.3 seconds of lap record in an exciting race.
Next day, we returned. Royce had already whittled his lap time down by another tenth of a second. He trailed to the first corner, and then sprang into the lead. Faster, faster, slight slide on the corner opposite the main viewing tower. Perfect turn into the straight. Another tenth of a second faster. He gapped the following cars, getting further ahead, stopped apexing the tightest corner, and knocked more time off his laps, and broke the E30 lap record. Slowing down for a couple of laps with over-heated tyres, Royce blitzed the final lap, taking an amazing 0.5 seconds of the lap record. Watch this guy, big things ahead.
Proud as punch, a few of us headed off to the Kelleske winery (Barossa) to celebrate.
Funfilled journey, with lots of different experiences. Big thankyou to BMWDCM for organising such an amazing trip, thanks Jo, Graeme, Peter, and of course the behind the scenes endeavours of Lawrence and Shaaron. A big thankyou to BMWDCSA who also hosted and shared our SA experience with us. Hope to return your generosity soon.
John Shreeve | Member #579 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: 24 June 2023
“Do you guys do driver training days?” – a question I asked Jo Mawson during the afternoon tea break on the BMWDCM Australia Day social drive event. Driver Training was something I had been thinking about for quite some time, yet many of the courses I found online seemed prohibitively expensive. “Yes”, came the reply, “Our first driver training day for 2023 is in June”, along with a patient and helpful explanation of the things I would need for the event.
As I had never been on a track before, I also reviewed the “Preparing your car and yourself for a motorsport event” page on the BMWDCM site, and over the coming months researched and purchased a fire extinguisher, metal tyre valve caps, a helmet, track suit and gloves.
Some other ways I prepared for the event included joining the BMWDCM Simulator challenge (highly recommended as a great deal of fun as well as an opportunity to learn safely in a virtual environment while enjoying some friendly competition!). I also searched YouTube for topics such as “track etiquette”, “what to expect on a track day”, “track day driving tips” as well as watching videos of people doing laps at the Broadford track where the event would be held.
In early May, I received the event announcement email, which described the event as being about improving your driving skills on track in a relaxed atmosphere without the seriousness of competition. Although I had no prior track experience, I was (and still am) keen to learn and saw this is a great opportunity to do just that. I registered for the event and returned the required forms.
The night before the event I packed my bag with items I would take to the track and set my alarm for the crack of dawn so I could drive to the track and arrive in time for check in. On being woken by the alarm the next morning, I got up, had breakfast, changed into the track suit, and drove to the track.
The morning was cold and overcast with heavy cloud cover and seemed threatening to rain, although the Melbourne weather forecast (according to the weather app on my phone) predicted only 1mm of rain for the day. Still, I decided to take my coat and an umbrella anyway, just in case. I was glad I did, as over the course of the day there were several heavy showers at the track, and it was quite cold and windy too, even though the clouds gave way to sunshine late morning.
On arriving at the track, I found an empty garage slot and headed to the office to check in and purchase my competition number stickers. I also took the opportunity to walk around the pit/garage area and admire the other cars which had already arrived, including a Honda Civic Type R, Mazda MX5, a couple of Porsche 911s, many BMWs (including both road and racing M3s and an exquisitely presented John Player Special), and even a Maserati. I also chatted to a few of the other drivers in the pits; it was great to meet new people and share the enjoyment of cars and motorsport.
Soon both drivers and officials were summoned to the comprehensive and informative drivers’ briefing which covered a variety of topics including track etiquette, an explanation of the meaning of the various flags, and a demonstration of correct seating position when driving on track.
Following the drivers’ briefing, those who had never driven on this circuit were instructed to do a sighting lap behind the safety car to familiarize themselves with the track layout, learn where the flag marshalling points were, etc. Unfortunately, as I had stayed behind to ask a question following the driving seating position demonstration, when I arrived at the dummy grid near the track entrance for my sighting lap, the safety car was not there. I cautiously drove around the track, noting the flag points along the way.
As I’d been allocated to the last run group, I spent some time watching the other run group sessions and chatting to some of the other drivers around the paddock. When it came time for my first session on track, I was excited but a little nervous at the same time! It was really helpful to have an experienced instructor with me in the car to provide guidance and tips through the laps – it definitely boosted my confidence.
When the session was over, it was late morning. As the sun had started to come out and I wasn’t sure when my next session would be, I decided it would be an opportune time to grab some lunch, so headed over to the canteen. As I was almost finished my lunch, I heard an announcement over the PA that all drivers were to attend an award ceremony near the scrutineering shed. I hurriedly finished my grilled chicken roll and headed back down to the scrutineering area.
During the award ceremony, Jo Mawson explained that this “Come and Try” day was dedicated to honouring the memory of a recently passed club member, Alex Baxter. “Dedicating the Come and Try event to Alex and holding it at the location of his first ever track day is a great way of allowing his legacy to live on,” she said. “And the Alex Baxter Award goes to.. Richard Van Essen”, before presenting me with the Award certificate. I was truly surprised and felt deeply honoured to receive this award.
After the award ceremony, most of the other drivers headed to the canteen for lunch as well. After the lunch break, there were a few more track sessions in the afternoon, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I’d like to thank Jo Mawson and the team of other BMWDCM officials and instructors who helped organize and run this event and make it a fun, safe, and thoroughly enjoyable day for all.
Richard Van Essen | Member #946 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
The prototypes are carefully disguised, but they cannot conceal their character as high-performance cars. The future generation of the BMW M5 has entered the practical phase of its series development process. The new high-performance sedan from BMW M GmbH is now completing its test drives on public roads, BMW Group proving grounds and racetracks around the world.
Moreover, fans of the BMW M brand can look forward to a further result of the product offensive that will continue into the year 2024. BMW M GmbH has now officially confirmed that with the new edition of the BMW M5, it will be adding a Touring variant to its model range. The perfect symbiosis of M-typical performance, uncompromising long-distance comfort and impressive spaciousness will experience a renaissance in 2024 with the new BMW M5 Touring.
Just like the future BMW M5 Sedan, the Touring variant will also feature a completely newly developed partially electrified drive system. Its M-typical performance characteristics as well as the precisely tuned chassis technology refined with innovative systems facilitate driving dynamics and agility at a level unique in this vehicle class. Thus, BMW M GmbH is steadily progressing on its path to electrification. "We are now also installing a hybrid drive system with typical M performance in other high-performance cars," says Dirk Häcker, Head of Development at BMW M GmbH.
For almost 40 years now, the BMW M5 has been the benchmark for driving dynamics, agility and precision in the high-performance sedan segment. Evolutionary progress, development know-how from racing and pioneering innovations in the areas of drive, suspension, aerodynamics and lightweight construction have shaped the history of the BMW M5. Engines with six, eight and ten cylinders, M TwinPower Turbo technology and high-revving characteristics, the compound brake system with M Carbon ceramic brakes and M xDrive four-wheel drive are just some of the technological milestones with which this model has repeatedly redefined top performance in a sedan that is unconditionally suitable for everyday use. The seventh generation of the BMW M5 takes up on this – with fascinating innovations for an even more intense performance experience.
The first BMW M5 Touring was launched back in 1992 based on the second-generation BMW M5 Sedan and has since stood for a combination of high performance and everyday practicality on four wheels. In 2007, BMW M GmbH also added a Touring variant to the fourth-generation BMW M5. And currently, the successful launch of the first BMW M3 Competition Touring with M xDrive* also underscores the high appeal of this special vehicle concept in the premium midrange segment of high-performance cars.
Testing of the first prototypes of the new BMW M5 Touring is to commence in the next few days in urban traffic as well as on country roads and motorways around Munich and at the BMW M GmbH headquarters in Garching. The integrated application of all drive and suspension systems will then also be carried out for the new BMW M5 Touring on the Nürburgring's Nordschleife, among other places, with the aim of ensuring the ideal balance of sporting performance on the racetrack and superior ride comfort in everyday driving and over long distances.
© 2024 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc. All Rights Reserved.
