1999 BMW E36 M3 2580 lbs with fuel and driver. Stock S52, no aero, narrow body and 245/40/17 Hoosier A7 (1st event). This was going to be the last event ever with my beloved S52 and I desperately wanted that 1:52 lap I had been chasing all year! Despite the lightly damp track, I had fresh tires and low ambient temps so conditions were as close to ideal as I could hope for. Went out first session where I usually perform best and gave it everything I had. It was difficult to tell if I was struggling to get temp in the tires or it was just the misted track surface but the car was out of control and very unpredictable for the first 3 laps. Finally feeling the car hook up, it was time for one push lap. Despite an overly eager line through Cotton Corners and an excessively conservative line through Sweeper, that was some of the best driving I’ve done and I don’t think I can produce much more at the moment. My last opportunity to achieve the lofty S52 goal I had been chasing for so long and succeeded by the smallest of margins, a bitter sweet moment… It will never be good enough… I will always know I could have done better despite how well I do. Perfection will continue to stay one step ahead of me and I will pursue it relentlessly.
19 дек 2022
