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Bill Griffin Article

If you recall, we followed Bill Griffin down to Mid Ohio a few weeks back to support him and his E46 for a weekend of racing at NASA Great Lakes ‘Blind Madness’ event. Bill drives and instructs at several races across the country sporting a Turner livery on his race car, but is equally involved with the Boy Scouts of America, with whom he spends a good deal of time. From his interest and success in amateur racing, he has a fantastic opportunity to introduce Scouts to a new and exciting hobby in the form of BMWs. This past weekend, Bill invited a group of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts with their families to experience NASA racing for the first time and to meet with some of the drivers, instructors, and officials.

While Bill did not begin racing until a few years ago, he loves the chance to share his passion with anyone who expresses interest. Thanks to his involvement with Scouts, he is able to introduce racing and BMWs to the next generation of drivers. That care is what it means to be a true enthusiast, as he wants nothing more than to see these events grow and to volunteer his time to help them get there.
Once again, Bill made the drive down to Mid Ohio last weekend for another ST5 race and to show the group of six Scouts what a weekend at the track is like. The Scouts arrived at the gates on Saturday and were greeted with all their wristbands, passes, and race schedules. They were corralled into a classroom, despite all the noise and excitement that easily distracts future car enthusiasts, and were given a basic run-down of what the day would entail.

NASA officials and instructors explained what they did for the track and explained what the signals and markers meant. After their crash course in the racing protocol, the boys were given a tour of the control center and had up-front demonstrations of how the timing and official recording worked. From there, they were lined up to parade the Colors and present the National Anthem before the racing began.

Shortly after, they were all given the chance to jump into their own personal vehicles and take a few parade laps for what was the first time on a race track for the majority of Scouts and parents alike. Just driving, even at slow speeds, on a race track is an otherworldly experience. For these kids, who did not grow up in car enthusiast households, this would be a memory that they will hopefully look back on with fondness as they remember what indoctrinated them into the world of cars.
Afterward, Bill distributed some Turner Motorsport goodies that the Scouts could take with them as tokens from the weekend and hosted an ‘autograph session’ where many of the drivers signed cards, posters, and other racing memorabilia for the group. While no one there is a famous racing driver, to a group of young Scouts, anyone in a fire suit next to a race car is a hero in driving shoes.

Before long, it was time for Bill to jump in his car to hit the track.
Bill had qualified for P2 in the first race, which took place Saturday. The E46 performed beautifully for its first spot of competition. Just after turn 1, Bill passed the Miata holding P1 and maintained that pole position for the remainder of the session and qualified for the next race in P1.

After the race, the boys left shortly before the party that happens at Mid-Ohio on Saturday night. Hopefully, as the Scouts and parents left and looked back on their day, they felt inspired by Bill’s victory and their first exposure to NASA events. The similarity between their organization and sanctioned racing, particularly the camaraderie and dedicated passion, should help inspire interest in more than a few who attended. It could not have been a better opportunity to be the first experience with the purest avenue of automotive enthusiasm. Bill’s win on Saturday night was a perfect end to the day, as it is often so rare to be at an event where your driver takes first place.
The next morning, Bill jumped back in his E46 to once again settle into a first-place finish. This victory put him in the pole starting position for the third and final race, but a decision to switch from his Hoosier tires to TOYO tires would ultimately cost that triple crown for the weekend. The ST5 Miata that qualified behind Bill chased him doggedly for the whole race. A missed brake point and the less grippy TOYO tires combined to be just enough to slide Bill wide in a corner for the opportunity that allowed the Miata to pass. Bill managed to catch the little Mazda in the following straights but steadily lost ground in the corners due to the tire change and little roadster’s nimble agility. The race concluded with a second place finish to round out the weekend.

Regardless, three podium finishes, two of which being victories, are an excellent way to receive validation for all the hard work and dedication it takes to compete regularly at NASA events. Bill’s commitment to racing, and to Scouts, certainly paid off this weekend with the prospect of new additions to the BMW family as well as trophies to help grow Bill’s collection of motorsport experiences. We can’t wait to see how much Bill improves as he continues racing, and are excitedly watching as he influences the lives of Boy Scouts and their parents with the greatest outlet for passion on the planet.

 




E30 Suspension Refresh - Craig Daugherty

Keeping old BMWs on the road is something of a passion for me. After I drove my first E30, I was hooked on the boxy style, direct feeling, and responsive nature of that chassis like so many have been before me. The biggest rewards, however, have not necessarily been behind the wheel of my current E30, but underneath it. Owning these cars certainly involves a lot of time and patience to dedicate for the necessary tinkering they require, so enjoying the process makes it all exponentially more gratifying. Recently, it was time for me to refresh my suspension, so I tackled the job with enthusiasm and excitement and conveniently grabbed what I needed from Turner Motorsport.

Previously, in Nashville, my ’88 E30 cabriolet was my daily driver. I put several hard miles on my old suspension, and it was time to complete a full service. With that refresh, I decided to add in a little something extra from Turner Motorsport to make the E30 even more fun. My old suspension setup was a Z3 rack,
Koni adjustable dampers, H&R Race springs, Lemforder ball joints, control arms, E90 drop hats, front strut mounts, and shock tower mounts It sits low, rides smooth, and handles fantastically, but there is always room for improvement. Especially when most of those suspension components are ready to be replaced.
Even at that lowered ride height, the Koni struts and shocks have been incredibly kind to my back on long drives. The E30 has taken me to and from Nashville since my relocation up North with little discomfort, so I chose to stick with Koni. It was an easy choice made easier thanks to their quality since their lifetime warranty allowed me to send my old cores back for brand new ones. This left some extra funds for me to choose the Turner Monoball FCABs over Polyurethane or factory bushings. These monoballs are designed to reduce bump-steer and improve turn-in response, which they do tremendously well. I also opted for upgraded rear shock tower mounts, as my convertible is softer in the rear than I would care for.

The FCABs installed much easier than rubber bushings, as well, which made the task of fitting the new control arms go smoothly and easily. For the rest of the suspension, all OEM components were used to retain the supple feel I now enjoy in a car that only sees a casual weekend cruise. In my service, I included new sway bar end links, sway bushings, new Z3 inner and outer tie rods, and rounded it all off with a fresh alignment.

Unfortunately, I did not decide to throw in my adjustable rear trailing arm bushings, as the differential and subframe will be coming out soon for some reinforcement and service. However, the rest of the suspension is now back to its former comfortable yet capable condition, and I am a much happier driver as a result. The act of maintaining something like an old E30, and improving upon its original greatness, is a cathartic experience for me. Knowing that I have all the tools, parts, and knowledge I need from one place to do it at home is a wonderful safety net and prevents any unnecessary hair loss from any unneeded stress.
With my suspension all squared away, save some rear end work, I can focus on some upcoming engine projects I have planned this winter. The cycle of repairs and upgrades is a never ending one, but ultimately it is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life. For some, regular maintenance of their vehicles is a chore or just another expense they didn’t want to make. For us, as enthusiasts, we are awarded an opportunity to strengthen the bonds with our BMWs and continue to enjoy the results of our labor on the street, or the track, with the knowledge that we performed the services ourselves with love.

What have you been working on lately? If you have a project car or BMW story, share it with us!

 




Final Letter

We at Turner Motorsport want to bring you more inspiring articles and to share some of experiences as this newsletter grows. What have you been working on lately with your BMW? If you have an interesting tale, found an oddball little BMW, or are building something crazy, we would love to hear from you! This weekly publication will, going forward, encourage you to tell your story to the rest of the BMW community.

If you are just looking for ideas, we think we can help! Our last series, the Turner Motorsport Keys to Performance, offered detailed explanations of systems like suspension, differentials, wheels, equipment, and even some cursory information to help you get into racing like Bill Griffin. If you have reached a plateau with your BMW and are looking for the next steps, we would like to invite you to peruse some of those how-to guides and find some inspiration to tackle your next project. When you do, please reach out to us with your story to be potentially featured in our newest addition to the Turner Motorsport online community, Turner Motorsport Weekly.

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