Excuse Me Mate, Is This A Part Of Your Car?

[Karma Supra]

...when they roll into the Nordschleife car park. A grinning Geordie was triumphantly brandishing what looked like an iron bracket in a squared of plastic duct... The iron looked foreign, but the ducting all too familiar... obviously there WAS damage....

Backtrack 5 minutes, its Friday, I have just driven up from Henley, checked into the hotel at Bonn and decided we had enough time to visit the track that afternoon, I had just come off lap two, a nice paced lap, the tyres had been heat cycled, I was getting to grip with things again, I’d overtaken an Audi R8 and a 997 GT3 RS and was buzzing... Having just been heavily bearing down on an Audi TT on the last corner and lifted off at the second gantry I was coasting in after a successful lap...

-That was until a saw a small blur shoot from the wheels of the TT in front. Instinct told me not to try and avoid it, a sharp correction on a trailing throttle at 100+ would probably end up as bad news... I doubt there would have been time anyway as what seemed like a nanosecond later there appeared to be a gunshot sound form my front bumper... the car didn’t rock or feel unbalanced, I coasted in gently, making sure I saw where Mr. TT had parked, as at this point I assumed it was a part of his car. I turned off in to the car park I felt my front offside wheel snag on something at full lock. Bugger. It’s manic and I’m blocking the track exit, so I did a loop of the car park next to the office, slight rubbing on lock, I had to back up for a chap in a skyline (a Brit obviously, jap car + nurburgring means 99% chance of UK plates) at this point not knowing if I actually had a front bumper, I asked him if there was obvious damage, he said none that he could see.

Things are looking up I thought.... then came the call. “OI... Oiiii *whistle* Excuse me mate, is this a part of your car?”

It turns out that a large lump of metal bracket, we suspect of one of the lorries/breakdown trucks has been kicked up my Mr Audi, it had passed a glancing blow to my front bumper which funnelled it into my offside brake duct and fog light, where it pierced the top and bashed into my air con receiver dryer before pushing through the lower arch liner. Everyone tells me that I have been very lucky, lucky it didn’t go through the rad, the windscreen, or after recent motorsport events my head... I must admit “lucky” has never been one of my strong points (it was only Sunday a falling stick knackered the cover for the aircon fan) I likened it to being “lucky” like someone getting raped by a bent s*x crazed needle sharing smack head and being told that they are “lucky” to not get AIDS... but such is life...

All in all a cracking trip, the car performed impeccably... the brakes held up admirably to my fairly novice-esque driving (heavier on the brakes then needed) the Kumhos were very good on track, although the rears got a little greasy after a few “hot” laps, I managed one picture pre- damage, which is a bit of a shame as there were some nice aggressive corner attacking snaps later one clearly showing the bits that are missing.. Parts already ordered from BMW, £68 not including the fog, and paintwork (stone chips needed attention anyway). Lots of CSLs about, I think the CSL register were there in force, nice to see these cars being used in anger!

This is what hit me...

[Hou]

Oh my word, its true you are very very lucky there dude, glad you are ok!

[Steigers]

Sorry to hear about this Charlie, glad you are OK and the damage is not too bad. The odds on stuff like this happening must be astronomical...

[corolla_dude]

my dad and brother are there right now. Must be drifting away in the 200sx and the e30.

but atleast your okay dude.

[Karma Supra]

Yup a few of our guys are still out there!

At least it didn't stop me giving it some afterwards ;)

[corolla_dude]

Yup a few of our guys are still out there!

At least it didn't stop me giving it some afterwards ;)

ohh the good old carolcell (sp)

2 years ago my brother buckled the edge and shagged the underbody full re-build had to be done.

that m3 looks tasty, any mods done to it?

[Karma Supra]

Its pretty much stock ;)

Looking at a CSL bootlid as it puts a little downforce on the rear axle as even on 275s my rear tyres were overheating a little and graining with all the sliding that the back end was doing.

Unfortuntely these things cost lots to improve :( -and I need it fix it first lol.

[corolla_dude]

lool, alot of people i know have done the csl bootlid for looks and most probs for the down force.

Yeah Bmw parts do cost alot to replace.

[Steigers]

The cars looking good charlie...

Note to self..... get to Nur.... get to Nur

[balli hi]

Yup a few of our guys are still out there!

At least it didn't stop me giving it some afterwards ;)

Beautifull looking motor you got there , glad to read you were ok .

[Karma Supra]

Cheers Folks!

[jaxx]

Holy crap!

Glad you (or the car) come off any worse!

Looks lovelly aswell! Could almost sway me for my new weekender :D