My M3 Spinouts Video

[Merked M3]

I was filming the last two events of the 2012 autocross season and came across these 4 spinouts and cut them up on a video. I made this movie while waiting to get my licence renewed at the DMV. '08 BMW E90 M3 competing in A-Street Prepared class (ASP) with NorCal UFO. Don't forget to pop the car to neutral when you spin in an M3!!!!

Make sure to watch in HD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFazyfc_85k

[vzm3]

Looks like fun!

[tyrewt]

I know absolutely nothing about tracking a car. Why do you spin-out so easily... is it improper technique, or combination of speed and summer tires?

[uplusd]

sweet video

[Merked M3]

Originally Posted by tyrewt

I know absolutely nothing about tracking a car. Why do you spin-out so easily... is it improper technique, or combination of speed and summer tires?

Autocross is all technical corners and you are trying to get that extra bit of speed to beat everyone else. Personally I push myself and the car to its absolute limit and sometimes beyond. Luckily autocross is the safest place you can spin out so after you get your fast time for the day, its cool to try to push a little bit more and sometimes that results in something you can't control. So braking too late into the corner, too much throttle, throttle with understeer all can cause you to kick the back out or spin.

Its sort of like that quote, "If you're not failing, you aren't moving forward." Honestly I try to spin out once an event and laugh at my mistake and be faster/better next time.

And it is definately not grip, haha, I am running 305 width R-Comp tires!!!!

[Chipped B6]

Watching you drive, I have seen a lot of mistakes. Awesome video, but from a professional standpoint, it seems you lift off and don't power out. Secondly, you don't seem to know when the car is about to spin out til it already does.

A little steering input before oversteer and powering out, would do you wonders on the track/auto x course.

[eVitO]

Seems like you do a lot of shifting of your hands around the wheel. I, at least, was taught that you should do as little shifting as possible because muscle memory works wonders. Also, the less movements you make, the easier it is to remember where the center of the steering wheel is and exactly how much steering input you're giving.

[UBER ///M3]

great video love to see people pushing their cars that hard, if you dont then you will never know its limits

[Merked M3]

Originally Posted by Chipped B6

Watching you drive, I have seen a lot of mistakes. Awesome video, but from a professional standpoint, it seems you lift off and don't power out. Secondly, you don't seem to know when the car is about to spin out til it already does.

A little steering input before oversteer and powering out, would do you wonders on the track/auto x course.

Really good point about a little input before an oversteer situation! To be honest, only the first spin is during competition. The other 3 were during "fun runs" which don't count for competition. I have been drifting those runs as you may have seen, haha. So I was intentionally trying to go a little past the car's limits; I do still have stuff to learn about initiating a drift! But good observation!

Originally Posted by eVitO

Seems like you do a lot of shifting of your hands around the wheel. I, at least, was taught that you should do as little shifting as possible because muscle memory works wonders. Also, the less movements you make, the easier it is to remember where the center of the steering wheel is and exactly how much steering input you're giving.

Very true, I also received that feedback at the end of last season. I have been working with an instructor on a new hands technique with less "shuffling" of my hands and the steering wheel. The new technique is much more efficient and aligns better with fast transitions and drifting. We will see how I do when it comes to competition, whether I can keep the new technique or if I revert back to the old!