Hey guys. There was a GREAT turnout at Starbucks tonight. I went on a long cruise around the beltway to 288 back to Westheimer which was a lot of fun, although some people almost got pulled over by a cop that no one saw. Anyway, if any of you were there, I didn't see you.

Anyway, let me get to the point. I don't know if any of you know Lance (he has a silver/black E46 BMW M3 6-spd), but I happened to come upon him on my way home driving on I-10 East. I waved to him and he downshifted and wanted to run. I figured "what the hey", given that I almost NEVER run anyone in the F355, and we had lots of flat open road with no traffic on it ahead of us.

Well, we hit it the first time from about 7x mph or so (didn't look exactly....I was watching rpms, and i don't remember what mph 6700 rpm in third is), and I walk him through third, hit fourth, pull a little more, and let off. It was probably about two lengths (roughly). It was nothing terrible, but I was definitely pulling away, no doubt (especially right before we let off). I think I let off about 115-120mph or so (I didn't want to get into ridiculous speeds on I-10, although I think he would have).

He immediately wants to run again, so I said ok. I was trying to give him the move (because I think I might have barely jumped on the first run, which might have given me a little bit of an advantage), and he took it and jumped really hard this time. I get in it, and he's walking me a little bit through 3rd. Then I hit fourth, and ran up to 130mph and he was still walking me very slowly (I never caught him, and I wasn't gaining......he was very slowly creeping out on me). I was like "hmm.....what gives? Why the big difference in the two runs?"

We stopped and talked for a few, and he said the M3 is bone stock. Now I know the F355 is every bit of 112-113mph (if not a little more) in the 1/4 mile (which basically should tell you it's got pretty good top end). Stock M3's are typically 106-108mph in the quarter.........and he pulled me on the top end. :confused: Surely this car has SOMETHING done to it......based on what I've seen, there's just almost no way a stock M3 can run that good. If it is in fact stock (which I'm not COMPLETELY ruling out.......it was in the realm of reason I guess), then damn...I'm *very* impressed. He must have gotten a really good one. Maybe the fact that I had a passenger in my car had something to do with it and he didn't. Hmm.....

Again, I really don't care enough to get all **** about it or anything....I'm not pissed that I lost or anything, 'cause I just enjoy any sort of race between two fast cars just for the sheer fun of it, but my curosity is just killing me to know what he has. The races were WAY too different....something's not right. Does anyone know if he's got a bottle (maybe a 100 shot or something)? Just curious. He was cool about everything though. Nice guy. Anyway, take it easy! :seeya :D



[Modified by Ryan Bell, 11:09 AM 2/18/2002]

 

The F355 is decently fast. I'd believe there is more than meets the eye because of his eagerness to run a second time. But who knows. I have taken new M3s in my corvette. I was really unimpressed with them.

edit
I tried to find the specs on the 99 F355 Berlinetta, but could only find the 97 F355 F1 and 94 Berlinetta. I suppose according to their site that you should have started in second since max power is listed at 8250 RPMS. 5700 is almost 3 grand below peak power. Would you start a highway race in your Corvette at 2500 RPMs or around there? He may have started in way better gearing on the second run and got a huge almost insurmountable lead on you. Of course, this is all conjecture from the little info that Ferrari.com has to offer.


[Modified by C5Owner, 9:40 AM 2/17/2002]

 

Ryan,

I met a guy down there one time with a Silver E46 M3 and he supposedly did in fact have a 100 shot. I think you were sprayed on.

 

I'm starting to think that was the case myself. I just don't see a typically 108mph car running THAT fast past a 112mph car on the top end. I've run my Vette against the F355 on the top end, and the F355 slowly (very slowly) pulls on it starting around 100mph. He was walking me from 7x-130mph slowly. I just don't see any way that's possible without spray. One thing I thought was interesting was that he said "some people think I have spray, but it's stock all the way down to the airbox". I looked under the hood, but I couldn't see anything resmebling N20.........of course I think it would be very easy to hide though. I mean the funny thing is that I really don't care......it's not like I wouldn't have had respect for his car if he'd have just told me what he has. I'm just curious about it because of how vastly different the races were. Silver on the M3 looks absolutely awesome by the way. He said he'd won some money against some modded F-Bodies earlier. :D



[Modified by Ryan Bell, 9:44 AM 2/17/2002]

 

Actually, you pointed out a typo I made. I started from 6700rpm, not 5700. I didn't even see that. I'll correct it in the other post. I just don't remember what mph that is, but it was up there. The F355 is geared so short and SO closely (i.e. different from the Vette) that I just never pay attention. I'm always watching the tach instead of the mph. I just know that it was from my third gear from somewhere around 6500-6700 rpm or so (on the first run). I can't remember where I started on the second run, but it was similar (but maybe a little lower rpm.....but not enough to make THAT big of a difference).


[Modified by Ryan Bell, 9:47 AM 2/17/2002]

 

Hey Ryan,

I really don't think he sprayed you. I know Lance has mentioned wanting to put a kit on the M3 but I know it would have more than a 1 Mph pull on the F355...which, I dont' think it did. It sounds like a dead heat to me if it came down to who got the jump etc.. And you having a passenger is in his favor...every 100 Lbs. is a tenth and 1 Mph in the 1/4.

FYI, I ran him in my 'Vette about 6 months ago and I only had a small advantage over him....maybe a 2-3 MPH pull from the top of first up. Also, he doesn't have a problem beating the hell out of that car to get it to run with others.

Sounds like a good race and a great night.

Hold on, I just re-read your post and it's seems like the difference in the two runs was substantially different...thus he's got a bottle or he was sandbagging....and I don't think he was sandbagging :D Like I said, I know he's been entertaining the idea of getting a kit. I'll know for sure next time I meet up with him because he'll be wanting to run if he does.

Thanks


[Modified by C5Cemo, 3:58 PM 2/17/2002]

 

Too bad it was my fat butt that was in the car :D That means Ryan was losing close to 2.5 tenths :eek: doh...I need to go to the gym. That M3 was quick though, very quick. I believe he was spraying...Ive never seen an M3 run like that.

 

I would say it's in the realm of possibility. He wasn't just killing me or anything, but it was really quick. Again, the only reason I even question it at all is b/c of 1) the difference between the two runs, and 2) the fact that the F355 has as good of top end as it does, and that he never stopped walking away on the second run (although it was very slowly). The F355 is 112mph car the 1/4, and the quickest M3 I've ever seen stock ran 108mph. That's too big of a difference stock to stock (even if I had a passenger with me) for him to be able to win a race on the top end, much less walk away. You know, now that I think about it, maybe it was the fact that he got the jump on me on the 2nd run. I didn't even start until he was in it all the way, but I just figured I'd suck him up in about 20mph or so. Oh well.....it's all about fun, and the final count for the night anyway was 1 to 1. :) Regardless of whether or not he had anything, the car runs really well! I love M3's to begin with, so I just enjoyed the run for sake of running. Thanks for the input. :D

 

no one knows definitively whether or not he's spraying??

hahaha.....curiosity is eating at me again.

Anyway, thanks for the responses guys.

 

guess not :confused: that guy is obviously not a memeber of this board, he must be too scared :D :jester