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RENAN OZTURK // DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY // REEL 2013 from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Camel Marathon Bike Honda Zaire 1988

Laverty and Guintoli conclude two days of testing at Jerez

After dominating the first round of the season at Phillip Island, with Sylvain Guintoli andEugene Laverty each sharing a victory and a second place podium, the Aprilia Factory team decided to head to Jerez de la Frontera for a two-day test, taking advantage of the long break before the Motorland Aragon round that is scheduled for April 14th.

According to a press release by the team, the Aprilia RSV4 has not been radically modified since last season, but it has undergone a targeted evolution to make fine tuning easier and to make it less susceptible to variations in weather conditions, affecting only the chassis set-up and the electronics.

Eugene Laverty put in 140 laps with a best time in 1′41.47, while Sylvain Guintoli did 121 laps over the two days with a best lap in 1′42.79.

In last January’s World Superbike test at the Spanish circuit Marco Melandri topped the timesheets in 1’40.758, while Tom Sykes reportedly (the Kawasaki riders weren’t using transponders) did a 1’40.5 on a qualifying tire and 1’41.6 on race tires.

“We certainly got off on the right foot at Phillip Island,” confirmed Gigi Dall’Igna, Aprilia Racing Technical and Sport Director. “With results that provide us with confirmation of the good job we did over the winter break. However, in the racing world if you snooze you lose, especially if you base everything on a single, albeit excellent, result. We are fully aware that not every weekend will be like the one in Australia, so we will keep working on the RSV4 and testing new solutions that will allow us to gain precious tenths of a second. These tests are also important for the riders. A long break between the first and second round could lead to a drop in tension. I must say that Eugene and Sylvain are two great professionals. They are very skilled at enhancing and developing the work done by our engineers and mechanics. This is an excellent calling card for the rest of the season”.

Aprilia test rider Alex Hofmann was present and filmed the above footage of him chasing Eugene Laverty around Jerez, and BMW Goldbet’s Superbike and Superstock teams with Chaz Davies, Sylvain Barrier andGreg Gildenhuys were also at the Spanish cricuit. Obviously Marco Melandri wasn’t testing as he is still recovering from last month’s shoulder surgery.

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

SÉBASTIEN LOEB RACING DECLINES INVITATION TO 2013 LE MANS AND ELMS. / SÉBASTIEN LOEB RACING FORFAIT, RACE PERFORMANCE ADMIS

Looking to continue its endurance program in LM P2, Sébastien Loeb Racing requested an entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the European Le Mans Series at the beginning of the year. Although selected by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the Alsacian team has made the decision to decline the invitation due to a sponsor's withdrawal at an advanced stage of discussions.

Honored by their place on the list of selected teams for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours, Sébastien Loeb Racing was looking forward to taking part in the legendary event with an ORECA 03 LM P2 in the hands of Franck Montagny and Nicolas Marroc. Nevertheless, the team was forced to withdraw its entry, including the ELMS.

« It was a difficult decision to make, but we've always said that we wanted to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the best possible conditions » explains Dominique Heintz, team manager. « It was planned that a sponsor join our group of partners but they have unfortunately pulled out. The first step was to make the entry request, the second was to be selected. The last step was to finalise the project, which was made impossible by this withdrawal. We sincerely regret the situation : the team was very motivated by this challenge and stays motivated for the future. We would like to thank the ACO for their vote of confidence. Le Mans remains an important objective for us and we are starting the work today to be there in 2014 in accordance with our ambitions. We wish the team that will replace us the best of luck, and much success to Franck Montagny. Nicolas Marroc will continue with us in GT Tour. »

Source : Sébastien Loeb Racing

Laurent Mercier avait  évoqué ces jours derniers la possibilité du forfait du Sébastien Loeb Racing aux 24 Heures du Mans 2013 ici. Cette éventualité s'est concrétisée aujourd'hui avec l'officialisation du retrait de la candidature de l'Oreca Nissan du team alsacien qui se retire également de l'European Le Mans Series.

Voici la  teneur du communiqué du Sébastien Loeb Racing :

"Désireux de poursuivre son programme Endurance dans la catégorie LM P2, le team Sébastien Loeb Racing a déposé en début d'année une demande d'engagement aux 24 Heures du Mans et en European Le Mans Series. Sélectionnée par l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest, l'équipe alsacienne a toutefois pris la décision de décliner cette invitation suite au désistement d'un sponsor qui devait rejoindre l'écurie, les discussions étant alors très avancées.

Honoré par sa présence sur la liste des sélections aux 24 Heures du Mans 2013, le team Sébastien Loeb Racing se faisait une joie de disputer la mythique épreuve mancelle avec une ORECA 03 LM P2 confiée notamment à Franck Montagny et Nicolas Marroc. L'écurie a toutefois été contrainte de retirer son engagement, y compris en ELMS.

« C'est une décision qui a été difficile à prendre, mais nous avons toujours dit que nous voulions participer aux 24 Heures du Mans dans les meilleures conditions » explique Dominique Heintz, le team manager. « Ces conditions, pour jouer les avant-postes, n'étaient plus totalement réunies. Un sponsor devait rejoindre notre pool de partenaires et il s'est malheureusement retiré. Le dépôt de la demande d'engagement était une première étape, la sélection de l'ACO une seconde. Il nous fallait finaliser le projet, ce qui n'a pas été possible suite à ce désistement. Nous le regrettons sincèrement ; l'équipe était très motivée par ce défi et le reste d'ailleurs pour le futur. Nous tenons à remercier l'ACO pour sa confiance. Le Mans reste un objectif important pour nous et nous commençons à travailler dès aujourd'hui pour être présent en 2014 conformément à nos ambitions. Nous souhaitons bonne chance au team suppléant qui nous remplacera, et la meilleure réussite possible à Franck Montagny. Nicolas Marroc évoluera avec nous en GT Tour. »

En conséquence, une Oreca chasse l'autre puisque c'est l'Oreca Judd n°34 de l'équipe  suisse Race Performance qui prend la place en LMP2 de l'Oreca Nissan du Sébastien Loeb Racing.

by Claude Foubert(Endurance-Info)

KIWI COULTHARD CLAIMS WIN NO.2

Friday 15 March 2013 15:27 

By: AAP

A driver best known for a spectacular 2010 crash at Bathurst appears ready to make an impact on the 2013 V8 Supercars championship after back-to-back victories at Albert Park on Friday.

Before the V8 Supercars event at the Australian Grand Prix, Fabian Coulthard had never claimed a pole position, race win or top-10 season finish in the category.

His biggest claim to fame was unbelievably emerging unscathed from a scary 290km/h crash at Mount Panorama three years ago, rolling his vehicle six times.

But Coulthard looks set to do some damage on the V8 championship series after consecutive wins on Friday.

Starting on pole for the second straight race, Coulthard finished more than two seconds ahead of series leader Craig Lowndes with the Kiwi's Brad Jones Racing teammate Jason Bright third.

However, Lowndes faces an anxious wait as officials investigate a pit-lane incident between the Holden driver and Bright.

No championship points are up for grabs in Melbourne but Coulthard is earning something just as important ahead of the next official round at Tasmania's Symmons Plains in early April - a psychological edge.

Coulthard's Commodore comes from the same makers of premier Holden team Triple Eight Red Bull, home of four-time driver's champion Jamie Whincup and 2013 series leader Lowndes.

And Coulthard made it clear Triple Eight won't be having it all their own way in 2013 by triumphing in an intriguing duel with Lowndes in race two.

Coulthard surprisingly emerged second behind Lowndes after a compulsory pit stop on lap four.

But Lowndes could only hold on for five more laps as Coulthard once again turned heads with his superior pace.

On a frustrating day for Red Bull, Whincup finished third last after copping a drive-through penalty for a pitlane infringement.

Coulthard earlier on Friday notched his maiden career V8 win in the opening 12km race with Bright second and Ford's WIll Davison third.

Coulthard's dream day was in stark contrast to what V8 punters were used to seeing from the New Zealander.

Coulthard's previous sole podium was a third placing at Tasmania's Symmons Plains track four years ago.

Last year's 11th placing on the championship was his best in five- full-time V8 seasons.

The exhibition round is completed by 12-lap races on Saturday and Sunday.

HOLDEN'S COULTHARD CLAIMS RACE 1 AT ALBERT PARK

Friday 15 March 2013 12:53
By: AAP

 

Nine years after first dabbling in touring cars Coulthard toasted his maiden win, with Holden teammate Jason Bright sealing a dream one-two finish for Brad Jones Racing.

Ford's Will Davison was third.

It may have been a support category for the Australian Grand Prix but Coulthard's duel with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen demanded centre stage with the Albert Park faithful in the 12-lap blitz.

Luck had looked to be finally turning around for the 30-year-old driver after he grabbed his first career pole for Friday's opening frantic run around the Albert Park street circuit.

Coulthard had been a top-five performer in the recent opening round in Adelaide, only for mechanical problems and an oil spill to dash his hopes in the two 250km races.

But Coulthard was again ruing his fortunes after he slipped from first to fourth, behind last race winner in Adelaide van Gisbergen, when everyone completed their compulsory pit stop following a lap two safety car.

However, Coulthard made his own luck as he showed pure speed to pick away his rivals and remain firmly in van Gisbergen's rearview mirror.

And on the second last lap the stars aligned for Coulthard.

Van Gisbergen began battling mechanical problems and Coulthard swooped as his stricken compatriot drifted back into the field.

In the end van Gisbergen was one of three drivers who failed to finish.

In contrast, Coulthard was toasting his success after finishing almost two seconds ahead of teammate Bright who also had to overcome the odds on the way to the podium.

Bright qualified second on the grid but was relegated to fourth due to a practice penalty.

However, the former Bathurst 1000 winner also showed exceptional speed in a reminder to traditional powerhouse the Triple Eight Red Bull team that they won't have it all their own way in 2013.

Four-time series winner Jamie Whincup was fourth with Red Bull teammate and series leader Craig Lowndes fifth.

In another concern for Red Bull boss Roland Dane, his prized pair raised eyebrows when they came into contact late in the race.

Whincup survived to finish the race but Lowndes slipped from third to fifth due to tyre degradation.

There was plenty of action from the opening lap when Nissan's Michael Caruso and Holden driver Tony D'Alberto came into contact.

But the safety car only emerged on lap two when Holden's Alexandre Premat inexplicably shunted Lee Holdsworth's Mercedes.

Friday's second race starts at 1420 AEDT.

SEBRING, QUALIF PROTOS : AUDI, LEVEL 5 ET CORE !

L'Audi « 2012 » devant la « 2013 »....

Dire que la première ligne de la 61ème édition des 12 Heures de Sebring sera 100% Audi n'est pas vraiment une surprise. Le plus rapide de la séance qualificative a été Marcel Fässler sur la R18 e-tron quattro #1 avec un chrono de 1.43.886. Sur la #2, Allan McNish est resté bloqué 9 millièmes derrière le double vainqueur des 24 Heures du Mans. Nick Heifeld a qualifié la Lola-Toyota/Rebellion Racing #12 sur la deuxième ligne. L'Allemand s'est retrouvé relégué à près de trois secondes des deux Diesels. La lutte entre Rebellion Racing et Muscle Milk Pickett Racing sera à coup sûr l'intérêt de ces 12 Heures de Sebring. Klaus Graf (HPD ARX-03c/Muscle Milk Pickett Racing) s'est hissé entre les deux Lola-Toyota du Rebellion Racing. Sur la #13, Andrea Belicchi s'est chargé de la qualification. L'Italien fait parler la poudre depuis le début de semaine dans le baquet de la #13. Le Dyson Racing est en retrait, à deux secondes de la Lola-Toyota de pointe du team suisse. Six tours bouclés un 15ème temps pour la DeltaWing de Pla/Meyrick.

Level 5 Motorsports revient en force...

Si Audi monopolise la première ligne de la cétgorie LMP1, Level 5 Motorsports en fait de même en LMP2, avec un Ryan Briscoe en poleman devant son compère Ryan Hunter-Reay. S'il y encore quelques mois, le team de Scott Tucker ne savait pas trop quelle suite donner à son programme, cette prestation en qualification donne raison aux troupes de Scott Tucker d'avoir confirmé ce comeback. La Zytek Z11SN/Greaves Motorsport est venue semer le trouble dans le peloton des HPD avec un troisième temps pour Tom Kimber-Smith, devant les deux HPD ARX-03b/ESM de David Brabham et Johannes van Overbeek.

Colin Braun et CORE autosport sur le fil en LMPC...

On pensait bien que la pole de la catégorie LMPC allait tomber dans l'escarcelle de Pierre Kaffer au volant de la ORECA-FLM09 du DragonSpeed Mishumotors, mais l'Allemand s'est fait détrôner par Bruno Junqueira (RSR Racing) puis Colin Braun. Le pilote CORE autosport a mis tout le monde d'accord dans les derniers instants. C'est donc l'équipe championne en titre qui partira devant demain avec à ses côtés la #9 du RSR Racing. Pierre Kaffer doit se contenter du troisième chrono, devant l'étonnant David Ostella. L'ancien pilote Indy Lights étonne depuis le début de semaine en étant systématiquement dans le temps des meilleurs. PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports aura à ses côtés la #8 du BAR1 Motorsports.

by Laurent Mercier(Endurance-info)

SEBRING, QUALIF GT : RISI ET DEMPSEY DEL PIERO EN POLE !

Huit dans la même seconde et Risi Competizione en pole...

Retour gagnant pour le team de Giuseppe Risi en ALMS avec une pole pour la Ferrari F458 Italia #62. Gimmi Bruni s'est chargé de qualifier l'auto en haut de la feuille des temps. Avec huit GT dans la même seconde, on ne peut pas dire que l'Italien a laissé couler. Gimmi a une nouvelle fois fait étalage de son talent. Il faudra surveiller de près la Ferrari #62 en course avec son trio Bruni/Beretta/Malucelli. Très en verve depuis le début de semaine, Oliver Gavin a dû se contenter du deuxième chrono à 129 millièmes. Il aura donc manqué un rien pour le pilote de la Corvette C6.R #4. Les Aston Martin Vantage GTE ont elles aussi fait parler la poudre avec une deuxième ligne 100% Aston Martin Racing. Stefan Mücke a pris le troisième chrono devant Pedro Lamy. La seconde Corvette complète le Top 5 avec Antonio Garcia. Belle prestation des SRT Viper GTS-R/SRT Motorsports avec Jonathan Bomarito 6ème et Dominik Farnbacher 10ème. Marco Holzer a été le plus rapide des pilotes Porsche. Le pensionnaire du Paul Miller Racing n'a pu faire mieux que le 7ème chrono sur une auto qui n'a pas évolué depuis l'année passée. Dans le clan BMW, Maxime Martin a prouvé qu'il ne fallait pas oublier la débutante BMW Z4 GTE, le rapide belge décrochant le 8ème chrono à moins d'une seconde de la pole.

Dempsey Del Piero Racing à la fête...

Le Dempsey Del Piero Racing n'a pas raté ses débuts en compétition puisque Andy Lally s'est offert la pole (2.05.446) de la catégorie GTC au volant de la Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #27. C'est en toute fin de séance que Lally a détrôné Jeroen Bleekemolen (Alex Job Racing) pour 301 millièmes. Sean Edwards s'élancera de la deuxième ligne sur la Porsche/MOMO NGT Motorsports, avec à ses côtés la #45 du Flying Lizard Motorsports. Septième temps pour le rookie Alexandre Imperatori (Lizards). Il faudra surveiller de près le pilote suisse en course car le champion Porsche Carrera Cup Asia en titre n'a pas mis longtemps à trouver ses marques en ALMS. Kévin Estre a pour sa part bouclé la qualification au 9ème rang, mais dans la même seconde que le poleman. C'est dire si la catégorie GTC est relevée et indécise.

by Laurent Mercier(Endurance-Info)

La Honda 750 CBC de Coluche vendue aux enchères

La moto de Coluche estimée entre 1000 et 2000€

Ventes aux enchères à Fontainebleau le 17 mars

Motard aguerri, Coluche fut aussi un passionné de belles mécaniques. Il eut en sa possession de nombreux véhicules, aussi bien à quatre qu'à deux-roues. C'est d'ailleurs au guidon de l'une de ses motos qu'il perdit la vie en 1986. En parlant de Honda, les amateurs de l'humoriste ne rateront pas l'occasion d'acquérir la Honda 750 CBC du comique le plus polémique de France lors d'une vente aux enchères organisées le 17 mars prochain à Fontainebleau. Avec seulement 30.000km au compteur, le deux-roues n'est estimé qu'entre 1000 et 2000 euros, une folie plutôt abordable pour les fans.

Aux côtés de cette dernière, les amateurs retrouveront d'autres véhicules ayant appartenu à Coluche dont une Ford Sedan de 1956, une Chevrolet Corvette de 1979, une Studebaker Flight Hawk 1956 ou encore une Cadillac Coupé de 1960.

Côté motos, les collectionneurs trouveront sans doute leur bonheur parmi les nombreux autres lots mis en vente dont des Velosolex, Vélocette ou encore Harley-Davidson.

Plus d'infos sur les ventes aux enchères de motos

• Source : www.leparisien.fr
• via .lerepairedesmotards

DeltaWing Coupe revealed, will enter the American Le Mans Series

 

Could hit the track in May

Development continues on the DeltaWing race car as the company has released the first pictures of the DeltaWing Coupe.
Set to debut later this week at the Sebring International Raceway, the coupe has a familiar design but adopts a new tub, a closed canopy and a long vertical fin. There's also a center-mounted driver's seat that affords better protection and visibility. Thanks to these modifications, the DeltaWing Coupe will be able to comply with the new 2014 LMP1 regulations.
 
Besides being fitted with a hardtop, the coupe has a new turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that was designed by Elan Motorsports Technologies. Specifications were not released, but managing partner Dr. Don Panoz hinted "we’ll be capable of getting onto the podium.”
The DeltaWing Coupe will compete in the American Le Mans Series later this year, possibly as soon as the Laguna Seca race in May.
 

Source: DeltaWing Racing Cars via Jalopnik via Worlcafans

Kawasaki Z750B by Street Tuff Customs

Written by Ian Lee.

Isn’t it great when ideas just work together? Concepts that aren’t easily conceived, but when enacted turn out awesome? Like using a Mini SU carb on a Kawasaki engine, or using stainless dairy pipe for an exhaust system. Graham Braid of Street Tuff Customs is one man who likes using different ideas that work together, and the latest example of this is this tough looking Kawasaki Z750B street tracker. With three years of work, and a little help from some friends, Street Tuff Customs has produced one mean machine with customisation up the ying yang.

Looping the frame was the first task Street Tuff undertook, after which a ZZR swingarm was fitted in place of the stock Kawasaki unit. Mounted on the custom swingarm are 80s Marzocchi piggyback shocks, one of the retro touches on the bike. An Aprilia RSV has donated it’s front forks and OZ rims to the build, with custom machined yokes hold the front end together. The OZ rims are wrapped in Dunlop Mutant rubber at the front, and a Dunlop D616 at the rear. 

Whilst the frame was being work on, the engine was stripped down and rebuilt, being given a coat of matt black paint on reassembly. Mounted off a custom 1 into two manifold, sits the SU carburettor from a Mini, breathing in through a K & N oval filter. The scrambler style exhaust system is all specific to this build, stainless steel dairy pipe ending in SuperTrapp shorty mufflers, the whole lot brush finished. 

By Graham’s account the fuel tank was a ‘big job’. The original tank was chopped up, machined metal finned plates bonded to it, and moulded to blend in. Topping it off, Street Tuff has fitted an aircraft style filler cap. Taking inspiration from classic Norton racebikes, the tailpiece was formed from scratch using sheet metal. Hidden within it is the battery, rectifier and some electrical componentry. 

Through using a mix of older and newer styling techniques, Street Tuff has produced a bike which shows their talents. Componentry offsets each other, the electronic speedo mounted on the flat track bars, offset against the leather diamond trim ‘bum pad’. The LED taillight offset against the 60s style tailpiece. The OZ rims versus the Scrambler style exhaust. It’s all goes against each other, but together it has produced a bike that stands out from the crowd. See what I mean about things just working together? 

via Pipeburn

CANNONBALL 2013 : ONE RUN, ONE HERO !!

from Inazuma Luke 

Dino Romano told about the Cannonball... 

"One race, one hero. 1900 km ridden with yourself, with your thoughts, your fears and swet, from the northern border to the very estreme South, through an Italy that you’ve never seen. You will cross it far and wide, in only two days, facing mountains and valleys, hot and cold, watching the sun rise and set, feeling the slap of rain and the grip of frost. If you're ready for this and strong enough to accept the challenge, you can tell your children to have lived a unique experience, you can raise the cup in the hall of your bar and say: "I was there!" In order to make it you’ll have to be smart, tactical and strong, your engine should be a mono or a twin with a maximum displacement of 890 cc, street legal, but, most important, you must be determined! Many will attend, only one will win '... And will be back homehome with 10,000 bucks!"

THE BMW CSL IN AMERICA AND THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

The BMW CSL isn’t just one of the most beautiful and recognisable racing cars to have graced the tracks of the world during the 1970s: it also represented the start of a new era in the shape of BMW’s elite M racing division (formed in 1972 as BMW Motorsport GmbH) and the first use of those iconic red, blue and purple factory stripes that have been carried forward to this day.

And did any of the German marque’s Coupé Sport Leicht models match the muscular excess of the 1975-6 IMSA machine, built to take on the GTO class of the IMSA Camel GT series?

These were the elite 3.0 CSLs in a long line of victorious E9-shape racing BMWs that had stretched back to the beginning of the decade. The CSL had been the first car chosen for development under the BMW’s performance subsidiary team, and was the logical next level in a touring car arms race that had started in the ’60s with the introduction of a new range of smaller, more compact Neue Klasse saloons.

The CSL had stepped things up in every sense. Its long, raked lines and perfectly pronounced nose that seemed to be reaching forward for even more speed gave it the ultimate look for a ’70s pin-up.

‘Leicht’ mean lightweight, highlighting the use of aluminium doors, boot and bonnet, thinner steel for the body and Perspex replacing the glass windows: these were stripped out specials aimed at the FIA Group 2 touring car rules.

BMW took their E9 coupé and knocked out a series of road-going homologation specials to satisfy production regulations in ’72. As with any homologation dodge, the street cars were purely to tick a box: the rear wing was tucked in the boot when you drove off the forecourt, as it was illegal for the road in most countries.

As the CSL programme kicked in, BMW poached Jochen Neerpasch and Martin Braqungart from Ford’s European racing programme – these two personnel would be the architects of BMW’s future racing success. CSLs went on to win six European Touring Car Championships for BMW between 1973 and 1979, and the car was successful in many national championships, including the DRM in Germany.

The CSL’s development continued year on year in Europe ahead of its eventual assault on the US. In 1973 the original 180hp 3-litre inline-six (a cast-iron block with an alloy head, longitudinally mounted) was increased to 3.2-litres – though the car always remained designated a 3.0 CSL – and then the new 3.5-litre M49 engine was developed for 1974, with DOHC and 24 valves. This was where the fun really started.

The body also continued to buff up, with the fenders getting wider and wider and the splitter more pronounced with each iteration until it reached this ultimate evolution in ’75, with the original narrow body hidden inside a cocoon of add-ons.

A five-speed Getrag gearbox replaced the original four-speed and the suspension was beefed up: the front mounted McPherson struts with Bilstein gas-pressurised shock absorbers and the rear semi-trailing arms with coil springs and Bilstein gas-pressurised telescopic dampers. Power was now up over 400hp and the CSL cleaned up in Europe, with the factory ably supported by the Alpina and AC Schnitzer customer teams.

But then the oil crisis of the mid-’70s led to severe rule changes in Europe that pulled back the previously reasonably open regs, restricting engine power and banning the extreme body kits. As opportunities diminished in Europe for the wide-bodied racers, they opened up across the Atlantic.

With the more powerful engine in place, BMW North America saw the perfect opportunity to use the up-gunned CSL to take on the dominant Porsches in the IMSA GTO class for 1975 and face off against a new level of opponent. Whilst the touring cars withered the GT BMWs prospered, and ushered in a new era of competition for the marque.

The GT-orientated IMSA regulations in the USA allowed BMW’s M squad to work on creating an even more extreme racecar. Further weight was taken out, bringing the base down to around 1,000kg, and the corners inflated yet more.

If it was the Adam West Batmobile before, now it was the Dark Knight. In each corner super-wide fenders were bolted on, with those air formers still running down the sides of the hood, marking the increasingly large difference between street and circuit.

Even then, the fenders barely contained the wide track and enormous racing slicks.

16″x16″ BBS centre-lock split-rim alloys and huge 350/1650-16 Goodyear rubber shrouded the big ventilated discs behind…

…whilst up front 16″x13″ rims and 300/625-16 tyres tried to keep everything pointing in the right direction in the face of the 430hp going through the rear.

The shovel nose was made even more pronounced with a new front air dam, and those blacked-out lights and grill were the perfect complement to the white ‘n’ stripes BMW racing livery.

Unlike the cramped conditions inside a modern GT, the CSL’s cockpit was positively cavernous, with the only obstacle the rollcage’s protective side tube.

Inside, as you’d expect for a car of the time, the switchgear is straightforward: a row of simple buttons controlling ignition, wipers, lights and fuel in the central console, and in front of you central RPM (with 8,500rpm redline) and temp gauges and the three-spoke wheel.

The foot-rest dwarfs the road-car size clutch and brake pedals, and the floor-mounted throttle pedal appears needle thin: delicate controls for such a brute of a car.

With the E9 a true four-seater, the boot full of fuel and the intercoolers and radiators in the fenders, there’s plenty of empty space behind the seats.

The twin exhausts exiting out of the passenger side give the CSL a distinctive sound, popping and crackling when out on track…

…whilst out back is the hydraulic connector for the built-in air jacks.

These weren’t a new technology, but it was still relatively unusual to use them because of the extra weight they inferred.

But in endurance racing every second would count in a pit-stop, so the CSLs were fitted with a full four-point pneumatic system mounted inside the wheelbase. These definitely had seen some action.

Five CSLs were built to race in the USA, and across the two seasons they competed CSLs took seven wins at tracks including Sebring, Laguna Seca, Riverside, Daytona, Lime Rock and Talledega – Hans Stuck took four victories in 1975 alone.

Brumos’ Porsche RSR still took the Camel GT Trophy in 1975, but it proved the CSL was a competitive prospect. In 1976 Peter Gregg and Brian Redman achieved victory in the Daytona 24 Hours against stiff competition from Porsche and Corvette – BMW’s first blue riband victory in North America, and where we had caught up with this, the winning car.

BMW North America still retain ownership of this chassis, after 38 years.

Many other famous drivers had been behind the wheel of the IMSA CSL in period, including Sam Posey, David Hobbs, John Fitzpatrick, Hurley Haywood, Ronnie Peterson and BMW mainstay Dieter Quester.

The CSL’s tenure in the States was short but sweet: for 1977 Group 5 rules came to the fore and the 320 would take up the cudgels, eventually morphing into the epic McLaren-developed E21 Turbo. Two CSLs were converted to Group 5, and only two remain in original spec; this one has been entrusted by BMW North America to the care of Bobby Rahal’s RLL operation, who tend to their complete collection.

The CSL can now take lucky passengers for rides – though not the day of my visit, as unfortunately the engine had been taken out for maintenance ahead of the new season. Bryn took a good look inside a European-spec ’76 CSL at last year’s Classic Le Mans.

The fact that BMW North America keep this and so many other historic racers in running condition is something we should all be thankful for: the combination of the breathtaking shape and pure livery make it the epitome of a classic BMW, run then as now by passionate racers.

from SPEEDHUNTERS