Matt Connolly Motorsports BMW M3 GT Rolex Cars for ride alongs at track days

Hello forum people,
I am the team manager for http://www.mcmracingteam.com Matt Connolly Motorsports, a Rolex series team based out of Bethlehem, PA. We are the only professional team still running these PTG built/ MCM prepared E46 M3s.

I am here because I want to see what kind of enthusiasm there might be for getting one of these cars (we have 3) to one of the local area track days. I know you BMW lovers want us to start doing better with these cars, but like always with racing there is never enough money. If we take these cars to the track, we can strap another seat in the car and offer ride alongs with Matt Connolly at the wheel and if there is enough interest maybe even allow a couple of people to get in the driver's seat.

Understand that these cars are usually rented out for Rolex series races for about 30,000 dollars for the weekend. Therefore we have to set the prices for this type of event accordingly.

For now, I would like to know what kind of events you would like to see these cars at, and also how much you would like to pay for something like this. Be reasonable, and remember that this could be called sponsorship if you play it well. If you would like, we may be able to arrange putting a sticker for your company on the car during the next race.

I am always available to talk personally about appearances for events outside of the track and full sponsorship opportunities. Business owners that love BMWs, this could be a perfect way to get a crowd at your next event and be able to see these cars up close.

My name is Pablo Sztein, my email is pablo.sztein@gmail.com or admin@mcmracingteam.com. The website again is http://www.mcmracingteam.com.

Thank you for your support, and I hope you look for us at VIR in late April.

-Pablo

i think it's a great idea. i'd love to have a ride. if the price is right, i'd drive one too. i'll keep to myself about the pricing. you know better about the operating costs of these cars per hour.

I'd like to see passenger seat fitted over the exhaust :)

I see you know the cars :-). Yea, we'd have to make a bit of a firewall, but its definitely possible. If you are a racing guy, you know anything can be done.

Tell your friends. The only way to make this possible is if there is enough feedback. Tell your BMW CCA administrators that you want this to be possible. Tell them to contact me.

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Originally Posted by MCMmanservant

Tell your BMW CCA administrators that you want this to be possible. Tell them to contact me.

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It's not going to happen.

That's a bit terse, Steven. Care to elaborate? Although I don't have any grand visions of getting free rides in a pro race M3 at the next driver's school, I'm interested in understanding the pros and cons.

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Originally Posted by Scotty

That's a bit terse, Steven. Care to elaborate? Although I don't have any grand visions of getting free rides in a pro race M3 at the next driver's school, I'm interested in understanding the pros and cons.

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Sure, we host driving schools. We do not allow rentals in our driving schools. If Matt Connolly Motorsports wanted to rent Summit and do their own event, I'd be more than happy to add it to the calendar as it might be of interest to others. Besides, I don't think anyone wants to give up track time for rides or drives. We try to utilize every minute of the track time available to us. I also know some instructors don't want people they don't know on the track with them, especially race cars.

Of course this is not my decision, just my opinion.
Roy is the board's Driving School Steering Committee representative.
He can address this further.

I never like hearing its not going to happen, it just makes me try harder :-). Honest truth, this is about us offering a service and the chance to get a ride in these cars (probably for the last time before they get sold to club racers and private owners) and BMW loyalists knowing their money is going to helping out the last race team running these cars.

I'll look into renting the track if we get enough people. Just to see the reaction, say $600 dollars for a ride along and $1500 for a drive each of 10 laps. Thats about the same as going to the Richard Petty Driving Experience, but you don't have to drive a brick.

It looks like Matt Connelly Motorsports is giving up on the ex-PTG M3s and jumping ship to the tube-framed Pontiac GTO-R.
http://www.grand-am.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7931

Thanks for that Woody. The M3's were dismal backmarkers at Daytona (and Mexico, etc.), so I don't blame them.

But I think the Pontiac is a poor choice. For one thing, I have a problem with that car being RWD when the "real thing" is FWD. Modifying a production car for racing is one thing, but changing the drivetrain layout is nonsense. Especially in production-based sports car racing!

I suppose that's a moot point - the car is fast despite its cow-like frontal area. :)

I agree wtih you about the dismal performance of the Connelly M3s Scotty. I think a lot of that has to do with the no-name drivers. The cars were competitive last year when Joey Hand was behind the wheel.

The production Pontiac GTOs are, er - were RWD. It's the new "G6-R" that is based on a FWD car. At least I think so. GM, Ford and Chrysler are returning to RWD in some of there production cars now.

Yea, the GTO (Holden, in Australia) was/is RWD. I don't think they're selling them as an '07 model. The V8 puts out 400HP stock, so I imagine it isn't a bad platform to start with.

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Originally Posted by woodym3

I agree wtih you about the dismal performance of the Connelly M3s Scotty. I think a lot of that has to do with the no-name drivers. The cars were competitive last year when Joey Hand was behind the wheel.

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I'm glad you said that. I don't want to offend anyone but...

I was working the bus stop chicane at Daytona. For days I watched all kinds of drivers in all kinds of cars brake hard down the long back straight, dive into the chicane, and power out onto the east banking. At least some of the Connolly drivers consistently butchered it. Lap after lap they missed the turn-in, braked too late, plowed over the curbing, got on the power late... it was ugly.

I don't know who was driving and when, but I had to wonder if the cars were that bad! :wink: