[JackiePhD]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Hello everyone, Jackie Ding here!

For those who don't know us, we are PhD Racing Lab, we run a small Time Attack team based in Schaumburg IL that somehow evolved to include a service shop and online parts store over the past few years. Competition and time trial events is our bread and butter, and we have competed in series such as Gridlife, Global Time Attack, SCCA and NASA as well as others. The Supra A90/J29 has been our main focus since 2019, but that is all about to change.



Really excited to be finally joining the forum and the BMW world in general. We've kinda sorta had a tag-along position from building our A90 Supra, but I was always looking forward to the G-series M2 long before the official announcement. If the Supra, with off the shelf M240i parts, could feel that good already, how awesome must the real deal M2 be?

Trying to find an M2 in ZF 8HP (preferred from our experience with the J29) around Chicago proved really difficult. Luckily Taylor BMW in GA gave us a call about their HEA car, and we managed to pick it up at sticker as well. Our team manager Alex flew down and drove the car back, but my chance to have a go in it for real would have to wait until a week later.



It's a nice street car, yada yada, you guys know all about it. Break-in service at BMW done, we then drove it down to Autobahn Country Club where we slapped some PhD Stickers over it, screwed in a pair of tow straps from our friends at IND, and hit the track.

Like I said in the video above... This thing is epic.
Stock to stock the G87 will demolish an A90, even when I've had 100x the seat time in the Supra than I had in the M2. The longer wheelbase, shorter overhangs, stiffer suspension, all make the car so sharp yet forgiving to drive on the limit.

The Brake By Wire had been our biggest concern, but the braking system proved to be exceptionally reliable. I would need a harness and bucket seat to really get a feel for the brake release characteristics, but so far I'm a fan.

The M Traction Control has been as great as I imagined it to be on track. I am no professional engineer, but how I understand it is that it fully disables the stability control that limits your yaw rate (tail-out antics) but only measures Front vs Rear wheel speed, and reduces engine torque demand to keep the difference in check. I don't think I have quite found the sweet spot with M TC, but with more testing and competition lined up, I'm sure we would get close soon.



Overall, the G87 has been an absolute delight on track. Yes, weight is an issue that we will deal with. Yes, I want more tires and we definitely have suspension/aero/interior/all kinds of upgrades incoming. The end goal of the project is for our M2 to be competitive in the Gridlife Track Modern, Global Time Attack Limited class. It'll be a fantastic challenge, but by no means an easy one.

It's as they say. Never judge a book by its covers, and never judge a BMW M car by its looks

P.S.
If anyone here has access to an ISTA software version that works on these cars, please let me know, we need to bleed the brake fluid at some point

[JustinHEMI]

So looking forward to this!

[RIP_MKVI]

Great in depth, pushing-to-the-limit track review! Been a follower of your YouTube channel and witnessed your journey of A90. Can't wait to see how you are gonna build the M2 and all the races you gonna win with this!

[StickyPickle]

Subscribed!

[DaiLyCS]

No doubt that G8x a great platform and engine for track.

[GOLFFRR]

Super cool OP!

[NotSharocks]

Jackie saw my M3 parked in his paddock at Lime Rock and ultimately had to come over to the WBS gang LOL

Excited to see how this platform does for you dawg!

[DaiLyCS]

Originally Posted by NotSharocks

Jackie saw my M3 parked in his paddock at Lime Rock and ultimately had to come over to the WBS gang LOL

Excited to see how this platform does for you dawg!

We need more good drivers to dive bmw at the track. I’ll be following him

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by E63M6_G42M240i

I’m unfamiliar with PhD racing. This is a bit off topic, but I’m curious to know. Does anyone at PhD racing actually have a PhD or does it mean something else? Looking forward to your build!

"Passion, hopes, dreams."

[M2PDX]

Welcome to the forum Jackie!

Loved your videos and am looking forward to your build.

As someone who tracks his BMWs, it will be great to watch what helps make the M2 a more effective track (and road) weapon.

[M2PDX]

Originally Posted by E63M6_G42M240i

..., may I suggest you take that up with a psychologist? Have a nice day 👋

Whoa Nelly....

No need to get on your high horse.

We're all friends around here (or at least should be).

[leftfootbr8king]

So this is what Jackie can come to expect from bimmer forums. You guys can’t help yourselves, can you?

[leftfootbr8king]

I’d be surprised if anyone outside of you two actually care about whatever it is you’re arguing about.

People came here to read about Jackie’s impressions of the g87 and got two pages of semantics.

Please stop this.

[MaX PL]

leftfoot and others, just ignore the two dipshits.

[sl0m0]

Originally Posted by leftfootbr8king

So this is what Jackie can come to expect from bimmer forums. You guys can’t help yourselves, can you?

Yes, Jackie can expect free entertainment. Of course we can't help ourselves.

[ourlee]

Originally Posted by E63M6_G42M240i

I agree. My statements were not intended to be offensive and/or to make fun of. They certainly have more expertise in this area than myself. I didn’t think mentioning i have a PhD in an unrelated field would be considered elitist. Although i use car analogies in the classroom, I have zero experience on a road course.

Deleted

[sl0m0]

Originally Posted by ourlee

I’d like to hear you have a PHD at least 4 more times before I finish reading this thread. Thx.

Should we start a pool? I've got my chips on 6.

[adc]

Originally Posted by leftfootbr8king

I’d be surprised if anyone outside of you two actually care about whatever it is you’re arguing about.

People came here to read about Jackie’s impressions of the g87 and got two pages of semantics.

Please stop this.

Yep. Subscribed for M2 track content.

[E63M6_G42M240i]

Originally Posted by ourlee

I’d like to hear you have a PHD at least 4 more times before I finish reading this thread. Thx.

We’ve both deleted our dialogue. My apologies for not entertaining your request. 😂

[Squidget]

Back to the topic. If you haven't been chased off Jackie, I love the vid and have a question.

Hard to tell in the vid, how was the lateral roll coming out of corners? You seemed to be applying a lot of countersteer in a few places, was that from you being hard on throttle kicking the end out on purpose, or was it weight transfer?

[JackiePhD]

Oof, looks like I missed some fun stuff! Sorry I was traveling today and wasn't checking forums!

As for PhD, it was named from an Instagram comment/suggestion from a fan. We wanted to poke fun at the Asian stereotype (why you no doctor?) and also represent our values of "passion, hope and dreams". So that is where that's from!

Originally Posted by Squidget

Hard to tell in the vid, how was the lateral roll coming out of corners? You seemed to be applying a lot of countersteer in a few places, was that from you being hard on throttle kicking the end out on purpose, or was it weight transfer?

Lateral body roll is actually really controlled. Even from on track pics, the car exhibited minimal body movement. As for the countersteer, that's my style hah. I tend to get on the full throttle early in order to maximize exit speed, and if the car gets sideways I'll simply countersteer to deal with that. If you have seen any older S2000 or Supra video of mine, you would see these few laps in the M2 is actually on the tame side for me!

[sl0m0]

Originally Posted by JackiePhD

Oof, looks like I missed some fun stuff! Sorry I was traveling today and wasn't checking forums!

As for PhD, it was named from an Instagram comment/suggestion from a fan. We wanted to poke fun at the Asian stereotype (why you no doctor?) and also represent our values of "passion, hope and dreams". So that is where that's from!



Lateral body roll is actually really controlled. Even from on track pics, the car exhibited minimal body movement. As for the countersteer, that's my style hah. I tend to get on the full throttle early in order to maximize exit speed, and if the car gets sideways I'll simply countersteer to deal with that. If you have seen any older S2000 or Supra video of mine, you would see these few laps in the M2 is actually on the tame side for me!

Great explanation of the counter steer and PhD.
Thanks a bunch. Passion Hopes n Dreams are usually more useful than the other PhD, especially in helping one not be a dingle like some with the other PhD.