Crenshaw Rally Team Secure Podium in Condor Equipped E30

Following their strong 2023 campaign, the Crenshaw Rally Team hit the ground running for the 2024 CHCA season. 

Their first event was the Canyon Pintado Hillclimb, held just south of Rangely, CO. This was exciting for the team because it would be on some of the smoothest and most fun roads on the 2024 calendar.

Luckily, the car was put away with no issues following their strong second-place finish in the 2023 championship, so their offseason was mostly dedicated to optimization and routine maintenance, which is ideal for any racing team.

Of the few items addressed in the offseason, a new turbocharger was at the top of the list. In this case, they opted to swap their Holset HX35 for a fresh Borg Warner S252SXE, which they paired with a custom exhaust manifold from The Kangaroos Team in Bulgaria. The previous offseason’s work spent on developing the chassis with a full set of Condor Bushings, mounts and reinforcements will help ensure all of the new power gets put to the ground where it belongs.

One of the first competitors they noticed when checking in at the event was a Vermont Sportscar Subaru formerly driven by Brandon Semenuk in the American Rally Association. A pro level car to say the least which would undoubtedly set the pace for the weekend.

By the time Saturday morning rolled around the roads had been watered and they would be the first car to hit the course for the weekend.

 “The first couple of practice runs were great and we were trading positions with our friend Steve in his ARA-prepared Golf R, which was a great indicator of the current condition of our E30. Historically it's been really hard to keep up with him but the car was working great and the road condition really lent itself to our car and driving style” said Fraser.

By the end of the day the team was within 10 seconds of the ARA Subaru and just 3 seconds off the VW Golf R. Their consistency qualified them 4th for Sunday's competition.

The next day, the conditions were even more optimal for their driving style and set up and in the first timed run they clocked in a time 7 seconds quicker than their qualifying time. This was despite driving somewhat conservatively to have the car last the entire event as other competitors continued to have issues staying on course.

Another welcomed upgrade to the car from the previous offseason was a Condor Chassis Mount Shifter which was optimized to the drivers preferences. Complete with a roundie shift knob, this modification makes each shift quicker and more efficient which really adds up to a considerable amount of time gained over the course of an event such as this. An added bonus is the no-nonsense, racey flare it adds to the cockpit of their heroic E30. 

Given the fact that there were many cautions and off-tracks, the event ran longer than expected. Still, the team stayed true to form and their strategy paid off as they secured a podium position in 3rd place, beating the Golf R by 5 seconds and trailing the pro-level Subaru by just 7 seconds overall.

Fraser said, “Most importantly, the E30 worked great all weekend and was still in one piece, and we bested our previous best time from 2022 on this road by 20 seconds and 12mph in the speed trap near the finish. The new turbo and manifold setup is way more responsive and usable. Time to prepare for our home turf Monarch Hillclimb in mid-July!”

The Crenshaw Rally team's performance and mindset are consistently a testament to our “By Reason or By Force” philosophy. They truly show how teamwork, attention to detail and a never-say-die attitude can propel a small team to great heights in motorsports. It is also a testament to classic BMWs as a whole, that a Condor Equipped, 30+ year old E30 can compete with truly modern competition and withstand the abuse that tough rally and hillclimb stages present.

Stay tuned for more updates from Fraser and the squad as they progress through their 2024 campaign and have a look around our parts catalogs for Race/Rally ready parts that will serve your classic BMW on the road and track!