Vehicle: 2007 BMW 351i
Engine: 3-litre straight 6 twin
Colour: White
Name: Warwick Gray
From: Invercargill
When and why did you buy it? About a year ago from Trade Me, so we did a road trip from Auckland to bring it home. It was just after the Kaikoura earthquakes last year. To upgrade… I really like BMWs
Have you altered it in any way? No
What’s it like to drive? On the road: There is a BMW expression, ‘You can drive it sedately, smooth and quiet or you can up the pace”. It is the complete package pretty much. It drives and brakes well. On the track (drags): Exhilarating. Any time it is under a 14-second mile is a fast street car. I race it as it is, even with these [street] tyres
Top speed? On the road: It is factory rated to 155mph (250kmh). On the race track: It has reached 101mph in the quarter mile, which equals 13.5 seconds through the quarter mile at just over 100mph
Best driving experience? Racing my old classic ’67 Camaro at the Queenstown Street Races and the Dunedin Street Races. Now it is when the turbo boots up and it races down the track. I have raced cars since the early 80s. I have drag raced Corvettes and Camaros. This one is the fastest. What I find challenging is the class I race in at Southern Dragways – the street cars class where you dial what you think your time will be against the competing drag car. Generally it will give me a head start, and the challenge is if you get it right you will both cross the line at the same time
Worst driving experience? When I rolled my brother’s Jaguar down a ravine near Larnach Castle on the Otago Peninsula. I was lucky as the driver’s door had flung off and it ended up on a protrusion (ledge) on its side. It was a very rare Jaguar. It ended up on its side. When the tow truck driver tried to recover it, it ended up careering down the hill and wedging itself between two cars
What other vehicles of note have you owned? ’72 Corvette, ’70 Camaro, ’67 Camaro, ’72 Camaro, HSV Commodore, ’87 IROC Camaro
Best music to drive to? The Cars
Describe your driving style: On the road: Restrained. On the track: Very competitive. I’m out to win
If you could go for a drive in any vehicle it would be a…? 2017 Corvette ZO6
What was the first vehicle you ever bought? 1980 Mini 1275 GT brand new
Do you belong to any clubs? Southern Dragways, Southland Chevrolet Club
Event: Southern Dragways meet, Sunday, November 26, Teretonga Park, Entry 10am-noon. Racing starts 1.30pm. Have-A-Go class for new racers. Entry, spectators $15, under 13 free, family pass $45. For more information, go to Facebook
