- 02/02/2017
- 2 Min Read
- By: Michael Hurczyn
Announcing the Team Line-up for FCP Euro's BMW E30 in American Endurance Racing
An endurance race is true test of man and machine. It takes a reliable car, a strategy, money, and a team. Having FCP Euro on our team has helped get us the parts that (hopefully) will get us through 18 hours of grueling racing. But you can't just have a reliable car. The people behind the effort are what truly make the journey worthwhile. Here is our confirmed team for the first race at Watkins Glen.
Michael Hurczyn - Driver/Team Leader
My driving career stared at 16 years old autocrossing a Subaru 2.5 RS. At 18, I started driver's schools in my dad's 1989 325is. Moving up through the ranks very quickly, I started Instructing for the BMW Club in 2001 at the age of 22, and then raced from 2004-2006 in BMW Club Racing in a RHD DM E30. I would have loved to continue, but I got married, bought a house, had kids... you know the story. Priorities sometimes change, but passion doesn't. Instructing at driver's schools is how he got my fill of track time, but there is just something about racing that can't be replicated without actually doing it. I can't wait to do it this weekend! If you want to follow along, follow @fcpeuro and @bmwmichael110
Christian Chandler - Driver
As an eighteen year old, Christian J. Chandler began a lifelong affection for BMWs after watching a DRM/DTM race at the Norisring in Nürnberg, Germany in 1981. During the next two years, while living in Germany, he became accustomed to high speed on the infamous Autobahn and competed in a few TSD rallies. However, it wasn't until he was in his 30s, that he considered wheel to wheel racing.
After several years in the Skip Barber Regional Series, he began racing with the SCCA and the BMW CCA. He has won races at Lime Rock Park, New Hampshire Speedway, Pocono Raceway, and New Jersey Motorsport Park. He won the PRO-IT Championship in 2011 in the Improved Touring A class. Although he has podium finishes at Watkins Glen, a win has eluded him.
Christian is a driving instructor for the BMW CCA and particularly enjoys working with teens in the Street Survival program. He is a professional pilot, competition aerobatic pilot, and former US Parachute Team skydiver. He lives with his wife, Cara, and 4 year old son in Ashfield, MA.
Eric Twiste - Driver
Ben McGalliard - Crew Chief
Ben has been doing track days with BMWCCA since 2008 @ Lime Rock Park, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and VIR, along with various AutoX events. He has worked on BMW cars as a hobby since 2006, from minor work to full motor rebuild/transplants.
Ben is currently an active American Motorcycle Association and New England Trail Rider Association member- more recently have worked/ridden BMW, KTM and Husqvarna motorcycles/enduro bikes. When he's not playing with cars and bikes, he works as a CNC programmer/setup/operator since 2007 for various 4-axis VMCs and lathes. He's a good wrench!
Nicholas Jama - Media
Nick, or @ohfkitsnicholas on Instagram, is 21 years old studying communications/journalism at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He is originally from Western Pennsylvania, and before that was Vladivostok Russia. He's always had a passion for cars since his dad owned his two E-Type Jaguars and a Dino Ferrari.
Nick will be joining us to bring down the average age of the team, because he has great hair, and he's a talented photographer, so he will be helping document the event for us. This may or may not be his Ferrari 458!
Follow all the action all weekend on FCP's social media accounts and www.americanenduranceracing.com.
If you are in the area, stop by the track and say hi! There is no entrance fee and you'll get to see 80 teams battling it out on track.
