I think it’s safe to assume BMW Motorsport wanted the spectators at this past weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours race to look at its entire M235i Racing car. I’ll also assume the team wanted its competitors to look only at its entry’s back end.
Regardless of the angle, you can’t ignore the blues, red, carbon wing mirrors and abundance of stickers on this visual throwback to BMW’s Art Cars of yesteryear. Four drivers from the worlds of motorsport and/or journalism took turns behind its wheel, starting the race from 17th place, and finishing 53rd overall.
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt said, “With almost 50 cars in the field, the variety of BMW racing cars at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife is once again mighty impressive in 2014; however, this particular car adds a very special splash of color, and I am certain it will go down well with the fans.” It certainly goes down well with my eyes.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
