Anderson’s E46 M3 Track Car With Apex Wheels

APEX: Tell us some details about yourself & your car. Anderson Leaw: My name is Anderson Leaw, I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the US when I was 15. I track a silver gray BMW E46 M3. Besides cars and track days, I enjoy spending time with the family, especially my 3.5 & 2 year olds and have been practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for over 10 years on and off.

Featured Car Details:

– 2003.5 E46 M3 silver gray #23 – JRZ RS Pro Coilover – Turner Motorsport F/R Sway Bars – Brembo GT BBK w/ PFC08 Pads – Superspring V1 Stepped Headers, Catted Section 1 and Sport Muffler – Autosolution Short Throw Shifter – Recaro SPG Seats w/ Schroth 6-pt Harness – Autopower Rollbar – APEX ARC-8 Wheels w/ Nitto NT01

APEX: What is your track day wheel setup? Anderson Leaw: I currently have 2 sets of track wheels. I just picked up a set of APEX ARC-8 in Anthracite, 17×10 ET25 square w/ Nitto NT01 275/35-18 (no spacers) which will replace my older set of APEX ARC-8 18×9.5 ET35 w/ Nitto NT01 275/35-18. When running the 18×9.5’s, I run a 5mm spacer in order to clear the front BBK and a 10mm spacer on the rear. Running -3.5 front & -2.5 rear camber with this setup + APEX stud conversion kit.

APEX: Why did you choose APEX Wheels over the rest? Anderson Leaw: It’s a no brainer why most BMW people run APEX wheels as their track set up. They look great and are offered in many sizes and offsets so it’s easy to find a wheel that fits. They’re also the most cost effective wheel option out there. Another reason why I choose APEX wheels was because a replacement in case of damage would not be too expensive and readily available. I’ve done 24 track days on my current set and still haven’t had an issue. They’re extremely durable, even under heavy use.

APEX: How did you get into track racing & for how long? Anderson Leaw: My cousin Ed Kim has been tracking for around 10 years now. He has always tried to get the other cousins and I to go but we didn’t have much interest until a few years ago. When I bought a B8.5 Audi S4 back in 2014 I decided to tag along with Ed to Buttonwillow once and I instantly got hooked! I ended up selling the S4 and picked up an E46 M3 with plans of turning it into a track car. I’ve been tracking for almost 3 years now.

APEX: What is your favorite memory or entertaining story from the track? Anderson Leaw: Ed got pretty much all of the cousins hooked as well, so whenever we go to the track is pretty much a family affair lol. I’ve also met a lot of cool people who have become my good friends. I probably enjoy the camaraderie just as much as time spent behind the wheel at the track days. Everyone has one common interest and are always willing to help and share their knowledge, tools, etc…

One funny story from a track day happened a few months ago at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. I decided to go take a picture next to the track sign in between sessions and I managed to get my car stuck in the dirt. Just as it had happened a couple of guys in their Civic EG’s drove by and asked if I needed help. One of them ended up towing my car out of the dirt with his Civic EG lol. They were super cool and we had a good laugh about it.

APEX: How many events do you participate in each year, care to share any track results? Anderson Leaw: About 8 track days a year since I’ve started. I’m running the Bimmer Challenge hosted by Speed Ventures for the first year and I’m currently sitting in 3rd place in the B3 class. My proudest moment so far was being able to break the sub 2 minute mark at Buttonwillow Raceway with a 1:59.70 this past December.

APEX: If you could give one tip to a new racer, what would your tip be? Anderson Leaw: Safety should always come first! Aside from keeping safety as #1 priority, it would be to not get too caught up on lap times and focus on learning how to drive on the track taking the proper line, braking zone, etc. first. Fast laps times will come as a result.

APEX: Are you on Social Media? Where can we follow you? Anderson Leaw: My Instagram handle is @AceJCL

APEX: Do you have any clubs, shops or racing buddies you want to give a shout out to? Anderson Leaw: Shout out to all of my track & @Bimmer_Challenge crew and James Paick (@jamespaick_m3) for the pictures.

Are you interested to get featured in our Customer Showcase? Please reach out to Brian at brian@apexraceparts.com for more details or follow us on Instagram (@apexraceparts) and tag your photos #apexwheels #apexraceparts and we’ll find you!

Tom M.

Tom is a BMW Fitment Expert at APEX Wheels. Prior to joining the company in 2019, he worked for BMW of North America as Fleet Manager: Portland (OR) for the ReachNow car-sharing program, and as Warranty Administrator/Loaner Fleet Manager at BMW Portland. In addition, Tom has extensive training in BMW TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) as well as in-depth knowledge of all BMW chassis and their wheel fitment options, with and without aftermarket brake and suspension upgrades. His high-performance driving experience includes autocross events in southern Oregon and track days at PIR in his 2004 E46 330i with 17x9 ET42 APEX ARC-8 wheels. Vehicles he owned prior to indulging his passion for BMWs include a 1989 Jaguar XJ6 and a 2006 S197 Ford Mustang. Fun Fact: Tom is a huge Formula 1 fan. Have questions about wheels for your BMW? Use our contact form and ask for Tom.