During the many events BMW hosts around the US, drivers who proved to be the most skilled participating in the company’s Ultimate Driving Experience got to qualify for the Ultimate Driver Finals. To get an idea of just how much interest this challenge gained from BMW fans, over 30,000 drivers signed up for it but only the fastest 17 were invited at the BMW Performance West center to show what they’re made of.

They were tasked with going round a track BMW instructors made up, behind the wheel of a BMW M3 fitted with the Competition Package. The track had a really interesting layout but the most important thing drivers had to remember about it was that they had to stop inside a box at the end, without going over in any way. This would prove to be an important factor in the end and not just a detail to keep in mind.

The competition was fierce and the lap times posted by the drivers are proof in this regard. They were extremely close, showing that the times they posted were really similar to what the cars could get on that specific track. Of course, BMW instructor, Matt Mullins was there too, to show the guys how it’s properly done while recording their runs. In the end, the difference was down to a tenth of a second but then, a technical foul was invoked.

I won’t disclose what happened, to avoid ruining watching the video yourself but let’s just say things were closer than anyone expected. In the end, there was a winner and he got to take the trophy home to Texas. This year, the challenge is on again for those signing up for the BMW Ultimate Driving Experience.