Hot laps at GingerMan Raceway

Here's a look at some hot laps at GingerMan Raceway, courtesy of one of the BMW CCA Michiana's hot shoes, Carl.

Watch the line the red OneTrackMind M3 takes:

The blue car chasing takes a slightly different line for most laps. The red car seems to have slightly higher exit speeds, and less understeer after Turn 6, but after a few laps the blue car closes in after Turn 11. Why? Brakes.

The blue driver, let's call him Carl, is on the brakes harder, later and for less time than the red car. Less time on the brakes means faster straight speeds. (I've just got to replace last season's pads and rotors, the fluid is fresh.)

Learning to master the brakes is a sign of an advanced driver. Remember, HARD squeeze, downshift last, MELT off the brakes, fast feet and ROLL back on the gas.

Also, the red driver, let's call him, well, Brad, seems to be pinching Turn 10 just a bit. Let the car finish the turn, Brad. He was trying to get the most out of older tires with a wider arc.

Nice job, Carl! What fun - join us a GingerMan Raceway sometime soon.

Michiana BMW CCA autocross season opener

Fast times, bright skies

by Brad Pines

Michiana BMW CCA Communications Director

Racers hit the track to snake between the cones on a course designed by chapter autocross co-chair Carl Zmijewski on May 19. A record 32 drivers competed in the opening round of the 2012 Michiana Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America autocross season under brilliant blue skies at the Tire Rack in South Bend.

“This was our highest turnout, ever,” said Eve Dolenski, chapter autocross co-chair with Zmijewski. This included 11 drivers competing with us for the first time, five novices new to autocrossing, and three new BMW club members. Most drivers volunteered to help their cone-dodging friends by helping to run the event.

“Carl’s course was good, easy for novices to follow, yet challenging for experienced competitors,” said Dolenski. “(The course added) some new features he learned from the autocrossing seminar at the BMW CCA Driving Events and Chapter Congress meeting in Dallas last February. 

“I was pleased with the course, I tried a couple of new things and they seemed to work well,” said  Zmijewski. “I heard positive feedback about it, (and) I thought it was fun to drive as well,” he said.

Jason Powell wins Class A/AA, is fastest BMW. (Photos by Brad Pines - Click to enlarge)

The fastest BMW was Jason Powell, the Class A/AA winner, with a blistering 43.704 in his 1997 e36 M3 equipped with Hoosier autocross race-compound tires and more than 130k miles on his original clutch. Autocrossing veteran Stever Tamandli growled his  V8 Fiero to the FTD, fastest time of the day, 43.634, just .07 sec. faster than Powell, winning Class E. 

Chris Itterly won Class B in his '79 323i

Chris Itterly, who brought three friends to compete (two joined our club), drove his white 1979 e21 323i to a fast 47.184 (46.245 adjusted) to win Class B on a run with Eve Dolenski in the right seat. Itterly and Powell are now tied for the points lead. “Chris was a great help to me,” said Dolenski, “(He) coached me to lowering my time by 2.5 seconds, by helping me to see how I could improve my braking and cornering.”

Ralph Sampson, Class A winner.

Fastest Class A driver Ralph Sampson also provided in-car coaching for Kirsti Nuttall. He drove his Class A black 1999 e36 M3 in 45.179 (44.727). Matt Huizing was fastest in Class C in 49.651 (48.176) in his red e36 sedan. The quickest Class D driver was John Whalen, who finished third in B/C/D in 50.183 (48.206), driving the 1981 528i he shared with Matt McCoy, 57.054 (54.258). Kyle McKeown was the fastest of five novices. He drove the blue Class B e46 325i to B/C/D 6th place in 50.752 (49.245).

Kyle McKeown, fastest novice.

Prizes for winners were supplied by BimmerWorld and many thanks to our hosts, the Tire Rack, for a wonderful place to play on a beautiful day.

Autocrosses are scheduled for June 16, July 14, Aug. 11 and Sept. 8, all at the Tire Rack. Come out and join the fun, novices and beginners are very welcome. A few loaner helmets are available.

For pictures by Brad Pines, please see the Michiana BMW CCA galleries on his web site:

http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/MichianaBMWCCA

For pictures by chapter president Harvey Nuttall from this event please see our chapter Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150970125534884.481741.349343139883&type=1

Autocrossing: Helpful hints for new racers

Brad Pines on his way to a class victory in SCCA Solo2 racing in 2000. (John A. Lacko)

Walking is good for you.

Walk the course as often as possible to learn the best line through the cones. Try to look far ahead to build good “eye habits.”

Restrain yourself.

Move the seat back with the seatbelt on, then give the chest belt an abrupt tug, locking it. Lean forward to keep it locked and motor, or pull, the seat back forward.

Mom was right, sit up straight.

Be sure that your seat is more upright than in normal street driving. To check your position, extend your wrists. They should touch the top of the wheel. Hands belong at nine and three for best control.

Lose a few pounds.

Remove all loose interior items, including the floor mats, for safety. Then empty the trunk and remove the jack and spare tire.

Add a few pounds.

Check your driver’s door jam for cold tire inflation pressure, then add about five pounds to each tire to firm up the sidewalls and improve handling. 

I can see clearly now.

Turn your center interior rearview mirror sideways to improve forward visibility. Remember, just as in the movie, “Gumball Rally,” what’s behind you (while autocrossing) is not important.

Look where you’re going.

The car always goes where the eyes go. Don’t look at things you don’t want to hit, like cones. Look next to them, and look as far ahead, along your path, as possible. Always plan for the next corner, don’t react to the one right in front of your car. Keep your eyes up.

Go like hell, stop like hell, go like hell. 

There’s no coasting in autocross. Don’t depress the clutch when you apply the brakes. Either be rolling on the gas, or squeezing the brakes, hard. When braking, make sure the wheels are straight and squeeze the brakes very, very hard at first, then melt off quickly before turning. When you move to the gas, don’t just stomp on the throttle, roll on quickly but smoothly. Think of each pedal more like a dimmer switch than an on/off switch. 

Do your homework.

Here are a couple of good books about autocrossing:

“Speed Secrets: Winning Autocross Techniques” by Ross Bentley and Per Schroeder. (Paperback $19.99 or less)

“How to Autocross” by Andrew Howe

(Paperback $24.74 or less)

Click on this version below as a .jpg file to print as a handout:

NAIAS Detroit Auto Show 2012 pictures

Here are links to two picture galleries of images taken at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, 2012. The first gallery features mostly BMW and Porsche.

http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-1/21114164_KZ9dQ6#!i=1679585284&k=SHM7GTn

Here's the second gallery, mostly concepts and classics:
http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-2/21124396_qFpZvk#!i=1680347296&k=XxKJSQb