tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64379812701987173512024-03-05T08:35:36.067-08:00OneTrackMindHigh Performance Driver's Education with Brad PinesOneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-29924668581288656882020-04-14T09:14:00.000-07:002020-04-14T12:15:51.298-07:00Red Mist and First Time Flat through The Chute<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 11px;"><b>By Bradley S. Pines</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11px;"><b>OneTrackMind</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">With two miles of twisty rolling road, 10 corners and a 2,900 foot straight, Summit Point Raceway (now Motorsports Park) was my home track in the Washington D.C. metro area many years ago. It was where I first covered sports car racing in the ‘70s as a journalist, ate nuclear fuel called Summit Point Chili, and survived my first on-track ride during a media day. Several years later I took driver training there myself.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I was learning all that Summit Point had to teach me. Wagon Bend is Turn 3, and it’s a fast, blind climbing left-hander with a decent downhill straight following it. Driving a low-horsepower “momentum car,” meant girding yourself for blisteringly fast T3 corner entry speed, and flying up and over that blind corner. And hoping the track hasn’t moved since your last lap. If you landed just right, just inches from the right edge of the track, a swirl of dust would rise to mark your passing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summit Point aerial view. (Summit Point Motorsports Park)</td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I had just nailed that corner and accelerating flat out, checked my mirrors on the straight as I had been taught. A fast-mover, with twice my horsepower, had just popped up over the hill and was closing quickly behind me.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Turn 4 at Summit Point is called The Chute. It’s a kink on a sharply downhill straight that leads to a tight left-hand hairpin, the Ev Garner Corner. It felt too fast and scary way back ‘in the day’ to a beginning driver on their first laps of Summit Point Raceway. It seemed dark, the overhead trees blocking the light.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Driving into The Chute felt like diving into the darkest Amazonian jungle or Luke Skywalker flying his X-Wing down into the trough on the Death Star. Or Maverick & Goose slicing their F-14 Tomcat vertical to slice through a tight canyon with jagged rocks on each side, closing in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Now, if you asked the white-clad angel on one of my shoulders, he’d tell you I was polite, and simply didn’t want to hold up that faster car closing behind me. Of course, the red devil on my other shoulder would tell you it was demonic Red Mist that held my throttle foot flat to the floor all the way through the apex of that next scary corner, The Chute.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">At my brake point, I instantly realized I had made a big mistake. Standing hard on the brakes, just shy of lockup (no ABS back then), I couldn’t turn-in. All the car’s weight was still on the nose, and I was going way too fast to make the corner. I’d spin and slide right off the track. So I stayed straight and hard on the brakes, almost to the edge of the track. Then I slowly turned-in and just tip-toed through the hard left, barely on the tarmac.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">“<i>You know what you did, right</i>?” came a shout from the right seat. My instructor, I’d almost forgotten he was there. “<i>Yeah</i>,” I shouted back, “<i>I hit the brakes at the same spot, not adjusting for my higher speed</i>.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“<i>OK, then,</i>” he replied and presumedly went back to his nap.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Now this was B.C. (Before Communicators), before standardized hand signals, before Instructor Training Clinics. Back then, Bentley was a badge-engineered Rolls Royce saloon car, and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Ross was a pro racer also from B.C. (British Columbia) and not yet an author. He kept his Speed Secrets to himself. We novice drivers were taught what to do in the classroom and the in-car instructor was there to yell at us if we screwed it up. More DI (Drill Instructor) than HPDE, back then for the most part.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad Pines dances "Mrs. Peel" through the Esses in the '90s.</td></tr>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">With a few deep breaths, I danced my car through Summit Point’s Carousel and esses, and ASAP gave a point-by to that faster car behind me. He rocketed past and disappeared under the Don Beyer Volvo bridge.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Driving the almost-3,000 foot front straight, I think I figured out what Summit Point taught me on that last lap. Red Mist, often so dangerous, had stopped me thinking about NOW. I should have been focused on NEXT.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Next lap, I was thinking ahead, about where to brake, as I sailed past the apex of The Chute driving flat. During braking (a bit too early) I was thinking ahead about the best entry to the Carousel up next.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">That little green guy on Star Wars was right, “<i>Do or do not. There is no try</i>.” Concentrate on the next and you will solve the problem of now much easier. On the following lap I braked a bit deeper and may have even heard a grunt of approval from my instructor.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I owe a huge debt to Bill Scott Racing Chief Instructor Bruce Reichel for his excellence teaching how to teach, both in the classroom and riding with me, <i>“now melt off the brakes,” </i>and his other students. Legendary instructor Miriam Schottland was brave enough to guide me to rotate the car quickly by inducing trailing-throttle-oversteer. There were other instructors of note, but let’s just say that track instruction has come a long way, baby.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">These days, I’m often the guy in the right seat with no naps while aboard for me. I repay Bruce, Miriam and the rest by passing on what I had learned, and always striving to improve. No, we don’t move the track between laps.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>Check your mirrors all the time. Do not succumb to Red Mist.<br />
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Have ‘hungry eyes’ and concentrate on what’s <i>next</i> and <i>now</i> will be so much easier. The faster you go, the slower your hands should move. Don't tell the car what to do, ask it nicely. When your hands are straight, gas is great, but when wheels are turned you could get burned! </div>
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Yes, you can do it, that very scary thing and conquer the toughest corner at your home track. I thank all of the 50 tracks I have driven over several decades for their lessons learned.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">And yes, I remember the sheer joy I felt the very first time I drove flat through The Chute.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Brad Pines </i></b><i>is ready to end the unscheduled break in his 21st season as a high performance driving instructor. He is often found at Xtreme Xperience events (</i><a href="http://xxspeed.com/"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>XXSpeed.com</i></span></a><i>) nationwide in the classroom, driving demonstration ride-alongs and in the right seat of their supercars. He instructs at as many CGI Motorsports and club driving schools as his schedule will allow.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i>He may be reached at</i><b><i> </i></b><a href="mailto:OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com"><span class="s2" style="font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"><b><i>OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com</i></b></span></a><i>, on Facebook as </i><b><i>Bradley S. Pines</i></b><i> and Twitter </i><b><i>@BSPines.</i></b><i> A new </i><b><i>OneTrackMind.racing</i></b><i> website is under construction.</i></span></div>
OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-25037493371731645092013-04-24T15:12:00.000-07:002020-04-13T11:53:17.323-07:00Miatas bring Kathy and Mike Avillion together<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b>Kathleen Alice Bell Daniel Avillion</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">May 23, 1957 - April 1, 2013</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMaeeeAN2lUt6t6jRsRW-5hOA_Wxml24PR8zU78Zh5wgBe543IXzecincDnOPkiKMvoV7orySicMElBoSg1NGB_vqEl04JJ-fFE-R6OakmWS9sQtFvzrCjQc0aYruIfddHsP56TA5Sn4/s1600/001_KathySmile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMaeeeAN2lUt6t6jRsRW-5hOA_Wxml24PR8zU78Zh5wgBe543IXzecincDnOPkiKMvoV7orySicMElBoSg1NGB_vqEl04JJ-fFE-R6OakmWS9sQtFvzrCjQc0aYruIfddHsP56TA5Sn4/s400/001_KathySmile.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathy Avillion near Summit Point Motorsports Park.</td></tr>
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It was Kathy’s Miata that brought her to meet her husband, Mike. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> Kathy Daniel Avillion was a very accomplished dressage horseback riding instructor. She had studied with François Lemane DeFuffieu and was a protege´of Sally Swift, who created the Centered Riding program. With more than 25 years of experience, she was a renown instructor in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. riding community. Kathy herself embodied what Mazda calls Jinbai Ittai, the <i>oneness between horse and rider</i>. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathy Avillion drapes a wedding veil behind her Miata in the paddock at VIR.</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> She bought a Mazda Miata sports car and had it outfitted with a protective rollbar, racing harnesses and upgraded brakes. She joined the Mazda Sportscar Club of Washington. To learn how to drive better, she enrolled in a MazdaDrivers driving school at Virginia International Raceway. My old friend, Mike Avillion, another Miata driver, was assigned to her as an instructor. It must have been odd for the experienced instructor to herself be a student again. She must have enjoyed the lessons. Two years later to the day they were married under the track’s landmark century-old oak tree. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> What is it about the Miata and true love? In 1991, my new bride, Joyce, surprised me with a brand-new Miata after our wedding ceremony. Mike Avillion, shot our wedding pictures as well as being in the wedding. On June 17, 2007, it was my turn to return the favor.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Kathy Avillion were wed under the Oak Tree at VIR during a driving school.</td></tr>
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The folks at VIR were tickled that the couple wanted to marry there. Their memory was that this was only the second wedding at the track, which opened in 1957. We’d stage the couple’s Miatas in the South Course paddock and then park them under the oak tree during the lunch break. Kathy looked beautiful in her wedding dress and she decorated her car with a wedding veil. Mike donned a sport coat and tie.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbbNkR08xOE0t0qUKFJZql7VqWLQ2K7JACALVqEEaP78Cm_iMB56yKQas3kAZAfn-Kt1FmlIghLwAuiDhMVgverzFPXLJBT8Qfw0491FbJXUjRWYio_57yx5J70yaKmpsPuCqkeG2x9w/s1600/24_MikeKathyVows2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbbNkR08xOE0t0qUKFJZql7VqWLQ2K7JACALVqEEaP78Cm_iMB56yKQas3kAZAfn-Kt1FmlIghLwAuiDhMVgverzFPXLJBT8Qfw0491FbJXUjRWYio_57yx5J70yaKmpsPuCqkeG2x9w/s320/24_MikeKathyVows2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends watch as the happy couple exchange wedding vows on the racing line.</td></tr>
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The couple’s friends stood in the shade of the huge old oak as Kathy and Mike exchanged vows between their parked sports cars. With a long kiss, they began their marriage and posed for pictures. It was wonderful to see such happiness come to people you care for.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> They hopped into Mike’s “Malloy Mazda Bear Bottom Racing” Miata for a victory lap of the historic track. Pulling into the paddock, there was just time to share a few smiles, cut three cakes and don the purple (Kathy’s color) hats donated by Malloy Mazda to commemorate the wedding. Then, it was ties off, helmets bon and back to racing speed at the track. I always wondered if Mike student’s knew he was a groom that weekend.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newlyweds Mike & Kathy Avillion take a victory lap of VIR's Grand Course.</td></tr>
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That evening Kathy and Mike held their wedding reception in the VIR Plantation Manor. Friends celebrated with the couple and Kathy was given a riding crop to keep her new husband in line. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> “It was Kathy’s dream,” said Mike of Kathy owning her own horse facility with an indoor riding area. They invested their life savings and in April 2008 opened for business. Alice, Kathy’s middle name, inspired the couple to name their equestrian center Cheshire Horse Hills. She drew a smiling horse to serve as a logo. Soon they were both boarding horses and Kathy was instructing students on their 22-acre property.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwEzD-7z5EOOpBFqHsdfKfstCOTkIYKYrIWQE3ibL4VZRXU9nsiLNXLmMnF9O_x4JQj5Gb54hmrBedI_8Rj3_qodCbmM6jIQSmeSD6Zg86Eeq_jPmHUE8WIWHbSeh7gPq2Aj6yqxrkNU/s1600/55_PartyCouple1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwEzD-7z5EOOpBFqHsdfKfstCOTkIYKYrIWQE3ibL4VZRXU9nsiLNXLmMnF9O_x4JQj5Gb54hmrBedI_8Rj3_qodCbmM6jIQSmeSD6Zg86Eeq_jPmHUE8WIWHbSeh7gPq2Aj6yqxrkNU/s320/55_PartyCouple1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike and Kathy share a laugh at their wedding reception.</td></tr>
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The workload was staggering. Mike, who knew nothing about horses, was now the facilities manager, taught by Kathy in proper equine care. She was the in-house instructor. They made far less than the minimum hourly wage, but ran Cheshire Hills together. Mike was very organized and Kathy had great people skills. We didn’t see him at the track very much. When they got a bit of help, they’d go out to dinner, or see a movie. It wasn’t very often.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> Here is where the storybook romance takes a tragic turn. Pain in Kathy’s tummy turned out to be ovarian cancer. There was little doctors could do following surgery. After a battle, Kathy returned from the hospital to be cared for at home by Mike and visiting hospice nurses.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> On April 1, 2013, Kathleen Alice Bell Daniel Avillion died at age 55.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> All of us recognize truly exceptional people. Kathy's fire burned brightly and she grabbed at life with both hands. She was brave, marrying for the second time at age 50, bought an open sports car and drove on a racetrack at full racing speeds and bet her life's savings on a dream. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"> She loved her daughter, Stephanie Daniel, her family, her faith, friends, students, horses great food and her Miata. And she loved her husband, Mike, and their Cheshire Hills.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">A Celebration of Life ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. on April 27 at Cheshire Hills, 15104 Garner Road, Waldorf, Maryland, just 17 miles from the White House.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Photography by Bradley S. Pines - Please click on images to enlarge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Please use these links to see more than 80 pictures from the Avillion wedding, read </b></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Kathy's story at Ride for Life, and link to their equestrian center's website.</b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Friends/KathleenDanielAvillion/29064786_SVHngN#!i=2473604520&k=jMMQDBD" target="_blank">Click here for a picture gallery of Kathy & Mike's wedding at VIR</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.pvdarideforlife.org/about/stories/" target="_blank">Click here and scroll down to read Kathy's own words about ovarian cancer</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.cheshirehorsehills.com/" target="_blank">Click to visit the Cheshire Hills website</a></div>
OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-2954423552449245512012-07-30T18:21:00.001-07:002012-07-30T18:47:30.490-07:00Hot laps at GingerMan RacewayHere's a look at some hot laps at GingerMan Raceway, courtesy of one of the BMW CCA Michiana's hot shoes, Carl.<br />
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Watch the line the red OneTrackMind M3 takes:<br />
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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.<br />
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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.)<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Nice job, Carl! What fun - join us a GingerMan Raceway sometime soon.OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-86843700932538614912012-05-24T13:58:00.000-07:002012-05-24T19:12:17.784-07:00Michiana BMW CCA autocross season opener<br />
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<span class="s1"><b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Fast times, bright skies</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><b>by Brad Pines</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Michiana BMW CCA Communications Director</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">“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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">“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.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">“I was pleased with the course, I tried a couple of new things and they seemed to work well,” said</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">Zmijewski. “I heard positive feedback about it, (and) I thought it was fun to drive as well,” he said.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Powell wins Class A/AA, is fastest BMW. (Photos by Brad Pines - Click to enlarge)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzwTsE9og0ALQSSr7CG0L2ZwVD27lkbFxL1zLqAvfoKGstZl5ve78dJuo4Y7n9X67LvFrjYw2BMT8-pOGbLEC09OKy2ybY5XCYzuW2QgVzqfJ4AWRnvrlO4wdc-825MegxmwtY2npoqw/s1600/ChrisItterly_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzwTsE9og0ALQSSr7CG0L2ZwVD27lkbFxL1zLqAvfoKGstZl5ve78dJuo4Y7n9X67LvFrjYw2BMT8-pOGbLEC09OKy2ybY5XCYzuW2QgVzqfJ4AWRnvrlO4wdc-825MegxmwtY2npoqw/s320/ChrisItterly_0070.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Itterly won Class B in his '79 323i</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rL10CXbMJV7o3h_mpZXxku4SAJV1sMhIeSW_yFgzBll4j4-4zQZDtFJUPDAdtSraPK86GWbT5YsXG7YUfsF2iss-3Moc69yRbQdCbm3_Wfvl-o2I48pudKE8c_gkQKTotBfaLEHDBZ0/s1600/RalphSampson2_autox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rL10CXbMJV7o3h_mpZXxku4SAJV1sMhIeSW_yFgzBll4j4-4zQZDtFJUPDAdtSraPK86GWbT5YsXG7YUfsF2iss-3Moc69yRbQdCbm3_Wfvl-o2I48pudKE8c_gkQKTotBfaLEHDBZ0/s200/RalphSampson2_autox1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ralph Sampson, Class A winner.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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).</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB48RBxu4z1SnqbGW8dC7XY3UnSIIvrWN9b8r1TpJUEU31aSTN0L9T9xZHCCI5qNNHS0lJKVzTnuzcSGt0ZY3MOTVP5TjS2CtSOzn8COPbHvywKsh-qsBd0MltX_v7IltkTCG7Oljsuik/s1600/KyleMcKeown2_autox1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="83" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB48RBxu4z1SnqbGW8dC7XY3UnSIIvrWN9b8r1TpJUEU31aSTN0L9T9xZHCCI5qNNHS0lJKVzTnuzcSGt0ZY3MOTVP5TjS2CtSOzn8COPbHvywKsh-qsBd0MltX_v7IltkTCG7Oljsuik/s200/KyleMcKeown2_autox1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle McKeown, fastest novice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="s1"></span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">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.</span></span></div>
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For pictures by Brad Pines, please see the Michiana BMW CCA galleries on his web site:<span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/MichianaBMWCCA">http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/MichianaBMWCCA</a></span></div>
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For pictures by chapter president Harvey Nuttall from this event please see our chapter Facebook page:</div>
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<span class="s1"></span></div>
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<span class="s2"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150970125534884.481741.349343139883&type=1">http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150970125534884.481741.349343139883&type=1</a></span></div>
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</div>OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-1310297057591521482012-05-16T21:28:00.001-07:002012-05-17T07:14:56.315-07:00Autocrossing: Helpful hints for new racers<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRuM-NCbVmHh8EHOAsccXmmjgGrXP8v0VcXPjBF4zYvY1-NRI9idYwkmCfVqBmXwQFO0asXi-ChzfsI1cOaxZSmSz_A4qJVFr6LwU1joFbqZExrCUKtfHspGEpqog4hHpqlxfx4F2674/s1600/BSPautocross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRuM-NCbVmHh8EHOAsccXmmjgGrXP8v0VcXPjBF4zYvY1-NRI9idYwkmCfVqBmXwQFO0asXi-ChzfsI1cOaxZSmSz_A4qJVFr6LwU1joFbqZExrCUKtfHspGEpqog4hHpqlxfx4F2674/s400/BSPautocross.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad Pines on his way to a class victory in SCCA Solo2 racing in 2000. (John A. Lacko)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Walking is good for you.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.”</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Restrain yourself.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mom was right, sit up straight.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lose a few pounds.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remove all loose interior items, including the floor mats, for safety. Then empty the trunk and remove the jack and spare tire.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Add a few pounds.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can see clearly now.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Look where you’re going.</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Go like hell, stop like hell, go like hell. </span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">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. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do your homework.</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here are a couple of good books about autocrossing:</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“Speed Secrets: Winning Autocross Techniques” by Ross Bentley and Per Schroeder. (Paperback $19.99 or less)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“How to Autocross” by Andrew Howe</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(Paperback $24.74 or less)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vy3mDgKiUCvjP4ej-B7cvheGa7Zf-XZZenV5s5G6UOkHC6ZpNL55ruXCqJjroANq_TSKydOcmQMei4m-eADN0r88jfnBOmfz4LSxviawidCQXHF84csPRNdxsb0aOesoiA-n3W60txw/s1600/BentleyAutocross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Vy3mDgKiUCvjP4ej-B7cvheGa7Zf-XZZenV5s5G6UOkHC6ZpNL55ruXCqJjroANq_TSKydOcmQMei4m-eADN0r88jfnBOmfz4LSxviawidCQXHF84csPRNdxsb0aOesoiA-n3W60txw/s200/BentleyAutocross.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0Y93-luIMHl9bltIW-uQHYrF-pEOmsJwVVvYl3d6hdippur4DSAg_KxbvPiUEx1DpBv1j3mwS7GkivKpR4R1raqYdY8NV2h915Dpz3eYDFyHfD7mPD355wfHYGkg6FXBKlvGwE5q_1Y/s1600/HowToAutocross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0Y93-luIMHl9bltIW-uQHYrF-pEOmsJwVVvYl3d6hdippur4DSAg_KxbvPiUEx1DpBv1j3mwS7GkivKpR4R1raqYdY8NV2h915Dpz3eYDFyHfD7mPD355wfHYGkg6FXBKlvGwE5q_1Y/s200/HowToAutocross.jpg" width="155" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0Y93-luIMHl9bltIW-uQHYrF-pEOmsJwVVvYl3d6hdippur4DSAg_KxbvPiUEx1DpBv1j3mwS7GkivKpR4R1raqYdY8NV2h915Dpz3eYDFyHfD7mPD355wfHYGkg6FXBKlvGwE5q_1Y/s1600/HowToAutocross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Click on this version below as a .jpg file to print as a handout:</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJGQwfF37lLoSF2Vv0XTdrPdbKX2kaOPGYc9MD4aInwW1ijSJhfnKtPiFWydCFtj6MpkxZUIHJJDFQ_oaq8VPN76LE05vQVBF1IyqI60_C473TdObsHS35DyHSTh9a8uMWnKshJmFJg4/s1600/AutocrossingHints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJGQwfF37lLoSF2Vv0XTdrPdbKX2kaOPGYc9MD4aInwW1ijSJhfnKtPiFWydCFtj6MpkxZUIHJJDFQ_oaq8VPN76LE05vQVBF1IyqI60_C473TdObsHS35DyHSTh9a8uMWnKshJmFJg4/s200/AutocrossingHints.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0Y93-luIMHl9bltIW-uQHYrF-pEOmsJwVVvYl3d6hdippur4DSAg_KxbvPiUEx1DpBv1j3mwS7GkivKpR4R1raqYdY8NV2h915Dpz3eYDFyHfD7mPD355wfHYGkg6FXBKlvGwE5q_1Y/s1600/HowToAutocross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-35761218276453657752012-01-21T11:59:00.000-08:002012-01-21T11:59:14.080-08:00NAIAS Detroit Auto Show 2012 picturesHere 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.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU2F0Hork8Ef8WhmhDSc7M0H9H34LDj17TIvurTWKM4LM3mw95Zk_jL8947Rv2LWK3FhiI7t3XqnI5tibDGPejUDUYE7yWgRE9ldHDFJvY3h_3Rl15ksgNNVWowBHgEo6PIvYtc7Mhd0/s1600/002BMWi8front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU2F0Hork8Ef8WhmhDSc7M0H9H34LDj17TIvurTWKM4LM3mw95Zk_jL8947Rv2LWK3FhiI7t3XqnI5tibDGPejUDUYE7yWgRE9ldHDFJvY3h_3Rl15ksgNNVWowBHgEo6PIvYtc7Mhd0/s320/002BMWi8front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-1/21114164_KZ9dQ6#!i=1679585284&k=SHM7GTn">http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-1/21114164_KZ9dQ6#!i=1679585284&k=SHM7GTn</a><br />
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Here's the second gallery, mostly concepts and classics:<br />
<a href="http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-2/21124396_qFpZvk#!i=1680347296&k=XxKJSQb">http://bradleyspines.smugmug.com/Cars/Auto-Shows/NAIAS-Detroit2012-2/21124396_qFpZvk#!i=1680347296&k=XxKJSQb</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq206zaLJIPLEcIwH7YV7_fDTFemMgHqO5uwy-vlThSGLVp8PPn31VVzbZYyauQfTpBnll1TanIXwezZ4KvxAjDLjuwtXXneOZ7gEzWgxPQ4JJ61fSA7vEUfqLCKTAKimzQI8uSKlWFFs/s1600/046AcuraNSX2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq206zaLJIPLEcIwH7YV7_fDTFemMgHqO5uwy-vlThSGLVp8PPn31VVzbZYyauQfTpBnll1TanIXwezZ4KvxAjDLjuwtXXneOZ7gEzWgxPQ4JJ61fSA7vEUfqLCKTAKimzQI8uSKlWFFs/s320/046AcuraNSX2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-64472270311905738202011-06-07T12:21:00.000-07:002011-06-08T06:56:39.289-07:00Give me a break, you didn't broke too late! Braking technique explained<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Braking for a corner should be very simple: </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Go like hell, stop like hell, then go like hell.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The problem is there are competing goals here. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">On one hand, you want to shorten the time and distance that you’re on the brakes as much as possible. On the other hand, you really want to get back onto the gas as soon as possible to extend the upcoming straight and maximize speed.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you’re still hard on the brakes when it’s time to turn in for the corner, you’ve got a nose-heavy car. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Much of the weight would have transferred to the front tires. That means they have to spend their grip budget on braking, leaving little grip available for cornering. The back tires are light, so if you turn abruptly, the car could spin. Even it you don’t go for a spin, with so little grip available for cornering, you’ve got to go slowly into the corner.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">What to do? As in any good marriage, the answer is compromise. Ask any happy spouse - to get something, you have to give something.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We give up a little bit of time by braking just a bit earlier. This allows time for us to melt-off the brakes as we’re done. That means we manage that weight transfer back to the rear tires, giving them some grip. This also frees up more and more grip at the front end for cornering. Our entry speed can rise with the increased grip. It’s still “slow in, fast out” but the slow can be faster.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The old saw holds true: “Late braking will gain you 1/100th of a second, but getting on the gas earlier will gain you 1/10th of a second.” That’s a hundred times more time. That’s what we get for our taking a bit more time on the brakes. We get to get onto the gas sooner. Yes, “He (or she) who gets on the gas first, wins.” Another truism.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The Hard squeeze, Melt-off, Roll on (the gas), technique really works and is the mainstay in getting all of the grip available from your tires. Concentrate on smooth brake release. It’s an advanced driving skill and usually the last one mastered. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">First, be sure your tires are pointed straight. Two hands on the wheel. Downshifts are last in this process. Now squeeze hard, but don’t stomp, to get to full brakes as quickly as is possible. You want to be just on the threshold of your tires locking up or the advent of ABS. Yes, this is what is meant by “threshold braking.” Stay on the brakes as you approach your turn-in point. Smoothly melt off the brake pedal. Use your toes to feel the pedals. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you need to shift, finish melting off and downshift before turning in. If you have mastered the vanishing art of the heel-and-toe downshift, your downshift costs you no time. You can be both on the brakes and downshift at the same time. Such happy feet.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Again using your toes, begin to roll back onto the throttle. Three-time World Champion driver Jackie Steward advises “Don’t ever get on the throttle until you’re sure you don’t have to get out of it again.” Be patient and smooth. Think of both gas and brakes as dimmers to be turned smoothly. They’re not On/Off switches.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">You should vary the rate you go from full brakes to full off, and from no gas to wide open throttle depending on the grip you’ve got available. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Advanced drivers even extend their braking zones into the beginning of the turns as they melt-off or trail-off the brakes. Yep, another term better understood, this is trail braking. You trail off the brakes after turning in, trading some braking grip for cornering grip. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We want novice and beginning drivers to always brake in a straight line. This allows for all of the tires’ grip to be used slowing down. Intermediate drivers learn to melt off later, and trail brake into corners. Advanced drivers do this as a matter of course.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">That took longer than I thought - time for a break.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">P.S. Here’s a pet peeve: the past tense of brake is braked, not broke. (Unless, of course something stopped working in the braking system) “I braked too late and missed the apex,” and not “I broke too late...”</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-88302870350064862692011-04-18T16:35:00.000-07:002012-05-17T07:25:00.196-07:00List of links for OneTrackMind drivers & seminar folks<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Thanks to everyone for making the inaugural OneTrackMind driving seminar a success. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Please correct a typo in the FAQ handout (a dot instead of a dash)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The OneTrackMind blog address should be:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://onetrackmind-bradpines.blogspot.com/">http://onetrackmind-bradpines.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">While things are fresh in your mind, please send me an email and give me your candid thoughts about this event. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span>OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For future seminars in Kalamazoo, is there another track driving topic you’d like to hear more about? Tuning your car for track conditions? Moving from the intermediate to the advanced group? Further discussion of the line at GingerMan Raceway or another local track? What’s your suggestion?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’d especially like to thank those who volunteered to serve on our panel. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Our first speaker, <b>Rob Schermerhorn</b>, is the owner of <b>Hooked on Driving</b>/Midwest (Like them on Facebook) has announced several new events on their driving school schedule, including dates at GingerMan Raceway. Check the website and the Facebook page for details. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It’s not too late to sign up for the Monday May 2 event at Autobahn, which follows the Windy City BMW driving school at the track.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here are some links for Hooked on Driving:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.hooked/">www.HookedOnDriving.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Facebook page:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hooked-On-Driving-Great-Lakes-region/325409020085?sk=notes">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hooked-On-Driving-Great-Lakes-region/325409020085?sk=notes</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Rob Schermerhorn’s email:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:RobS@HookedOnDriving.com">RobS@HookedOnDriving.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Autobahn event info:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.hookedondriving.com/event-details/May_2_Autobahn_Full_Circuit,_Chicago">http://www.hookedondriving.com/event-details/May_2_Autobahn_Full_Circuit,_Chicago</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Hooked on Driving instructional videos:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.hookedondriving.com/videos/hooked-on-driving-videos">http://www.hookedondriving.com/videos/hooked-on-driving-videos</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Rob’s lap of GingerMan Raceway with new Turn 10 extension:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcvprr2mwMY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcvprr2mwMY</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Thanks also to <b>Claudio Kaempf</b>, a Porsche Club of America racer who owns and operates Foreign Car Services at 1104 Portage Street (at Lake) in Kalamazoo. Many</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">of his customers are regular track drivers. Claudio and his staff are well prepared to get</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">His shop’s website:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.foreign-car-services.com/">www.foreign-car-services.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A Kalamazoo Gazette video about Claudio the racer by Bradley S. Pines at GingerMan:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De294Lyj0cs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De294Lyj0cs<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A Kalamazoo Gazette story about Claudio Kaempf by Bradley S. Pines:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/06/portage_racer_tries_to_match_l_1.html">http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2009/06/portage_racer_tries_to_match_l_1.html<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A Kalamazoo Gazette slide show of Claudio Kaempf by B.S. Pines:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://photos.mlive.com/4472/gallery/Local%20Porsche%20racer%20defends%20victory/index.html">http://photos.mlive.com/4472/gallery/Local%20Porsche%20racer%20defends%20victory/index.html<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Eve Dolenski</b> is the treasurer of the <b>BMW Car Club of America’s Michiana chapter</b>, a sponsor of the event.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The chapter website is:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.michiana-bmwcca.com/">www.michiana-bmwcca.com<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The chapter’s Facebook page is here:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/BMWCCA-Michiana-Chapter/349343139883">http://www.facebook.com/pages/BMWCCA-Michiana-Chapter/349343139883<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The club runs an autocross series at the Tire Rack in South Bend. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">To sign up many other cool car events go here:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.motorsportreg.com/"><i>www.</i><span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><b><i>motorsportreg</i></b><i>.com</i></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Michael Betz</b> is a longtime member and the webmaster of the <b>Porsche Club of America’s West Michigan Region</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The region’s website is here:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://wmi.pca.org/">http://wmi.pca.org</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Our local racetrack, <b>GingerMan Raceway</b>, hosts many driving schools and spectator events on its newly expanded 2.2 mile road course just east of South Haven on Phoenix Road. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The track’s website includes a varied schedule:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.gingermanraceway.com/">http://www.gingermanraceway.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">GingerMan Raceway’s Facebook page (Like this too and read Brad’s story about Juan Marchand on this page):</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gingerman-Raceway/134580229919594</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">CGI Driving School puts on events on several Monday's at GingerMan Raceway:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.cgimotorsports.com/school_what_art1.html">http://www.cgimotorsports.com/school.html<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Your event organizer and moderator was <b>Brad Pines</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Contact Brad:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com">OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The OneTrackMind blog (in its infancy - we’ll alert you to updates)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://onetrackmind-bradpines.blogspot.com/">http://onetrackmind-bradpines.blogspot.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Homework:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here are two books and a video that I ask many of my students to try:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"Speed Secrets" by Ross Bentley (first book - red cover)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Secrets-Professional-Driving-Techniques/dp/0760305188/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356231&sr=1-2">http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Secrets-Professional-Driving-Techniques/dp/0760305188/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356231&sr=1-2<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"Going Faster” DVD:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skip-Barber-Artist-Not-Provided/dp/B0006A9I2A/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356276&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Skip-Barber-Artist-Not-Provided/dp/B0006A9I2A/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356276&sr=1-1<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">"Going Faster" by Carl Lopez book:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-Mastering-Race-Driving/dp/0837602262/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356143&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-Mastering-Race-Driving/dp/0837602262/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281356143&sr=1-1<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Some more driving event links:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.trackschedule.com/">http://www.trackschedule.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Cool track maps for your car windows:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.trackdecal.com/prod/tracks.html">http://www.trackdecal.com/prod/tracks.html<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>National Auto Sports Association</b> (<b>NASA</b>) Midwest region puts on HPDE events as part of</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">their racing weekends. Note GingerMan on their schedule:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.nasamidwest.com/">http://www.nasamidwest.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Grattan Raceway</b> in Belding:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.grattanraceway.com/">http://www.grattanraceway.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Autobahn Country Club</b> near Joliet, IL:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.autobahncc.com/">http://www.autobahncc.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Waterford Hills Road Racing</b> in the Detroit metro area:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.waterfordhills.com/">http://www.waterfordhills.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Lane Automotive</b>, just south of I-94 in Watervliet, has lots of Bell, Simpson and other helmets, other safety gear:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.laneautomotive.com/">http://www.laneautomotive.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My favorite hard core sports car magazine <b>Grassroots Motorsports</b>. Their advertisers sell helmets and everything you’ll need. Pick up a copy and look at their website:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/">http://grassrootsmotorsports.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>OG Racing</b> driver supplies:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.ogracing.com/pages/Home">http://www.ogracing.com/pages/Home<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Safe Racer</b>:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.saferacer.com/">http://www.saferacer.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>G-Force</b> racing helmets, safety gear:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.gforce.com/">http://www.gforce.com</a></span>/</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>Pyrotect </b>racing helmets, safety gear:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.pyrotect.com/home.php?xid=824d94ef856e98127b349291cecac44e">http://www.pyrotect.com/home.php?xid=824d94ef856e98127b349291cecac44e<span style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"></span></a></span></div>
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OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-7981737538644621452011-04-14T14:06:00.000-07:002014-02-10T08:24:27.905-08:00Driving School and HPDE FAQs<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>What is a Driving School and what does HPDE stand for?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Driving schools are recreational, non-competitive events held on twisty, and sometimes hilly, road courses. Often, an instructor rides along with the driver during all sessions on the track. HPDE stands for either High Performance Driving Event, or Driver’s Education, which I prefer.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpGoe3AEYay8CwecI1A0lpWH3o5y5gaWd-Wy9Mh9baC6w9kJqqWbx7ONADaE2bX8kvSgY46-18MNzSLxq6WN4MOLrUwmOpGbuHswlY0cwwnSV6mb-8d2debg6RA7cChOmLuNrCO6C9iQ/s1600/AutobahnCC2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpGoe3AEYay8CwecI1A0lpWH3o5y5gaWd-Wy9Mh9baC6w9kJqqWbx7ONADaE2bX8kvSgY46-18MNzSLxq6WN4MOLrUwmOpGbuHswlY0cwwnSV6mb-8d2debg6RA7cChOmLuNrCO6C9iQ/s1600/AutobahnCC2009.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A BMW M3, Porsche 911 and an Audi sedan during a driving school.</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>What kind of car do I need to drive?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Any safe, well maintained car will do. I’ve had students in economy hatchbacks, rental sedans, but mostly sporty cars. Most tracks don’t allow trucks, SUVs or minivans, however. If you've got a convertible, you'll need rollover protection, like an approved rollbar. Some tracks will allow cars with pop-up bars, like the Porsche Boxter. Check with the organization and the track before sending your registration fee.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Do I need any special equipment?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The only thing you’ll need is a Snell SA2005, or later, helmet, although some organizations do have loaners. I prefer full-face helmets. Buy a copy of Grassroots Motorsports magazine and check their ads for vendors like Discovery Parts <a href="http://www.DiscoveryParts.com/" target="_blank">www.DiscoveryParts.com</a> Be sure to wear natural fiber long pants (some require long-sleeved shirts) and closed toe shoes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>How fast will I go and is it dangerous?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">There are no speed limits. Anytime you drive your car, there is some element of risk. There are rules of the road while on the track to keep everyone safe. Having an experienced instructor with you really helps. In 100+ events, I’ve had no damage to my car or any other I've been riding in.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Will my regular insurance cover me at track events?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Although these are educational events and not competitions, most policies won’t cover you while on a race track. There are several insurance companies who will sell driving school/HPDE event insurance, if you wish. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Who puts on driving schools like you’re talking about?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Many organizations. Hooked on Driving <a href="http://www.HookedOnDriving.com/" target="_blank">www.HookedOnDriving.com</a> puts on events at several area racetracks and is part of a national program. The National Auto Sport Association <a href="http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html" target="_blank">www.nasaproracing.com</a> blends its HPDE program into their racing schedule. Many car clubs, like the BMW Car Club of America <a href="http://www.BMWCCA.org/" target="_blank">www.BMWCCA.org</a> and the Porsche Club of America <a href="http://www.PCA.org/" target="_blank">www.PCA.org</a> and other clubs put on schools. Check your local racetrack websites for events you may attend in your own car.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGz8IXE2qXWxrKkIXVMJeaTsbGW9mtYc6jh-v8EPONJlq4TjfvxFBVNAcThfhFoMSLyj2pvQRixC5SstEIv5RJF2tzIwujzjQYE39q1jPHZEELvo1sVUhiSc5EmTkZgZQ-y3ZV8SAXvo/s1600/BSPhelmetFace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGz8IXE2qXWxrKkIXVMJeaTsbGW9mtYc6jh-v8EPONJlq4TjfvxFBVNAcThfhFoMSLyj2pvQRixC5SstEIv5RJF2tzIwujzjQYE39q1jPHZEELvo1sVUhiSc5EmTkZgZQ-y3ZV8SAXvo/s1600/BSPhelmetFace.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brad Pines instructing at a BMW CCA<br />Driving School at GingerMan Raceway.</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>Where are these events held?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">At twisty and challenging road courses around the nation. I am fortunate to live in Michigan, which has three road courses. GingerMan Raceway is in South Haven, just about seven miles inland from Lake Michigan. A bit northeast of Grand Rapids is Grattan Speedway, in Belding, and Waterford Hills Road Racing is in the Detroit area near the Oakland Airport in Clarkson. Do an internet search for road course, or try <a href="http://www.trackpedia.com/" target="_blank">www.trackpedia.com</a> to find one near you.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>How much does it cost?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It varies, depending on how many days the event runs, where it is (some tracks, like Road America, are very expensive to rent) and other extras, like lunch. Figure about $200-$400 per day. Open track days are less, but offer no in-car or classroom instruction and require track experience.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">If you have another question, post it in the comments section, and I'll add the question and answer here.</span><br />
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Can't wait to meet you in the paddock,<br />
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brad</div>
OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-27723012080976889852011-04-04T10:05:00.000-07:002020-04-13T11:50:44.507-07:00Hello, I'm Brad Pines (an introduction to a track-aholic)<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hello, I’m Brad, and I’m a track-aholic.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(chorus) “Hello, Brad.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am addicted to driving sports cars on racetracks, but I’m not headed to rehab anytime soon. I’ve been a regular at the track since the latter part of the 20th century. In 2000 I swapped seats to become a Right Seat Ranger, an in-car instructor at club driving schools on area road courses. I turned pro in 2013, working for Xtreme Xperience and in 2014 became their first Chief Instructor. Still with XX, I'm now a Senior Lead Instructor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m a car guy. I own more driving shoes than dress shoes, teach heel-and-toe downshifting and how to dance through the climbing esses at VIR.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This blog is intended to be a place for track drivers to pick up a few pointers, express their opinions and help keep me on the right track as an instructor. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, I should introduce myself. I’m Bradley S. Pines, once prematurely gray, and now always willing to spend time hooking others on my favorite passion - high performance racetrack driving.</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWA2cQR0wp9Wgm89OuVgAKlIU5QSRltUdzI-RUnUE0rrAhlxz7H924uYFa2_x00UPDiKH6JHfEwtIWql4KMxCbvDis3FhMNYny4hPo4CIBkb6ss-89ETv1Xbim2f9RRJe1QH9-Ps8uUQ/s1600/Stig+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWA2cQR0wp9Wgm89OuVgAKlIU5QSRltUdzI-RUnUE0rrAhlxz7H924uYFa2_x00UPDiKH6JHfEwtIWql4KMxCbvDis3FhMNYny4hPo4CIBkb6ss-89ETv1Xbim2f9RRJe1QH9-Ps8uUQ/s400/Stig+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am doing by best Stig impression while instructing at a BMW CCA driving school.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">In 2014 I accepted the post as Chief Instructor at Xtreme Xperience, the nation's premier racetrack supercar experience. At Xtreme Xperience <a href="http://www.xxspeed.com/" target="_blank">www.XXSpeed.com</a> I work in a team of professional drivers and instructors in making sure each of our customers is safe and enjoys driving a supercar like a Ferrari 488 GTB on a twisty and challenging racetrack.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">While living in Michigan, "back in the day," I returned to my old stomping grounds, Summit Point Raceway, outside Washington, D.C. to learn from two excellent chief instructors, Bruce Reichel and Miriam Schottland, at driving schools run by Bill Scott Racing. While there, instructor Barry Brown, an SCCA Showroom Stock racer, took me for a ride in my own unmodified Miata. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My instructors had been very positive during my first day, but riding with Barry, going around corners far quicker that I had, braking far harder, set off a light bulb in my head. “Oh, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">that’s</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> fast,” I realized. And I was hooked. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Among the many things that I learned from Bruce was gentle brake release for optimum grip. "Melt off the brakes," is what he said to me and what I repeat to my students today. Miriam taught me to rotate the car through weight transfer. I was able to drive away from my racetrack buddies after she taught me to induce trailing throttle oversteer on Summit Point's tight Jefferson Circuit. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I owe Bruce, Miriam and Barry a debt of thanks that I try to repay each time I work with a new student. I spent several years attending track driving events before becoming an instructor myself at Virginia International Raceway in March, 2000.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John A. Lacko took this portrait of me instructing at a<br />
driving school at GingerMan Raceway in 2013.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">I blame my father for my love of sports cars. No, he’s not a car guy, but when I was six, he bought a 12-year-old MG for my mother to drive. She quickly became pregnant with my little sister, so he and I would make trips together in the open sports car, often to the new hamburger joint in town, McDonald’s.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wind swirled through the open roadster as we drove and the road seemed to rush by, inches from my outstretched fingers. The cut-down doors of the low slung MG and the smell of the canvas top made each ride with Dad a very special time.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My mother was the real 'car guy' in the family. She drove so fast on the Naval Air Station where I was born that the base cops, the shore patrol, called my father to ask her to keep it under 100-mph. They couldn't catch her in their jeeps, they said. She drove a Porsche around the Monte Carlo Grand Prix circuit when we lived in France, and she was fast through the Alps behind the wheel of her Volvo 122S Amazon, the BMW 2002 of its day. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">My first car was a 1970 Mercury Cougar, with a 351 Cleveland V8 and a Hurst 4-speed. It was followed by a trio of Datsun Z-cars, the last a 1978 280Z. I've never owned a car with an automatic transmission.</span> (My son's car doesn't count).</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">On October 5, 1991, I left Stetson Chapel in Kalamazoo with a new bride on my arm, and new car key in my pocket. Outside the chapel I was surprised to find a new, bright red sports car, a wedding day gift from my wife, Joyce. Never has a groom flown away on a Hawaiian honeymoon with such mixed feelings. A friend sheltered “Mrs. Peel,” my new Miata, in his garage until our return.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, I'm often driving a car I bought at the tail end of a reverse midlife crisis. Since I already had a blonde trophy wife and a red convertible, I needed a grown-up car that would seat five and have a real trunk. I’d been driving nothing but two-seaters since college. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">So, after a wide search, I bought a car club member’s well cared-for 1998 BMW M3 in 2006. I promptly turned to my Grassroots Motorsports magazine library for their project car stories and began upgrading the brakes, tires and suspension. In German, the color is called 'Hellrot,' or bright red, so I'm always sure to obey all traffic laws. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, I still have the Miata. When people ask how long we've been married, I reply, "About 175,000 miles, so far." As I write this, we're headed for my Miata's "Mrs. Peel's" 30th birthday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the many years that I've been in the right seat, instructing my drivers on their first day of a driving school, I remember how I felt in their place. I've ridden in many BMWs, Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Audis, Mercedes, WRX-STis, Miatas, RX7 & RX8s, EVOs, Corvettes, Vipers, American muscle cars, Honda S2000s, and even economy hatchbacks and sedans at the track. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just as I constantly strive to improve my driving, so too do I try to improve my instructing. That’s where, you, dear reader, come into play. If you see something that makes sense to you, or something that doesn’t, sound off, please post a comment or send me an email to let me know.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I look forward to seeing you at the track, always improving, and here at the OneTrackMInd blog.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brad Pines</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com</span></span></a></span></div>
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OneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6437981270198717351.post-77484521730462829662011-03-06T17:08:00.000-08:002011-03-10T13:55:48.779-08:00ESP: What you need for on-track high performance driving.<b>Yes, use your ESP, no crystal balls required.</b><br />
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Drivers at High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), Driver’s Schools or Driver’s Education events are exposed in classroom sessions to a wide range of concepts, theories and the resulting hard-to-remember terms.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A wise author compared learning at a driving school to a thirsty person trying to drink from a roaring fire hose - much too much stuff coming at you much too fast.</div><div><br />
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In the classroom, I do my best to explain what racing terms mean and why they're important concepts for understanding and performing high performance driving.<br />
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In the car, coaching a novice track driver, I simplify, then prioritize what's vital to know while driving flat out on the track. First, let’s reduce things to just three easy-to-remember letters: <b>ESP.</b><br />
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<b>ESP</b> stands for <b>Eyes, Smoothness</b> and <b>Path</b>. First, you’ll drive where you look, next, smoothness in all of your controls for speed and safety, and finally, being in the right place at the right time is vital for fast, safe laps. ESP - first three things to work on, and in that order.<br />
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<b>Eyes.</b> “The car goes where the eyes go,” as Enzo so rightly remembers in Garth Stein’s bestselling novel, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” Instructors have been saying this for years and it’s true. Humans have evolved from creatures of the savannah into visual hunters. We will guide the car by where we look. <br />
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We must first train our eyes to look where we want to go. Sounds simple, but doing so requires constant reminders. It’s natural to fixate on one place, an apex cone, for example, and then to drive from cone to cone in short abrupt motions. Target fixation is yet another reason one driver will follow another right off the track when the leader makes a mistake. <br />
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The trick is to train your eyes to look through the corner and down the track. To <b>always be preparing for the next corner and not reacting to the one in front of you.</b> The further down the track you look, the smoother you’ll drive.<br />
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We can often tell where you’re looking by how you drive. When students begin to fixate, they are abrupt on the track. As drivers gain confidence and skill, they begin to look further, at the apex of a corner before arriving at the turn-in point, and down the straight while just turning in toward the apex. The ride smooths out. The driver is always planning for the next corner, not reacting to this one.<br />
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Learning to have 'horizon eyes,' training yourself to look down your intended path, will keep your car away from danger too. As drivers gain situational awareness on track they don't fixate on cars ahead, but see through them (think outlines to look through) as they look down the track. They begin to pick out visual waypoints around the track to help keep them seeing as far down their path as possible.<br />
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<b>Smoothness</b> is one of the keys to speed. With a car only touching the track in four small playing-card sized contact patches, it’s vital to not overload the tires’ ability to grip the road. Quick, abrupt steering motions will transfer the car’s weight suddenly and vastly lower the total grip available. Gradual build-up of load will mean the tires have a higher limit of grip. Add cornering load more smoothly and you’ll have more total grip. <br />
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Slow hands mean fast lap times. Pretend your hands are underwater. Take a peek at a Formula One driver’s pole-setting qualifying lap sometime. Unless they have exceeded the tires’ grip and have to ‘catch the car’ with some quick opposite lock, slow flowing movements are the rule of the day. No wasted motion, no sawing at the wheel, economy of movement. Slow hands, quick laps.<br />
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The same smoothness techniques apply to the pedals, but faster. the old adage holds true, "Slow hands, fast feet." On the brakes, the smooth technique with wheels straight means a hard initial squeeze to full threshold braking as soon as possible, then, as turn-in approaches, smoothly melting off the brakes to allow you to start rolling onto the throttle.<br />
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This allows the driver to manage the huge transfer of the car’s weight from the rear, while accelerating, to the front, while full on the brakes, and then back rearward when on the gas again. <b>Hard squeeze, melt off, roll on</b>: these are the very words I use in the car.<br />
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It’s <b>path</b> (rather than line) because a technique called ESP you'll remember (rather than ESL). Simply put, it’s being at the right place at the right time. Sharp turns (driving the shortest distance on the inside of the track) must be handled slowly and wide turns (going along the outside of the corner) goes too far, so what’s a driver to do? <br />
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The best compromise is to find the line that starts at the outside of a corner, the <b>turn-in</b> then crosses the inside of the track at, or shortly after, its center, the <b>apex</b>, then takes the car out to the outside (<b>track-out</b> or exit) again. <br />
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This <b>outside-inside-outside</b> technique is the default line for any track, and will be modified depending on what follows the corner in question. Soft, grippy racing tires often shed rubber which accumulates off the racing line, forming ‘marbles’ which lie waiting to throw an unwary driver off the track.<br />
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Corners that lead onto the longest straights, are the most important, so we’ll compromise on less important corners in order to gain speed on more important ones to maximize overall speed and lower laptimes. <br />
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All of this changes, of course, in the rain, where we may often drive around the long way in a corner, hoping to pick up grip where rubber has been thrown ‘off line.’ The goal in the rain is to decrease the cornering load and to find some grip on the wet track. We will also adjust the line for any number of other road and track conditions.<br />
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So there you have it.<br />
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<b>Brad’s guide to high performance driving reduced to just one phrase, ESP: Eyes. Smoothness. Path. </b><br />
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Master your ESP and you’ve gone a long way to fast, safe laps on track.<br />
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Brad Pines<br />
OneTrackMind.brad@gmail.com<br />
http:///onetrackmind-bradpines.blogspot.comOneTrackMindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15256006689829961594noreply@blogger.com3