They say that a rib injury never fully heals. A few years ago, I had a pretty unhealthy bout of pneumonia and during that time I coughed so much that I hurt my ribs on the left side. To this day, sometimes I’ll move just the right wrong way that causes me to double over in pain. It’s like someone is sticking a knife through my rib cage. This little bit of nastiness came to light during my recent visit to Pocono Raceway and made me think about the importance of driving position and proper support. In more than a few cars I tested, the side loads the car generated far exceeded the level of support offered by the seats and I found myself using the steering wheel to keep from flying across the car. The result was a searing pain in my left side as I begged the corner to end. It really was that bad.
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There are so many means of transportation… cars, boats, trains, planes, bikes, motorcycles and many more. I have been asked many times why I love racing and cars so much but the truth is it’s easier to explain which means of transportation I hate the most.

Every driver has his or her own unique style of control and there are many variations but when it comes to getting off a toboggan I respectfuly consider myself an expert even though I have only done it once. Since the normal reaction is to stick your foot in the snow trying to stop the ankles are the first thing to go. That is about the time your ankles get shoved up into your pelvis making the overall length of my legs about four inches long. Continue reading →

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In the early 70’s when I was at Stanford University there was a painting in a window that said, “TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.” I have always remembered that bright colored psychedelic phrase and have been amazed how many times it has seemed to apply it’s self over the last 40 years. While it’s normal to feel as if we are losing a best friend with the passing of summer for many racers the changing of the leaves is a reminder that some of our most important seasons challenges are upon us. Some of us have the year end championships to contend with after an entire year of battle in a series. Then there are many of us who had better be getting our race cars prepped for the upcoming season since most of us will have our first series races for the 2008 season starting as early as January. The bottom line is that racers and teams really never have time to sit on their laurels and next year begins right now.
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Ok, to tell the truth I have never played chess and I don’t know my Rook from a Pawn. I have a good idea what it means when the King jumps the Queen but that’s another story. Having won more endurance races than any other team in the U.S., what I do know is how to win endurance races. Many spectators and even racers really don’t have a true understanding of how complex winning an endurance race is let alone an endurance race series. What is there to it? Build a good car, use all the best equipment, have the best drivers and go win, that’s all there is to it. Riiiight.

Winning major endurance races begins with an understanding of what it takes to win. I have also learned not to be intimidated when teams from all over the world show up with their unlimited budgets. All it takes is one bad decision, one missed apex, one mechanical failure or the planets not aligning at the right time. That said, the car must without a doubt be well engineered and prepped and have all the necessary back up parts and a team who knows how to change them should they need it quicker than anyone else. This means lots of thought must be given not only to the “what if” but how each item can be improved so it can be a “quick-change” instead of a repair. For example, our entire rear end assemblies are made into quick change so in the event we should need to change one it would include housing, gears, wheel bearings, brakes, quick disconnect brake lines, and all. Then we rehearse changing it so that everyone knows EXACTLY what tools need to be ready and who does what, etc. We can change an entire rear end and be pulling back onto the track in less than 2 minutes. Then there is transmissions, clutch, and even quick change engines with radiators attached already filled with coolant. Engine change will take us 12 minutes from start to finish. It’s all about preparation.
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When I was very young (I’m told by my parents) that I was obsessed with cars. I was always intrigued with how they worked.

I was 12 when I got my first car. It wasn’t much, but it allowed me to learn the mechanical and electronic functions of the car. Once I understood what each part was and its functions, the first thing that came to my mind is how can I make it better or faster.

It wasn’t until high school that I learned how difficult racing is. No one had a real sense of knowledge in the sport. I remember asking my shop teacher about it, and he had pulled me aside and asked me why I had an interest in racing. I explained to him that it captivated me and I wanted to get involved in it. Not much was said after that.

After that I would talking to classmates about racing and racing events. I found that most, if not all, the classmates that I talked to didn’t race or had any interest in it. I was on my own.

It wasn’t until I was 18 when I attended my first Autocross event. Understanding the cars behaviour and making the changes to improve the performance and efficiency is what drives me. After 4 years of Autocrossing, I had to put racing on hold and concentrate on my business.

After a long absence and closing the business, I got back into it. I started to compete in the SoloSprint Series. This is my second year with a new car, new people, and it’s exciting!

I had a few mechanical set backs with the car but I’m on track to finish the season.

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Since getting the new camera, I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the wonder that is Flickr and in the process I’ve come across some pretty incredible photographers. Today I found Jim Culp of ProRallyPix. Jim’s got an incredible body of work, spanning 4 decades and ranging from road racing to rally and vintage footage.

The shot above is a Ferrari 512 S shared by Ignazio Giunti and Arturo Merzario in the 1970 Nurburgring 1000 race.

You can see more of Jim’s work on his Flickr page or ProRallyPix.com

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Often, the most excitement of a pro race weekend is provided by the support series. That was definitely the case at the Steelback Grand Prix, where the Castrol Canadian Touring cars were every bit as exciting as the World Challenge cars and maybe more so than the Champ cars.

Lots of photos after the break
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Just a test of the cool FlickrSLiDR tool. Now our readers can check our our Flickr gallery from the VARAC Festival.

Created with Paul’s flickrSLiDR.

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If you’ve never been to a professional level race, you owe it to yourself to visit one. There really is nothing like the sights, sounds and smells of car racing. Maybe the best event of all time is the annual Champ Car World Series visit to the Toronto waterfront. While the event is easily the favorite race of most teams, it might be one of the best for fans as well.
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Last night, we finally got out to the track with both kids. Our 8 year old, Duncan was out for his second time practicing, and 13 year old Shelby was out for the first time this season. We’ve decided that both of them should run in the Canadian Rookie Karting Championship at Mosport International Karting. This is an arrive and drive series, that is fully sanctioned by ASN Canada. Essentially the thought here is to remove Dad’s bungling from the equation and see what our young drivers have going for them. From last night’s results, it looks like it’s going to be an interesting summer!
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