After what seems like a few months absence I'm back with another article. Why the delay? I've been busy with club business here in Quebec. Notice the announcements for our three driving schools this season? One at Sanair using both track circuits (May 26-27) and two at the fabulous, new Le Circuit, Mt. Tremblant (July 13-15 & August 17-19). Hope to see you at least one of our events!

Our July event, Bimmers Across the Border V, will once again be co-hosted with our good friends in the Boston Chapter of the BMW CCA. They're handling combined registration for the driving school, which opens April 30. You can still find the forms on-line at the BMW CC web site, the Quebec Club web site, and the Boston Chapter web site. In addition, we'll be using electronic, on line registration. Just get out your Visa or Mastercard number plus your BMW CC membership number and you can register at:

https://www.boston-bmwcca.org/forms/registration.asp

Not only will we be using the new track facility but the weekend will also be the Blues Festival at the resort. Past events have been great but this should top them all. Of course, we'll have a full field of BMW club racers to entertain the crowds with races both Saturday late afternoon and Sunday morning. I expect this event will be a sellout so don't wait to register. Ditto for our two other schools.

I've also been busy as the Canadian representative on the BMW CCA Club Racing Advisory Committee. We're holding a special meeting in Atlanta to work out some problems and continue to grow the program. Unfortunately, the meeting is on the same weekend as the April Trillium school at Mosport. I'm really disappointed that I have two sit in a hotel conference center for two days rather than be out there exploring the new changes at one of north America's great tracks.

But otherwise I'm happy that we've got two solid race events hosted by our club at two great tracks. Our American friends love our events and, who knows, maybe someday soon there will be an Oktoberfest on foreign soil for the first time. But I'm equally happy that our group of Canadian club racers continues to grow. This year, a few more will be joining the ranks and taking that "one step beyond driving schools".

Spring is the season for new beginnings and so I wanted to write a bit about YOUR new beginning as a racer wannabe. First off, do look at some of the Club Racing Views articles archived on the BMW CC website. They should give you a handle and insight on the friendship, demands, and spirit of club racing under 13/13 "no contact" vintage racing rules.

Second, check the BMW CCA club racing website for more articles plus the official rules and club racing schedule. Find out more about what it takes to get you and your car ready to go racing.

Third, come to an event near you and watch the action and talk to the racers. Still got questions? Give me a call or drop me an e-mail. I'll help wherever I can. By the way, did you know that we have a mentorship program for all rookie racers? Not only do you get special assistance from the event stewards but you get assigned to work with a seasoned racer for the entire weekend of your first event. Ask who got a whole weekend at Mosport last year with "Mr. BMW", Ray Korman.

Fourth, think about trying out a club racing school. There will be several around North America sponsored by BMW CCA Club Racing. Any car acceptable for a driving school can be used. You'll learn lots that's new and get to do some controlled passing in corners and practice starts.

Come on; let's go racin'!

And finally, since this is springtime and the season of new beginnings, here's a list of tips and tricks which I wish I had when I got started. It was compiled by Ralph Warren a transplanted East Coaster now living and racing in California. Ralph is currently the Pacific Region representative to the Club Racing Advisory Committee and the owner of the former "Mad Max" J-Prepared E30 M3 club racer. Mad Max was a gray thing seen at both Tremblant and Mosport. Ugly but quick.

Tips and Tricks
(experience from actual BMW CCA club racers compiled by Ralph Warren)

• There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it again
• When possible, prepare at home to save time at the track
• When you have a wear and tear item in your hand, think about how much your weekend costs - better yet, your car or head
• Never put off till Sunday morning what you can do Saturday night
• Pump your tires up at home, bleed down at the track
• When your wheels are untorqued, put the torque wrench on your seat
• Learn from your adjustments
• Tires cool at an exponential rate, on the cool down lap if you are going to do tire temps, keep your tires hot but cool your brakes and engine
• Cold tire pressures are meaningless
• Mind the sun when adjusting tire pressures
• Don't lose a race to save a few pounds in gas
  4 gal * 7 lbs = 28 lbs 28 lbs / 2800 lb car = 1%
• Don't be afraid to let experienced drivers try your car
• Corner balance your car
• Don't listen to everything you hear, don't believe everything you read
• The Internet is a resource, not God - remember where you "are" in the scope of performance driving
• Use your heater to cool your engine
• Consider as little as 10% coolant
• If the spec is 90ft/lbs torque, 100ft/lbs is not better
• Make a checklist and follow it
• Keep your helmet and gloves in the racecar
• Have your rain tires properly inflates and ready to go in case of rain
• Tires or gas jugs in the trunk don't make the car handle any better
• Make sure the trailer is connected before you pull the car up
• You don't need to use up that last 1/64" of brake pad
• Never put sunscreen on your forehead, it will sweat into your eyes at the worst time
• Don't forget to shift gears on the start and watch your tach if you can't hear your engine
• Don't hold your breath on the start
• After a pit stop, pump your brakes before re-entering track
• Don't try to brake as late as the super modified car in front of you while driving your stock class car
• Remember to bleed air out of your tires after you get them back from the tire shop
• Hoosiers leak and should be checked daily
• Get to the grid early, early, and early
• Always look 'through' the car in front of you, you can never look far enough ahead
• Wave to the flaggers and always pay attention to them, they are your best friends out there
• Don't go gung-ho in the first few laps... he with the most 'stick' at the end wins
• When you drop fluids, get the hell off of the track
• One of my early mistakes in CR was attempting to pass people on the outside
• Always be aware of who is around you, expect the unexpected
• Check out… http://www.BMWclub.ca/ccrart10.htm
• If you ever (absolutely have to) borrow a tool from someone, return it to their hand
• Never assume the security of your battery will pass tech
• If you go off, build up to the limits of the car again