May-June - Kansas City BMW Club

May/June 2007
the
Milepost
the Kansas City BMW Club newsletter
A Spring Drive in Eureka Springs, AR
Over two dozen 2002s and two 1600s gathered April 27-30, 2007 at this year’s MidAmerica 02 Fest in Eureka
Springs, Arkansas. The weekend started with a small drive through town and dinner. Many people appeared on
balconies and doorways to wave us through.
Saturday morning we warmed up the cars and hit the roads. We spent the first half the day cruising through the
mountains enjoying the twisties. Periodically, we would stop and chat, take some pictures, and even set up for a
little video action. You can view the video and pictures at www.midamerica02fest.com. After returning to the
hotel, we prepped our cars for a Show and Shine and looked under each others hoods. It was a pretty spectacular
sight!
No trip to Eureka Springs with the 02s would be complete without a dinner at the Bavarian Haus and a 2002 Tech
Quiz! The door prizes were awesome and Event Master Bo Black deserves a big Thank You!!!
In my humble opinion, there is no better way to spend a weekend than with friends, twisty roads, 2002s..and a
1600 or two.
~ Meg Vanderliest
Welcome New Members
John Powers
Shawnee, KS
1995 325ic
Richard Seward
Overland Park, KS
2002 330xi
Brian Stevenson
Overland Park, KS
Paul Lau
Lenexa, KS
1999 328i
William Stackhouse
Platte City, MO
1996 750iL
Keith Eymann
Prairie Village, KS
1988 635 & 1996 840csi
Lynn Hindley
Kansas City, MO
1998 328i
Jeff Buckingham
Olathe, KS
1986 325is & 1988 325is
Nicholas Fessler
Warrensburg, MO
2002 325it
John Meyer
Leawood, KS
1997 540i
Andrew Sherman
Fort Leavenworth, KS
Steven Bachenberg
Lenexa, KS
1985 325e
David Brenton
Kansas City, MO
2005 M3
Matthew Baugher
Saint Joseph, MO
2003 330i
Hussam Salous
Lees Summit, MO
2000 M5
J.D. Mosher
Olathe, KS
2007 Z4
Ann Johnston
Lenexa, KS
Jim Patterson
Olathe, KS
1997 M3
Kelly Rice
Wichita, KS
1992 525i
Scott & Dawna McCulloch
Lees Summit, MO
2007 530xi
Julie Lintecum
Lawrence, KS
James Thomas
Springfield, MO
2001 Dinan 3
John Holloway
Leawood, KS
Curt Cuscino
Kansas City, MO
2001 330cic
James Pointer
Kansas City, MO
1997 540ia
Robert Mayhugh
Overland Park, KS
2007 X3
Brian Steggeman
Overland Park, KS
2006 325ci
Ted & Brenda Balke
Sedalia, MO
1999 323is
Gary Fuqua
Branson, MO
2001 X5
Bill & Marcie Fry
Kansas City, MO
2000 328ci
John Warren
Branson, MO
1997 328iS & 1997 M3
Phillip Shannon
Springfield, MO
1988 535i
Chris Gehm
Lees Summit, MO
1998 328is
Yao Yang
Wichita, KS
William & Peggy Lyons
Mission Hills, KS
2006 M3
Contact our chapter at:
Kansas City BMW Club
P.O. Box 4832
Overland Park, KS 66204
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678
123456789
12345678
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678
12345678912345678 Check out our chapter website at:
123456789
12345678
http://www.kcbmwclub.org
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678 and sign up for the email list to get
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678 the latest club announcements!!!
123456789
12345678912345678
12345678
12345678912345678
Questions for National BMW CCA?
864.250.0022 or http://www.bmwcca.org
We invite all our members, new and veteran, to join us at our next meeting and event.
the Kansas City BMW Club Board
Greg Gelatka
President
913. 244.9341
[email protected]
Ned Smith
Vice President
[email protected]
913.696.1648
James Sanders
Vice President, Wichita
316.773.1140
[email protected]
Milepost
Serving Kansas and Western Missouri
Larry Blunk
Vice President, Springfield
[email protected]
Doug Hitchcock
Secretary
[email protected]
Ray Spitzer
Treasurer
816.678.3434
[email protected]
Charles Clay
[email protected]
Chris Conant
AutoX Director
[email protected]
Joe Ennett
Chief Driving School Instructor
913.897.2053
[email protected]
Blake Henrich
Charity Coordinator
913.205.3050 [email protected]
May / June 2007
the
Regulars
2
Bimmer Brothers
New Members
4
Upcoming Events
5
President Speaks
14
Classifieds
8
A Sunday CruiZe
9
Workin’ In The Garage
10
Racer’s Corner
11
Brady Kessler
[email protected]
Spring Detailing Session
Kirk Kiloh
Driving Event Coordinator
913.642.9796
[email protected]
816.686.1221
Special Features
6&7
13
Kris Loveless
[email protected]
What is a HPDE?
14
Mickey Makay
Randy Michelson
816.838.8745
[email protected]
Welcome KCI Motorsport Park
Brian Paddock
913.963.1015
[email protected]
15
Welcome Bavarian Autosport
Brad Rein
Milepost Advertising Manager
913.327.2324 [email protected]
Chris Smith
Webmaster
[email protected]
David Stadtmueller
Activities Director
[email protected]
Meg Vanderliest
Milepost Editor
[email protected]
Chuck Vossler
Membership Chairman
913.620.8838
[email protected]
the Milepost is a publication of the Kansas City BMW Club, BMW Car Club of America, Inc.
and is mailed to all members in good standing. Additional copies may be purchased for $1.00 each plus
postage. All contents remain the property of the Kansas City BMW Club. Information supplied is
provided by members and for members only. The Club is in no way associated with BMW of North
America, or any other agents of Bayerische Motoren Werke, AG. The Club assumes no liability for any
information herein. Please note that, unless clearly stated, no information in this publication bears the
status of “factory approved.” Ideas, opinions, and suggestions expressed herein are those of the authors. No authentication is implied by the Club, officers, editor, or publisher. Modifications to vehicles
within the warranty period may void the warranty, in full or in part. Permission is granted to BMW
CCA and BMW ACA chapters to reproduce articles originating in the Milepost, provided full credit
goes to the author and the Milepost. “BMW”, the “M” logo, “The Ultimate Driving Machine,” and the
BMW roundel logo are registered trademarks of BMW AG.
© 2006 Kansas City BMW Club
Upcoming Events
BMW – AUDI Get Together
Saturday, May 5, 2007, 8:30AM
Kansas City, MO, Country Club Plaza
Kansas City BMW Teen Street Survival School
Saturday, May 12, 2007
The Woodlands, Kansas City, KS
Contact Blake Henrich at [email protected] to
volunteer and help!
CLUB MEETING! NEW LOCATION!
Thursday, May 17, 2007, 6:00 PM
Kansas City BMW Club Board and Regular Meeting
at LoneStar Steakhouse
1501 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, KS
Tel. (913) 334-9995.
Cruise in early for a pre-dinner showing of cars followed
by a dinner meeting and discussion. Don’t miss out!
SPRING DETAILING SESSION
Saturday, May 19, 2007, 10:00AM
14109 Eby Street, Overland Park, KS, 66221
This tech session will be held at club member, Brad Rein’s
house and will focus on interior and exterior car care. See
page 11 of the Milepost for more details. See you there!
TECH SESSION
Saturday, May 26, 2007, 10:00AM
6500 Granada Drive, Prairie Village, KS, 66208
This tech session will be held at club member, Chuck
Vossler’s house and will focus on cooling systems. Come
on out to help, learn or shoot the .... There is definitely
something for everyone.
BMW – AUDI Get Together
Saturday, June 2, 2007, 8:30AM
Panera at Shawnee Mission Parkway near Goddard
Street, west side of I-35
BMW Club Dyno Day at MC Racing
Saturday, June 2, 2007, 10:00AM
4880 Merriam Drive, Overland Park, KS 66203
Contact club member Brian Paddock at
[email protected] for more details or you can sign up
on the club website at www.kcbmwclub.com under
events on the forum. Space is limited to the first 16 and
the cost is $25.
KC BMW Show & Shine
Saturday, June 9, 2007, 10am – 2pm
Tuileries Plaza
N. Chatham Ave & NW 64th Street
Kansas City North, MO 64151
Shine your cars and get ready for a great day at Tuileries
Plaza. For every car entered, the KC BMW Club will
receive $25. Please contact David Stadtmueller at
[email protected] if you are interested in entering your
car.
CLUB MEETING! NEW LOCATION!
Thursday, June 19, 2007, 6:00 PM
Kansas City BMW Club Board and Regular Meeting
at LoneStar Steakhouse
1501 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, KS
Tel. (913) 334-9995.
Cruise in early for a pre-dinner showing of cars followed
by a dinner meeting and discussion. Don’t miss out!
DEADLINE for the Milepost
June 19, 2007
BMW – AUDI Get Together
Saturday, July 7, 2007, 8:30AM
Panera at Shawnee Mission Parkway near Goddard
Street, west side of I-35
KC BMW AutoX School
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Truman Sports Complex
6th Annual Church of the Resurrection Car Show
Saturday, July 14, 2007, 9:00AM
13720 Roe Avenue, Leawood, KS
See registration on page 12 to sign up or contact Brad Rein
at brein@escreen for more information.
KC BMW Annual Picnic and Show and Shine
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Shawnee Mission Park, Shelter #8
KC BMW Chapter Driving School
August 10-11, 2007
Heartland Park, Topeka
the Milepost
The President Speaks
by Greg Gelatka
Kansas City weather: it was cold, then warm, then cold
again. Rest assured in a few days or so the cold weather
will be a faded memory. Our events calendar is full this
year: Show-n-Shine Detailing Techniques, Street Survival,
Autocross School, All European Car Show, All German
Car Show, Annual Picnic, HPDE and many others. The
first HPDE event of the year was held by the Audi Club at
Heartland Park Track last month. Approximately fourteen
BMW’s participated, the weather was brisk but clear for
most of the fun-filled weekend. As some of you already
know, HPT recently upgraded their track surface and added
new facilities which were used by many in attendance.
We have our deposit down for our own HPDE event the
weekend of August 10-12th. The rented garage space was
also in heavy use in spite of a wonky overhead door. Mike
Staub’s uber-Yukon took the hit and kept on going! The
opening day for autocross was held at Arrowhead Lot L.
Myself and eight other members did our best to kill cones
in the balmy 70 deg weather. BMW’s were in the house
with E30s, E36s, E46s, E85s and a few incredibly fast and
agile Minis. A turnout of 140 drivers with every class of
vehicle including Chris Conant’s favorite: karts.
Next month we will be hosting a Detailing Techniques Clinic
on Saturday, May 19, 2007. Whether you polish your car
once per week or once per year, you should look forward to
learning different techniques from experts in the field of
car care. Bring your own elbow grease.
The Street Survival School will be held on Saturday, May
12, 2007 at the Woodlands. This should be a must for all
teenage drivers. The BMW Club is calling out to all its
members to seriously consider this event for their own teenagers or “older teenagers” (we know who you are). We are
also looking for volunteers to help out on that day. Please
check the website for date, time and contact information.
Speaking of our website: activity is way up even from the
skeptics: we have had a 400% increase in logging on and
posts. Check it out for yourself. Repair tips, recommendation, tools and a classified section are just some of the different areas. Some great deals have been transacted just
recently.
Spring is in the air. How do I know? The top down button
on my Z4 Roadster is blinking at me to give it much needed
attention. See ya on the streets!
Contacting the BMW
National Office
To submit a change of address for the Roundel,
or if it’s the middle of the month and you
haven’t received your Roundel, or if you have
any other membership questions that need to
go to the National Office, the address is:
BMW CCA, Inc
640 South Main Street, Suite 200
Greenville, SC 29601
You can also call at (864) 250-0022. The
National Office can be contacted Monday thru
Friday, 8:00AM to 4:00PM Central Time.
May / June 2007
Bimmer Brothers Off to a Hot Start
by Doug Hitchcock, aka Mr. Excitment
Bimmer Brother Chris Conant has launched the 2007
autocross season with a real bang.
Conant, who drove his 1988 zinnoberrot ///M3 to a podium finish in 2004 at SCCA’s Solo Nationals, has picked
up three important sponsorships that ought to help put he
and the Bimmer Brothers Racing Team back in the trophies in Topeka next fall.
Internationally known BMW racer and parts supplier
Bimmerworld has signed on to help provide go-fast bits
and supplies.
Import Specialists in Springfield, a longtime backer of
Conant’s autocross efforts, steps up even more this year
with serious technical and mechanical support.
And Butler C&D Body Shop will ensure that “Old Red,”
as Conant refers to his car, looks as good as it runs.
“I hand-picked my sponsors due to quality support and the
class of the organizations,” Conant said. “I didn’t take it
lightly and wouldn’t just work with anyone just to get support. All three of these sponsors are first class!”
Conant’s autocross team, including yours truly as codriver,
tire warmer and air-tank minder, is the first to gain this
level of sponsorship from Bimmerworld. Known to many
CCA members for its online BMW parts and performance
boutique, Bimmerworld has become a significant force in
touring car racing with its e46 and e90 racers, led by owner/
driver James Clay.
At 2004 Nationals in Topeka, Conant finished with the 13th
place trophy in STX class, and established himself as a
national-level competitor. And at that time, Conant was
winging it, working on his own.
“In ’04, I was not only disappointed in my finish, but I
realized the car was underprepared,” he said. “I had to borrow stuff just to compete. Now I won’t have to do that.”
So Far This Season ...
If early results are any indicator, this is going to be a bangup year for Conant and the rest of the Bimmer Brothers.
The loose-knit team of drivers autocrosses BMWs and
Minis around Kansas City with the SCCA and Crown
Autocross Club.
The 2007 season opened March 25th at Arrowhead Stadium, Lot L, with an SCCA-sponsored event. Conant, racing in the very tough, very competitive STU class ended in
a fourth-place finish in class. But that was good enough
for an 11-place finish in the overall PAX ratings of 142
drivers.
STU in Kansas City is a very very tough class. It features
standing two-time national champion Branden Burkhart
and podium-worthy drivers like Jake Diehl, and the class
caters to the all-wheel-drive, 300-horsepower-plus
firebreathers. This means Conant was seriously outgunned
— at least on paper — and makes his finish that much
more impressive.
Meanwhile, standing G Stock National Champ Craig
Wilcox picked up where he left off, finishing first overall
among 142 drivers and easily winning STX in his 2006
Mini Cooper S with a time of 50.743.
BMW CCA member Jon Simmons left his e36 ///M3 in
Nebraska and drove a 2003 Subaru WRX to first place in
the brutal Street Modified class with a best time of 50.675,
finishing a blazing 14th overall.
Randy Michelson piloted his 1998 ///M3 to a second-place
finish in BSP with a time of 52.963, placing 38th overall.
Yers truly, in Little Red, punted a cone on a 53.1-second
final run, giving first in DSP to the Acura Integra of Ritchie
Bell. My best clean time was 54.220, and I finished sec-
With some serious new backing from the BMW racing community, Conant expects to put on a far better show on the
asphault at Heartland Park next September.
The goal? No less than winning the STX class.
“Second place is first loser, as far as I’m concerned,”
he said. “There will be no shortcuts or sacrifices whatsoever. I want to win!”
the Milepost
KC BMW AutoX
And none other than Christian Els himself reemerged from
a one-year hiatus behind the wheel of a beautiful black 1999
M Coupe. Driving in B Stock, Christian won the class with
a time of 57.694, finishing 77th overall.
Our illustrious chapter president, Greg Gelatka, risked cone
scars on his 2007 Z4 to run in A Stock, finishing with a
time of 59.585, 102nd out of 142 drivers.
And Junius Penny, driving a black 1993 325i sedan in STX,
finished with a time of 64.823, 124th overall.
At the Crown autocross April 1 at the Woodlands, Conant
and Wilcox dominated once again.
KC BMW AutoCross events are currently under
planning. Check out our club website at
www.kcbmwclub.com or future issues of the Milepost for event details. If you are interested in becoming involved with planning AutoCrosses, contact AutoCross Director, Chris Conant at
[email protected].
Beware of cones.
ond in class and 42nd in PAX standings. Not the way I
wanted to start the season, but I got nowhere to go but up!
Mike VanAmburgh had to leave his e36 ///M3 at home for
this event, too, bringing his new 3 Series, er, I mean
Mazdaspeed3. But he shot himself in the foot by running
in STU class instead of the Street Tire class. With a time of
55.413, VanAmburgh finished 48th overall and dead last
in class. If he had run Street Tires, he would’ve won the
class.
Mike’s 1995 ///M3 will be back in the hunt very soon, he
assured us. “Just gotta order the parts,” he said.
Ben Tseng, running his 1996 328i in STX, laid down a
personal best of 56.506, good for fourth in class and 51st
overall.
Jasper Mullarney driving a silver 2001 ///M5 in F Stock,
laid down a class-winning 56.860 to finish 54th overall.
Trent Rosenthal, driving the black 1988 325is that previously belonged to Christian Els, and to Mike VanAmburgh
before that, ran a 58.462, enough for fifth place in STX
and 69th overall.
Running in the newly formed “Pro Class” at the Crown
Autocross April 1, Wilcox laid down a personal best of
52.648 in his STX-class John Cooper Works Mini Cooper
S to win Pro Class and place second overall out of 91 drivers.
Conant was hot on Wilcox’ heels with a 52.782, good for
third in Pro Class and fourth overall.
Co-drivers Joe Silva and Greg Reno, in Reno’s G Stock
Mini Cooper S, finished fourth and fifth in Pro Class, with
times of 53.184 and 53.214, respectively, wrapping up fifth
and seventh overall.
Yers truly placed 7th of 9 in Pro Class with a 54.271, finishing 22nd overall. I managed to do well enough to beat
both of the DSP Acuras as well as a DSP Plymouth Neon
ACR.
Mullarney took his ///M5 to a 57.214 personal best, finishing fourth in the “Street Tire” class and 35th overall, while
Dave Barry, in a D Stock 2006 330ci, laid down a 57.697
for seventh in Street Tires and 47th overall.
Newbie Zach Willis, driving a 1985 red e30 325 in G Stock/
Street Tires, got his times down to 70.553 for 16th in Street
Tires and 88th overall. (Go little e30! Go!)
In D Stock (non Pro Class), Jay Smith drove a 2000 328i to
a best time of 61.278 for first in class out of two and 64th
overall.
Penny pushed his e36 325i to a 63.840, good for third in
STX (non-Pro Class) and 78th overall.
May / June 2007
A Sunday CruiZe
by Ben Tseng, aka the Tech Junkie
It was one chilly spring morning. A few sporty-looking
cars pulled into an empty parking lot, walking out the cars
were some individuals with suspiciously flat-heeled shoes.
The mixture of excitement, anticipation, and coffee were
roaming in the brisk morning air. You could smell it, literally. These people were waiting for their driver’s meeting to get their maps, their driving instructions, and a fun day
full of mountain twisty roads. Yes, it was the “Sunday
CruiZe in Country” drive, organized by the Kansas City Z
Car Club.
After we set off, we followed Blankowski’s black E46 M3
for a while. Everything was going fine until my navigator
shouted that the black M3 in front of us just missed a turn,
and so did we, and so did five cars behind us. We ALL
blew that turn! And I thought “the blind leading the blind”
is something you only read about.
Thanks to my navigator’s quick thinking, Randy spotted
the error and we immediately turned around. We weren’t
however, quick enough to get back to the intersection before the second pack of cars all got in front of us. From
that point on, we decided that it would be the best if we
could lead the way instead of following others.
A few miles and some burnt rubber later, we regained the
leading position. The twisty roads were very much appreciated, at least by the driver. We both realized that the
navigator had a harder time coping with them corners, as I
later discovered while sitting in the passenger seat.
Although a Z club event, there were more than just the “Z”
cars around. As the matter of fact, you got a little bit of
everything – Honda S2K, Toyota MR2, Acura NSX, Corvette C6, Subaru WRX STi, Mazda RX7 FD, even a Chevy
Cobalt SS (hmm… how about front-wheel-drive for a
change?). Wait, aren’t we missing something? Of course,
the Bimmer Brothers! Four BMW’s also took part of this
gasoline-infested event - John Gribble’s E46 M3, Michael
Blankowski’s E46 M3, Brady Kesller’s E34 525i, and The
Tech Junkie’s humble little E36 328is, with a mod or two,
mind you.
There were also open roads with bends and sweepers. The
elevation change was the most entertaining, all kinds of
“G” you feel in all directions. Randy and I switched driver
several times so we could both enjoy the drive and get
back at each other by putting the other person through
misery in the passenger seat. If memory serves, I believe
we both begged for slowing down when the other person
was driving.
Thanks to the invitation from Mike Schulte of the local Z
club, a few of us decided to participate in this event. Randy
Michelson and I decided to co-pilot my E36 328is, so we
could switch driver and navigate for each other. Apparently, it ended up a very wise decision after all.
Moments after the drivers obtained their maps and driving
instructions, we set off. It didn’t take long for people to
establish a comfortable pace. This event was meant to be a
fun relaxing cruise in the country open roads. Nevertheless, some drivers decided to cruise with a little more
spirited-driving; Randy and I fitted the description perfectly.
Half way through the drive, the front pack ended up with
only 3 cars left – our E36 328is, followed by Marcus
Moore’s S2000, and Brady’ Kessler’s E34 525i trailing
behind. We switched lead back and forth with the S2000
many times so we could both enjoy the thrill of being the
lead car. However, something got Randy and I very disturbed – throughout the whole cruise, Brady was keeping
the Milepost
Continued on page 9 ...
up nicely in his E34 all this way, in his all-season tires!
He even had a slight break-down and had to pull over to
fix the problem quickly. Moments later, seeing Brady’s
E34 getting larger and larger in the rear-view mirror, Randy
and I exchanged a strange look. We both got goose bumps
creeping up our necks. I mean, some cars are meant to
chew up corners (like the S2000) and some cars ain’t (simply because it’s heavier).
By the time we got near the finish point, we were the leading car of the pack and we blew another turn thanks to the
Tech Junkie himself being the worst navigator one could
ask for. Instead of turning back, we all decided to let Brady
lead us through some “bonus scenic route” in the area before we head back to the designated route. So it was Brady’s
E34 leading the pack, followed by our E36, and then the
S2000. Even with the little detour, when we got to the fin-
ish point, there were no other cars from the cruise in the
parking lot (except for Mike’s MR2 who took a shortcut
because he likes to cheat, *cough*, I mean, because he had
to be there before everyone else to get the reservation and
tables all setup at Minsky’s). So technically, the first person who finished the entire route and arrived the finish point
and got the car parked was Brady Kessler and in his very
mean-looking E34 525i (especially when it’s creeping up
in your rear-view mirror).
Moments later, drivers were all flocking in one after another. The aftermath - great food, great chats, and great
bunch of petro-heads! This event was very well-organized;
the thoroughness of the driving instructions, the scenery,
and the planning all reflected the coordinators’ effort. Well
done! We’ll be back next time!
Workin’ in the Garage
by Chuck Vossler
The KCBMW Club held its first major tech session of 2007
on March 17th in my garage in Prairie Village. Clearly
there was a pent up demand for such a session
as we worked on ten
cars! We were able to
work on five cars at one
time by putting the suspension and general
dirty work inside the garage and the “light” work
in the driveway.
So what did we do? First
and foremost, we had a
good time. We started the day with fresh doughnuts and a
pot of our very own KCBMW Club blend of Roasterie
coffee. For the sports fanatics, March Madness NCAA
Basketball was on the TV in the garage. Ogling each
other’s BMWs, along with my wife’s new 2007 X3 was a
must that day.
Michelin Pilot Sport and plugged. And finally, Greg Lippert
did a little brain surgery on his newly transformed 325is to
resolve an ASC light.
Tech sessions are for anyone with any skill level
who is interested in working on cars. All you
need is a desire and the parts! If you are not
sure what parts to get or if it’s something that
can be done, post it on our website,
www.kcbmwclub.com under the events section
on the forum and we can help you determine
what needs to be done. There are always people
with more experience willing to help or teach
those who are just learning how to do things.
Next up; On May 26, 2007, Brady Kessler will host a cooling system tech to get us ready for summer. We will be
focusing on replacing a radiator, water pump and coolant.
If your BMW’s water pump is 60K or older you should
consider replacing it. BMW also recommends changing
the factory coolant every two years. Both are simple
projects and we can help!
The work? Shocks and shock mounts were changed on a
Z3, a Z4 got a new sway bar, and the tail light assembly
from a 3-series was changed from stock amber to clear. A
previous generation 5 series received a new headlight assembly. Ben Tseng, aka Tech Junkie, changed a small sending unit (FSU) in Brian Paddock’s supercharged M3 so
the HVAC systems would no longer be demonically possessed. The oil was changed on a 3-series and new BMW
owner, Jeff Taggart changed the rear trailing arm bushings
on his e36 M3 in record time. A nail was pulled out of a
May / June 2007
Racer’s Corner
by Scott Goodwin
Ouch! As you can see from the picture, my first outing
with NASA at Iowa Speedway didn’t turn out the way I
expected it to. I am fine thanks to my Hans device but the
car is in serious trouble. The other guy suffered a slight
neck injury, headaches, and blurred vision. He was not
wearing a Hans device.
Hmmm? The engine is probably broken to some degree as
it was shoved against the
firewall and the radiator is
folded around it.
How did this happen? Well, I
spun out while trying too hard.
I sorta ran out of talent as they
say. I turned in hard to get
back under a Miata and the car
just got away from me. This
is where it gets interesting. I
call it situational awareness.
The corner was turn 4, flat
with plenty of sight lines. There were two Miatas behind
me, about 2 seconds or so according to the video. The first
Miata slowed and darted under me and the second Miata
decided to stay on the racing line I guess. His excuse was
that he didn’t see me (no sh_t) and the car in front of him
slowed down too much. I wonder why. In this situation,
you basically have two choices. Choice A, you recognize
that the car in front of you has taken evasive action and
you should probably follow suit as best you can. Or you
have Choice B, oh goody, the car in front of me has gotten
out of my way and now I can haul buns around this bum.
If you chose Choice B, let me know when and where you
are racing so that I can make sure I am not there with you.
True enough, I am the one that spun out but stuff like that
happens if you are trying hard. The trick is knowing what
to do when stuff like that happens. In the 2 seconds this
event took place, I actually thought about putting the car
in reverse and getting out of the way or better yet, just sit
still and let the traffic dodge me. It is easier to miss a
stationary object than one that is rolling around. All of
that took place in a nano second because of my situational
awareness training in
high performance driving
and 7 years of racing. I
can’t stress enough how
important high performance driving schools are
and even the simple skills
to be learned at Street
Survival.
While it was inevitable
that one day this event
would occur, I just wish I
could have postponed it a
little longer. The guy that
hit me has had 4 major
events like this in about this same time frame. Maybe someone should be looking at his “situational awareness” skill
set. I am looking forward to getting this car back on the
track and testing my metal once more.
As always, when you think it is time to brake, I urge you to
count “One Mississippi, two Mississippi” and then hit the
brakes hard, turn in, hit the throttle and hang on for the
ride of your life.
Looking to make a difference
and have some fun?
Check out the 13th Annual Classic Car Show benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. Cars included are
vintage Rolls, 50’s Chevy’s, muscle cars, Vettes,
Ferraris, and more.
June 23, 2007
12:00 – 5:00 pm
130th and Old Metcalf
For more information contact the Arthritis Foundation at 913.262.2233.
the Milepost
Spring Detailing Session
Is it time to clean the winter grime off your car and get
John McCarty with Organized Storage will be there to disyour BMW ready for summer driving? Do you want to
cuss various garage storage systems and epoxy floor coatenter your BMW into a local car show? Or are you just
ing. Brad Rein used Organized Storage so you can see the
interested in learning how to detail your
results before you make your garage
car yourself? Well now you can. On May
storage or flooring choice.
19th Club Member, Brad Rein will be holdEvent Info:
Terry Ballard from A Touch Above will
ing a detailing tech session at his house to
also be present to demonstrate road
demonstrate for club members proper
Date: May 19, 2007
rash/chip repair.
cleaning methods, paint prep, and wax.
The pros and cons of natural products like
Zymol and synthetic products like Zaino
will be explained as well as numerous other
products that are used in various detailing
steps. Technique and products for vacuuming, leather and vinyl cleaning and conditioning, glass, wheels and tires, engines,
and undercarriage will be presented.
When: 10 AM until all cars
are clean
Where: 14109 Eby Street,
Overland Park, KS
Properautocare.com will supply samples of various products such as Lexol, Vinvylex, and others. They will also
provide a Blackfire detailing kit that will be raffled to a
club member.
All in all it will be a very informative
tech session with lots of product and
technique information for everyone.
Please contact Brad Rein at
[email protected] or RSVP on our
club website, www.kcbmwclub.com
under forums so we can get a head
count for the session.
A big thank you needs to go to our sponsors:
Properautocare.com, A Touch Above, Organized Storage
Systems, Inc, and the Kansas City BMW Club.
May / June 2007
the Milepost
What is HPDE?
by Greg Lippert
HPDE (abrv) – High Performance Driving Event – (1) a
school designed to teach vehicle dynamics at speeds often
experienced on a major highway. (2) all the training you
should have had prior to getting your driver’s license; but
didn’t.
At various times throughout the weekend, there will also
be exercises working on braking, turning, and basic driving skills. Classroom instruction, where many of the basics of vehicle dynamics and driving are covered, occurs
throughout the weekend as well.
So, what is a HPDE?
Will my car require anything special?
A HPDE, DE for short, places you in your own car and by
utilizing a combination of techniques; classroom education, on-track driving, instructor rides, and skills exercises
– demonstrates some of your vehicle’s amazing capabilities while also reinforcing safe, effective driving habits that
can be used in most any driving situation. Don’t be concerned; however, it’s also a lot of fun!
The answer – in a word – is No! All vehicles should be in
safe operating condition. Fluids, especially brake and coolant, should be recent. Brake pads should have a safe level
of pad material and the tires will need a minimum tread
depth. Beyond that, there’s no reason a typical, properly
maintained BMW cannot attend an event. In fact, instructors often comment the best way to learn is in a completely
stock, well maintained vehicle.
Why should I attend?
How do I register and get more information?
Driving, like many skills, can always be refined and improved upon. Also, given the amount of time each of us
spends behind the wheel every day, why not become more
proficient? Skills taught in a typical DE weekend are immediately transferable to the street and will make you a
better driver. Besides, BMW spent a lot of money engineering the performance level in your car; why not enjoy
some of that engineering?
From a social aspect, these events are great excuses to come
out and enjoy the weekend with all of your fellow carcrazy club members. The range of machinery itself acts
almost as a mini car show. For many, myself included, the
track time and driving is fun; however, it’s the camaraderie and friends that make the event so much fun.
Simply check out this link:
h t t p : / / w w w . k c b m w c l u b . c o m /
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=57
That’s the page on our website that will have all the latest
information regarding the Kansas City BMW Club’s annual DE, held in August.
Save the date...
How does it work?
All entrants are categorized based upon experience and skill
level. For example, a first-time participant will be placed
in a group with other first-timers. Great care is taken by
the organizers to ensure that all students are properly placed
and comfortable with their experience. Each student is
assigned an instructor; this instructor will work with the
student extensively throughout the weekend. There’s plenty
of time for each student to practice driving techniques too!
Each student will receive four sessions each day (Saturday, Sunday). Rest assured, that’s a lot of track time –
often over an hour each day! In other words, a DE at a 2.5
mile course can easily produce over 150 miles of track
time.
Heartland Park, Topeka,
August 10-12, 2007
May / June 2007
the Milepost welcomes KCI Motorsport Park
FastTrack Group, LLC with Watkins & Company, Inc. has
undertaken a project to develop a high performance
motorsports country club to be located on a 300 acre parcel which is part of Kansas City International Airport, to
be called the Kansas City International Motorsports Park
(the “Park”), leased under a long-term ground lease from
the City of Kansas City.
The concept shares similarities to a golf-oriented country
club, where members join and have an exclusive right to
use the facilities in exchange for their initiation fee and
annual dues. The members of the Kansas City International Motorsports Club (the “Club”) will include
motorsports and sports car enthusiasts, racers, and car collectors. The track and facilities will be open to the membership substantially all the time but will be available on a
limited basis for rental to various car clubs, law enforcement groups, driver’s education schools and sanctioned
competition events on a local, regional and national level.
The track itself is not a typical oval track, but rather a twisting course with elevation changes that challenge a driver
in many ways. Members of the Club are obligated to learn
the rules of conduct, as well as the physics associated with
high performance driving. Members can then enjoy the
ability to drive street legal cars or actual racecars in a safe,
controlled environment. The mission of the sponsors is to
develop a safe, yet challenging, world-class motorsports
venue and to promote a commitment to the development
of motorsports and enjoyment of motorsports enthusiasts
and the inclusion of the community through education and
training.
This project has been undertaken with the strong commitment to quality that will justify the significant investment
from Club members who are looking for convenience, value
and, most of all, quality. High quality track design, engineered maintenance and storage buildings and facilities,
an active Club environment with an attractive clubhouse
Auto Glass & Tint Shop
Main Office
9928 West 62nd Terrace
Merriam, KS 66203
Phone: 913-491-8468
Fax: 913-491-1818
Email: [email protected]
facility and knowledgeable, hands-on management will
make the Park one of the most attractive motorsports venues in the country. The internationally recognized designer
Alan Wilson of Wilson Motorsports is the track designer
for the Park. Alan is well known within the field and with
extensive experience gained at more than 175 race tracks
in 16 countries over a period of 36 years, Alan brings a
unique perspective to the business of motor sport at all
levels of the industry. His intense commitment to safety
and challenging design make his tracks favorites among
racers. Alan’s tracks are noted for level and wide, smooth
run-off areas with tire walls well off the racing line to minimize risk the risk of damage to vehicles and injury to participants. The road course will be approximately forty feet
wide and lined on both sides by safety zones graded to the
same longitudinal and cross grades as the track, with grass
surfaces. Without sacrificing safety, the track will be designed to meet all standards of performance driving, both
amateur and professional.
The track has been designed as a 3.75 mile full circuit track
which will be operated as two separate tracks measuring
1.7 and 2 miles. For event type racing the two tracks can
be run as a full circuit utilizing the full 3.75 miles. The
track design takes advantage of the natural terrain and preserves the features of the land as it rises and falls through
former cornfields, driving through preserved hedgerows
and around natural wooded areas. The elevation changes
and over 20 turns will challenge any level of driver.
Multiple buildings and facilities are planned in the Park to
serve the needs and desires of the racing community; racing supervision and track maintenance; member-dedicated
facilities and clubhouse events. With regard to race supervision and track maintenance, there will be buildings for
timing and scoring of drivers, a privately-operated race
set-up shop, maintenance and storage buildings, a tech
building, and a public reception/kart race control/driving
school building. With regard to member facilities, there
will be a two-story clubhouse overlooking the track, a proshop, a fueling station, concessions facilities, and multiple
team unit garages designed in part to accommodate member requests. These garages will be built throughout the
facility and will be available to lease for members for purposes of vehicle storage and maintenance. Two paved paddock areas totaling approximately 17 acres have also been
designed into the track for member and event use.
For more information, please see our website at
www.kcimotorsportspark.com.
the Milepost
May / June 2007
the Milepost welcomes Bavarian Autosport
Bavarian Autosport: three friends, 33 years, one passion.
In May of 1974, some friends who shared a passion for
cars graduated from the University of New Hampshire.
Rather than get “real jobs,” they decided they would buy
second-hand Porsches here in New England, drive them
across the country to California (where the cars were scarce
and in demand) and sell them for a profit at a repair shop
owned by one grad’s brother. With the proceeds from the
Porsche sales, they would buy rust-free California cars and
drive them back to sell in New England. On one trip west,
they brought along a BMW Bavaria that somebody’s father had requested. It was love at first drive! (If you’ve
ever driven an old 911 on a long trip, you’ll understand
why the Bavaria was welcomed by both their ears and their
butts.) They soon began to specialize in BMWs.
Eventually, tired of making the cross-country drives, the
friends opened a BMW repair facility, Bavarian Auto Service, in Stratham, NH. As their reputation (and their collection of junked BMWs) grew, they began to receive phone
calls from BMW owners in Massachusetts and Connecticut looking for replacement parts. They decided to advertise their inventory in Roundel, the newsletter of the thenfledgling BMW Car Club of America, and mail the parts to
customers. After a while, Bavarian self-produced their first
catalog… on an IBM Selectric typewriter on the kitchen
table.
Fast forward to 2007: Bavarian Autosport, now based in
Portsmouth, NH, is the leading BMW parts and accessories catalog company in the world. This year, the company
will send out more than two million free catalogs to people
all over the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Their
full-color catalog has won multiple industry awards. In
addition, Bavarian Autosport produces and mail a free,
quarterly, tech newsletter called FastTimes which is sent
to 250,000 BMW enthusiasts throughout North America.
Are you interested in advertising
in the Milepost?
If you would like to join our family of
business advertisers, contact Advertising
Manager, Brad Rein for a 2007 Media Kit.
[email protected]
913.327.2324
Their web site, www.BavAuto.com, is visited by more than
200,000 BMW enthusiasts every month. The company also
sponsors dozens of BMW CCA chapter newsletters, driving schools, charity raffles and other club events every year.
On the first Sunday in October, Bavarian Autosport hosts
its annual “Show & Shine,” a one-day event to thank its
customers for their support throughout the year. On this
day, the company’s Portsmouth facility is packed with hundreds of BMWs and MINIs driven by enthusiasts from as
far away as Florida and Newfoundland. The cars range in
vintage from the 1960s to the present. Some are maintained
as factory original; others have been customized with body
kits, superchargers and audio/video systems. It truly is a
feast for the eyes. (It’s a feast for the guests, too, as company employees cook and serve a free barbecue lunch for
2,000!) “Show & Shine” has been written up in the national automotive press and is considered the largest, oneday BMW event in the East. This year’s Show & Shine is
scheduled for October 7, so mark your calendars. For more
information, including pictures of previous events, visit
www.BavAuto.com and click on the Show & Shine link at
the bottom of the home page.
Classified Ads
AUTOMOBILES - BMW
CAR PARTS AND OTHER
TIRES AND WHEELS
2002 330xi Black with sand leather,
51K miles, cold weather package, premium package, sport package, automatic, park distance control, bi-xenon,
and Michelin tires. Zaino used liberally, never wreaked, non smoker. Maintained at Baron BMW. $21,500. Contact Ron at 816.225.7479.
AM/FM/Cassette, Blaupunkt Bavaria
from a 91 318is. Tape player needs
work. Kenwood 10-disc CD autochanger, Model KDC-c603, includes
Kenwood auto-changer controller.
Audiobahn 5 ½-inch speakers, 4 each,
new, in box. All for $100 obo.
Winter Wheels/Tires 5 OEM Style 88
16" alloys, 4 with Blizzak LM-25 205/
55/16 only used for 4K miles. 1 with
All season as spare, never used. $550.00
1997 Z3 2.8 Black with black leather,
71.3K miles, 5 speed with traction
control. Heated seats, 6 disc CD
changer, manual soft top with new rear
window. Includes extra set of wheels.
$14,000. Contact Jennifer at 816-5500811 or email [email protected].
1973 2002Tii Black with black interior, 117K miles. Engine rebuilt at
104K by Hafkemeyer. Factory sunroof,
panasport wheels. Originally California car, owned and almost daily driven
(no snow) for 13 years. Excellent cosmetics and mechanics. $12,450. Contact Jack at 800.886.2701 or email
[email protected].
AUTOMOBILES - OTHER
2000 Jeep Sahara CJ-5 Black with
forest green and tan interior, 72K miles,
5 speed manual. Excellent condition,
street use only. $13,500 Call Ray at
913.794.3517 between 8am to 4pm.
1975 Mercedes Benz 230 sedan 117K
miles, 4 cyl automatic, nice original
condition, very presentable, pics available. $2,000 OBO. Call Robert at
785.379.5342
or
email
at
[email protected].
CAR PARTS AND OTHER
Complete set of dark wood interior trim
(7 pieces) plus automatic shift knob in
excellent condition from 2001 3 series.
$600 OBO. Call Terry at 816.997.3403
or email [email protected].
BMW e30 exterior parts Front grilles,
black plastic, left and right sides. Also,
front headlight mounts with headlamps.
From a US spec 91 318is. Good used
condition. All for $100 obo.
BMW e30 interior parts Front bucket
Sport seats, manual, black vinyl, missing one slider track, $50 each. Rear
seat, black vinyl, $25. All in good used
condition from a 91 318is.
Summer Wheels/Tires 4 OEM Style
119 17" alloys with Potenza G009 225/
45/17 Performance All Seasons used
only 15K miles. $600.00
All from 2004 E46 Coupe. Will include
20 new BBS silver lug bolts. Call Jack
at
913.387.4688
or
email
[email protected]
One Kumho 255/35ZR18 Ecsta Supra.
Bought as a replacement on a road trip
to get me home. Less than 500 miles.
$125. Contact Woody at 816.523.8356
or email at [email protected].
BMW e30 interior parts Front door
panels and rear side panels (cards), grey
leather, from e30 M3. Rear panels cut
for 5 1/4-inch speakers. All in good
used condition. $75 obo.
All parts are in Overland Park, KS.
Contact Bob at
[email protected].
BMW e46 M3 brakes, four US rotors,
calipers, carriers, and front brake pads.
Only 9,800 easy miles on these brakes.
$1,200 OBO. Contract Brian at
[email protected].
Bentley Service Manual - 3 Series
1984-1990 E30 - $30
Haynes 320i Owners Workshop
Manual - 1975-1979 320i. - $10
Call Marty at 913.522.5006 or email at
[email protected].
Classified Ad Policy: Non-commercial classified ads may be placed
at no charge by Kansas City BMW
Club members. Ads will run for
two months unless the member who
placed that ad notifies one or both
of the newsletter editor that it needs
to be contines month to month. If
notifcation is not recieved by the
issue deadline date, the ad will be
dropped. Non-members may place
classified ads, maximum 50 words
per ad, to run for two issues for $10.
Please
e-mail
ads
to
[email protected] or if paying for an ad, make check payable
to “Kansas City BMW Club” and
mail to 4555 Main Street, Box 404,
Kansas City, MO 64111. The Milepost reserves the right to edit or reject any ad.
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 4693
Kansas City, MO
Kansas City BMW Club
P.O. Box 4832
Overland Park, KS 66204
(913) 224-9341
cut here
KC BMW CCA Calendar
May / June 2007
05.17.2007 Thursday: 6:00pm
Club Meeting
LoneStar Steakhouse; Kansas City, KS
05.19.2007 Saturday: 10:00am
Spring Detailing Session
Overland Park, KS
06.09.2007 Saturday: 9:00am
Show & Shine
Tuilleries; Kansas City North, MO
06.21.2007: Thursday: 6:00pm
Club Meeting
LoneStar Steakhouse; Kansas City, KS
To catch the latest in club events, sign up for the announcment emails on our
website at: www.kcbmwclub.org. If you have any questions please feel free to
contact me at [email protected] or 816.753.6429.