Bimmerbulletin - Michiana BMW CCA
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Bimmerbulletin - Michiana BMW CCA
BMW Car Club of America Michiana Chapter Bimmerbulletin The newsletter of the Michiana Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com • www.facebook.com/MichianaBMWCCA Summer 2014 Bill Kenyon is having a great BMW summer, are you? Join us at a Michiana event like autocrossing! BMW Alpina Z8 Roadster at Zeigler BMW in Kalamazoo ChapterContacts President Harvey Nuttall (616) 634-3655 [email protected] Vice President Greg Strader (269) 270-1177 [email protected] Secretary Matt Westgate (231) 414-0601 [email protected] Treasurer Eve Dolenski (269) 969-7492 [email protected] Performance Driving Chair and Webmaster Craig Sisk (408) 761-7910 [email protected] Autocross Chair Jason Powell (574) 532-3352 [email protected] BMW & MINI parts Everything for your BimmerBulletin Editor Bradley S. Pines [email protected] Grand Rapids Coordinator Dave Brandsen (616) 437-2154 [email protected] Kalamazoo Coordinator Randy von Steinen [email protected] South Bend Coordinators Tim and Mel Brassell (574) 675-9532 [email protected] Ft. Wayne Coordinators Rick and Kate Tomkinson (877) 872-1084 Facebook: www.facebook.com/MichianaBMWCCA Visit our website:www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com I Free shipping over $150 (most orders) I No sales tax (we’re in tax-free NH) I Free tech help: blog.BavAuto.com Parts, accessories & knowledge since 1974 800.535.2002 | BavAuto.com X XXXGPYCNXUDDPN X X G P Y C N X U D D P N THE NEX NEXT T GENERA GENERAT GENERATION TION OF BMW DEALERSHIPS STARTS S TARTS RIGH RIGHT T HERE # #.8PG5SBWFSTF$JUZJTUIFWFSZ趑STU#.8TIPXDBTF .8PG5SBWFSTF$JUZJTUIFWFSSZZ趑STU#.8TIPXDBTF design deale dealership rship in the US! Opening summer of 2013. BMW of T Traverse ra verse City 3464 N. U.S. 31 South Traverse Traverse City, City, MI 49684 | 888-633-0159 www www.foxbmwtc.com .f oxbmwt c.com BMW NutNews by Harvey Nuttall, President, Michiana BMW CCA chapter S ummer is under way and the game is on. Our friendly Nuttall family autocross competition began with the Windy City Challenge event during the first week of June. The Windy City Challenge is a two-day event sponsored by the Tire Rack and Yokohama Tires. It originally started as a challenge between the Windy City BMW Chapter and the Michiana Chapter. Over the past few years, we have only had a small number of Michiana Chapter participants and we haven’t brought much of a challenge to the Chicago chapter. This year, however, my wife, Abby Nuttall, won a 3rd Place Trophy in the Ladies Class behind two very fast women, both driving AA Class cars. That’s impressive because our car is a Class B car. Abby was faster than me on both days of this event. She drove smoothly thoughout the course. For some reason, I couldn’t find my smooth at all. Maybe, I’d left it at home or something. Abby also had a lot of luck on her side that weekend as she also won a set of StopTech brakes and rotors at the awards dinner. Yippee, I get to work on Abby’s car! The following weekend, we were back at it during the season opener of the Michiana Chapter Autocross season at the Tire Rack in South Bend, Indiana, and once again, I forgot to bring my smooth. I brought a whole lot of ‘fast and out of control,’ but no smooth. Abby placed third in our class with a fastest time of 52.009, in comparison, my best time was 52.654. We’re talking a whole 645-thousandthsof-a-seconds between us, so the difference wasn’t massive, but at the end of the day, smooth, and Abby, was fast. Our next family competition was with the Furrin Group at Grand Valley State University. They put on a great two-day event every year at GVSU and this time, I brought my smooth. I was faster than Abby both days, took second-place in our class, and Abby took fifth-place on the opening day and thirdplace on the last day. Apparently, Abby was battling to find the smooth line at GVSU. On the home front, we have been going to local MG club events with my father’s 1960 MGA and having a lot of fun. One thing about the MG club is that they are able to hold a monthly club event and Contact: [email protected] (616) 634-3655 “ I brought a whole The 2014 Windy City Challenge autocross event participants smile at the Tire Rack in South Bend. lot of fast and out of control, but no smooth. ” Abby Nuttall won a third place autocrossing trophy during the 2014 Windy City Challenge and StopTech brakes in a drawing. draw 40 to 70 people at each event. They are a friendly bunch, and love their cars. My dad, Neil Nuttall, and I changed the oil and flushed the coolant on his MGA. After performing that simple task I said to him, “These people must love these cars if they do this job regularly.” It is messy and tricky and I would rather do an oil change on my BMWs any day. The MG oil change involves a silly oil seal that must be placed exactly right. It falls out while you try to put the canister back. Removing the oil filter results in oil running and splashing all over the place, including down your arm as you remove the canister. Nonetheless, everything is really quite simple on MG cars and they are a lot of fun to drive. Abby’s daily driver, a 2000 BMW 323iT wagon with 194k miles, had suffered serious deterioration of the ride quality. A small pothole could leave you wondering if the car was still in one piece as you drove away. It was clangy, bangy, and bouncy and needed immediate attention. With my dad’s help, we replaced the suspension on all four corners including the mounting bushings. The worn bushings were responsible for most of the noises, but the right front strut had been leaking for some time. While we were in there, we replaced all four wheel bearings, too, because of a general whining and grinding noise that seemed to come from the rear. The front bearings were easy since we had the massive socket needed to complete the job and a big puller. The rear bearings were a bit more difficult but perseverance and some special bearing pulling tools got us through that job. One of the sway bar end links had completely failed. We replaced the original parts with heavy duty end links and refreshed the sway bar bushings while in there. The 14-year-old wagon now rides like a fresh new Bimmer, proving it was worth the elbow grease to get it sorted out. Please enjoy the rest of summer and hopefully we will meet at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners on the first Wednesday of the month (our summer get-together meetings), at an autocross event, or on our Michiana Fall Color Tour. The all-new BMW X1 www.tomkinsonbmw.com VERSATILITY IS THIS YEAR’S UNDERSTATEMENT Now that the all-new BMW X1 is available in xDrive and sDrive, it’s truly the epitome of versatility. Intelligent all-wheel xDrive offers superior traction in all typesyou have come to expect. Add a roomy interior, and you’ll love the starting price of $30,650 MSRP.* We only make one thing. The Ultimate Driving Machine.® THE ALL-NEW X1 WITH xDRIVE AND sDRIVE HAS ARRIVED. Tomkinson BMW 929 Avenue of Autos Fort Wayne, IN 46804-5106 (260) 436-9000 www.tomkinsonbmw.com Less emissions. More driving pleasure. * The BMW X1 sDrive28i price is based on a base MSRP of $30,650. Cost excludes tax, title, license, registration and destination charges.For more information, please visit bmwusa.com.1® visit bmwusa.com/ultimateservice.©2012 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks. Michiana Chapter 2014 Events Calendar For latest information, please check: www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com • www.facebook.com/MichianaBMWCCA August 23-24, Saturday-Sunday Driving School (Windy City BMW CCA Chapter) GingerMan Raceway South Haven, Michigan From novices to experienced drivers. Several Michiana instructors on staff. www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com/track August 23-24, Saturday-Sunday Driving School (Buckeye BMW CCA Chapter) Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio From novices to experienced drivers. Several Michiana instructors on staff. www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com/track August 31, Saturday 8:30 a.m. Autocross Series Round 4 of 5 Tire Rack 7101 Vorden Parkway South Bend, Indiana $30 per driver, includes lunch and up to eight runs on track. Novices very welcome and a few loaner helmets available. September 13, Saturday 8:30 a.m. Autocross Series Final Round of 5 Tire Rack 7101 Vorden Parkway South Bend, Indiana $30 per driver, includes lunch and up to eight runs on track. Novices very welcome and a few loaner helmets available. September 20-21 Saturday-Sunday Driving School (Motor City BMW CCA Chapter) Grattan Raceway Belding, Michigan Novices very welcome. www.MotorCityBMWCCA.org October date TBA Fall Color Tour Site TBA, Sponsored by Grand Traverse BMW Please check website and Facebook page for information. December TBA Holiday Party Site TBA, Sponsored by Tomkinson BMW Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Please check website and Facebook page for information. Michiana Monthly gatherings: 1st Wednesday, Social Get Together meetings, 6:30 p.m. Kalamazoo area: (May-Sept) Gilmore Car Museum’s Cruise Nights, 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, Michigan. Grand Rapids area: Ucellos, 10 Rivertown Parkway, Grandville, Michigan. Third annual DeutscheMarques all-German show There were hundreds of smiles and hundreds of German cars at the third annual DeutscheMarques event at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners on July 12. The all-German car show was founded by longtime Michiana member Pete Hamlett who said he wanted to thank chapter volunteers Harvey Nuttall, Gary Apps, Lindsey Draime, Brad Pines and members of his family for helping put this event together. Members of many other German car clubs also volunteered, including officers from the Western Michigan region of the Porsche Club of America and the Western Michigan section of the Mercedes-Benz Club of Amercia. Hamlett said DeutscheMarques was made possible by the sponsorship of the two exclusive marque dealers, Delta Porsche in Grand Rapids and Orrin B. Hayes Mercedes-Benz in Kalamazoo. Support was also provided by vendors Bob & Kay’s Carwashes, Spring Valley Motors and Foreign Car Services. Please see www.DeutscheMarquesAG.com Lots of smiles at the DeutscheMarques show on July 12. (John A. Lacko images) Beautiful Bimmers, all in a row at the Gilmore Car Museum. A show field filled with cars, fans. NeverLift Performance Driving Chair: Craig Sisk [email protected] smooth“nessImproved is also easier on Q&A: Jeff Paxhia’s first BMW CCA Driving School experience I interviewed Jeff Paxhia, a Michiana member who lives and works in Battle Creek. Recently, Paxhia drove his BMW at his first Club Driving School at Putnam Park Road Course west of Indianapolis, Indiana. Experienced Michiana drivers Eve Dolenski, her husband, Dave, Bob Kobayashi, Greg Strader and I helped him get comfortable at the event. Eve, our Treasurer, and Greg, our Vice President, and Bob are trained Club driving Jeff Paxhia instructors. Jeff, what car do you drive, and how long have you had it? “My car is a 2011 135i and I’ve owned it for just under two years. It’s my daily driver.” What made you want to take it to a Club Driving School? “The 135i is a quick and maneuverable car, and tremendously fun to drive. I wanted to experience the vehicle in a better environment than what a person can safely, and legally, have while driving the quiet and tranquil streets of Battle Creek to and from work. I also wanted to improve my personal driving skills. I thought that attending a driving school would be an excellent opportunity to have a new type of driving experience and learn some valuable skills at the same time.” What were your expectations ahead of time? “My friend and coworker, Eve Dolenski, helped me get a good understanding of what to expect as a student in the driving school. She explained that at a driving school the focus was on the student becoming more technically capable at as a driver and understanding the physical aspects of driving including steering, braking, cornering, and becoming much more familiar with the way your vehicle responds to your actions as a driver. She also explained that I’d have a personal instructor with me at all times in the car. I expected that I would become more the car, driver and passengers. If I took away one thing from this weekend, it’s that smooth is fast. ” Did you have a good time and would you go to another BMW CCA Driving School? “This was an excellent experience overall. Jeff Pazhia drives his 135i at Putnam Park Road Course during his first BMW CCA Driving School. From the start I felt welcome, even as a rookie. competent and confident at being in control of my vehicle in any situation. These expectations were met and even exceeded through my experience at the school.” How would you describe your first driving school experience? “This was an excellent experience overall. From the start I felt welcome, even as a complete rookie. It’s a little intimidating at first to show up and be surrounded by people who are obviously very invested in this hobby with specialized vehicles and more experience at performance driving. Greg, Craig, Dave and Eve made sure I had plenty of support and guidance. The atmosphere was collegial, good natured and light, but quite focused on driving as you’d expect. The organizers, instructors and the other drivers were friendly and enthusiastic. There were drivers of all experience levels at the school and we were separated into groups by level, which for me was novice. The facility at Putnam Park Road Course impressed me, being extremely clean in a beautiful rural setting. It felt like I was at ” a country club. I’d never experienced such an isolated, perfectly paved, sinuous stretch of road like this course. No worries about random, wicked potholes here! They even ordered up perfect weather for the occasion; sunny, breezy and 80 degrees all weekend. I appreciated the maniacal emphasis on safety. We discussed it continually and it was top of mind for everyone, always. Everybody wanted to take themselves and their vehicles home in the same condition as when they arrived. This awareness significantly reduced any chance of an incident, and in fact there were none all weekend. We spent a fair amount of time in the novice class learning about road course safety, what the (corner workers’) signal flags meant, traffic patterns, and rules about how and when to pass another car on the course to assure a safe environment. I was taught to regularly check tire condition, air pressure and the tightness of my lug nuts so as to avoid a wheel failure. I left the school thinking that every driver should have this type of mindset every Michiana drivers, from left, Craig Sisk, Bob Kobayashi, Eve Dolenski, Jeff Paxhia (Dave Dolenski not shown) and Greg Strader smile from the paddock at Putnam Park. (Images courtesy of Greg Strader) Jeff Pazhia signals a pass from his 135i on the main straight at Putnam Road Course. time they got in the driver’s seat. The instructional experience consisted of half classroom time and half driving time. In the classroom, we discussed basics like driving position, vehicle mechanical function, tire traction and the friction circle, and the best positions to maneuver into turns and curves on the course. The emphasis in the classroom was not on speed, but on smoothness, meaning smoothness of acceleration, shifting, turning and braking, because being smooth enables consistency, and thus, better control and ultimately, speed. Improved smoothness is also easier on the car, driver and passengers. If I took away one thing from the weekend, it’s that ‘smooth is fast.’ I’m now continually working on smoothness in my personal driving. The driving portion was the exciting part. It was challenging to apply the classroom instruction out on the course. To be effective driving the course, I had to adjust some of my typical driving mindset to use more of the road than I was used to, to shift a little later, to use more engine power and to consciously position myself correctly into and out of turns. My instructor was very proficient and patient, coaching me along with the help of his experience with his communicator system as I drove. It was physically and mentally challenging to drive the course quickly and smoothly. Our speeds were only around typical highway speed, but the intricacy of the turns made it seem faster than that. It felt like I improved with every lap, and I was drained at the end of the day. I welcomed dinner and a beer afterward with new-found friends.” “I had a great time at this event. There was so much to learn about driving well and it came at me pretty quickly. I’d definitely like to do it again to reinforce what I learned the first time.” Is there anything else you would like to say? “Thanks for this opportunity to contribute. This was an unforgettable weekend. If your goal with the article is to garner more participation these events, I think it makes more sense to discuss the educational aspects of the driving schools more than the racetrack aspects. The most intimidating part of the experience for me as a beginner was to think of this as a ‘track’ experience. ‘Track’ conjures up images of NASCAR racing, rubbing paint, costly damaged vehicles, and competition, which perhaps makes the current Michiana CCA members less comfortable and less willing to engage. After experiencing this, it (a BMW CCA Driving School) is really a challenging, fun skill-building experience in a safe and controlled environment. I found great value in that. That’s my insight.” Several area BMW CCA chapters organize driving school events, including the Windy City, Buckeye and Motor City chapters. They welcome participants of all experience levels, including those who’ve never driven on a track before. For more information please visit: www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com/track Scott Nardin set the Fastest Time of the Day in this Solo Vee as the Class EMod winnner. AutocrossReport Autocross Series Chair: Jason Powell [email protected] Summer means fun times behind the wheel A whopping 253 runs on The Tire Rack’s test track, driven by 32 competitors, marked the third event in the 2014 Michiana Autocross Championship season on Aug. 9 in South Bend, Indiana. Carl Zmijewski guided his beautiful blue 1995 BMW M3 to the Fastest BMW of the Day title with a 56.268 best run. Zmijewski also topped the Class AA field. Matthew Huizing was the fastest of the large Class A goup, posting a 57.856 in his 1994 BMW 325i, just beating Ricardo Gonzales’ 2013 MINI JCW GP at 58.037. Pete Maloy, in his 1995 BMW M3, recorded a best run of 59.014, for third place, edging Scott Limber, in his 1997 BMW M3 at 59.134. Matt Wagenmaker won Class C honors in his 1986 BMW 325e with a 62.104 best run, an exact second ahead of Mike Brown in his 1998 BMW 323is 63.104. Nich Nardin finished third with a 64.210, sharing a car with Mitchell Nardin, who turned a 66.169 in the 1994 BMW 325is. Class E featured 16 drivers, led by Allen Skillicorn with a fast 55.522 in his Porsche 911. Second place went to Tim Klinger in his 1996 Ford Mustang in 56.527 and Steve Bollinger drove his classic 1990 Mazda Miata to third place with a 56.689. Scott Nardin won Class EMod and posted the Fastest Time of the Day with a blistering 49.879 in a 1986 Solo Vee Werks. Veteran autocrosser Steve Tamandli was second with a 52.450 in his familiar 1985 Pontiac Fiero racer. At press time there are still two more autocross events scheduled for this season. You’re invited to join us at The Tire Rack in South Bend to give this wonderful sport a try. Autocrossing is a series of timed runs in over a twisty course marked by traffic cones on a large paved area. We are very lucky to have the use of The Tire Rack’s test track, as most autocross events are staged on large parking lots. Be sure to keep one of our best sponsors in mind when choosing your next set of tires. Not only is the driving in autocrossing a blast, but spending good times with fellow Michiana drivers a great way to enjoy a summer afternoon. We’ve received lots of positive feedback about our first events this season, especially about the live timing system. It was fun seeing folks checking their smartphones during the event to see how they were doing. You’re invited - perhaps it’s time to see what your Bimmer and you can do! Michiana Chapter 2014 Autocross Season June 14 First Michiana autocross July 7-8 Windy City Challenge July 27 Second Michiana autocross Aug. 9 Third Michiana autocross August 31 Fourth autocross series event September 13 Fifth autocross series event All events held at The Tire Rack 7101 Vorden Pkwy, South Bend, Indiana 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT $30 per driver, includes lunch and up to eight runs on the Tire Rack’s test track. Novices very welcome! We have a few loaner helmets available and our experienced drivers volunteer to help get you started. Michiana Autocross e-newsletter: Stay current on all autocross information: http://michiana-bmwcca.com/ autocross Guests and first-timers register online: http://bit.ly/autocrossreg The Furrin Group Many area autocrossers attend Furrin Group events and they post a very complete calendar of local events. www.Furrin.org Windy City BMW CCA Our sister chapter hosts its own autocross series. www.WindyCityBMW.com The Tire Rack Buy tires, see all events our sponsor hosts. www.TireRack.com Grassroots Motorsports Car magazine for real drivers. www.GrassrootsMotorsports.com Solotime Autocrossing goodies. www.SoloPerformance.com Ricardo Gonzales dances his 2013 MINI JCW GP on three wheels to a third place Class A finish during the Michiana Chapter Autocross Series event 3 at The Tire Rack on Aug. 9. (Nick Nardin) Class AA winner Carl Zmijewski was the Fastest BMW, and also leads his class in this season’s championship points. Lane Automotive 8300 Lane Dr., Watervliet, MI Local source for helmets, equipment. www.LaneAutomotive.com Matt Wagenmaker, the Class C winner in his 1986 325e on Aug. 9, is currently tied with Gregg Elhart in 2014 season points. (Nick Nardin photos) 2014 Michiana Autocross Season Championship class points leaders* Class A Al Cardenas Kyle English Ralph Sampson Brian Becker Eric Combs Don Sjolin James Daniel Fran Napieralski Jeffrey Hess Chris Pangandian William Becker Class AA: Carl Zmijewski Eve Dolenski Dave Dolenski Brian Timm Evan Gerbo *After three events 25 24 20 20 18 16 16 13 09 09 07 60 32 24 13 09 Class B: Matt Huizing Scott Limber Ricardo Gonzales Harvey Nuttall Bradley DeLaby Abby Nuttall David Crim Alex Villhauer Pete Maloy Randy von Steinen Dave Roycraft Doug Crim Bradley Yonkers Bill Kenyon Class C: Matt Wagenmaker Gregg Elhart Mike Brown Simone Elhart 60 36 29 18 16 16 16 14 13 11 10 05 05 03 20 20 16 16 Nick Nardin Mitchell Nardin Class E: (32 drivers) Jason Nichols Mike Aumick Allen Skillicorn Matt Napieralski Alan Ford Todd Green George Schmitt Tim Klinger Don Sjolin Steve Bollinger Class EMod: Steve Tamandli Scott Nardin Bob Tamandli Nick Nardin Todd Green 13 11 31 20 20 20 20 16 16 16 13 13 45 40 20 16 11 Editor’s note by Bradley S. Pines You’re invited to join the fun Claudio Kaempf’s (269) 342-6994 ForeignCarServices Serving BMW owners since 1987 8730 Shaver Rd. Portage, Michigan M-F, 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. As volunteers here at the Michiana Chapter of the BMW CCA, your car club, our job is quite simple: to create fun. We put on an autocross series so members can slip on helmets and feel like racers. We put on car shows so members can shine and share the fun of Bimmer ownership. We organize tours and drives to allow us to share our passion for driving with those we are otherwise passionate about. You’re invited to be a part of it all. This is your car club, full of folks who just love to have fun. Getting Roundel magazine and our local BimmerBulletin is fun, too, but we’re hoping you come out and join us at an upcoming Michiana event. Send an officer an email and we’ll be happy to meet you at an event and show you around. Some say....He can teach you to drive a Ferrari faster than you can make a trip to the grocery store, and that his best student was called The Stig. All we know is...He’s Brad Pines, the editor of BimmerBulletin, daily M3 driver, and Chief Instructor at Xtreme Xperience. (XXSpeed.com image) BMW Car Club of America Michiana Chapter BMW CCA, Michiana Chapter P.O. Box 2173 Grand Rapids, MI 49501 www.Michiana-BMWCCA.com www.Facebook.com/ MichianaBMWCCA This newsletter is a publication of the Michiana Chapter of the BMW CCA, Inc., a non-profit organization which is not connected in any way with the Bayerische Moteren Werke AG or the importer. It is published as a service to its members. The ideas, suggestions and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual authors and no endorsement or authentication is implied. None of the information bears the status of "factory-appproved" unless so indicated. Some modifications described may void the warranty or be illegal. All suggestions and contributions to this newsletter are welcome. Please send them to the editor, Brad Pines, via email: [email protected] Enkei Tuning T6S Kosei K6R O.Z. Racing Leggera HLT Advanti Racing Drago 17 18 15 17 17 18 19 20 18 19 TIRE & WHEEL PACKAGES s High quality, vehicle specific, exact fitments s Free scratchless mounting and Hunter™ Road Force balancing s All necessary hardware included Build one at www.tirerack.com/packages ©2014 Tire Rack Hours M-F 8am-8pm EST: SAT 9am-4pm G-FORCE RIVAL POTENZA RE-11A DIREZZA ZII 255mm and narrower sizes feature a 3-rib design DIREZZA DZ102 EAGLE F1 ASYMMETRIC 2 574-287-2345 s800-428-8355 VENTUS V12 EVO2 www.tirerack.com
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bimmer bulletin - BMW Car Club of America
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Bimmerbulletin - Michiana BMW CCA
Now that the all-new BMW X1 is available in xDrive and sDrive, it’s truly the epitome of versatility. Intelligent all-wheel xDrive offers superior traction in all typesyou have come to expect.
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Bimmerbulletin - Michiana BMW CCA
* The BMW X1 sDrive28i price is based on a base MSRP of $30,650. Cost excludes tax, title, license, registration and destination charges.For more information, please visit bmwusa.com.1® visit
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