August - Golden Gate Chapter

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Inside:
Dorkfest 2005
Autocross Results
Driving School Info
Tech Session at H&B
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features
Technical Session at H&B
BMW Specialists
By Brant Miller........................................11
Dorkfest 2005: Revenge of the Dorks
By Sco� Barneson ....................................14
Autocross Results - June 23
Photos by Kris Linquist ...........................18
High Performance Driving School .....20
News From National .............................23
More Autocross Photos .........................27
Die
Flüsternde
Bombe
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Newsmagazine of the
Golden Gate Chapter,
BMW CCA
Volume 34, No. 7
departments
Chapter Email List Disclosure:
The Golden Gate Chapter has created an email
list from the National BMW CCA database to
send out event announcements that don’t make
it into print. We promise to respect your time and
limit the frequency of these messages to one or
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the unsubscribe button. There is no password.
August, 2005
President’s Page ........................................3
Calendar of Events ....................................4
Announcements ........................................5
Chapter Website:
www.ggcBMWcca.org
Minutes .......................................................7
Bimmerphile ..............................................8
New Members .........................................24
Classified Ads ..........................................26
Chapter Contacts .....................................28
Your input is encouraged!
Submissions deadline is the 1st of
each month prior to publication.
On the cover
Dorkfest 2005 shoots for the world
record for most E36/8 BMWs together in one place. Did they make
it? See for yourself on page 14.
Photo: Doug Richardson
Commercial Classified Advertising:
Commercial classifieds ads are $0.50 per line-inch
with payment due with insertion order. Make checks
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Die Flüsternde Bombe is produced monthly (except for combined issues Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb).
Article/photo submission deadline is the first
day of each month prior to publication.
August 2005 D ie F lüste
�1
2
August 2005
Mike Mills, President
We’re An Active Bunch
I have good news to report: our chapter’s financial
plan is working! While we haven’t quite reached our cash
reserve goal, steady progress is being made. Because of
the diligent work by our board and event volunteers, our
cash position has been steadily improving over the last
two years. I’d like to send a congratulation out to all of
you who’ve helped us get this far because, due to your
work, we’re in a much be�er position than when we
started a�acking the problem in January 2004. The best
part is that this has been achieved while we improved
and increased the chapter’s event offerings: The newsletter has kept its very high quality and its ten issues per
year production, we’ve supported some great chapter
events like the Blackhawk party, and have sponsored all
the Club Races held in California this year.
Remember elections for the 2006 board are coming
soon! If you have any interest in serving and would like
to feel the gratification of helping to keep this “the best
damn car club on the planet,” please see the web site
(under Chapter Info) for a description of the positions.
One might just fit you to a “T”... or is that a “B”?
Until next month,
Cheers
President’s Page
learn more about a car’s handling ability. The middle of
the month brings on the next level of education in driving skill with our widely-admired High Performance
Driving School; Thunderhill is a hot venue in more than
one sense! And, of course, the Festorics is an event for
all ages, and heaven for car nuts. It is unfortunate that
we have a conflict with the Thunderhill driving school
and the Festorics occurring on the same weekend. The
scheduling forces were out of our hands on that one, but
life is full of choices and yours is to choose to participate
in one of two great events.
While our chapter’s enthusiasm isn’t waning, our
membership numbers are. The board is concerned about
the continued decline in chapter membership. We count
on the new ideas and enthusiasm that new members
provide. Since our financial situation is also closely tied to
the total membership numbers—we receive a monthly stipend for each member—you can help by recruiting others
to join us. A reason to convince someone to join the Club
is that membership can actually save you money through
the discounts members receive and the Membership
Rewards program. That’s where BMW NA gives members
a check for between $500 and $1,500 just for buying a new
or CPO BMW. (You must have been a member for at least
one year and you must apply to BMW for the check—see
the CCA website for details.) Another way to get your
friends to join is wave Roundel and Die Flüsternde Bombe in
their face and say, “Look what you’re missing!” Then tell
them about our great events.
August is a perfect example. It’s packed with a wide
variety of events that appeal to everyone from kids to
seniors, male and female. While we don’t try to cater
only to the men, those tech sessions usually draw the
gearhead guys. So, Brant Miller has organized a ladiesonly tech session at Bavarian Motorsport for our smarter
side of the membership. Speaking of our women members, go out and experience our Autocross Series where
you’ll see Joyce Slocum out roaring through the cones in
her 850Ci competing with the young punks rather than
leisurely stamping Bingo cards. Another set of active seniors, Jeanne and Al Kirkland, will join in with the other
58 registrants at the Car Control Clinic to experience the
giddy fun of driving your car over and around cones to
August 2005
3
Calendar of Events
The most current calendar is at: www.ggcBMWcca.org
Dates/Location
Event
Organization/Contact
AUGUST
Aug 6
Car Control Clinic
GG Chpt
Marina Airport, Marina, CA
Bob Goebel
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Aug 7
Autocross
GG Chpt
Marina Airport, Marina, CA
Jonathan Bensen
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Aug 13
Ladies-only Tech Session
GG Chpt
Bavarian Motorsport / Milpitas
Brant Miller
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Aug 13
August Board Meeting
GG Chpt
East Bay BMW, Pleasanton
Mike Mills
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Aug 13
BA02 7 Year Anniv. Celebration Bay Area 02
TBD
JP Collins
www.bayarea02.com
[email protected]
Aug 13-14 Driving School
LA Chpt
California Speedway, Fontana, CA
Roger Scilley
www.bmwclubla.org
[email protected]
Aug 19-21 Festorics at Monterey Historics GG Chpt
Monterey, CA
David Crum
www.festorics.org
[email protected]
Aug 20-21 Thunderhill Driving School
GG Chpt
Thunderhill Raceway, Willows, CA
Bruce Nesbit
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Aug 28
Pacific Raceways Driving School
Puget
Sound Chpt Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA
Tom Olsson
www.bmwpugetsound.com
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER
Sep 3
September Board Meeting
GG Chpt
Concord BMW, Concord
Mike Mills
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Sep 10
Marin Drive
Bay Area 02
TBD
JP Collins
www.bayarea02.com
[email protected]
Sep 17-18 Bu�onwillow Driving School
Central CA
Chpt
Bu�onwillow Raceway, CA
Peter Kwan
www.cccbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Sep 17-18 Club Racing School
Tarheel Chpt
Virginia International Raceway, Alton, VA Shane Gunn
[email protected]
www.tarheelbmwcca.org/Ofest%20CR%20School.htm
Sep 17-23 Oktoberfest - Greensboro, NCTarheel Chpt
Greensboro, NC
Brenda Sarvis
www.tarheelbmwcca.org/oktoberfest.htm 864-250-0022
Sep 24
Autocross
GG Chpt
Marina Airport, Marina, CA
Jonathan Bensen
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Sep 24-25 BMW CCA Club Racing
VARA
Bu�onwillow Raceway, Bu�onwillow, CA Steve Walsh
www.bmwccaclubracing.com [email protected]
OCTOBER
Oct 8
Autumn Swap Meet
Bay Area 02
Double 02 Salvage, Hayward, CA
JP Collins
www.bayarea02.com
[email protected]
Oct 8-9
BMW CCA Club Racing
NASA SoCal
Bu�onwillow Raceway, Bu�onwillow, CA Steve Walsh
www.bmwccaclubracing.com [email protected]
Oct 22
Car Control Clinic
GG Chpt
Marina Airport, Marina, CA
Bob Goebel
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
To add an event to the calendar, email your information to:
[email protected]
4
August 2005
Dates/Location
Event
Organization/Contact
Oct 22
October Board Meeting
GG Chpt
BMW of San Francisco
Mike Mills
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Oct 23
Autocross
GG Chpt
Marina Airport, Marina, CA
Jonathan Bensen
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Oct 29-30 BMW CCA Club Racing
SCCA
Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA
Steve Walsh
www.bmwccaclubracing.com [email protected]
NOVEMBER
Nov 5-6
Infineon Driving School
GG Chpt
Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA
Bruce Nesbit
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Nov 11-13 Club Racing School
Houston Chpt
Texas World Speedway, College Station, TX Sco� Hughes
www.bmwccaclubracing.com
[email protected]
Nov 19
November Board Meeting
GG Chpt
Stevens Creek BMW, Santa Clara
Mike Mills
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Nov 19
Bremerton Driving School Puget Sound Chpt
Bremerton Motorsports Park, WA
Tom Olsson
www.bmwpugetsound.com
[email protected]
DECEMBER
Dec 10
Not the 49-mile Scenic Drive Rally Bay Area 02
Ocean Beach, San Francisco
JP Collins
www.bayarea02.com
[email protected]
Dec 17
December Board Meeting
GG Chpt
BMW of Fremont
Mike Mills
www.ggcbmwcca.org
[email protected]
Dec 17-18 Phoenix Driving School Roadrunner Chpt
Phoenix International Raceway, AZ
Rick Touton
www.roadrunnerbmw.org
[email protected]
Bolded events are Regional or National CCA events
On Saturday morning, August 13, Nicole Scherlie, co-owner with Ramon LeFrancois of Bavarian
Motorsport, will conduct a Technical Session for
women only. This is an opportunity for the ladies
of our chapter to learn what they really want to
know about their BMWs.
Bavarian Motorsport can accommodate 25 attendees for this event. Please call 408-956-1662 to
reserve your spot now. Coffee, tea, juice, croissants,
and muffins will be served. A random drawing
will be held for a free oil change—which will be
performed as part of the demonstration during the
technical session. Mark your calendar, and watch
the chapter website for additional details.
When: August 13, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Bavarian Motorsport, 1753 Houret
Court, Milpitas
Contact: Nicole Scherlie, 408-956-1662 www.
bavarianmotorsport.net
Want to Be Part of Club History?!
Cast And Crew Call for BMW CCA Video Production
Working Title: Oktoberfest ‘05 - The Movie
Producer: BMW CCA
Director: Jenny Morgan
Videographers: YOU!
Treatise: The week long celebration of all things
BMW is THE National Club event that brings in
members from all over the U.S.. Through a full
calendar of events, a crowd of 1,000-plus members
and their families, are expected to join in a celebration of our favorite marque. This film will be
a record of that week, its events, people, images,
activities, and memories.
We intend to cover all events, as well as interview certain administrative individuals, organizers,
and a�endees. A short list of events to be covered is:
Driving School, Club Races, Autocross, Gymkhana,
Concours, Ise�a celebration, TSD Rally, Street Survival, Awards Banquet, nightly dinners, and more!
WE NEED VOLUNTEER PERSONNEL! The
following jobs are open and need to be filled as
soon as possible:
•Videographers (4-6 needed)
•Video Assistants (4-6 needed)
•Sound Wranglers
•Gaffers (2-3 needed for certain events)
Details:
Another MUST is a tripod. Not required, but would be a
nice addition: add-on lighting and external mics. Add-on
lenses (telephoto and wide angle) are strongly recommended, but not required. We will supply all videotape!
While having fully trained, experienced videographers or film students would be GREAT, I realize that
most of y’all are amateurs and that will do just fine! We
can help you become a be�er shooter and help you to
think like an editor.
Videographer’s Assistants: MUST be willing to be
on their feet much of the time in order to move with the
Videographer. Tasks: assist, manage and label tapes, help
keep people near the camera quiet, provide pathways for
the videographer when the camera is in their face, carry
cold beverages... in short, whatever the videographers
needs. This is a great position for a spouse, a sibling, a
daughter, or a son.
Sound Wrangler: We’d love to have a real sound engineer to make digital sound for us, but there’s no budget.
So, if you’d like to volunteer yourself, a digital deck, and
the boom guy, we’d love to have you at the track and the
banquets. Honestly, I’m sure you’ll be able to teach me a
thing or two.
Announcements
Ladies-Only Tech Session
Gaffers: Schlep light equipment, set-up canopies and
reflectors for shadow control, and take on other “assistant” related duties. You need to be friendly, cooperative,
and smart... all gaffers are smart.
Want to join in? Please contact me immediately!
When: September 17-23, 2005
Where: Oktoberfest ‘05 Greensboro, NC
Contact: Jenny Morgan, [email protected] or
[email protected], 414-264-2694
Autumn Swap Meet
Didn’t get all the parts you needed at the Bay
Area 02 Swap & Show? Something else need
replacement? Come to our Autumn swap meet at
Double 02 Salvage and find all sorts of goodies to
fill your trunk with. As a bonus, Double 02 will
have seats on sale at $50 each! Don’t miss the free
coffee and donuts.
When: October 8, 9:00 a.m.
Where: 2034 American Ave., Hayward.
Contacts: JP Collins, [email protected]
Mark Preisendorf, [email protected]
www.double02salvage.com 510-782-2002
Videographers: MUST possess their own equipment
(handicam) and it MUST be either Digital8 or MiniDV
format—NO ANALOG. It must be capable of 16-bit
sound (check your owner’s manual if you’re not sure).
Videographers MUST have enough ba�ery reserve for
four to eight hours of shooting on any given day, and
the capability to charge those ba�eries each evening.
August 2005
5
6
August 2005
By Donna Seeley
Secretary, GGC BMW CCA
June 18, 2005
BMW of Fremont
The meeting was called to order at 1:43p.m.
Board members in a�endance: Mike Mills, President; Tammi
Hull, Treasurer; Donna Seeley, Secretary; Ed Lizardo,
Membership Chair; Mark Dadgar, Driving Events
Coordinator.
Board members absent: Peter Guagenti, Vice-President; Sco�
Smith, Technology Manager.
Motion by Hull, seconded by Mills and carried that all Board
meetings will follow the spirit if not the le�er of Robert’s
Rules of Order.
Treasurer
• Financials
o We have almost $30,000 on hand, but receivables are up.
o Motion by Mills, seconded by Dadgar and carried: A new
finance policy that any single item over $500 is a fixed asset.
o New bank account
o Transferred balance from Bank of Los Altos to
Washington Mutual, less about $10,000 to cover open checks.
o Board members with Bank of Los Altos checks are to
return them to Hull or destroy them.
o Washington Mutual will not let us fill out a new signature
card outside a bank branch. Mills will talk to people he
knows at Washington Mutual.
o Hull will continue to work toward online banking.
• Social Events Report
o Insurance waivers for social events
o Hull will clarify that the waivers for social events are the
same as for driving events.
o The July 9 Marin Tour is covered by insurance.
o Detailing clinic
� We’ve had a good response from the e-blast notice.
o San Jose Grand Prix
� Club registration closed June 1, but was supposed to
close June 15. Since we did not have 100 members registered
by June 1, we will not have a corral for this event.
• July 16-17 - ALMS at Infineon
• Aug. 19-21 - Festorics
o Planning is on track.
o They are soliciting sponsors.
• Holiday party
o Planning is in progress.
Secretary
• Tech Sessions
o No new information.
• Crisis Communications
o Mills is waiting for a response from Wynne Smith. The
GGC Board’s feeling is that our event management people
have handled crises well.
• Old Insurance waivers
o Kelly Collins delivered all found in trailer. Seeley will
forward them to National for archiving.
Vice President
• Newsle�er – no report.
• Webmaster conference – no report.
Driving Events Coordinator
• Autocross
o Last week’s autocross was great!
o Registration is open for the next event.
o There is a discount for signing up for both the CCC
and autocross.
• Car Control Clinics
o Eighteen people have signed up already.
o We will need new cones soon.
• Driving Schools
o Aug. 20-21, Thunderhill
� Twenty people have signed up.
� Dadgar is now extending invitations to other groups
(BigMini, Audi, etc.).
• Club Racing
o The Bu�onwillow race went very well, with 38 racers
including three in the GTS class.
o The next race is at Bu�onwillow in September with VARA.
• Rally
o This heading will be removed from the regular agenda but
updated as necessary.
• Dealer Presentation
o Planning still in progress by Dadgar and Kelly Collins.
• Truck and Trailer
o The trailer is going in for service before the Thunderhill school.
o The truck needs its overdrive switch fixed and new wheels.
o Our driver pool must be expanded.
o Storage - most drivers don’t want to pick up trailer in
Richmond; we will move it to a more central location for
autocross/CCC drivers.
Membership Chair
• Membership
o 4,405 members as of end of May.
o Dadgar and Lizardo will a�empt to reconcile the
discrepancy in the number of members with email addresses.
o Member surveys through National
� Lizardo is waiting for response from Wynne Smith.
o GGC Brochure
� Lizardo has submi�ed his first dra�. Mills to respond.
• Communications Report
o It is time to order new GGC window stickers with the
corrected logo.
o Charity Car Show (Ed’s email)
� Aug. 7 at DeAnza College.
� This conflicts with GGC autocross.
� Collins will put it in our calendar.
o Dadgar started a discussion of one-off e-blasts
for individual events vs. the normal scheduled batch
announcements. The Board decided to discourage the one-off
e-blasts since most events have sufficient lead time for the
scheduled announcements.
• Area Reps
o Two members have expressed an interest in the San
Francisco opening. Lizardo will evaluate their qualifications.
Technology Director (Report via email to the Board.)
• Smith has started work on an image gallery.
• Smith will contact National about member database reports.
• Smith will integrate the corrected logo into the website.
• Smith will give a report on the webmaster conference.
President
• Updated National Operations Manual
o Hull reviewed it; no issues to report.
• Logo
o Kelly Kirkland will distribute the corrected graphic to
the Board.
o Mills started a discussion of the increasing requirements
from National to the chapters. We are not taking any action at
this time.
• Dream Garages Magazine request
o Looking for local “Dream Garages” to include.
o Mills will respond; no good candidate garages known to
Board members or other meeting a�endees.
• GGC Operations Manual
o Mills will incorporate the job descriptions he’s received
into the manual.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:22pm
Thanks to BMW of Fremont!
Minutes
Golden Gate Chapter - BMW CCA Board Meeting Minutes
Our thanks to
BMW of Fremont
for hosting this board meeting!
August 2005
7
Steve Albrecht
operate below 40 percent and diesels
Will BMW Return to GT
just above 40 percent. The hydrogen
Racing?... With Porsche returnengine will have more power and
ing to big-time sports car racing
more torque… and no pollution. Iniwith Roger Penske (Auto Week,
tially, maybe we will make [hydroApril 25), is BMW far behind?
gen] from natural gas, but eventuWord is a BMW return will not
ally all hydrogen will be produced
happen until 2008 at the earliest.
using renewable energy—such as
For some time the German
solar power.”
automaker has been exploring
Freymann predicts a peaking
the possibilities of going racing
of diesel popularity in Europe as
with the forthcoming V10-powdirect-injection gasoline engines
ered M6. BMW has talked about
gain greater presence. And he is
these plans for the first time, but
somewhat dismissive of current
it has stressed that an M6 GT
hybrid designs (“two engines...
racer is a way off.
simply add weight to the car, and
“We did an evaluation on
add money to the car”).
the car and are watching the
Freymann indicated that BMW
FIA GT Championship and Le
is working on a gasoline-electric
Mans and its associated series
The M6 looks right at home on a racetrack.
hybrid, however, but using superin America and Europe closely,”
capacitors boosted by regenerative
said BMW Motorsport boss
braking, rather than ba�eries.
Mario Theissen. “If GT racing looks promising, and
if everyone gets together and has the same rules and
“[The supercapacitors] are lighter and store less
interprets them in the same way, there would be a good
power, but unlike ba�eries we can use all their power—
chance for a GT project. But we will only do it if the car
all 100 percent. An electric engine has a lot of torque at
can race competitively in America.” Theissen said that
low revs—that is its main benefit—so it’s ideal for fast
the M6 racer was “not a running project” and that even
initial acceleration. At higher revs, once you’ve begun
if work started now there could be no race-ready car
to accelerate, nothing can beat an internal combustion
until 2007. BMW Motorsport
engine. Our hybrid approach combines the best characteristics of both engines.”
BMW Hints At A Future Supercapacitor Hybrid…
Edmunds.com interviews BMW’s Professor Raymond FreyBMW has worked on ISAD (Integrated Starter
mann, the managing director of BMW Group Research and
Alternator Damper)-like hybrid systems for a number of
Technology. An aeronautical engineer by training, he has been
years, as chronicled in the “IEA Implementing Agreeat BMW for almost twenty years.
ment for Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies and
Programmes Overview Report 2000” Green Car Congress
As the company has o�en said, BMW is bullish on
hydrogen long-term, although not necessarily on fuel
BMW Seats So Comfortable... A British burglar
cells. Hence their emphasis on internal combustion
who made off with a family car a�er an overnight raid
engines fueled by hydrogen. BMW will be offering a biwas arrested when officers discovered the vehicle with
fueled (H2 and gasoline) 7 Series within two years.
the thief fast asleep inside. The BMW was stolen during
a house burglary along with cash, wallets, telephones,
“We think the future is not so radical. All of our
and credit cards. Some time later the tired thief had
consideration is on internal combustion engines. We’re
tried to get some shut-eye on a quiet road, but sped
not sure fuel cells will happen—other than as the power
away from police when officers knocked on the window
source for everything driven electronically, such as air
to wake him up. Parked at his next victim’s house, he
conditioning, in-car entertainment, lights, etc. For this
fell asleep again. The resident alerted police saying an
application, the fuel cell makes perfect sense. But as the
unconscious man was outside his address in the car.
power source for driving the car? That is a huge step.”
Police officers found the stolen BMW on a driveway
“Rather, we think the internal combustion engine, fueled by liquid hydrogen is perfect. The technology exists. with the man asleep inside it. During his a�empted
escape, he managed to collide with a patrol car. A police
The internal combustion engine also offers much be�er
spokeswoman said: “It seems to be very hard work bepower density and efficiency than fuel cells. Fuel cells
ing a burglar. We are grateful this gentlemen’s alleged
have such a long way to go. I’m not sure anyone would
night time activities made him so tired he had to get
be able to pay
some shut-eye.” BMW World
the bills.”
New Head of BMW’s Palo Alto Tech Office
“Hydrogen
Named... BMW Group announced that it has named Dr.
will work best in
Bernardo Lopez to head the BMW Group Technology
direct-injection
Office in Palo Alto, California, effective July 1, 2005. He
engines with suwill interface with Prof. Raymond Freymann, Managpercharging. The
ing Director of BMW Group Research and Technology.
thermal efficienDr. Lopez succeeds Dr. Joachim Stilla, who will assume
cy of a hydrogen
new responsibilities at the company’s headquarters in
internal combusMunich, Germany.
tion engine will
Prior to this position, Dr. Lopez was head of informabe more than 50
percent. Gasoline tion technology for the development of electronics in the
engines currently research and development division at BMW Group in
BMW Press
BMW News Bytes
Bimmerphile
Bimmerphile Editor: Ed Lizardo
Professor Raymond Freymann, Managing director of
BMW Group Research and Technology
8
August 2005
was to be McLaren’s first a�empt at the world’s most
prestigious endurance race.
McLaren decided to update GTR01—the original test
car—and enter it to augment the five customer cars that
had been running all season. It was this car, piloted by
former Formula 1 racers J.J. Lehto and Yannick Dalmas,
and experienced Japanese driver Masanori
Sekiya, that took the
checkered flag a�er a
race full of drama.
McLaren F1 GTRs
finished 1st, 3rd, 4th,
5th and 13th, not only
winning the race at its
first a�empt, but totally
dominating this most
grueling of events.
McLaren Cars Ltd.
McLaren Cars Ltd.
Munich, Germany. His extensive engineering experience
includes work in simulation methods, project management, and advanced powertrain engineering, especially
in the field of electronics.
Located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, the
BMW Group Technology Office was founded in 1998 to
identify and investigate leading-edge technologies in
non-automotive fields that BMW Group can make available to its customers. Working closely with the BMW
Group Research and Innovation Center (FIZ) in Munich,
new technologies are identified and pursued at an early
stage, with an emphasis on vehicle information and communication technology.
While most of the work of the Technology Office will
be seen in future BMW Group vehicles, products such
as the Miniature Head-Up Display in the sunglasses of
the Oracle BMW Racing Team used in the America’s Cup
and the iDrive controller in the current BMW 7 Series
are already well-known technologies examples of its
work. The Technology Office also developed the BMW
iPod™ adapter that enabled the world’s first integration
of iPod™ and car audio systems, allowing iPod™ enthusiasts to connect with music like never before, while
maintaining uncompromised control of the automobile.
Along with the BMW Group Engineering and Emissions Test Center in Oxnard and DesignworksUSA in
Newbury Park, the Technology Office in Palo Alto forms
the BMW Group California Innovation Triangle (CIT).
BMW Press
Hang on to your BMW!... Things had been downright cordial in the parking lot of a Waldbaum’s store,
as a woman negotiated with the man about to tow her
BMW. There was no yelling, the Nassau County, New
York, police said. No screaming. No violence.
Then, at 3:15 p.m, the truck driver, Donald Wilson,
got a call from his towing company telling him to return
to the yard without releasing the car. But the BMW’s
owner jumped onto the truck as it pulled away, hanging on like a bird atop an elephant as the truck rumbled
through Great Neck. For the next two miles, the woman,
Yan Li, 33, of Forest Hills, Queens, stood on a running
board and clung to the driver’s side door while Mr.
Wilson, 41, drove twenty miles per hour south on Middle
Neck Road, the police said.
“The driver should have just stopped, called the
police and said, ‘She’s interrupting my work.’” but he
didn’t,” Detective Sgt. Robert Anderson of the Nassau
County police said. As they drove, Ms. Li tried to call 911
on her cell phone, but Mr. Wilson reached out his window and disconnected the call. But a friend of Ms. Li’s,
who had been le� behind in the Waldbaum’s parking lot,
called the police, who pulled over the tow truck near an
entrance to the Long Island Expressway.
Mr. Wilson was arrested on a charge of reckless
endangerment, and Ms. Li, who was not injured, faces no
charges. Ms. Li got her BMW back from the towing company, Nationwide Towing, which would not comment on
the incident. Mr. Wilson’s tow truck, police said, has been
impounded with North Shore Towing. BMW World
10th Anniversary Of BMW V12 Victory At Le
Mans... This year marks the 10th anniversary of the
McLaren F1 GTR’s historic victory at the 24 Heures du
Mans. The McLaren F1 GTR was developed from the F1
road car, powered by a bespoke 627-hp BMW 6.1-liter
V12, and proved highly effective in the four-hour GT
races in 1995, its first season of racing. Le Mans that year
500,000th X5 Built… BMW Manufacturing Co. in
Spartanburg, North Carolina has produced its 500,000th
X5, just five and a half years a�er its market introduction. The milestone vehicle is an X5 3.0d and outfi�ed
with the Individual Maritime package, which will be
shipped to a customer in Hamburg, Germany. The
first X5 rolled off the production lines at Spartanburg
on September 1, 1999. Less than two years later, the
100,000th milestone was reached on August 23, 2001.The
X5 is produced exclusively in the U.S. for distribution to
more than 120 markets. BMW is the largest exporter of
US-made automobiles, exporting 60% of its production.
just-auto.com editorial team
Fallon Agency Parking BMW… Fallon Worldwide
is leaving BMW by the side of the road. Rather than take
part in an account review, the Minneapolis ad agency
said that it’s ending a ten-year relationship with BMW
NA. Fallon employs about 500 people worldwide, 300 of
them in Minneapolis. The agency is part of the French
media conglomerate Publicis Groupe.
“Never say never, but we have a lot of other successful business that has grown, and we have new business
in the pipeline,” Fallon spokeswoman Rosemary Abendroth said, “We are parting ways, and we wish BMW
every success.”
BMW had been one of the agency’s signature accounts, and Fallon won acclaim for The Hire, a series of
short Internet films featuring BMW cars and directed by
top Hollywood talent.
The Cannes International Advertising Festival in 2003
created a new award, the Titanium Lion, specifically to
recognize the BMW film campaign, which blurred the
boundaries of traditional contest categories. BMW spent
about $165,000,000 on measured media in 2004, according to Ad Age. Abendroth said BMW’s North American
sales grew from 84,000 in 1994, the year before it hired
Fallon, to 260,000 last year. Star Tribune
August 2005
9
10
August 2005
By Brant Miller
A
lan Hardy, owner of H&B Specialists in Berkeley,
invited our chapter into his shop to see first hand
what electronic diagnostic testing and BMW’s
newest service tool, the Internet-connected PassThrough Tool, is all about. More than 30 club members came out
on June 25 for the demonstration and to have their cars tested
as well. Hardy (the “H” of H&B) was a great host as well as an
informative historian on independent BMW services.
A�er the breakfast fare and refreshments (thanks to the
H&B team, you are great hosts!), Hardy started the session
with an interesting historical discussion. He began, “When
H&B was created in 1974 (then known as Hardy & Beck - kk),
even the dealer service shops were struggling to understand
BMWs. I consider those the good-old days, a tech could
follow wires and understand how systems worked.” He continued, “Those days are gone now. In today’s modern BMW,
digital information flows between controllers—in a modern 7
Series there are as many as 120 controllers connected by five
data busses. There is no hope of developing an understanding from following physical wires anymore. Access to BMW
technical information is critical.”
Hardy further explained to us that BMW has been a leader in
developing automotive electronics—especially in adopting electronic engine management and ABS braking. That leading edge
has created a challenge for BMW dealers and independent shops
alike. Dealers are well connected to BMW information and tend
to only work on the newest cars. Independent shops work mostly on cars that are out of warranty; these shops are faced with
the technical and economic challenges of staying current. The good
news is that, thanks in part to EPA requirements that manufacturers
make their diagnostic tools available for sale to the a�ermarket, there
is more access to BMW information and tools here in the U.S. than in
other countries. But, consider this: a new piece of test equipment can
cost $20,000, and will o�en be obsolete in only a couple of years.
In the good old days, BMW-supported electronic-test equipment consisted of a customized Sun Diagnostics machine, a few
gauges, and an ignition oscilloscope. Today, BMW-supported electronic tools for the a�ermarket include the MODIC III (for cars up
to 2003), the more recent GT-1 (for all cars), and the still-developing
Pass-Through Tool—which works by connecting the car via the
Internet directly to BMW’s computers in Germany. Allen explained
that these tools communicate with the computers onboard our cars
to obtain information to help technicians diagnose problems.
When Hardy asked who in the group work on their own cars,
a show of hands indicate most club members present still got
grease under their fingernails. Most also obtain some service from
independent shops when their cars are out of warranty.
The newer cars cause a problem for the do-it-yourselfer, the
days when you could diagnose performance problems by substituting known good parts have ended. Many newer car parts
must be programmed upon installation into a particular car. As an
example, you can no longer place your “suspect” computer into a
friend’s BMW to verify that it has failed.
Technical Session at
H&B BMW Specialists
Allen Hardy connects the Pass-Through Tool to an attendee’s BMW.
A�er Hardy’s presentation, club members were able to move
their cars into the shop, three at a time, for testing. However, the
Pass-Through Tool refused to work; but, H&B’s MODIC III and
GT-1 testers were connected to our cars and produced reports on
their condition.
What this can show you is what codes have been tripped
in your car—the systems that the computer thinks has had a
problem. My car’s test showed that my E34 5 Series had codes
set for Body Electronics, Central-locking Module, and Heater/Air
Conditioning System. Since those systems (except my rear-door
windows!!) are working normally, we cleared the codes. Hardy
informs me, “If those codes show up again, more investigation
will be in order.” One thing I was hoping to learn is what my
fuel trim numbers are (perhaps BMW calls that Oxygen Sensor
Control?); however, that information did not appear.
The member enthusiasm for the information and the testing—especially on their own cars, and a few additional problems
with test equipment skewed the schedule and we ran out of time
to test some of the members’ cars. Hardy was gracious enough
to reschedule them for later diagnostics. The schedule notwithstanding, our day at H&B was an educational experience for all,
as well as good fun. The information we gained from this—including the printed information on our cars’ fault codes—will
help us all in the future. We are grateful to Allen Hardy and his
team for the long hours they spent with us on their day off.
August 2005
11
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12
August 2005
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August 2005
13
By Sco� Barneson
orget about Star Wars:
Revenge of the Sith, 2005
is The Year of The Dorks.
Of course I’m talking
about the Third Annual
Photos by:
Bryn Dole
Dave Regis
David Birkbeck
Doug Richardson
Kevin Yu
Dorkfest: a celebration of
BMW’s ultimate driver’s
car, the Z3 and M coupes.
D
esignated with the body code of E36/8, BMW built 11,523 Z3 coupes
and 6,292 M coupes between 1999 and 2002. Last year’s Dorkfest gettogether at Danville’s Blackhawk Auto Museum set the bar worldwide
for Z3/M coupe gatherings with 41 cars in a�endance. Last April the record was
broken handily by the Z3Mcoupe.com Brits who managed to collect 63 coupes at
a race at Donington Park raceway in England.
For Dorkfest 2005, word spread rapidly over email and the web—some coupe
owners are even notified via notes on windshields! It’s our aim to break the Brits’
record, and as June 5 approaches, it looks as if the record might be reclaimed.
Fi�een minutes before the appointed start time, I rumble up to our meeting spot at Blackhawk and, to my surprise, fi�een to twenty coupes are already
parked!…with owners huddled, already cha�ing away. A few minutes later, the
morning munchies arrive via special delivery by my wife, Colleen Barneson—
a.k.a. Mrs. Dork. As the custom Dorkfest t-shirts and pre-printed nametags are
Continues on page 16
14
August 2005
August 2005
15
distributed, we find plenty of time to mingle over Peet’s
Coffee, muffins, and Krispy Kreme’s (thanks to the Law
offices of Ken Scherfee). Pre�y soon I’m notified we’ve
passed the 50-coupe mark. With quite a few nametags
still le� on the table, it looks as if we might just beat
those crazy Brits!
As the coffee disappears, Kurt Martin (the world’s best
human megaphone) leads the arduous task of arranging
the Dorks into neat rows for the barrage of photos soon
to memorialize the occasion. Fancy cameras emerge and
gigabytes of photos quickly follow. Grins become contagious and seem to be permanent as we gaze at the pool
of hatchbacks gli�ering in the sun. Our final count: 59
coupes… the Brits keep the record (for now)!
We find that taking pictures makes you quite hungry.
Grudgingly, we leave our coupes behind and go for lunch.
While the food appeases appetites, the real fuel at lunch
is the conversation. Stories circulate the room: first coupe
encounters, track days, planned modifications, and explanations of why the coupe is the ultimate BMW expression
of style and performance (and don’t try to tell us otherwise!). These conversations remind me how amazing that
this instant bond between total strangers evolves because
of a bizarre li�le car.
The next hour is consumed by the ever-impressive
tour of the Blackhawk Auto Museum. It is a true worldclass showcase of rare, collectible, historic automobiles.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
E36/8 COUPES, GO TO:
THE
www.368s.com
- U.S. coupe Owners
www.z3mcoupe.com
- U.K. coupe Owners
www.z3reg.com
- Z3 Registration Database
16
August 2005
Perhaps someday there will be a nice example of an M
coupe resting inside. Considering the fact that later S54
equipped coupes have been selling in the low 40’s, I
wouldn’t be surprised! On second thought, I cringe at the
thought of an M coupe being parked indefinitely. These
cars are made to be driven… which reminds me to stop
daydreaming and cue up for the group drive!
Our chain of close to thirty coupes leaves the parking lot
of Blackhawk and snakes its way through Crow Canyon.
For nearly two and a half hours we enjoy the brisk corners
of backroad driving in our stiffest of all BMW’s. One-byone our chain unlinks and eventually four coupes emerged
in Milpitas. It’s been ten straight hours of pure 36/8 bliss.
Can I do it again? Please?
Sco� Barneson, a.k.a. MDork, is the founder and organizer of
Dorkfest. Sco� and his wife Colleen live in Santa Clara where he
spends most of his time slaving away in Business Development at a
startup company called ZipLip. He purchased his M coupe on March
14, 2002—”A date I’ll never forget!” No one is quite sure why he is
so amused by the word “dork,” but somehow it seems appropriate.
Thanks to the community of Z3 and M
coupes for making
Dorkfest 2005 a
huge success!
August 2005
17
Photos by Kris Linquist
www.linquist.net
18
August 2005
June 12, 2005 Autocross Results - Marina Municipal Airport
Driver Name
Time
Points
1
2
3
4
5
Garcia
Webber
Bowlus
Bensen
Shah
56.069
56.777
57.456
57.836
60.896
20
15
11
8
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Cowan
Prasad
Ball
Gwee
Crum
Miller
Sanchez
Owen
Yu
59.388
60.237
60.956
60.997
61.016
62.727
62.949
64.651
65.487
20
15
11
8
6
5
4
3
2
1
2
Clark
Visser
60.005
60.292
20
15
Class
Mocel
GONZO
Ken
325is FTD
Chris
M3
Russ
325is
Jonathan M3
Vishal
M3
AAA
Jeff
M3
Praneil
M3
Rodger
M3
Poh
M3
David
M3
Sco�
325i
Kyle
325i
Nicholas M3
William
M3
AA
Andrew
M5
Ma�hew 328ic
Class
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Driver Name
Linquist Kris
Killeen
Deb
Oledan
Eduerdo
Su�erfield Bob
Martinez Steve
Mestetsky Alexander
A
McFarland Randy
Mielke
Chris
Mercado Joe
Killeen
Noah
Boudart
Jesse
Chang
Can
LeBeau
Mike
Chiang
Chu
Sanchez Bob
Chang
Bruce
Houser
Brad
Mocel
330iSPP
325is
M3
535is
M5
M5
Time Points
60.874
11
64.845
8
64.864
6
65.672
5
66.193
4
70.545
3
330Ci Sport
325is
325is
325is
325is
325is
Cooper S
330Ci
Z3 2.5
325i
535i
61.823
62.983
63.253
63.527
63.594
65.711
66.636
67.088
67.830
68.482
70.623
20
15
11
8
6
5
4
3
2
1
Class
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
Driver Name
Goebel
Orbon
Parsons
Lysgaard
Toeppen
Li
B
Mocel
Bob
328is
John
318iC
Brock
330XiA
Jeff
328iC
Grant
2002
Nicholas 325i Sport
C*
LeFrancois Ramon
750iL
Christopher 2002tii
Caccese
Time
Points
64.276
65.656
67.508
67.665
69.272
69.903
20
15
11
8
6
5
57.625
64.611
20
15
* C Class times are adjusted by formula and aren’t comparable other classes.
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
N (non-competing BMWs)
Thrasher Jason
M3
Dennis
Glenn
525i
X (non-BMWs)
Honda S2000
Walker
Robert
Sams
Jason
Lotus Elise
Moranda Marshall EVO
Pont Firehawk
Catalin
Reu
King
Brian
EVO
63.297
70.330
58.130
59.518
63.783
64.611
67.050
Autocross Standings after Four Events
Place
1
2
3
4
5
5
7
7
9
11
11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
7
10
11
12
13
13
15
15
15
18
19
19
19
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
10
12
Driver Name
GONZO
Garcia
Ken
Webber
Chris
Bensen
Jonathan
Pieron
Remy
Cheung
Eric
Qaisi
Faisal
Bowlus
Russ
Vijeh
Richard
Dadgar
Mark
Kupper
Steve
Shah
Vishal
AAA
Sams
R. Jason
Prasad
Praneil
Ball
Rodger
Gwee
Poh
Cowan
Jeff
Mo�az
Peter
Crum
David
Hsu
Michael
Tanphaichitr Saksiri
Sanchez
Kyle
Miller
Sco�
Crow
Frank
Odabasidglu Altan
Sakhartchouk Alex
Glazier
Todd
Owen
Nicholas
Yu
William
Collins
Kelly
Lopez
Sergio
McManus
Jason
Ray
David
AA
Visser
Ma�hew
Linquist
Kris
Knoot
Ma�hew
Clark
Andrew
McCormick
Jeff
Goelkel
Chris
Su�erfield
Bob
Garcia
John
Killeen
Deb
Parle�e
Jim
Killeen
Noah
Oledan
Eduerdo
Model
325is
M3
M3
M3
M Coupe
M3
Points
325is
325is
2002
M3
55
49
36
22
20
20
11
11
8
6
6
M3
M3
M3
M3
M3
M3
M3
M Coupe
M3
325i
325i
540i
M3
M3
325i
M3
M3
M3
M3
M3
M3
48
45
40
36
27
20
11
11
11
9
7
5
4
4
3
3
3
2
1
1
1
328ic
330iSPP
Cooper S
M5
M3 Cabrio
535is
535is
M5
325is
M3 Cabrio
Z4
M3
70
37
35
26
23
16
15
11
9
9
8
5
Place
13
14
14
16
16
Driver Name
Martinez
Small
Malone
Mestetsky
Graham
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11
11
14
14
16
16
18
19
19
Mercado
McFarland
Dolan
Killeen
Chang
Mielke
Dolan
Antonowicz
Chiang
Ha
Boudart
Brown
Vogt
DiMauro
Shirvani
Bry
LeBeau
Sanchez
Chang
Smith
Steve
Ma�
Robert
Alexander
Bruce
A
Joe
Randy
Tim
Noah
Can
Chris
Cathy
Vance
Chu
Hien
Jesse
Daniel
Jonathan
Paul
Philip
Gary
Mike
Bob
Bruce
Kim
Model
M5
M3
Cooper S
M5
M5
Points
3
3
2
2
1
325is
330Ci Sport
Cooper S
325is
325is
325is
Cooper S
325i
330Ci
330i SPP
325is
330i
325es
M635 Euro
330Ci Sport
325is
Cooper S
Z3 2.5
325i
Cooper S
61
48
35
30
18
15
13
11
9
8
6
6
6
5
5
4
4
2
1
1
Place
Driver Name
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
9
10
10
12
Goebel
Orbon
Lysgaard
Parsons
Brown
Bishop
Li
Spurling
Webster
Miller
Toeppen
Lau
1
2
3
4
4
6
LeFrancois
Caccese
Gould
Dyer
Wolfson
Slocum
August 2005
Model
Points
B
Bob
328is
60
John
318iC
41
Jeff
328iC
27
Brock
330XiA
26
Herschel
325i Sport
20
318ti Active
Jason
15
Nicholas
325i Sport
11
James
Z3
11
318ti Active
Earl
8
Natalia
325iA
6
Grant
2002
6
Victor
328i
5
C
Ramon
750iL
60
Christopher 2002tii
26
Curtis
528iA
20
Joe
850CiA
15
Larry
325iT
15
Joyce
850CiA
8
19
High Performance
Driving School
Satch Carlson
August 20-21, 2005
1. Welcome
2. Event Overview
Come and join the Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW Car
Club of America for its summer driving school at Thunderhill
Raceway in Willows, California. Thunderhill is a beautiful and
challenging race track in California’s Central Valley, making it a
great place to learn the art of high performance driving from the
dedicated team of experienced GGC instructors. You’ll go home
with skills you can use on the roads every day as well as some
great memories of laps at this famous racetrack.
This application includes all of the information you’ll need to
apply and prepare for this school. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if
you have questions that are not answered here.
We look forward to seeing you at Thunderhill!
Fees for this school are:
· $399 for BMW CCA members/$439 for non-members (includes a one-year membership)
· Optional $25 dinner ticket for Saturday night dinner
Deadlines:
· Applications and payment due by 8/15/05
· Cancellations assessed a $50 fee before 8/7/05
· No refunds issued a�er 8/7/05
TRACK LOCATION
Thunderhill Raceway is located seven miles west of I-5 on
Highway 162.
TRACK SCHOOL SCHEDULE
Bruce Nesbit – Chief Driving Instructor
Billy Maher – Chief Driving Instructor
In an effort to maximize the amount of track time for students,
GGC driving schools run on a very tight schedule. A detailed
schedule will be provided to you at registration.
Students will be divided into four run groups based upon
experience level. Session lengths are roughly 25 minutes.
FRIDAY NIGHT EARLY REGISTRATION
7:00-9:00 p.m.
(Lobby) Best Western Golden Pheasant Inn, 249 N. Humboldt
Ave, Willows, California 530-934-4603 or 800-338-1387.
Remember to bring your helmet to registration for inspection
along with your completed, signed, and stamped tech inspection
form.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY TRACK SCHEDULE
Satch Carlson
Time
20
August 2005
6:30 a.m. Track gates open
7:00 a.m. Registration opens
8:00 a.m. Driver’s Meeting - MANDATORY
9:00 a.m. Track is open
5:00 p.m. Track is closed
The drivers’ meeting in the paddock at 8:00 a.m. is
MANDATORY for all students. Failure to a�end this meeting will result in you missing your first track session while
we repeat the safety information for you.
SATURDAY NIGHT BANQUET
At Casa Ramos, in the Best Western parking lot.
6:00 p.m. Social (hotel lobby)
7:00 p.m. Dinner (banquet room)
If you choose to sign up for dinner, submit your $25 per
dinner fee when you apply.
GETTING MORE INFORMATION
Your primary source of information for these events is
the Golden Gate Chapter web site: www.ggcbmwcca.org
Please download the Event Preparation document and
read it prior to arriving at the school! It includes information about car and safety requirements.
The discussion forums in the “GGC Talk” section of the
chapter web site are an excellent place to ask questions about the
format of these events and to get advice from previous participants as well as chapter officials and instructors.
If you have questions a�er reading the application and
web site, please contact us ASAP! Questions can be directed to
Bruce Nesbit at 415-461-1811 between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. or
[email protected]. Email is preferred.
CONVERTIBLES
Convertibles and T-top cars must have 5-point belts and arm restraints, as well as an approved roll cage installed. Factory “rollover
protection” for a so� top (i.e. BMW Z3 and Z4, Porsche Boxster) is
not sufficient for the school. Convertibles with hard tops are NOT
ALLOWED. Examples of cars NOT ALLOWED include: Firebirds
and Camaros with T-tops or convertibles; any Corve�e other than
the Z06 coupe; Porsche convertibles and Targas. It is essential that
you email or call Bruce Nesbit (see above) to discuss these issues
well in advance if you plan to bring a convertible or T-top car.
3. Sign-Up Procedures
ELIGIBILITY:
PREVIOUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Your car must be registered and insured, you must be a
licensed driver, eighteen years of age or older, and you must be a
BMW CCA member to be eligible for enrollment. If you have no
previous organized, on-track high-performance driving experience, you are required to a�end one of the club’s Car Control
Clinics (CCC). A CCC will normally be scheduled prior to each
scheduled track school. If you have not already enrolled in a CCC
and need to meet this eligibility requirement, please check for
scheduling information on the club’s web site and act now. If you
are a�ending the track school, you will have priority for the CCC;
but you must apply prior to the deadline for the CCC. If you have
questions about the applicability of any previous driving experience, please contact us.
THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS
1. Online Application: Apply online at www.ggcbmwcca.
org. Online application is encouraged. You can also use the hard
copy application available at www.ggcbmwcca.org but you will
need to fill out, print and mail a signed copy of your application
along with a check made payable to “BMW CCA GG Chapter” for
$399 (add $25 for each optional dinner and add $40 if you’re not a
BMW CCA member) to:
Track School
c/o Bruce Nesbit
18 Via Cheparro
Greenbrae, California 94904
2. Payment: Credit card payment is available for online applications ONLY. You are eligible for enrollment only when we
have received your payment for the entire enrollment fee or have
confirmation of online payment by credit card.
3. Enrollment Status: Your enrollment status will be available online at www.motorsportreg.com. Once we receive your
payment, and provided you meet eligibility and membership
requirements, your status will be updated to show you are IN the
school. Until we receive full payment and determine eligibility,
your status will be shown as PENDING. If you are wait-listed,
your place on the list will be shown as WL# indicating your position on the wait-list. If we hold a lo�ery, enrollment status will be
updated a�er the lo�ery has been run. Our schools are BMW CCA
events, so BMWs will have enrollment priority. If you are driving
a non-BMW, you are in line behind BMWs unless we open the
school to non-BMWs, at which time you will have the same priority. Please check your status at www.motorsportreg.com before
contacting us to ask if you are IN, or if we have received your
application and payment.
4. Cancellation Policy: All cancellations from “enrolled”
status are subject to a $50 cancellation fee. The balance of the
enrollment fee will be refunded by check for cancellations made
prior to the cancellation deadline. NO REFUNDS will be issued
a�er the cancellation deadline. If you are on the wait-list, but
excluded from a�ending the school, you will receive priority for
the next GGC driving school. Any cancellations from the waitlist will receive a full refund, but no priority for the next school
will be given to wait-list cancellations. No enrollment fees will be
refunded for registrants who are not present at the school.
4. GGC BMW CCA Driving School Program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
If you have not yet a�ended one of our high performance
driving schools, this material will help you understand our
program. Your safety is our primary concern. Every procedure,
requirement, guideline, and instruction is carefully designed to
satisfy that concern. Cars moving at speed on the track can be
dangerous to the occupants, to corner workers, and to other cars.
It is possible for you to be injured and your car damaged. In order
to manage this risk and to allow us to continue with these activities in the future, your understanding and cooperation is essential.
August 2005
21
This is not a racing school.
There will be no timing equipment or stopwatches, nor trophies or bonus points for fastest lap. This experience is designed
to increase your mental, visual, and physical skills, as well as your
knowledge of what your car can and can not do. Our philosophy is
that a good driver is an aware driver... aware of the car, aware of the
track, aware of other drivers.
SCHOOL FORMAT
All students on track have access to instructors for the entire
weekend. Our instructors are experienced track school or road racing
veterans and are serious about your learning experience and your
safety! Instructors will drive the first few laps with the student in the
passenger seat to familiarize them with the track, and to become comfortable with the integrity of the car. Instructors drive the students’
cars at only moderate speeds in this session.
The balance of the weekend is spent with students driving
and receiving coaching from an instructor in the car. Typical
schedules allow a student to have four 25-30 minute run sessions
during the day. Students are formed into four separate groups
that are based on experience. Relatively inexperienced students
will be on track with others of similar experience and who drive
at moderate speeds. The more experienced student groups drive
at higher speeds.
A�er students demonstrate judgment and familiarity with the
track and car, they may be signed off by their group leader to drive
on track without an instructor. Many students find that even while
signed off, they prefer to keep an instructor in the car to continue
on their learning curve. Students are encouraged to seek rides with
their instructors if time permits. These rides provide additional
perspectives on the capabilities of the car and driver.
22
August 2005
Listen to your instructors, many of them started out as
students themselves. Utilize their knowledge to enhance yours.
Good students make the teaching easy and enjoyable for all parties concerned. Sessions will be tailored to student experience
level.
A WORD ABOUT VOLUNTEERS
Numerous volunteers devote their spare time to make this
a safe and successful learning experience for you. No staff
person or instructor is paid for his/her participation. Staffers and
instructors volunteer their time because of their love of the sport
and their desire to help club members—you—maximize the joys
of the ultimate driving experience. If you have a particularly
good experience with an instructor of staffer, please remember
to thank them for their help and to let one of the school organizers or the group leader at your tent know about it.
Doug observed that with the new understanding there
was enough apparent common ground to continue their
review. Eddie Funahashi and Wynne Smith will be their
point of contact for additional exchange of information.
FROM: Wynne Smith,
Executive Director
DATE: June 24, 2005
Membership Stats as 06/23/2005
Full Associate
Current Membership
Total
66,002
9,059
75,061
Last Month’s Membership 66,137
9,067
75,204
-135
-8
-143
Monthly % Change
-0.20%
-0.09%
-0.19%
Last Year’s Membership
67,769
8,950
76,719
Annual Net Gain (Loss)
-1767
109
-1658
-2.61%
1.22%
-2.16%
Monthly Net Gain (Loss)
Annual % Change
New Members, 06/05
1,139
Renewals, 06/05
48.9%
Roundels Mailed
67,000
Oktoberfest: It’s right around the corner! You can
now sign up online on the BMW CCA Website to a�end
the club’s premier event Go to : Events > Oktoberfest
2005 Registrations.
Meeting of the BMW CCA Board of Directors: Was
held June 3-5, 2004 in Portland, OR. The minutes are
out to the Board for approval and will be posted to the
website as soon as they have been approved.
Late in the day the guests in a�endance were offered the opportunity comment or asked questions of
the Board. Doug Goodrum, President of the Portland
ACA, took the opportunity to discuss their club’s history
regarding merging their membership in BMW CCA.
Their Chapter has reviewed the issue frequently
over the years, most recently in 2000. They always came
to the conclusion that it would not be financially beneficial and there it would require additional administrative resources. They have recently created a commi�ee
to revisit the issue again.
Having read a recent dra� of the BMW CCA operations manual, Doug had several questions and a discus-
Sco� Blazey presented a proposed by-law change.
The goal of the change would be to allow the Club the
flexibility to modify its organizational and membership
structure to allow for non-geographic-based chapters.
This would further the strategic objectives of growing the
club and providing a home for BMW enthusiasts, including those enthusiasts whose interest is mainly expressed
through non-traditional—usually electronic—means.
The Board had only minor changes to the proposed
language. Sco� Blazey will discuss the background and
thrust of these changes in an upcoming President’s column in Roundel and then they will be put on the ballot
in January 2006 for membership approval.
Sunday morning the Board revisited the Club’s
strategic plan and discussed the Strategic Decision to
Expand and improve events and programs. The objective of this part of the plan is to develop an optimal mix
of national and regional events and programs that meet
the needs of our members. We are working to develop a
mission statement for all national and regional events to
be�er foster wider diversity and greater inclusiveness. In
that context, Mark Jon Calabrese will host a meeting with
Special Interest Groups (SIG) to discuss how the club can
work together with the SIGs to grow their events and
improve our events.
News From National
sion ensued covering some of the driving school minimum standards, insurance costs, membership dues, and
member services and benefits.
The Wrench is on
hiatus this month.
It’ll be back in
September!
Drive Us to Do Be�er!: You can help us improve
the BMW CCA experience by filling out a brief survey.
No personal data is gathered. We just want to hear your
opinions—the link to the survey is on the front page of
the www.bmwcca.org website.
BMW CCA Website: You may have noticed that when
you sign onto the newly redesigned website there is a
gallery of photos that change each time. We’re looking for
photos to use in this gallery. If you have a photo of your
car, or a recent BMW CCA event you’d like to share, please
email it to [email protected]. Likewise, we sure
could use some video stream of a driving school—do you
have something great you’d like to see on the site?
August 2005
23
New Members
Welcome!
24
Last Name
Arias
Bea
Blair
Brown
Callaway
Cheng
Cheng
Dalis
Divi
Domingo
Dudas
Elash
Epstein
Eshun
Evans
Finnegan
Geiler
Gerston
Granquist
Green
Harbin
Hein
Hennefer
Kava
Koum
Lee
Lewis
Luis
Marcum
August 2005
First Name
Jose
Raymond
Jonathan
Colin
Tom
Calvin
Chinglung
Sue
Sai
Ed
Alan
Gabriel
David
Kobi
Norma
Jim
Peter
Joel
Dave
Cheryl
Robert
Arthur
Frank
Joseph
Jan
Roger
Latyana
Robert
Lloyd
City
San Jose
San Ramon
Rohnert Park
Pleasant Hill
Mountain View
Cupertino
Fremont
Sco�s Valley
Santa Clara
San Ramon
Alamo
San Francisco
Palo Alto
Oakland
Lafaye�e
Danville
San Francisco
Los Altos
Vallejo
El Sobrante
Berkeley
Pleasanton
Oakland
Los Altos
Santa Clara
San Jose
Hercules
Rohnert Park
San Luis Obispo
Model
M3
330i
Year
1997
2006
740iL
540
1998
2002
M3
525i
540i/6
325i
530i
535is
330xi
525
2003
2006
2000
2006
2001
1987
2004
1990
Z3 coupe 1999
X3
528i
635Csi
2005
1997
1989
330i
545i
750i
330i
325i
M3
2001
2004
2006
2004
2006
1995
Last Name First Name
McDowell Mike
Mohiuddin Razi
Ngim
Bob
Oliveria
Christopher
Omwaldonig Meehall
Pedersen
Margaret
Peterson
Gust
Pollock
Jason
Rich
Jon
Robson
Lee
Rosenthal Michael
Santiago
David
Schaefer
Uwe
Shaeffer
Renee
Smith
Patrick
Staglin
Brandon
Starink
Angelo
Tannouri
Farid
Texeira
Karen
Torrano
Vince
Trader
Andrew
Tse
Tommy
White
Phoebe
Wilson
Glenn
Wooten
David
Yan
Tony
Yarbrough Stephen
Yi
Dong
Yip
Rupert
City
Oakland
Saratoga
San Ramon
Daly City
San Francisco
Santa Cruz
Moraga
Cloverdale
S. San Francisco
San Jose
Petaluma
Pleasant Hill
San Jose
San Jose
Milpitas
Yountville
Morgan Hill
San Ramon
Alamo
Oakland
San Francisco
Fremont
San Francisco
Arroyo Grande
Antioch
Millbrae
San Francisco
Alameda
San Francisco
Model
Year
530i
325i
2006
1992
325i
540i
740il
2004
1999
1999
323i
530i
2001
2002
540i
545i
Mini
X5
Z4
530xit
540i
330i
740iL
2003
2005
2005
2001
2005
2006
2003
2006
2001
M3 Cabrio 1999
328i
1999
M3
2004
540i
2000
4.4i X5 2003
328ci
2000
330i
2006
M3
1988
325i
2003
August 2005
25
Classified Ads
Publication deadline for copy is the
first of the month
- see front of
magazine for more
information.
26
CARS IS CARS
1990 M3 WBSAK0310LAE33735 –173,000 miles,
17” Mille Miglia MM’s, Dinan chip and sprocket,
UUC short shi�, new exhaust, new A/C compressor.
All records. Clean throughout. $10,500. 415-215-2462
[email protected]
2001 M3 Coupe WBSBL93401JR11310 - Silver/Light
Gray leather,19,600 miles. Six-speed, premium package,
moonroof, xenon lights, Harman Kardon, Potenzas on
front, tinted windows. Driver is non-smoker. 100,000
mile drivetrain warranty. Garaged and pampered,
brand new perfect condition. $39,900. 408-806-6855
[email protected]
COMMERCIAL ADS
2002/Bav/3.0/Coupe Radiator Upgrades. Rebuilt
with new three-row high-efficiency core. Be�er cooling.
Fits without mods—same size, mounting, clearances,
fi�ings, and appearance. Curt Ingraham, 510-507-2002,
[email protected]
Have your classic BMW painted by a fellow car
enthusiast with nearly twenty years experience. I do
body work, rust repair, and specialize in the 2002 and
3.0 Coupe, as well as doing CLEAR COAT REPAIRS on
your late 1980’s and early 1990’s cars. I use top quality German-made acrylic urethane paints and deliver a
factory looking finish. My prices are a bargain in today’s
current market. Contact me: Andy Schank, via email at
[email protected], or call me at 510-236-5232 to set
up an appointment for a free estimate.
August 2005
Photos by Kris Linquist
www.linquist.net
August 2005
27
GGC, BMW CCA
Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA, Inc. is a nonprofit
California corporation, it is a chapter of the BMW Car
Club of America, and is not connected with Bayerische
Motoren Werke AG or BMW of North America. Die
Flüsternde Bombe is a publication of the Golden
Gate Chapter, all ideas, opinions, and suggestions
expressed in regard to technical or other matters are
solely those of the authors, and no authentication,
endorsement, or guarantee is expressed or implied.
Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA, Inc. assumes no
liability for any of the information contained herein.
No factory approval is implied unless so indicated.
Modification of your BMW within the warranty period
may void the warranty, and some modifications may
violate federal or state laws or regulations. All contents
remain the property of the chapter, but BMW CCA
and BMW ACA chapters may quote or copy from the
publication, provided full credit is given to the author
and the Golden Gate Chapter, unless otherwise noted
or specifically prohibited.
Chapter Mailing Address:
Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA
909 Marina Village Parkway, PMB #189
Alameda, CA 94501
BMW CCA
Chapter Contacts
Board Members
Newsletter Team
President
Mike Mills
510-537-8960
[email protected]
Editor-in-Chief
Kelly Kirkland
650-322-9393
[email protected]
Vice President
Peter Guagenti
[email protected]
Assistant Editor/Copy Editor
Patrick R. Demorais
Secretary
Donna Seeley
[email protected]
Treasurer
Tamara Hull
[email protected]
Membership Chair
Ed Lizardo
408-839-5120 cell
925-469-5067 office
[email protected]
Members-at-Large
Mark Dadgar
[email protected]
Scott Smith
[email protected]
Event Staff
The BMW Car Club of America, lnc. is a not-forprofit national association of over 70,000 members,
dedicated to the enjoyment of driving BMWs.
Membership provides access to driving and social
events, maintenance and technical information,
parts discounts, and more. Dues are $40 per year,
with an associate member added for $5 more.
Members receive the monthly Roundel magazine
and a newsletter from their local chapter, or from a
chapter of their choice. The Golden Gate Chapter
is one of the largest chapters in the BMW CCA with
over 4,500 members.
For a new membership or to renew an existing one,
please call toll free 1-800-878-9292 or visit www.
bmwcca.org. Visa and Mastercard accepted.
BMW CCA mailing address:
640 South Main St., Suite 201
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: 864-250-0022
Fax: 864-250-0038
www.bmwcca.org
Chief Driving Instructors
Billy Maher
707-546-5572
Privacy Statement
Car Control Clinic Coordinator
Bob Goebel
Steve Albrecht
[email protected]
By joining the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA),
you provided personal information that allows us to
contact you. BMW CCA provides this information to the
Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America
(GGC BMW CCA) for the following purposes:
• To send GGC Newsletters (Die Flüsternde
Bombe) by U.S. Mail.
• To help us create content and events most
relevant to you.
• To alert you to updated information and other
new services from ggcbmwcca.org using an
email announcement list.
GGC BMW CCA does not distribute personal information to any third parties. The information you provide to
BMW CCA to be used by the GGC will not be used for
any other purpose—we promise.
Member Updates
Membership address corrections are
only accepted at the BMW CCA national office. Changes must be made at
www.bmwcca.org or in writing via email,
fax, or USPS.
28
August 2005
Bruce Nesbit
415-461-1811
[email protected]
Chief Operations Steward
Peter Guagenti
[email protected]
Track School Project Manager
Bruce Nesbit
415-461-1811 (9am-8pm)
[email protected]
Driving Events Coordinator
Mark Dadgar
[email protected]
Chief Scrutineer
Ramon Le Francois
408-956-1662
Autocross Coordinator
Jonathan Bensen
[email protected]
Autocross Car Classifications
Scott Miller
[email protected]
925-997-4751
Technical Session Coordinator
Brant Miller
[email protected]
Club Racing
Steve Walsh
[email protected]
www.bmwccaclubracing.com
BMW Festorics Coordinators
David Crum/Percy Chow
[email protected]
Social Events Director
Jeff Cowan
[email protected]
Advertising Manager
Dale Schuett
925-462-2497 home
925-518-8066 cell
[email protected]
Ad Billing Manager
Paul DiMauro
[email protected]
Classified Advertising
Dale Schuett
Classifi[email protected]
Regular Contributors
Steve Albrecht, Jeff Cowan, Kris
Linquist, Ed Lizardo, and Scott Miller
Printing
Commerce Printing
(Please don’t call for
membership questions.)
Requests for replacement or extra copies of
the Bombe should be directed to the
Membership Chair.
Communications Team
Communications Manager
Kelly Collins
[email protected]
Webmaster
Brian Ghidinelli
[email protected]
Technology Manager
Scott Smith
[email protected]
Graphic Design
Percy Chow
www.percydesign.com
Area Representatives
North Bay
Tamara Hull
415-472-6787
San Francisco
Ken Glidewell
415-345-3128
East Bay
Cliff Greenberg
510-886-5432
Peninsula
Michael Freday
415-674-1951
South Bay
Open
Monterey Bay Area
Ken Whitson
831-625-5133
San Luis Obispo Area
Rob Torres Jr.
805-541-2002
BMW CCA Pacific Region V.P.
Eddy Funahashi
559-583-6768 (d)
559-582-2731 (h)
Pacifi[email protected]
Various Parts
10% Parts
10% Labor
5% Parts/Svc
Various
10% Parts
10% Parts
10% Parts
Various
10% Labor
10% Used Parts
10% Parts
Various Parts
10% Parts
Special Offer
10% Parts
10% Pads
Various
10% Parts
10% parts orders
10% Parts
15% Parts
10% Prod/Svcs
10% Parts
10% Parts, Labor,
and Dinan work
Factory Authorized BMW Dealers
CCA Discounts
Independent Service & Supply Discounts
408-737-6100
Bavarian Enterprises
Sunnyvale
408-956-1662
Bavarian Motorsport
Milpitas
510-524-6000
Bavarian Professionals
Berkeley
Berkeley Motor Works
510-528-1214
El Cerrito
650-591-2474
Bimmers BMW Service
San Carlos
831-464-2269
Catalpa Street Garage
Santa Cruz
530-534-6887
Classic Euro-Asian
Oroville
CSi
714-879-7310
Fullerton
510-639-0911
Conversion Techniques
Oakland
650-962-9401
Dinan
Mountain View
510-782-2002
Double 02 Salvage
Hayward
German Auto
805-922-1262
Santa Maria
831-372-1787
Jam Engineering
Monterey
831-476-1332
Nate Smith's Optimal Auto
Santa Cruz
Patelco Credit Union
415-442-6200
http://www.patelco.org
415-567-8000
Phaedrus
San Francisco
916-782-9434
Roseville BMW
Roseville
Rossi’s Tire Service
831-424-0011
925-846-4886
SAS German Auto
Pleasanton
650-592-7352
Schulba BMW Service
Belmont
Sound Innovations
510-471-9062
Hayward
650-324-4488
Stanford European
Palo Alto
Sterling Car Care Prod & Svc
510-471-4600
805-541-2002
2002 Haus
San Luis Obispo
West Bay Bavarian
415-457-0820
San Rafael
Dealership Discounts
Ph # on right
10% Parts
Allison BMW
Mountain View
10% Parts
BMW of San Francisco
San Francisco
10% Parts & Labor
BMW of Fremont
Fremont
10% Parts
East Bay BMW
Pleasanton
10% Parts
MY BMW
Seaside
Peter Pan BMW
10% Parts
San Mateo
10% Parts
Sonnen
San Rafael
Various/
Stevens Creek BMW
Santa Clara
20% Parts & Labor
Weatherford Motors
Various
Berkeley
BMW Concord
1945 Market Street
Concord, CA 94520
(925) 682-3577
BMW of Mountain View
150 E. EI Camino Real
Mountain View, CA 94040
(650) 943-1000
BMW of San Francisco
1675 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Sales: (800) USA-BMWs
BMW of Santa Maria
2150 South College Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93455
(805) 614-0306
Claridge’s BMW
4421 5 Auto Mall Circle
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 360-5900
Coast BMW
1484 Auto Park Way
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805)543�4423
East Bay BMW
4355 Rosewood Drive
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 463-2555
Mid City Motor World
4800 N. Highway 101
Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 443-4871
MY BMW
One Geary Plaza
Seaside, CA 93955
(831) 899-5555
Peter Pan BMW
2695 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 349-9077
Prestige BMW
2800 Corby Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
(707) 545-6602
Stevens Creek BMW
3737 Stevens Creek
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 249-9070
Sonnen BMW
1599 E. Francisco Blvd
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 482-2000
Weatherford Motors
735 Ashby Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 654-8280
SILICON VALLEY’S BMW CENTER
The Ultimate Dealership,
The Ultimate Driving Machine!
New
State of the
Art facility
Serving
Santa Clara
County
60 Service
Bays
BMW Club Members Receive 20% Discount On
Parts & Labor. Just Ask For Scott Fuller,
Service Manager, And Show Your Club Membership Card.
Stevens Creek BMW is an
authorized DINAN BMW
Performance Center
Come Visit And See Our
Commitment For The Future Today!
SILICON VALLEY’S BMW CENTER
w w w. s c b m w. c o m
4343 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara
408-984-0794
Want to join the club? Call 800-878-9292 or go to www.bmwcca.org and sign up for only $40.
Golden Gate Chapter
BMW Car Club of America
909 Marina Village Parkway, #189
Alameda, CA 94501
www.ggcbmwcca.org
Presort Standard
US Postage
PAID
Sacramento, CA
Permit 185
�������������������
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POSTMASTER PLEASE NOTE:
MATERIAL IS DATED, Thanks.
HAVE YOU MOVED? Please send address changes directly to the BMW CCA National Office at:
BMW CCA, Inc., 640 South Main St. , Ste. 201, Greenville, SC 29601 - or to - [email protected]