Man Plans, God Laughs.

With all of our advancements in technology, sometimes it's easy to become complacent – after all, we have so many toys, so much accumulated knowledge. We have touch-screen everything and cinnamon dental floss... and Google. What could possibly be beyond us in the Internet age?

The answer is simple: We need to control the weather; which I expect we'll get around to, soon after we solve the global economic crisis, famine in Africa, and Bernie Ecclestone.

Last weekend's Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6 was set up to be the racing world's version of Ali vs. Frazier - a match the American Le Mans Series and its fans had been waiting for all year. While Audi has unquestionably been at the top of their game for the better part of a decade by now, having won the vast majority of endurance events dating back to the turn of the century, the last two years have seen the emergence of the young lions from France, in the form of Team Peugeot TOTAL. 2008 saw Peugeot bring a hard challenge, though Audi showed the world it was still the great force it had always been. Audi's triumph over Peugeot at last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans has been chronicled masterfully in the film "Truth in 24," one of the best documentaries of auto racing you'll ever see.

Peugeot finally broke through with a fantastic win at Le Mans this year, having gone seemingly overnight from young guns to seasoned vets, and with the addition of hired ace (and multiple Le Mans winner) David Brabham. Having proven they not only have the technological edge of a faster car and top-shelf talent behind the wheel, the last piece of the puzzle - the ability to run full-tilt with no errors on track or in the pits - was finally in place.

Finally, Audi had a worthy competitor to their endurance racing crown.

Yet, for all of the hype surrounding these two teams and their return to American soil to settle their Le Mans-borne grudge, Mother Nature had other plans. Now, sports car racers pride themselves on the ability -- no, the specialty -- of racing in any conditions. Burning hot sun? No problem. Darkness? We've got headlights that work. Heavy rain? Bring it! Wipers and Rain-X were made for this, weren't they? It's what sets the sports car guys apart from NASCAR, a series that has to pack up and go home if the announcers have to break out their umbrellas. Sure, nobody can run an oval in the rain, but as my fiancée recently pointed out "those guys in NASCAR have a hard enough time turning right, so on a wet track that would be a disaster."

But enough about Brian France's Circus of Dwindling Ratings: We came to Atlanta to race, rain or shine.

And race, we did... for just under five hours.

Watching Allan McNish run away from the pack on lap 1, you'd think he was being chased by crazed autograph seekers who had mistaken him for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. McNish flat-out tore away from the field, eager to establish a lead that even the lightning-quick Nic Minassian couldn't touch. The repeat-Petit Le Mans-winning Scot wasted no time getting so far out in front, it looked as if he might just put a full lap on the entire field - the wet track working to the Audi team's benefit, as they've run (and won) in the rain at Le Mans so many times.

Then, the inevitable happened.

Or, to borrow another oft-used metaphor, the wheels fell off - literally. Multiple caution flags flew due to cars simply losing their wheels, most notably the Drayson Racing Lola/Judd, and the Primetime Dodge Viper Competition Coupe. The loose-wheel cautions, combined with a perfectly-timed full-course yellow for the Doran Ford GT's hood flying off (for the second time that day - the first time was during the morning warm-up), played right into Peugeot's hands.

As the track began to dry after the morning downpour (the first in Petit Le Mans history), the twin Peugeot 908 HDi FAP cars were able to get traction and cut into the Audi team's lead, lap after lap.

No sooner did Peugeot gain the lead, the inevitable happened, again. The rain that had caused so much disaster in Atlanta and the surrounding areas during the previous week, returned with a vengeance. The rainfall itself would not be enough to stop the action, but the flooding across the track at various points - standing water deep enough to be impassable by race cars - caused the first Red flag in Petit Le Mans history. Just under 5 hours into what would have almost certainly been a full 10 hour race, the cars were parked on pit road while track officials fought Mother Nature. A huge disappointment for the racers, the fans, the series, the track, SPEED channel - everyone involved.

Of course, it didn't take long at all for thousands of FaceSpaces and Tweety-pages to fill with angry voices, complaining of every conspiracy imaginable: The track or the series was trying to cut things short, for some idiotic reason. Michelin had provided "good" tires to one team, and "bad" tires to another. All of it absolute bullshit, without a doubt. Michelin was forced to issue a press release, stating that no, the ALMS has exact rules governing wet tire specs, and ALL of the LMP1 teams were running on the same spec tire. For Michelin to have to defend itself during a race, shows that some of the "wonderful" internet-related technology we've all come to embrace, has its downside.

The Red flag period lasted nearly as long the race itself, as the flooding was so immense, there was no way to continue. There simply was nowhere for the water to go, with all of the water runoff areas overflowing -- even the Media center was overcome with water, though that was quickly and efficiently remedied by a combination of helpful staff and an inventive idea or two. Coupled with the torrential rain was occasional thunder and lightning, the latter of which is a show-stopper in any series.

Alas, a bit after 8 PM, the checkered flag was waved, and the race declared complete. The result of racing's Ali vs. Frazier was, arguably, a split decision. Peugeot's Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin scored the win (with their teammates Nic Minassian and Pedro Lamy second), but nobody had much to celebrate. We will now wait for Sebring – pending Audi and Peugeot announcing their intent – to see the now even-longer-awaited rematch.

Man planned, and God laughed.

Now, that said, there was no shortage of outstanding action and notable events that DID take place during the week: Following an absolutely disastrous crash of the Patrón Highcroft Acura (which left driver Scott Sharp amazingly free of serious injury) the team immediately ordered up a spare tub to be sent from their shop in California. Forget the obvious staggering freight bill to overnight the monocoque - the cost to the team to skip the race would have been absolutely prohibitive. Many of you reading this, have already seen the crash on Speed TV and Youtube.

If you haven't seen the time-lapse video of the Highcroft team building the car from tub to complete racer in a mere 20 hours, you're missing out. That video, released by Highcroft during race day, shows just what can happen when a real team gets down to work and doesn't stop to breathe until the last bolt is tightened to spec. The effort these guys showed was absolutely epic, and it paid off with a solid 6th place finish - one which likely would have been higher, had the race gone the full run.

The BP Dyson Mazda/Lola team in P2 scored a victory in more ways than one. Not only was it the first Petit Le Mans win for Dyson Racing, but also for Mazda - making Mazda the first Japanese manufacturer to win both the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as Petit Le Mans. A second Dyson Mazda was entered, though not scored, because it was running an experimental fuel. The mix of gasoline, ethanol and biobutanol seemed to propel the car around the circuit at least as well (if not better) than most of the other petrol-powered cars, adding further credibility to ALMS' goal of leading the way in alternative fuels and 'green racing'. In fact, the alt-fuel car finished far ahead of the other cars in P2. Fuel for thought.

That the race was sponsored by Mazda6, is just more pride for the company that seems to be more deeply vested in sports car racing than any other. Rather than throw millions of dollars at NASCAR and F1 (yes, that's you, Toyota), Mazda's sponsorship and backing of sports cars - from grassroots to the Le Mans level - is highly commendable. The same goes for their open wheel program, with the Skip Barber series, Star Mazda series, and Cooper Tires presents Mazda Atlantic series as well.

In the same breath, it's impossible to look at the last endurance race of 2009 and not recognize the Corvette Racing team. For all of the media-fed derision of the biggest car company on Earth (depending on what week it is and whose numbers you believe) this year, GM's commitment to keep the Corvettes a top-flight operation is proof that the company's still got all the mojo it needs - at least when it comes to its racing program.
On the other hand, privateer Primetime Viper racing manages to soldier on without so much as acknowledgement of its very existence from Dodge.

Speed Channel deserves a nod, for finally having the good sense to agree to air the entire race flag-to-flag. Of course, because Mother Nature had her own agenda for last Saturday, much of the coverage was dashed. Still, it was the right move, and it will still be the right move next year. Keep doing it right, Speed.

The latest entry into the SPEED/SCCA World Challenge Series is the stunning TRG Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 GT. The car isn't yet winning races, but the visuals and sounds of this beast are absolutely devastating. The engine is said to be a 5.5L V8, driven by pistons. It sounds, however, as if it's driven by the angry tortured souls of a thousand Prussian warriors. Get out of its way, before it eats you.

The staff at Road Atlanta and the American Le Mans Series have certainly suffered tons of undue criticism, thanks to circumstances beyond the control of any human beings. Their handling of the situation, however, was the best anyone could hope for. These are true professionals at work, and their ability to respond to adversity is worthy of sincere praise.

Speaking of which...

Last and far from least, long-time IMSA Pit Chief Dick Martin announced at Petit le Mans that he intends to retire at year's end. In a meeting on Thursday, he made it clear that this wasn't due to illness or disagreement with the sanctioning body -- he just wants to do other things and enjoy life while he's young enough and in good enough health. Over the years of covering the sport, it's rare to find anyone so universally respected and genuinely loved by everyone from the paddock to the corners to the announcer's booth. I'm not the only one who wishes him the best in this life, whatever he chooses to do. Thank you, Mr. Martin.

That's it for now, I'll see you at the next pit stop.

Ciao, Emanuele.

ALMS finished up the season at Laguna Seca, and I still didn't get to go. Am hoping I can make it there next year.

The only real story of note was Emanuele Pirro leaving the Audi team. To many of you, you're probably thinking "Emanu-who?" but Pirro has been one of the most lively and interesting characters I've had the pleasure of getting to know these last few years. He's taught me a thing or two, and definitely made me laugh.

A few years ago, I was in the pits at Sebring with Lug and Gladys from the "Speed Freaks" TV show. We had just met, and were basically showing each other around the pit area. After they'd introduced me to Terry Borcheller (nice guy, good interview, and a damn fine racer in his own right), I saw Emanuele Pirro walk by and I asked "Emanuele, do you have a minute?"

I introduced him to the Speed Freaks, and we all got to talking shop with Pirro and Alan McNish. Alan was getting ready for a stint so he had to leave, but Pirro stayed with us. I like to ask the questions nobody else thinks of, so I put it to him: "Emanuele, I have a question - Ron Fellows said when Johnny O'Connell re-upped with Corvette, that 'he might as well, since we've been pissing in the same seat for so long'. How often does that happen?"

"Oh, it never happens - never! No no, never.... .... OK, one time it happens," he tells me "I am driving the car, early in my stint and I have to pee. I call on radio to my crew chief, I say 'I have to pee!' and he says 'it's OK, you go in the car.'" (We're all starting to fall apart laughing at this point) "I tell him, I can no pee in the car, I am driving! How can I pee while I am driving! He says too bad, you pee in the car or you wait. So I try and try, and I cannot pee... All the time, I am driving as fast as I can! IT TOOK ME 8 LAPS!"

When he got to "8 laps", I was literally clutching the fence wall to keep from falling down. He just delivered the story so matter-of-factly, so damn funny... It was one of the funniest moments I've had at the track, and I wish I'd been recording it at the time.

I took this shot of Emanuele last year at Atlanta, on the grid just before the start of the race:


Thank you, Emanuele, for being such a great driver, a fantastic interview, and a good friend.

Remembering PL Newman

With the death of Paul Newman (known in the racing community simply as "PL", the tributes to the beloved driver, team owner, benefactor and award-winning great American actor have been as astonishing in number as they have been deep in sentiment. When Newman died on September 26, the racing world didn't just lose a popular team owner -- everyone here lost a friend.

Lots of Hollywood-types have been known to make appearances at big races, some even suit up and get behind the wheel, but few have fallen in love with racing and devoted themselves to the sport in quite the way PL did. He had said that racing was "the first thing that I ever found I had any grace in," a statement that echoes like a song to those with Racer's Blood in their veins.

While the mainstream media reported (rightly so) that Newman had raised and donated huge sums of money to children’s charities and other causes, his generosity and leadership throughout the world of motorsports was and still is one of the greatest stories to be told about the man. And at no place was this story told better during the week than at the Mazda Atlantic Championship Series Awards banquet held on Friday night. Numerous racers and teams in the Atlantic series had the benefit of PL’s involvement, and his presence in that series – as with all the others in which he participated – will be missed for a long time to come.

All over the track, any series that competed, it seemed every car had a sticker remembering a racer modestly called PL Newman.

[excerpted from tomorrow's AE article]

Road Atlanta 2008: The Gallery!

The story's not yet written, but the photos are in the can.

VIEW THEM HERE!

Comments, as always, are much appreciated. I think I've learned a couple of things about shooting with a little old pocket econocam - and I think some of the shots look quite good. That said, some of you are better at this than I am, and I'm always looking for criticism: I don't mind at all if it's harsh, really, I just want to learn more.

And... speaking of comments - I laced most of the pics with a goofy comment here or there. If it makes you laugh, then I did it right.

Enjoy. And watch for my article on Autoextremist.com this Wednesday.

Caption contest!

I took this shot about 85 seconds after it happened, right in front of me. Have fun in the comments.

Quote of the Day...

"If you're not at the table, you're on the menu." -- American Le Mans Series President/CEO Scott Atherton, issuing the challenge to other racing series to follow the lead of the ALMS into the age of Green Racing.

More later.

FBI invades Road Atlanta? Day 2.1

Super-famous multiple Indy 500-winning driver Helio Castroneves (yes, the smiling Brazilian dude on "Dancing With The Stars") has just been arrested here at Road Atlanta. I was having a yummy catered dinner at Peugeot's hospitality suite when I got the news. Four big black Suburbans rolled in and took Castroneves, his sister, and his lawyer into custody. [edit: All I have been able to verify is that Helio is wanted on a Federal tax evasion charge, and later events have confirmed he was taken to Miami to appear before a judge, make bail, and get himself back to Atlanta. However, the original source for the info above, may not have been 100% reliable. If I did in fact get any of this wrong, well, shit...]

However, he is, as I write this, IN THE RACE CAR AND ON THE TRACK. He's listed on the leader board, and it's definitely his helmet visible just 50 feet away from where I'm sitting. Guess that lawyer of his really is quite good.

I may have inadvertently flirted my way into a job offer. Team Peugeot Total has a serious presence here in ALMS, and their team PR manager (a really cute French girl named Cecile, who speaks just enough English to order a burger) wants to know (1) how do I get an American on-board as liaison for the company in the US, and (2) do I know anything about racing? I won't get too far ahead of myself, especially with my rusty hold of the French language and my small-if-impressive contacts, but this is an interesting twist.

Of interest probably only to a friend at home, but since she never reads email I'll post here anyway:

Marco Andretti nearly ran me over with a golf cart, but was so humble and apologetic afterwards. He's a great kid. David Brabham and I got to talk shop at a conference earlier, before I visited the Patron hospitality suite. He's doing great, and I expect he'll kick serious ass on Saturday [Update - his car fell out of the race before Brabs ever got to turn a wheel. Damn!].

Lord Drayson is a total freakin' hoot. We spent about 20 minutes discussing Top Gear, E85, Tony Blair, Saturday Night Live, girls, and more Top Gear. If you watch the race on Saturday, the incredibly awesome Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2 is his ride, and it's just a gorgeous machine. Far better than the DBR9, I think.

Tracy Krohn may just stick to Grand Am series next year. Too damn expensive to run here and there at once. Similar rumors about Penske/Porsche, but I'm not qualifying them as anything but rumors at this point.

Amanda Stretton is said to be here at the track. I still have my permission slip, too! :) [Update - I haven't been able to find Ms. Stretton. Oh well...]

Earl Fannin is not in good health. More cancer than a lab rat - bone cancer in his leg, a tumor on the back of his neck, the latter is inoperable. Talking with him is such a reality check, a reminder of just how damn tough I don't have it, and how damn easy I've gotten along this far. I wish him the best; the man is like a favorite uncle to me.

Road Atlanta in fast-forward, Day 2

Just back from the "Green Challenge Round Table Forum" being held in the administrative offices here at Road Atlanta. I met one to one with representatives from the American Le Mans Series, General Motors, Sebring Raceway, Mazda, as well as drivers David Brabham and Lord Drayson - the latter of whom insisted I just call him "Paul." I won't bore the crowd with too much minutiae, except to say that the cars you will drive in just a few years' time, will be powered by the technology that's being proven right now at the track.

At this year's Petit Le Mans, Audi's unstoppable R10 turbo diesel seems like old news at this point. Peugeot is back with their fantastic and amazingly fast 908 HDi racer, also running on diesel.

Chevy's two-car Corvette Racing team will be running on cellulosic E-85, which is ethanol NOT derived from corn, but from other biodegradable waste. The exhaust fumes from a race car running on E-85 will give you a nice buzz, too.

Wait, trick fuels aren't enough? How about a hybrid race car? Zytek has brought out a racer with an electric pack that might not win this endurance outing, but is quite the laboratory on wheels. It's fast (everything from Zytek is fast), it looks good, and it's the first racer I've seen that uses a partial-electric powerplant. We will see many more of these in years to come.

I have to give a nod here to Mazda and their sponsorship of the Atlantic open-wheel series. The series is celebrating its 35th year. They also fed me a very nice lunch. I thank everyone who feeds me :)

More stuff later, probably after Night Practice.

The road to Atlanta: Day 1.1

Braselton, GA --

Gas pumps everywhere with bags on the nozzles. People searching for gas and running the tank dry. Long lines leading to a dismal supply being tapped out in a few hours. People sleeping in their cars at gas pumps in order to be "the first" to get some petrol. This is the Southeast of America in the Fall of 2008. You'd think it was a page from the original script from "Mad Max."

Having heard from a friend in Georgia that there was a severe gas shortage following hurricanes Gustav and Ike (both of which were piddly thunderstorms when compared with Katrina in 2005), I set out from my home near DC with a pair of 5-gallon gas cans, loaded at $3.47 per gallon.

I'm glad I did.

Traveling down I-85 into North Carolina, prices visible from the highway start to creep upwards towards the $4/gallon mark and beyond, then... nothing. Most gas stations are open for snacks and coffee, but don't bother stopping if you need gasoline. It's the same in South Carolina and Georgia; there's just too little fuel to go around.

I found a Wilco station with regular unleaded for $3.63/gallon as soon as I crossed the border into SC, so I stopped to fuel up. I don't want to touch the 10 gallons I have in reserve unless I have to. Still, I've been averaging from 38-41 MPG in my backup car during the trip, which beats the pants off of most of the things we Americans still drive. Nice lady at the Wilco station refused to charge me for the 1L thermos and 16 oz cup of coffee I filled, too.

I'm still trying to understand the wisdom behind the idea of driving around on an empty gas tank and running out of fuel, during the process of aimlessly searching for a good supply in what is otherwise a vast desert of "NO GAS."

So, having managed the fuel situation well enough for the start of it, I headed South. As I often do on my way to Atlanta, I stopped in NC to visit with my dad. He was overjoyed that I'd brought along a new hard drive for his laptop -- the old Win2k image on the Dell I gave him a few years ago, just lost the registry, and became a big doorstop. The new drive is imaged up with XP, and his "old" hard drive is now in a USB enclosure to be used as external storage.

I arrived at the track this morning at 0330. Amazingly, there was a live person at the registration trailer who was able to get me credentialed-up and into the infield. I parked by the office, got cleaned up, enjoyed some coffee and watched the sunrise.

It's a damn good thing there are racecars all around me, because there's no internet here. No, wait, there is for some of the people here, but not me. Neither by iBook (which I'm writing this on) nor my trusty XP laptop will obtain an IP from the network here. Reason? Apparently neither of them supports WPA/AES cryp. Uhh... AES? WTF??? Yes, AES is stronger than TKIP. And no, it isn't workable under either of the wireless cards used by my laptops.

The meatball who's been put in charge of the network here, told me "uhh, see, I had read a website where it said that AES is faster than TKIP..." He apparently didn't read the rest of the article. I should be able to walk into this office with a 386 running Win95 and be able to connect to the network. It's a fucking media office at a race track, not the Pentagon! Too bad nobody else seems to realize this.

So, now that the racecars are done with their testing and practice sessions for the day, and since I don't have a hotel room to go to yet, I'm sitting in the office... offline.

[update: At 17:12 EDT, the meatball finally got himself out here, and switched the cryp on the router from WPA to WEP. Yes, the same WEP that Munchkin could break in 5 minutes if she wanted to, but I finally have signal!]

Road Trip: Summer 2008, in a nutshell... (Part 1)

Ten days on the West coast brought more smiles and memories burned into my soul than I can count. With the better part of a week in Vegas, a long an exciting drive out to Avila Beach, CA, and then another long and super-exciting drive up Highway 1 to San Francisco, it was really a 3-part holiday - each of which would've been outstanding on its own.

I don't have the full story tonight, just the first leg of it -- a quick recap of some of the highlights, with more detailed stuff to follow when I've got all the photos compiled (done) and uploaded (in process).

We started out with a flight (on United, which was pretty decent) to Las Vegas - my first ever, in fact. What I found in Vegas was astonishing: A super-sized playground in the desert for America to come and dispense with its inhibitions and hard-earned cash. I can understand why the place is so controversial. That 113F heat really is the Devil breathing down your neck, or at least I can see why some see it that way. I just took it in stride, and realized it's stashed out in the desert for a reason.

[Note: Credit where it's due -- While I still find "Airport Security" to be one of the most laughable oxymorons in the English language, the TSA seems to be getting at least a little better at getting people through the line, and NOT pissing me off too much. I had no trouble carrying my Zippo lighter in my pocket, plus my backup Zippo in my carry-on, plus three more Bic-style butane lighters I always have in the same bag that I never clean out. My Leatherman Wave in my checked bag was just fine. I'm also quite certain that my checked bag was not opened by any screeners - everything was perfectly in position, and the tamper-evident floss I'd left inconspicuously threaded on the zipper was intact. So, still not a fan of the TSA and all the "we're looking out for YOUR security" nonsense, but at least they're less of a hassle than the last few times.]

Starting out at the airport, I hopped into a '08 Chrysler Sebring Convertible and headed directly for the Strip. The car itself, for a rental, had some of the usual wear & tear I'd expect: At 28,700 miles, the driver's door speaker was blown (which left only 7 good ones), the 2.4L "Dual VVT World Engine" was sluggish below 4000 RPM, the automatic gearbox... well, it was a typical 4-speed OD box - as exciting as waiting in line at the Post Office. The front-end suspension needed some maintenance, as I later found the driver's front side would howl under light cornering. The brakes would squeal a bit when hot. And, under the circumstances, the car was absolutely perfect. When you're doing a week and a half out in the Devil's Playground, nothing beats a drop-top with some extra room. I had open-air motoring, a half-decent suspension setup for the highway, and overall 28 MPG on the drive from LV to CA.

Fry's in Las Vegas is truly Geek Heaven. I needed a simple dual-1/8" plug so I could use my iPod in the car, and found lots more than I was looking for. K&mdash also found more than she was looking for, though I will most likely defer to her modesty and not post any videos on Youtube of her playing on her new Wii Fit. [grins] Besides, she also found Mario Kart there, and I wanna' play!

We had some fun at the casinos (Bellagio, New York, New York, Paris), lost a little bit of cash on the tables, but made up some of it on the slots. I never understood the draw of slot machines beyond the appeal of a Skinner Box for humans, but turning $1 into $15 in a minute isn't a bad thing in my book. It does, to be certain, beat losing.

Knocking back free drinks on the casino floor is something I could get used to, and am glad I won't.

To kill an afternoon, we drove down to Hoover Dam, where the temperature was just slightly higher than the oven in my house on Thanksgiving. K&mdash, normally as good with the elements as I, was nearing heat stroke on the bridge over the dam. I parked her in the Visitors Center, got her some water, and ran up the hill to fetch the car. On the way home, we saw what was clearly a huge thunder storm. It never got close enough to us to put any rain on my car, but looked quite ominous.

We saw a few other kinds of shows, too: The first was Zumanity, which is Cirque du Soleil's hotter, hornier, more naked side. I want that fishbowl in my house, too. Cirque is always a dazzling group, but Zumanity really takes the brilliance of all the acrobatics and rope-work and kicks it up several stunning notches. A midget flew right over my head - twice!

We also took in Blue Man Group, which I'd expected to find entertaining... and was still quite blown away. Nothing I'd seen of these guys in various media could've prepared me for the live show - and their backup band was quite good, as well. The description of "how systems become interactive" is worth the price of admission on its own. After the show (which is beyond description, so I won't even try), we had a surprise encounter with one of the Blue Men. I believe this was Ninja Blue Man, because he was quite good at stealthing up behind me, staring over our shoulders as we gazed a the artwork on the wall, and then smudging K&mdash's cheek with a dot of blue before disappearing back to the dressing room. Cooooooooool.

Beyond the casinos and the shows and the Bellagio (yes, we stayed at the OMGWTFthisissodamnnice Bellagio), we took a gondola ride at the Venetian, ate at so many wonderful restaurants I lost count of them all, and... got room service on our last night in town, before taking in what was absolutely the most intense show of all.

[Description of last night in Vegas redacted]

Well, shit.. I guess what happens there, really DOES stay there.

The next morning, we got up, got showered and dressed, loaded up the convertible, and hit the road for the California coast...

Stay tuned.

Waking up in San Francisco...

Poking head up from a week's absence from all things online. Behold, first Internet access in a week -- no, I wasn't ignoring anyone, I was just in Las Vegas.

Arrived in San Francisco last night, and am now looking out from the window of what has to be the most spectacular room ever. Just let me get some coffee in me before I go out today [grins]

Driving up the PCH from Avila Beach yesterday, was... incredible. I have lots to tell there.

Anyway, I'll have more time to sit on my ass and blog LATER. For now, I'm getting cleaned up and looking forward to seeing some things.

Gettin' outta' Dodge... upcoming travel plans!

Tomorrow morning (Friday), I'll be wheels-up at 0822 hrs and bound for Las Vegas, with my K&mdash in tow, for what the Top Gear guys would call a Fly-Drive Holiday: From 1 Aug to 5 Aug, I'll be in Sin City, looking for a drag race with the devil, who may or may not look suspiciously like Gary Oldman. We'll be checking out some shows, some of which I may blog about, and others you might have to loosen me up with a few drinks to get the dirt. I'm my usual sketchy self when it comes to itinerary stuff, but K&mdash has the details down. This'll be my first time on the ground in Vegas - and looks like it'll be fun.

(Question for those who fly often: Is my Leatherman Wave likely to make it through if it's in my checked bag? I know R&mdash has had a few stolenconfiscated by the TSA, and I'm not keen on losing mine. Same question for my Zippo lighter - I know a plain butane Bic lighter is OK now, but my Zippo should be fine in a checked bag... right? I needs to know.)

Sometime on 6 Aug, we'll be gearing back up, stealingrenting a car, and hitting the road again. Driving from LV to the California Coast. A night in Avila Beach (at a really awesome hotel K&mdash found), and then it's back on the road for a cruise up Highway 1 to San Francisco.

All my dear SFO friends, I'll be in town from Aug 7 until early on Aug 10, and would love to get coffee or a bite to eat with any and all of you. If you're reading this, you most likely have my email (morningaj-at-gmail-dot-com) and my phone (as well as that of K&mdash will be on for most of the time.

August rocks -- I get to travel. If you add up all the traveling I'm doing this month, plus the two American Le Mans races I usually cover, I'll have almost as much domestic travel down as J&mdash does in three whole months, or R&mdash does in a typical hour.

Once I'm back on 10 Aug, it'll be a day to rest and recoup, then it's on to the business of starting a new 9-5 grind. I still have yet to attract a well-founded media outlet to hire me on for keeps, so it's gonna' be the same old Standard Hire Information Technology... for the time being. We might be in the 3rd quarter of '08, but I'm not letting up on the writing, dammit.

More to come...

Auto. Extremist.

The pic of me in that OMGWTF Audi R8, is here:

A few other pics were taken, and those will be forthcoming in some gallery or other.

I cannot begin to tell you just how bad it sucks to be home. The weather is cold (not that I mind the rain, but the chilly weather blows - quite literally), and the goddamn traffic... Every time I come home, I ask myself "self, why did I come home?" Then my dog looks up at me with his reddish-brown eyes matching his coat, and I forget what I was grumping about. I just wish the traffic up here was a little less... traffucked.

Anyway, if you know me, you know I'm in the middle of my usual week to ten days worth of hating life after a racing trip. My Sebring 2008 article's submitted, the PHOTOS ARE UP, TOO, and now I have time to just get back to the business of... what passes for life when I'm not Doing What I Do.

Home from Sebring. *sigh*

After a 17h 14m drive, which began with brunch at Denny's, a brief stop on the sand at Daytona Beach, and then playing through literally 1/2 of the songs on my iPod, I arrived safe at home at 0545 this morning, exactly 12 hours ago.

I've had a good bit of sleep, but I'm still quite knackered. I also have a deadline, so I probably won't be responding to many emails over the next 24 hours, but as of 1800 tomorrow, I should be back in circulation.

LOTS more, later.

Sebring Saturday: Mid-race hyper-ness

Let me tell you a little something about Sebring: There is simply nothing else like it in the world. No, I'm not talking about the Green Park, with its Animal House antics and bizarre culture unto itself. And I'm not talking about the cars, teams, and drivers, because these are all the same people who race the rest of the season here as well as Le Mans. I'm not even talking about the weather, because I've seen more rain at the 24 Heures du Mans in recent years than we've had at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

No, I mean the track itself. As one team guy told me earlier today, "this is the exact opposite of the Daytona 24 we just ran. Daytona was 24 hours of heaven. This is 12 hours of hell."

Why is that, you might ask?

It's because this track is one hyper-challenging, unforgiving, mean-spirited bitch. She doesn't cut you any slack, and if you're lucky enough not to demolish the car when you go off-course, you still end up shoveling half of the dirt in southern Florida as you limp back to the pits.

Such is the case with today's race, just about halfway through. It seems as if nobody wants to win this one. The fastest car on the track all week, that being the Peugeot 908 HDi, suffered mechanical crapitude and is now running down in back. The lead was then inherited by the #1 Audi R10 TDI, who just fifteen minutes ago retired to the pits with some kind of engine failure (yes, an engine failure in an Audi, rare that may be). Many of the Big Dogs are just dropping like flies, be it an error in judgment or just plain bad luck.

Though, if I'm honest, maybe it's not just the unforgiving heartless bits of 3.7 miles of bumpy tarmac. Maybe there's more to it.

On my fifth trip to the historic race, I'm still discovering so many little things that all make this such a great event. Not just the parties in the infield, but the people there. The big fat smelly ocean of humanity, the no-shirt-no-shoes-no-problem beer-guzzlin' rednecks, and the prim wine & cheese crowd with nary a hair out of place. The people who drive in from 1000 miles away, and the locals who live just down the road. The ones who have been coming here for more than 50 years (yes, I've met quite a few), and the ones who are experiencing not just their first Sebring 12, but their first ever auto race. The people from so many different countries there aren't enough translators in all of Florida to make sense of it, the people with southern drawls so thick, they need their own translators...

It all comes together, and it all blends beautifully.

What makes this race so great, I think, is what has made our country the greatest place in the history of the world. It is where everyone else comes to be the best, and to challenge for the win. In Sebring, there is no McCain or Clinton or Obama. There are no pollsters and no breaks in the action - except for a caution flag or six. This is the greatest road race in North America, and international diplomacy played out on tarmac. The French, the Germans, the Brits and the Italians, the Swiss and the Aussies, the Kiwis and the Scots, and us, the Americans. Somehow, we all just get along and have the best damn time in the world.

Some people wonder what it is about motorsports that moves me so. What about it wakes me up in the morning and literally drives me to sacrifice so damn much, just to see a bunch of cars going fast on a road circuit. If you've read this far, I hope you have more of an idea now.

Sebring notes, Thursday, Part 1

Yesterday left little time to post, given the 13-hour drive down from NC the night before. That, and the fact that I was positively knackered by the time the sun rose over the historic 3.7-mile road course here in Sebring, FL. Along with my "crew" (that would be Tim and his wife), we were all wasted from the trip and desperately in need of showers and sleep. By early afternoon, we'd decided to use what little coherency we had left, and retreat to the hotel.

Before we got going, however, I was offered a lap at speed around the course in an Audi R8. This ride, for once, is not a race car but a proper road machine, and I totally agree with Clarkson, it is STUNNING!

The Red Carpet Inn on Rt 27 certainly isn't the worst place I've stayed, but when I have to call the front desk to have someone come up and plug in all of the electrical things (alarm clock, microwave, mini-fridge, hair drier, etc), well, that's just odd. I have my own room, though, so I can sleep. The shower is nice n' hot, the A/C works, and the TV... well, they have good wireless, at least.

Anyway, cleaned up and rested, we were off to the Sebring Gala. For some reason, I'm still among the few of us media types who knows this party exists -- which is amazing, considering "free open bar" usually attracts everyone in the room. I was self-appointed Designated Driver last night, not wanting to overdo it and have hell to pay on Thursday, so my company took advantage of the free booze. Patrón is entering racing in a big way this year, both as a series/race sponsor as well as full sponsor of David Brabham's P2 Highcroft Racing Acura. So, to underscore their commitment to the American Le Mans Series, they saw fit to have their own Tequila bar at the gala, and do their best to get everyone annihilated. I had one small "Le Mans-arita" and a couple sips of a "Brabham Bender," their term for a straight shot of their agave silver. Good stuff, even if tequila isn't usually my thing.

This time, they weren't serving Tilt, so I didn't get "tilted" like I did last year. And I'm not rooming near Aunt Nancy, so I'm not getting attacked by the Grey Goose, either.

Time for GT-class combined qualifying -- either Jan Magnussen or Max Papis should take the pole.

More stuff later, as time permits!

Getaway in Appalachia - Days 1-2 of Sebring 2008

Mopars DO love mountains!

I'm currently in Burnsville, NC, way up in the Blue Ridge mountains. I started out on the drive on Sunday down I-81, but the sheer number of speed traps (15 in less than 100 miles) and the traffic incidents seemingly caused by people slamming on the brakes to avoid cops...

Well, it all got to be too much, so I diverted off I-81 onto Blue Ridge Parkway. Now, I've driven some of the most amazing roads in North America, but there is absolutely nothing that compares to this. I now have a very clear understanding of the term "breath-taking." I had to remind myself to breathe, it was that impressive.

As luck would have it, after about 200 miles of heaven, I ran out of road -- Blue Ridge Parkway is closed right near Boone, NC... so I had to re-route my course. This is where the road atlas came in handy: In the time it would take to re-program a GPS to map out a new course, I was able to duck into a Quik Stop, get coffee, check the atlas, and find Route 221 which leads down down to where I was headed.

What I didn't expect was for Route 221 to be the tightest, twistiest, least-forgiving ribbon of asphalt I have ever seen! This was like the Nürburgring, in North Carolina! I left probably 1/3 of the tread from my Falkens on that road, over a span of about 150 miles.

Where I'm from, if you take a curve too fast, you might hit some guardrail, or maybe a tree. Up here, you either eat a boulder the size of a small house, or... you fly off the side of the mountain.

Back home in DC, you might have to dodge a raccoon, a possum, maybe a fox or even a coyote. Up in Appalachia, the skunks are the size of small bears. I don't know what they eat, but I damn sure wasn't gonna' stop and ask.

Anyway, I'm rested-up, and will be getting back on the road to Sebring in just a few short hours. I'll probably be in touch sometime tomorrow, with a dispatch from the front stretch.


--
"there's more to life than gears and horsepower
not much, admittedly, but you get the point..." -- Road Kill

DC Auto Show 2008

Went to the DC Car Show (er, s'cuse me, The Washington Auto Show today, to take in the media preview - which consists of lots of press conferences, lots of picture-taking opportunities, and a pretty good catered luncheon.

I got to meet with some of the top brass from GM and managed to charm my way into them letting me drive one of the way-nifty hydrogen-powered Chevy Equinox vehicles.

For those who don't know, Hydrogen power is the King Badass of all green automotive technology. Screw hybrids, be they petrol or diesel, only hydrogen (and plug-in electrics) give absolute zer0-emissions. Plug-in electric cars are neat, in a glorified golf cart sort of way, but the advantage of a fuel cell vehicle is range.

I was offered a drive (not "ride", but drive, as in they gave me the keys and off we went) following a press conference this morning. Motoring around the streets in downtown DC, it drove... just like a car. It accelerates, brakes, corners, and handles the road, just like its petrol-powered counterpart. The only thing missing, really, was engine sound. The vehicle is almost entirely silent.

I pulled up at a stop light next to a Prius, and stuck my tongue out at its driver. Felt good.

There's more stuff to tell, but I'm compiling photos and writing up a bunch right now. Whatever doesn't make it onto AE soon, I'll post here.

In other random notes...

Heath Ledger just joined Brad Renfro on the list of actors who Just Couldn't Handle Themselves. Tragic, I think. I didn't really care for either one as an actor, really, but tragic when anyone ODs and dies. Apparently, Amy Winehouse isn't far behind, with her Homemade Crack Testing Kit all over Youtube. And so far, in 2008, at least 10 people have been killed while crossing railroad tracks.

Evolution, it seems, is a very slow process... But a sure one.

Home from Road Atlanta...

Arrived home from Atlanta (or, more correctly, Gastonia, NC) this morning at 0330. A bit exhausted, I went right to sleep in my own bed for the first time in a week. Some ten hours later, around 2 PM, I finally woke up and set about the business of getting my article together.

First thing for me was to get the automated bits running -- compile all the photos and get them submitted as early as possible. I shot about 260 or so photographs this week - a small number, but I only did much shooting on race day. Out of those, I selected 51 for my 2007 Petit Le Mans gallery... and then my editor told me "oh, I'm all set as far as photos go..." He's got some excellent shots by John Thawley, though, who's a far better shot than I. Go see for yourself.

So, since they're not going to be used for my story this Wednesday, you can see them all right here. (And for you cubicle types, yes they're all SFW)


(photo copyright 2007, A.J. Morning. All rights reserved)

Comments and questions, as always, are extremely invited and encouraged.

Coffee Break with a Legend...

I met Chris Economaki yesterday. He was the very first to do what I'm doing right now. He's also the very best. I have so many fond memories of watching him on TV when I was young, but nothing will ever compare to spending about an hour just talking with him yesterday.

And, the man was taking notes, constantly... on what I was saying...????? I don't know what to make of it, but I hope I was able to give him something he can use. We talked about current things - the race, the new surface on the track, and lots of racing history. Mr. Economaki's memory dates back long before we had television, and he's better at describing a scene than anything you'll see in HD on Speed Channel today.

Chris is just shy of his 87th birthday now, and obviously doesn't get around quite as easily as he used to. But he's still quick with a great story, his wit hasn't suffered in the least, and he could charm the habit right off of a nun.

I hope I get to see him again soon.

Road Atlanta '07, 0630 Wednesday...

I'm here.

More to come...

Permanent Links for AE Sebring 2007 and pics...

This year's Sebring article for Autoextremist.com is now archived here, and my entire photo record of the event is right here. Shutterbug friends out there, you're invited to have a look at the collection and offer any criticism (hopefully of the constructive variety) you like.

Bear in mind that I didn't throw away the 550 or so "throw-away" shots, and there's really only about a dozen or so that I thought were any good.

I want some Sonic, dammit!

Who's comin' with me?

Seriously, it's too cold and WAY too stupid up here. I want some yummy fast food in a nice warm place. I've been back a day and a half and I hate it worse than ever. Instead of sunshine and a nice warm breeze, I get overcast and 40-degree bullshit.

I came back, instead of going to St. Petersburg (which was right on the way back), why, exactly???



(The sunset at Sebring, always an incredible sight)

Sebring 2007 notes, Final

It's now 12:01 AM, Sunday, March 18, and the 12 Hours is history.

I can't start this without talking about the finish -- specifically, the GT2 finish. It was a foregone conclusion that P1 and GT1 were going to be the same old boring deal all year, as there is no real competition for Audi and Chevy Corvette in those two classes, respectively. On the other hand, P2 and GT2 were positively on fire all day, into the night.

The race-end duel between Jorg Bergmeister and winner Jaime Melo might not have been foreseen in the earlier hours, when Melo did an outstanding job of bringing his Risi Ferrari out of a turn 17 spin that by all rights should have ended up in a tire wall. Melo recovered without a scratch, and drove on. Late in the race, with Melo in the lead, Flying Lizard Jorg Bergmeister turned up the volume on his Porsche 997, carved his way through the field, and challenged for the lead in the final minutes. On the very last lap, heading under the bridge in turn 17, Bergmeister briefly edged ahead. Melo drove Bergmeister nearly to the left-side wall, on the way to making the pass and taking the checkered flag. While the pass was certainly controversial (and no doubt Porsche likely has a protest underway as this is being written), the finish was among the most exciting of any class in any ALMS race I've seen.

The newly-minted Andretti Green Racing entry with the open wheel aces Bryan Herta, Dario Franchitti, and Tony Kanaan at the wheel spent much of the race on the lead lap, keeping the ever-dominating Audi R10 lead car on the run. At times, the split for overall lead between P1 and P2 cars was under 1 second.

AGR wouldn't have kept heat on the Audi all day, without having already dealt with formidable opponents from Penske and Highcroft.

I've never been a Honda/Acura fan at all (save for the NSX), but they're rapidly gaining my respect as a very real racing enterprise. First race, outta' the box, and they put away not just Penske, but Intersport Lola as well. Astounding.

If there's one thing that was glaringly apparent this time around, it's that ALMS has a huge task on its hands in terms of getting the classes sorted out. Lack of competition in P1 and GT1 is damnable offense - those are supposed to be the top-flight classes showcasing the finest in Prototype and GT racing, and instead all of the action is in the lower-level "2" rungs. That's not a knock at any of the teams competing in P2 of GT2 - if anything, those guys put on one of the greatest shows I've seen, ever. The racing in the two '2' series made me wonder why there really needs to be four distinct classes anyway - at least now, when the two top-flight classes are effectively high-speed parade laps for Audi and Corvette. I'm quite sure the Wolfgang Ulrich and Doug Fehan (managers for Audi and Corvette, respectively) would much rather have bragging rights to having beaten a real opponent on race day, rather than just having to settle for what amounts to an automatic win for showing up.

Peter's comment that, with no real competition in GT1, ALMS should allow the Corvettes to run wide-open with no air restrictors, is an idea whose time is now. The Corvettes are without a doubt THE biggest fan-favorite out on the track, and if they can't have any competition in their own class, why not let 'em chase down some unrestricted Audis? To hell with class designations, let's see some knock-down drag-out racing at its finest.

On the advancing-technology front, ALMS announced last week that it will phase-in use of ethanol across all classes, starting this year and increasing as time goes on. In addition, various alternative fuels are being examined for use in the cars - including bio-diesel for the Audi TDI entries (and any other teams coming into the series running diesels, which would certainly be welcomed). As diverse as the cars are in ALMS, we may soon see competition among fuels powering those cars, as well.

Racing has always been about innovation and using the track as a rolling test-bed for what we see on the street later. That hasn't been the case so much in recent years, but that backwards trend is set to change. Be it ethanol, bio-diesel, hydrogen, or Mr. Fusion, in 2007 we're seeing something we've needed for a very long time: Auto racing as a leader in developing new technologies that will find their way into mainstream use. Peter is all about it with the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation, open-wheel racing is going all-ethanol now, and the American Le Mans Series is going big with it now, too.

I got the sense, listening to Scott Atherton speak about the emerging technologies for fueling the cars in ALMS, that the series is developing both a vision and a message. It has its ties to the ACO with the Le Mans 24 Hours, but now the ALMS has its raison d'etre.

That's it for now, see you at the next pit stop.

Sebring notes, Part 4

We're now nearly 6:40 into the 55th annual 12 Hours of Sebring, and what a race so far. The Audis running practically unopposed in P1 are having starter issues (which sucks for them, since every pit stop requires that the engine be shut off, for safety's sake). So, as predicted, the front-running P2 car (currently the Andretti Green Racing/Acura ARX-01A) with Dario Franchitti at the wheel, is kicking ass and is only a single lap down from the overall lead.

The competition in P1 and GT1 is... dead. There's nothing there, really. Audi has two cars against... well, nothing! And in GT1 the Corvettes have only token competition in the form of the Team Modena Aston Martin DBR-9. The Aston team has some skilled drivers and talent throughout the team, no doubt, but they're still a privateer entry with too little budget and experience to compete with the all-dominating Corvette C6.Rs.

So, with P1 and GT1 dead, where's all the action? P2 and GT2, for once. Penske and Porsche ignited a storm in P2 last year, knocking both the Dyson and Intersport teams out for the championship haul -- and even taking an overall win once. But this year, other teams are running those very same Porsches (Dyson, for one) and there's also new blood in the form of Honda/Acura. (Yes, Acura is just a name we use in America for "expensive Honda," but let's be generous and let 'em off the hook for once)

The competition between Acura and Porsche, as I write this, is drop-dead FIERCE. At six and three-quarter hours now (5:12 remaining), it's actually a race.

Oops, the #6 Penske Porsche is back in the pits, getting some kind of work done... this helps to offset the lost time that the #9 Highcroft Racing Acura spent in the pits earlier, getting some kind of electrical work done. David Brabham was behind the wheel at the time, and his eyes were saying "get me the hell out of the pits and back onto the track already!"

The Spyker has a roof now. It still looks weird and still has those crazy scissor doors, but it's got a proper hardtop - or a bolt-on. I think it might make a better road car than race car, honestly.

Just prior to the start of today's race, when they let EVERYONE on the grid, I went to say hi to a few of the drivers and other people in the sport - I went to ask Brabs how he likes the new car (he's very happy with it - "it's good, I like it" he said), saw Tracy Krohn (who wished my dear M&mdash the best in her absence, and then I got to finally say hi to Bobby Rahal. I've only wanted to meet this guy since I saw him win the Indy 500 about 20 years ago, and this morning I just walked up to him - he knew who I was, already - but got to introduce myself and welcome him and Rahal Letterman Racing to the series.

Bobby has run here before as a driver, but not as a team owner. Rahal Letterman, like Andretti Green, has had plenty of success in open-wheel racing, but both are entirely new to sports cars.

Full course caution now, some debris on the track... I'm gonna' run down to shoot a few images, and come back to this later.

Sebring Notes, Part 3.

Thursday night practice was rain delayed. Now, in road racing it's not like NASCAR - if it rains, so what, you maybe put on rain tires, perhaps engage the wiper(s), and go on racing. This is what separates the men from the boy-racers. Racing in inclement weather has always been some of the most exciting stuff for me - and as a colleague put it, "there's two kinds of sports: Motorsports, and minor sports." Rain is one occasion that makes racing truly special - any sport you can't engage in the rain, is for the weak (and thus, isn't a sport).

However, yesterday's rain was classic Florida rain - so strong was the downpour, I couldn't see past 30 or 40 feet. From my spot in the office, the flag stand is maybe 120' away - and it was completely invisible. The amount of water on the track - on the front-stretch right in front of me - was so deep, the wind was actually making WAVES in it. The only suitable racing at that moment, would've been a Jet-ski race.

So, the traditional Thursday night practice session was delayed by almost an hour, as the safety boffins made drivers and teams (and fans) wait and wait... for 45 minutes, before they set the cars loose on the track. It was a combined practice session, meaning all four classes of cars were out at once. One car, the Konrad Porsche 911 GT3 RS, either had the most dreadful brakes ever, or a driver who was scared shitless. My bet is the latter, as the driver kept locking the brakes entering the hairpin at Turn 7 - a spot where I was shooting still images (and a little bit of motion video) for the first time at night.

One of the coolest things about endurance racing in this country is the fact that you have to have some of the racing - almost certainly the finish in most cases - at night. Shorter 3-4 hour races *can* be started in late afternoon and drift into evening, but it all seems so staged. With a 10-12 hour race, it's a war of attrition and survival of the fittest -- nobody talks about who won the 3-hour race a few years ago; it's always Le Mans, Sebring, Petit, or sometimes Daytona 24. Watching these cars split the darkness with high-powered headlights in white and amber hues, never gets old on me.

Hanging out with PMD yesterday was quite cool. That's the only word I can apply to it: Cool. He's got at least one major manufacturer in the chamber and ready to go with the hydrogen program - and at least one other manufacturer looking to hedge their bets. It's exciting to see all of this coming together right now - and while I can't say too much right now, I can say with some degree of certainty that the future of motorsports will look something like what Peter is working on right now.

He hadn't been to this track in many years - so far back, in fact, that he had to ask me where he would find the Media office. Many of the historic photos on the wall in here, from back in the days of "Le Mans-style" running starts, he was right there with his brother Tony (who was a driver for the Corvette team back then)... he had lots of great memories to share - from a different day, one we'll never quite see in the same way again.

It's now about 09:56 EDT here, and I've got a nice freshly-minted representative from Highcroft Racing begging my attention. Since David Brabham is with the team now, I really should talk with her a bit...

Sebring notes, Day Two

Last night was Sebring's big Gala, and for the second time my buddy Tim and I scored invites and went to have a blast. Unlike last year, I decided there wasn't much harm in having a few drinks - I'm a very self-aware drinker, and know at any time when I'm sufficiently too pissed to drive - so on I went. Several open bars, wall-to-wall babes, lots of delicious gourmet food, more open bars, music everywhere, and still more blazing-hot Florida girls around the place than I could keep track of.

If I lived here, I'd be dead by now.

Tim got about as 'faced as I did - though nowhere near as badly as he did last year. This time, he could at least walk at the end. Anyway, what I hadn't considered was towards the end of the night, I would have an hour-long drive from Sebring to Arcadia, where my hotel is. For anyone who didn't catch yesterday's dispatch, my car lost its clutch somewhere back in North Carolina - and it's not fixing itself.

So, there I am shaking off the drunkest fit I've had in a decade (at least), the muscle aches setting in a bit from the exhaustion of being up and driving a VERY unhappy 5-speed Neon over 1300 miles in the last two days, and now I've gotta' go the last hour to a (hopefully) warm bed to fall into...

The Best Western in Arcadia, FL is... well, it's a place to crash, at least. The bed is too damn soft - and is probably older than me, for that matter. Get Stearns & Foster on the phone, stat.

Today's been mostly good, though -- even though I got to the track incredibly late (I've never shown up after daybreak before, until today), the place is alive and the cars are wonderful music to my ears. Plus, my boss is going to be in town, to promote his brain-child, the Hydrogen Electric Racing Federation. I spoke with Peter on the way down here, and some of his ideas for the future of the sport are nothing short of astonishing. He and I have never done a race together, in the six years or so that I've been writing for Autoextremist.com. So, it'll be a first for me.

Oh -- note to O&mdash -- info on the Jetta TDI entry in the World Challenge Series can be found here and here and here. The car has a very distinctive sound, and it's quite fast. My Neon bows to the Chili Pepper TDI's healthy torque.

Speaking of my hobbled little Neon... the plan right now has a gang of sport compact freaks tearing into it once I get back up around Charlotte, NC, either Sunday or Monday. Cross your fingers, eh?

I'll likely cook up another dispatch later on tonight, after Night practice completes at 21:25 EDT.

Sebring 2007, Part 1

The drive down from MD to Sebring, if I blast straight down I-95 til I hit Daytona, can take as little as 13h 26m. I've done the trip at that pace, stopping only for routine pit stop stuff. Cup of coffee here, smelly gas station bathroom there, and I get through it quickly.

But this year, for the second time, I agreed to take one of my best friends down to Sebring with me. This is, however, a best friend who no longer lives "about an hour" out of the way. As I found out on my way down, he now lives about FOUR extra hours off the beaten path. I left my house around 9 PM Monday night, and arrived in Sebring just before 9 AM today. Approx 1300 miles logged already.

The extra drive was nice, though, as it took me down I-81 to I-26, just brushing Tennessee and then back into NC through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The drive is one of the most scenic anywhere this side of the Mississippi, and I'm certain that at least one person reading this knows just how breathtaking the scenery can be.

But still, an additional four hours of mountain driving can really take its toll. And so, it did: MY CLUTCH IS GONE.

I can no longer shift using the clutch on my car. If I want to engage reverse, I have to shut the motor off, pop into reverse, restart the motor, back up, shut off, engage 1st gear again, and restart.

So, my second clutch, after barely 90k, is toast. My first clutch out-lasted the transmission itself, still working nicely when the gearbox blew out at 95k. This new clutch, Mopar's "High Torque" model taken from the PT Cruiser, is fried. Broke. Annihilated. And this, after my driving in the last few years has been an exercise in smoothness.

If I had a shop (and some skilled help), the damn thing could be done in a night, parts totaling $250 or so. Instead, the only shop in town that can touch it before next week wants over $600, and takes cash only.

Sorry, I'll drive the fuck outta' the car, and if it dies, I'll deal.

In the meantime, I'm having to drive the car like an old racer without synchros -- literally rev-matching and banging it into each successive gear. This probably isn't doing any real damage to the gearbox, or maybe it is, but I'm past the point of concern. When I get home, I'm finding a good shop and dropping off all of my cars for an extended stay. It's probably gonna' eat my savings whole, but fuck it. I'm gonna' go find an alligator tonight, and punch his fuckin' lights out - and have Tim get it all on video tape.

Oh yeah, I'm at the track and there's lots of cars and some hot chicks and it's fucking hot out.

That's my Wednesday update. Damn car.

Why I hate traffic so much...

"Head-On, apply directly to the bumper!"
"Head-On, apply directly to the bumper!"
"Head-On, apply directly to the bumper!"

Please, people, pay attention out there. I almost got plowed three times this morning, just getting out of my neighborhood - and those who ride with me, know I'm about as transparent and easy-going behind the wheel as a monk with a license. Lucky, I didn't get hit. I'd hate to have to call someone to bail me outta' jail on a rainy Friday.

AJ Racing going on "hiatus" from ALMS...

No, not me - Alex Job Racing has announced they won't be back in ALMS next year.



[from Planetlemans.com] Alex Job Racing closed the American Le Mans season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and will take a leave of absence from the series in ’07. The team has run every race in the ALMS series since its inception.

Since 1999 Alex Job Racing has amassed 39 wins, 46 pole positions, 79 podiums, and entered 94 cars in the American Le Mans Series. The team also posted three series championships, and two 24 Hour of Le Mans wins. The team boasts six, 12 hours of Sebring victories with a record of 18 consecutive years participating in the March classic.

Note -- Alex Job Racing was one of the first teams that I got to introduce M&mdash to, back in 2004. One thing I know she'll never forget, is Sascha Maassen and yours truly, clowning it up after his victory in the Petit Le Mans. Sascha is now with the Penske Porsche RS Spyder team in P2 class - or, now the 2006 ALMS P2 Champion Porsche RS Spyder. Oh, how I wish we still had the pictures from that...

Home, cold and wet...

I am now back from Road Atlanta, and my latest article is posted at Autoextremist.com (link corrected to reflect permanent mirror link for the article - ajm). This was my fifth time covering Petit Le Mans, and my third with Mylia accompanying me. The trip gets to be more fun every year, as she and I both get the biggest kick in the world out of the road racing at the (decreasingly) rural circuit in Braselton, GA.

The article covered only about 60% of what I wanted to discuss this time around, but it was already approaching record length and I didn't want to stretch things out too far. Had I an extra day to edit the thing, I might've produced a more compact and concise report, but oh well.

The above photo is from the gallery I put together - at least one of the pictures (a Courage C65-Mazda (LMP2) at speed) is quite the money shot - so feel free to peruse the pics, as well as the AE article, and let me know what you think.

Saturday morning practice session, Road Atlanta

It's 08:50, Saturday morning, and we've just finished the mandatory photo meeting (well, mandatory for anyone with a photo vest). The entire ALMS field is on the track for AM practice. We'll have the Panoz Racing Series on the grid at 09:30 - 10:15, then some fancy-pants pace car rides... then at 10:45 we begin gearing up.

I'll be suiting up for both trackside and pit shooting today, only the second time (the first was Sebring this year) that I've done work in the "hot" pits. It's incredibly exciting, and some of the most fun I've had in my life. Well, next to the quick ride I got in the GT3 RSR Porsche, that is.

In qualifying yesterday, Audi did NOT get the pole - that went to Nic Minassian in a dark blue, lightning-quick Zytek. The Audis will probably play their usual game of start fast and finish faster - it's not a question of which team will win; only which of the two Audis. My money's on McNish & Company.

Yesterday was quite a blast - especially if you're Mylia. She met with the owners and drivers of several SPEED World Challenge GT teams and they've agreed to do interviews with her for some features she's going to write - could anything ever be that cool? You'll get to read it here first :) We also scored some neat free swag from both Autosport Design Aston Martin and Bob Woodhouse's Viper team. Both teams in SPEED GT were great to hang out with, and I'm looking forward to Mylia's write-up.

Bummer of the week: My old bud Lonnie with Flying Lizard Motorsports is no longer with the team. Lonnie was one of the first guys on a team in ALMS to really show me around and make me feel welcome. I haven't heard from him, or seen him here... Only heard from a team member that he parted ways with the team not long ago. I hope he's back at the track, soon.

A ride in a Le Mans-winning Porsche!

"I am Jorg Bergmeister!!! Well, not entirely. OK, I'm not."

No, I'm not -- but that didn't stop me from getting a ride in the #31 Petersen/White Lightning Porsche 911 GT3 RSR today! ALMS decided to invite "select members of the media" (that being me and two other lucky blokes) to each have a hot lap around Road Atlanta, riding with owner/driver Mike Petersen.

After nearly an hour-long wait (the time it took to get corner officials back to their spots after lunch), the three of us each got a turn in the bolted-in passenger seat as the car took to the course at speed. This was my first time doing a complete lap at Road Atlanta on the track itself (I've walked the entire 2.54-mile infield inside and out, but never driven the actual course), and it was quite a definite "hot lap" to boot. I've watched these cars run at this track for years, and have run the course in Infogrames' Le Mans 24 Hours game on the PS2 a few hundred times -- (note: LM24 is exceptionally cool in that it features Road Atlanta in both Short Course and Grand Prix formats, and the rendering is dead-on accurate) but this was my first run on the tarmac itself.

THIS RIDE WAS ASTONISHING.

The car accelerates just like my '96 Neon, only a hell of a lot faster. It brakes like my Neon, only a hundred times quicker. It corners like... hell, who am I kidding - this thing's a pure racing car. Not just any racing car, but the Porsche that's been damn near unstoppable anywhere it's raced in the last 3-4 years.

I would've loved to have gotten behind the wheel and run the ass off of it myself, but somehow I doubt Mr. Petersen would've approved. Nevertheless, he's quite a damn good driver, and he hustled the car around the 2.54 miles quicker than I could have. Probably. ;)

Mylia almost got a ride in the car too, but it turned out they only had time for the first three of us. I had told her, when we were waiting to find out if she'd get a run, "if you pee your pants, I promise I won't laugh." Well, not much, anyway. I'm quite sure that all three of us were quite experienced when it comes to high speed driving - though I'll never make for a good passenger.

Honestly, though, I found it almost relaxing. I was in the car with the guy who owns it and drives it for a living, was wearing proper safety gear -- it wasn't my first time wearing a racing suit and helmet, but it was my first time wearing a HANS device. I've seriously got to get one of these things for Mylia [grins]. It was impossible for me to move my head very far forward or back, and side-to-side motion was set at just the right limit.

Of course, because it was my first time wearing the device, and I couldn't move my head the way I normally do, I managed to bonk my helmet against the upper roll bar above the door. That had to look even less graceful than it really was.

It felt great to get back into a race car, even if I was sitting on the wrong side of the thing. The Porsche is so balanced and just so "right" on the track, I could easily imagine driving one myself. Competetively. Plus, with their durability, there's no wonder why there's so damn many of them in racing.

The pics Mylia shot of me getting suited-up and ready to run are right here.

I don't have any video available yet (I don't have a proper cable to get it from the Sony camcorder onto my notebook - and apparently nobody else does at the moment), but for now the pics are at least some prima facie evidence of the thrill ride. Just... keep in mind that the suit isn't form fitting, and the camera adds like 50 lbs!

If anyone's got skill getting good video captures from an old Sony Hi8 Handycam, drop me a line?

Anyway, back to the racing for me. More later...

Road Atlanta logs, Wednesday/Thursday...

Or, more specifically, Braselton, GA. I arrived at Road Atlanta promptly at 0630 this morning, some 2 hours and 44 minutes after leaving friends in Charlotte. 205 miles in 2:44 was about as much as I really wanted to push on a sleep deficit and a possibly leaking left outer CV boot. Must check on that...

South Carolina has cheap gas: $1.93 for regular is the norm, not the exception. I filled up the white Neon for $2.23, 93 octane Shell gas. Wow. I know the gas price drop is only momentary, and there's any number of conspiracy theories out there surrounding it, I'm not complaining this week: My gas budget was calculated over a month ago at $3.30/gallon, so I might just get home without being completely broke! (Wait, no, that means I might be able to afford an extra t-shirt...)

Elsewhere, I'm encouraged to hear that Richard Hammond is on the mend. For anyone who's been under a rock for the past week, the Top Gear presenter and host took a devil of a crash while attempting to break the UK land speed record. I wish him a speedy and complete recovery.

The downside to splitting the trip between two nights this time? My sleep schedule's turned upside down, and I'm currently awake for the past 27 hours. Wednesday is just a testing day at the track, but a testing day at Road Atlanta beats a "super" day working back in DC. Once I was South of Richmond, there was simply no traffic to speak of... and very little in the way of speed enforcement. Some speed limits I'd expected to still see at 70 in NC and SC had dropped to 60, for some reason, but it didn't affect the 80-MPH flow of traffic much.

Not only did I average about 74.5 MPH throughout the trip, but notched 37.8 MPG, owing in no small part to pulling a draft off of whomever I could. Minivans and lowered SUVs are excellent for this; 18-wheelers, not so great.

That's a wrap.

My Sebring write-up has been published at Autoextremist.com. Feel free to direct any comments, criticisms, applause, or what-have-you to me directly to me. If it reads a bit rushed, it was. You'd think after nearly five years of interpreting my initials to stand for "Automotive Journalist," I'd have more of a system worked out, but I end up wingin' it every time.

For the first time, I decided "why not get a photo vest and a fire suit, and check out the pits during the race?" The results are on my photo page. (Note: A couple of the photos on Page 6 might be not-safe-for-work, but the rest ought to be just fine)

Back in high school in North Carolina, my best friend was this guy named Tim. We've kept in touch over the years, and this year I signed him on as my right-hand at the track. While we were down there, he discovered the joys of blogging and set up his own. It's a rather entertaining read, I think, and he managed to include mention of a couple of things that were left out of my article for one reason or another.

I'd like to think I'm getting better with each effort, but I'm also my own worst critic -- all I see is everything I could've said better or wanted to say, but pushed out what I could in stream of consciousness. I'm still recovering from the trip -- and I miss the smell of the orange trees surrounding the track.

I wanted to say something about the fantastic cars they had in the SVRA races -- the 100-car enduro they ran, and how great it is, in the NASCAR era, to be able to see literally dozens of different body styles from dozens of manufacturers, all on the same track.

I wanted to talk about the Speed World-Challenge series, and the new additions of the Aston Martins and Nissan Skyline... And Mike McCann's thrilling win, about an hour after I was in his pit talking shop with one of the guys. Any Viper win, is a good win.

Among the interesting conversations I had at Sebring -- I caught up with Jeff Roselli from Dodge Motorsports, and more/less cornered him (politely, yet firmly) to ask why I hadn't heard anything from them in a year. The guys at the track DO want me doing their PR, but no chance in hell of getting higher-ups to sign off on a freelance guy when it's not in the existing contract with ClearBlue -- and ClearBlue doesn't know jack shit about racing. At least, a year later, I have some sense of why it all happened -- that helps.

I do think, as time goes on, I'm getting better at certain aspects of this whole thing. I finally gave in and got myself a fire suit, so my freedom to go where I want is just that much better now - it certainly helps to be able to roam the hot pit. I'm getting better acquainted with those in and around the series, and I get the sense I've created some good relationships there. I've always wanted to represent you and AE in the best light possible, while at once keeping in mind my mission: I'm turning in the article for Autoextremist.com, but I'm writing for myself. This is what I do. This is what I'm about, from one day to the next.

My sweetie recently mentioned where I said a few years ago that I was going to make it with the writing (or something in racing) or I was gonna' die trying. Pretty sure I'm about halfway there now - though I'm not certain which direction.

Even though I had a much nicer spot to sit this year, I nevertheless got surrounded by a group of arrogant French bastards. Ah well, keeps my French sharp, I guess...

What I'm learning in this, they never teach in any school.

Back to life as we know it...

A couple thousand miles later, I'm back in MD. Actually, back in VA, at my 9-5. I'll have stories to tell, but it'll all have to wait until I get my deadline knocked-out -- that comes later today.

Just found this in my email:
Saturday, April 8th 8:30PM
Shannon McNally supports The Derek Trucks Band
9:30 Club
Washington, DC 20001
Call 202-265-0930 for more details

Shannon, on a Saturday night... Don't think I can pass that up. We'll see.

Post-race, Saturday night!

I just introduced Tim, my redneck buddy from back in high school... to Joe Cartoon.

Everybody, stand back. Please.

Wanna' know what's even worse? Earlier today, introduced him to the concept of blogging.

And all this, while he was taking in his very first American Le Mans Series race.

Homie ain't never gonna' be the same. I am a bad influence!

As for the post-race wrap-up, just sit tight. I've got a lot of writing to do, and a massive load of photos to sort through.

At 2:45 running...

Those Audis are FAST. And quiet - I'm sitting barely 70 feet away, and I cannot hear the car as it passes by at full speed.

They also spew some rather fragrant fumes from the diesel powerplant.

The Audi R10 is Silent but Deadly.

More to come...

EDIT: During a caution-flag pit stop to change the front end of the Audi, a cat -- yes, a cat, as in meow meow, walked across pit lane. SPEED channel didn't show this, because NASCAR Busch series qualifying is more important to them. SPEED TV sucks.

Up one minute, down the next...

Whoa, I just saw Andy Hall! That probably only means anything to one person reading this, and if Mylia does remember who I'm talking about, she's sure to squeal with glee. Andy was one of the first people in ALMS to welcome me in and really help set things going. He left the series over a year ago, is doing quite a bit of other stuff these days. I think he's doing some PR work for Dodge Motorsports -- well, it's nice to know someone is doing that... Heh, that buzzard stole my job! It's good to see him back, even if he's not the go-to guy anymore. Anyone who's responsible for running a media relations office in racing, could learn a bit from watching Andy.

The network here at Sebring is in total shambles - I'm writing this offline. Some of the others in the office are having no trouble at all, but neither my iBook nor Tim's Win2k notebook can pull an IP address to save our lives. Signal strength is over 90% (should be, since we're only a few feet from the antenna) but the damn router just won't play nice. It's not just my machines, either -- fully 2/3 of the media here, ain't got no link to play with. I may have to file my dispatches to Autoextremist via carrier pigeon. Or worse, dialup.

When I checked-in yesterday morning to get my press credentials, I was handed a pair of tickets to the big Sebring Gala. First time for me. The town of Sebring holds a big bash every year, yummy buffet and open bar all night. Lots of music, right on Lake Jackson. They had the Budweiser clydesdales last night, beside the civic center. I got to chat with the clydesdales' handlers for a while, and came away with the impression that these giant animals are very well cared-for. The handlers genuinely seem tuned-in to the clydesdales and look after them in the best way possible.

As for the rest of the party? Music, booze, and... cuties everywhere. The place was just packed to the seams with hot chicks, left, right, and every which way. Tim (best friend from high school who's along for the trip as my assistant) took advantage of the free booze. I, for the most part, didn't. I might be down here to have fun, but it's also with the single-minded determination to make something out of the trip. Besides, I had to drive the 4-5 miles or so back to the track afterwards.

There's some new drink called Tilt, that takes the "let's mix some alcohol with Red Bull" idea and puts it in a can. If you like Red Bull, Tilt will get you, well, quite tilted. If you don't, well, don't bother.

I slept in the car last night. After telling myself that, no matter what, I'd have better accommodations this time around, I was left with no alternative when I got back here at 0130 than to just pass out in the driver's seat. Tim didn't fare much better.

Sebring notes, Wednesday.

The following post was written yesterday, March 15 at 1:40 PM. Before the internet connection here at the track bit the dust. It's back now, for... *zap* a few minutes...

I'm in Sebring now; got here early this morning. I've got a new assistant this time -- an old friend from high school who's never been to anything like this before. It's also the first time I've actually had a right-hand to help me out at Sebring, woo-hoo! I've got somebody to hold my drink!

For anyone who ever watches any races on SPEED, that fat shit Greg Creamer is even fatter sitting across the desk from me right now than he is on TV. I think Fox uses some kind of special lens or a trick camera to make him look thinner. The dude's a freakin' whale. With an attitude, too. Know what Oscar Wilde said about how it's unfair to be a monster without being a myth? Yes indeed.

And... I'm really tired. Drove from MD to Charlotte yesterday, which I can usually do standing on my head. Except, this was after a full day at work and some after-work nonsense to take care of. So, got up at 0600, but didn't get on the road until close to midnight -- and didn't pull up in Charlotte until 0630 the next morning. Wiped.

Got a brief nap, met up with my dad for lunch at Quaker Steak & Lube (cool place, really) for some good foodstuff, and eventually hit the highway last night around 1030 PM. Drove straight-through from Charlotte to Sebring, making only 3-4 stops for gas/restroom/tasty beverages. I expected it to take about 10 hours; it took 10:38 by my clock. Bah.

Neon finally turned over 170k. He's now due for an oil change, but it'll wait til he gets home. 10 year old econobox, still get appreciative smiles from the girls. Well done.

Dodge has a greatly increased presence here at the track this year. I wonder if they'll bother to tell anyone about it.

Warp ahead one week, Scotty...

In one week, I'll be 1000 miles away from the 9-5, (as well as the 5-12,) and all the stuff that passes for a boring existence up here. I'll be back in Sebring! This place, once you've gone there once, you really do have to keep going back. It's not Spring time, until Sebring. I didn't get it before I went, but I sure as hell get it now. Now, if only I had a small plane I could fly from here, and land at the track... (There's an airport right nextdoor, and Sebring itself is an old air base) Wouldn't that be cool?

Unfortunately, I can't take Mylia with me this time, so I'm bringing along an old friend from WAY way back in the day. In high school, this guy was the Beavis to my Butthead. We're still great friends, and the trip ought to be a blast. Tim and I haven't done a proper road trip since... Bush 41 was still in office. Damn, it's been a while. I wonder how he'll handle Friday night in the Green Park.

I'm packing my camera, though I don't know how much longer my old Elph is gonna' keep snapping. She seems to be more and more battery-hungry these days, and the expensive Li-Ion cells she takes ain't cheap. I've got one that works OK, and two cells that hold a charge when they feel like it. I'm probably gonna' get myself a new cam some day soon. Definitely staying close to the form factor of the Elph, though. Very concealable and easy to work with one hand. More optical zoom is all I really need. At least 4x would be great. I've got 2x right now.

I might not have to sleep in the Neon this time! After crashing in a very cramped car the last two Sebring trips, I'll have (hopefully) a friend there with an RV or a camper of some sort. Worst-case, I've got a tent. I think Tim's got one too. You can do lots of things in a Neon, but sleeping is not one of the things I'd recommend. My knees aged about ten years each night I slept in the car.

Anyway, I'll be posting here (and a few other places I write) so you'll get the scoop...

Luscious Metal: My first test drive of the year.

Sometimes, life stops sucking just long enough to remind you why it's worth it all. Yesterday was one of those days I was glad to have gotten up. Only one day prior, my VA site had a big pizza & beer party (four or five different kinds of beer, too) for a big teleconference regarding some good business we just got into, so the mood was still pretty much "up" around the typically low-key and all-too-quiet site.

Anyway, to the meat of it: A co-worker of mine, one with whom I always enjoy discussing cars (one of our favorite subjects) and Canada (I love the country, he's an ex-pat) dropped by and said "look out your window." So I did, and... Whoa, that's one gorgeous BMW M5. (The car in the pic on that link is the same color, too.) Word was already spreading around that $coworkerguy had acquired some truly luscious metal, and they were climbing on him like flies on shit trying to score a ride in the car. "C'mon man, you gotta' take me for a ride in that," I heard no less than four people say within a minute. I glanced at $coworkerguy and said quietly "later on, when the time's right, I'd like to get a closer look if it's OK with you..." He smiled and said "oh yeah."

So, once he'd gotten back from taking the guys out to lunch (they seemed to enjoy the ride), I was outside taking in some sunshine, caffeine, and nicotine. The other guys went right back into the building, so I hung around for a minute while $coworkerguy was checking out his new ride. They got to be passengers. I'm a terrible passenger. There's about a million things I don't do well and never will. Being a passenger in a really sweet ride is one of them.

It's a 2000 model, but in better-than-showroom condition. 10,000 miles on the clock, comprehensive maintenance records (nothing but the best in this ride), and... well, it just looked DAMN good. No "iDrive" bullshit to mess up the experience of putting the driver in touch with the road. This is BMW when they really meant business. Paint on brand-new 2006 models doesn't look this good. The engine smelled new. I was impressed. I was infatuated. I was... wanting more.

When it was just the two of us admiring the car, $coworkerguy hands me the keys and says "want to get in?" But of course I would. The moment my ass hit the perfect leather seat (whereas I usually don't care for leather seats, these are works of art) and my hands gripped the wheel, I said "oh, I'm in looooove..."

He points to the ignition, indicating I should start her up. I do. The engine awoke from its brief slumber the same way I do -- ready to kick someone's ass. With a smile on my face, I ask $coworkerguy "shall we putter around for a bit?" He grins back and says "sure." We both buckle up.

Now, my VA site is located in a rather dense traffic area. So I stayed off the main road, and had a little fun on the side streets. Open road is wonderful. Point-and-shoot games with slow-moving SUVs in a car like this, not. "Go ahead and open up the throttle" he said. Did this guy know what he was asking for? Apparently he did. "I thought you'd never ask..." I cracked it to about half-throttle... and immediately pinned us both to the seat, as I expected. $coworkerguy didn't freak out, so I was encouraged to continue.

Near our building, there's a nice straight stretch of road the runs a little more than 1/4 mile. Perfect. I took a nice soft launch, and at about 5 mph I decked it -- rocked us both back, and the tach climbed to 5000 in about half-a-breath. I immediately caught second gear, and felt the ass-end kick itself to the side just a little, as any proper rear-wheel drive car should when it's really putting power to the ground. Power is good. "M Power" is... VERY good.

Looking over at the car's owner, he was all-smiles. Apparently he knew somehow that I knew what to do with his car, and also what not to do with it, so I was complimented by that. Trust like that is important, you see.

On the way back to the office, he decided to show off the car's different suspension settings (apparently we had been set to "touring" at first), so he engaged "sport" mode, and asked me to light it up again.

OH HELL YEAH.

This time, the car somehow seemed just a tiny bit quicker, probably abetted by the stiffer suspension settings that eliminated all possible "squat" when you nail the Go Pedal. When you're used to maybe 150 horsepower in a daily driver, 400 angry German horses under the command of your right foot is quite the change of pace. I didn't need another cup of coffee for the rest of the day.

The buzz still hasn't worn off. It was like riding every ride at the amusement park, in 10 minutes.

Of course, not to be outdone, I have another coworker at my MD site who drives a nicely-supercharged Z06 Corvette. Says it's a bit more than 500 hp at the wheels.

He just asked me if I'd like to test-drive it some time...