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BMW
CCA - Puget Sound Region
2009 Driving Events Calendar
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Date
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Event
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Location
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Contact
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Price
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Sat,
February 7
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Instructor's
Clinic
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Karl Seeger
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TBA
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Thurs,
April 16
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Car
Control Clinic
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Pacific Raceways
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Eric Bitte
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TBA
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Registration Updates
Registration for each event opens approximately 6 weeks before the event, at
the beginning of the month, so registration for both March schools will open
Feb. 1st. Enrollment in our schools is very competitive, and schools
will usually fill up within the first 2 weeks of registration being
open. All registration is done though www.motorsportreg.com
Questions? Please contact our registrar Eric Bitte. registrar@bmwpugetsound.com
For additional driving events visit the motorsport
calendar for other club's events in the area. There are plenty of events
to attend in addition to ours!
Welcome
to one of the best driving events in the Northwest! Our club has a proven
program that continues to exceed our member’s expectations. Our events are
well known as being great events that are well structured, safe, fun.
Our goals are simple; share our knowledge of driving at a level not
readily available to the masses. After drivers education in school, most of
our learning comes only from our daily driving. Through the club events,
drivers are given the ability to take their learning further than they ever
thought possible, at facilities that provide a controlled environment.
Improving real-world driving is our focus, and creating better drivers is the
key.
The schools are designed not as race driver training, but as an avenue to
learn how to become better, safer drivers. Drivers learning the limits of
their car and their driving abilities, in a safe and controlled environment
are our schools purpose. We take great pride in creating a program that is
valuable to all levels and types of drivers, from those that are interested
in just learning more advanced driving skills to our members who’s goals are
to join the club’s summer High-Performance Driving Schools. We also offer
avenues for those who are truly hooked and eventually want to go racing, through
our Club’s affiliation with the local Northwest-racing league, International Conference of Sports Car Clubs
(ICSCC).
We have great members who love BMWs and love their club. We
look forward to having you out with us.
Below you’ll find information on all our events. Additional topics will be
added as we move forward. This will be a living document designed to provide
you with an overview of our programs, as well as topics available to add to
your driving experiences.
Car Control
Clinic, Bremerton
Raceway Park
This school has two parts, a classroom session on a week night before the
track day, and a day at Bremerton.
The classroom session is held here in the Seattle Metro area. It lasts for
about 3 hours, usually 6pm-9.
Here your will be introduced to the terms and practices that we will be using
at the track.
The day at Bremerton
runs from 8am-5pm. It begins with a series of
drill stations. Each station is designed to focus on a specific car control
skill, offering students the opportunity to gain practical skills which they
can immediately transfer to their every day driving. Stations include slalom,
braking, skid pad, and a handling oval. Instructors will ride with students
and coach them at each drill station. Drivers will learn the limits of their
car and how to keep their car within those limits. During the afternoon,
drivers will use the skills they learned in the morning to run a series of
more advanced exercises.
The objective of the school is to make the student a safer and more
confident driver. The driver will have a blast and have a whole new
appreciation for their BMW! If you have ever been curious why they call these
'The Ultimate Driving Machines’--spend a day with us and find out what German
Engineering is all about!
The day is completed with the students putting all their new skills
together in an autocross. Here, threshold braking, transitioning into a
turn and accelerating out are practiced as the student learns the importance
of doing this smoothly to control weight transfer.
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High-Performance
Driving Schools
Our High-Performance Driving Schools are designed as a way for drivers to
continue their skill building. The intent behind these events is to offer
further driver-skills education. These events are skill-building days to
enhance the car control training. A drivers learning does not stop with the
first school, but rather accumulates over time with each additional event
attended. As with all our schools, these events are fully staffed with an
ensemble of instructors available for our drivers all day – you cannot beat
that! We are fortunate to have a consistent, dedicated group of instructors
that donate their time all year so drivers can pick their favorites and learn
from them all year.
Drivers who have not driven Pacific Raceways should not miss an
opportunity. Pacific Raceways is very challenging and exciting to drive. The
track offers driving variety, from elevation change, to hairpin turns, to a
challenging chicane.
To be eligible, drivers need to have attended our car control clinic at Bremerton
Motorsports Park
or an equivalent program. Email the Driving Events
Chair if you have any questions on eligibility.
Instructor Clinic
This clinic is annually held at Pacific Raceways. The goal for the
instructor clinic is to set standards and continuity between instructors so
our track events run smoothly and our quality continually improves. This
event is not intended as another track event for those looking for seat time,
but rather this is an event for our instructors only. We have a great deal to
accomplish and our agenda is focused specifically on teaching and
instructing.
Starting in 2006, attendance in the Instructor Clinic is by invitation
only. Drivers and new-to-us instructors who want to instruct with us
are required to attend this clinic or make special arrangements with the
Chief Driving Instructor. In our continuing efforts to ensure continuity within
our track programs, it is necessary for our instructors to annually come
through the clinic to enable them to be kept abreast of changes in the
program.
The day includes an extensive day at the track, including a track walk,
exercises, role playing and evaluations to review all our current instructors
and ensure our program is ready to go for the season. In addition, classroom
sessions are held to review materials and provide lectures designed to
further provide skills for our instructors to utilize in their teaching.
Priority is given to our existing instructors who have been instructing
and dedicating their time to our track programs. In order to conduct a
well-rounded clinic for those attending, participation is limited. Attending
the clinic does not guarantee a candidate will become an instructor. All
drivers will be evaluated to determine if they are ready to instruct with our
club. This day offers drivers who have an interest in instructing a great way
to gather informative and useful information on instructing and to learn how
they can steer their skills in this direction.
Our instructors are all volunteers and come out with enthusiasm to help
others to become better drivers and in turn often learn something new
themselves from our talented students! It is a great way to give something
back to the club and all the hard work is so appreciated - just look at the
students and you will see! We have an excellent base of instructors who help
make our events the best in the region!
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Registration for each event will open 5 to 6 weeks prior to the event
date. Event details and registration forms will be provided here on
this page towards the top in the Event Calendar and
Registration Status section.
Requirements -
·
All events
require pre-registration.
·
Spots will not
be held prior to registration opening.
·
Participants must be at least 18 years
old.
·
Participants
must be club members or members of a partner club.
To join the club, visit our national club web
site www.bmwcca.org and
choose the Puget Sound Region as your chapter. Members will then begin to
receive the national club publication, The Roundel, in addition to our local
chapter publication, Zündfolge. Club members will receive the full details of
our events through the Zündfolge and therefore can stay most informed of
events and registration information. We also accept PCA PNWR, BMWACA, and BMW CCBC members.
Prerequisites -
·
Car Control
Clinics
None. This is designed to be a starting
point for your education behind the wheel.
·
High-Performance
Driving Schools
Drivers must have prior experience to attend
these events, either having attended our car control clinic at Bremerton or have prior
experience from an approved program. If you have questions regarding your
eligibility, or you are unable to attend our spring car control clinic,
please contact the Driving Events Chair for
additional options available to obtain your training.
·
Instructor's
Clinic
· Possess a positive attitude and demeanor
to work with students at all levels.
· Be a good example both on and off the
track.
· Be calm in all situations.
· Be able to explain what is happening
between the track and the car, as well as between the car and the driver
clearly and concisely.
· Be able to be "in control" of
both the car and driver who is being taught. Instructing requires a huge
responsibility, therefore drivers need to be "ready and committed".
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Listed below are several requirements to help drivers prepare for our
events. Upon confirmation to any of our driving events drivers will receive a
confirmation email with explicit details for that event. Items not covered
here will be covered in this email.
Convertibles
In
the interest in the safety of our students and instructors, convertibles are
not allowed at our events. There are local Clubs that do allow
convertibles and will honor your BMW CCA membership. Please contact the
Driving
Events Chair
for
help finding a venue to drive your convertible.
Car Technical Inspection
A
technical inspection will be required for every drivers car in advance of a
track event. This inspection consists of a thorough examination of the
drivers car by a qualified ASE
certified mechanic. Inspections focus on engine compartment condition,
brakes, tires, suspension, steering, etc., in an attempt to ensure that cars
have adequate systems before they are driven on the track. This driving
activity and the speeds being driven dictate that drivers cannot afford to be
casual with the safety of their car. To ensure the safety of all our
participants, we must insist on a proper safety inspection being carried out
by a qualified individual. This is for the drivers benefit and safety as well
as for the safety of other drivers on the track.
Tech Forms: Upon
being confirmed for EACH event, a confirmation packet will be sent out that will
include a link to the Technical Inspection form. All technical inspection forms
must be completed in their entirety and clearly signed and stamped by a
certified ASE mechanic at a
known and reputable shop.
·
Technical inspections are valid for only 30 days from completion.
·
For shops, which do not use a stamp, drivers must attach a copy of the
receipt for work completed.
·
Technical inspections will not be performed at the track.
·
Drivers checking in without a tech sheet at the track – means no track
time, no exceptions.
·
The following shops have offered to provide this technical inspection
for a reduced rate of $35.00 for our club members. Although this is not an
extensive list of shops covering all the area in which our drivers reside, we
hope this offers some assistance. These shops are not mandatory, if you have
another choice of shop please continue to use them as long as they are ASE certified.
Discounted Technical Inspections provided by -
Auburn
Foreign Car - Auburn (253) 833-8161
Boyles
Foreign Car - Lakewood (253) 588-8669
Bristow's Automotive
- Tacoma (253)
471-1663
BMW Seattle
- Seattle (206)
328-2300
Car Tender -
Seattle (206) 324-0345
Eastside Bavarian
- Issaquah (425)
391-1990
European
Auto Clinic - Federal Way (253) 874-3870
Group 2
Motorsport - Seattle (206) 378-0900
Haury's Autobody
- Seattle (206)
365-1565
Rolling Bay Automotive – Rolling Bay, WA (206) 842-7678
Strictly BMW
- Bellevue (425)
747-6044
Helmets -
Current helmet requirements for CCA events require Snell ratings of 2000
or 2005. No earlier models will be accepted. Snell 2000 rated helmets will be
eligible until 2011, which includes a one-year grace period after the 2010
helmets have been introduced into the market. Therefore, Snell 2005 helmets
will be acceptable until 2016. Motorcycle helmets are also acceptable as long
as the M rating conforms to the Snell rating for the appropriate period.
When shopping for a new helmet we recommend drivers try helmets on prior
to purchasing. Although catalog and Internet shopping are great resources for
compiling information about helmets it is not always the best way to
purchase. All helmets, even those from the same manufacturer can fit
differently. Just sending in measurements will not guarantee a helmet will
fit you correctly.
There are several local shops where drivers can shop for a helmet and
gather some great hands on advice. Below are a few:
Armadillo Racing, Bremerton and Pacific Raceways
Location
www.armadilloracing.com
1-888-211-9129
Speedware Motorsports, Redmond
www.speedwaremotorsports.com
425-869-5680
Driver
Qualifications -
·
Age of drivers (and passengers where applicable) - minimum age is 18
with a full driver’s license.
·
All drivers and instructors shall have a full operator’s license that
shall not be suspended or revoked.
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Directions and Track Maps
(.pdf, 56kB -- includes: Bremerton Motorsports
Park,
Pacific Raceways, Portland Int'l Raceway, Spokane Raceway
Park)
Don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader? Download your free
copy here.
Bremerton
Motorsports Park
(BMP)-
website - www.bremertonmotorsportspark.com
BMP is a former airfield which has been converted to a racetrack facility.
This facility works well for our novice skill building schools.
Pacific Raceways-
website - www.pacificraceways.com
Detailed
tutorial of the BMW School line at Pacific Raceway (850KB .pdf
file)
Most recently known as Seattle International Raceway, this well known
track returns to its original name, Pacific Raceways. Pacific Raceways is not
new to racing though, having hosted races since the 1940s. Although the
location of the track is the same (Kent,
Washington) that should be
about all that will be familiar to us as we move forward over time. We have
been given glimpses of what the future will hold for our local road course
and it looks extremely positive! The energy behind this effort is very high
and the owners of the facility have a goal to make our track the premier
motorsports facility of the Northwest. Goodbye Seattle International Raceway
and hello Pacific Raceways! It will take time to implement all the changes so
do not expect completion all at once, but many significant changes have
already been made to the road course since January 2002. For most of us I
know we will be happy with the simple improvements at the beginning – i.e.,
suitable bathrooms!
Portland
International Raceway-
website - www.portlandraceway.com
Spokane Raceway Park-
website - www.spokaneracewaypark.com
California-
We've found an excellent source for guides to California tracks at:
http://www.pca-ggr.org/ttvenues.html
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How do I register
and how much do the events costs?
See Registration Section for details. Prices
will be announced for each event during the registration period. Prices range
from $80-$210.
What happens if I
need to cancel?
Driver confirmation letters will specify the date on which cancellations
will be taken with refunds and the final deadline for which there are no
refunds. This is typically a week prior to the event.
What should I
wear?
Comfortable clothes are a must. Loose fitting pants, shirts, sweaters,
etc. Closed-toe shoes are required. Flat soled shoes like any type of sneaker
are fine. Bring umbrellas and layers of clothes so that you are prepared for
all types of weather.
What items should
I bring to the track?
The list of "good to have" items for the track include glass
cleaner, paper towels, brake fluid, oil, tire pressure gauge, rags, snacks, a
container to stow your gear, a lawn chair, waterproof gear for you and your
things (trash bags or a small tarp work well). Drivers should arrive at the
track with a full tank of gas and tires inflated to the manufacturer's
specified pressures. It is important that drivers check tire pressures in the
cold weather. The ambient temperature has a significant effect on tire
pressure.
What if I bring a
different car than I registered?
Drivers must attend with the car in which they were confirmed. If a driver
needs to change cars, they need to notify the Registrar as soon as possible.
What if I can’t
make it but want to give my spot to someone else?
Available spots are first given out to those drivers on the waiting list
and any open spots will be filled through the Registrar prior to the track
event.
Is my auto
insurance in effect at driving schools?
There is a growing trend of insurance companies specifically excluding
anything that happens in a closed-course facility, and this includes our
driving schools. If this concerns you, you should check with your
carrier if your auto insurance is effective or not at driving schools.
Our legal counsel, Rich Milham, has written an excellent article on the
subject. Please follow this link to read
it.
What should I do
when I arrive at the track?
Registration can be a bottleneck to the start of our day. Getting through
registration and coming prepared will help us get everyone started on time.
Specific details are provided in the drivers confirmation packet for each
event.
What if it rains?
We run rain or shine. If it does rain, do not despair. Drivers can learn
more about car control in the rain than any other time.
How do I get to
the track?
Directions for each track can be found under the Tracks
Section.
Can spectators
and friends come out with me?
Bremerton
Motorsports Park
does not offer a conducive facility for spectators, where as Pacific Raceways
provides a great spectator venue.
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Our chapter can only run a limited number of events per season due to
obtaining track days and just overall staffing requirements, but there are
opportunities to attend other clubs events so there is plenty of track time
to be had. Our drivers are invited to attend the local Alfa, Audi, Bremerton
Sports Car Club, and the Porsche Club driving events. Dates will be published
in the following calendar as they become available.
Those drivers who have completed a season with us, should consider heading
down to Portland International Raceway (PIR)
for events with the BMW ACA club or over to Spokane Raceway with the BMW CCA,
Inland Empire Chapter.
PIR is practically in our own
backyard, so what a treat for our members to travel down and drive on such a
great and well-groomed track. PIR
offers new and different challenges than Pacific Raceways and is a hoot to
drive. Refer to the below calendar for Portland dates and contact information.
Spokane Raceway is another popular venue for our members. You will see
many of our very own instructors assisting the BMW CCA, Inland Empire Chapter
with their driving programs. Many of our drivers have discovered what a great
track Spokane
has and what a terrific group of people they have East of the mountains. You
can check-in with Scott Adare for details regarding their school programs.
Contact information is provided below.
There's a full Motorsport Calendar here
Contacts -
BMW CCA, Inland Empire Chapter (Spokane) - www.iebmw.org
Scott Adare, sadare@aol.com
BMW ACA (Portland)
- www.bmwacaportland.com
Greg Meythaler, greg.meythaler@intel.com
Alfa Romeo Club - www.nwalfaclub.com
Dave Kingstone, dave.kingstone@baesystems.com
Bremerton
Sports Car Club
Dave Ely, de2mr2@msn.com
Larry Paulson, (360)
830-4030
PCA PNWR - www.pnwr.org
Bill Bauer, Driver Education Chair
DriverEd@pnwr.org
Proformance
Racing School
– http://www.proformanceracingschool.com/
Don Kitch, don@proformanceraceschool.com
(253) 630-5130
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ADVANCE ONTO
RACING!
Our club, BMW CCA, Puget Sound Region, has an affiliate association with
the local racing league, International
Conference of Sports Car Clubs (ICSCC). Within this affiliation, our
track programs curriculum has been accredited as a valid program towards the
introduction to racing and accepted by ICSCC. Although our on-track driving
programs are not designed as race schools, they do prepare a driver with the
basic skills of high performance driving. To ensure we are certifying
well-trained drivers for Conference, drivers will need to reach our Level 2
sign-off for eligibility.
For drivers who have an interest in accelerating the process they can also
apply for a race license in Conference by attending and receiving a
certificate from a professional race school. Local venues for such events
would include ProFormance
Racing School at Pacific Raceways or Conference’s local racing
organizations, International Race
Driver’s Club (IRDC) at Pacific Raceways or Cascade Sports Car Club (CSCC) at Portland,
all three hold one-day programs for certification. IRDC and Cascade
information can be found from a link on Conference’s web site www.icscc.com.
Conference holds an average of 12-15 races from April through October at
Pacific Raceways, Portland International Raceway, Spokane Raceway
Park, Mission Raceway
in Canada
and even at Thunder Hill in Northern California.
If you want to see or participate in some great racing and follow some of
your fellow BMW club members in action than come on out and join the races.
The race schedule, once confirmed, will be posted on Conference’s web site, www.icscc.com. For information about the
racing organization and how you can get involved visit their site. See you at
the races!
HOW ABOUT TURN WORKING?
Not everyone has the time, money, or
inclination to drive on the track, but if you love the sport, there’s another
way to be involved! Please consider
being a turn worker on 8:00
am to 5:00 pm
on track days.
The Puget Sound BMW Car Club of America will donate $800 for each of
the five lapping days, to Children’s
Hospital and Regional Medical Center.
This money will go to the hospital for the Kami R. Sutton Cardiac ICU
through the Team Seattle Guild. One hundred percent of the money goes to
the hospital!
- You will be able to see a lot of
the action up close and personal
- Earn “25 BMW Bucks” you can use
toward future lapping events
- Have a chance to win a coveted Team
Seattle 24 Hours of Daytona travel tote bag
- Receive a delicious lunch free
- AND
raise money for Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical
Center
If you have experience, great . . .
but if you don’t, we’ll show you how to work the turns, flag, use the radio,
etc. There are usually two people at
each position so bring a friend. You need
to be 18 years of age or older.
Please contact Lynne Eskil at lynne.d.eskil@boeing.com or call 206-406-1521.
Thanks for your consideration in helping Puget Sound BMW CCA and
Children’s Hospital.
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