Spring 2015

Spring 2015

Volume 1

2,080

2015 HPDE Calendar Don’t Miss these Dates!

Speedy Gets Sentimental And we can all relate...

Dennis Brennan get to know the vintage chair

Street Survival has your teen taken the course?

Delaware Valley Chapter - BMW Car Club of America

Club Contacts President Martin Bullen 610-202-0915 [email protected]

Driving Events Chair Scott Reiman (732) 586-3839 [email protected]

Street Survival Chair Rich Dunbar 484-949-4100 [email protected]

Vice President & Social Events Chair Dave Wollman 215-275-8240 [email protected]

Driver School Registrar Lisa Mellott 203-858-0262 [email protected]

Vintage Events Chairs Bill Foster and Dennis Brennan 215-990-2087 - Bill Foster [email protected]

Vice President & Social Media Chair Dave Flogaus 610-742-0684 [email protected]

Instructor Coordinator William L. Mellott Jr. 203-856-9987 [email protected]

Race Events Chair Taylor Handwerk 610-248-3042 [email protected]

Secretary Bob Kelly 215-285-1643 [email protected]

Technical Chair Dave Somma 914-960-7273 [email protected]

Newsletter Editor Patrick McHenry 858-213-2610 [email protected]

Treasurer & Chief Instructor Michael Dion 215-431-1822 Daytime [email protected]

Sponsorship & Business Manager Webmaster Board Member at Large Bob Solomon 610-649-4846 [email protected]

SRC Chair; Board Member at Large James Murphy 610-687-0760 [email protected]

2015

Sponsorship

From Left: Michael Dion, Bob Kelly, Dave Flogaus, Martin Bullen, Dave Wollman

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Remembering Phil Eiseman - pg 03 DelVal Vintage Events - pg 06 Upcoming HPDE Events - pg 09 Dennis Brennan Member Profile - pg 10 Street Survival - pg 17

Cover Photo by Richard Roth 2

Spring 2015 (V1)

In Memoriam. I’m sad to have to relate the news of the passing away of friend and long-time club member, Phil Eiseman. Phil enjoyed his cars to the full, on the street and track. For the last decade or so, Phil had successfully competed in BMW CCA Club Racing, most recently in the C-Modified class. I have fond memories of chasing Phil in 3 his racing car around the Jefferson Circuit at Summit Point during an instructor run group, of Phil running me into the grass at NJMP Lightning in a race (he was a tough competitor!), and of him coming by to lap me, yet again, in his super-fast CM car. Phil leaves behind his lovely wife, Melissa, and his extended family. He will be missed. - Martin Bullen, President DelVal BMW CCA I should also mention that Phil had just completed a very ambitious CM racing car build. I saw the car at its one-and-only race weekend at NJMP last year, and it’s the real deal. If you dream of chasing Mark Lounsbury and Will Vanjonack for the lead in a BMW Club Race, Phil’s car is available, and it’s the right tool for the job. For more information contact Phil’s great friend, Thom Rossi, through Facebook or the advertisement on the Club Racing website below.

DelVal Annual Banquet - pg 24

http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/racers/Classifiedad_display.aspx

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Martin Bullen @ Chapter President

Over Drive

The Ultimate Driving Machine? Like more than 107,000 other people in the Philadelphia area, I attended this month’s Auto Show. Actually, I went twice, partially for work-related research and then again for some fun with two of my car buddies. The Philly car show is always an odd event, notable for the exciting marques that are missing, such as Alfa Romeo and Lotus, the odd choices of display vehicles by some manufacturers (really, Porsche, no Cayman, and the only Cayenne was a hybrid?), and the escapee from late night TV selling fake chamois leathers in the back, but it’s still the best chance locally to see where the car business is heading in the here and now. It’s interesting to see how the market has changed, especially for the Japanese brands. Honda, Nissan, Toyota and especially Mitsubishi seem to have lost their way. And Subaru, after incredible success, appears to have thrown away their playbook (STI excepted), and looks to be hell-bent on plunging into the same beige mediocrity as the mainstream Japanese brands. Meanwhile, American cars are cool again. Distinctive styling, quality interiors and real showroom appeal were on display at Ford, Chrysler and GM. Hell, arguably the most attractive car at the entire show was the Buick (yes, Buick)! Avenir concept car. Then there’s the Europeans: Jaguar, more suave and debonair than ever. Volvo with interiors like a Dane Décor showroom. Audi, with some of the most handsome cars in the business, and Mercedes with swoopy styling and a new flair that was missing from their designs only 10 years ago. And then there’s our favourite brand, BMW. The warning signs are on the adjacent Mini stand, where everyone’s favourite pugilistic small car has morphed in its latest iteration into a bloated blob with four doors.

virtues and reliability with a driving experience that was otherwise found only in thoroughbred sports cars. Cars as recent and diverse as the E90 and sibling 3-series, the E70 X5 and the E38 7-series successfully combined a blend of those virtues into a desirable package.

Somehow, Porsche managed this better. They realised that for every enthusiast who had a 911 in the garage there were at least one or two more cars in the driveway. Their strategy of grabbing a piece of the action in the significant other/daily driver market has not only provided them with the financial means to keep making 911’s, Boxsters and Caymans, but has also produced a fleet of cars that share the very virtues of practicality and driving experience that BMW now struggles to find.

And then a funny thing happened on the way to the opera, or, more likely, the bank. In the rush to runflat tyres, iDrive and electric power steering, someone at BMW lost the magic formula. It’s tough to pin down when it happened. Love or hate the styling, the Bangle-era cars still drove well, with the communicative steering, effective brakes and linear control inputs and feedback that we expect in a driver’s car.

Yes, I know the sales numbers don’t lie. Apparently the Ultimate Passenger Machine™ is very successful. But the soul that made the company special is slipping away, to be replaced with an increasingly beige mediocrity. It’s a sad day when a BMW enthusiast and 20+ year club member like me goes to the car show and the sports sedan that’s most appealing is an Australian-built Chevrolet SS.

The aforementioned e90-family cars are still held up by the automotive press as paragons of stiff structures and controlled suspensions, but suddenly the next generation of BMWs, starting with the F01 7-series, started losing the buff book comparison tests. Even our beloved 3-series, the class benchmark for sports sedans in its F30 335i sport package guise that’s the poster child for the BMW formula of success, lost a comparison test to a Lexus. A Lexus, damnit, and that was in the famously BMW-loving Car and Driver magazine.

BMW, your cars are selling because of what they were, but what they’ve become is a pale shadow of that. The emperor isn’t naked, but his wardrobe is increasingly threadbare. Come on, BMW. You’re better than this. If Porsche can do it, then so can BMW. It’s time to restore the driving focus back into the equation.

It’s not to say that there aren’t still desirable BMWs. I love the M235i. It’s arguably the real 3-series in the current line-up. The i8 is the car of tomorrow, today, and the new M3 and M4 continue to be stand-outs, albeit more compromised and less satisfying ones than before. But for every M235i there are 3- and 5-GTs, for every i8 there’s an F10 5-series and a 4-series Gran Coupé.

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Do you agree with Martin? Is BMW losing their way? Are they just adapting to a changing marketplace? If you feel strongly about this or any other topic in Bavarian Motor Notes, please let us know! Send an email to [email protected] with the subject “Member Feedback.” We would like to publish (and respond to) member opinions starting with the next issue!

So what about the Mothership? We’ve all turned our hymnals to page 2002, drunk the Munich Kool-Aid and kowtowed towards the 4-cylinder building in thanks for our cars. “Freude am Fahren”, “The Ultimate Driving Machine”, even “Joy”, BMW’s rise to prominence was built on cars that combined practical

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2015 Upcoming Events: http://delvalbmwcca.org/Events.php

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Del Val

Vintage Events

Upcoming Events!

both on and off the track.

Saturday, May 16 - Import/Kit Car Nationals, Carlisle, PA

Over 1200 classic cars, preferred BMW parking, & vendors. Dennis Brennan will be leading a DelVal caravan to Carlisle. This is one of the biggest and best shows in the country, and there is no better way to experience carlisle than in the midst of a classic car invasion. For details: [email protected] Further information: http://www.carlisleevents.com

Saturday, June 20 - Adrenalin Screening, Doylestown, PA

We will be hosting a social gathering at a gorgeous renovated barn close to Doylestown owned by Ziggy and Chris Muzlowski of Zygmunt Motors. Food will be provided to accompany a screening of the new BMW documentary “Adrenalin: The BMW Touring Car Story.” This event is sponsored by the BMW Vintage Group, but open to all members. Please be sure to pre-register with [email protected] so enough food can be ordered.

Saturday, July 11 - Deutsche Classic, Oley, PA

Dennis will lead us on a backroads scenic caravan to the Oley Fairgrounds near Reading, PA where the show is held. The show is open to any German car of any year, which makes this event unique. Of course, there are plenty of BMW’s both old and new on display, as well as examples from Porsche, Mercedes, VW, Opel, Audi. You’re even likely to see Isettas, VW buses and campers. A very special event that we can’t recommend enough! RSVP to [email protected] Further Information: http://www.deutscheclassic.com

Ongoing, Every Saturday - Cars and Coffee, Mt Laurel, NJ

Hosted by High-Octane South Jersey. Held every Saturday, weather permitting, at 550 Fellowship Road, Mt Laurel, NJ 08054. Starts at 8:30am and continues until the last car leaves. All brands and types of enthusiasts are welcome. Come see a changing variety of interesting cars each weekend! Further Information: www.highoctnesj.com Let us know on the Facebook group if you plan to attend!

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For more information regarding the vintage group: Contact Bill Foster and Dennis Brennan [email protected] Bill Phone: 215-990-2087

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2015 HPDE Events April 18-20 (S-S-M):

Summit Point Motorsports Park Summit Point, WV Expanded Jefferson Track and SPR Main

May 16-17 (S-S):

Palmer Motorsports Park Ware, MA Brand new track!

July 8-9 (W-Th):

Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen, NY NASCAR Layout

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At no time will you be pushed or encouraged to go any faster than is comfortable for you. All participants will be organized into run groups in accordance with experience, skill, and type of vehicle. Participants not “signed off” will be required to drive with an instructor on board. Our overall driver’s school season for 2015 is looking good, with four terrific opportunities for students, instructors, and in August, club racers to converge on four great tracks at Del Val events. Follow the link below for easy access to all the details.

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Your Delaware Valley BMW Car Club of America exclusive contact:

The DelVal Chapter of the BMW CCA will be hosting a Driver’s School at the newly expanded Jefferson Circuit at Summit Point Raceway on Saturday and Sunday, April 18th and 19th (picture below), and continuing onto the main track at Summit Point on Monday April 20th. This is not a racing school but rather a safe, high speed driving school, conducted on a race track under close supervision by experienced instructors. You will learn how to handle and control your vehicle at speeds not normally attained on public roads. This will help to prepare you for emergencies in normal driving. It will also allow you to explore your capabilities as a driver and those of your vehicle.

We hope to see you at the track in 2015!

Scott Reiman Driving Events Chair DelVal BMW CCA

Sign up today for any of our scheduled HPDEs: http://dvc.motorsportreg.com

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Dave Gilbert Presents:

Dennis Brennan

MEMBER PROFILE

“This month you will learn a little more about a very long time and very committed member of our club. There are many members that have been instrumental to the success and envy of our chapter. After you read this profile I think you will agree Dennis is right up there at the top as one of them. Friends, it is my pleasure to introduce and present to you club member, gentleman and all around super nice guy Dennis Brennan.” -Dave Gilbert

Profession: Graphic Designer. Vice President and Art Director at The Simon Group, Inc., Marketing Communications, in Sellersville, PA Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Now resides in: Warminster, PA Member since: 1974 (#4972) Family members: My wife, Rose, sons Chris, Erik, Shawn, Grandson Jason, all BMW enthusiasts First car: 1956 VW Beetle (purchased for $5 with caved-in roof at no extra charge) What’s in your garage now : 2004 X5 4.4i, 1991 318i, 1976 2002ti and Rose’s 1997 328i Other interesting cars you’ve owned: various early VWs, 2002s: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1976, 1987 535is, a few E-30’s, 2003 MINI S, 1997 M3/4 Favorite saying (that can be reprinted): Actually, it Photos courtesy in Dave can’t be printed thisGilbert family-oriented publication, but its uttering is often accompanied by a wrench or car part being hurled down my driveway. Best part of being a Del Val club member: Gee, it’s hard to pick, …is it the cars or the people? Or is it the Bob & James door prize giveaway show at the Club Banquet? Other hobbies/interests: Photography, architecture, travel (particularly to a spot where there’s a road racing track nearby), collecting and building model cars.

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All Photos Courtesy Dennis Brennan

My last VW bug had recently won Best-in-Class in a car show at what was then Holbert’s VW in Warrington, PA (now part of the Thompson Organization) and along with the trophy came a brand new set of Michelin tires. A few days later my new 2002 was soon wearing a fresh set of XAS radials, in the ridiculously huge size of 165R-13, which further transformed the already great handing of the car. Naturally, I began tinkering with the engine, exhaust and suspension to upgrade the performance of the 2002 and at one point was stumped on the best way to disassemble something on the engine. In looking around for other local owners to get some advice, I found that there was a national club -- the BMW Car Club of America -- with a newly-formed Delaware Valley chapter. The member’s list included a guy named Bill Foster who lived relatively close to me, so I gave him a call to see if he could help answer my question...

My earliest exposure to cars and racing came courtesy of my older sister, Ellen. Her boyfriend was into drag racing and often times I’d go along with them to the “drags”. Years later, I worked as Art Director at Hurst Performance, which provided tremendous access to many aspects of the performance car and racing worlds - IndyCars, F1, IMSA road racing, trade events, etc. In the early 70’s while I was into making VWs go fast (bigbore engines with dual-port heads, Webers, fiberglass fenders, big tires, etc.), I was driving one day and happened to pull up behind a boxy little sedan that caught my attention…on the back it read: BMW 1600. I really liked the looks of it and was also impressed at how quickly the driver pulled away from me on the road! Well, that was it, the hunt was on to find one of these cars and check it out. While I had no luck finding a 1600 for sale in the local classified section of the newspaper (this was slightly pre-eBay), I did come upon a few 2002s and after one test drive, I was hooked! Goodbye VW, hello BMW! The 2002tii was beyond my budget, so my first BMW was a Polaris Silver 1969 2002. Not only did I love the styling, straight line performance and outward visibility, it had a real back seat, cavernous trunk, and the handling was amazing, especially when compared to any VW product I’d owned or any of the American iron in our driveway. An added bonus in migrating to BMW was that all the tools I owned were metric and many of the car’s components were of familiar brands such as Bosch, Sachs, ATE, KS, Blaupunkt, VDO, etc.

Thus began my 40-plus year association with the BMW CCA, where many friendships developed, including some long-time chapter members like Bill Foster, Tex Meltzer, Mike Yaskin, John Weaver, Ben Greisler, Barry McMillian and many, many other like-minded BMW enthusiasts. And my rides, in addition to various 2002s have included E30 and E36 3-series models along with a somewhat brief adventure with a MINI Cooper S, which I decided wasn’t for me. Over the years, my chapter activities have included designing the DelVal logos, assisting in producing newsletters, producing the T-shirts for our driving events, serving as Vice President, Technical Chair, driving instructor and currently as Co-chair of the Vintage Owners Group. I’ve not only enjoyed the thrill of driving my cars on some great race tracks such as Watkins Glen, Sebring and Road Atlanta, just to name a few, but also having had the privilege of being a driving instructor and seeing the smile on students’ faces as they honed their driving skills and developed a better feel for what the “Ultimate Driving Machine” is capable of on a race track. A few former students have progressed through the ranks into the BMW CCA Club Racing Series. And, although I’m no longer participating in club driving events, I’m still turning (and occasionally throwing) wrenches in my recently expanded Garaj Mahal.

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The Enthusiast’s MARKETPLACE

Pat McHenry @ Editor

If I Might Have A Word.... You’re never too poor to maintain your car. My colleagues around the office have a good idea by now that I am a car enthusiast. Like many enthusiasts, I tend to talk about cars at every possible opportunity. I’m sure its intensely annoying for my non-enthusiast coworkers. One result of this undoubtedly annoying behavior seems to be a reputation as the “go to guy” for anyone who has a car related issue or question while at work. Of course, only a fool mistakes enthusiasm for actual knowledge, but I’ll leave the commentary on my peers’ judgement for another column.While I don’t know nearly as much about the mechanical aspects of automobiles as I would like, the general public has set the knowledge benchmark so low that it is probably safe to assume I do know at least a bit more than Sally the receptionist or Todd in IT. So I do try to help out whenever somebody comes to me with a question, even if it is just to say “yes, that sounds bad, take it to a mechanic.” One such person has come to me on a number of occasions to help him diagnose the various symptoms displayed by his late-90’s Ford Explorer. The first time the young gentleman in question approached me, it was because his PA inspection sticker was about to expire, and he was concerned the vehicle wouldn’t pass a new inspection because his check engine light was lit. I make it a point to keep a bluetooth OBDII reader in my car, so I told him I’d be happy to pull the codes for him and he shouldn’t worry too much because most CEL’s are a result of minor malfuntions that can often times be fixed with relatively affordable repairs.

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When he pulled the Explorer around to my end of the parking lot, where we had agreed to meet at lunch time, I immediately recognized by sound alone that he was running on less than the 6 cylinders the good people at Ford had provided him with. After relating as much, I went ahead and pulled his CEL codes and, sure enough, he had at least one bad ignition coil in each bank of the V6. When I asked him if he’d noticed the engine running rougher or louder than usual, he admitted that it definitely

wasn’t behaving like it used to. Then I asked him how long the SUV had been acting like this, and tried to keep my jaw off the ground when he replied “about 6 months...” 6 months! His CEL had been staring at him, the engine had been barking at him, he’d noticed lag and RPM drop for no apparent reason, and all of it had lasted for 6 months and his response to this behavior was the same as much of John Q. Public: nothing at all. Seven or eight minutes later, when I had finished my reactionary rant - complete with hand waving and finger wagging about how motor vehicles are machines with moving parts that require at least a little mechanical attention, I asked him why he hadn’t had it checked out sooner. His reply was, I suspect, pretty typical: “I didn’t want a mechanic bill I couldn’t afford.” I shouldn’t have been surprised really. I mean, intellectually I understand that there are a great many people out there who simply ignore needed repairs, or even common maintenance. Repair bills can get expensive, and expensive things tend to be put off (or completely ignored), especially by people who are just barely getting by in the first place. The subject of my story, for instance, is a kid who only recently graduated college. He joined our company about a year ago straight out of school, and if he is anything like the other recent grads I know, he is likely saddled for the first time with the realization of crippling student debt, actually having to pay real money for rent and food, and having to do it all on an entry level salary. It’s not the sort of spot one wants to be in if they need to foot a major repair bill, and I can see how someone in that spot would find blissful ignorance preferable to the very possibility of a major repair. And so he never went to a mechanic, instead deciding to make do with only 4 cylinders firing properly. I mean hey, if four is good enough for a Fiesta, it’s probably fine then right? So he couldn’t afford a mechanic. Fair enough. I asked him if he could afford a case of beer. Sure enough, he could foot that expense. And so I pulled his engine specs and found the coilpack he would need online, and I threw in new wires and plugs as well, and gave him the $120 list of parts he would need. I told him that if he ordered the parts, and provided me with a case of beer,

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I would help him replace what was broken. “You’re going to fix my car for a case of beer?” he asked with some surprise. “No,” I told him, “you’re going to fix your car. I’m going to show you how easy it is for a case of beer.”

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Of course he should have found out I only like $40-per-case beer before agreeing to the deal, but I guess he learned that lesson, too. (Protip: Try to find the car guy at your work who isn’t a complete beer snob before asking for his help.) The point is the “it’s too expensive” argument falls on its face when you consider how easy and affordable many simple repairs are if you do them yourself. It really isn’t that hard. I am not especially mechanically inclined and I do almost all the mechanical work on my E46. And if you don’t know how, it’s easier now than ever to learn. I did a full coolant system swap this past summer using nothing more than a 20 minute Youtube video. Online resources make a ridiculous amount of knowledge available to the layman car owner these days, and portable devices make it possible to access that knowledge at the same time you’re lying under your car trying to figure out which one is the oil drain plug. The fear of breaking something or doing something wrong and making it worse, of course, holds some people back. But isn’t that fear better directed at the idea of driving around in an already broken car? Does anyone really think my aforementioned colleague did less damage to his engine by misfiring multiple cylinders for who knows how many miles than he would have done trying to complete his first coil pack replacement?

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Now, not everyone has the time or patience to do bigger jobs, and by all means if you can afford it, there is nothing wrong with having a true expert from a local dealership or independent shop work on your car for even the simplest of maintenance (especially since many of them are generous sponsors, and I have no interest in robbing them of business). But if you can’t afford it, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t learn to fix the car yourself. And trust me, there are plenty of people who buy BMWs who can’t afford to take them in for regular maintenance. Do you think I learned how to change a coil pack for fun?

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Agia, David, Richboro, PA Agnello, Kimberly, Philadelphia, PA Alber, Eric, Ardmore, PA Andreoli, Giacomo, Vineland, NJ Babalola, Olusola, Malvern, PA Babb, Richard, Lewes, DE Baldoni, John, Glenmoore, PA Battista, Joseph, Hatfield, PA Bevivino, Thomas, Chalfont, PA Blake, John, West Chester, PA Boschetti, John, Philadelphia, PA Brusilovsky, Alec, Downingtown, PA Casas, Carlos, Rehoboth Beach, DE Choo, Yih Farn, Bensalem, PA Chou, Stanley, Garnet Valley, PA Cleary, Thomas, Langhorne, PA Cox, John, Townsend, DE Curatolo, Al, Newtown Square, PA Dashevsky, Ed, Jenkintown, PA Davis, Maceo, Chadds Ford, PA Deon, Vincent, Ivyland, PA Dicarlo, James, Nazareth, PA Ellis, Deborah, Langhorne, PA Fendrick, Mark, Voorhees, NJ Fisher, Rodney, Kutztown, PA Fisher, Sandra, Kutztown, PA Flaig, Jordan, Mardela Springs, MD Forgang, Jeffrey, Wilmington, DE Fox, Andrea, Philadelphia, PA Ganc, Nick, Wilmington, DE Gasowski, John, Berlin, NJ Gildea, Michael, Center Valley, PA Gokhale, Jaya, Landenberg, PA Gould, Donna, Bryn Mawr, PA Gould, Lewis, Bryn Mawr, PA Green, Brandon, Mardela, MD Greig, Joseph, Northampton, PA Hahn, Laura, Yardley, PA Hudson, Todd, Doylestown, PA Isbitski, Bob, Bloomsbury, NJ Kaminski, John, New Hope, PA Kessler, Barry, Hellertown, PA Kiewlak, David, Fairless Hills, PA

Kolesa, John, Royersford, PA Kolinka, Fran, Cherry Hill, NJ Konstantinidis, Anthony, Upper Darby, PA Konyk, Walter, Chadds Ford, PA Kuo, Paul, Newtown Square, PA Laubsch, Matthew, Mullica Hill, NJ Lazurick, Jason, Exton, PA Levine, Brett, Huntingdon Valley, PA Ligon, Leo Neil, Little Egg Harbor Twp, NJ Logic, Lori, Bloomsbury, NJ Maki, Luke, Abington, PA Manzione, Jenna, Philadelphia, PA Martin, Brion, Medford, NJ McGuinn, Kevin, Broomall, PA Miller, Andrea, West Grove, PA Miller, Herbert, Pottstown, PA Miller, Steven, West Grove, PA Muzylowski, Chris, Quakertown, PA Muzylowski, Zygmunt, Quakertown, PA Narewski, Ed, Limerick, PA O’Neal, Jonathan, Sewell, NJ O’Neill, jamie, Newtown, PA Ostrowsky, Linda, Lansdale, PA Palumbo, Christian, Phoenixville, PA Parent, Michael, Philadelphia, PA Park, John, Collegeville, PA Patel, Manoj, Collegeville, PA Penny, Chris, Lincoln University, PA Perreault, Paul, Spring City, PA Petryszyn, Nick, Philadelphia, PA Pohlmann, William, Newtown Square, PA Pomerantz, George, Blue Bell, PA Ratson, Cassandra, North Wales, PA Regan, Melissa, New Hope, PA Rentz, Sheryl, Blue Bell, PA Reses, Stephen, Linwood, NJ Rosenberger, James, Hellertown, PA

Rosenzweig, Adam, Gulph Mills, PA Roy, Gavin, Doylestown, PA Ruse, John, Harleysville, PA Rush, Allard, Pottstown, PA Sanfilippo, Vincent, Blue Bell, PA Saveri, Joseph, Coopersburg, PA Schiavone, Michael, Doylestown, PA Schonfeld, Alex, Wallingford, PA Scully, Caleb, West Chester, PA Seacat, Nathaniel, New Castle, DE Shaffert, Thomas, Hatboro, PA Shantzer, Adam, Richboro, PA Shapiro, Aaron, Wilmington, DE Shivell, Taylor, Breinigsville, PA Smit, Neil, Gladwyne, PA Smith, David, Wyndmoor, PA Smith, Stuart, Paoli, PA Spohn, Matthew, York, PA Starke, Jason, Devon, PA Stevenson, Paula, Chester Springs, PA Stewart, Marc, Holland, PA Strenge, Andrew, Yardley, PA Suh, Daniel, Hartsdale, NY Sullivan, Andrew, Sellersville, PA Talapan, Adrian, Wayne, PA Ursino, Brian, Brooklyn, NY Valentine, Alex, Wayne, PA Van Schalkwyk, Johan, Haddon Heights, NJ Venturi, Terry, Cape May Court House, NJ Villwock, Evan, Phoenixville, PA Vincent, Greg, Philadelphia, PA Vovk, Vadym, Jamison, PA Whitehead, Dan, Maple Shade, NJ Whitehead, Stacy, Maple Shade, NJ Wildeboer, Jerry, Berwyn, PA Wildeboer, NANCY, Berwyn, PA Wilks, Danielle, Exton, PA Will, Benjamin, Reading, PA Williams, Anthony, Devon, PA Zandfard, Shahin, King Of Prussia, PA Zardecki, Anthony, Southampton, NJ Zvyagelsky, Arkady, Philadelphia, PA

Chapter Resources

Chapter Lending Toolbox

Free Club Window Logos

The Chapter maintains a club accessible “lending” tool box that contains some special BMW-specific tools. These are tools you may want to borrow, rather than own for yourself. This valuable service is available to DVC members in good standing. Contact Toolbox coordinator James Murphy. 610 687-0760 or [email protected]

Want to display your club loyalty? Free Chapter window logos are available to all members in good standing. For a FREE set of 2 handsome removable DVC logos (which affix to the inside of the window by static cling), send a selfaddressed stamped envelope to: Michael Dion PO BOX 385 Flourtown, PA 19031-0385

Free Used Car Purchase Inspection

As a great support of the Del Val Members, Otto’s BMW offers a free pre-purchase inspection of ANY used BMW. Call for details or to set up an appointment.

Free Pre-track Inspection

Free tech inspection is available at Otto’s BMW prior to any HPDE Event for Del Val BMW CCA members. Call to set up an appointment before your next HPDE event.

15

“If you have a teen in your family, you need to have them take this course. Let me say that again...

IF YOU HAVE A TEEN IN YOUR FAMILY, YOU NEED TO HAVE THEM TAKE THIS COURSE. Of course you’re wondering why I’m so passionate about this event. So let’s back up the track car...”

THE PRICELESS LESSONS OF:

An article by Richard Roth 17

hopefully remains in the minds of all who attended.

About 5 years ago

I had my first HPDE experience with our chapter at Summit Point. I volunteered to help with announcements and pit out and got some “E-ticket” rides. I got in any car I could. I rode in an E36, Corvette and a Porsche that day and I was hooked. Along with my best friend Dave Gilbert we endeavored to put a track car together and did. We’re now going into our fourth season co-driving our track prepared E36. Also that year, an adult car control clinic was held and I participated. The curriculum and driving exercises were much the same as the Teen Street Survival. I may say this more than once in this article but you don’t know what you don’t know! I learned a tremendous amount that day and it helped me to explore numerous things about what a car can do and even simple things like the proper use of side mirrors. I will now be the first to say, “There is no such thing as a blind spot!” this comes in conversation more often that you might think. Anyway, with Dave Wollman as my instructor that day, I experienced braking and maneuvering that I didn’t know could be done without losing control of my vehicle. Taking that course improved my driving skills and more importantly avoidance skills exponentially. I became a believer. Once we got our car on the track, these skills truly came into play especially at two, sometimes three times the speed. I was fortunately a quick study and had the benefit of some great instructors and am now at the point of considering becoming an instructor myself. Fast forward to 2014. Our boy Josh was turning 16 and of course wanting to drive. He had natural ability and his input instincts were smooth right from the start. We worked over the summer putting a Jeep Grand Cherokee together with the anticipation of the end of the six months with a permit when he could get his full license and drive on his own. But there would be a catch that I put in place. Given my experience with the adult car control clinic I set the expectation that he wouldn’t be allowed to drive on his own until he participated in the Teen Street Survival course. That was met with argument, pouting and stomping around, but I knew it was the right thing to do to make sure he was more prepared for the craziness that’s around us on the road every day. To sweeten the pot, Dave Gilbert offered up his E39 540i for Josh to use. That changed his demeanor quickly and Josh was fortunate to have one of the coolest/fastest/best braking cars in attendance. Thanks Dave! It was an early start; much earlier than any teenager wants to get up on a Saturday. It was cool and drizzling, but the 18

weather promised to improve over the day and it did. The course in our area is run by Rich Dunbar and he has this program organized tightly. I was truly amazed at the amount of volunteers that came out to help with registration, in-car instruction and classroom time. Yes classroom time, just as important as the in-car exercises. So early on a Saturday, cool and drizzling some 30-40 teens and their parents not knowing what to expect and most if not all of the teens not wanting to be there. How do I know that? Well the first question Rich asked of the teens was, “How many of you are here because your parents made you take this course?” Every hand was raised. Well I knew what was coming and although they had no idea what to expect, I did and I was excited for all of them because I knew the smiles that would be on their faces in just a short time.

After a fine lunch, included with the program, it was back into the cars. Slalom course! This is where it all came together for the students using car control, braking and awareness to get through the cones as fast as they could. At the beginning there needed to be a bunch of cone chasers to reset the course for each student, but they got better each time they went through. After everyone had multiple turns on the slalom course, it was time to wrap it up. All the students received completion certificates and some nice giveaways. To end it up, the students were asked another question. “How many of you are glad your parents made you take this course?” Every hand was raised and all were smiling. Teens still don’t know what they don’t know, but the ones who took this course know a lot more about car control. There are no better words than the ones from the student who participated. Here’s what our boy Josh had to say about the course: “Based on my experience, I can say that the Street Survival program is appropriately named. The class was helpful in a way that no book could possibly come close to. The situations emulated throughout the course were realistic situations that not only teen drivers, but all drivers, may find

themselves in. The dangers of driving are often overlooked, and the skills required to react to dangerous conditions are seldom taught. Such skills can only be appreciated through practice in a safe environment much like what Street Survival provided for me. As much fun as it was to whip around the skid pad and mash on the gas during the various exercises, it was more beneficial to learn how to adapt to road conditions based on weather and/or other vehicles. Street Survival was a unique experience that I am grateful to have been a part of. The class was a lot of fun and very informative at the same time. For example, I learned that cones have a tendency to cause problems should you drive directly into them, and BMW gold plates the plastic in their wheel wells. All joking aside I would much rather hit a few cones than another vehicle. Street Survival provided me with a bank of knowledge that I hope to never call on, but in the event that I do I am confident that I have the tools needed to avoid any issues that may present themselves.” Anyone who drives should take a course like this regardless of your age or experience. Go to streetsurvival.org and get your teen signed up. Classes fill up fast. Don’t wait. The lessons learned at Teen Street Survival are priceless and I for one am glad our boy completed this course. He gets it and there’s no question it made him a better, safer and more conscientious driver.

I won’t bore you with every detail of the exercises, the pictures tell the story, but suffice it to say that there are straight line braking exercises, swerving/changing lanes and braking exercises, skid pad, and a slalom course at the end. The looks on the faces of those involved were the best. As the students started the in-car exercises, faces brightened and smiles got bigger with every pass. Conversely, the looks on the parents’ faces as their vehicles were “put through the paces” were a combination of horror (what’s happening to my car!) and odd contentment that their children were truly learning to become better drivers. Many parents couldn’t believe what their Volvo, Taurus, Camry, Grand Am and Passat (to name a few) could do! They cringed as the traffic cones went flying or got stuck under their car as the students pushed the limits. It was especially fun to watch the faces of the parents as their cars were sideways on the skid pad. Many of the students and parents had little idea of what a modern, yet normal family car is capable of. (Que up fake Nissan Altima “race car” commercial.) Onto the classroom. Once some driving was done, the students went to classroom to learn about what was happening, meaning the physics of car control as they were driving. Dave Wollman put on a great classroom session and you could see the light bulbs going off in the heads of both the students and the parents. In addition, time was spent on situational awareness, accidenta voidance and a sobering

segment on distracted driving, the most tempting habit for a teen to fall into. They saw a video about some teens whose lives were changed forever by a few words texted on a phone. It was perfect and what the students and parents needed to hear. It was truly impactful and

All Photos Courtesy Richard Roth 19

MEMBER BULLETIN Ofest Volunteers Needed! As you all probably know, BMW CCA’s Oktoberfest 2015 is being held in the Atlantic City area, with all track events being hosted at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Such a huge national event takes a large number of volunteers to run smoothly, and our friends in the New Jersey Chapter have asked for our help in filling the ranks. Please consider donating some of your time to be an integral part of this very exciting event! If interested, please contact: [email protected]

We Need Your Photos! As a part of our quest to provide an ever improving online environment for our members, we are overhauling the event photo section of our website. Part of this process is going to involve a club hosted photo album where you can upload your best DelVal shots for the world to see! Member submitted photos will play a prominent role in the website going forward, including use within the rotating front page banner for the site. If you have some photos that you’d like to share, please contact: [email protected]

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Annual

DelVal

Banquet

On January 31, 2015, members gathered at Talamore Country Club in Ambler, PA for DelVal’s annual banquet. Attendance to the event was at an all-time high as over 100 members joined us for enthralling company, delicious food, and exciting door prizes provided by our generous sponsors! In addition to the festivities, official club business was taken care of as the annual board elections were conducted. The event was so popular that tickets sold out early, so if you were one of the unfortunate souls (like our editor...) who procrastinated and missed out on the fun, be sure to sign up early next year and take part in this great experience!

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All Photos Courtesy Richard Roth

25

Got Fuel to Burn, Got Roads to Drive... Elizabeth “Speedy” Millinghausen

Moving Forward

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Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. Yeah, I know, by the time you read this we will be long past this festival of forced horticulture, sentiment and processed heart shaped confectionary products, but right now it has me thinking… about love… There is the obvious sort, that which one feels for other humans or their pets, or for an activity that is fulfilling on an emotional level (if you don’t know what I mean by this, it’s clear that you’ve never been to the racetrack, but there is hope for you) and then there is love for the machine. There are many arguments against having anything like real emotional feelings for a machine. I mean, it will never spontaneously buy you flowers, make you a macaroni necklace, take care of you when you get old or lick your face and quake with excitement when you come home. At the same time, it will also never lie to you, talk about you behind your back, drop out of college to join a band or get a tattoo. This sounds like a pretty stress free relationship, right? It’s a sweet deal—you put in the fuel, buy it new shoes periodically and it provides, assuming you bought the right machine, unbridled joy. I am of course, grossly oversimplifying the financial neediness here, especially if you have anything with an “M” on it, but you get my point. They are, however, vulnerable to two things: destruction and abduction. While it’s comforting to know that

just about any mechanical ailment can be fixed so long as you’re happy to pay whatever it costs, complete destruction can be a split second of bad decision on the part of the owner of that full-size Pontiac coming from the other direction.

When destruction is the end result, there is little that can ease the pain, endless stream of what ifs, guilt and complete inability to look in the direction of that empty garage space where the machine used to sit. Abduction, on the other hand was never something I thought about much. I have a front row seat to the auto insurance theft scene and it’s actually pretty rare (there’s a reason comprehensive coverage costs a lot less than collision), and nine times out of ten, the vehicle is recovered, so I didn’t give it much thought other than making sure the car was locked when I parked it. Alarms, by the way, are completely useless. When was the last time you heard a car alarm going off in a parking lot and thought, “Oh

my God—someone is stealing a car— let’s call the police!!!”??? I know-never. Here’s what you are thinking, “Why can’t that idiot manage to open his car door without disrupting the whole universe?” Then one day, I made the mistake of going to the movies in Bryn Mawr. In retrospect, it was the perfect crime—a room filled with middle aged, financially secure people who were completely engaged in a delightful film (“Chef” in case you were wondering, and it was great), were ripe for the picking by a team of thugs who lay on the floor stretching their arms out and plucking the wallets of four unsuspecting women in the theatre. Unfortunately, I was dumb enough to take a tote style bag with an open top that day, so I became one of them. That by itself would have been tragic enough, but as I sat in the Lower Merion police station writing down a list of what was taken: wallet, cash, credit cards, it hit me—there was one thing in that wallet that was more precious than anything else. My wallet key. Yes, that little flat piece of plastic that BMW supplies so that you are never, ever left in a jam when your car key is someplace that you are not, that had gotten me out of several panicked moments, suddenly became the thing that could separate me from that car forever. It was in my wallet along with my driver’s license clearly showing the address of where to find the car at home and a stack of business cards with my office address. Yeeaaahhhh, just let that sink in…oh, and I was about to take a trip out of the country for a week.

27

I’m happy to report that some time has passed and the car and I are still together, but since the wallet was never recovered (and yes, I looked in every single trash can on Lancaster Avenue like some kind of crazy upscale bum), I can never replace that peace of mind. That key is somewhere, even if at the bottom of a landfill and not with me where it belongs. The car has been left vulnerable and there is nothing I can do about it. I’m lucky enough to have friends who commiserated with my plight and tried to console and assure me that it was unlikely that some black clothed individual wearing a ski mask would show up in the middle of the night, but you never know. Not long after this incident, I found myself consoling one of these friends who was faced with the exact opposite of this problem: the breakup. What to do when, slowly over time, it becomes more and more obvious (usually to other people before it becomes obvious to YOU) that it’s time for you and the machine to see other people? What to do when it’s been a long term relationship? A machine that you truly love, but simply no longer makes any sense to have in your life? This is possibly the most difficult scenario of all. I came to this realization while talking to said friend on the phone one morning. After much deliberation, hemming and hawing, the plans were finally all set—the new car was found, there was a buyer for the old one and it was time to move forward. Our c o nve r s a t i o n r a m b l e d on about all manner of topics when it became obvious that the real purpose of the conversation was to distract both of us (but mostly him) from

28

the giant elephant in the room. Today was the day. He wasn’t ready to do it. I understood. It sucked. There was nothing overwhelmingly special about this car; it was not some limited edition precious gem, but it was the right car for the right person for a very, very long time. It was loved, and cared for, and now suddenly there was a tremendous amount of guilt, a feeling of tossing something into the wind without a care, when in reality there was a lot of care. The car deserved better after so much joy, utility and reliability and it was all somehow, incredibly unfair. I got it. Truly, I did. The rest of the day moved forward as days are wont to do, but still, I felt sad because I knew my friend felt sad. Also, the coffee machine at the office died, which produced an elevated level of sad that defied description. Lacking the ability to run out to the nearest Starbucks, I did the only thing I could do, which was to complain about it on Facebook. Since my dearest friends never seem lacking in their ability to heckle my deepest pain (I’m talking to YOU Ben), one of them was kind enough to post that BMW/Madonna video with “Driver” where she screams for coffee. I swear there was no resemblance to me at that moment, but as my brain was not under the influence as it usually is, I can’t be held accountable for my actions that morning. Then, right there on the side bar where You Tube kindly suggests other time sucks, er, videos that you may also like, there was one labeled “Sh*t E39 Owners Say”. I clicked on it. It was hysterical if you’ve ever had contact with an old E39 (Is that my VANOS? Thermostat’s out AGAIN, Cup holders are broken AGAIN, Gas cap rust AGAIN, asten eat belts? Where’s the BATTERY??? What IS that noise in the trunk? And for the win: What does R/T mean? Re-tweet???). While I was trying

not to laugh so loud my co-workers would wonder just exactly WHAT was so funny about homeowner’s insurance, it hit me. The kids who made this video—you may be one of them or a parent of one of them, all clean cut college age boys who had clearly scraped together every last one of their precious nickels and dimes to buy these “old cars” were all of us 20 or 30 years ago. They love these cars in spite of their faults and quirks and insanely large numbers on the odometer because they recognize that these machines were once something special, still ARE something special, that deserves care and attention. They were exactly the sort of kid that inherited my friend’s long loved E39 and was about to take it to college where, I am positive it will have all manner of adventures not suitable to be put into print. The car will be passing the torch to the next generation, the beginning of what will hopefully be a life long love of the marque. No matter what ever happens to this kid, or what other cars he owns during his life, he will never, ever forget this one. He will see past the silly things that don’t work and plastic bits that break because driving it will feel like nothing else he’s ever experienced. Life is movement and we are all moving forward, like it or not. Sometimes that means saying goodbye, but there is no better legacy for a great car. As for my friend, he’s seeing someone new. It’s a new machine and a completely different animal from the old one and while he seems quite smitten, the jury is still out on true love. As you might have guessed, there is a Roundel on the hood so I’m confident that the future is bright.

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29

Official Business: Executive Board Official Business: Executive Board

Meeting Meeting Minutes Minutes

Meeting of the Delaware Valley Chapter Executive Board: Monday, 2015 MeetingJanuary of the 5, Delaware

the beginning of this season. The SRC is set up and 1.9 Webmaster / Membership Chair Report: housed under two Report: large canopies in a strategic 6. locaIn attendance were: Martin Bullen, Board: 4. Driving Valley Chapter Executive Scott suggested that he and Dennis start Events Chair tion at all of our events. Here a novice driver can get No report. President; Dave Flogaus, Monday July 18thCo-Vice 2011 promoting their events on MSR to touch a larger 1. Scott Reiman reportedmechanical, that he recently sent advice on anything track, or driving recommunity of BMW enthusiasts. out an email blast announcing our 2015 event President; Mike Dion, Treasurer and Chief lated. They will also be invited to a barbecue at lunch. 1.10 Driver School Registrar’s Report: In attendance Wollman, President; Martin scheduleHe to noted all drivers in the Northeast Instructor; Bob were: Kelly, Dave Secretary; Dave that the programs areRegion. doing well and the Bullen, Vice President; Michael Dion, Treasurer and 2. Scott Advertising Business Manager’s noted that he has beenofworking Lisaand Mellott reported that sheReport: received much positive SRC is becoming a hub activity for novice 12. drivers Wollman, Social Events Chair;and Scott Chief Instructor; Geoff Ehrman James Murphy, feedback from attendees on with how all well the Watkins throughout thethe event weekend. Everyone in atten1. Bob shared the updated sponsor list with Lou and Mike on event pricing for the Reiman, Driving Events Co-Chair; Bill Driving Events Co-Chairs; Dave Flogaus and Ed Glenwith event run. Lisa presented a new strategy dance applauded James’ on efforts. 2. Bob shared allwas CCA’s new campaign upcoming season. Mike reported the potential Narewski, Newsletter SecreFoster, Vintage EventsCo-Editors; Co-Chair;Bob Bill Kelly, Mellot, forregional wristbands fordealers. DE events. . to reach out to BMW In She proposed retaining tary; LisaCoordinator; Mellott, Event Registrar; MoEvents Karamat, costs associated with our new event at Palmer Instructor Lisa Mellot, the Bob traditional yellow,on and green coming months, will bered, working plans to bands. But, for Motorsports Park in south-central Massachusetts Street Survival Chair; Mark Zmiewski, Club Racing signed-off students, she proposed wristbands with a 1.4 Racing Event’s Chair Report: Registrar; James Murphy; Race Event Chair Chair, Richard Vernick, Webmaster and Membership creatively (re)black connect with ourpattern regional BMW on May 16th and 17th. checkered over the respective field col& SRC Chair.Chair, Taylor Handwerk; Patrick dealers ors. The additional cost Mark Zmiewski reported that the plans for our Club for printing was modest, so McHenry, Newsletter Editior Bob noted theauthorized club’s vitalher sponsorship 5. HPDE Registrar’s Report:were well under way. The 3. Race at Thunderbolt sancthethat Board to proceed. The bands will Summary of BOARD REPORTS AND UPDATES 1. Lisa renewals commitments ahead Mellott reported her approved continuedand stewards tion application hason been no- andalso be printed are withrunning our chapter name. Action Items There discussion relative to driver of giftlast year’s. “Thank you” print displays for planningtified. for the newwas season President’s onway. to note that there was a problem or two options for the Club Race. 1. 1.1 Martin Bullen - CallReport: to Order 6:30 PM. newsletter areLisa wellwent under with the speed of some instructors that were driving in Martin welcomed everyone and called the 6. HPDE Instructor Coordinator’s Report: Dave Wollman welcomed all to the meeting. A motion non-instructor run groups. Mike Dion said that he 1.5 Social Chair’s Report: 13. Bavarianwould Motorfollow-up Notes Editor’s meeting to order. A motion was made andread- 1. No report was made and seconded to dispense with the on theReport: rules for these instances and 1. Pat McHenry reviewed progress andand set the group as well as second to dispense the reading of the minutes ing of the minutes. communicated them to Lisa Dave Wollman reported for Terry Wright. He noted content for the upcoming BMN. of each event. Instructor’s the instructors at the beginning that Chief the recent Del ValReport: night out at the ballpark was adeadlines from the November 17, 2014 meeting. A 7. HPDE 2. in Scott started discussion on possibility of 1. Nogreat report. 1.2 motion Treasurer’s Report:and second to time. He urged all club members to partake second was made activities like these to keep the level of enthusiasm electronic issues for those who prefer that format. approve thereported minutesthatwith The at-8. HPDE Mike Dion evenno withchanges. below normal going and toResource support club camaraderie. Future Noevents decisions 1.11 were made.Advertising / Business Manager’s Report: Student Center (SRC) Chair’s motion was approved and Report: are the club picnic on September 18th, the annual tendance at the club’s 10thunanimously Annual High Performance fo- noted all newsletter content is due 3. Pat at Watkins Glen,Chair we were able to meet Driving School the tour on October 29th, and a go cart night Bob Solomon could not attend, but Dave Wollman on No- 15th. Martin initiated Committee Reports. February 1. Noliage Report all expenses with a small surplus. All present congratand Mike Dion pointed out how excited the Board vember 10th. There are also plans in the works for ulated and thanked Lisa and Martin for their hard was with the new partnership formed between BMW another general membership meeting before the end Summary of BOARD 14. Street Survival EventLine Chair 9. HPDE Technical work promoting the event up to the last minute. Mike of the Main andReport: Del Val. as premier sponsors of of the year. Chair’s Report: 1. Dave Wollman noted that working with of the Main REPORTS UPDATES reviewedAND various business matters and noted that he1. No Report the 3rd Annual Delhe ValisBMWCCA/BMW Rich Dunbar Line to establish theDE spring date for was currently processing the insurance policy for this Lightning in August. A Street big crowd is expected 1.6 Newsletter Editor’s Report: Bimmerfest scheduled for September 18th.10. DelVal BMW CCA Club Race Chair’s Report: Survival that will for the including a number of Main Line’s valnotevent, conflict with any of our other 2. year’s President’s Report: Dave Flogaus introduced Edrace Narewski as hisclub newevents. coued clients and staff. Let’s be sure to make them as 1. James Murphy reported on our 1. Martin expressed the grief felt by the entire 1.3 Driving Event’s Chair Report: editor newsletter. thanked Ed for welcomed as possible. application forfor ourthe annual HPDEThe andgroup Club Race board as well as the entire Del Val BMW CCA volunteering for such an important club activity. 15. Social Media Chair: at NJMP Lightning Course. He stated that he hasn’t Family due to the loss of our dear friend Phil 1.9 Geoff Webmaster / Membership Chair Report: noted that the Watkins Glen event went well 1.12 Next Meeting: 1. Dave Flogaus requested the details for the heard back from National yet and will continue to Eiseman. The group honored Phil’s life with a and thanked everyone for their help. There was a lot 1.7 Street Survival Chair Report: No report. upcoming events posts. will be on September 12th, 6:00 pursue the approval. of discussion relative updating tech form to adThe for nexthis meeting of silence. Afterto offering ourour collective 1.9 moment Webmaster / Membership Chair Report: Report: 1.10 Driver School Registrar’s noted that henoted is working some a lot of positive dress common on-track mechanical failures for the 2. HeMo Karamat that heon received p.m., at Geoff Ehrman’s office. support to Mellissa and the rest of Phil’s family the No report. various BMW This astory discussion feedback fromforthe 12th Street Survival at 16. Social Chair’s Chair Report: alternative schedules theJune event to improve the Clinic Lisa Mellott reported that models. she received muchwas positive conversation switched to story after of the feedback from attendees how well the Watkinsmechanical failures prompted by were aon series ofto similar at Submitted by: that Boball Kelly, Secretary Montgomery County Community College. Report: 1.10 Driver School Registrar’s 1. Dave Wollman noted plans for our running of all of the weekend’s sessions and eventsThe feedjoyful times we able shared with such a Glen event was run. Lisa presented a new strategy the Watkins Glen event. Geoff will follow-up with the 3. James backnoted camethat from the 24 studentshas that attended and banquet at Tallimore CC are set annual Taylor Handwerk for wristbands for DE She proposed retaining Lisa Mellott reported thatevents. she received much positive great guy. Rest in Peace Phil. additions andonmodifications to parents. Mo also pointed a conflict willHe is planning Go Cart night sometime in the traditional red, yellow, and bands. But,our for tech form. feedback attendees howgreen the Watkins stepped their forward and volunteered to fillout in for him that2. 2. from Then moving to well hisawristbands report, Martin noted signed-off students, shepresented proposed with a Glen event was run. Lisa new strategy necessitate moving the Adult Car Control Clinic form as Race August Chair for 2015 season. Taylor will a newmid-March checkered pattern over theproposed respective field col- to report forblack wristbands for still DE events. She retaining that there were no concrete plans James Murphy reviewed the continuing development tothe September. He will propose date beThe additional cost and for printing was modest, theors. traditional red, yellow, green bands. But, forso be able to provide hismeeting. complete attention to the onBoard relative Del Val’s role inThe the 2015 BMWinitiative CCA and of his Student Resource Center (SRC) fore the next the authorized to proceed. bands signed-off students, sheher proposed wristbands with awill also be printed withtoour chapter name. 17. New Business: black checkered pattern over the respective field colthe student mentoring program he launched Oktoberfest be held at venues inthat Atlantic City, atrunning of the weekend, because he will not be ors. The additional cost for printing was modest, so 1. None racing in the CCA series this year. went onthe to note that was The a problem twoSeptember NJ and NJMP in Millville, NJ.or on theLisa Board authorized her tothere proceed. bands will with speed of some instructors that were driving in also bethe printed with our chapter name. 4. Finally, it was unanimously agreed that the 21-27. non-instructor run groups. Mike Dion said that he 2015 Lightning Club Race should be renamed the 18. Next Meeting: would onthat the there rules for instances and Lisa wentfollow-up on to note wasthese a problem or two communicated Lisa and that the group as wellinas with the speed of them someto instructors were driving 1. The next meeting will be held on March 9th Phil Eiseman Memorial Race. 3. Treasures Report: the instructors the beginning of each non-instructor runatgroups. Mike Dion said event. that he at the Iron Abby in Horsham. would follow-up on Dion the rulesreported for these instances and 1. Mike that the state of the communicated them to Lisa and the group as well as 11. Vintage BMW Car Events Co-Chair’s Report: Chapter financials are inManager’s good / Business Report:and the the1.11 instructorsAdvertising at the beginning of each event. shape 19. Adjournment: 1. Bill reported that the 2015 Vintage Event Chapter is prepared to meet all current and future Bob Solomon could not attend, but Dave Wollman 1. At 9:15 Schedule is still being finalized with Dennis. and Mike Dion pointed out how excited the Board financial obligations. 1.11 Advertising / Business Manager’s Report: was with the new partnership formed between BMW 2. He noted that unfortunately their first event, 2. He noted that he has made all of the deposits of the Main Line Val. but as premier sponsors of Bob Solomon couldand notDel attend, Dave Wollman Martin thanked everyone for his or her a caravan to Carlisle on May 16th would be in the 3rdthe Annual Del Val BMWCCA/BMW the be Mainvisiting this for HPDE tracks we will and Mike Dion pointed out how that excited theof Board Line Lightning in August.formed A big crowd is expected was with the newDE partnership between BMW contributions and participation in the meeting. conflict with the Palmer Motorsports Park HPDE. year except for Palmer Motorsports Park as he and for the event, including a number of Main Line’s valof the Main Line and Del Val. as premier sponsors of 3. He noted once again they would be heading and Let’s be sure to make theued 3rdclients Annual Delstaff. Val negotiations BMWCCA/BMW of thethem Main Lou continue with theastrack. welcomed possible. Line LightningasDE in August. A big crowd is expected Submitted By: out to the Deutsche Classic Car Show at Oley Mike questioned to continue our for the 3. event, including a number ofthe Mainneed Line’s val1.12 Next Meeting: Bob Kelly, Chapter Secretary Fairgrounds on July 11th. ued clients and staff. Let’s be sure to make them as subscription to Constant Contact. All agreed that welcomed as possible. 4. He noted the Sky Manor Vintage Airport Flythenext continuation of September the service The meeting will be on 12th,was 6:00 not necessary p.m., at Geoff Ehrman’s 1.12 Nextdevelopment Meeting: office. and effective use of our in event is scheduled for September 12th this year. with the 5. He noted that he and Dennis haveDetails ideas Date Event Description Event RSVP to: Submitted by: Bob Kelly, social media network. The next meeting will be on Secretary September 12th, 6:00 p.m., at Geoff Ehrman’s office. for doing something during Octoberfest. He will be contacting idea of staging Submitted by: Bob Kelly, Secretary 10/8/2011 Del Val @ Pocono Raceway (North Course) NJCCA with theirCancelled (track repaving) We regret this development Vintage Corral at the race; a group ride to the race, and maybe a motorcycle concours.

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Upcoming Events: Delaware Valley Chester and other BMW Car Club of America events of interest

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10/15/2011

Spring 2015 (V1)

Tire Rack Street Survival @ Warminster Comm. Park

October 15, Warminster, PA

www.motorsportreg.com

10/16/2011

NJ Chapter Driver School @ NJMP Lightning

October 16/17 (Sunday-Monday)

www.motorsportreg.com

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