Link 2006 12

Motorsport Club of Ottawa ▪ The Link ▪ December 2006 ▪ www.mco.org ▪ 1

1 ▪ Motorsport Club of Ottawa ▪ The Link ▪ December 2006 ▪ www.mco.org

MCO Executive 2006 - 2007

Board of Directors ▪ [email protected]

President - Bruce Malanka ▪ [email protected] Past President - Ron Woltman ▪ 613.831.8682 ▪ [email protected]

Vice-President - Greg Kierstead ▪ 613.258.0497 ▪ [email protected] Club Director - Charles Payne ▪ 613.792.1083 ▪ [email protected] Club Director - Greg van Dalen ▪ 613.294.2422 ▪ [email protected]

Club Director - Aleida Dikland ▪ 613.240.8848 ▪ [email protected] Club Director - Sam Mandia ▪ 613.745.4227 ▪ [email protected]

Appointed Officers and Executive Members

Closed Wheel - position available! Karting - Paul Swinwood ▪ 613.720.3468 ▪ [email protected]

Open Wheel - Sam Mandia ▪ 613.745.4227 ▪ [email protected] Rally - Greg van Dalen ▪ 613.294.2422 ▪ [email protected] Solo II - Charles Payne ▪ 613.792.1083 ▪ [email protected]

SoloSprint - Greg Kierstead ▪ 613.258.0497 ▪ [email protected] Club Merchandise - Craig Hamm ▪ 613.727.3197 ▪ [email protected]

Health and Safety - Bruce Malanka ▪ [email protected] Marketing and PR - Sam Mandia ▪ 613.745.4227 ▪ [email protected] Membership - Al Gullen ▪ 613.738.0712 ▪ [email protected] Assistant Membership - Albert Cohoe ▪ [email protected] Privacy Officer - Al Gullen ▪ 613.738.0712 ▪ [email protected]

Secretary - position available! Treasurer - position available!

Webmaster - Aleida Dikland ▪ 613.240.8848 ▪ [email protected]

Associate Contacts

Ontario Race Committee Rep Cindy Armstrong ▪ 613.489.2725 ▪ [email protected]

Ontario Race Organizers Rep

Ron Woltman ▪ 613.831.8682 ▪ [email protected]

How to

Contact MCO General meetings are held

the first Tuesday of every month at 7 pm.

All are welcome!

Meetings are held at:

Louis’ Steakhouse 1682 Cyrville Road

Ottawa, Ontario

You can contact and find

out more information about MCO on the

Website or by mail:

Website

http://www.mco.org

Hosted by :

www.emoss.ca

Mail

MCO PO Box 65006

Merivale Postal Outlet Ottawa, Ontario

K2G 5Y3


In This Issue

Editorial Exhaust

03

SoloSprint Report

06

Open Wheel Report

05

Solo II Director Report

07

PR and Marketing Report

08

Comments on the 2006 MCO AGM

09

Goodwood in the Valley — Calabogie 2006

11

Moving to the Next Level

14

Centerfold Pictures!

15

Monaco Grand Prix 1966

17

Four Wheels Off

19

Miscellaneous Rumbings II

23

The Back Seat

30


So, another Link issue, another Link ed i tor….Yes , it’s true, Tania and I are the

new editors. It seems the occupants of this job are being eaten for breakfast by the daunting task of editing/publishing/distributing this essential publication. After all, this is still the best way to communicate with the Motorsport Club of Ottawa’s member-ship! However, this only works when the Link is delivered with some regu-larity and predictability. With that lofty goal in mind, we’ll try it with not one, but TWO editors for The Link to see if we can beat the looming deadline monster into submission (pun intended). For now, we are hoping to publish an issue every two months, and we will go from there.

With that bit of business safely in the rear view mirror, let’s get on to new business. First up is the origin of John Powell’s Miscellaneous Rumblings II column title. Ever since I read my very first issue of The Link some 4 years ago (yes, I know that’s not a long time!), I have wondered where the title comes from. This Editor job has its benefits! It presents an opportunity to get the information straight from the source, with some insight from out Past-President, Ron Woltman. Of course nothing stopped me from asking John before, but this way seems somehow more journalistic. Yeah, that’s it… When prodded (lightly), Ron had this to say:

"Miscellaneous Rumblings II" is rooted in the Road & Track column penned for years by

Henry R. Manney III, titled "Miscellaneous Ramblings". When I was Editor of The Link in the early ‘70s, I called my editorial writings, "Miscellaneous Rumblings", which wasn't all that imaginative, I suppose?".

John had the following information to add to this brief history:

Ron's right about the title being a rip-off of Manney's column in Road & Track, but the full story starts with The Sports Car Club-Toronto back in the early '60s, when I decided to write a column for the SCC's newsletter titled "RPM" and was looking for a catchy title. Even back then, R&T was moving from an enthusiast's competition-oriented monthly to a more up-scale motoring rag aimed at a more general audience. Our nickname for it was "Rod and Truck", and one evening in '62 or '63 the editor and helpers of RPM, including myself, were discussing this sad state of things while mimeographing (remember, there were no PCs and desktop publishing programs then) and assembling an issue. Part of the discussion dealt with Manney's column, which was a collection of miscellaneous and not always automotive-related topics, and someone commented that it was mostly pretentious rumblings ... and I had a title for my column! It was only when I stated writing Miscellaneous Rumblings II for MCO in November of 2001 that I learned from Ron that he had written a column called Miscellaneous Rumblings for the Link in the early '70s.

So there you have it. Everything has a story behind it, and most of them are quite interesting! Wouldn’t it be neat if other members of MCO shared some of their stories as well? Hint, hint. Send your

RallySportOntario

Grassroots Motorsports

in the National Capital Region since 1949

Affiliated with

ASN Canada FIA Canadian Automobile Sport Club—Ontario Region (CASC-OR)

Canadian Association of Rally Sports (CARS) RallySport Ontario (RSO)

Ontario Kart Racing Association (OKRA)

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Cover Photo This issue’s cover photos are a selection of pictures from the Goodwood in the Valley 2006 event held on October 14th and 15th. Thanks go to Cory Klinkenberg and Sean Styles from PicSphere Technologies, Inc. for the use of the photos.

Advertising Rates Full page with web link $150 Half page with web link $75 Quarter page $35 Business card size $25 Business card size for MCO members FREE

MCO On Your Handheld There is a new section to the MCO website for everyone who is unable to resist checking for information while at the track or on the road. Go to:

http://www.mco.org/mobile/default.asp New Tech Disclaimer: The mobile site does not work on phones, only Ipac / Palms. Open the forums and external sites at your own risk. The forums do not have a mobile component in the application. If you have a handheld with 4MB of memory, you may have problems displaying postings. External sites do not currently have a mobile component. You may have problems displaying them.

LINK Article Submissions

The LINK is the

official publication of the Motorsport Club of Ottawa.

The opinions expressed in the LINK do not necessarily reflect those of the LINK

Editorial Staff or the Club’s Executive.

Though all efforts are made to ensure that facts stated in the articles herein are accurate, the individual contributors

should check the accuracy of their articles prior to

submission.

Article submissions can be sent by

email to:

[email protected]

Deadline for submissions is three weeks

before each issue —

our next issue will be published in early

February 2007

interesting article and column submissions or specific rumblings to: [email protected]. Next up, we’d just like to mention a couple of changes to the setup of The Link. Many of us thought it would be a good idea to offer a fun, readable newsletter every two months. So, hopefully, you agree that that is what you now have in your hands. If you are looking for the meeting minutes, or other formal informa-tion, please check out the website at www.mco.org. Please let us know what you think of the new format, and the new layout! Lastly, we have late breaking news from the world of Motorsports and Reality TV (together at last!). Congratulations go out to MCO’s Stefany Malanka, who has made it onto Star Racer, which can be seen weekly on the Discovery Channel. As of the date of printing, she is in the top 16! Those of us with cable or satellite TV (alas, I am not in this group) will be watch-ing the drama (and hopefully some good competition!) unfold. Good luck, Stefany! Borrowing some of that luck, Tania and I will last in this job until at least after lunch, so ‘till next time, keep all four on the track! - T & A


Wheel to wheel...(real race cars don’t have fenders)... separated by fractions of a second for final positions… What more could you ask for? Nothing much changes from year to year in terms of the close racing. Weather conditions always play a role in the final results, but when it rains, it rains on every-body. A total of 13 MCO members competed in Open Wheel this year, up three from last year. Formula Ford in Ontario is still growing, and with the efforts of people who are willing to promote an already great package — beginning in June and ending with the CanAm Cup in October sponsored by Formula Car Magazine — the future looks very bright indeed. The opening of Calabogie Motorsport Park will bring, I believe, more Quebec drivers to the Ontario Region. Final driver standings in “A” Class had Nigel Mortimer 5th, Andrew Hall 7th, Stefany Malanka 15th, Lew MacKenzie 16th, Michel Jullian 20th, Rob Peters 22nd, Jean-Guy Fournier 28th, Franc Roiron 29th, Richard Muise 30th, and Adam Mortimer 31st. In “B” Class, Drew Wilcox finished 11th. Congratulations to Andrew Hall who captured Rookie of the Year in the Ontario Formula Ford Championship. Well done!

The ISSECO F1200 series had the numbers drop off to the 9 to 14 range. Sam Mandia finished 7th in the final results. Formula Libre contained a varying assortment of cars throughout the year, and was always entertain-ing. Dominic LeBreton competed all season and made steady progress in finishing positions and lap times.

Ontario Formula Ford 1600 Championship BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races at Mosport Saturday, September 16th, Race #1 Lew MacKenzie 6th, Andrew Hall 12th, Jean-Guy Fournier 13th, with regular competitors Stefany Malanka and Nigel Mortimer each posting DNFs because of some very aggressive driving by some of the other competitors. Sunday - September 17th, Race #2 Nigel Mortimer rebounds to 5th, Andrew Hall 12th, and DNFs for Jean-Guy Fournier, Stefany Malanka, and Lew MacKenzie. Mosport Celebration Weekend Saturday, September 30th, Race #1 Andrew Hall 8th place Sunday, October 1st, Race #2 Andrew Hall 5th place ISSECO F1200 Championship BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races at Mosport Saturday September 16th, Race #1 Sam Mandia, 7th place Sunday September 17th, Race #2 Sam Mandia, 7th place Sunday September 17th, Race #3 Sam Mandia – DNF Regional Formula Libre BARC at Mosport July 1st and 2nd Dominic LeBreton placed 8th and 7th, respectively, on the two days of racing. August 12th and 13th Dominic LeBreton placed 8th and had a DNF, respectively, on the two days of racing. Mosport Celebration Weekend Saturday, September 30th Dominic LeBreton placed 9th Sunday, October 1st Dominic LeBreton got a 12th place and a 7th place finish.

You know you’re a race car driver when: • You remove the $2000 stereo on your

new car to lose 6 lbs of weight! • Your mechanic names the new wing of

the shop after you! • Family photos over the mantel are

gradually replaced by trophies and pictures of your best races!

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2006 was a very busy year for the CASC-OR SoloSprint organizers, with record numbers of competitors in many of our events. The season consisted of nine Championship events, with a competitor’s six best events counted towards the final scores. The season started with the traditional Solo Ontario Open House, hosted by CSC Racing in Newmarket, followed by the SoloSprint school at the Mosport Driver Development Track. The nine events were held at Shannonville Motorsports Park, Toronto Motorsports Park, Mosport DDT, Autodrome St-Eustache in Quebec, and finally with the Agincourt Autohaus Mosport Grand Prix Challenge at Mosport Road Course. Of the 154 total unique SoloSprint competitors in 2006, eight were from MCO. See the chart below to see the MCO members that competed in at least one event. A big congratulations goes out to Eric H. for taking 3rd place overall in the Novice Championship! Perhaps inevitably, Chris P. (or Krispy, as he is universally known to SoloSprint competitors) was the overall

Mobil 2006 SoloSprint Champion, acheiving a perfect score of 600 points. This is Krispy’s fourth SoloSprint championship in a row, and I’m sure he’ll be back for more next year!

Looking forward to next year, SoloSprint and MCO will be setting their sights on the Calabogie Motorsport Park. If you would like to join the fun, check out the following web sites for more information. www.SoloOntario.com www.SoloSprint.ca www.casc.on.ca/forums www.macrocosm.on.ca/ccdb

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Overall Standings Competitor Class Class Standing 14th Arek W SGT2 2nd

18th Eric H T3 2nd 20th Brad M SGT3 4th 32nd (less than 6 events) Pierre L GT2 79th (less than 6 events) John S T3 108th (less than 6 events) Jeff G GT4 109th (less than 6 events) Greg K GT4 123rd (less than 6 events) Craig S GT2

Chris Paczynski and Hanif Premji — top dogs in SoloSprint and AutoSlalom, at the Banquet in Toronto, November 4, 2006.


The 2006 MCO autocross champion-ship season was a busy one with 8 out of a possible eleven events counting toward the series championship. The MCO hosted a total of eleven events at Scotiabank Place which included a sold out Autocross school, a CASC-OR Regional event and the 2006 Inter-provincial Cup. The group made two trips to events hosted by the CADL at the famed PMG facility. We continue to enjoy a good relationship with the Montreal Solo group with quite a bit of cross-participation at each other's events. A total of 70 competitors were counted in the 2006 MCO Autocross Series. Twenty competitors attended in eight or more events, 26 competed in seven events and 34 competed in six events. We had an average of 62 drivers per event. A big success story is the 2006 Interprovincial Cup. In only its second year, it was one of the better-attended Autocross events held in Canada this year. 106 competitors from Ontario and Quebec showed up to battle for the cup and their Province. Following the 2006 IPC, the MCO hosted a 2006 CASC-OR Regional Autoslalom event. Overall, the weekend played host to an average of eighty-four competitors. Thanks again to all the competitors and dedicated volunteers who make this series so much fun!

On to the results (last names removed to protect the innocent):

MCO Autocross Series

A Class 1st — Fritz 2nd — Dave 3rd — Steve

B Class

1st — Luc S 2nd — Chuck 3rd — Jason

C Class

1st — Ian 2nd — Norman

3rd — Kevin

D Class 1st — Francois 2nd — Luc B 3rd — Mat

Regional Results Robin — 4th in DSS Steve — 5th in ESS

2006 Canadian National Autoslalom Championship

Craig — 2nd in ASS

Fritz — 3rd in BSP

Luc — 6th in CS

Dave — 3rd in CSP

Klaus — 2nd in DM Alain — 3rd in DM

Geoff — 1st in ESP Seb — 4th in ESP Greg — 5th in ESP

Steve — 3rd in ESS Allen — 4th in ESS

Congratulations to the following champions for their accomplishments this past year:

Solo Events Champion

Steve Pope

Order of the Bent Valve Luc

Dow’s Lake Summer Slalom Champion

Francois

Novice Slalom Champion Kevin

Bridgestone Blizzak Cup

Greg

Solo Fanatic Award Joint winners — Greg and Seb

Order of the Holed Piston

Patrick

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There is no question in my mind that MCO has established itself as an Icon in the City of Ottawa with regard to motor sport events and it’s members. Beginning with the hugely successful Winter Driving Schools, the general public had already begun to inquire about and sign up in October and November of last year. “Outsiders” used the facility for testing and training purposes, much to their satisfaction and delight. Slush and Slide events also took place at this well-maintained track because of the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers/MCO members who worked tirelessly to keep the surface in shape. On April 29, we held our very first Annual Tech day at the Bell’s Corners Canadian Tire store. Note: CTC provided a Bar B-Q lunch – monies collected went to CHEO. A total of 14 cars, made up of both open and closed wheel cars were presented for scruti-neering by Evan and Chris. Through special arrangement Philip Major’s Formula BMW was on display for all to see. All MCO disciplines were together for the first time, creating a social atmosphere I hope will continue - (special meeting in Kemptville). Solo I (SoloSprint) once again partnered with the other Ontario Region Clubs and ran a very successful season and program. Solo II (Autocross) ran a School at

Scotia Bank Place in early June, and numbers were very good. Regarding numbers — participation in all MCO events was outstanding. A Regional event I attended in August left me very impressed with the whole, organized , and complete package. The Rally group organized the Lanark and Fall Night Rally as well as Road Rallies throughout the Year. From the results presented, MCO teams did us proud once again. Members also assisted with the Targa School in June at the Driver Development track at Mosport. Road Racers, as always, left their mark with their exploits both on and off the track. Open Wheel had 13 drivers and I would guess Closed Wheel had

about 25 to 30 drivers. The Summer version of the MCO Driving School was well attended, although as last year, things looked grim right up to last week. Goodwood in the Valley, our most recent event, was a showcase not only for Calabogie Motorsport Park, but for MCO as well. Approximately 217 entries filled the Paddock, and they all left with full tummies from the food provided — for the most part smiles on their faces. With the Annual Banquet and Awards Night looming in early December, local businesses and out-of-town enterprises have contributed generously. Local sponsors such as No Limits Auto Parts, Commercial Tire and Total Battery offered discounts if members identified themselves. The cornerstone is still Talon Tire, which offers discounts, gift certificates and great service. Thank you Howard! Missing in this report is support from Sunoco. Unfortunately, I waited until March, as I have in the past, but was then informed that an Agency has taken over the promotion, which was introduced in January. Live and learn. A thank you is in order to all the workers, organizers, and registrars for all our events, who work tirelessly to make these things happen. Being an MCO member isn’t just carrying a member-ship card in your wallet.

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Be a Volunteer! Be a part of history! The Motorsport Club of Ottawa (MCO) has been active in our community since 1949. It was one of the founding members of the Canadian Automobile Sports Clubs, and today it continues to be a non-profit organization fueled by people like you with a passion for cars and driving. Why not give back and support your club? We need volunteers in all areas — from the executive to volunteering at events and functions. Can you BBQ? Can you marshall? Can you help in the driving schools? Can you organize events? Even if you don’t feel like you have a special tal-ent, but are willing to learn, and willing to lend a helping hand, we are looking for you! Contact the Club executive at [email protected], or visit the MCO website at www.mco.org.


Was the meeting ever Officially Called To Order … I was there, but I do not think that it was announced sufficiently loudly for everyone to hear. But, I won’t hold that against Jay Saslove since it was his first time, and with the able assistance of Nick Berry, it did get under way at a reasonable time. Who was the third member of the committee? It was never mentioned. Don’t the By-Laws require a third person? The minutes of last year’s AGM were ably read off the MCO website by Richard Muise, who, quite appropri-ately, stood and clearly read them for all to hear. I seconded the motion to accept the minutes, as read. At some point before this action was taken, I gather that Paul Swinwood either offered or was appointed as Secretary for the duration of the AGM — a service for which he should have been thanked, prior to the end of the meet-ing; but, I do not think that he was. I recognize that I am not getting any younger, like many of the other elder members, and maybe I am just becom-ing an old fuddy duddy, whose hearing is not as up-to-snuff as it once was, but I would like to have seen the members of the Board Of Directors (BOD) stand up to give their year-end reports. Both Ron Woltman and Al Gullon get my vote of appreciation for taking the initiative to stand for delivering their reports. I could hear them clearly, unlike most of the others. Tell me I’m wrong to expect more from those others, and I will remind you that this was our Annual Business Meeting, which in my opinion, deserved to be treated with normal acumen. I could and did understand Mark

Cotnam’s frustration over the long, dragged out proposal, submitted by Al Gullon, with regard to the request to extend incentives for new memberships only over a period of longer than 12 months. To those of us who have been members for a long period of time, the aspect of a $60 per annum fee that has remained unchanged year after year seems, in and of itself, to be sufficient gratification. But, I can still remember what it was like before the year-round anniversary date process was initiated. At that time, MCO memberships expired at the end

of October, year X and began on November 1st for the year following (X+1). Our financial (fiscal) year is still based on that concept because that is the way it is dictated in our Letters Patent according to our provincial incorporation. In those days, individuals wanting to join for the following year (X+1) would have to wait until November 1st or suffer the loss/accept the higher monthly cost for memberships that were less than for a full 12 month period. Normally, membership revenue waned during the summer months and was virtually non-existent in the fall until the new fiscal year started, thus being a real burden on both the Treasurer and the Membership Chairperson. Tonight, I voted for the acceptance of the proposal that was defeated, because having been the Membership Chairman on more than one occasion, I know how much work is truly involved in producing and distributing membership cards and the accompanying paraphernalia, be it for only a one year period or for a period longer than one year. Getting into the semantics of whether the extension is for two years less a day or merely an addition of a month or two could have become a decision of the BOD as a result of the proposal as it was being presented. Now, some other creative strategy may become necessary, if Al does not get more support and more specifically, HELP, from the members, at large, who voted down the proposal. Will you be there? Even if it occurs at the height of your speciality (e.g. Racing, Rallying, Solo or whatever) season, or will you say, “Sorry, not ME, not NOW!” Al’s other proposal was accepted for consideration by the BOD during the up-coming year, and as such, I will leave it for you to read in the minutes when they are presented in The Link [Ed. Note: all meeting minutes will now be available on-line at www.mco.org], which we were told, prior to the AGM, will soon make its re-appearance. Having also done that position on several occasions, I both applaud Arek for having stepped forward and I offer to help in any way that I can, including the editing of articles. With the previously-noted exception, this year’s AGM ran quite smoothly and we can all look forward to another successful year, particularly, with our expected good relationship with Calabogie Motorsport Park (CMP). Under the title of Old Business, I should have mentioned my appreciation to the members of the BOD who were involved in getting me moved back from the Cornwall / Lancaster area into Kemptville. I sincerely appreciated the help. Also, I should have mentioned the relative success of the August 1st Social Meeting held at Amanda’s Slip Bistro (recently having come under new ownership/management with a new name, The Branch

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Restaurant), located at 15 Clothier Street in Kemptville. Getting together with about 30 former and current members, the event was considered to be a success. The only complaint I received was the distance one was required to travel from Gatineau or the East end of Ottawa. That, of course, has always been a familiar com-plaint from so many members over the years depending on where they live. As for recom-mendations for next year, it has been suggested that there should be more Social events held during the Spring, Summer and Fall seasons — particularly now, leading up to our 60th Anniversary in 2009. Another issue, oft discussed in the preceding years, as well as currently, was the need for a building or structure of our own — preferably centrally located within the defined limits of Ottawa. I pass on these comments now for considera-tion of the NEW executive to discuss during their mandate. As always, it is disappointing when there is no election held. But, at the same time, it is gratifying to know that all positions were filled by acclima-tion, with the only disappoint-ment being Ralph’s resignation from position of Treasurer. The appeal for a new appointee will begin immediately. So, if you, the individual reading this article, has any book-keeping or accounting experience, the Club would appreciate your stepping forward to lend a hand, either by yourself, or as part of a Financial Team. Think about it and then act! The new executive will look at all avenues including outsourcing. I’ll end my comments here, by saying that we are all looking forward to future successes in the year 2007!


[Ed. Note: Thanks go to Cory Klinkenberg and Sean Styles from PicSphere Technologies, Inc. for the use of all the photos in this article, except the shot below which was taken by Leslie Hart.] So much to report, so little time! The day: Wednesday, September 27th, 2006! The what: This day finally marked the long-awaited, and much anticipated, o f f ic ia l opening o f Calabogie Motorsports Park. The who: The MCO needed to celebrate this milestone! The why: As was the case so often in the past 57 years, MCO was obliged to step up to the plate, and demonstrated our leadership role in the National Capital Region's motorsport world. The how: I felt MCO had to host a truly memorable event at this newly-minted facility. What to do...? Given the very short time-frame, brief initial thought was given to a single-day, lapping day experience for MCO mem-bers and friends! Nope, that would not cut it! Not nearly good enough!! The end result: a three-day, “Goodwood in the Valley - Calabogie 2006” extravaganza! In terms of both participants and finances, this was the single largest event in MCO's history. A quite glorious event. Even the weather, while cool, co-operated for this mid-October fall event!

The concept was relatively simple. Create an event that attempted to capture some of the essence — in the paddock and on the track — of the UK Good-wood event; introduce the race track to as many folks as possible — especially “first-timers“; all within an amicable environment. And have FUN. No less important, “Goodwood” would provide a 'test-case' of best, and 'worst' practices, for our annual Ted Powell Memorial Race Weekend, now scheduled for July 27-29, 2007.

Overall, the event was a success! For certain, we had our difficulties and challenges. And, in some cases, we did not meet the expectations of all — but then, we couldn't have! However, the goal of creating a fun, social, and safe event, both in the paddock and on the track, for more than 240 entries, I believe, was met. The number of individuals who commented favourably in person, and on our web site (www.mco.org) to the “Goodwood” experience was, for me, personally gratifying. See ing the long queue-up o f cars snaking their way back to Highway 511 Saturday ayem provided not only a sigh of relief, but of satisfaction as well. We jammed the paddock that Saturday — and Sunday as well — and afforded a right, proper introduction to CMP. I believe the CMP facility and community benefited to the tune of $25,000 worth of positive exposure and revenue!! “Goodwood in the Valley” targetted the “uninitiated” for the most part. Our way of introducing our pas-sion for motorsport to those, shall I say, less fortunate? Sure, it was an equal opportunity for the 'weathered' hands too, but more in a way that helped open the door to the track, the community and to motorpsort. Giving back....my common refrain. Thanks to TrackCorp — owners and operators of

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Calabogie — we were able to utilize Friday, October 13th, as our famili-a r i z a t i o n a nd “recon” of this very t e chn ica l and demanding 20-turn, 5k circuit. It allowed the organiz-ing team to re-hearse, plan, and vet for the weekend; the time was well-spent and proved invaluable. Fun, as well!! Bob and Cindy Armstrong put together a solid, and controlled, program to intro-duce all manner of participants to the track. Their complement of instructors were patient, helpful and cool. The “VIP” rides done at lunch times, and during the weekend sessions were universally praised. Watching folks alight from an instructor's vehicle for me remains a highlight, as I hope it should be for the instructors as well. While there may have been some who quibbled at MCO's uncompromising emphasis upon safety, proper track protocol, black flags, and where & when required; it all contributed to a safe, and equitable use of the available track time. My compliments to Terry Dale and his professional “Clerk” crew for that. Also, Don Anderson, Bob Benson, Liz Summers, Klaus Willroider, Pat Weightman, Rick Miskiman, Randy Oakes, Bob McLeod for making pit lane and paddock traffic flow look flawless, almost! Noise levels. What can I say? It is what it is! Get over it! In my view, the policy of db standards and noise restrictions are the wave of the future. And, what better way for a 'leading-edge' sport to demonstrate its leadership. Rather than viewing these environ-mental requirements as another hurdle to circumvent, perhaps we should view them as a challenge to support and surmount. Everywhere — at all the tracks in Ontario Region. And, no, I don't wish to have another introductory lesson in sound measurement testing and protocol — I know the deal. We also went (spent) the extra mile in feeding folks. Thank you to The Duck for preparing a hearty and hot meal on a cool October evening. Kudos to Mark Cotnam, Richard, Carson and crew for manning the BBQ on Saturday and Sunday, ensuring most every-

one got properly nourished. Great job! To ambassador and Pres ident Bruce Malanka, who was quick to soothe any crushed egos....gracias! Kudos to co-Organizer Richard Muise who looked after so many details, some of which slipped easily from my grasp, and with whom it is always a joy to collaborate. A toast to Jane from the

track who never lost her composure — even when someone backed into her new Pontiax XGP! By the way, if someone has information concerning this in-cident, please contact me. Thanks also go to T-shirt sales team Andrew Hall, Greg van Dalen, Aleida, Carson, Dave Butler. Greg, Chuck, Arek, Dave Goddard, Christian Areseneau, and many others who did what was needed, as needed. To 'radio-man' Nick Berry, and motor-home provider Jay Saslove. A large bouquet (un gros merci) to Luc Bouchard, our one-man Registrar for accommodating my relentless 'last-minute' requests; Ralph Thorhauge, Luc's able 'aide-de-camp', and Club 'paymaster'. Thanks to the Lanark Highlands team for their understanding and patience. Simply, thank you to all. You made “Goodwood in the Valley -- Calabogie 2006” possible.


The way ahead: Next year's Ted Powell Memorial Weekend will need a noise exemption weekend. In other words, a weekend free from noise and db constraints, for which Calabogie Motorsports Park is allowed four (4) in a year. This will mean, however, a modest additional expense. Having said that, I reiterate my view, we should as racers, try to lessen the noise pollution of race cars in the region. See com-ments above about 'leading edge'. Why not have race cars tuned to a lower db number for all tracks — the wave of the fu-ture? Likely, too, we may wish to plan for a four-day weekend: testing Thursday and Friday, due in part to allow as much time as possible to learn this new track, and its level of technical difficulty. Our two-day “Goodwood” costs were roughly $40,000. I estimate a higher expenditure for the Ted Powell. Entry fees are set by the region; thus, we will need around 150 entries for the TPMW to ensure a return upon an investment; this, when the average entry number in the Region is about 110-125. Our pencils — planning and promoting the Ted Powell, as well as for all our planned events in 2007 — need be sharp! Space is a going to be at a premium. Parking space

will need to be pre-determined and allocated for the TP, for we filled the two paved paddocks for “Goodwood”. Additional parking space (unpaved), I understand, is planned for 2007, and may mitigate somewhat. Access in and out of the property needs to be made more easy and quick. This may involve a system of registration, à la Mosport, that sees registration outside the facility, and waiver signing at the gate(s) for test-days, etc? Communication to the participants in the paddocks must be improved. While a PA system is useful, it is insufficient by itself. As an aside, a common complaint respecting noise for our Goodwood weekend was the sound of the PA system carrying across Stone Lake....!

While the on-site m e d i c a l / f i r e /rescue intervention is excellent, we may need to up-grade for a race weekend, including either a transport-a b l e R o a d ambulance on site, or, protocol to e n s u r e q u i c k transport — possi-ble air transport capability, etc.


So, you’ve done Karting, SoloSprint, and maybe Solo II as well. You are now ready for the next challenge. But, what can you afford? Step 1: Look for a class that looks like fun and has a fair amount of competitors participating. Step 2: Get as much information about the class as possible and GET YOURSELF A RULE BOOK! Step 3: Talk to someone who is actually doing the racing that appeals to you. In terms of cost the Formula Vee or F1200 class is the best bang for your buck. The cars are relatively fast, reliable and easy to maintain. Parts are available from several sources in the US and Canada. The camaraderie among the drivers is outstanding, many giving both advice and parts freely to keep you on the track and racing. It is the oldest class outside of Formula 1, and started in 1963 as a replacement for the ultra expensive Formula Junior class of the time. The cars utilize a VW 1200cc engines and running gear, and the emphasis is on driving skill. The cost of a car will vary between $5000 and $20,000, and will depend on what is available, and how much you have to spend. This price range may or may not include a trailer. The other option is a rental program, where

you would arrive and drive. The person renting the cars will almost always ask you to help prep the car. This not a bad thing, because it will help you under-stand what is happening to the car. The cost would be $1000 plus crash damage, with a deposit required up front. A budget for the season might include the following: Ontario region entry fee $325 per race. Travel expenses depending on your life style (van, truck, motor-home or car capable of towing a small trailer with race car). Rebuild $500 plus parts, transmis-sion $350 plus parts. Example of costs for chassis parts — a new front end from spindle to spindle would cost $500. Tires last more than 1 season and are a spec tire, whereby rain tires are not required,

or allowed. A complete set of tires would be about $750. Wheels are $75 each, but used ones are available. These cars run on pump gas, nothing exotic. The compression ratio is very low. If you have a Snell approved helmet (check up-dated specs at all times), it will be satisfactory. Expect to spend about $1200 on drivers suit, underwear, gloves, balaclava, shoes and socks. Used equipment is available, but check your rule book to identify the updated versions, as required. Contrary to popular belief, a large hammer is not the only tool required to work on a F-Vee. A simple set of wrenches and sockets (metric and imperial), pliers, and screw drivers are all that is needed to work on your car. Special VW tools are needed to perform certain jobs on your car, but you can work up to that point in time, or borrow them at the track. My average cost for a season of 7 races is around $5000. All prices are in Canadian dollars. Please feel free to contact me to discuss any questions you may about Formula Vee or F1200.

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I took this panorama shot of the harbour during practice from the Casino side. The castle can just be seen on the right horizon. And that’s Jimmy Clark, the Flying Scot, in his #4 Lotus-Climax to the left.

[Ed. Note: This article was previously published and prepared by Al Gullon for the motoring column he wrote for his air force base newspaper. The RCAF base was located in Marville, France, near the border between Belgium and Luxembourg where he was stationed as the #2 transport officer.] Saturday, May 22, 1966 — Practice and FIII Race — Funny, it looks exactly like it does in pictures. The whinnying of all that horsepower fills this little harbour with sound. They can probably hear it in Nice. (Brrr. It’s cold after being too warm all day.) Here come the big boys. G. Hill in 1:33 – Clark in 1:32 – Surtees in 1:32 – (Oooo! Lookit the mammaries on that mutha!) – Stewart in 1:30:8!!! – Clark 1:30:5 – Hill 1:30:5 – Stewart 1:30:5 – Stewart 1:30:3! – Clark 1:30!! (official timer gives him 1:29:9— looks like everybody wants the pole on Sunday) - Surtees 1:30:1 and practice is over. He got that in just in time. Gives him #2 on the grid beside Clark on the pole. (She musta poured herself into those slacks!)

Here come the FIII cars. They sound much shriller than the FI’s. First lap 1:47. Not bad. Second lap – same order. Third lap – same or….. Hey! Where did #60 go? Musta bin a shunt, here comes a guy wi’ a wheel wobblin’. ‘N’ another sans some body panels. Things have settled down now. The leaders are lapping the tailenders. Whoops! Bondurant out. There goes Fangio’s son also. Announcer says it was

a broken piston ring. How’d they find that out so fast? Hmm …I wonder? There goes the checkered. Not very exciting as FIII’s go. Maybe the shunt scared some people off. (Wow! Lookit the mammaries on ….) Sunday, May 23, 1966 – Formula I race Lordamighty! It’s hot and uncomfortable on the side of this cliff. [Just under the castle facing the Casino across the harbour.] Hey! They’re linin’ ’em up on the false grid … ‘n’ now they’re movin’ them up to the real one. Funny how they’re blippin their throttles almost in unison. … They’re off! … Awfully quiet here while they’re up around the Casino. There’s the first one out of the tunnel. Hey! It’s Surtees in the lead. Musta got the jump on Clark off

Lorenzo Bendini, Ferrari V6 2400, Monaco GP 1966. Photo by Alois Rottensteiner.


the grid. … Now Stewart, Bandini, Hill, #14, … Where the ‘ell is Clark?? … There he is! Second from last!! Wonder what happened?? If his car is still well this could be very exciting. ...A little over an hour later... Well, Clark has done pretty well up to this point. 11th to 4th in just 45 laps – still down 20 seconds on first place though. Wow! Now it’s only 18 seconds! He’s not standin’ around. Good thing Surtees packed it in. He’da bin uncatchable at the rate he was goin’. Here comes Clark again. He’s passed Hill for third now! … Wot th’ ‘ell??? … he’s drivin’ off the track! There goes Hill back into third with a little wave to Clark. There’s Clark now … walking!! He’s parked the bloody thing! Wonder what’s the trouble? Hey! There’s only five cars left on the track. An’ here comes Hill more than a minute back instead of just 20 seconds. Bandini will never catch Stewart. This is turning out to be a very disappointing race. That, dear reader, was the story of the ’66 GP of Monaco … but it is difficult to convey the glory of the

GP of Monaco. There is the unbelievable blue-green of the harbour shading to the deep green of the Mediterranean. The grace, beauty and variety of the boats is surpassed by that of the women, of every nationality, and every one dressed to kill. There are the small red-roofed houses with the large graceful hotels standing among them. The castle on the hill and the mist on the mountain tops. The ornate Casino overlooking the mouth of the harbour. The howling of the cars as they average over 80mph through the heart of Monte Carlo and along the edge of the harbour. It has to be seen, felt and heard to be appreciated. I’d recommend the trip to anyone … but Hoo! Boy! It’s expensive! Author’s Note: While copy typing from the carbon copy of the draft which I had submitted to the editor 40 years and one month ago I checked what had happened to Clark. Automobile Year #14 reported that he had been left stuck in first gear on the grid and had dnf’d due to a broken rear suspension.

Do you enjoy movies? And cars? And the 60s? Here are some cool movies you can watch to feed all your loves: Un Homme et Une Femme (A Man and a Woman) This Oscar-winning French 1966 film (Al! Same year!!), directed by Claude Lelouch is the consumate love story. Starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimée, it tells the story of two lonely individuals — she, a film director, he, a professional race car driver. They meet when he gives her a ride home from the school their children both attend. There is instant chemistry, but neither can escape their past

sorrows. Eventually, beautifully, their stories unfold, and … well, I won’t tell you the ending, but I will caution you to keep a box of tissues on the coffee table close-by. This is definitely a film for both the romantic in the relationship, as well as the race enthusiast. There are race scenes for all types (including shots of him driving a Ford GT40, the car that actually won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1966). In addition the soundtrack is fantastic—a mix of 60s French and samba tunes. Grand Prix I actually have yet to see this other 1966 movie, but Arek has put it on our must-see list from www.zip.ca, and their website says that although this movie has only a ‘nickel’s worth of plot’, that this lavish race-car melodrama has a ‘few million dollars’ worth of star power’ in James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, and Antonio Sabato! The racing sequences are apparently top-notch, and use those fun 60s photographic devices like multiple screens, and shots from a helicopter. It too won Oscars — for sound and editing. Reviewer “sushi” says that

this film is spectacular! It puts to shame what we see with modern equipment today. I can’t wait for this little gem to arrive in my mailbox! If you have some favourite movies involving cars or racing, let me know at [email protected]!

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I'm not sure how many of you are in my position - part of the MCO, but not really part of the MCO. I am a paying member, but I don't race cars. I know how to help bleed brakes, I know what a difference a good racing line makes, and I remind Arek to pack his torque wrench and HANS device. Since I'm married to one of the drivers, I like to think of myself as his own personal sponsor (there really should be a nice picture of my face beside the spiffy M3 flag on his hood), and the end of season banquets are really fun too! But aside from that, I'm not really a devoted car lover. Arek has tried a few times to showcase other drivers and their loving families - "a family that races together stays together!" - and the help they give each other, and the fun they all have sharing tools and tires and timers. And as excited as I get as the next person over the newest shiny car in the lot, that memory of sitting in the freezing rain at Watkins Glen last April, chatting up the coffee-

trailer-guy so I could loiter a few more minutes in his warm-ish van, and taking the class part of the course just so my teeth would stop chattering haunts me. I knew then that I could never be one of you. That, and the time I totally broke my nail while changing a tire! So this column is for those of you like me, or those of you who love guys like him. You know who I mean... when Arek says Mosport, I say, "Oh, can we stay at that close-by B&B with the jacuzzi again"? When he says Shannonville, I'm making restaurant reservations in Kingston. St. Eustache? Hmm... I haven't been shopping in Montreal recently. Watkins Glen? Wine country!! And now that he's saying Calabogie, I'm all over booking a night at the ski lodge. I'm driving all four of my wheels off the track, and am taking them down the road, across the railway tracks, and into the surrounding little towns to see what else there is. You can look at this article as a little tourist-info area, where I will be checking out the local sites, taking in the local scenery and telling you all about it, so you too can spend a few minutes away from the track on those weekends when you just want to get away from all the fumes and torque-talk. By the way, the places in this column have not paid for advertising in any way, and I have not told them I am writing about them. This is just going to a place where I talk candidly about the places I visit on our

race weekends. Today’s episode will tell you all about my favourite weekend in September — my birthday! Otherwise known to Arek as “I’m going down to help a SoloSprint team at the Enduro at Mosport” weekend! Ok, that actually sounds ok… we’ll drive down to Bowmanville on the Friday night, stay at a nice hotel or bed and breakfast, go to the race on Saturday, still have time for a nice dinner, and then do some shopping on Sunday on the way back to Ottawa. Not so bad after all! We packed our bags on Thursday night, and left straight from work. We were only in Kanata filling up the car, and I already had my book out. It’s completely rude and anti-social, I know, but one of my favourite times to read is in the car on the way to and from the track — hours of uninterrupted reading! I was just getting to good part, when I looked up, only to find ourselves in the parking lot of a restaurant in Stittsville. What? Arek looked at me and said “I’m hungry, let’s eat before we go”. ??? Ok… but you’re acting very strangely… We got inside, only to be surprised by many of my friends! He’d organized a little birthday gathering at the restau-rant ! Louisiannie’s Restaurant in Stittsville is a great place to eat. The restaurant is situated in an old Victorian building and feels very homey. The food is, as you might expect, Cajun-based and has lots of fish and seafood. The jumbalaya is excellent, and so is the blackened catfish and the chowder. The decorations are quirky and fun, inspired by mardi-gras, and music is jazzy and playful, but not so loud you can’t hear all your friend’s conversation. Apparently, they have the occasional band that plays there, but we’ve never been there at the same time. In the summer, they have a great patio. It’s usually busy, so you may want to call ahead for a reservation. Louisiannie’s is located at 1518 Main Street in Stittsville, 613.836.3543. After leaving the restaurant, having had my fill of food, fun, and friends, we drove towards Mosport. I didn’t know where we were staying, as Arek had told me our usual favourite bed and breakfast was booked. After the twentieth time I tried to guess where we staying, he finally let me know that he HAD got us a room at our favourite place after all! We got to Our Valley View Bed and Breakfast just after midnight, and the couple that owns the place was still up and did not seem to be put out at all by

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our late arrival. Arek had let them know it was my birthday, and they had placed flowers, balloons and a nice bottle of wine in the room for us! The best part? The balloons said “Happy Sweet 16”, which was fantastic as they were only a year off from the truth ;) The bed and breakfast is set, as you might expect from the name, on the side of a large hill, and over-looks a vast valley. They have two rooms for rent, at prices that are cheaper than many hotels in the area. The first room is more elegant, and is called the Grand View for the spectacular view of the forementioned valley. It has an ensuite bathroom, with a large soaker tub, which I’m sure would fit two people, if you were so inclined. The second room is called the Canadiana, and is decorated in a fun red and white country Canadian theme. The room boasts a huge whirlpool tub, which definitely fits two people! The bathroom also has a large separate shower. This room doesn’t have a view of the valley, but who needs that, when you’re looking deep into someone’s eyes, surrounded by bath bubbles and champagne?! [Insert eye-rolling and gagging here!] The family lives upstairs, and looking out the huge expanse of windows in their living room is breath-taking. Breakfast is eaten upstairs in their great room, overlooking this same view. The food is always fantastic! Petra will make, or serve, on any given day muffins, quiche, eggs, bacon, breakfast breads, fruit compotes, fresh fruit, yogurt, and more. She always lets you put extra in a sandwich bag to fortify you throughout the day. And she’ll fill your travel mugs with her excellent coffee to give you a good start to your morning. Petra’s husband, Martin, is an avid motorcycle fan, and will talk racing, cars, and horse-power with you for as long as you like. The inn is only 15 minutes from Mosport race track, in Enniskillen, just off Regional Road 57. You can contact Our Valley View Bed and Breafast through Petra Schwirtz and Martin Zinser at 905.263.8889 or at their website www.bbcanada.com/8604.html. Saturday morning was bright and sunny, and even a bit warm. Perfect day to be off to the races! After a big breakfast, we got in the car and headed off towards the track… well, that is until Arek turned right on 57 instead of left… where were we going?

“I have to pick up some brakes at some guys house” was the answer —

soon to be determined as the second lie of the weekend! We drove around the cornfields for a

few minutes, before arriving at a cute barn that looked like it was

a shop. They sell brakes here? I read the sign more carefully —

Wine? Golf? And crafts? What kind of Tania-heaven is this?? Archibald’s Winery and Cider House Golf, apparently. Arek parked the car, went into the trunk and pulled out my golf shoes that he had sneakily stolen out of my golf bag, and went and bought two rounds of golf. But I thought he was helping with the race? “Are you golfing with me?” No. “Then who is?” You’ll see, they’re not here yet. “Is it someone I know?” Yes. I was confused for a short while, until one of my oldest friends in the world arrived in the shop where I was looking at really cute decorations and gourmet wine jellies. Kirsten! How cool! We hugged each other and then jumped around like crazy kids for a second, pulled together our compo-sure, and bid adieu to Arek. We were going golfing! And then wine tasting! And then craft shopping! The course at the Winery is very nice. It is small—only a par 3 9-hole course, but so pretty as it is surrounded by apple orchards and cornfields. The only place I’ve golfed where the rough is full of fallen apples! Being the middle of September, the air was still warm, but the leaves in the surrounding valleys had started changing colours — it was one of the prettiest courses I’d seen, even if it was small. Being ladies of luxury, we decided to rent a cart (we needed

a place to put our coffee and snacks!) to drive the course. We had so much fun the first time round we decided to go around a second time! After that, being a

little tired and sun-worn, we headed to the winery for some free wine and cider tastings.

Definitely tasty!! All their wines are made with apples and other fruits, and are really quite good. I bought a few bottles to

share with friends when we got back to Ottawa. The craft shop had a lot of local artisan’s work—I bought some twiggy abstract Christmas trees, and a cute “lady” about a foot tall, and made of tin, to put in the garden. Kirsten bought some jams and a Christmas table runner. Archibald’s Winery and Cider House Golf was definitely a fun place to spend the afternoon — a great place for the whole family as they have a fun area for kids with lots of toys. They are located at 6275 Liberty Street North, in Bowmanville, and can be reached at 905.263.2396 or at www.archibalds-estatewinery.on.ca. After our luxurious afternoon, we headed up to Mosport to see how the boys were doing. Arek was helping on the team made up of Christian Sorensen (SoloSprint Ontario Director), and Chris Paczynski (SoloSprint Champion 4 years running), driving Christian’s 1996 BMW 328. Bad news as soon as we got there: during practice runs that very morning, someone accidentally shifted into third gear, instead of fifth. Yeah… even I know that’s bad. Apparently when the engine blew, it was quite spectacular, so at


least there was that for the scrapbook. So, instead of watching Arek in the pits, we got to just hang around with the team and their helpers, and watch other people we knew, mostly from Turn 5 at Mosport. What fun!! We must have walked about 10 km that evening, just wandering around going to all the viewpoints around the track. After the races, Arek and I, and Kirsten and her boyfriend drove into the town of Bowmanville for dinner. We decided to go to The Village Inn, a place Arek and I had been to on a previous occasion. It is a Irish-style pub, with really good pub fare—including old fave’s like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and hearty stew. The food is warm, and the beer is cold which is always good! The pub has lots of cozy booths, and has an intimate atmosphere, per-fect for bunking down for the evening with friends and converstaion. There are some open-mic nights, and the occasional irish band that plays here, so check ahead if you are looking for some live music. The Village Inn is located at 99 King Street West in the heart of downtown Bowmanville, 905.623.4799. The following day, we left Bowmanville, and made our way slowly back to Ottawa. Petra, at the bed and

breakfast has suggested going through Port Perry for some fun shopping, and good restaurants. It’s a pretty town on Highway 7A, north of Oshawa, on Lake Scugog. It’s full of fun artisan shops, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and even has a small cruise boat on the lake. The place is so darn cute, that several Hollywood movies have shot some scenes here! Apparently Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell al-ways stop in on their way to their Muskoka cottage. We liked the “design shops” the most — little shops with unique home decorations, furniture, and housewares. I bought a great bunch of “sticks” as my brother-in-law calls them — tall shafts of bamboo with palm-like leaves on them, that I’ve placed in a corner of our entry way. So chic! It was a lot of fun to just wander down the main streets, window-shopping, drinking coffee, and chat-ting about our fun weekend. Check out their web-site, which not only has a list of up-coming events, including lots of Christas activities and crafts shows, but also lists all the shops, restaurants, and places for accommodation — www.discoverportperry.ca. So that’s it for this episode! I hope you enjoyed the first of this column. Let me know what you thought! Email me at [email protected] with your comments, or suggestions of places to visit near your favourite track! See you next time, and until then, you keep your wheels on the track, and I’ll keep mine off!

Winter Driving School Workers Needed Well, if you weren't at the meeting this past Tuesday night (and why weren't you since it was the AGM!?!) you won't know that the dates for the winter schools have been established. I figured I would jump right in before you get all booked up with other winter doings. So ... please let me know on which of the following dates you anticipate you will be able to come and help out at the winter schools:

Saturday, January 6, 2007 Sunday, January 14, 2007

Saturday, January 27, 2007 Sunday, February 4, 2007

Saturday, February 17, 2007 Sunday, February 25, 2007

Once I have your response I will create a preliminary roster so I can verify that we are adequately staffed each day. If you know of somebody who didn't work last year, but might want to work this year, please forward this message on to them. Last year we managed to spread the work load more evenly than in previous years and I would like to continue the trend! Cheers! Cindy


Each winter, the Motorsport Club of Ottawa (MCO) holds a series of winter-driving schools to teach the basics of car handling and control in adverse conditions. Our experienced instructors will teach you the techniques you need to drive safely and help you develop those skills throughout the course. All the instructors are volunteers. See dates for the courses this winter on page 21. The MCO was founded in 1949, and our members have a wealth of experience in a range of disciplines. The instructor with you may participate in a variety of events, such as those held by the MCO, Canadian Auto Sport Clubs (Ontario Region) or Rally Sport Ontario. All the instructors love to drive and are highly qualified. Feel free to ask them questions about cars and motorsports and the MCO (www.mco.org). The schools take place at The Capital City Speedway on Hwy 7, 2 km west of Stittsville or 5 km west of Scotia Bank Place. The entrance to the Speedway is on the right hand side (west bound) of road. Please confirm a date by contacting the organizer, Paul Swinwood, at [email protected] or by register-ing on line at www.mco.org. TIPS: • Dress warm but layers as you will be in and out

of your car • Wear warm boots • Empty your car of “stuff”, otherwise it will roll

around as you drive. • Come with at least a ½ tank of gas.

• During the lunch break: bring your own or travel to Stittsville (10 minutes away).

MCO 2007 Winter Driving Schools

Daily Timetable: 08:15 - 08:30 — coffee and donuts 08:30 - 08:45 — introductions 08:45 - 09:15 — theory session 09:20 - 09:40 — instructor familiarization 09:40 - 10:15 — braking demo. and practice 10:20 - 11:05 — slalom 11:10 - 11:55 — skid control 12:00 - 13:00 — lunch 13:00 - 13:15 — briefing 13:15 - 14:00 — cornering 14:05 - 14:50 — accident avoidance


1. Snookered Again! Well it’s November one year later, and I’ve been caught off guard yet again by another change in command at the Editor’s desk. I’ve really gotta pay more attention to what’s going on with The Link as it’s now one week to go before the deadline and I have nothing prepared, so I guess I’d better get ‘er in gear! Actually, just before Hallowe’en, I did start to work on a feature piece about my all too brief experience in 1970 with the Kiki 6A Formula 5000/FA car. Unfortunately, there’s not enough time to get it ready for this issue as I still have some research to do and some photos to find before drafting the final text, so I guess I’ll cobble something together from my “Rocketship RX7" forum thread and maybe a couple of more items as they come to mind. Maybe I’ll start with ... 2. Into the 21st Century Slowly, oh so-o-o slowly, I’m making my way beyond the year 2000. My

most recent move, about eleven months ago, was to purchase a digital camera. It’s only a point-and-shoot Kodak C315, so the picture quality isn’t that great compared to my old 35 mm Pentax K1000 system; I’ll keep that for when I want really good shots. There are digital cameras now that compare to a good 35 mm system, but right now I can’t afford one. So what does this all mean to you? It means that in the future you’re liable to see more photos accompanying this column as I find it much simpler and faster to download photos for publishing with the digital compared to 35 mm photos, with all the developing, printing and then scanning them to disc in order to publish them. And you know the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” ...

hmmm, I guess for me that should be “... two thou-sand words.” 3. The MCO Consumer Reports - Adlonco Car Shelter Up-date

The shelter that I reviewed in the issue published last June has been up for a year now, and with mixed results. The tube metal frame has stood up very well and stayed reasonably rigid with no loose connectors, but that was to be expected. The fabric of the cover has also worn quite well considering it’s not specifically protected from UV rays, but then, we haven’t had a lot of days of strong sunlight since last Spring, have we? On the other hand, it has lost three or four more grommets over the year, with another five or so loose in their holes, and some of the cloth tabs that tie the cover to the frame have torn off, but they didn’t look that strong to me in the first place. I’m a bit disappointed but not really surprised regarding the grommets and tie tabs, but I suspect that these issues were made worse by the first two problems outlined below. These two really disappointing results involve the nylon cord that holds the cover to the frame, and the elastic cord tie tabs that secure the doors to the main structure. I had to re-tension the cord for the cover a few more times after writing the first review, and over the winter, repair two breaks in the cord. And when I went to move the car shelter to a new spot this fall, I found that the cord had rotted

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As shown here, the cover has stood up pretty well. I have two narrow angle corner tie downs at the front as a good single wide angle one would have blocked the access to the spot where I park my RV.


through in about five or six places. The only thing holding the cover in place was its weight, the remaining interior cloth ties, and the corner tent-type tie-downs I installed as their ropes went through grommet holes in the cover and were tied to the metal frame. The cord has now been replaced by re-usable plastic ties in each grommet hole on the cover. I found them much easier to install than the cord, and each one can be individually adjusted for tension as required. As for the door ties, they just stretched and stretched and then finally broke off ... all twelve of them! They also have been replaced with re-usable plastic ties. And one more thing that I learned after the removal of the shelter from its cement pad to a plain earth location: the spiked hold-downs on the bottom frame corners don’t hold well in dirt in a high wind, and that due to this, the four “recommended” tent-type tie-downs are mandatory if you don’t want the shelter to become a huge kite!

So am I still satisfied with my purchase? Well, sort of, given that it was on sale, but if I had to do it again and had a bit more cash available, I’d probably have a good hard look at some of the more expensive car shelters from manufacturers such as Cover-All. And my MCO Consumer Reports rating? Probably still a Steady Yellow, but getting perilously close to a Waved Yellow ... we’ll see after another winter. 4. Privilege and its Price Those of us who are or have been racing drivers are a privileged few. “Yeah,” you might say; “in addition to the time spent, I’m privileged to pay all my own costs; for my car, tow vehicle, tools and equipment, fuel and supplies, parts and maintenance, travel and accommodations, and then entry fees so I can race. So where’s the privilege?” Well, I would acknowledge that you have a very good point. Unless we are fully sponsored or a full-time professional driver, to be so privileged we pay out a great deal in time and money, and even if we are sponsored or a full time pro, it still costs us before we reach those levels. In addition, we do this without any taxpayer funded support for coaching, equipment, training and competition facilities, or a monthly living allowance, as do some athletes who compete in “establishment” sports. But, in exchange for our time and money, we get to be one of the select few who actively compete in one of the very few sports that fully engage both the body and the intellect in direct competition with other athletes. The emotional returns are close comradeship with other competitors, encountering and overcoming mental and physical challenges, and immense personal satisfaction when things go well, and even when things don’t go well, they are usually useful learning experiences. There are very few who have engaged in our sport who can’t say that it has given them immense personal growth in both self-confidence and humil-ity, a sense of humour and the ironic, appreciation for the help and support of family, friends and those “behind the scenes” (which in our case would be our crew members and the marshals, track workers and officials), the ability to deal with challenges and to recognise what is and is not possible and practical, and a great deal of inner satisfaction and peace, to name a few benefits. I’d say that all this does indeed make us a privileged few. But God reminds us occasionally that this state of privilege comes with a price other than time, money, and a few bloody knuckles. I know this because I almost paid the price myself in 1970, but that’s a story to be told at another time. On this occasion I’d like to pay tribute

If you look closely you’ll see the re-usable tie tabs on the bottom frame rail and up the door frame. If one or two break they’re cheap and easy to replace ... and a hell of a lot easier than running a single cord along both bottom rails and up and around the door frames while trying to get even tension on it all round!


to someone else who recently almost paid too dearly for being in our privileged group. Sam Mandia is well know to most members of our Club for his tireless work in promoting and working at Club events. He is our Public Relations front man, organiser or a key member of teams that put on special Club events, such as the “Tech Day” last spring and the recent “Goodwood in the Valley” event at Calabogie, and an instructor at many of our Winter and Race Driving Schools, to name a few. He also races the black number “8" Formula Vee in Regional events with more than a little success, and is a well respected competitor. I don’t know the full details of the “incident” that prompted me to write this tribute, but on September 17th, the Sunday of the BEMC Indian Summer Trophy Races at Mosport, Sam had a major “off” in the esses at the top of the back straight, which ended in a very bad crash. Amongst other injuries resulting from this incident, a piece of metal punctured his side and shattered some of his hip bone. He was hospitalized first in Oshawa for a week, where he underwent five hours of surgery, and then in Ottawa for (I think) several more weeks where he underwent another four procedures to clean up some infection in the puncture wound. In mid October his recovery was expected to take another six to eight weeks, and as I write this (November 4th 2006) Sam is at home in good spirits and making progress, although he still has a few issues with blood clots and infection. Get well soon, Sam, and we all hope to see you racing again before the end of next season. PS: Sam made it out to the AGM with some help from his wife and a walker. He looked well and was in good spirits ... way to go Sam! 5. More Valley Humour Time to lighten things up a bit: Old Lyle McAndrews on the old Settlement Road had a visit from his grand-daughter who lives in the city. Out working with her in the barn, he got a bit of dust up his nose and let out a couple of great big sneezes, upon which his grand-daughter said “Granddad, I’m really proud of you.” “Humph, what’s to be proud of?” he replied. “Well,” she said, “I no-ticed that when you sneezed, you’ve finally remem-bered to put your hand in front of your mouth.” “Of course” said old Lyle “how else can I catch these damn new teeth?”

6. The season that wasn’t Well, despite all my hopes in April, I didn’t get out again this year. That’s two seasons in a row now, and my frustration levels are getting really high. The basic issues that have interfered with my plans remain the same as in the last few years, and hinge on problems with household finances. The financial situation that I thought was resolved by early September last year with the sale of the farm lands came back with a vengeance in May, with the result that much of the household work that I had planned to be jobbed out, such as keeping old vehicles and household equipment running, I had to do myself, taking valuable time away from working on the RX7, trailer modifications, and getting a replacement tow vehicle. There were also some lapses on my part, as well as some unexpected problems with the trailer and replacement tow vehicle, which didn’t help things either. As the financial issues involve “another member of the household”, this is not the place to discus them, and for those who want the full gory details of my “season,” they are available on the MCO forum thread “Project Car - Rocketship RX7". I will content myself here with a summary of the major points involving trying to get out to race. Hmm (four days later). On second thought, Arek’s deadline for this column is fast approaching and I still have lots to do around my place to get vehicles and things ready for the winter, and time’s running out for both of these jobs. I think I’ll leave the rest for a later issue and just give an up-date on one of the positive things that happened this year, and

The new roof. All the garage needs now is some siding ... and some insulation ... and a wiring up-date ... and ... and ... !! Oh, and before anyone asks, no, I didn’t get around to cutting the grass at all this summer.


which remedied an issue that many have heard me moan about for quite some time now. And the posi-tive item? I now have a new and rainproof garage roof! For those not familiar with my garage woes, the issue was that due to not having the money to fix it when it first started to go, the roof eventually leaked so badly when it rained that I couldn’t work inside. In addition, in winter when it went below about -5 degrees C, and especially if it was windy, it was hard to keep heat in even with both the electric and propane heaters running. And even if it wasn’t too cold or windy, there would be snow or ice under the roof because of the holes, which meant I had to wait until the heat melted it and it all dripped down before I could do any major jobs. Not a happy situation. In late July 2005, when we knew that there would be some money from the land sale, I contacted a roofer who said he’d be able to do the job in early October. By mid-October he informed me that the wet fall had put him way behind schedule, but he would get to it by the first week in December. After two more months of calls, promises to tarp the roof in December, and then more delays, I was considering calling in another roofer. Ha! Good look trying to find someone to do it in the middle of winter. I was running out of patience ... and time. Finally, on the evening of the last Sunday in January 2006, when I was making out a list of roofers to call the next morning, lo and behold, Bill the roofer actually called me for a change! He informed me that he would tarp the roof later in the week, and then start on the repairs before mid-February. On Tuesday morning he dropped by the house and asked for a deposit on the work to be done, and later in the day came back and put up some scaffolding along the side of the garage. Well damn, I thought, maybe that lad’s starting to get serious about things. Then one day passed, nothing, two days, nothing yet, three ... here we go again, folks! But, early on the following Saturday afternoon I was returning home with my trailer, which I had loaned to a friend, and I spied some-thing white on the garage roof. A tarp! The whole roof was tarped! I still couldn’t work in the garage when it was warm enough to melt snow as there was still a whole mess of it up in the roof, plus which, all my tools and stuff were disorganized as they were stored under plastic or out of the way in waterproof packers and boxes, and were not really handy to get at, but hell, he was gonna start re-building the roof in a few weeks anyway, wasn’t he?

Well, not exactly. Again after several calls, and me having to dodge the worst of the melting snow in the garage to get a few small jobs done, he finally showed up with a helper in mid May, and the roof was finished a few days before the end of the month. It took much longer than expected for the roofer to get to it, but when they did it was a really good job. They also added a little “portico” over the side door so I’ll no longer have water running down my neck when I’m trying to unlock the garage. The repair was also more extensive than we thought it would be, including having to replace most of the top rails on the trusses, and they also had to add a centre supporting beam and jack post as the roof was sagging in the middle. The reason for this is that the garage is a 1960s “garage-in-a-box” such as one would get from Home Hardware, and the trusses back then had fewer diagonal supports than those for a good quality garage would have today. Apparently they weaken with age causing the roof to sag in the middle, and in my case the roofer said it would be cheaper to add a support beam than replace all the trusses. Anyway, the roof is now good and solid, and with the amount of rain we’ve been getting since early May, I figure it’s been amortized, at least as far as the state of my temper is concerned, several times over. Geez, if I wanted to live in weather like this, I’d have moved to Vancouver a long time ago!!

The old re-built trusses. Newer better quality ones have three triangulated braces per side for extra strength.


7. Parting Shot ... What in h*ll were they (allegedly) thinking of? I guess I’ll have to be a bit cautious on how I word this, corporate lawyers being what they are ... oops, sorry ... corporate lawyers (allegedly) being what they are, so here’s my disclaimer: I have never watched an episode of Star Racer© as there’s no cable service down our road and I don’t

have a satellite. Not that I would bother with them anyway as they (allegedly) offer only package deals which (allegedly) consist of four channels that I might watch and (allegedly) forty or so in which I (allegedly) would have no interest at all. In view of this, all of the following is based on second hand information and may or may not be (allegedly) accurate. So there, satisfied now? OK, on with the Parting Shot. It is not unusual for me to get close to deadline time and still have nothing for a Parting Shot, but it seems that almost always someone (allegedly) does something (allegedly) stupid or (allegedly) silly, and this time is no different. While reading through a thread on the TV show Star Racer© on a certain forum, which shall remain un-named to protect the innocent, I discovered a shocking item of (alleged) information. It seems that either the producers or judges for this program (allegedly) selected as an entrant in this (alleged) competition a drag racer who was (allegedly) an admitted “street racer”, and who (allegedly) also acknowledged that he doesn't think about the risks when he races! In addition, the producers of this program (allegedly) elected to air an interview with this idiot in which he (allegedly) discussed his street racing experiences and what a rush it was!! If this (allegation) is true, what were the producers (allegedly) thinking of, when the public, politicians, police, and the legitimate motorsports community, are trying (no allegation here as this is knowledge which is in the Public Domain) to drastically reduce, and hopefully eliminate, this dangerous and idiotic “sport”. Star Racer©, in selecting an (allegedly) self-confessed “street racer”, could be interpreted by many people as (allegedly) condoning this illegal, dangerous and stupid activity, and by implication, also the (alleged) sponsors of this program, Mazda Canada and Castrol. The only potential up-side to this (alleged) situation is that, in my observations over the years, most “street racers” know very little about how to get a car around a corner safely and quickly, and next to nothing about what to do if and when they “get out of shape”. This means that, if there are objective assessments of the competing drivers in this program, then their “street racer” shouldn’t make it past the first cut. Of course, “reality” programs (allegedly) being what they are, .....

Don’t forget the MCO Banquet — Friday, December 1st! Louis’ Restaurant — 6:00 pm

Tickets through Bruce Malanka, MCO President or online at www.mco.org — $20

The new support beam and jack post, and a messy garage. I was going to re-organise after the roofers were finished, but I never really got the time. Another winter job.


The Ten Second Brake Test

Before you go tearing things apart, do the 10 second brake test: 1. With the engine off, pump the pedal until all vacuum in the booster is eliminated. 2. Pump the pedal again a few times until you get a firm pedal. 3. Plant your arse firmly in the seat and push on the pedal as hard as you can, and hold the pressure for 10 seconds. Preliminary Diagnosis: If the pedal goes straight to the floor, you have a completely burst brake line. If the pedal goes down fairly quickly, there's probably a loose fitting, leaking line or hose, or a blown caliper/wheel cylinder seal. If the pedal goes down slowly, it's could still be a fitting, but not as loose, a seal, but not as bad, a pin-hole leak in a line, or the master cylinder seals. If the pedal is just mushy but firms up a bit with some pedal pumping, there's probably air in the lines, a swelling brake hose due to a soft cover or worn/frayed wire mesh inner sheath, or the fluid level is low. If there are no apparent problems after 10 full seconds, start the engine. If the pedal is mushy or drops excessively with the engine running, check that the booster is not building up excess vacuum (not common, but possible). Note: This test gives a general diagnosis and may vary a bit from car to car, but it's been tried and true for as long as I can remember (and no smart-ass comments here from you young lads about my age!), and is probably the best starting point.

The Ten Second Brake Test There are questions periodically on some forum or other about diagnosing brake problems. For those who want a good starting point for your diagnosis, I offer the following for you to cut out and paste up somewhere prominent in your garage. — John Powell


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A lesson in modifications — which car has a race suspension ???? [Ed. Note—Yes, that is my black car on the right… I had to get it in here at least once!!!]

Extreme Noise Reduction Measures !

Back Seat Teddy Bear The OPP teddy bear at Goodwood in the Valley

The Sweet Taste of Victory !

Link 2006 12

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Transcript of Link 2006 12