It's coming up! Put Saturday, May 8, 2004 on your calenders! BMWs, MINIs, Subarus, Audis... are all welcome!

 

I'm looking forward to Spring Fling '04 and highly recommend it for the car control clinic, great local and mainland instructors, and track time. Lets hope for some good May weather.

Last year's Spring Fling '03

Fun at Spring Fling '03

Notes on driving at Hawaii Raceway Park

 

ok, i'm taking sponsorships :smile: MINI of Hawaii? BMW of Honolulu? Aloha KIA?

 

>>It's coming up! Put Saturday, May 8, 2004 on your calenders! BMWs, MINIs, Subarus, Audis... are all welcome!

So when is the sign-up and what are the requirements? Looking forward to it!

 

>>ok, i'm taking sponsorships :smile: MINI of Hawaii? BMW of Honolulu? Aloha KIA?

What about Team Baronius? or 808-Motoring?

 

OK, so is anyone else definitely going to Spring Fling besides me?

Or is anyone definitely not going?

I would warn you that there is a limit of about 30 people that can sign up.
Half need to be BMW CCA members for insurance purposes.
MINIs make up about 5 to 8 of the 30 in the past.

Please do sign up early once the applications are out.
Be sure to come to the tech session on April 17th or make other arrangements to tech your MINI before May 8th.

 

i'm there...april 17 tech sess...and may 8 spring fling

 

>>I would warn you that there is a limit of about 30 people that can sign up.
>>Half need to be BMW CCA members for insurance purposes.
>>MINIs make up about 5 to 8 of the 30 in the past.
>>
>>Please do sign up early once the applications are out.
>>Be sure to come to the tech session on April 17th or make other arrangements to tech your MINI before May 8th.

Minihune - There are some changes this year.
- We are shooting for 40+ students this year
- ALL participants MUST be BMW CCA members for insurance purposes
- Cost is $249 which includes catered breakfast, lunch, t-shirt and expert instruction
- Participants please attend the tech session on April 17
- for more info or your application, e-mail Owen Farrior at ofbmw@hawaii.rr.com

 

I'm going! I have both the April and the May thingys marked on my calendar. Wouldn't miss it!

I will however, have to miss auto-x this weekend. My work hours just increased recently, and I really need the weekends to catch up on my sleep (and shopping, housecleaning, etc). Hopefully by next month I will have adjusted to my new hours and I will be able to make auto-x.

MINIangelD

 

I'll be there 4/17 at BME & 5/8 at HRP

 

>>Minihune - There are some changes this year.
>>- We are shooting for 40+ students this year

Big crowd. You'll need to be organized to handle those kind of numbers. Do you have enough volunteers?
Also need to get each portion started and finished on time so that we don't get delayed and then not have enough time to finish things.

>>- ALL participants MUST be BMW CCA members for insurance purposes

I think that is a good thing. I would recommend us MINI owners that want to participate in BMW CCA events to get a membership.

>>- Cost is $249 which includes catered breakfast, lunch, t-shirt and expert instruction

I know that the prices are quite reasonable for what you do get. It's a good value.

>>- Participants please attend the tech session on April 17

We will have more than just a tech session. We can learn about DIY and more. Got any spare MINI parts to sell? Bring them on down.

>>- for more info or your application, e-mail Owen Farrior at ofbmw@hawaii.rr.com
Many thanks Beastmaster.

 

looks like a decent turnout expected for driving school. awesome. so after dishing $249 for instruction on how to negotiate slaloms and the like, you will be more than adequately prepared for the monthly auto-x events!!!

kbseto and bgrphh -- can't wait to see you guys at HRP...for SCCA!

 

>>looks like a decent turnout expected for driving school. awesome. so after dishing $249 for instruction on how to negotiate slaloms and the like, you will be more than adequately prepared for the monthly auto-x events!!!

I talked to the Beastmaster about making Spring Fling or the Aloha 500 more geared to preparation for auto-x and he said that probably was not going to happen. Autocross is all about setting up courses with cones to make single drivers do precision driving at speed. It is typically lower speed and you get four chances to clock a legal fast time which you compare with other drivers of the same class cars as well as an overall place.

Spring fling in the past was more of a car control clinic in the morning (for novice drivers) and limited 20 minute track sessions in the afternoon, usually on the long 1.3 mile course at the Hawaii Raceway park. It's much higher speeds with multiple cars on the track at one time. You do not drive against a clock and there is no racing involved.
Strict passing rules are observed and you have to learn about flags and what they mean on the track. You drive on sweeping turns, an off camber turn and a long quarter mile plus straightaway with a hairpin at it's end. When on the track you --- get an instructor to go out with you for help with each session.

I think that if you want to be prepared for autocross then you'd better start doing autocross regularly.
It's very challenging since the course made up of cones varies each month from uphill to downhill following various patterns.

_________________
Send a PM to minihune Mele Kalikimaka & Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

 

car control clinic and slaloms will definitely help as there are slaloms at every single auto-x event. yes, the course changes each month but the fundamentals are the same. the clock is on but it's your choice how fast you want to do it. ideally, you want to become a "better" driver by running a quicker time. yet, you can choose your own speed to learn what your car is capable of handling.

in my opinion, the BMW driving schools are potentially very dangerous events. i'm sure that all novices and many "advanced" drivers do not belong on a full course, wheel-to-wheel event, even while observing strict passing guidelines with an instructor sitting in the passenger seat at an annual or semi-annual event. and the high driving speeds don't make the situation better. remember the s2000 that flipped over last year?

to each his own.

 

>>car control clinic and slaloms will definitely help as there are slaloms at every single auto-x event. yes, the course changes each month but the fundamentals are the same. the clock is on but it's your choice how fast you want to do it. ideally, you want to become a "better" driver by running a quicker time. yet, you can choose your own speed to learn what your car is capable of handling.

I think it is true that skid pad, slalom and emergency manuevers taught and practiced in the car control clinic are basic skills used in autocross and that it does help. And I do agree that you can choose your own speed in autocross since it is a solo event. The good part about all this is to teach you where your limits might be rather than find out in an accident.

>>in my opinion, the BMW driving schools are potentially very dangerous events. i'm sure that all novices and many "advanced" drivers do not belong on a full course, wheel-to-wheel event, even while observing strict passing guidelines with an instructor sitting in the passenger seat at an annual or semi-annual event. and the high driving speeds don't make the situation better. remember the s2000 that flipped over last year?

Along with more speed is always danger, there is just no doubt about it. But like you said you can choose your own speed and each track session is limited to drivers of roughly the same level of skill albeit in their own cars. When I did Spring Fling a year ago I was driving a nearly stock MCS (intake and rear swaybar only) and I was passed more than once by a modded MCS. Hey that is fine. There was no race going on and no real reason to push higher speeds given my skill level and basic MCS. It's up to each driver to feel comfortable whether it be autocross, track or out on a cruise.

No matter what, safety for all those involved is key. Accidents can and do happen, on the track and on our streets.
Be careful out there.

 

i must say that at last year's aloha 500, i was feeling a little nervous about the afternoon session where we all get to test the track. i really couldn't imagine having xx number of cars out there all at the same time. plus, i was getting antsy with those flags. i was ready to cram a study sesssion during lunch just to make sure i don't do the opposite thing with the wrong flag. but lucky for me, mother nature rained out the afternoon sess. still, i wanted to test out the track a few times, but just not with so many other cars.

this year, i think i'm still a bit apprehensive about the track session. especially when cars start passing me. i think i'll just cruise in the back and follow whoever's in front of me. but sooner or later i know somebody's gonna catch up and wanna pass me. i'd better start studying those hand signals and flags already.

 

kbs,

Not to worry, you can ask to be put into the novice group and all of you will have instructors with you who do know the flags well. They will help you along as needed. In the novice group you will be fine. Your JCW kit MCS is by far superior to most of the MINIs out there in your session.

Studying the information early is good. Here are some sources I'd recommend.
For driving rules on a track see
http://www.ncracing.org/rules.html

On flags
http://www.ncracing.org/flags.html

For a driver's guide (download Open track driver's primer a pdf file)
http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/otbook.htm

 

being nervous is natural :smile: get over your apprehension by meeting us at hrp tomorrow :smile: you'll be on the track alone and the only person you're racing against is yourself!

i'll even let you use my car!

 

I guess it's time to chime in since I'm the one who puts on the event.False Having an instructor with you on the track is MANDATORY. The only ones who can drive by themselves are students who have been signed off by the instructor. These are VERY advanced drivers who have lots of track experience. Instructors are not to drive on the track by themselves either. They MUST have a student with them.

True There is a greater POTENTIAL danger when there are more cars on the track. We strive to put on a very safe event. It is true that we had a S2000 flip last year. However, it was a bunch of things that led to this incident. The weather was the primary cause along with driver error. Yes, the instructor was in the car, but the driver did not listen to the instructor input. As a result of this, drivers will be pulled off the track when they are not listening to the instructor. It may be adrenaline pumping or just not thinking fast enough, but drivers will be brought in to calm down and collect their thoughts before returning to the track. If they are unable to control themselves, their day will be over as they will be pulled off the track.

Do not worry about this. You will never be pushed beyond your limits. If you wish to hang back, you may. All of this is to get you acclimated to how your car handles at speed. One thing novices have problems with on the track is remembering to breathe. They get so tense trying to do this and that they are holding their breath. Remember you need that oxygen to get to your brain so you can think and drive better. We all get nervous when we first hit the track. Then you hit your groove and you're in the zone. If you didn't get nervous, then I'd be watching you like a hawk! Guys who think they know everything and can do everything are the most dangerous ones out there.

 

t,

did you say you were gonnna let me use your mini at hrp today? i woulda been down there in a flash for that...but i got some stuff today. plus i just woke up. would this happen to be THE MINI that i'm itching to test drive?

how's about a short test drive on our next mini cruise?

 

Beastmaster
Just got my Spring Fling 04 stuff from Owen- he says tech session is 4/10 not 4/17 -

 

It's on 4/17.

 

beast -- i will bring intubation supplies in case anyone forgets to breathe.

kb -- you missed out. next time :smile:

 

>>beast -- i will bring intubation supplies in case anyone forgets to breathe.
>>
>>kb -- you missed out. next time :smile:

Yeah, but you can't use it cause you're not certified. :???:

 

For those MINI drivers that are interested in Spring Fling.
Now is the time to fill out the application, pay your BMW CCA dues, and send you money and app in via the mail with a fax as well.

Do it now or it will fill up before you know it.
I'm signed up. See you on April 17th.