senor honda

senor honda

senor honda

SportsCar magazine feature: A new adventure

Image by Thomas Outzen49 sharessharetweetemailBy: Jonathan Winker | 7 hours ago
I started in racing at a very young age. My father found an old dirt-racing kart chassis and pieced together an asphalt sprint racing kart. He then somehow convinced my mother to take the entire family to the track every weekend, so my brother and I could race. We had a very small budget.

I purchased my first road car at age 15 and reworked it to compete in autocross events. I sold this car after returning home from Army Basic Training shortly after high school, and my racing ambitions took the passenger seat while I pursued an Army career. I joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard with plans to go on active duty as an officer after college.

With that, life, as it does, began to take me on a journey very different than one I ever anticipated when I was a car-shopping teenager.

In 2009, I was deployed to Iraq as an infantryman. Shortly before my tour was complete, I was injured when a Mine Resistant Armor Protected (MRAP) gun truck weighing over 40,000lbs hit me from behind and drove up my left foot before coming to a stop on top of my thigh. Most of the bones in my foot were broken and some were missing. My left leg, left knee, both hips, upper back, and lower back all were injured as well.
Badly injured, Winker was flown to Joint Base Andrews in Nov. 2009. Image courtesy the author
I was medevac’d and, thankfully, my foot was salvaged. I spent the next 18 months going in and out of surgery and physical therapy to repair the damage to my left leg and foot. My life would never be the same.

A Long Recovery
While in the hospital, I found myself dreaming about racing – not unlike when I was 15. I started reading books about racing, and I even found myself buying go-fast parts for my Roush Mustang, although these purchases were made unknowingly by me as I was on very strong pain medication.

Between surgeries I would go home. While still recovering and in a wheelchair, my brother helped me install a supercharger in my Mustang. I even modified my leg cast to be able to work the clutch to take the car for a test spin.

At the age of 24, I needed a cane to walk, had very limited mobility, and had to deal with extreme pain every day. I was medically retired from the Army and no longer medically fit for duty. Before my injury I competed in paintball and soccer; now, I couldn’t play either sport in the same way. I did, however, find that I could still drive. I started driving in track events to begin honing my skills. And, when I was on the track, I did not have a disability.
The hand-made quilt was a special gift, but Winker was more interested in automotive hard parts. Image courtesy the author
In 2013, my pain was increasing, and it was getting difficult for me to even perform daily functions. I was still in physical therapy and working with pain management doctors. Nothing was working, and this was not the quality of life I wanted. I was presented the option of having yet another surgery to fix my foot or amputating my left leg below the knee.

The surgery would require another long recovery period, and even if it was successful, there was no guaranteeing a reduction in pain. The foot surgery would also likely require more surgeries with age. The amputation had a better likelihood of pain reduction, but there were obvious drawbacks. How difficult would it be to drive my Mustang — or any car — with a prosthetic leg?

Still, I opted for the left leg amputation, which took place in October 2013.

Soon afterwards, I was given the opportunity to attend a sport car racing event at Road America. CORE autosport hosted me and another disabled veteran at this event, and the weekend got me completely hooked on sports car racing. I was introduced to everyone on the CORE team and given a tour of their race trailer as well as the paddock. I watched the race from pit lane and listened in to all the activity on the team radio.

I left that weekend knowing that more than anything else, I wanted to start sports car racing.

When I am on the track, I am not disabled. I can compete on a total level playing field with other able-body drivers, something few sports can do. I wanted to share my newfound therapy with other disabled veterans, and started planning to build an endurance racing team for them.

I soon learned about a non-profit organization called VETMotorsports, which honors and empower injured war fighters through active participation in motorsports. I started volunteering with VETMotorsports by arranging to host qualifying veterans at local SCCA autocross events, helping to put them behind the wheel and compete.

VETMotorsports experiences provide direction, empowerment, and challenges that all of us with disabilities desire most: a mission and a purpose.

VETMotorsports introduced me to Paul Pfanner of RACER Media & Marketing (which produces SportsCar and RACER magazines), and Paul in turn introduced me to Anthony Demonte, the CEO of Skip Barber Racing School. After sharing my story of recovery and my dream to start sports car racing, I was offered a seat in the Skip Barber Three-Day Racing School at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. There, I would experience my first professional driver training and, upon successful completion of the school, be eligible to apply for my SCCA Road Racing Novice Permit.

A New Adventure Begins
I arrived at Laguna Seca early and found the Skip Barber team was already hard at work preparing their many Ford Mustangs for the class. After a hot breakfast and suit and helmet fitting, we all made our way to the classroom and were introduced to the Skip Barber staff. All of the instructors are very experienced — many were professional drivers with many hours logged on the racetrack — and we jumped into the classroom instruction.
Winker: “When I am on track, I am not disabled.” Image by Thomas Outzen
Things started slowly: We learned about traction and how weight transfer affects a tire’s contact patch. We learned about oversteer, understeer, and how to correct for both. But before I knew it, we hit the skid pad and an autocross course to put what we had just learned into action. After that, we returned to the classroom to learn about racing lines and how to read a track, and then we jumped in a Transit van for a tour of the circuit, stopping to walk certain sections.

senor honda

P

SportsCar magazine feature: A new adventure

Image by Thomas Outzen49 sharessharetweetemailBy: Jonathan Winker 7 hours ago
From classroom to skid pad and an autocross track. Image by Thomas Outzen
My major takeaway on day one was that the most minor elevation changes have a major effect on the car, and taking advantage of the positive or negative camber on the racing surface is key to squeezing out lower lap times.

We finished the day with lead/follow sessions in the Mustangs, putting some of what we had learned into action. (Shout out to Lou and the whole Skip Barber support crew for the immaculately prepared cars!)

Day two began with more classroom instruction, covering downshifting and more technical racing-line talk. Then we all loaded into the Mustangs again to practice heel-and-toe braking.

I knew going in that this particular area would be especially tough for me. I have no feeling in my prosthetic left foot, meaning I don’t really know where it is. In addition, to work the clutch I have to use my hip and knee; I have no ankle joint. While this may seem like it’s a physical hurdle, it affects me more psychologically. Consequently, I am so involved in making sure I downshift correctly that it takes my concentration away from what I should be focusing on. While I’m thinking about the downshift as I approach the corner, I really should be focusing on my braking and turn-in.

Even before going to the school, downshifts were a big area of frustration as I never had a problem with them before my amputation.

But with help from Mike Stillwagon, a lead instructor, I was able to get things under control and found a method that worked for me. I still need some practice, but I definitely am more confident working the clutch with my prosthetic now.

We headed back to the classroom to discuss braking, and then once again hit the track to put the newfound knowledge into action. We had one more classroom session to talk about flags and technical racing lines, then we did some laps around Laguna while receiving feedback from the Skip Barber instructors. The feedback was fantastic — I learned so much in such a short amount of time.
Feedback from the instructors was critical and valuable. Image by Thomas Outzen
The third and final day began with a classroom session on passing and racing lines in the rain. We performed some passing exercises and then moved into more feedback sessions.

The final classroom session was on race starts and restarts — and then we hit the track once more.

I can’t say enough about how the information provided in these sessions has improved my driving skills. The Skip Barber instructors utilized bite-size pieces that allowed me to progressively improve; nothing was overwhelming.

With SCCA Competition Novice Permit now in hand, what’s next for me? I will continue my learning through Skip Barber’s Two-Day Advanced Racing School, where I will earn my full SCCA Competition License. Then on to private coaching sessions with Skip Barber’s instructors, where I can learn the race craft I need to compete in this great sport.

My ultimate goal is to begin sports car endurance racing, but this will require a level of mental and physical toughness I have not experienced since my time in the Army. But I’m up to it, and I can’t wait for this new adventure.

senor honda

A glimpse of the 2019 SCCA Runoffs: Mazda’s view

sharetweetemailBy: MazdaMotorsports.com | April 16, 2019 1:26 AM
Tricky and ever-changing conditions plagued more than 500 racers this past weekend at the Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour at Virginia International Raceway, which will play host for the 2019 SCCA National Championship Runoffs in October. While not every Runoffs contender competed at VIR this past weekend, and the conditions make it challenging to predict what may come of the Runoffs, the event did provide some insight.

Mazda’s takeaways from VIR:

GT-3 – This weekend’s GT-3 event was part of GT-3 Challenge presented by MPI, a series supported by Max Papis Innovations, Penske Racing Shocks (new addition to GT-3 Challenge and constant supporter of club racers), AiM Sports, Hoosier Racing Tire, and Mazda. The GT-3 Challenge consists of five events held around the country, culminating with October’s SCCA National Championship Runoffs. As a class, GT-3 is gaining momentum. Stacy Wilson, driving the No. 47 Hoosier Tire/Mobil 1 Mazda RX-7, won both races, but not without a fight Sunday from Mazda driver Taz Harvey. If not for a daring pass attempt attempt by Wilson, the day could have been Harvey’s. Harvey, Wilson, and Jeff Dernehl are expected to compete for a championship in October. If Collin Jackson, Rob Warkocki, and Michael Lewis show up, it’s anyone guess how the podium forms. We may be biased (we are), but we do believe a Mazda is going to take the checkered flag this year.

F Production – We have a little more confidence in predicting the podium, or at least top five here. Charlie Campbell was the best driver of the weekend, even though the race wins eluded him. But come the Runoffs, we expect Eric Prill to challenge for the win again, with Ken Kannard in the mix. There are others.

E-Production – Simply, it’s hard to beat Matt Reynolds. But John Hainsworth did take the Saturday win in a Mazda RX-7. Congrats to John for the win!

senor honda

SCCA to sanction Global Time Attack

sharetweetemailBy: SCCA | 5 hours ago
SCCA and Global Time Attack (GTA) have reached an agreement for SCCA Pro Racing to become the official sanctioning body for 2019 Global Time Attack events throughout the United States.

This agreement includes a licensing program that allows new drivers to gain experience and accreditation to earn their way into pro time attack ranks, a system utilized by GRIDLIFE. SCCA and GTA will also be working together to produce unique, cooperative events during a number of weekends this year. Additionally, top-performing SCCA Time Trials Nationals (TTN) drivers will earn their way into GTA events, and the top 2019 TTN finisher will receive an invite to the 2020 Super Lap Battle organized by GTA.

Heyward Wagner, SCCA’s Senior Director of Marketing and Experiential Programs, said the concept of working together with GTA was piloted at the February Super Lap Battle conducted at Circuit of The Americas, an event sanctioned by SCCA.

“This latest partnership formalizes steps taken by the North American Time Attack Council to align GRIDLIFE, Global Time Attack and SCCA,” Wagner said. “This latest development is a solid foundation where each organization can experiment, learn and grow to produce exciting, top-notch events within a unique sector of motorsport. Plus, this now gives SCCA’s burgeoning Time Trials program a means for producing drivers who proceed up the ladder to highly competitive events hosted by other North American Time Attack Council organizations.”

Jason Dienhart, President of Global Time Attack, agreed that SCCA and GTA working together further legitimizes time attack activities in North America and positions the sport for growth.

“We now have a clear path towards Global Time Attack for drivers with little or no previous experience through this new licensing program and the Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials Nationals presented by Hagerty,” Dienhart said. “This is an exciting time for time attack.”

SCCA, GTA and GRIDLIFE are the founding members of the North American Time Attack Council (NATA) dedicated to the development, evolution and success of time-based, competitive motorsport events such as Time Attack and Time Trials. The goal of the Council is the progression of motorsports through the consultation and collaboration of its members in the planning and execution of programs and events. NATA and its member organizations seek to represent the interests of all drivers, from beginner to professional competitor, in order to ensure access, inclusivity, consistency and a high-quality driver experience.

Based in Torrance, California, Global Time Attack was established in 2010 with the simple desire to assemble the world’s fastest dedicated time attack cars together on a particular circuit. Through its events, live broadcasts and partnerships with independent media outlets, GTA presents this motorsport in an exciting, engaging and involving manner in order to elevate this community as a whole – including teams, fans, manufacturers, supporters and sanctioning bodies. The goal is to provide an accessible and challenging forum for the growing community of time attack motorsports enthusiasts, from the drivers to the builders.
SCCA Pro Racing, SCCA / SportsCar Magazine

senor honda

senor honda

Attack the track: Reimagining SCCA’s Time Trials program

Images by Zachary Rackovan


share
tweet
email
By: Philip Royle | June 3, 2019 8:30 AM


Above: Michael Neat entered his Scion in Max 3 at the 2018 SCCA Time Trials Nationals and fared well, taking the win.

“Since we put the application online last month, I believe we’re at 665 requests right now,” Jon Krolewicz tells me while clicking away at his keyboard, frantically trying to process as many of the incoming SCCA Time Trials license applications as possible before I distract him with our conversation.

The number of license applications, he says, is on pace to obliterate the Sports Car Club of America’s original expectations, so he’s doing his best to keep his head above water on those applications while also ensuring SCCA’s National Time Trials program maintains its momentum.

Krolewicz is certainly under the gun on this, and my slowing him down is not helping; not only is there the pressure of the inaugural season already being underway, but there’s the added knowledge that this program could be key to SCCA’s long-term future.

But while Time Trials could be a key component in the future of the Club, it’s also been instrumental in the Club’s past. After all, the first SCCA “Time Trials” event was held in July 1945. Since then, the program has undergone numerous iterations but, for the most part, it has been left for the Regions to manage the details. While the Regions are still in control of their own Track Events and Time Trials programs, in 2018, the SCCA National Office decided to pilot a limited program where they would reimagine what SCCA’s Time Trials program could be.

What’s your skill?

Krolewicz, SCCA’s Time Trials manager, is not new to track day programs. While he has road raced both professionally and on the Club level, one of Krolewicz’ earliest forays into the SCCA was working with his Region to organize track days. Now, he’s using all of his experiences to help mold a program that is beneficial to the Region and to the membership as a whole.

A key step, Krolewicz says, is creating SCCA Time Trials licenses, which are free, but help with the placement of drivers come the day of the event.

Big power equals big fun on track, but to win at an SCCA Time Trials event, drivers need skill, too.


“There are three levels of license,” he explains (noting that, technically, there is a fourth). “The three base levels are novice, intermediate, and advanced. Novice is for drivers with either no experience on track or experience on track where there’s limited passing on the straightaways with a point-by. Your Intermediate Time Trials license is for drivers who are comfortable passing anywhere on the track with a point-by. The Advanced Time Trials license covers drivers who are comfortable with some amount of passing without any point-bys.”

Pro Time Trials licenses, the fourth level, are quite unique: “If one of the NATA organizations has somebody come in, runs under an Advanced Time Trials license, and then the organization says this person was good, we can assign them a Pro license,” he explains. “Pro Time Trials license holders would be expected to pass anywhere on the track without a point-by — it’s close to a full competition license.”

So, what is NATA? Hold on — we’ll get to that.

Building a showcase

Prior to the creation of the Time Trials Nationals and Time Trials National Tour, Regions hosted events called Track Events and Time Trials and defined much of the weekend themselves (in fact, they still do). Generally, however, a Track Event is a non-timed way for enthusiasts to get on track without the pressure of the clock, while Time Trials allow competitors to use transponders to log lap times. Some SCCA Regions would divide the drivers by experience level, and some SCCA Regions created their own classing system.

“We’ve actually had a pretty good Regional program for the past few years, but there was no congruency across the country,” Krolewicz explains. “There were different standards for how the Regions grouped drivers. There were different classes. SCCA’s Southeast Division, for example, had 54 classes; the Midwest ran a different set of classes; Texas ran a different set of classes.

“The purpose of the SCCA Time Trials National Tour is a lot like the Tire Rack SCCA Solo Championship Tour or the Hoosier SCCA Super Tour — it’s to have something that the entire country, Regions and Club members alike, can look at and say, OK, I see what this program looks like,” Krolewicz says. “It’s kind of a house-on-the-hill model. This way, Regions, if they want to, can model their events after these Tours.”

But what the Time Trials National Tour is now, for its inaugural year, is not what it looked like a year ago. Back then, the program was finding its feet, and using the assistance of Regions to test the program.

“When we started talking about developing a National-level Time Trials program, a couple of Regions came to us and asked if they could help,” he says. “In particular, the Southeast Division said they had a weekend that had not been performing well as a road race weekend and wanted to know if we’d be interested in turning it into a National Time Trials kind of event.”

Soon, Krolewicz explains, SCCA’s Detroit Region, South Bend Region, and Kentucky Region all wanted to participate. “Even though we started with the idea that the National Time Trials program would be a single event, we ended up with a set of events that were modeled after what we originally envisioned the solitary event to be, and we called those new events ‘primers,’ he says. “Those events ended up being what would eventually become the Time Trials National Tour.”

All in a weekend

Learning as much as they could from the primers, the SCCA National Office hosted the inaugural keystone event, the SCCA Time Trials Nationals, at NCM Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Ky., on Sept. 28-30, 2018. With more than 120 entrants, the turnout beat all expectations. And, while the Time Trials Nationals is bigger in every respect from the Time Trials National Tours that will take place this year, the weekend schedules are similar in nature.

Many competitors at the inaugural 2018 SCCA Time Trials Nationals noted they would like to return in 2019.


“The Time Trials National Tour dates are two days in length and the Time Trials Nationals is a three-day event, but they all have multiple competition formats in the same weekend,” Krolewicz explains. “We have a TrackSprint format and the TimeAttack format involved in both. TimeAttack is your more traditional track time — you have 20 minutes or so to put your best lap in. Meanwhile, the TrackSprint format is a point-to-point competition on the track. It’s a standing start to a flying finish for a portion of the track that can be run just with timing lights, and it’s one car at a time.”

Returning to the house-on-the-hill analogy, TimeAttack and TrackSprint showcases variety, allowing Regions to pick and choose, or do both. “That’s why we wanted to do that,” Krolewicz admits, adding, “It’s because we know that Regions have different sets of equipment and they have different programs that are in their wheelhouses. By showcasing multiple formats, we can show Regions what’s out there, what they can do, and how it can be done to best fit their needs, as well as the needs of the members.”

senor honda

Attack the track: Reimagining SCCA’s Time Trials program

Images by Zachary Rackovan


share
tweet
email
By: Philip Royle June 3, 2019 8:30 AM


At the Time Trials Nationals and on the Time Trials National Tour, Krolewicz notes, the two competition types during the same weekend keep competitors hopping. “At a Time Trials National Tour event, Saturday morning will be non-scored lapping sessions,” he explains. “Drivers will be timed and then we’ll use those times to line people up by time during a later session. Saturday afternoon is the TrackSprint, point-to-point competition. Sunday morning will be scored TimeAttack sessions, and Sunday afternoon will be another TrackSprint. You’ll get both formats on both days, and the scored sessions will take the best time from each to add together to get the final event results.”

Krolewicz points out that the TrackSprint element also opens up new worlds on existing tracks, as a TrackSprint only uses a portion of an existing track. “One of the things we’ve been able to do with the TrackSprint portion is to specifically approve some sections of road courses to run backwards,” he says. “For example, when we went to GingerMan last year, we ran a portion of the track backwards.”

Pick your battle

When the inaugural Time Trials Nationals took place in 2018, there were four competition categories, with each broken down further into multiple classes. “Sport” was the lowest preparation level, followed by “Tuner,” “Max,” and “Unlimited.” Today, those classes remain, although there have been changes.

With SCCA’s Time Trials classing structure, there’s a place for everyone to play.


“The lowest preparation class is Sport,” Krolewicz says. “It focuses on what 60 percent of track day entries consist of, both in the vehicles and their modifications, which include things like cold air intakes and a lowering spring kit. Then you get into some more nuanced things, like the fact that we allow brake changes as long as it came on one of the models of your car — basically, you can put M3 brakes on your base 3-Series.

“Tuner is our next category, and it’s very closely aligned with SCCA Street Touring for autocross because it’s one of the more modern competition rule sets in the SCCA,” Krolewicz continues. “This is where you get to put shocks on your car that are multi-adjustable; you get coilovers, and mods like that.”

A rule of thumb, Krolewicz notes, is that for Sport, you bolt a part on and forget about it. If you can adjust or tune the item, you’re probably in Tuner.

The next category was in flux when we spoke, but at the time, Krolewicz and the SCCA National Staff were considering the possibility of naming it “Hyper.”

“The jury’s still out on that name,” Krolewicz laughs. “But name aside, it will allow more with the suspension, like fancy control arms. It also allows for some amount of engine swaps or intake manifold changes, or you can put a cam in the car. Certain things get tricky and nuanced, but it’ll be an either/or category with the engine modifications.”

Next up is the Max category, where as long as the car meets the tire rule — which is the same 200 treadwear rule all of the categories mentioned so far have to abide by — then the car fits here. “The category is closely aligned with the CAM category in autocross, except we don’t limit it to American cars or specific years,” Krolewicz says. “Max allows you to build the best car that you can without worrying about rules.”

And then there’s Unlimited. Simply put, everything else goes here — and it’s here alone, Krolewicz notes, that the 200 treadwear tire rule doesn’t apply. Want to bring R-compounds or slicks? You’ll compete in Unlimited.

The next step is yours

Krolewicz and I covered a lot of information in our chat — far more than I could retain — but luckily there’s a website to help us all figure it out. At timetrials.scca.com you will find a season schedule, license application links, and — importantly — a car classification assistant.

If you’ve ever looked through the Solo Rules or Club Racing’s GCR then you’ll be shocked as to what you find at timetrials.scca.com: There’s an interactive “Class My Car” section that is constantly updated.

“The way it works is you sit down with your beverage of choice and the website, and start clicking through the Sport category rules until you find a part that you have on your car that’s not allowed,” Krolewicz says. “If you read all the way to the end of the Sport category and you say, ‘Oh, everything I’ve done fits here’, then you go to the classes and see where your car fits. If your car’s not classed, then you click on the link and request it to be classed.”

If your car is equipped with a modification that doesn’t fit the category, then you jump to the next category: “If it doesn’t fit in Sport then you move up to Tuner, then Hyper, and you rinse and repeat until you find your level.”

In short, the entire process is simple, fun, and incredibly accessible to every motorsports enthusiast. Ultimately, as time progresses and interest in traditional motorsports change, it’s those elements that make the Time Trials program essential to the future of the SCCA.

On-track sessions at an SCCA Time Trials event leave many pumped for more.


I glance at my notes to begin another line of questioning, but I can tell Krolewicz is itching to get back to approving those hundreds of Time Trials license applications — after all, the clock is ticking to the first National Tour — so I bid him adieu. But what you’ve just read is enough to begin your Time Trials journey. So now it’s your turn to head to timetrials.scca.com and start your own adventure.

And just think: When you click the link to apply for your Time Trials license, Krolewicz will be on the other end, processing your license application, and encouraging your success the whole way.

senor honda

This Week in Mazda Motorsports, June 15

share
tweet
email
By: MazdaMotorsports.com | June 14, 2019 7:44 AM


SCCA Majors road racing, ProSolo in Texas and RallyCross National Tour

The SCCA Southeast Conference U.S. Majors Tour resumed at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s roval, joining the Atlantic Pro Cup (APC) and ECR enduro on Saturday evening, and thus the “Daylight Into Darkness” moniker for the weekend.

For the enduro, Charles Mactatus won overall in a Spec Miata, taking the APC win as well. Second overall and first for the ECR enduro was Thomas Hart, driving a Touring 4 MX-5. Mactatus followed up that win with the Spec Miata SCCA Majors win on Sunday, splitting the class with Saturday winner Evan Karl.

Although rain on Sunday kept many competitors off the track, several racers managed to gather double victories at Charlotte, including Jeff Dernehl in GT-3 (RX-7), Steve Bertok in Touring 4 (MX-5), Raymond Philibert in Super Touring Under (Miata) and Lee Rackley in Formula Enterprises. In addition, Steve Eckerich took STL on Saturday in an RX-7, Paul Schneider and Eric Cruz split victories in FE2, Al Pierce won on E Production on Sunday in an RX-7 and Jacek Mucha took P1 on Sunday with Mazda power.