Toxic Paddock: Part 1

Champion

I was recently inspired by the returning Australian Supercars Champion, Scott McLaughlin’s comments on, how he was going to celebrate his Championship with close friends and family and avoid the ‘toxic paddock’.  Now having worked ‘in and around’ the Motorsports paddock for the last few years, I felt it was time to share some of my own experiences of this observed toxicity. Congratulations, Scott. Here are some examples of the absurdness I encountered. In isolation, one might not consider these to be of any great significance, however they’re adding up to the overall ‘de-professionalization’ of the sport and industry.

“I don’t know what I did to piss him off, but he is apparently… stupid”.

Petty Shit

As a mountain man, a gunslinger, I was ready for it. I finally made my way. I finally made my way from the ‘wild west’, rust belt, of back-marker Xfinity teams, and what have you, to civilization, to the ‘promised land’. A mecca of Motorsports stood before me. It was a lot of things and nothing at all depending on your perspective of it. In fact, it was spring in Concord, North Carolina.

There was opportunity in the air, I could smell it, or at least I thought I could. It was more likely last night’s trash I brought in from ‘home’ and threw into the cans at the workplace. Perk of the job, when they are paying you absolute peanuts. You tend to forgo modern, civilized, essential services, like waste removal when you are one of the underlings of our industry. Having taken out the trash, it was time to do what any good cowboy would do, so I put on my hat… It was time to go to work.

Well, try to go to work, anyway. I didn’t last too long with these jokers. Here is yet another company in this world that provides a service that truly benefits our sport, giving fans and non-fans alike, an opportunity to get a taste of what the racing experience is all about, yet the organization itself is a total meat-grinder. One example, in particular, comes to mind.

So in this example, there was a challenge involving the team communications devices we used on a day-to-day basis. They weren’t always charged and ready to go when necessary. This was a source of frustration, and understandably so. The ‘two-way/walkie-talkie/push-to-talk’, whatever you call them, radios we used, would dock in a charger that stayed in the merchandise trailer, which doubled as a base-of-operations. Now, I’m a technically minded person, and I took a look at this thing. This charger holds about 10-15 or so, handsets. I noticed that the handsets did not sit snuggly in their respective slot, so in order to make sure they are charging you had to be mindful when placing the your handset in the slot. This is a bad design of the product here with loose slots, but nothing we can’t get over. Now, with people being people, coming and going, new people all the time (especially if you insist on operating a high turnover organization; kiddie wages, no training, etc). Whether anyone likes it or not, at the end of the day, the ground crew are going to come in drop the handsets in the charger, take off home, get something to eat, play some Fortnite, and not think about it again until they come into work the next day. Well this caused many members of staff and senior members of staff to become very vocal, particularly the supervisors; ‘Captain Boat Payments’ and ‘Ms. Obese Affirmative Action’. The Captain was a real tough guy; I would love to see his credit rating. I watched in astonishment as member of staff after member of staff walked into the trailer and started shouting, crying, and moaning, usually with raised voices about the radios not charging.

How emotional. They kept saying how everyone should do a better job of this. Well the solution is simple, that you add a procedure to the checklist of the team member that closes up the trailer at the end of the work day. Before they leave for the night, they spend what would honestly only take less than half a minute to look over each handset in the charger and make sure they are charged ready to go for the next day. The important thing here is that the two-way radios are ready to go for the next day. Not whether everyone has good walkie-talkie bedside manners. That’s called ‘getting over it’, or the ‘greater good’.

This is really embarrassing for these people, truly pathetic, and very immature. I guess they do not realize that there is more to being an adult than just having a job. I’ve met a lot of children with jobs. These people should be ashamed of themselves. Is this common behaviour around here? Motorsports, ‘The South’, America? I wonder. This is straight out of the dark ages. These unenlightened, unreasonable people can’t figure it out, and get over it. Or get over themselves, for that matter. Stop! Think! Are you a half-wit? Use your brain. Stop being so emotional and try being reasonable. Being reasonable means,  you are able to reason. That’s actually what it means. Can you reason a situation? Emotions have a place in this world, but there is nothing emotional about how you store your radios. Pull your heads out of your backsides and join the 21^st Century; you are a few years late, and your holding the rest of us back.

It wasn’t too long after this incident (and another in particular) that I realized I am wasting my time here, and I was being disrespected. Not to mention the fact that I was overqualified. I have an Associate’s Degree in Spatial Information Services, among other qualifications, and have worked with Surveyors and Engineers, building highways and digging mines. On top of that, I remember while getting my metalworking ticket down in Greenville South Carolina, one of my classmates was surprised to learn I already had an Associate’s Degree. Yes, my young, presumptuous, American chum, as it turns out, I did in fact have a life before I met you. Well, I said he was young, so in the spirit of that popular Boomer phrase “Give me a break!”, ok Boomer, we will.

I wonder if those clowns running that side show are still out there somewhere endlessly shouting, pissing and moaning, about how their walkie-talkies are not sitting in the charger properly.

Need For Speed - The Movie

Need For Speed is a good movie; perhaps not a great movie, but a good movie. I almost didn’t see it in the theatre, I’m glad I did. I didn’t know what to expect, being in a notoriously hard genre to get truly right, without coming off like a total douchebag flick. Playing the video games growing up, I already had a vested interest in the franchise.

Supercars and highways, classic NFS

From the intro, with the imagery of retro Saturday night feature winning short track; trophies, photos and mementos, made me realize right away, this wasn’t going to be an entirely immature man-boy fantasy CGI race ‘em up!

The ‘organic’ nature of the auto action from the initial drive sequences gave it a somewhat raw setting of older-skool car culture cinema. I wasn’t sure about Breaking Bad’s, Aaron Paul as the main man, Tobey Marshall, only because personally wasn’t really familiar with him, but he pulled it off rather well as the strong, blue collar silent type, almost throw-back greaser character.

Female lead, Imogen Poots as Julia Maddon, doesn’t take a back seat, but a side seat or ‘right seater’, in supporting role that gave a certain measured reflection of reality. She wasn’t the over the top in your face type, which would almost be a cliché, strong female lead character by today’s standards. At times, she was a little bit girlie, like when running to the truck stop bathroom for a speedy freshen up complete with big accessory bag, while Marshall gassed up the star car, a Carroll Shelby special ‘stang, on a Cannonball style run, across the country. However, she to, would show her own independent heroic nature, climbing out of a car, precariously at freeway speeds, aiding the support-crew to refuel the car, on ‘the hop’.

What was a PC cliché, was Tobey’s crew and support network; complete with African American Benny (Scott Mescudi), the Hispanic Joe Peck (Ramon Rodriguez) and Arab, Finn (Rami Malek) and Little Pete (Harrison Gilbert) –don’t forget the Aussies! But it’s all good, we’re among friends.

Amidst the shredding metal, end-over-end ‘autobatics’ and lights ablaze; there were Automotive and Motorsport references aplenty, underpinning NFS with a backdrop, set in a 'sim-cade', pseudo-reality . Benny who is a trained pilot, acts as a spotter usually from a little Cessna  plane that would make the likes of NASCAR’s Joey Meier proud and Joe Peck observes a ‘loose setup’ of the hero car in preparation for the big event.

The movie, paid so much respect and homage to a range of motorsport disciplines and automotive culture; it was almost a ‘best of’ what came in decades past including; Vanishing Point, with Michael Keaton’ character, only known as ‘Monach’, as a mysterious romantic racing has-been turned elite underground dee-jay secret race organiser guy, calling the action from his studio booth. Bullitt gets an obvious look in too, at the drive-in movie theater scene.

Where this movie fell down a bit for me, was I never truly seemed to get emotionally involved in the main revenge aspect of the plot, even though I wanted to see the good guys succeed, of course! The side plot of the mild romantic interests, was a bit more believable.

The film, surmounted with the end sequence being the main event race, the ‘De Lion’, is in the style of the original Need For Speed series of video games, illegal street race concept with exotic cars on American two-lane blacktop, set somewhere outside the major cities.

It may not have the serious blockbuster appeal that say, Rush, may have had more for the mainstream, it’s well worth a watch for a bit of road adventure, even if you’re not into the scene and wouldn’t appreciate all the references.

TRG # 005: Ethanol, Electricity and the Environment

In contemporary motor racing, alternative fuels are becoming more and more of a prominent feature. A good example of this is with the NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). As of the late 2000's, NASCAR has partnered with 'American Ethanol' to promote and provide a special blend of race fuel E15 (15% ethanol). You may be familiar with similar fuels such as, E10 (up to 10% ethanol), which you may fill up your streetcar with at the pumps of your local service station, particularly if you drive a more modern automobile. The ratio of ethanol to ULP (unleaded petrol) may vary depending on what part of the world you live in. In Brazil for example, ethanol is made with sugar cane and service stations sell exclusively blends that contain up to 25% ethanol and even up to 5% water.

RELATED: Did you know? NASCAR has been the long-time leading sport in Recycling in the world!

Ethanol is a form of alcohol that you may have drunk at some point in your favourite alcoholic beverage, without even realising! The use of ethanol in automotive transportation and sport can be very beneficial to the environment, by reducing the level of carbon monoxide emitted from tailpipes. It is also a renewable resource, as it is grown from the ground on farms throughout the Mid-west US and beyond. In the case of NASCAR; the 'American Ethanol' used also benefits the domestic economy as the product is locally produced, creating jobs and contributing to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The company 'American Ethanol' even sponsored the green flag used in officiating the start of a race or restart in 2011.

The following is a short NASCAR promotional video of its green initiatives, featuring veteran Roush-Fenway Racing driver Greg Biffle:

Another alternative 'fuel' to power racecars and streetcars alike, is electricity. Not necessarily powering a car by itself, it has been successfully used as part of a hybrid system, a good case-in-point would be the revered Audi 'R18 E-Tron Quattro' that has won many an endurance race, including the world's premier motor race multiple times, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It certainly has been the car to beat in the FIA WEC (World Endurance Championship).

Audi R18 E-tron Quattro

A hybrid drive system combines two or more distinct power delivery methods to mobilise a vehicle. There are many different combinations of hybrid vehicles; the most common being, HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), one that is powered by electricity and say a liquid fuel such as E10. The best selling HEV in the world is the Toyota Prius, which now maintains a good reputation as a reliable streetcar.

Perhaps as a sign of the advancement in electric vehicle technology, the FIA will be sanctioning a racing series that will be called 'Formula E', slated have its inaugural season in 2014/5.

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Is your photo used in this article? Contact me.

TRG # 004: Daytona, Drafting and Downforce

Daytona International Speedway (est. 1959), is the home of NASCAR's most prestigious race the Daytona 500 aka 'The Great American Race'. It hosts many other series and their events including the outgoing Grand-Am Rolex Sportscar series world renowned 24 Hours of Daytona and Brock Yates One Lap of America. Since 1987, the lap record was held by Bill Elliot in his Ford Thunderbird stock car; posting an average speed of 210.364 miles per hour (338.548 km/h) or a time of 42.783 seconds. Then, just recently this year of 2013, Colin Braun, driving a Michael Shank Racing USCC Ford/Riley DP smashed that record; posting a speed of 222.971 mph (358.837 km/h) or 40.364 s.

Drafting is an all important part of racing around this iconic speedway, not just for stock cars, but also for other types of racecars including sportscars. The basic concept is, by following a teammate or competitor closely, you can 'ride' the area of low air pressure immediately behind the lead car, thus allowing the chaser or 'pusher' to be able to save fuel and with their added momentum, potentially 'slingshot' around the leader to make a pass and gain that all-important position, which could mean the difference between winning and not. A good analogy for this concept is that of a boat cruising on a lake. At speed, a boat causes a significant amount of 'wake', which usually noticeably visible. The same goes for a racecar around large speedway, except that an air wake is not visible to the naked eye. Interestingly, it was said that Dale Earnhardt Sr. (the Intimidator), could 'see' the air and that is why he was so successful on the Superspeedways (2.5mi+).

Tandem drafting in NASCAR Cup racing

There are however, downsides to drafting. If you've ever watched stock car racing on television, you make have heard drivers on their team radios complaining about things such as 'Aero Loose' or 'Aero Tight'. The

reality is, sometimes drafting causes the lead car, while cornering, to become 'loose' (oversteer) and the chase car to become 'tight' (understeer), due to factors of 'drag'. This two different types of 'steer' are less than desirable handling conditions, and to this day, technology has not been able to negate these factors. This is all part of the challenge of racing on speedways and Superspeedways. Please bear in mind, this is only an introduction to these racing concepts and in order to pay them their full respect, I would probably have to write a textbook, that personally, I could probably not write.

Downforce, in introductory terms, is the the downward force of pressure created by the aerodynamic components of a racecar (eg. spoilers, splitters and dive planes). This helps the driver pilot the racecar more successfully around corners by the creation of 'Aero Grip', as opposed to (often in conjunction with) 'Mechanical Grip', which is created by the chassis (frame/suspension etc) of the car. To help one grasp this concept, look at a Formula Ford racecar; you will notice their are no 'aero' components, thus isolating the 'Mechanic Grip' factor and why Formula Ford is considered one of the best Driver Development categories in the world.

Look ma, no wings!

TRG # 003: Classes

I know it's easy to get all mixed up over the acronym alphabet soup that are the various classes of different racing series, especially in sportscar racing. Allow me to help you crack the code.

Let's start with the basics and then I'll put down some examples:

GT = Grand Touring (this one you will see a lot)

Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO):

GT1 - (one) The premier sportscar class of the FIA. A relevant series would be the FIA GT series, though many would argue, at this present time, no one is really racing true GT1 cars. General global financial malaise is often cited as the main reason for this class' downfall.

GT2/GTE/GTLM - (two/Endurance/Le Mans) GT2 is now the archaic term for what is now really considered either of the latter. You will find these cars raced not only in Europe, but also in the ALMS and upcoming USCC.

GT3 - (three) This classification is arguably emerging as the global sportscar class. Production derived race machines, that many would aspire to own for the street, piloted by professionals or amateurs. You will find this class in many series including FIA GT3 and 24H (Bathurst 12hr etc).

GT4 - (four) Closer to production, lower budget.

Endurance Sportscar racing, with P and GT racecars

International Motorsports Association 'IMSA' ["im-sah"]:

LMP1 - (Le Mans Prototype one) eg. Audi R18, bleeding edge tech.
LMP2 - (Le Mans Prototype two) various manufactures, high tech.
LMPC - (.. Challenge) spec based series, meaning all cars are the same, used as a feeder class and for driver development.
GT - (GTE) cars.
GTC - (.. Challenge) similar to LMPC but with GT cars.

Grand American Road Racing (Grand-Am):
DP - (Daytona Prototype) Not true prototypes as they traditionally shunned new tech for big pushrod V8s, Americans eh, sheesh!)
GT - An Americanized GT class (inc. tube framed not production based, like NASCAR), more power etc! Those pesky Americans, always have to be exceptional! God bless 'em!
GX - Grand Experimental, with an X, you know, to be cool. Includes diesels and other alternative fuels (now defunct).
GS - Grand Sport, production based touring cars.
ST - Street Tuner, even closer to production, to be down with the kids.

Some series have their own formulas, to make them safer for the competitors, keep cost down and improve fans with better, closer racing. For example...

British Touring Car Championship (BTCC):

NGTC - (Next Generation Touring Car)

V8 Supercars (V8SC)

CotF - (Car of the Future)

And all you need to know about NASCAR is, "there is nothing 'stock', about a 'stock car'."

TRG # 002: Bathurst and Brock

Peter Brock, 1945 - 2006, aka the 'King of the Mountain', won the Great Race nine times between 1972 and '87. To this day, he still holds the record for total number of wins of Australia's most prestigious motor race and arguably one the world's top five most prestigious motor races. He also won again at the mountain, co-driving in the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour sportscar race. In 2006, Brock was killed after losing control of his Daytona coupe, while driving the Targa West tarmac rally. A legacy of his, the 'Peter Brock Foundation', continues to operate today, aiding disadvantaged Australian youth. 

RELATED: he will be most controversially remembered for the invention and promotion of a device called the 'Energy Polarizer', a device that has been installed in a number of Holden Dealer Team (HDT) special edition models which bore his name. The device (pictured here), mounted in the engine dock, utilised crystals to improve the cars performance by "alignment of molecules". The controversial component eventually caused a temporary rift between Brock and HDT.

Stick a few of these in there and you're good to go, mate

The Night Before Bathurst 2013

It was the night before Bathurst,
And all was quiet
In this day and age,
Rarely a riot
In McPhillamy Park; after dark
We wait for the dawn,
Of the coming war
Another chance,
To settle the score

The lions roar,
We've heard before
The blue oval core,
Knocking on the door
The rising sun,
Concern for some
A star is born,
Return to form

Who will win the cup?
For the sake of their name,
The pride and the fame
Another trophy for the claim
Championship stakes,
For the least mistakes

A special place,
For this great race

TRG # 001: 'ALMS' (American Le Mans Series)

Presented by Tequila Patron (1999 - 2013), is an American racing series modeled after Le Mans style racing of France -funnily enough. It has five classes; P1, P2, PC, GT & GTC. This series makes up one half of the merger, creating the coming 2014 USCC -but we'll get more on that later, I bet you just can't wait! 

RELATED: remember this guy? Greg Pickett pictured here, racing his no. 63 Motorcraft IMSA GTU, went on to become the owner of one of the ALMS most dominant teams; Muscle Milk Pickett Racing!

Vaillant vs. Valiant

CANBERRA –I recently caught the Portuguese round of the WTCC. I immediately noticed that there was something a little bit different about this race meeting. As it turned out, Alain Menu wasn’t driving his usual factory-backed liveried Chevy Cruze; he was driving a Vaillante race car as Michel Vaillant! But, who is Michel Vaillant?

I didn’t know and the Eurosport commentator Martin Haven alongside 3x BTCC title winner Matt Neal, stated that he didn’t think many fans of the English speaking world would get the reference. However, to me personally, there seemed to be something awfully familiar to what this was all about. And just like Scanner of Computer Warriors did while attempting to peer beyond the bit-stream, I sat there and pondered; “I wonder…”.

After a little research, it soon became apparent why I had I thought I had seen this all before; in 1991 a series aired on TV called ‘Heroes on Hot Wheels’, which was an Americanized version of a French cartoon called Michel Vaillant. In this cartoon, "Michael Valiant"and the family company; Vaillante competed successfully in many different categories of motorsports defeating the baddies as they went, saving the world one race at a time. 

Hot Wheels released toys with each of the VHS titles, including this little piece called ‘Speed Shark’ that I remember being in my collection as a child.

Michel Vaillant was Alain Menu’s childhood hero as he read the comic books growing up and in a fairy tale ending of the reverse grid race 2; Menu won by some considerable margin. He even cut and dyed his hair to look more like the comic book character himself. All the effort involved for this presentation is for the promotion of a new Michel Vaillant series that will debut in November.

Alain is currently sitting 3rd in the World Touring Car Championship, after team mates; Yvan Muller and Rob Huff.

The next race will be the inaugural United States meeting at Sonoma Raceway, California on September 21-23. The WTCC is said to be working closely with the USTCC, in an attempt to develop the series and help the format gain more prominence in North America.

NSCS: Not the Last Air-Bender

MICHIGAN -The recent repaving of the speedway, situated not too far from Detroit, has seen the ‘groove’ of the track narrow to such an extent; making passing a renewed challenge. Jimmie Johnson used the air, to pass Brad Keselowski with 10 laps to go, pulling an ‘Aero Push-to-Pass’ move. However shortly thereafter, his engine breaks down, in a spate of valve-train failures among Hendrick supplied units. Tony Stewart was also a victim, losing a cylinder; his team able to re-field the car some 22 laps down, though later being forced to retire for not making the prescribed minimum speed. Four Hendrick Chevrolet engines in total ‘laid down’ over the race weekend.

Marcos Ambrose of Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) put in a sterling performance, making a Top 5, in a bid to avoid a ‘one-trick pony’ road course type-cast reputation. Australian fans in particular, wondering if he will make the Chase.

Sam Hornish Jr. received much love from the ESPN desk for finishing within the Top 20 after pulling a double-duty drive, making the trip across the border from the NNS race to fulfil possibly temporary commitments for Roger Penske.

Joey Logano, struggling to find grip off the groove, slapped the wall multiple times, thus severely compromising his prospects of a good finish.

Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) along with Mark Martin in the Aarons Toyota Camry nearly stole the show, almost running away with the race, leading an outstanding number of laps prior to a severe accident, ending abruptly into a wall on pit lane. The speedway is now in the process of reviewing the wall arrangements for future races.

Martin Truex Jr. of New Jersey, MWR’s other driver, in the long-time sponsored Napa Auto Parts car; didn’t quite match the performance of his veteran team mate, respectably rounded out the Top 10.

It was to be Greg Biffle and his Ford engined 3M ride to take the chequered. Jack Roush, the ‘cat in the hat’ himself, stating after the race; that the engines were fast and durable.

Biffle now leads the pre-Chase championship points table.

Next up is the IRWIN TOOLS Night Race August 25.

NNS: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE -More Bad News

Trouble afoot: shoe thrown onto track by unknown assailant, causes Danica Patrick, whom I’ve heard been referred to as ‘Princess Sparkle Pony’ before (Youtube comment –go figure); sound a bit more like a ‘Princess Sparkle Pony’.

In all seriousness and with all due respect to Patrick, her moments of brilliance have been overshadowed by an unfortunate and unforgiving run of bad luck this season; it would seem even at this race, she would not yet catch a break. 

Rumours see Patrick being groomed for a Cup ride next season; but many wonder if this is being rushed and whether that would be detrimental to her development, such as what one could argue for the case of Joey Logano in the Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot Toyota.

This post was due to go out yesterday, but was purposely postponed after the tragic news of Tony Scott, Director of 'Days of Thunder's death.

NNS: NAPA AUTO PARTS 200 presented by Dodge

MONTREAL -In the distant echoes of his father’s victory decades before and on the track that bears his name; Jacque Villeneuve, in the factory-backed liveried Challenger, running on empty, a road course ringer, a mercenary; who drove the whole race like a man possessed by the devil; perhaps found himself, a Green-White-Chequered too far… Justin Allgaier in the Brandt Chevy Impala stated in victory lane; “God is great”.

The NASCAR Nationwide series road course double-header conclusion lived up to its own past, bringing fans an action packed finish that threw up two G-W-C cycles. Fuel economy became of chief importance as teams on two-stop strategies attempted to stretch their Sunoco reserves until the finish line.

There was some tension in the build-up to this race as Jacque Villeneuve appeared to have taken out competitor Danica Patrick at their previous road course meeting earlier in the season, which severely affected her scoring capability. This issue was further compounded by the fact that Villeneuve and Patrick qualified next to each other on the grid. However, they made it through turn 1 without incident and had no major contact throughout the race. Villeneuve, did however, live up to his reputation; when he dumped Alex Tagliani in return for some aggressive driving he performed off a previous restart that gained him the lead,  Tagliani finished 22nd. Mechanical issues brought about by Patrick running over a shoe that was thrown onto the track, saw her fall out of contention; adding to the recent run of bad luck she's had this season. She finished 27^th and Villeneuve 3^rd.

Sam Hornish Jr. finished a respectable 2nd place, though he was disappointed as he felt the Alliance Insurance Penske Dodge Challenger was good for a race victory. Hornish also races for Penske at the cup level, since A. J. Allmendinger was suspended for testing positive for an illicit substance –Adderall. Whether Hornish will remain in that seat next season, is still unconfirmed.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. continues to rapidly improve his road course craft, with the help of Ford at Roush-Fenway Racing; nearly finishing second before an unforced error caused him to spin while chasing down Villeneuve in the closing stages of the race. He eventually finished 12^th. His mentor Billy Johnson finished 8^th after showing signs of a possible 2^nd place or better, during the closing stages.

The fierce road course racer, Kyle Busch’s first owner/driver victory eluded him again, finishing 10^th. Ron Fellows was unable to become the first-time repeat winner, finishing 5^th. Elliot Saddler finished 4^th. Austin Dillion, 9^th.

The next race will be the Food City 250 at the Bristol speedway on August 18.