My Favorite Daytona Things

by Tammy

I'm writing non-stop this month, and particularly this week, trying to get a draft of Avoidable Contact out to some beta readers (or maybe alpha readers, because it might still be that raw). But I've been combing through the hundreds of photos I took, and I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

(me, reflected in Jake)

(coming out of tech inspection)

(I found Kate's tires!)

(with Katy, Arm Candy founder and cancer survivor, raising money for the cure)

(the Dempsey Racing team's sign in the evening light)

(off to race...)

What I Learned At Daytona

by Tammy

I spent Thursday through Saturday noon at Daytona International Speedway last week, doing some final research for Avoidable Contact (aka, Kate Book 3). I came home with a ton of notes and ideas—for the book, but also about the cars, drivers, and approach of the new Tudor United Sports Car Championship.

1. Fans like TUSCC. Combining two series worked for pulling in the fans. The paddock/garage was packed even on Friday—and everyone I asked agreed they'd never seen so many people there. There were even (gasp!) quite a number of people in the stands as the green flag flew.


2. The C7.R is awesome. Corvette fans are legion, and they love their new racecar. There was always a crowd around the garage for the #3 and #4 cars. And they're pretty. To hear the drivers tell it, they're also fantastic to drive—more like a prototype in terms of stability and handling, per Ryan Briscoe.

3. Thumbs-up on the competition. On-track traffic is intense—and the competition is going to be good this season. Over and over, drivers referred to it as a "nightmare" on track, admitting with the next breath that fans seem to like it. And none of the drivers were really complaining (or complaining much), which, as a fan who does like seeing drivers have to be strategic in navigating multiple classes, I appreciate.

4. Sportscar racing has gone corporate. The ALMS was a small, grassroots, startup company. More like a family. TUSCC is definitely part of a corporation. Maybe that has to happen, at some point, for an entity to get bigger (I know that's often true in the business world). And maybe I feel that because I no longer know anyone at the Series level (most of them have scattered to teams and manufacturers).

But the vibe in the paddock was different. More removed. More professional? Maybe, maybe not. It'll be interesting to see how the paddock feels at Sebring, Long Beach, and Road America—tracks that aren't as steeped in the NASCAR corporate culture as DIS. But ultimately, some of the charm is gone.

I'll stick with the Series, because I still think the on-track racing is the best out there (sorry, all-oval NASCAR and all-dull F1). And I'll still argue that in theory, it's better for there to be only one sportscar series in the United States. I believe all that. But I think I'm going to find TUSCC a bit less fun than the ALMS was.

Change is inevitable. And hey, now I can be one of those people who wax nostalgic for the old days.

The End of an Era

by Tammy

The American Le Mans Series is over. Fifteen years of competition and friendships, perhaps now scattered to the winds. I say that with wistfulness more than negativity, because I get that things change, and I believe that change and evolution are good things. But it was hard to leave the friends I'd made at the end of the night, wondering if I'd ever see them again anywhere but on social media.

It was in the Series that the outlook was uncertain (and that the new series seems more like a buy-out than a merger). In the paddock, Petit was also simply another race to be run and struggled through and won. And 2014 promises nothing but new, exciting challenges, starting with the (former) ALMS teams taking part in the 24 Hours of Daytona, come January.

Pinning down my favorite memory from my experience with the ALMS was pretty hard, until I thought all the way back to the beginning. Sebring, 2004. Team media guy (and now good friend) Shane Mahoney took me from the pits, over pit wall and across pit lane to stand at the wall of the track. During the race. At night. Unforgettable!

And what I'm most excited about for the future is seeing the new Corvette C7.R out on track, whaling on the new GTLM competition. And as a really cool side note, I got to meet Harlan Charles in the paddock at Petit on Saturday. He's the product manager for the new C7 Stingray, and he's a reader. Fingers crossed he's going to like the book I gave him!

What's your favorite ALMS memory? What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Indy 500 Planning

by Kate Reilly (special guest blogger)

I can't tell you how exciting Pole Day for the Indy 500 was on Saturday ... well, maybe I don't have to, because maybe you were watching. But I can assure you, it was a hell of a lot more exciting from the pits!

Then again, it was also depressing, because I wanted to be in one of those cars so badly I could taste it. Jack just smirked when he looked at me, but that was because he wanted to be there too, with a team on the wall and a stopwatch in hand.

I was really excited for Women of Pressdog® Pippa Mann, Simona de Silvestro, Ana Beatriz, and Katherine Legge to ALL make the field! You go, girls! That's some #SteelOvaryNation action, especially for Katherine, who had almost zero practice time. I expect to see those women be patient at the back and work their way carefully forward during the race.

And damn, but I wanted to be in there trying to be the fifth woman (and only American) in the field. What racer doesn't want a chance at the greatest spectacle in racing? Maybe next year ...

In the meantime, Jack and I are both fired up to talk with some teams and sponsors over the next couple days. He keeps saying, "You never know what can happen."

Well, I know two things that're going to happen for sure this week.

1. I'm going to have a pretty cool announcement to make later this week. That's all I'm going to say, except that it's a partnership and a mission I can really get behind—or in front of, with the boys behind me? (HINT)
2. I'm going to get some wheels on that track. I'm not sure how soon or in what car exactly—or how many times—I might get out there, but it's going to happen. So you just keep your eyes peeled! There are plenty of cars that'll be circling the track, between now and 12:12 p.m. next Sunday. 

As Gramps would say, I can guaran-damn-tee you some excitement in the coming week. Stay tuned!

Corvette Confessions

by Tammy

I have a confession to make: I don't love all Corvettes.

Mind you, I don't love much from the 1970s and 1980s, let alone Corvettes from that era. And while I love the C6.R on the track and as the epitome of a racecar, I couldn't actually see myself owning or driving one.

But I think the new Corvette C7 could change my tune.

I spent Saturday at the Petersen Automotive Museum for their 60th Anniversary Corvette Celebration. I sat in a vendor booth chatting to everyone who walked by and made eye contact and selling some books. One of my usual questions in a situation like that is "What's the coolest thing you've seen today?"

But I realized the first time I asked the question how moot it was. The answer? The 2014 Stingray.

Sure, it was only a show model, with no real interior and, I'm sure, no engine or other underpinnings. Just the shell of the new design. Which didn't matter. It's still pretty awesome.

What with not really leaving my booth at all, I only managed a quick look and a couple photos on my way out of the event. But it's just as good in person as you've seen in the photos. Except maybe the back ... I'm still not convinced about that Camaro rear end. But the rest of it just might go a long way to making Corvettes appeal to a younger clientele (according to wikipedia, median owner age is 53, and 82% of owners are between 40 and 69 ... sure, some of that is price, but they don't have the same cool factor as a Ferrari, for instance).

One last confession: I like the new Stingray coupe better than the convertible (see it on the Corvette Blogger's site), in part because I think the line of the C-pillar is what gives this model some of its European supercar flair.

What do you all think? Do you like the new model? What about coupe versus convertible?

Loud or Quiet?

by Tammy

If you're in Dubai, the racing season has already begun. For us in the States, however, we're just two short weeks away from our season's kickoff, the 24 Hours of Daytona (you'll hear a lot more about that from me soon).

Out of the pre-season testing that's been going on, an article popped up that intrigued me. Oliver Gavin, one of the Corvette factory drivers, urged rulemakers and manufacturers not to make cars too quiet (Gavin Fears Quiet Cars a Fan Turn-Off), arguing that the noise is part of what fans like races for.

Now, I'll admit to being amazed and awed (and even startled) by the super-quiet Audi R-10, whose diesel technology made the car almost undetectable from five feet away, at least with the rest of the racing noise going on. And I'm well aware of the beating that one's body and eardrums take over hours and hours of race noise. Noise is exhausting. And probably less environmentally friendly overall.

But I have to agree with Ollie. I think the occasional quiet machine is fun and all, but racing wouldn't be the same without the high-strung whine of the Porsches and Ferraris. Without the base rumbly growl of the Corvette's V-8. Even without the grating roar of the Mazda rotary sometimes. Part of the racing experience is the overdose on noise and power and speed and drama.

And I don't think you can take that away from us! What do the rest of you think? Noise at the expense of environmental benefit? Can we have both?

Tales of Two Dream Rides

SIMON: I wanted to talk about dream cars today, but I wanted to put a twist on it. Instead of asking everyone about their dream car they'll never own, I want to soften it slightly. I want to know which car you'd like to own if money were no object and which car could you potentially own if you saved all your pennies and made a few sacrifices, such moved into a shed and gave your children away.

For me, my ultimate-money-no-object-ride would be the latest Aston Martin Vanquish. It’s around $300,000. Not totally outrageous in the money stakes. I’m not that kind of guy, but certainly out of my reach. So why the Vanquish? I know it’s not the fastest or the quickest, but c'mon, just look at it. It’s just so damn pretty.

But for my with-a-bit-of-luck-I-could-afford-one-of-these, I would choose the Porsche Cayman S. With a price tag around $60,000, I could pull this off. So why the Cayman? It’s a pretty car and looks more exclusive than its price portrays, but more importantly, it’s a car that you can live with. It’ll fit in a parking lot and it won’t ground out over speed bumps. But more importantly, I think Porsche came up with a nicely designed pocket rocket that’s easy on the bank account. I could see one in my future.

How about you, Tammy?

TAMMY:  I suppose I have less grandiose tastes than you, Simon. Thinking of "what would I go buy right now if money were no object," my thoughts go immediately to a car I've loved since I first saw it, sat in it, and got a hot lap around a track in it: the Audi R8. At only about $177,000, I could have my very own. I just think they look fantastic.

For my slightly more within reach dream car, I'd have to go more with pretty than a real driving car. Face it, I don't drive all that much these days (1.5 miles to work and 0.5 to the grocery store), but starting with my father's 1957 Thunderbird (yes, I grew up with that car), I've loved cars of the 1940s and 1950s. So with my $60,000 or so, I'd track down a classic 1957 Corvette. I would look kick-ass in that car.

So what about the rest of you? What are your dream purchases?

Reprise: Racecars and Street Cars

by Tammy (who was out of town last weekend, and is reprising an old favorite)

The stereotype of a racing fan is, among other traits, one who leaves the track so influenced by what they've watched that they imagine themselves the next Andretti or Earnhardt and speed away in his or her Chevy Malibu (or Mazda 3 or Ford Fusion) only to get a speeding ticket or wreck the car on the way home.

So here's my question: Racing fans out there, are you so intoxicated by watching speed at the track that you push your speed in the corners, heel-and-toe downshift, and aim for the apex in the corners? Do you speed?

(Note: I live in Los Angeles, so I count some amount of speeding as a given. But I'm talking about more than the standard 10 m.p.h above the speed limit that just might escape the notice of the cops.)

I've never wanted the fastest car money could buy. I've never wanted to go 100 m.p.h. anywhere, really, let alone on highways or in other situations where everyone else on the road wasn't prepared for it. (Yes, the irony of me writing about a racecar driver is not lost on me.) My husband, on the other hand, has occasionally pushed the speedometer higher than I ever would. And as a car guy, he's always fascinated with high horsepower and speed vehicles. Which is why one of the most interesting outcomes of being intimately involved with the racing world is that he has less desire to own or drive such a car than ever before.

The reason is that he's realized how different a real racecar is than any car you can buy for the street. (OK, Corvette fans, I can hear you shouting about Corvette models, such as the ZR1, which, I'll grant you is about as close to a racecar as you can get.) But the point is that after watching racecars tuned and prepped for the racetrack be driven within inches of their performance limits, the idea of having a car whose performance limits we'll never touch more than 20% of just seems like a waste.

Now, I'm not saying we don't appreciate high performance cars. But for our needs, we go with a good power-to-weight ratio so that what we drive feels fun, quick, and zippy.

What about all of you? Do you drive your Porsches, Corvettes, Mazda 3s and occasionally punch it up to far, far above the posted speed limit? Do you take your cars to the track? Or do you just dream of speed in your four-door sedan or mini-van? I don't judge....

GT Rivalries

by Tammy

Is there another series or class with such epic battles in the last few years as the American Le Mans Series GTs? The Mosport (OK, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) race this weekend gave us another amazing battle, with the top three cars nose to tail for nearly the last 45 minutes. The Flying Lizard Porsche held on to the top spot to win, though he was pressed hard by the Corvette in second and the ESM Ferrari in third.

But a lot of race viewers held their breaths while Jan Magnussen (Corvette) dogged Joerg Bergmeister's (Porsche) bumper, because of their history. Now, I don't know if there's any bad blood remaining between the two teams and drivers (since they're pros and this is racing), but I know that the Corvette fan world still hasn't forgotten or forgiven Joerg for sending (as they see it) Jan into the wall at the checkered flag of the Laguna Seca race in 2009 (video below).



Even if I don't totally agree with it, I understand Corvette fans' point of view. Because I hold my own grudge against Ferrari for a similar incident ... which is ironically the incident that I think dictated Joerg's actions in the video above against Corvette.

On the last lap of Sebring in 2007, Joerg and Jamie Melo (Ferrari) battled it out, trading the lead back and forth. Coming out of the last turn, Melo pushed Joerg left toward the wall, making Joerg have to lift to avoid crashing, therefore losing the win. (Video below, the best angle is the arial view starting at 3:04.)



Fast-forward to 2009 at Laguna Seca, and Joerg's in the middle of exactly the same battle. He couldn't afford to be pushed around again to lose, so he went for it, and Jan went into the wall. Like I say, I get why Corvette fans hate Joerg, because I dislike Jamie Melo and Risi Ferrari for the same reason. 

Now fast-forward to 2012, and you understand why many of us held our breaths as Jan looked for a last-lap pass on Joerg this weekend. He didn't have a chance to pull it off, as the Ferrari (a green one this time) slide under him, with a little bumping and banging, to take second place away. But it was some incredible racing by all three drivers.

So I say ALMS GT racing is currently the most competitive in the world. Who's with me? Who's arguing for another series/class?

Road Atlanta Research

by Tammy

I'm deep into writing about a race. And not just any race, but an epic: Petit Le Mans. I turned my office upside down looking for my notes from racing school, which I attended there in 2006 (didn't find them, dammit!). And then I did a bunch of Googling.

Here's what I have to report, for the second time. It's really amazing what you can find on the Internet.

First of all, here's a lap of Road Atlanta in a Porsche, driven by my friend and favorite, Patrick Long.

Then there's a night lap in a Corvette, driven by Tommy Milner. Yowzer, how do you like 130m.p.h. through Turn 12?!

Imagine me watching both of those over and over and over again, counting shifts, squinting at the mph and gearing display on the Corvette video. And just enjoying the music of the V8.

Finally, for your track reference ... did you know there's a wikipedia (of sorts) for tracks? Yeah, trackpedia.com. So I spent some quality time on the Road Atlanta page there, as well.

Don't you love research? And YouTube?! Any favorite videos to share?

An Epic Le Mans

by Tammy Kaehler

By all accounts, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the granddaddy of all endurance races. Teams of drivers trade shifts in a car and race all out for two trips around the clock—completing more miles in this single race than are driven in an entire Formula 1 season. Every year we see many of the same stories: the warriors who come out on top after months of prep and 24 hours of battle, the scrappy teams whose point of pride is simply to be still running at the end of the race, the heartbroken few who come so close—for the fourth, or ninth, or sixteenth time—but fail again to see the podium.

This year’s race, however, is poised to go down as one of the all-time classics. But what was the story of the race?

Was it the total, explosive destruction of two cars in accidents that in decades past would have meant certain death for the drivers, but today meant they walked away unscathed?

Was it the fact that those two cars were from the same Audi factory team? And that the third and only-remaining car went on to take a fairytale win?

Was it that after 24 hours, some three-dozen pit stops, and nearly 3,000 miles, the winner had only a 13.8 second margin over the second place car?

Was it that the engineer of the winning car was, for the first time ever, a woman (Leena Gade)?

Was it that Corvette returned to victory lane in both GT classes on the 10^th anniversary of Corvette Racing’s first Le Mans win and the 100^th anniversary of the founding of Chevrolet?

Was it that a woman (Andrea Robertson) stood on the podium at Le Mans for the first time since 1931?

Every year, I am astounded by the effort, the expense, and the passion that go into this race. Skill and preparation are fundamental to success, but you also need luck—and sometimes your luck is in the hands of one of the other 150 drivers. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a crazy, exhausting, and awesome spectacle to watch. This year was no exception, and every bit of it was epic.

What was your story of Le Mans? And who’s up for a trip to France in 2012?