With over 50 cars expected on the track at one time, this is the event to see.  This race involves cars of all different makes and models with a wide-range of horsepower-to-weight ratios, meaning there will be lots of traffic, lots of passing, and lots of non-stop racing entertainment. We think this may be more entertaining than the feature Indy race … but of course we’re a little biased!

The schedule for the Eurasia Cup includes a 30 minute practice Friday July 22; 30 minute practice and 30 minute qualifying race Saturday July 23; and a 45 minute feature race Sunday July 24. More details on the NASCC website.

Come cheer on your favourite local driver and be part of the fun.

ORP has only been around for about three seasons, so the pavement is in excellent condition.  It is built on rolling farmland, and frankly there isn’t a flat straight anywhere.  Lots of elevation change, lots of camber change, and lots of curves.  It is a very busy lap, and often I find myself going two or three laps before remembering to take a breather and check the gauges.  But the important thing is that everything seems to flow perfectly into an intense and exhilarating lap.  If you haven’t been there … well, why not?

We had a big group this time.  Six cars and seven drivers.  Not a negative comment from the entire group … and all wanting to return.

This was also the inaugural outing for the Cup car.  I have to admit I had some reservations about the purchase … frankly I was not sure I was driver enough for the car.  But it was an absolute joy to drive … the interior was a symphony of exhaust and intake and gearbox sounds for which I have experienced no equal.  And once I got myself acclimatized to the controls and fine-tuned the inputs, I was able to retire the point-by finger … which may be more about the car than the driver, but very satisfying nonetheless.

Thanks to Adare Motorsports for problem-solving and coaching on the Cup, but more importantly for getting the weekend together and getting our group on the track.

Eurasia announces the 2011 Arrive and Drive Schedule, as follows:

• Winter in Warmer Climes – 9 days at 4 tracks!
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    • February 12-13 (2 days) Streets of Willow Springs (near Los Angeles, CA)
    • February 26-27 (3 days) Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch (near Las Vegas, NV)
    • March 12-13 (2 days) Buttonwillow Raceway (near Bakersfield, CA)
    • March 25-27 (3 days) Miller Motorsport Park … outside loop (Salt Lake City, UT)
           (possible alternative is March 26-27 at Chuckwalla Raceway near Plam Springs, CA)
    • Cars stay in the US between events (secure storage and maintenance arranged)
• Late April (date as yet unconfirmed) Oregon Raceway Park (Grass Valley, OR)
• May 20-22 (3 days) High Plains Raceway (Denver, CO)
• May 27-28 (2 days) BMW Club Advanced Driving School at Race City (Calgary, AB)
• June 3 (1 day) Porsche Club Driver Education at Race City (Calgary, AB)
• June 24-26 (3 days) Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, CA)
• September 23-25 (3 days) Miller Motorsport Park … the full 7.2 km 23 turn course (Salt Lake City, UT)
• The South Beckons Again - 4 days at 2 world-class tracks!
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    • October 22-23 (2 days) at Barber Motorsports Park (Birmingham, AL)
    • November 26-27 (2 days) at Road Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
    • 3 hours per day of track time (most organizations provide only 2 hours per day)
    • Cars stay in the south between events (secure storage arranged)

If there’s a track you’d like to visit, we can make it happen.

Set in the rolling hills of southern Virginia, you immediately feel Virginia International Raceway (VIR) is a special place.  The track originally opened in 1957 but closed following the 1974 season.  It reopened in March 2000 using a country club financial model  … but frankly it just feels like a country club with its tree-lined drive to the paddock, perfectly manicured lawns, picturesque ponds in the distance, and vintage buildings.

Our event was hosted by Chin Motorsports.  Chin offers 3+ hours of track time per day with instruction available for novices.  I can’t say enough about how well run this organization is, and a very courteous group of drivers … perhaps the most courteous I’ve experienced anywhere.  I don’t think I ever waited more than a couple of corners for a point-by.

The track itself is very interesting and challenging.  We ran the full track, which is built on rolling farmland with a significant overall elevation increase from North to South.  This is a very fast track.  My biggest challenge was the Climbing Esses, which is a series of three high-speed, decreasing-radius corners on undulating uphill terrain.  Track junkies will appreciate that these combined features make for a daunting challenge at speed … turn in early and by the third corner you WILL have at least two wheels off  (speaking from experience here).  Elsewhere there are several corners where the terrain causes significant suspension compression and very high grip, so you can brake much later than it seems or in some cases carry significant speed through the corner (or leave a lot on the table, again speaking from experience).

Completion of these two days at VIR marks the halfway point for our current trip.  In a little more than three weeks, we head south again to pick up the cars and spend two days at Road Atlanta.

We just returned from Mecca … for track junkies, that is.

Rumor has it that Larry H. Miller had a budget of $25 Million when he built Miller Motorsport Park near Tooele, Utah — and then went $100 Million over.  The result is absolutely the finest motorsport facility I have seen, at every level.

A majestic entryway, lined with flag standards, as you drive toward the wrough-iron vehicle gates.   A three story glass and brick administration building is on the right, the museum is on the left, and far left is the two-story members’ Clubhouse.   The paddock is immense, complete with a commercial business complex with repair shops, tire shops, a gas station … and even a place to wash your car when it gets dusty (no quarters required).  The entire facility is kept immaculately clean … I think the garbage cans in the paddock must be emptied twice a day as they are never more than half full.  The washrooms in the day garages even have Kohler toilets. 

The track was masterfully designed by Alan Wilson.   The full track measures 7.2 km and has 23 turns.  It is a wide track, with even wider run-off areas (many are paved). Fast, with almost all the corners having more camber than you think.  Challenging.  The track can be configured several ways, including that it can be split into two tracks running simultaneous events.  This is our third year (so I’ve spent nine days on the track) at Miller and still there are several corners where I could do a lot better. 

No matter where you go on site, the food is great.  If you choose the Ace Cafe, you can enjoy your meal at a picnic table in the shade; or choose the Clubhouse for a view of the track while you dine in air conditioned comfort. Prices are very reasonable.  I haven’t had such good track-side food anywhere … and I’ve been to a lot of tracks.

Then there is a museum housing several impressive Shelbys, including the second oldest Cobra, the 1966 Le Mans winning GT40 MkII driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, the MkIV GT40 driven by Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti that won the 1967 12 hours of Sebring, and one of the six Shelby Daytona-bodied Coupes.  And then there is the memorabilia.  Just ask the guard at the main gate to open it for your private tour … truly worth a visit.

Our hosts for the weekend were Porsche Club of America’s Intermountain Region.  This is their Club Race weekend, and they run three days of Driver Education and lapping sessions between the racing activities.  We had four 25+ minute sessions each on Friday and Saturday, followed by five sessions Sunday.  I think we had almost 6 hours of track time in total.

Despite there being over 40 participants on the track, it never seemed crowded.  As you can imagine, a 7.2 km track allows for a lot of cars.  Plus the organizers did an excellent job of gridding the faster cars out front so that there weren’t any long trains waiting for a point-by.  Overall a very well run event.

Our group was a bit bigger than usual.  We sold our transporter space out months ago, so some of our regular group of track junkies had to find their own way down.  We had a total of nine drivers hanging out in our section of the paddock, located across from Tatum Racing where we were treated royally.

Thanks to everyone for the camaraderie and comic relief  … Peter, Patti, Neville, Felix, Marc, Russ, Jon, Chris and Bryan.  Jon, thanks also for the photos … and pushing me to go faster.  JT, thanks for the hospitality.

Not surprisingly, we have a waiting list for next year already.

WINTER IS COMING!

Time to get your vehicle checked for the upcoming season, and ensure the harsh winter conditions will not leave you stranded.

Our winter inspection includes a check of 49 individual components and systems including:

When we’re done you get a written report of what we’ve found. And if any components or systems need attention, we will provide a competitive, itemized quote for your consideration.

Yes you CAN have your new Audi, BMW, Mercedes Benz, MINI, Porsche, smart or Volkswagen vehicle serviced or repaired at an independent repair facility without affecting your vehicle’s written defect warranty.

Last year, Canadian trade organizations representing vehicle manufacturers and authorized auto dealers officially agreed to share technical and repair data  with independent repair shops so consumers can select where they want to have their vehicle serviced and repaired.

Manufacturers will not pay independent facilities for correction of factory defects or recalls, so correction of defects must still be done by a dealer. All remaining service and repair work can be done by any independent facility, such as Eurasia Automotive. 

Work not covered by the manufacturer’s defect warranty typically includes oil changes, lubrication service, filter replacement, preventive and mileage-based maintenance, tune-ups, brakes, tires, and any other work not specifically included in the manufacturer’s written warranty. Independent facilities have access to exactly the same parts used by the dealer, and often have access to the same suppliers that the manufacturer buys from but at a considerably lower price. Independent facilities can do the same work a dealer does to the same standard, thus maintaining warranty coverage.

The good news for you is you have a choice when deciding where to have preventitive maintenance service and general repair work done. Frankly, this is the bulk of the work done on most vehicles during the warranty period. 

As an independant service facility Eurasia Automotive works hard to gain and retain your business.  We are proud of the personal service we provide, which has kept our customers coming back for over 25 years.  We also shop multiple sources for quality parts and then pass the savings on to you.  The cost savings of choosing Eurasia Automotive over the dealer can be significant.  Especially over the next 25 years!

The bottom line is: Consumers should should not be unduly influenced by dealers’ claims that only a dealer can work on your vehicle under warranty. It really is your choice.

How many people can say they’ve been to a wine tasting atop the famed Laguna Seca Corkscrew?

Well, if you were part of our recent trip to Laguna Seca, you could boast just that.

As you’ve probably figured out, we just returned from Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. The event we were part of was a three-day race weekend hosted by the Porsche Owners Club (POC), with a driver education and lapping component independently managed by Speed Ventures. Of course with it being a POC weekend the paddock was full of incredible Porsches … everything from 997 GT3 cup cars to 356’s. What a delight for the Porsche enthusiast.

We’ve done events with Speed Ventures before, and they are a great group to run with in part because they have liberal open passing rules and they allow passengers in the car. Last year I was able to take my cousin, who at the time was living about two hours away in Walnut Creek, for an experience she will never forget … after thousands of laps around Laguna Seca on her PlayStation, she was finally able to experience the corkscrew for real. This year, my wife was along for the weekend and she enjoyed an afternoon on the track as my passenger.

This is the first event we invited all the wives to attend. Wives are always welcome, but frankly wives aren’t usually the track junkies in a family.  Of course they didn’t spend every day at the track … Monterey is a wonderful place for shopping and sightseeing and dining. But if one is married to a track junkie, one doesn’t come all the way to Monterey and not see the track. So on Saturday afternoon all the wives arrived at the track, got to ride for a few laps and experience the corkscrew at speed, and then attend the POC charity wine tasting that really did take place atop the famed Corkscrew. The picture above is Margaret riding her scooter-equipped wheelchair down the corkscrew following a few glasses of wine. Yes, she missed the apex by just a bit … probably it was the wine.

Something tells me this will become an annual event.

P.S.: Did you know you can actually buy a Laguna Seca corkscrew in the gift shop?  They make a great conversation piece.

What a great event this year’s NASCC Eurasia Cup GT Invitational Race was.  Considering the Indy weekend as a whole, the Eurasia Cup was again the most exiting event. Having 45+ cars on the track meant there was constant traffic, and variety of classes meant there was continuous passing and jockeying for position to keep the fans riveted to their seats. Although the Indy race is the reason we are able to participate at all, when the feature races are compared to the NASCC Eurasia Cup GT Invitational they all pale in so many ways. The number of fans that remained in their seats for Friday’s late-afternoon qualifying was testament to a great show.

Eurasia would like to thank the participants for their sportsmanship, and for making this a very clean race. We would also like to thank the participants and their crews for making the Eurasia Cup paddock the most accessible and welcoming paddock of any race series. This represents sportmanship at its best.

We continue to find it amazing that the best race of the weekend was also the only race of the weekend put on entirely by volunteers from the motorsport community. Throughout this event, the enthusiasm and commitment of all NASCC volunteers has been over-the-top and we would like to thank each and every volunteer for their effort over this past weekend as well as the weeks leading up to the event.

In closing, we sincerely hope that the Octane Group coming forward to promote Indy in Edmonton means this will be second of many more Eurasia Cup GT Invitational Races. We would be honoured to continue as the title sponsor for next year’s event.

Our team consisted of Michael Stevenson driving a Porsche 996 C2 rented from us and sponsored by Porscon Construction; Peter Spencer driving a Porsche 997 GT3 sponsored by Subway; and Dan Worley driving a 944S with Chevy V8 transplant sponsored by CPW Valve and EC&M Electric.

Michael has a solid performance. He was new to the car, and the car had a bit of an alignment issue leading up to the race which was costing almost 5 seconds a lap. But by race time we had the issues sorted out and he finished fourth in class.

Peter had a very good performance, but just about missed the race entirely when an unfused circuit shorted to the chassis and started an electrical fire. Luckily the fire was put out quickly and the damage limited to a couple of wires. So after a parts run to a nearby NAPA and a scramble to get the wiring repaired in time for Friday qualifying, Peter managed a fifth in class and sixth overall finish.

Dan … not so lucky. He posted solid lap times in qualifying, placing fifth in class on the grid. However in lap twelve he nicked a wall coming out of turn 8 ending his day. Luckily the damage is relatively minor and the car will run again, but not for a few weeks.

Thanks to Wendy and Marj for the non-stop food and beverages. Thanks to Lee for all his support in the paddock. We clearly had the best looking paddock and best fed crew … no surprise there.

And somewhere in the middle of the weekend we managed to attend the Eurasia Pig Roast without gaining too much ballast!