The Next Level

In business everyone talks about “taking it to the next level.” I’m not sure I completely know what that means.

However, my computer-chip-genius buddy, Bill, and I found out about the Next Level at the Ron Fellows Driving School at Spring Mountain, Nevada in February 2017.

Bill and I had joined Don Kingery in Spring Mountain in April, 2016 for the “Level 1” driving experience. Don had purchased a new Corvette Stingray and received the General Motors promotion designed to help buyers master the massive performance of their new cars. GM has contracted with the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School to provide a complete course in Corvette performance using new Corvettes and highly trained instructors in a safe, race track, setting. Don, who is also a career fighter-pilot, and thus knows a little bit about going really fast, had already been to the Ron Fellows School twice before, had negotiated his way into the “Level 2” course. He invited me and Bill to join him. Because we were novices, Bill and I were assigned to Corvette-Racing 101 – the beginner’s course. Here is the story of the 2016 trip:

2016 Trip to Spring Mountain

Bill has extensive experience with high-performance, exotic, sports cars so he mastered the introductory course. We had so much fun that we decided to go back to Spring Mountain as soon as we could. The problem is that these courses have become so popular that the waiting list is longer than the list of suckers who think they are waiting to buy a Fraud GT. The best advice we were given was to constantly check the Ron Fellows web site for newly-opened classes. Here is the site for your convenience:

Ron Fellows Driving School

Being relentless, and with Nancy’s help, we were constantly checking for new classes. Finally, on January 11th a new L2 class popped up and Bill and I grabbed two slots.

In February we arrived in Pahrump to find a L2 class of 16 people – it had quickly filled. Everyone was experienced, as is a prerequisite. One woman is a Miata race car driver, and a fellow from Wisconsin is a racing instructor at Road America. Almost everyone wore professional driving shoes and many students brought their own helmets. This was not a group of rookies. Everyone was ready for two full days of all-out driving.

Rick Malone serves both as the Chief Driving Instructor and the Driving School Director. He runs a first-class operation, focused completely on the experience of the student. He recruits instructors who have a passion for racing and are experienced in many racing formats, but are also Corvette experts.

All the students were assigned to either the (standard) Stingray or to the Z06. All the L2 cars were stick shift. Other than heavy-duty brake pads, the cars are completely factory-stock. Each car is equipped with a two-way radio wired into the sound system for instruction and coaching from the instructors while you are driving the course.

We were divided into two groups of eight drivers with plenty of instructors to go around.

The L2 course drums into your head the three things that you must master to be a great race car driver:

• Finding the “Line” – which means determining the best path around the track to achieve the fastest possible lap time;
• Driving the Line—meaning keeping the car on the best path; and
• Driving the Line at the maximum speed for each segment.

Finding the Line

In a real racing environment every driver needs to figure out the Line on their own. By walking the track, and practicing, they eventually figure it out.

Lucky for us, we didn’t have to waste any time “finding the Line.” There was a big diagram on the wall of the briefing room that depicted the course, and the line, and even the areas of the track when you should be accelerating, braking, or “balancing”. We all stared at the diagram, and watched intently as the instructors talked about each turn and the nuances of the Line.

Driving the Line

Out on the track, the Line was marked for us with special colored cones to show the apex of each turn, the braking zones, and even cones showing areas for mid-track spacing. By driving the course slowly at first, following a lead instructor, each of us was able to begin to identify and memorize the Line. Then each student took turns leading their group around the track, doing their best to drive the Line at faster and faster speeds. The instructors follow behind the lead-student offering advice and suggestions.

The C7 Corvettes are “race course ready”. There are driving modes for so many options, I can’t remember them all. Our class was using “Track 2”. With the active handling, enormous power, sledge-hammer braking, and a seat that grips your butt, almost anyone can do well around a race course in a new Corvette.

By the end of Day 1, everyone had pretty much mastered driving the Line.

Driving the Line at Maximum Speed

The next feat was to go faster and faster with each successive lap and session. The things you mastered at a slower speed – pedal pressures, timing of accelerating, turning, and braking, – are constantly changing as speeds increase. Intensity and fatigue increase with speed too. The instructors watched us carefully and critiqued our technique constantly – they want all of us to be accomplished racers. Someone else was watching too!

Performance Data Recorder

The Performance Data Recorder, or PDR, is available on every 2017 Corvette. In Track mode it records your on-track experience, similar to a GoPro, then overlays the video with the maximum level of data including: speed, RPM, throttle and braking forces, G-force, steering angle, gear, location-based track map, lap times and start/finish line. Everything is recorded on a memory card and can later be played back on your laptop so that each driver can evaluate their actual driving performance.

  Performance Data Recorder

By the time we were half way through L2 some of us were feeling like we were getting pretty good at driving the Line at full speed. Then Rick had the instructors take each student for a ride-along to “show us how it is really done!” Sitting in the passenger seat, and watching a professional drive a new Corvette all-out convinced me that I have a long way to go. By now it was obvious to me that race car driving is worse than golf – you need lots of practice and experience to do it right.

Our Level 2 experience concluded on Day 2 with “open track” sessions – essentially the instructors let the students have the track to themselves, and under carefully regimented conditions passing was allowed.

Finally by the end of Day 2 we received our diplomas and posed for the class graduation photo.

What I learned at the Next Level

Everybody “gets it” that it takes tremendous skill to compete in a racing program like the GTLM series. I was completely spent after 20 minutes in the C7 Corvette, giving me a full appreciation of the drivers who race for hours at Le Mans or Daytona or Sebring, their skill, and their endurance. And I can’t imagine driving the Line with changing weather conditions, tire changes, other cars on the track, or evil people trying to pass you or push you off the track! Next time I go to a Corvette racing event I will be a more knowledgeable and appreciative fan.

I also learned that true friends (and loving spouses) show their affection for you by making sure you take the time to enjoy the adventures of life! Thank you Nancy and Bill! 

Shine goes to Riverside

I have thoroughly enjoyed joining the world of Vintage Karting, “sparked” by the purchase of “Sparkle”, the 1962 Fox Kart that is identical to the Kart I owned as a teenager. We took Sparkle to our first Vintage Karting Association event in October 2016 in Bakersfield. Sparkle won an award for “Best Restored Rear Single (engine)”

Shortly after Bakersfield we learned that an historic Vintage Karting Event was going to be held in near-by Riverside, California in February of 2017 – the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 IKF Sprint Grand Nationals  held at the Adams Track. We agreed that this was an event that was not to be missed and began making plans to participate.

Sparkle is a “show only” kart. So that we could actually race a kart, we purchased a second one that we have named “Shine”. The timing of the Riverside event created a deadline requiring us to get Shine fully restored and ready to race by February. The restoration of Shine was a fun and interesting process. Here is the completed project. You might think of the photo below as the “after” photo.

Shine is a highly original 1961 Fox GO-BOY. Randy Gryczkowski found it in Minnesota in its original state. You might think of the photo below as the “before” photo.

The kart was found with its original: frame, wheels, steering rods, steering wheel, seat, gas tank, brakes, and pedals. It was missing an engine and engine accessories. Working out of his shop in Wisconsin, Randy disassembled the kart for me, worked with Joel Christians to check the frame alignment (it was perfect!), cut out the old rusty floor pan and welded in a new one, sand blasted the frame and shipped it to me in California. He retained the original seat shell and the original aluminum gas tank. We contracted to have Mike Vranak (Mike’s Custom Upholstery) reupholster the seat and Joel to restore the aluminum gas tank by meticulously taking out all the dents and polishing it to its original beauty.

Meanwhile, back in California I went on a hunt for the missing parts, seeking original versions as much as possible. I received tons of help from experts:

• Lucky for me Vince Hughes, a VKA founder and vintage kart expert, lives just a few miles away. He was able to provide me with reproduction mufflers, chain-guards, motor mounts, carburetors, and a very rare gas cap;

• Fox Kart expert, Dick Teal, provided me with abundant advice, copies of the original blue prints, a copy of the 1961 Fox GO-BOY sales brochure, sources for miscellaneous hardware, and his bullet-proof throttle arms and polished pedals;

• Tom Bartol helped me by machining a special spacer so I could upgrade the brakes;

New Brakes for Shine

• Bill Whitelaw sold me two restored West Bend engines (580 five-port versions) that are period correct for this Kart;

• Jim Donovan, of Max Torque fame, custom crafted new clutches for me to match the engines (left and right rotation);

• Scott Wigginton provided advice on sources for parts and knowledgeable contacts;

• Jack Murray supplied me with a set of original West Bend air cleaners, Max Torque labels, and miscellaneous hardware;

• Dan Schrokosch threaded the stainless steel throttle and brake rods and drilled the hexagonal, lateral throttle linkage;

• Tom Thorin provided the reproduction Fox Kart logo;

• Nils Gustafsen (Vintage Speed Tires) provided the vintage replacement tires;

• Dave and Bill Rowan (R&I Industries) provided the seat foam;

• Louie Figone provided great advice on suppliers for many of the final details and hardware;

• All the parts were powder-coated by Electo-Tech in San Marcos, California; and

• Randy Gryczkowski was my constant source of advice and encouragement. 

The assembly went smoothly. Vince stopped by the house frequently to inspect my work and to help solve a few problems. He also let me drive one of his karts at the Adams track in Riverside the day after Thanksgiving to rehearse for the February event. Special thanks to my neighbors too for letting me make a few banzai runs around the cul-de-sac before heading to Riverside.

Nancy and I rented a big cargo van so we could take Sparkle and Shine to The Adams Kart Track. We arrived on Friday morning to overcast skies and rain showers. The pit area was filled with Karters from all over the world. I will write a blogpost soon about the event itself.

Friday morning was filled with polishing Sparkle and getting Shine ready to race. Louie inspected Shine to be sure it passed the Tech Inspection (it did). 

Vince helped me adjust the carburetors.  

Jim Donovan inspected the clutches and declared them ready to race. 

I took a few practice laps before the afternoon rains came.

 

At 4PM the judging began for various classes of Karts. The lineup included some of the best Karts I had ever seen representing a wide variety of manufacturers from 50 years ago. 

At the Friday night dinner I was completely shocked to learn that Shine won the award for best “Restored Original Rear Engine.” Here is Louie Figone presenting the award. 

Saturday was for racing! The cloudy skies and drizzle of Friday were replaced with overcast skies, but the weather was good enough for racing.

Many vintage karting fans encourage young people to get involved. My 50th Anniversary Corvette buddy, Larry Barnes, took a young man from his Church, Kalob, for his first Corvette ride, bringing him to the track. Kalob is very interested in Karts. Here he is trying out Shine.

  Scott Wigginton races with his son, Adam. Here they are with two of their many karts. 

 We ended the day with Shine “racing” (we are, technically, not supposed to call it racing – its “demonstration driving”) in the first heat. I didn’t crash, spin-out, or leave the track, so I declared this outing a complete success for Shine! 

Vince says we need a bit more tuning, so in April we will go back to Bakersfield. Come join us!

The Fraud GT

The general idea behind the IMSA racing series (and the ALMS Series that preceded it) is that automobile manufacturers are supposed to build actual sports cars which are purchased by real-live consumers who drive and enjoy them.  Consumer purchases are followed by an equalized racing competition to promote each brand and, ultimately, to produce performance improvements that are proven on the race track to subsequently be adapted to the respective cars to make them better.  Under this proven formula everyone benefits and has a good time.

Over the past 15 years this formula has worked very well.  The manufacturers over this time period have included:  Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet (Corvette), Dodge (Viper), Ferrari, and Porsche.  Each manufacturer has followed the rules by designing, building, selling, and then, and only then, racing sports cars.

Let me interrupt myself to say, with all sincerity, to my many friends and colleagues who have purchased and owned the fine automobiles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, that I mean no disrespect to them or to Ford (in fact, some day I hope to own my second 1933/34 Ford).  Ford trucks are great, I have loved the many variations of the Mustang, the new Ford cars provide reliable, economical transportation, and so on.  This rant isn’t so much about Ford as it is about a small minority of misguided, egotistical, scheming, public relations-types who work for Ford.

With enormous fan-fare and outrageous expense Ford has reintroduced the Ford GT.  As we have come to realize, it isn’t actually a sports car – it is a publicity stunt.  

(c)

Copyright 2017 Cary E. Thomas.  All rights reserved.
NOTE:  The "Fraud" logo (above) is the the exclusive property of Cary E. Thomas.  The image may not be used in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photo-copying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of the publisher. Requests to use the logo may be sent to Cary's Gmail account cary62vette. 

As was reported in Auto Week, on December 16, 2016, “Ford” (actually the Ford Motor Company doesn’t manufacture the Ford GT – see below) announced that the first Ford GT rolled off the assembly line to be allegedly delivered to a “customer”.  Almost one year after the Ford GT was entered into IMSA competition, and two years after the beginning of an onslaught of unprecedented hype, they have produced their first consumer vehicle.  Are we supposed to be impressed?  One car?

Auto Week Article 

Here are my reasons for characterizing this “car” as a complete fraud.  I prefer to call it the “Fraud GT”.  

American Sports Car?

The Fraud GT isn’t made by Ford and it isn’t even made in the USA.  The car is manufactured by Multimatic Motorsports in Markham, Ontario, Canada.  I think Canada is a wonderful Country and USA ally, and I’m sure the employees of the company who build the Fraud GT are good people.  But let’s not deceive the public into thinking the car is a real Ford, built in a Ford plant, with skilled American workers holding down good jobs.    

Contrast the factory that builds the Fraud GT to the Corvette Assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where America’s Sports Car has been built for the past 35 years.  The Corvette plant employs about 1,000 employees.

A Car for Sports Car Aficionados? 

Suppose we wanted go down to our local Ford dealer to purchase (or order) a Fraud GT.  Impossible.  It is well documented that no matter how passionate you are about sports cars, or even Ford products, there is zero probability that you can buy this car.  Prospective buyers are required to go through an application process, divulging personal information, and building a compelling case for why they are worthy of owning a Fraud (sounds a little like the TSA, huh!).  Only the famous, rich, or super-models will be afFORDed the opportunity of competing with each other to buy a Fraud GT.  

I have a dear friend who has owned some world-class, exotic sports cars.  He is passionate about, and has owned, some of the world’s finest crafted performance vehicles.  He is exactly the kind of customer that is courted by Audi, Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, and similar marques.  He has participated in numerous, multi-day, “driving experiences” to test drive and, perhaps own, these amazing cars.  He went through the Fraud application process, preparing a dossier supporting his application to buy a Fraud GT that would make any prosecuting attorney proud.  The result?   The fact that his application was denied was delivered in an email message.  My friend’s recollection of the Fraud communication is:

“I got the dearest of Dear John, colder than cold, go-away e-mails. ‘Dear occupant, We share your enthusiasm for the new Ford GT but you are so unimportant to us you don’t get a response that would remotely resemble a personal reply. You put in that time and effort for nothing. You’re a chump.’ ”

I wonder how many other true sports car enthusiasts have been turned off by the Fraud people?

Although virtually every passenger car produced today comes equipped with an automatic transmission, real sports car drivers want the chance to choose a manual transmission. The Fraud GT only comes with a slushbox. I guess they figure that super-models, billionaires, and Ambassadors don’t know how to drive stick-shift? Or maybe the Fraud executives are afraid that the third pedal would confuse the beautiful people? To me, a high-performance sports car that only comes equipped with an automatic transmission is kind of . . . . sissified!

And how about the price?  At more than $400,000 you could probably buy three cars – a  BMW, a Porsche, and a Corvette – instead of a Fraud.  How will the traditional sports car lovers of America ever be able to pay that kind of money for a Fraud? 

The quote below, from the March 23, 2016 edition of Automobile Magazine, reinforces everything noted above.

“I also question the type of car Ford is racing. Don’t get me wrong. I love the new GT, and I applaud Ford’s return to the international racing arena. The road version of the GT looks fantastic and is a wonderful halo automobile for the company, but why can’t you buy one of the road cars while the race cars battle the competition on the track? We won’t see the street version of the Ford GT until the very end of this year, well after the 2016 racing season comes to a close. The rumored $400,000 price is much higher than the road versions of the competition’s entries while the production numbers of the Ford are lower. Is the Ford GT a cheater car only built to meet homologation rules of the sanctioning bodies?”

How Many Frauds does it take to field a racing team?

For many years in the ALMS classes (GTS, GT1, GT2) and the IMSA GTLM class each manufacturer has fielded a team of two cars, never more.  Individual (non-factory) teams typically field a single car.  

The Fraud people are so obsessed with making the Fraud GT appear to be a winner (at any cost, I might add) that they have decided to field four cars.  I wonder why they don’t just field 10 or 20 cars?  Oh, that’s right, they probably can’t manufacture that many!

Forget Flipping the Fraud GT.

OK, so maybe you are thinking that you don’t really want to own an over-priced, automatic transmission equipped sports car, but you would like to make a few bucks by purchasing a Fraud GT and then flipping it at a profit.  You can forget this idea too.  I have it from a very reliable source that the “purchase agreement” for the Fraud GT includes a provision that if you want to sell the car, Ford has the first option of buying it back from you.

Embarrassment at Le Mans 2016

I won’t go on and on about the behavior of the Fraud GT people at Le Mans 2016. Other automotive writers have completely documented the outrageous and childish behavior of the Fraud people. Here are a few of my favorite articles.
Automobile Magazine

Motorsport 

Sports Car 365

jalopnik.com

(Im)Balance of Performance.

Despite their frequent mistakes, and that fact that they are easily duped, I comprehend the extremely difficult task the IMSA BoP people have in adjusting the cars for a competitive race.

I am proposing here and now one additional factor to be added to the BoP formula: “Production Adjusted Weight Factor” or PAWF. The formula works as follows; I will use the just completed 24 Hours of Daytona as an example:

For each car entered into the GTLM class 200 pounds is put into a “Weight Pool”; There were 11 cars at Daytona, so the weight pool would be 2,200 pounds.

The Weight Pool is distributed among the cars in inverse proportion to the number of cars produced by each manufacturer in the prior year; so the more real cars that are manufactured and sold to the public, the lower the weight adjustment for that manufacturer.

The table below shows the production numbers for model year 2016. There were no Fraud GTs produced in that year (apparently the first production car was a 2017 model year), but I wanted to give their team a little slack, so I counted the 4 cars that raced in 2016 as “production cars”. Based on these statistics, you can see the percentage of weight adjustment for each manufacturer.

Manufacturer	Model	Units delivered 2016	Proportion of total Production	Reciprocal of Proportion	Percentage of weight to be distributed
BMW	M6	3,926	0.0744	13.45	0.10%
Chevrolet	Corvette	29,995	0.5681	1.76	0.01%
Ferrari	488	8,014	0.1518	6.59	0.05%
Fraud	GT	4	0.0001	13,198.80	99.80%
Porsche	911 RSR	10,856	0.2056	4.86	0.04%
Total Production		52,795	1.0000	13,225	100.00%

Now, let’s apply the percentages to the weight pool.  The table below shows how much extra weight each car would carry as part of the PAWF.

 

No.	Manufacturer	Model	Weight Pool addition (pounds)	Percentage of weight to be distributed (per car)	Weight Assignment (Pounds)
24	BMW	M6 GTLM	200	0.05%	1.1
19	BMW	M6 GTLM	200	0.05%	1.1
3	Chevrolet	C7.R	200	0.01%	0.1
4	Chevrolet	C7.R	200	0.01%	0.1
62	Ferrari	488GTE	200	0.05%	1.1
66	Fraud	GT	200	24.95%	548.9
67	Fraud	GT	200	24.95%	548.9
68	Fraud	GT	200	24.95%	548.9
69	Fraud	GT	200	24.95%	548.9
911	Porsche	911 RSR	200	0.02%	0.4
912	Porsche	911 RSR	200	0.02%	0.4
	Total		2200	100%	2,198

Let’s hope IMSA uses these numbers for the next race!  I’d like to see the Fraud GTs carrying an extra 550 pounds!

If You Insist on owning a Fraud GT

OK, if after impartially digesting all the above information you still think you want to buy a Fraud GT, I have discovered a little-known, secret, way to purchase one.  Really.  Please go to the website below and you can order a Fraud GT today.  Unfortunately it only comes in one color (which looks surprisingly like Corvette Velocity Yellow).  But you will be able to truthfully say that you own this extremely rare, if stupid, “sports car”!

Click Here to Buy a Fraud GT

The Fraud GT – it will disappear in a very few years!  The Corvette legacy will go on and on and on. . . .