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Bowl O' Fruit: An Esse Turn Diagram
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What is NERDS racing? (North East Recreational Driving Schedule)
Organizers of the Sliderule Cup. A Guide to Grassroots Racing in the Northeast: Info. on Driving, Racing, Autocrossing, Track Days, High Performance Driver's Education, Budget Racing, Go-Karting, R/C Racing and the Adrenaline Rush that results.
We want you to find an event! Here aresome other websites that post racing/driving events. Beware some events require a competition license. > opentrackaction | justracing | myautoevents | autox4u | VARAC
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Updated - 11.17.2006
Have an Announcement or Event? Send email to: emwavey@yahoo.com with the subject line: "nerdsracing event"
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| Northeast Division SCCA "Mini" Convention: Hosted by the South Jersey Region | |
| November 10-12, 2006. Clarion Hotel, Cherry Hill, NJ. | |
| Registration | closed | Mail-in | Closed @ nescca.org |
| Flyer | Acrobat (pdf) file |
| Schedule | excel file | html file |
| Program | Acrobat (pdf) file |
| Website | For posterity and future regional reference |
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Totally personal banter about God and Racing... 10.13.2006
It
certainly has been a while since I've written or updated this site. Unfortunately
I do not expect things to change anytime soon. Amelia, our daughter, will
be two years young in September, and in October Gayle and I are expecting
our second child. (Update: Colin James Hess was born September 29th @
7:44pm, weighing 6 lbs. and 19.5") ... I'm not exactly sure why I
started this website other then the fact that autocrossing, track days,
W2W racing, and even our nerdy-GT3 gatherings, have been a source of great
joy for me beyond expectation. It was my hope that somehow, in some small
way, I would be able to share the experiences that I, and perhaps others,
had while participating in motorsports activites. I also think it is important
for new folks to really feel like they are welcomed, not only when racing
is new, but when they/we are most often on the outside looking into a
new world with seemingly large walls around groups of close-knit people.
My hope was to catch these folks before they up and left, only to go back
into risking their's and other's lives racing on public roadways.
This website will remain up and running for as long as I can sustain it. However I have a feeling that the character of this website may become more personal, and perhaps more reflective as my time between events has been filled with much more introspection. Hopefully my personal dribbings will inspire me to keep things a bit more up-to-date and tidy.
The miracle of life and being privileged to be part of another's focus has indeed shifted my own focus. Racing afterall is a hobby, and for a while anyway, it was my main focus. That focus has shifted. It had to, in order for me to be a loving husband and father, but that doesn't mean I can not still enjoy racing. As I've searched to become a better father and husband, I've been kind of taking a spiritual journey as well. One that has me reexamining the question, what is God? And in that search I keep coming back to the phrase, God is Love.
All the world speaks of God's glory and his love for us, the challenge is to see it. I think it was Ben Franklin that said, beer is proof that God loves us. I would also add racing to the list. Sure why the heck not! If you believe that God, however it happened, created the heavens and physical space that is the earth, then even in physics, God's glory can be seen. I've been thinking quite a bit lately about how racing is spiritual. The study of martial arts tends to also reflect this in a very unapologetic way. I think racing has this same type of spiritual connection.
My next few NERD notes, will most likely be a mere spattering of verbiage, a kind of spiritual racing refection/journal. Most of my path has been in raising more questions then perhaps getting answers, but I think part of walking this path is raising the quesitons. Like on a nature trek, I have to keep asking, "what's that?"... "a tree" ... "What kind of tree?"... "a pine tree" ... (pause) "What's that?... "Bear poop!" Racing by itself can be a dead end, and something that can be like stepping in bear excriment, and not much different to drugs/alchohol. It can be a drain, not only to monetary resources, but it can also play havioc with personal relationships in general. However I think a balance can be attained where racing doesn't take over "everything". For a while I was kind of headed that way.
The friends I've made while racing is one of the primary reasons I still enjoy it. The actual physical playground, that chemically intrinsic rush, that we receive as we pilot our 4-wheeled vehicles through time and space, is the other. I think there is something that connects racers with God in a very unique way. Here's one example, after a few years of autocrossing, the whole slow to go fast mentality started to sink in, and as I became more interested in being a better father and husband, going to church seemed like a good thing to do as well. I wonder if there is a reconciliation between the two, afterall both seem to land on Sunday. If God is Love and He loves us unconditionally, then is it really about our doings at all? If racing is only racing when we, who drive a vehicle, actually get in an operate it, then it's not so much about the car as it is about the driver. This has become my golden rule, especially with autocrossing. However, much of the banter I see on message boards has mostly to do with car modification, car selection, and tires. Why? I have also been to many different churches professing "Christianity", but most actually focus on "sin" or "hell", or what particular benevolent position we should take against something, again, why? It's kind of like the same thing. Racing is about us first, and church, at least Christian churches anyway, should be about how Jesus is God's love for us. However the focus seems to shift away from these basics quite easily.
The first shall be last and the last shall be first. How often is it while racing that sometimes when we kind of "let go", that our "time" seems to go better. I have found that when I concentrate less on winning, not only do I do better, but I usually "score" better. Why is that? I think it's because I'm actually concentrating on driving, not just driving, but enjoying it. Not making the goal, time, but the goal driving itself. While driving, we should be looking ahead, but if you're visualizing a time, there is now no room, or vision, for the course (path), you are on. What is time, what is speed, what is your definition of doing well? I have come to this point that, first and foremost, it should always be about having fun. If I'm not having fun, then I should stop, period. Take a step back and think about why I'm doing this. I had placed God, family, myself, and career, below racing. It was subtle, and thus my break.
The SlideRule Cup kind of encouraged a misguided philosophical view about autocrossing in general, and this is probably why both Mark and I have let the competition slip away, as cool as the idea was, it became kind of silly. The spirit of visiting other venues for fun, became merely another statistic to capitalize upon, and the numbers became more important then the journey itself.
I think there is a parallel to this type of thinking in Christianity as well. The focus isn't on the actual reason for Christanity anymore, but on all the other social issues. Not to say those issues aren't important, but the issues seem to become more important then the actual source of what is supposed to be Christianity. It's no wonder that I, and I'll bet many others, wonder whether or not we are even "Christian". It's pretty easy to abandon "church", when God isn't the focus in the church anymore.
I also think it's pretty easy for a racer to totally forget about the fun aspect and pure all his/her concentration on buying, purchasing, focusing all his/her attention on the car, or even on winning, that all of a sudden, without warning, enjoying the hobby, the sport of racing, becomes a chore. Like all I need is better wheels and tires, or all I need is more seat time. Why not just relax and enjoy, and become a better driver as a result of enjoying the drive, the path?
I think our goal in racing should be to have fun, and fun should never take a back seat to winning. Just as being a Christ-like person should never take a back seat to God's unconditional love. Regardless of the path, or religion, or set of beliefs you subscribe to, if you're not enjoying the path, what's the point in running the race?
The Goal of Our Instruction Is Love: By Rev. Wayne Monbleau
In a race, a runner aims for the finish line. That’s the goal. In a tournament, an archer aims for the bull’s eye. That’s the goal. In the Christian life, a believer aims for love. That’s the goal.
Can you imagine what would happen if a runner did not realize, in order to win the race, that there was a finish line needing to be crossed before the other runners? How about if an archer shot an arrow and had no knowledge that there was a bull’s eye to shoot for? What about a Christian who does not realize love is the goal of all that we say and do? ... "Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies" ...
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SCCA, Performance Driving eXperience (PDX) @ Pocono, June 16-17, 2006
http://www.triregionracing.org | Sreen PDX Flyer | Printable PDX Flyer (dial-up beware)
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Jack at a Ferrari Track Day Event @ Pocono:
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Joseph Austin stops by...
Sometime back in February, towards the beginning of the autocross season, or at least toward the start of the Pro and National Tours, Joe Austin stopped by for a CG Lock. It was a prize offered earlier in the season for hitting the 10 different venue mark. While there I snapped a picture or two of Joe to post here, and well, I'm finally getting around to it.
If you are one of the top 2 male or female competitors you should have been contacted in February about claiming your Evo School prizes. If for some reason an email wasn't received by yours truly, then please contact me for details. - emwavey@yahoo.com
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Pocono PDX - call for instructors
The SCCA's Tri-Region race group is holding a Performance Driving Experience (PDX) at Pocono on the long, or national, course on June 16th and 17th. We are expecting a pretty good turn-out of "novice" track guys and will need quite a few instructors.
There are several events going on around the NEDiv that weekend, but if you hold at least a regional license you are welcome to join as an instructor for one or both days if possible. There is no charge for instructors, coffee & danish stuff in the morning, lunch both days, and a dinner friday night are included.
Bring your favorite track car too (street cars, and coupe/sedan race types that fit into IT and the T categories), for some "instructor only" time.
The idea is to provide an instructor for each novice driver, and any intermediate that requests one. So if you are free that weekend please consider attending and spreading the SCCA bug.
For planning purposes you must register as an instructor. You won't be allowed to just show up and claim instructor status.
http://www.triregionracing.org/06pdxregistration.pdf and fill in the info, but just write Instructor in the track experience section.
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| SE-R Club of America National Convention and Track Day event | ||
| * | 5/05/06 |
Track Day - SERCA (National Convention) - Pocono South | Details | Tech Inspection | Registration |
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* Listed future event 'cause I like these guys ah-lot.
Wheels of Giving - Car Show: ____|___ Flyer ____|___ Registration ____|___ Sponsorship Form
May 6, 2006 at the Primavera Restaurant & Diner, Rt. 73, Voorhees, NJ. Registration starts at 8:30am, Judging at 2:00pm. All proceeds benefit Laps to Conquere M.S., inc., and hosted by the Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club Foundation. For more information contact Jill Canuso @ 856-596-9626 or email: littlejiant@comcast.net (posted: 3/1/06).
2006 N.E. Division Roundtable is scheduled for March 10th - 12th and is hosted by the Blue Mountain Region. http://www.nescca.org
PS3 press release forshadows "Vision Gran Turismo" : "... The days of six-car racing in the Gran Turismo series seem to be over for good. We'll pause momentarily to let the applause die down... There, that's better ..." Screen shots depict not only more cars on track, and the usual, almost realistic, 3D modeling and lighting, but also a very robust pit lane. > more ... thanks to Joe I. [nerd] who supplied the link and wrote, " i haven't even played gt 4 yet!!:" - Well that makes at least two of us.
Big Apple 2 Big Easy Rally: Misfittoys.com and nerdsracing.com team up to pilot one crap-tastic Van from NYC to New Orleans in 2006 gimmick rally. See crap-tastic van photos | more | BA2BE
SCCA raises membership dues: > more . | . and pulls FasTrack from the SportsCar "rag": > more
Laps to Conquer MS: Fay Teal (of LCMS) was honored at NMSS National Conference. > more | Donation totaling $9,000 was made to the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the National MS Society. (Posted - 12/16/05) > more
SCCA Solo 2 program reclassifies Factory Five Roadster: After years of lobbying efforts by Factory Five racing enthusiasts from all over the country, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) has added the FFR ’65 Roadsters to B-prepared (BP) through E-Modified (EMOD) classes within their Solo II (autocross) racing program. This allows Factory Five Roadster (Mk1, Mk2, or Mk3) owners to compete nationally without penalty. (Posted - 12/14/05) > more | GTM Supercar
NASA-NE and PDA join forces in 2006: “We have been looking to expand the region since the beginning and PDA has the professional attitude, track dates and infrastructure to take it to the next level,” says NASA Northeast’s outgoing Regional Director Joe Lee. (Released - 11/30/05) > more | NASA-Northeast
Gallery and Forum are both working, however much of the reorganization performed in the gallery section before the crash has been lost. The good news is that many of the NERD notes' photos are back in the article. As for the Forum, all I know is it's back up, not sure if any info. was lost.
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Frequently Visited:
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York Area Mazda Society (YAMS)
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copyrighted material
yahoo group thread
Mark Ortiz - Chassis Newsletter
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Yahoo Groups
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Miscellaneous
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Tradin' Links
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Track Days: There are many different organizations that hold track day events, aka HPDE/Driver Eds. Here are just a few: BSR, PDA, CarGuys, NASA, and an overview of track schedules.
Considering Wheel-to-wheel: Winter will be here before you know it and cabin fever will sure-as-snow cause "laps" in judgment. This is when the idea of wheel-to-wheel racing may seem reasonable. There are three main organizations that do this: SCCA, NASA & EMRA. Each organization has a slightly different set of "hoops" to jump through. Also consider Solo I has the same licensing requirements as W2W in some organizations.
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I'm a daddy!... Amelia was born 9/2/04 as a premature baby, weighing in at a stout 2lbs. 14ozs. At almost two weeks old, she weighed about 3lbs. 2ozs. Most of the tubes were removed, breathing, I.V., with only the feeding tube remaining, but that's only in when Mimi wasn't pulling it out herself.
Update (Monday, 9/27/04),, Mimi's feeding tube was been removed, and she weighed about 4lbs.
Update: ... Ameila was a year old Sept. 2, 2005, she's a curious little girl, who loves to eat just about everything mom and dad like, she oves to "cruise" and climb up and over mom and dad's miscellaneous extremities. Thank you for everyone's thoughts and prayers!
She's walking, dancing, singing, babbling, and her most recent thing is to meow like a cat.
Just a little write up... Amelia's Birthday | Album #1 | Album #2 | Mom and Jim Visit | Album #3
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nerdsracing.com, the nerds_racing yahoo group, and the nerdsracing forum are all avenues of information and entertainment only. This is not an official listing of events, nor are we directly affiliated with any particular club or venue. Check with each club before attending their events to double check that the dates are correct and that any pre-event requirements have been met. nerdsracing in all its forms takes no responsibility for any event you attend. That responsibility is solely on the driver who attends these events and the event host. Racing is inherently risky, some types of racing are less risky then others, but regardless you should research and chose your event being conscientious of the possible risks.
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If you have any questions feel free to email the webmaster, or post your question on the NERDS_racing yahoo group.