Mechanical

Audra Tella on Autocross and a Pre-Intervention

– on Autocross and a Pre-Intervention

GHIT 0314: Audra Tella on Autocross and a Pre-Intervention

It was almost spring, and we were thinking about ways to get out and start having fun with our cars again. We thought it may be great to go autocross’ing, especially to start the season. Since we were thinking autocross, we thought we’d invite Audra back to the podcast to talk all things autocross. Audra Tella is one of the hosts of the Shifting Points podcast and is also one of the leads for the local BMW autocross group near Boston. We talk about what to expect at your first event and what to do and more importantly what not to do to go to your first autocross event. Then we launch our intervention plan. This is part one of the plan. Part two will be revealed in the next episode of the Shifting Points podcast coming out this Wednesday. We started the podcast to get people started having fun with their cars. Audra and her fellow podcast host are already enjoying their cars but, especially after seeing Audra last year at our Thompson race, we hoped we could offer to help them start driving or maybe even tracing on track.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that we would appreciate that very much. Even better, a podcast review, would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would appreciate it.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is amazingly easy. If you go to your podcast library, look under shows. Then click on this podcast. Here you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you. We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars. If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT” for a 10% discount code to all of our listeners during the checkout process.

PS2 Please do not forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, do not forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and invaluable to safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross, etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode include:

1) What is autocross? What you need to do to prep for the event and what you should NOT do to prep for the event or prevent you from going. Bill goes full facetious for at least 15 minutes.

2) Why are the cones there, what do they do and why does everyone seem to be angry with them.

3) We break down the lingo a bit and show that your first event will be easy to start and learn. Autocross drivers are very welcoming to everyone and would love to share their sport and all the fun.

4) Audra introduces up to the internet. It is a wonderful way to find an event close to you.

5) How autocross is structured to even out the competition or break it down into groups of evenly matched cars. Some even have special classes for novices.

6) We also find out what vent is Audra Tella’s favorite event of the season. We may have to attend. Time to check the season schedule.

7) What is Audra’s schedule for the season? Can we add to the festivities? Or are we just bad influences? Still TBD on that one.

8) Why we all started podcasts?

9) The devious plan is devised and launched? Our planning for the Mini Intervention.

10) Audra makes a prediction of the potential livery theme. Is she correct? Tune into the second part of this episode on Audra’s Shifting Point podcast, coming soon, hopefully this Wednesday if life doesn’t get in the way of editing.

To hear how part two goes, subscribe to the Shifting Points podcast and the episode will be coming shortly.

GHIT 0314: Audra Tella on Autocross and a Pre-Intervention

Part 2 over on the Shifting points podcast is HERE

GHIT 302: Race Weekend Recap: Lucky Dog Racing at CMP

GHIT 302: Race Weekend Recap: Lucky Dog Racing at CMP

After a series of failed intros, Bill is interrogated tonight about how the Lucky Dog Racing at CMP went with Skunk Oil Racing. It was quite a weekend and some hardware was taken home from the track. As always, Cathy and the Lucky Dog family had a superb event. We were honored to work on our car in their garage all weekend, lol. This is our fourth race with Lucky Dog and we wish we had raced more. If you haven’t tried a Lucky Dog race, you really should. This was a big weekend. We will have several other episodes reviewing the race with other cars and other teams from the event.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice. This includes the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that would be greatly appreciated. Even better would be a podcast review. That would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving and we would greatly appreciate it.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, look under shows. Then click on this podcast. Here you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS If you are looking to stream or save your integrated telemetry/racing data with you video, Candelaria Racing Products Sentinel System may be the perfect solution for you. We are in the midst of installing the system in two of our cars. If this sounds like something that may help you and your team, please use our discount code “GHIT“. If you do, you will get a 10% discount during the checkout process.

PS2 If you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems. If you do, you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

GHIT 302: Race Weekend Recap: Lucky Dog Racing at CMP

Thank You Three Pedal Mafia

GHIT 0285: Thank You Three Pedal Mafia

We have four members of the Three Pedal Mafia come up to help Vicki and Bill work on the two Honda project cars for this winter. We had originally planned a full cage party work weekend but had postponed it until February or until the COVID spike recedes. What we were able to accomplish with their skills in such a short time was amazing. They came, they saw, and they fixed. Some day we hope to be able to perform at that level and repay them in some way.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating or even better, a podcast review, we would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights for this episode are:

1) Details of the work plan for the invasion by the Three Pedal Mafia visit this past weekend including a surprise visit by Jim.

2) Shut up we are having fun, lol.

3) Driving skill review and training was an unexpected addition to the agenda for Miss Vicki.

4) It was so very cold (for Pennsylvania) that we had to create a micro climate heating area for Miss Chrissy’s feet.

5) Why we had to replace the exhaust on the 1993 Honda Civic since we will be endurance racing the car this season. Mental led the festivities on the exhaust project while we set up several of the other projects.

6) Bill’s planning failure. And yes, this bothers him greatly.

7) How the work went on the Honda Civic radiator and oil cooler installation and required fabrication.

8) While Vicki and I were distracted, the Three Pedal Mafia assaulted the rusting carcass of the Honda Fit that we are looking to race in Grid Life’s Sundae Cup at Lime Rock this year. The Fit has yet to fully grow into the warm spot in Vicki’s heart.

9) We try to describe the depth of the love that Mental has for rust, but may not have fully achieved a full description.

10) As always, Vicki loves to provide wonderful food and drinks as a thank you. We “bribe” everyone who comes over and this weekends was no exception. Bill added in some of the new thermal barrier coating for increasing the heat control of header and exhaust wraps. The coating also creates a protective layer to protect the system from abrasion and water/chemical attack.

11) Bill’s engine disassembly is nearly complete for a replacement engine after being guided by Chris, Our Mr. Honda. Now if anyone knows of any good machine shops in north east Pennsylvania, please let us know. Either by Instagram or via our email at [email protected]

12) Vicki had a bit of a heel toe down shifting discussion with Chris and Chrissy. This should help her with her down shifting, especially at the end of the long straights. Hopefully, she will get to drive and ride with an instructor this season, hopefully with Chris. She also has some practice that she can start with ahead of that while driving on the street.

13) Obviously much more to follow in coming weeks. We need a few parts, some tools, and some machining assistance, but we will keep you posted as we learn.

GHIT 0285: Thank You Three Pedal Mafia

Jaime Garcia Races Wheel to Wheel

GHIT 0262: Jaime Garcia from the RaceFF podcast returns to Talk about his 1st wheel-to-wheel race and upcoming Endurance Racing Prep

Jaime Garcia returns to discuss his first Honda Challenge H2 race which was his first ever wheel to wheel race and satisfied his lifelong goal. We also talk through his upcoming preparation for his new 24 Hours of Lemons endurance race. In Jaime’s last episode he was driving back his car after getting the cage installed so we had to see how his event went. Now we need to figure out how to get a photo of his (short) cross country exploits during the event. (Jaimie, please send us a shot or a link to where it is)(Christmas is coming you know, lol).

We also start discussing some of the differences in racing a front wheel drive car vs a rear wheel drive platform. Vicki is still going through some PTSD from her last race at Laguna Seca with Lucky Dog Racing League. We also discuss Jaime’s upcoming preparation project for his endurance race.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice. This includes the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating, that would be great. Even better is a podcast review. We would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, simply under shows. Then click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights from this episode include:

1) Jaime discusses his recent H4 Honda Challenge race, how it went and what he can improve. He also goes into some of the car improvement projects that he has upcoming. the goal is to improve his car’s capability and hopefully improve his competitiveness within class.

2) We discuss potential things we have learned about towing vehicles to the race track and a story of poor dealer service that led to our switching in tow vehicle (and Bill crossing off our local Ford Dealership, even though he is still eyeing a GT 350R longingly)

3) Tips we learned about renting car trailers from U-Haul.

4) We walk through Jaime’s endurance race car plans and provide some tips and things we have learned, most the hard way, lol.

5) Jaime has an experience with the local carp parts store brake pads from his last endurance race. We try to appeal to his budget consciousness to upgrade to our brake pad of choice.

6) Our introduction to the anime show “Initial D”. Time to do some homework.

7) We discuss the aspects of theming, tech inspection, and bribing the judges to help make up for experience and potential black flags.

8) Several tips on racing seat installation and making accommodations for a team of different sizes, heights and lengths.

9) In the past, we have had three drivers have claustrophobic experiences/panic attacks when getting strapped into the car. We discuss several things we have found to help if this happens.

10) Critical spares and parts to bring tot he track with you and how to decide what to bring and what not to bring. We have a bit of a philosophy for each of our cars that dictates what we bring to an event.

11) Bunches of little tips and tricks for detailing the last few percent of your car.

12) We start planning a 2022 meetup and race. Perhaps a honeymoon race?

GHIT 0262: Jaime Garcia Returns – Wheel to Wheel

Tom Suddard from GRM

GHIT 0252: Tom Suddard from Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Tom Suddard is the Director of Marketing and Digital Assets at GRM. Tom’s first visit to our podcast was with zero notice and was at the invitation of Nine Live Racing’s Johnny C on episode #209 when we had our first episode on Aero.

In spite of this, Tom decided to put up with us again in what we hope will be a long list of bad decisions in the future. What do you ask of a prolific supplier of articles and videos aimed at helping grass roots racers and drivers improve? Well, we choose to go into a great article that Tom wrote about “10 Ways to Keep Your Racing Effort Disciplined” which is a great article and will help almost everyone to improve a bit easier and more cheaply. We also covered a few other areas and will provide a bunch of links at the end of these notes for even more information. We have a ton more questions for Tom and hope to have him on again, as many times as he will tolerate us. Tom gave so many great tips during this episode, Bill is still taking notes.

If you would like to help grow our sport and this podcast:

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice. This includes the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, could you give our podcast a (5-star?) rating or even better, a podcast review. we would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/TomSuddard

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers