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Garage Heroes (In Training)

Learning as we go. Come along with us and Enjoy the Ride!

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2021 Goals and Our 2020 Goal Review

2021 Goals and 2020 Goal review

As the year wraps up, we review how our 2020 racing season went and what goals we would like to do and accomplish in 2021.  Obviously, the year did not go as we had hoped or planned with the COVID pandemic impacting normal life routine. But we did make some significant growth and made the best out of a horrible situation.  Goal making is one thing that is very easy to do, but also very easy to skip. However, we have found it to be very beneficial to our growth as racers as well as is our personal and professional lives.  

On our Dominating with Dawson segment, we go over what it means to be driving at the limit, what is the limit, and how to get closer and closer to the limit safely and effectively. 

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)  We start of looking at what our goals were for 2020 and how we did

2)  The next segment covers what we want to accomplish going into 2021. (including items that we would like to improve about our driving and our team.)

3)  We then begin to look at things that went well this year and things we could have done better.

4)  It probably wouldn’t be a podcast without our doing a Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, so we did.

5)  The final step was we tried to grade our year and then determine a few things that would define a successful year for ourselves and the team.

6)  We did forget to go into The Mirror that we added to aid us in getting in better shape for racing, so we added it as a bonus section after the credits.

GHIT 0158: Our 2020 Year in Review and Our 2021 Goals

Out 2020 Goals episode can be found here.

Doubleshot: GHIT 0115: HPDE with NASA Great Lakes at Mid Ohio and GHIT 0116: Car Prep Weekend Progress and the NASA Great Lakes HPDE at Mid-Ohio Wrap UP

  • Action at the Hangar
  • Toyota 86 Prepped and Ready for a NASA GL HPDE
Work Weekend at the Hangar and HPDE Weekend at Mid-Ohio

A quick episode to cover the highlights of today’s HPDE event at Mid Ohio with NASA Great Lakes.  We also summarize the changes within the event to account for social distancing and how it impacts the event.  We will have another episode later this week to go into greater detail, as well as review Sunday.  

  • 2OF Racing
    Two Old Farts Racing,
    Awesome guys with a great team name
  • Awesome Vehicles Abound at a NASA GL Event
    Awesome Vehicles Abound at a NASA Great Lakes Event

Vicki, Jennifer, and Bill tried to talk through the recent work weekend at the garage and then we reviewed the NASA Great Lakes HPDE Bill attended at Mid-Ohio.  Everyone was quite tired from the weekend, but we wanted to get this out while it is still fresh in our minds and to fulfill the “fix” of a few listeners who wanted more detail from the HPDE after Bill’s “too short” episode from Saturday.  If you have any more questions, we will have at least two more NASA Great Lakes Episodes in the coming weeks with other instructors and drivers from the event, so please let us know.  We also had two competing tools of the week from Jen and Vicki while they were prepping the cars for their new theming.  On this episodes “Dominating with Dawson” segment we go into Pre-Race Thoughts and how we prep for a race weekend and a driving stint, with some of our usual digressions along the way.

All Work and No Play, No Worries

We hope you enjoy the episode and apologize for being a bit scattered and tired during the recording!

Best regards,

Bill, Vicki, Jennifer, and Alan

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast and team members in the GHiT Immature Endurance Racing Team

Highlights from the episode include:

1)  We start our discussion Live, inside the Hindenburg, or at least it sounds that way.  We are sorry but our microphone unplugged as we started recording .
2)  Progress on the mechanical and electrical projects that are needed in the BMW E36 race car, including the new passenger seat for HPDE usage
3)  Progress on the fuel cell and sway bar projects for the El Jeffe Chevy S10 race truck and the beginnings of the new theme.
4)  Our progress tape system we are using to communicate the progress and status of our various projects between all the team members that are working.  Hopefully it will help us (and you) to keep track of things and eliminate silly/avoidable errors, like torqueing lug nuts.
5)  Two new additions to the team, Randy and Dennis, who are helping us out and Randy may even drive with us in the upcoming races.
6)  We review and compare the three types of painting we have used on prior cars.  This includes spray cans/rattle cans, Plasti-dip spray cans/spray wrap, and auto paint using a HELP system.
7)  If you do use a normal spray can or rattle can, please make sure to use the auxiliary handle to make it much easier to hold the nozzle open.  After 40 or more cans, your fingers will be much happier.  Details are on our website under the tips and tricks section if you are not familiar with this attachment.  Its usually around 5-8 dollars.
8)  The demise of our “Bob Ross Penalty” adorned to the side of the El Jeffe/Bad Hombre race truck
9)  We then discussed the HPDE at Mid-Ohio and how the changes to the Toyota 86 affected the handling of it on track
10)  Bill goes into the preparation process he uses for an HPDE, as well as for a new track.
11)  We also go into a few of the bad habits we have developed from our primary racing in endurance racing.
12)  The COVID/social distancing related changes and impacts on the event schedule and potentially on upcoming HPDE and racing events
13)  Our dogs Zoey Lemons Fischer and Ziggy Stardust Skripchuk made guest appearances throughout the episode in the background.
14)  Bill messes up by calling a C Z06 Corvette a Camaro.  Boy, he was tired, lol.
15)  Bill gets into the track prep and track map notes he makes prior to going to a new track using Mid-Ohio as the example.
16)  We describe the four drills that we used in the HPDE 2 run group this weekend.
17)  The final two sessions were Bill’s favorites of the day, likely due to his being more comfortable with the track and hopefully his improved driving skill.  TBD.  Everything went well until Bill mixed his lefts and rights in describing the chicane going into the keyhole. 
18)  Bill’s goals going into the HPDE we accomplished, and in some cases too much in the other direction.
19)  Best practices and habits for getting the most out of an HPDE event.
20)   Bad endurance racing induced habits:  Slow to learn a track, no firm fixed points for each turn, too comfortable winging it and adjusting line and speed by visual and by feel, need to tighten up and be more consistent, especially in an open track condition and an HPDE.
21)  Goals for Bill’s next HPDE session include:  1)  better prep,  2)  Fixed points on the track for BoB and EoB, Turn in, and Track out.  (apex is set)
22)  Jen’s tool of the week is a grinder with a wire wheel to remove rust and paint because it is so Zen.  Vicki’s tool of the week is the Power Bleeder for bleeding brake fluid and changing brake fluid.  Thank you Randy for letting us borrow it.  The tool of the week should have been a pillow.

Jen Having Her Zen Moment

23)  We finally figured out why Bill is here.
24)  Vicki wraps it up when she was done, lol.

Doubleshot:

GHIT 0115: HPDE with NASA Great Lakes at Mid-Ohio

and

GHIT 0116: Car Prep Weekend Progress and the NASA Great Lakes HPDE at Mid-Ohio Wrap Up

GHIT 0095: Nick Pon of the 24 Hours of Lemons team

Returns to kick off the 2020 season

Nick is the Engine of Lemons
Nick is the Engine of Lemons

Nick Pon returns to our podcast to discuss the current 2020 season for the 24 Hours of Lemons series and the various new aspects of the series for 2020.  As usual, we digress several times and wander around our subject, but Nick very kindly tolerates us for unknown reasons.  We eventually go into what the series is about and how welcoming it can be to everyone who has an interest in racing and how to get started within the series.  There is even a new driver bonus program for 2020.

  • Nick Pon Relaxing
  • Nick Pon with something
Nick Pon enjoying life with various cars

If you would be so kind, please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite listening platform.  We would greatly appreciate it. 

Some of the highlights for this episode include:

1)  We cover the first two races of the year at Barber and Inde in Arizona and the first rally from Moscow to Paris
2)  What to do if a plane lands on the track
3)  The return of the Scrotium race at Road Atlanta and the usual snowy race to end the season
4)  Any upcoming things, themes, cars, and tracks
5)  Novel ways of staying outside the black flag area
6)  The two 24 hours races and why we may never get one in the north east, but we do get the Hooptiecon at NJMP again this year
7)  Cars, themes, and theming requests for current and future teams
8)  We begin a program to get Lemons into VIR
9)  An intro to Lemons in case you aren’t familiar with the series and its welcoming climate
10)  What car does Nick want to race in from the series
11)  We explain to our younger listeners how cars were bought using a thing called the “paper”
12)  Our podcast tradition of picking on Alan has its latest installment or three
13)  Nick new moniker as “The Place Setter” and helps us with our travel race schedule
14)  Nick gets subjected to several of our newer questions related to his car proclivities
15)  We go a bit out of our normal order on this episode but following the rules isn’t really our strong suit
16)  A semi-subtle shout out to our friend Erling
17)  We go into our never-ending battle with our BMW E36 rear hub and bearing
18)  Vicki leads a discussion of tool drawer organizing techniques, strategies, and options.  We will be putting several posts on our website if you are interested.
19)  Vicki steals Alan’s section and gives her first ever Bat Cave Tool of the Week
20)  Alan shows the importance of following the process and the order of the operations
21)  We then go into a long discussion of some of the issues we have been having with removing the rear hubs from the E36 race car

Nick Pon's BMW 2002
Nick and his 2002 from 2002 or so, lol.

In our Dominating with Dawson segment, Ben goes into a discussion of the black flag penalty box, what happens, and how to handle it properly.   

Best regards,

Bill, Vicki, Jennifer, and Alan
Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast
and team members in the GHiT
Immature Endurance Racing Team

GHIT 0095:  Nick Pon of the 24 Hours of Lemons team returns to kick off the 2020 season

GHIT Podcast Episode 0091: Speedy Cop Jeff Bloch is our Special Guest Driver

Jeff Bloch aka SpeedyCop

Jeff Bloch aka “Speedy Cop” was our guest for this week’s podcast.  We discussed Jeff and his team’s history within racing and building some of the most memorable cars to race on a track of any type.  Jeff and the Gang of Outlaws have been racing for more than a decade and have won 9 IOE’s and almost every other award in the 24 Hours of Lemons racing series, as well as success in most other series including Lucky Dog and AER.  While most known for the design of the cars, some are also quite fast and we can remember fondly getting passed many times at our last NJMP race by an Aquarium car.  His knowledge and detailed memory of each car is really astonishing.  One day we would hope we could get to 10% of his team’s level.

Not your average driveway

Speedy Cop and The Gang of Outlaws episode highlights include: 

  1. How many of these cars come to be and eventually get built and raced
  2. Racing and Car History
  3. How did you choose your cars (Gallery Below)
  4. Bill has a design suggestion, which should likely be ignored for something even better
  5. How his team has changed over the years and how each member has continued to important even after they may have reduced their activity within the team and how Jaime, the amazing the team CFO is
  6. How to Rent and then Build a Lemons car for a weekend, from scratch and some of the other craziest things experienced since joining Lemon’s
  7. How does it feel to be a memorial award and still be alive?
  8. Structural options for adding features to cars
  9. Any Cars that got away?
  10. Dream car for road?  For a race to start from?
  11. What car would you love to switch with that you have raced against?
  12. Thoughts on how you have done so far and tips for relatively new teams, mechanics, and/or drivers
  13. Our Traditional Good, Bad, and the Ugly

A Gallery of Many of The SpeedyCop creations

  • Upside Down Camaro Racing
  • SpeedyCop and the Upside Down Camaro
The Upside Down Camaro

  • Truckster
  • Who needs Christie
  • Truckster near CMP
Griswold Family Truckster Station Wagon

Jurassic SUV
Jurassic Park SUV

Spirit of Lemons
Spirit of Lemons Cessna Race Plane
Lancia Scorpion
V16 Lincoln Continental
V16 Lincoln Continental
The Accordian Car
The Accordion car
  • SpeedyCopter Racing
    It Races
  • SpeedyCopter Floating
    It Floats
  • SpeedyCopter and the Gang of Oulaws
    The Team
The SpeedyCopter
The SpeedyCopter's Last Ride
The SpeedyCopter’s Last Ride
  • Speedy Weenies
  • Speedy Weenies Race Car
Speedy Weenies Hot Dog Stand

SpeedyCopter

SpeedyCop's Pop Up Camper
WAY faster than it looks
    The Trippy Tippy Hippy Van
    • SpeedyCop Rally Vehicle
    • three wheel excitement
    • Jeff and the Reliant
    Reliant Regal Rally Car
    Prepped and Track Ready
    And its Fast Too
    SpeedyCop’s Team

    AMC Pacer Fishbowl/Aquarium

    The best way to keep up with Jeff and the team is:

    GHIT Podcast Episode 0091: Speedy Cop Jeff Bloch


    Instagram at:  SpeedyCop
    Facebook:  OfficialSpeedyCop
    YouTube channel:  SpeedyCopVideos
    Website:  www.speedycop.com

    Link to the Episode is:

    Best regards,

    Bill, Vicki, and Alan

    Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast
    and team members in the GHiT
    Immature Endurance Racing Team

    GHIT 0083: Our 2019 Review and 2020 Goals Episode

    On this episode, Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, Kate and Bill went over our 2019 season and our 2020 goals.  Are we on the same page?  Do we even belong in the same book?  Listen in and find out.  Some of it was news to us, lol. 

    Areas covered included:

    2019 Review:

    1)  How did our Team’s 2019 go in your opinion, Highlight and Low-light
    2)  How did your personal season go?  Highlight and Low-light
    3)  Things you want to keep the same/similar and Things we need to change or improve
    4)  Biggest team weakness or missing need
    5) Best Race or HPDE and Worst Race or HPDE
    6)  Our traditional Good, Bad, and the Ugly

    2020 Goals:

    1)  What race goals do you have For you, For the team, For cars
    2)  Personal, Non-driving/racing goals
    3)  What driving/HPDE goals do you have, Any tracks or races interested in for 2020
    4)  Any additions to our team in terms of People, Tools, Training, Paddock, Cars,
    5)  Roles/Responsibilities, and Team talents missing/needed
    6)  What would define a successful year? For you and for our team
    7)  What would you say to the other members of our team

    We try to do this every year and would recommend it to you and your team. 

    Bill’s inner planner sometimes takes over. 

    Best regards,

    Bill, Vicki, Jen, Kate, and Alan

    Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training podcast
    and team members in the GHiT
    Immature Endurance Racing Team

    GHIT 0083: Our 2019 Review and 2020 Goals Episode

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