NASA Great Lakes

Mike Kramer Honda Challenge Racing Driver

GHIT 0276: Mike Kramer Honda Challenge Racing Driver

Mike Kramer has been racing in Honda Challenge and is the two time H2 champion with NASA Southeast. In addition, he also races in endurance racing with the 24 Hours of Lemons and Lucky Dog. We have several goals for this episode and one of them is not so subtly aimed at convincing Vicki the our 1993 Honda Civic being a front wheel drive car is not so bad and how much fun we will have in 2022 using it as our primary endurance racing car. Mike is a great example of how to start out and grow into an accomplished racing driver by simply making the choice to jump into the high performance driving pool and see what types interest you. It sounds like we will be at several common racing events in 2022 and we can’t wait to catch up with him again.

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 to use our discount code if you are looking to add an Apex Pro. With 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 from this episode include:

1) Despite having won two NASA SE championships, some of the difficulties Mike has encountered at the recent national championship event, including his overcoming some of the bad experiences at Daytona.

2) How to get started in high performance driving and what to expect and how to improve most quickly. We especially break down some of the common misconceptions that may be preventing you from starting.

3) What we have and should do to our 1993 Honda Civic DX race car build this winter. The discussion goes into several options for racing the car in endurance racing, sprint racing, and HPDE events.

4) How to choose a racing series and what to look for in your area.

5) Advantages and Disadvantages of a front wheel drive and a rear wheel drive. Plus a few of the primary differences between the two types of cars.

6) Some of the differences between regional events and national events.

To follow Mike and his racing exploits, please go to:

Instagram: @argylecivic

GHIT 0276: Mike Kramer Honda Challenge Racing Driver

Mike’s Sponsors Include:

GHIT 0261: Our NJMP HPDE Event – Part Deux

GHIT 0261: Our NJMP HPDE Event – Part Deux

We had a large group of drivers at the recent NASA Northeast HPDE event at NJMP’s Lightning course. Since schedules did not fully coincide last week, we broke our group up into two different episodes. We start off with our usual goals for the weekend and cover how the event went. For this NJMP HPDE, we had Audra on who had never been to this track and was driving her 2017 BMW M2 for the weekend. Adam came to the event and was going to use Bill’s M3 but due to mechanical issues, he had to use Vicki’s 1999 turbo NB Miata for one of his stints. Elizabeth was trying her new to her SpecE30 on the track. Lisa returns for a second visit on this event and drove Audra’s M2 at the event in the Hyperdrive session

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

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 from this episode include:

1) We start off with our personal goals for the event. Each event we try to make sure we each have at least one goal, but no more than 3 for the weekend.

2) Elizabeth had a bit of motion sickness after going out with Bill as a passenger. We may have found a cure for this, hopefully it will prevent motion sickness as well. We will test this again at our next few events.

3) Each level of the HPDE has a download session and some of the levels have classrooms during the weekend. We discuss the benefits of each and offer some suggestions for further improvement.

4) Highlights from the weekend and our traditional Good, Bad, and the Ugly

5) Adam advanced from HPDE 1 to HPDE 2.

6) Audra advanced from HPDE 1 to HPDE 2.

7) Vicki advanced from HPDE 2 to HPDE 3.

8) Elizabeth advanced from to HPDE 2.

9) We also shared a ton of Ahh Hah moments we had at this event. Its awesome to hear how everyone of us progressed.

10) Adam gave a good review of driving the E46 M3 vs the turbo NB Miata.

GHIT 0261: Our NJMP HPDE Event – Part Deux

GHIT 0254: New High Performance Driver Kim Coffey

GHIT 0254: New High Performance Driver Kim Coffey

A Command Performance for the Everyone Racers Podcast

Kim Coffey has been a car girl from a very young age and has recently discovered her passion for driving her car at the limit. It all started with a Supra Sunday with NASA and once the hook was set, she was off. She loves and drives her 2020 Toyota Supra for HPDE events, autocrosses and has even started Sim racing. If that wasn’t enough, she often takes her lunch at a local go kart track. We thought we would go over where she is this early in her driving journey and we are looking forward to seeing where she goes and what she decides to pursue in her high performance driving future.

There were some storm induced connection issues during the middle few minutes but most were easily editable and it resolved pretty quickly.

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

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!

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 wanted to make sure to satisfy our listener requests, so just for Jeff, Chris, Chrissy, and Mental from the Everyone Racers podcast we introduce Kim Coffey to the high performance driving community.

2) How did she approach entering the new to her sport and how things have progressed to this point.

3) Kim eventually found our recent guest Dave Peters’ HPDE Junkie website to locate her future track days.

4) A lot of people question the use of a classroom for HPDE. Kim provides some insightful comment on what she was able to learn from the classroom downloads at ACC.

5) Kim gives some great tips for someone going to their first HPDE to maximize their learning and improving their driving as quickly as possible.

GHIT 0254: New High Performance Driver Kim Coffey

Our Autobahn Country Club HPDE

October 2021

GHIT 0246: Our Autobahn Country Club HPDE 2021

Vicki and Bill attended the recent NASA Great Lakes HPDE at the Autobahn Country Club. It was the first time Vicki was on this track and she was in the HPDE 2 run group. Bill was in HPDE 4 and instructed a HPDE 1 student Saturday and Sunday. Bill also completed his MSF Level 2 instructor in car training on Friday and had a great time with the drills and the mentors.

We cover a lot of the Autobahn South track and here is a track map if you need it: https://autobahncc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-south_circuit.pdf

If you would like to help support our podcast:

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!

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) Right off the bat, Bill mis-speaks during his joke, Herb vs Abe, my apologies.

2) Vicki goes over her track prep since this was her first time at this track. Luckily, the track is relatively flat and fairly easy to learn. Vicki’s favorite section was the 8-9-10 turn complex.

3) We both shared the 2019 Mazda Miata (ND2) and Vicki was able to settle into the new track car. We also go over her impressions of the Garmin Catalyst which is especially useful at Autobahn since the track is relatively short and you get a lot of laps in each session.

4) Our car prep issues with the 2004 BMW M3 (E46) were quite a story. We thought we had our prep processes under control but found something else we can do wrong. And then it snowballed, lol.

5) Lifting on the long straightaways? Vicki had that problem. Emphasis on “had”.

6) How did the MSF Level 2 evaluation go for Bill?

7) What trailer does Vicki envy? ALOT.

8) Vicki was unintentionally “that guy”. Or was she? You can be the judge.

9) We also cover how Vicki’s Instructor (Brandon) did vs the Garmin Catalyst? (Quite well)

10) Vicki (and Bill) had some major accomplishments during the weekend. Any guesses?

11) Some of the issues Bill had instructing at the event.

12) TREC Racing. Ever heard of it? We discuss it and we finally have a plan for this next season.

GHIT 0246: Our Autobahn Country Club HPDE 2021

Jaime Garcia from the Race FF Pod

GHIT 0239: Jaime Garcia from the Race FF Pod

Jaime Garcia started the Race FF Podcast to share with everyone his racing and building progress and to help everyone get started in racing by showing them that it can be done. Since we have essentially the same goals, it was natural to have him on the podcast. As his podcast title indicates, Jaime races a Front engine Front wheel drive in both HPDE, time trials, and wheel to wheel. His current target is competing in Honda Challenge in southern California. Further parallels between the podcasts is that his fiancé has recently begun sharing the car and working towards her racing goals. This episode was recorded live from the road on his recent trip back from having his car caged in Washington.

If you would like to help the 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. 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. There 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) We confirm that both podcasts will be racing very similar 1993 Honda Civic’s next year but Bill doesn’t know as much as he should about ours. Glad Jaime was here to help us know our own car, lol.

2) A surprise guest bird flew into his window during the episode, actually our second guest bird. It must be something to do with Honda Challenge racing that we aren’t familiar with. We will need to talk to podcast guest and friend EJ2 Track Rat or more details.

3) Jaime discusses one of the often overlooked benefits of instructing drivers in that it helps the instructor as a driver as well, often in very different ways than when they are driving.

4) Jaime also discusses his transition from HPDE student, to time trial racer and instructor, to wheel to wheel racer into his upcoming Honda Challenge debut.

5) We also discuss several ways to minimize the expenses related in getting started, even if you have no car and almost zero money.

6) Jaime helps Jennifer with potential options for her HPDE and learning to wrench and daily driver car hunting. Any guesses? Who knows, maybe Jennifer will actually listen to this episode. Lol.

GHIT 0239: Jaime Garcia from the Race FF Pod

A Man's gotta eat — **Please feel free to eat up this episode**

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