CarlB

I have a friend who is looking for a room, if anyone knows of anything available please let me know.

I think you would be happy with Autodynamics in Rockville. I have known the owner for a long time. He has been working on BMWs forever, and now does MINI. He has all the diagnostic tools and takes care of both of my MINIs. 301-948-4744

I would like to help.

Craig has added some more good tips. You will have lots of standing around outside. A chair is good. It will be chilly Saturday bring layers. The best driving tip I can give you all is look much farther ahead than you think you need to. You want to be looking at where you want to go, not where you are going. If you look at where you want to end up, you will naturally drive there.

I have been autocrossing with the BMW club all year. You will have a great time. All the things in this post are accurate. Numbers need to go on the door. It is easy enough to make them with painters tape. Laura’s offer of making numbers will make your car look a lot better. Pump your tires up before you get there, and you will let some air out between runs. If you like to wear driving shoes, but do not like to stand around in them bring some other shoes. Everyone has to work when they aren’t running. That means you have to be ready to set cones up that get turned over. Bring a hat and comfortable shoes for that part. Plan to come early. If you haven’t autocrossed before learning the course is not easy. In the beginning it looks like a sea of cones. You also need comfortable shoes to walk the course a few times. Do not be a bashful about asking for help. If you haven’t done it before or aren’t confident, someone will be happy to ride along with you. I am delighted to see you all coming out. Generally there haven’t been a lot of MINIs. I am registered for the morning. When is everyone else registered?

Maacodale makes some good points. The Dragon will reward paying close attention to the correct line. Like most roads, and race tracks, a late apex is generally the fastest way around. A lot of people describe that as slow in fast out. Think in terms of where you want the car pointed when you are on the inside of the corner or apex. With the car pointed toward the corner exit as opposed to requiring more turning of the wheel, you will be able to get on the gas sooner. You might be surprised how late and sharp you have to turn to do it. The other aspect of a late apex is it is a lot safer. Remember the slow in part. If you use your brakes as hard as would be required to really go as fast as possible on the Dragon they will likely overheat. The Dragon is much harder on brakes than any race track I can think of. There isn’t any time to cool then down. To address the question about braking or engine braking there is no simple answer. Think about it from how tires develop traction. A tire will develop more traction the more weight it has on it. When you brake, turn, or accelerate weight or load moves off some tires onto others. The wrench in the works is that while the amount of grip or traction a tire will develop goes up the more weight it has on it, the increase in grip is not proportional to the amount of weight being transferred, so the affect is increasing grip to a point, but once the centrifugal force pushing the car to the outside of the turn reaches a point you have less traction or grip. Race drivers have to know how to do a number of things well, but optimizing grip is one of the most important. Have I fully confused everyone? I like to drive the Dragon quickly without using much brake. I concentrate on the correct line. The corners on the Dragon flow together and I find that you can develop a rhythm to your driving, much like you would on a race track if you are going fast and really have your head into it.

Thanks for hosting. I am looking forward to it. Carl

I can't get her to come over to the Dragon. She loves drivving her MINI, but she stays in Gatlenburg with the wife of a college friend. He drives a truck, but comes to the Dragon with me. I guess flying F-16s got the go fast bug in him. He came last year and really enjoyed it. I am trying to talk him into getting a MINI.

I got the Purple Haze as a commuter car. My wife said she would not drive it because she wouldn't feel safe. A month later it was "can I drive the MINI". I wanted a Autocross car, but did not like the R56s. so I got a Astro Black JCW and she got the Purple MINI. As far as the Dragon goes I want my Hot Rod.

I am going. My Purple Haze will stay home and I will have my Astro Black

I do not know anything about this company, but what I think they are saying is this is a completely blank key. You would need to have the key part cut. You would also need to program the remote. They say they will give you instructions, but they do not say what hardware is required to do the programming. I had to get a bunch of keys made about a year ago and the lock store off Shady Grove Rd where Red white and Blue is located said they could make the keys for MINIs. I never followed up any further.

I would like to try this stuff. Where do you get it? I went on their web site and it talked more about adding it to the oil. From the description here you all are using it to clean the carbon buildup off the back of the valves and combustion chambers. I assume putting it in the gas tank is to clean the fuel injectors. Does the can talk about using it for that? TGGRRR there are a lot of possibilities your gas mileage went up when you added Seafoam to the tank. I could give you a very technical discussion without ever being able to say this is it. There are lots of variables. The bottom line is probably, is the cost of the Seafoam offset by the increase in gas mileage? The other issue with products like this is the affect on the catalytic converter. I am confident that used as the manufacture intended, it will not harm the converter. The question is that if it is used very frequently will the converter be able to burn up the excess carbon and whatever is in the Seafoam? All the smoke coming out the tail pipe when Seafoam is added could be a problem for the converter.

We are looking forward to it. Will bring desert

I came down to see friends in Gatlinburg Saturday. There are signs on I-40 saying that parts of I-40 will be closed for a year. Then they give alternate routes. I do not know if this affects getting to the dragon.

I am going, and thinking about going a day early.

I am going. will probably leave real early Wednesday. My wife is going to be with friends in Gatlenburg, so I need to drop her off.