Winter... the rainy season?

I can't believe how much it's raining today! It's hard to believe we're in the middle of winter! At least it makes the BMW easier to drive.

I've been pretty darned busy at work and haven't had much time to write. My girls' basketball team are now 7 and 3. This puts us in 2nd place. Unfortunately, our 3 losses have all been to the 1st place team. This is the team that we will have to somehow beat in the finals this spring. We will be playing in a couple of local tournaments before that, so hopefully we can make progress in a few important areas.

I've missed the past couple of games with my men's team, due to weather and work. I have a game tonight and I'm sure I will be pretty rusty (and winded).

Winter is also the time to think about cars and do research on the Internet... I re-watched all the episodes of the awesome anime series called "Initial D" and it really makes me want another Japanese car. I would really like to pick up an economical and fun car like an early Miata or a (now rare) RWD Corolla GT-S. Alex does not approve. I guess it makes more sense to put the money into an RRSP... The Miata will have to wait a bit.

On the street, I have spotted a couple of new cars. The new Toyota Yaris is pretty similar to the old one, but looks a bit more like a mini-matrix. The new Subaru Impreza is a real disappointment. I don't know how they will find a way to make any version of it look sporty, as the base model looks like a small SUV. I've seen a few more Honda CR-Z's on the road. The more I see them, the more I like them. I would like the styling more if it didn't have that ridiculous SUV front grille. Also, I realized that I like the mini Countryman. It's a neat, small vehicle with 4 doors and 4wd.

Cool cars spotted:
Saab Turbo X
Hummer H1
Porsche 997 Carrera 4S
BMW M3 (E92)
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III

Coolest drives of 2011

Here is a list, in no particular order, of some cool cars I got to drive in 2011. Enjoy!

BMW M6

I can’t say that I was overwhelmed when I drove this car on the track, but, in all fairness, the car was on winter tires and I was not in Sport Mode (and therefore, was using only 400 hp instead of 500). The M6 is not designed to be a track car, but it really is a nice car. The quality of the interior is definitely a notch above the M3, and I am already a big fan of the M3 interior. Over all, I think the M6 is a pretty neat car and would make a fast and comfortable daily driver.

Ford GT

Lovely GT

This was a car that was on my “list” of cars I wanted to try. I took it very easy in this car on the track because it had awesome torque and no form of traction control. Despite the cheap interior, the car made a great impression. It had so much presence and I loved seeing it out on the track even when I was riding in other cars. I don’t know if I would ever buy a car like this, but I came away impressed by the over all package.

Nissan GTR

Awesome GTR

Another car from the “list”. What an awesome machine. I don’t really know what the purpose of such a car is, as it’s expensive and heavy for a track car, with much too much performance for the real world. In my few short laps, I noted that the car had awesome torque and that the excellent chassis and traction allowed you to use it. An impressive car for someone who wants a really fast street car for occasional use on the track. To never hit the track with a car like this would simply be a waste.

Porsche 997 turbo

I had driven the 996 turbo on a couple of occasions and the 997 just felt like a more modern version. What they say about these cars is true: it really is as easy to drive as a Golf. I can see why these cars are so popular. The interior is such a nice place to be and, like the GTR, the all-wheel-drive traction allows the driver to use the ridiculous power of the engine. A great car, but if I were spending my own money, I would be content with the much less expensive non-turbo 911.

Porsche 964

Interesting 964

This is, aesthetically speaking, my favourite 911. I finally got a chance to drive one in 2011 and I can’t say I was that impressed. Unlike newer 911’s, the only ones I had ever driven, you could really feel the weight of the engine out back. I love the narrow-bodied look of the car, but I can see why newer generations had a wider track. Newer 911’s feel much more stable in corners. I don’t think I would ever spend my own money for one of these, as they have such ridiculously high resale value. For that kind of money, I would buy an E30 M3 or an Ur-Quattro. Still, a neat car, maybe a future classic.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

One of the more affordable cars on the list. I enjoyed the drive, as I thought I would. The car felt right and did not do anything wrong. There is no way you will forget you are in a Hyundai and think it’s a BMW, but it is still a fun car with great styling. I guess resale value will determine if this car ever becomes a performance bargain.

2000 Mustang track car

Hardcore Mustang

I got in a few laps in this track prepared 4.6 liter Mustang and I was pleasantly surprised with how docile it was. The rear felt very planted (it had independent rear suspension) and the over all experience, apart from the aluminium race seat, was really quite memorable.

Honourable Mention: Rob’s E36 M3

This was not the first time I had driven an E36 M3, but I still thought I should mention it, because I had such a blast the last time I drove my friend Rob’s M3 at St-Eustache. The car was so confidence inspiring that I found I was able to drive it almost like my Civic, despite the rear-wheel-drive. I can see why many of my friends have switched to rear-drive track cars. Also, these cars, even unmodified, are already great fun to drive. Not a bad weekend/track car for 10 000 $.

There you go! I hope to add some fun cars to the list in 2012… Maybe an RX7 twin turbo or an AMG C63? We’ll see!

Happy New Year!

Alex and I have been enjoying our time off. We managed to get away to Ogunquit, Maine for a couple of days. Although it might seem strange to go to the beach in winter, I can assure you that it is still a very relaxing experience, even if you can't swim in the ocean. Also, there is no snow on the ground there. Here are a few pics:

Alex on the beach at Ogunquit

Me on one of the walking trails at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Alex at Laudholm

Alex in the M3 at one of our favourite spots to eat

Other than that, the holidays have been quite relaxing. I got off the couch and went for a run last weekend. I was clearly out of shape, but I'm glad I went out. I wore my trail shoes, as I was running on compacted snow on Mount Royal. I'll try to head out again this week.

The traction control failed today on the M3. I don't know if this is due to the extreme cold, or if it's just a question of the steering angle sensor needing to be reset. I hope it's nothing too complicated to fix. I am still waiting for my new rear top plates so I can change the springs and hopefully get rid of that stupid clunk in the rear suspension!

Cool cars spotted:

Porsche 997 Carrera S

Porsche 924 (early one)

Porsche 911 964

Porsche 996 turbo

Porsche Carrera (80's)

Porsche 911 SC

BMW M5 (E39)

BMW M5 V10

BMW 633 Csi

Alfa Romeo Spyder

Mazda RX7 convertible

Mazda RX7 GSL-SE

AMG CLS

Volvo P1800

Car-related post!

And now, to car-related items!

There is not much going on in the world of cars and racing for me as the off-season begins. The BMW has been winterized and last night, even when driving on ice-covered roads, the car was sure-footed and confidence-inspiring. There is still the occasional clunk from the left-rear suspension, but I have ordered the parts that I believe will finally rid me of the problem. I hope Marc will have time to install them in the next couple of weeks.

The Civic is still at Marc's house. When he has time, he works on it. We just ordered a bunch of bushings that he will install. I have decided that I would like to enter the car in a 12-hour enduro at New Jersey Motorsports Park at the end of April 2012 and the car will need several modifications (mostly small ones) to be legal for the SCCA's ITS class. The Civic will probably not be a strong ITS car, but it will not be as outclassed as it would in ITE, which is essentially an open class with highly modified cars. One of the bigger jobs would be adding a harness bar to the roll cage and removing some braces create too many contact points on the chassis. Marc can also take care of this.

The planning of such a race is a daunting task, but I have decided to start early and see if I can round up three other drivers and a bunch of crew members. Seb Rochon of Bimmershop has won this event before and it would  be nice to have him around next year to give us some pointers on our first enduro over three hours. Speaking of three-hour enduros, I realized the other day that the Civic has now run ten of them, and finished them all. The car may not be that quick, but it's pretty reliable!

In November, I submitted a couple of articles to the AutoJournals web site (http://www.auto-journals.com/) and I found out this week that the journal about the M3 was accepted. Neat! I don't really have much to add to the initial journal entry so far, as the M3 is a street car without too many issues, but I will try to think of something interesting to say about it in the future.

Other thoughts, in no particular order:
- I like the Hyundai Veloster. I think it looks awesome.
- Toyota: your new Camry and Yaris look just like the old ones. What gives? You used to style cool cars, like the Celica and Supra!
- I have seen a few Boxster's on winter tires. I'm glad to see people actually driving their cars in winter!
- Another racing buddy has bought an E36 M3 as a track car. I am jealous!
- Marc has a rear-wheel-drive 1986 Corolla GTS sleeping in his parents' garage. I wish I could buy it! Talk about a practical classic car!
- I saw a new Saab 9-5. I didn't know there would be any new Saab's. I thought they were bankrupt!
- I came across some cars on display in a shopping center near my office. Highlights : an Alfa Romeo Montreal and an Aston Martin Lagonda... wow.

Lagonda

Montreal

Neat JDM truck

Clean 80's Jag

Cool cars spotted:
AMG C63 Coupe
AMG C63
AMG G55
Mercedes 500E
Hummer H1
Saab Viggen
Audi S8
Audi RS4
Porsche Targa 4S

I finally have some free time...

So I can write in the blog after almost three weeks since my last post. To keep things simple, I will not mention anything automotive in this post and then I will make a second post about car stuff.

I have been pretty busy at work, since my intern finished her internship a few weeks ago. Luckily, I will have a new intern in January.

I haven't played basketball in a few weeks, due to scheduling and my family Christmas party in Ontario, but I've been to quite a few games with my grade 8-9 girls. The Diamonds are having a pretty good season, as we go into the holiday break with a record of six wins and two losses. We have lost twice to the undefeated first place team (just like last year) and we only have one more chance to beat them in the regular season. We will almost certainly play them in the regional playoffs. Our brilliant assistant coach Darlington says he is treating the whole season as a practice for that one playoff game, which makes sense. The only game against that team that really means anything as far as winning a regional championship is that final.

Even though the girls have several wins, the team's play has been inconsistent. We have managed to raise the intensity level of the team, and we now have to work on correcting mistakes to minimize turnovers. I will be taking the coaching Level II training in January, since the league requires this level to coach grade 10-11, which I may end up coaching next year. I have been watching basketball documentaries (Gunnin' for that Number One Spot, The Heart of the Game) which, combined with the fact that my 21-year-old assistant coach knows ten times more than me about the game, makes me want to improve my knowledge of basketball and my coaching skills. I realize that I never really had a great coach from the age of 12 and that I mostly just showed up and played. I think this is something I can address though, by reading books, watching videos and attending training seminars.

As far as running goes, I have simply not done any. This is a bit sad and I have no real excuse. Any 2012 marathon I might run is so far off I barely even think about it. I will try to get some runs in during the holidays.

Alex has successfully completed her first semester teaching as a professor at Concordia University. She put in many hours and did a good job with her students, while continuing to work on future publications with her collaborators from around the world. She is still busy and will even have to work during the holidays, but she seems more and more comfortable with the work load.

All that is left is to wish any readers a happy holiday season!

Winter is almost here.

It did snow one day last week, enough that the city was blanketed in white. However (and thankfully), it all melted, so now we're back to late fall weather. The ground is pretty soggy though.

Snow day

Ready for winter driving

I have been pretty busy with work, but I don't have many other activities to worry about: the auto racing season is well and truly over and I am not training for any running event. The hobby that is the most time consuming these days is basketball.

My men's team has continued to do well. After our initial tie-game, we have won four in a row, despite the fact that only five players have shown up in the last two games. My shooting continues to be quite poor, but my defense is still pretty solid. I just wish I had more time to practice. I try to shoot around with the girls at practice, which is better than nothing.

The Diamonds are doing pretty well. After the two initial wins, the girls played against Regina Assumpta, the top team in our age group. They played a solid game, but ended up losing 46-43, which is not bad. At least we saw that we can compete at that level. Yesterday's game against Jean-Grou did not go as well, despite the fact that we won by 3. I couldn't really complain about our girls' level of intensity, as they were working hard. However, the sheer number of missed layups, turnovers and bad decisions on court almost negated all our defensive efforts. When they double-teamed our best player, she struggle to be productive on offense. Considering we have already beat this team by 25 earlier in the season, it was not our best performance. 

The holiday season is approaching but, as usual, I will only be able to relax after the last day of work before Christmas.

Cool cars spotted:

Audi S6 V10
Audi RS6
Audi R8
Audi RS4
Alpina B7
Lexus ISF
G55 AMG
SL63 AMG
Ferrari 458 Italia
Maserati Quattroporte
Bentley Continental GTC
BMW M6
Nissan GTR
Saab Turbo X

Some professional pictures of last week's track day.

Here are some of Jeremy's excellent photos taken during my track day at St-Eustache on November 13th.

Posing with the Civic

Kevin, Vince and Rob, enjoying the warm late fall weather

 

Illusion of speed

Lining up the Jetta for the pass

Esses!

Artsy pic

Another cool artsy pic

Late fall colours

More laps in the Civic!

Rob's Mustang, ready for action

 

A short break for the Civic

Before more laps

And yet more laps!

And then a few laps driving Rob's Mustang... pretty sweet!

Cool blurry pic

Passing a Mustang on the back straight

The Esses again

Between an Evo 9 and a turbo Jetta