Club Spring Mountain News – March 2011

Got Spring Fever? We’ve Got the Cure!

After an interesting mix of weather this winter, it’s time to celebrate the beginning of Spring CSM Logoat Club Spring Mountain’s Motor Resort and desert oasis. Robin Williams once said ‘Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s Party!’ Club Spring Mountain is the perfect location to gather with your fellow members and friends to have the time of your life while you test your reflexes on the track. While you’re honing your skills on Spring Mountain’s road course, your guests can enjoy all the comforts of home in a luxurious setting, work out in the fitness center, enjoy a pampering massage, relax in a hot jacuzzi or just kick back in the lounge, order a drink at the bar, catch up with old friends and meet new ones. So, if you haven’t been to the Club in awhile, come visit us this Spring and experience all the adrenaline rush your system can handle.

This month is filled with exciting activities and fun events with track organizations so you should catch all the action at the club in March! We’re hosting the Porsche Owner’s Club on March 12-13 and it’s going to be a huge event! For more information about this event, view the POC Weekend Schedule. The following weekend we will host the Southern California Audi Club on March 19-20. More and more of our members are joining the fun in the new Club Miata Race Series that was held March 5-6, 2011. For something fresh and different, we introduced Bracket Racing at the last Club Race Weekend on February 19-20 along with a members shooting contest. Congratulations to Dennis O’Leary, our Champion Shooter! Refer to our Event Calendar to choose your dates to visit the track this month.

Don’t miss out on all the merriment in March. Call Vanessa Porrino, your Country Club Coordinator, to let us know you’ll be here and we’ll roll out the red carpet for you.

We’ll see you at the Club!

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Inaugural Bracket Race is a Huge Success

Members enjoyed a close and exciting new race format

At the last Club Race weekend, February 19-20, 2011, in addition to the Radical and Sports Car run groups, we introduced Bracket Racing. Members, guests and spectators all enjoyed the new format, which pitted cars of different types against each other in an exciting contest.

Bracket Racing gives all members an equal chance of winning, no matter how fast or slow the qualification. The rules are simple: the slowest cars start first, separated by the qualifying difference, multiplied by the number of laps. A driver disqualifies himself for “sandbagging”, so if your race times are more than 1.5% faster than your qualifying time, you’re out of the race. The only other rule is four wheels off, you’re out, and although no contact is allowed in “Gentleman’s Racing”, if there is an accident each driver is responsible for his own car’s repair costs.

Michael Von Quilich, Charter Member and long-time Viper racer, tells his story of Saturday’s race on the 3.4 track. Michael just purchased a used race Miata, #00 from fellow member Fred Chin to compete in the Miata series, and he reports, “I qualified second slowest, Tony Zito qualified slowest in his Miata, so he started first. The difference between our times was one second and since the race was seven laps, he got a seven second head start on me. The next group of cars were all Radicals from SR-3’s to an SR-8. Obviously they qualified much faster than our Miatas, so they had to wait until both Tony and I passed by on our first lap before they were able to start. Because Tony and I had already passed by the waiting Radicals once, they had to pass us twice to win. On our second lap some of the Radicals had already made their first pass. Tony put four wheels off on Zora’s Run, so I inherited the lead. I am not that familiar with momentum driving techniques that Miata’s require to go fast. On the third lap, I locked up all four wheels braking into Ego Check, and badly flat spotted my tires which slowed me up a bit, so I didn’t have to be concerned with the sandbagging rule!”

“I passed by the start/finish on lap six with still no Radicals in the rear view mirror, so I thought that I just might be able to pull out a win. As I started braking for the first bus stop in the new section, I saw a red Radical just exiting turn 7, so I knew it was going to be close. I drove the little Miata as fast as I could around Loose Lucy and headed up the short straight in front of the lower paddock diving into Condo Corners (turns 1/2) with the red Radical just exiting Loose Lucy. I drifted under full power out of Condo Corner 2 up the straight with my eyes focused on the finish line. Then a red flash went by finished first. It was a very exciting finish for winner Mark Allen and me! I really enjoyed racing with a new group of great members and congratulate Dave and Mitch for a great job creating this exciting new format!”

Thank you Michael, for taking the time to submit your race report. We had to edit Michael’s story for the newsletter, so to request a complete copy of his report for both Saturday and Sunday’s races, please send an email to jerra@racespringmountain.com.

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Club Race Weekend – March 26-27, 2011

Don’t Miss this Fun Club Weekend

Bring your friends and family to March’s Member’s Only Club Race Weekend! Spring has arrived in the desert and the weather is expected to be perfect for our next Club Race of the season, on March 26-27, 2011, so we’re looking for another big race grid! Club members are invited to participate in the electrifying Radical Race in three categories – SR3, Unlimited and Rookie. Sports Car drivers are also encouraged to participate in the fun in our Sports Car run group. Bracket Racing will again be held, by popular demand! Club Members will be driving on the 2.9-mile track on Saturday, and the 2.3-mile track on Sunday, with Sunday Karting on the .5-mile course from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Don’t miss this chance to continue accumulating points for the 2011 Championship.

Your Club Race weekend will begin at 8:30 am each day with a Mandatory Drivers Meeting, followed by back-to-back run sessions, and the Radical Race kicking off at 12:30 pm on Saturday and 10:30 am on Sunday. During consecutive 25-minute sessions in Race Car, Sports Car and Novice Groups, you can power your vehicle through Spring Mountain’s latest course configurations. Entry fees for the event are $200.00 for the race fee on Saturday plus $250.00* for full track support per day. *Please note the track support fees have been increased for 2011.

Congratulations to the winners of February’s Club races:

Saturday, February 19
Unlimited: 1st – Terry Goodkind
SR3: 1st – George Kurtz; 2nd – Gerhard Watzinger; 3rd – Matt Maddox
Rookie: 1st – Oliver Von Anhalt; 2nd – Jeff Taylor

Sunday, February 20
Unlimited: 1st – Terry Goodkind
SR3: 1st – Lee Siefert; 2nd – Doug Ramirez; 3rd – Mark Allan
Rookie: 1st – Jeff Taylor; 2nd – Oliver Von Anhalt

View the latest Points Standings!

Weekend Casual Fare. March’s race weekend is going to be low-cost and casual, with Subway Sandwich lunches available at $8.00 per person, and a simple and fun BBQ on Saturday night at $10.00 per person (not including bar service.)

Important Note: Please be reminded that it is essential to RSVP to Vanessa Porrino if you will be coming to the track for an event so that we may be sure to have enough food for you and your guests. If you do not RSVP we regret that we will not be able to accommodate you and/or your guests for lunch. Vanessa can be reached TOLL FREE at 800.391.6891, or by cell 702-205-3820. Thank you for your cooperation, and we’ll see you at the track.

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Miata Series is Off and Running

February 12-13, 2011 saw the kickoff of the 2011 Club Spring Mountain Miata Race Series (CSMMRS). Nine Club members took part in the weekend activities that culminated in a hot three lap Miatas at Clubhousetime trial shootout.

First place was claimed by Lee Alexander with a combined time of 6:21.928. Close on Lee’s heels was Michael von Quilich with a combined time of 6:22:343 attesting to how tight the racing was. Club member and Series Race Director Tony Zito grabbed the final podium position with a time of 6:29:185. The entire field was separated by less than 9 seconds.

March 5-6, 2011 hosted the second Series event of 2011 and again the competition was tight. Nine Club members took part in the weekend activities that culminated in a hot three lap time trial shootout.

First place was claimed by Mike von Quilich with a combined time of 6:28.214. Less than one second behind Mike was Jim Balestrieri claiming second place with a time of 6:29:176. Fred Chin took the final step on the podium with a time of 6:29.856.

So far, fourteen Club Members have joined the race series that is designed to refine race craft and foster member camaraderie. The Miata Race Series is being billed as a “race series for members, by members” and provides club members a fun, inexpensive wheel to wheel race series that focuses on race craft development, good sportsmanship, and safe racing. The year-long series includes 18 events, mixing time trials, sprint, and enduro race formats. The championship is based on a best 14 of 18 finishes, giving participants flexibility with scheduling.

Don’t miss the first 2-day race format with Sprint Races being held on April 9-10, 2011! If you have questions or are interested in the series contact Club Member Tony Zito at (702) 521-9966 or Blue996tt@gmail.com.

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Just Arrived from England…Two New 1500cc Radicals

Radical West, USA, the #1 Radical Extreme Sports Car Distributor in the World, announces the arrival of TWO new Radical SR3 extreme sports cars in the Radical Showroom. The Radical caters to a wide range of drivers, from the novice track day drivers who simply want a car that is fast, fun and safe, to the seasoned professional.

Visit our showroom today to see the latest two Radicals flown in from England….two Brand New 2011 SR3 RS 1500 cc models. Both models include the 2011 V8 Bodywork, F1 Paddle Shift Kit, Graphics Package, 1500cc Dry Sump Engine, Fuel injection, Hot weather cooling kit, Wide V8 wheels, V8 big brake upgrade, High Downforce kit, and much more! Two colors are available and each is selling for $99,500.00. Call today TOLL FREE at 800.391.6891 and you could be driving one of these hot cars in the next race.

Contact Simon Shepard today for more information on the new Radicals. Simon can be reached via email simon@radicalwest.com or on his mobile phone 714.369.3361.

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Club Spring Mountain Launches New Website & Videos

We are proud to announce the recent launch of our beautiful new website. Charter Member and Internet expert Ken Melgoza along with his talented wife and graphics artist Kristy spent months managing this huge project and we are extremely excited with the results. Designed by Basic Brands from San Diego, California, the site features a state-of-the-art, visually stunning design, easy-to-use navigation, bold graphics, impressive videos starring our very own Club Spring Mountain members, and a complete media gallery. Our new Club website reflects who we are today as a leading Motor Resort and Country Club facility in the country, and is an engaging online experience for both members and visitors. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Our hot new Club Video, produced by Basic Brands, stars some of your fellow Club Spring Mountain members. See if you can recognize them in our promotional Club Video here.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or to report any problems (we are still working on a few items,) please send them to us. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy spending time on our new website.

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Tactical Training Program at the Club

Our newly introduced Tactical Handgun Training (concealed weapon) program for Club Spring Mountain members has been very well received, reports Law Enforcement Firearms instructor Anthony Bandiero. Club Member Bryan Holyk was pleased with his instruction, saying, “Anthony…shows you so many things which not only make you a safer and more accurate shooter, but also skills that could save your life. I never knew how valuable training like this could be and plan on taking more advanced classes.”

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced shooter, we are ready to sign-up more students for our next classes to be held on March 20 and March 27. If you do not yet own a gun please call Anthony and he will be happy to advise you in your decision. The class hours are from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and in those 8 hours you will learn how and when you can use a firearm to protect yourself or your loved ones.

If you are a non-resident of Nevada the permit will be issued through the Nye County (Nevada) Sheriff’s Office. The permit is valid in the states in ‘red’ on the map on the right.

This training is geared toward new and experienced shooters alike and is especially important for those who want to obtain a concealed weapons permit (CCW) but may not have a lot of shooting experience.

Highlights of the training program:

• Shooting in low light
• Combat/self-defense mindset
• 2 second draw and shoot
• Home defense tactics
• One handed shooting
• Plus much, much more…

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Comments/Suggestions/Feedback?

Greetings! we are always interested in your feedback and appreciate your comments and suggestions on how we can make your time at Club Spring Mountain more enjoyable. Thank you for your support, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vanessa Porrino, your personal Country Club Representative, via email – vanessa@racespringmountain.com, via cell phone, 702-205-3820, or call us TOLL FREE at 800.391.6891.

We’ll see you at the Club!