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INSIDE- Interview with Summer Solo-I

Champion Allan Pepper

- Header and Exhaust review

- CART Puzzle

February 2001

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Special ThanksBev Millar and Ken BairdCollation and Distribution

1

Hotline(613) 788-0525

Website

www.mco.orgmaintained by Rob Microys

Hosted byAnjura Technology Corporation

General MeetingsLouis's Steakhouse

1682 Cyrville Rd., Ottawa, ONFirst Tuesday of every month

All are welcome

M.C.O.P.O. Box 65006,

Merivale Postal OutletNepean, ON K2G 5Y3

The LINK is the official publication of theMotorsport Club of Ottawa. Theopinions expressed in the LINK do notnecessarily reflect those of the LINKEditorial Staff or the Club's Executive.

Though all efforts are made to ensurethat facts stated in the articles herein areaccurate, the individual contributorsshould check the accuracy of theirarticles prior to submission.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS:18th day of every month.

ADVERTISING RATESMembers are welcome to submit classifiedadvertisements for non-commercial purposesfree of charge.

Members m ay also submit business card-sizedadvertisements for their businesses free ofcharge. These will be published spacepermitting.

Motorsport Club of OttawaFounded 1949

Founding Member CA SC 1951

Incorporated 1953

Editorial Exhaust

One advantage to doing this column last is

the opportunity for last minute updates.

Such as the preliminary results of the

Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. As was

mentioned in the December 2000 Link,

MCO member Jim Holtom was racing

with the Bytzek Motorsport team, driving

the Porsche 911 GT1 (gawk - what a great

looking car.)

The results show the #01 Porsche co-

driven by Jim placed 6th overall and 3rd in

class behind the winning Corvettes of

Corvette Racing. The second Bytzek (#00)

car placed 41th of a 79 car grid.

Congratulations to Jim and the rest of the

Bytzek team!!

Secondly I'd like to thank Stephen Bolt. As

Basil Chiu has mentioned many times,

volunteerism is the heart of any club.

Stephen has come on board to help with

Link preparation, and I welcome his effort.

Thanks!!

-r.

February 2001

2001 MCO Executive

PresidentRon Woltman

H: (613) 592-0141W: (819) 997-6988

ronald.woltman@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca

Vice-PresidentDavid ButlerH: (613) 596-5518C: (613) 762-8268

debutler@magma.ca

Past PresidentRob Microys

H: (613) 822-7204r.microys@home.com

DirectorsBasil Chiu

(613) 749-9444 (weekdays)(613) 830-1561 (weekends)

basil_chiu@yahoo.com(prefer phone contact)

Adam MortimerH: (613) 822-2565

speed_diemen@yahoo.com

Jeremy HamiltonH: (613) 824-1362

zoomzoom365@home.com

Chris Holmstenfinnlog@netcom.ca

MembershipGordon Acorn and Helen Zhou

H: (613) 271-1161W: (613) 763-1155

gacorn@nortelnetworks.comhelen.zhou@alcatel.com

TreasurerRobert Benson

H: (613) 837-2051benson@mondenet.com

SecretaryChris Capowski

H: (613) 228-1180W: (613) 526-5202

c.capowski@home.com

LINK Editorslink@mco.org

Ayan GangopadhyayH: (613) 798-1266speed@magma.ca

Richard MuiseH: (613) 241-9983

observer@marblecomputing.com

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February 2001

2001 Calendar of EventsMCO GENERAL MEETINGSFirst Tuesday of every month, 8:00 pmLouis's Steakhouse, 1682 Cyrville Road

MCO EXECUTIVE MEETINGSThird Tuesday of every month, 7:30 pmLouis's Steakhouse, 1682 Cyrville Road

Tentative 2001 Solo II Schedule

April 28 Solo I School SMP - Fabi April 29 Solo I School SMP - Nelson May 18 Lapping 1 Mosport DDT May 19 Event 1 Mosport DDT May 20 Event 2 Mosport DDT June 9 Event 3 SMP - Fabi June 10 Event 4 SMP - Nelson June 22 Lapping 2 Cayuga June 23 Event 5 Cayuga June 24 Event 6 Cayuga July 14 Event 7 Mosport DDT July 15 Event 8 Mosport DDT August 11 Event 9 SMP - Pro August 12 Event 10 SMP - Nelson August 24 Lapping 3 Cayuga August 25 Event 11 Cayuga August 26 Event 12 Cayuga September 13 Event 13 SMP - Pro September 14 Event 14 SMP - Fabi Novem ber 3 Solo 1/2 Banquet R am ada H otel, T.O.

Tentative 2001 Road Racing Schedule

April 20-22 Spring Fling SMP

April 27 Test Day Mosport April 28, 29 BARC - Event 1 Mosport May 11 Test Day Mosport May 12, 13 BARC - Event 2 Mosport June 2, 3 CRDA Event 3 SMP June 30, July 1, 2 VARAC Festival Mosport July 6 Test Day SMP July 7, 8 MCO - Event 4 SMP July 21, 22 DAC - Event 5 SMP August 10 Test Day Mosport August 11, 12 BARC - Event 6 Mosport August 31 Test Day Mosport September 1, 2 CRDA - Event 7 Mosport September 14 Test Day Mosport

September 15, 16 BEM C - Event 8 Mosport September 28 Test Day Mosport Septem ber 29, 30 C elebration - E vent 9 M osport

Tentative 2001 Winter Solo and WinterDriving Schools

Winter Driving Schools:Saturday Feb 17

Slush n' Slides:Saturday Feb 11 (Rain Date: Saturday Feb 18)

Workers Wanted for Canaska Cup WeekendJuly 6-8, 2001

Please contact MCO Executive for further information anneeded positions

MCO Performance Driving School andLapping Weekend

June 23-24, Shannonville Motorsport Park. Furtherinformation, including pricing, and registration sheet is

available online athttp://www.mco.org/school/lappingschool.htm

MCO Indoor Racing League Events:Tuesday January 9 Capital KartingWednessday January 31 Capital KartingThursday February 22 Capital KartingTuesday March 13 Capital Karting

Wednesday April 4 Capital KartingWednesday April 25 Capital Karting

for more information, seehttp://www.mco.org/karting/indoorkarting.htm

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February 2001

Allan Pepper:The Summer Solo II

Championby Jean MacGillivray

Autocross champion Allan Pepper is anengaging fellow whose good humouralways sends him back from a run with asmile on his face. I met him three years agoat Solo II events, watching him blast hiswhite Eagle Talon around the various auto-cross courses with speed and enthusiasm.

In October, Allan added to his list of ach-ievements by entering MCO's Lanark High-lands Rally. With Jeff LeClair navigating,he drove to a second-place finish in a fieldof 21 cars in the Time-Speed-Distance(TSD) rally. (I believe Jeff can attest toAllan's vigorous driving on that occasion!)

Allan's achievements were recognized atthe MCO Annual Banquet and Aw ards din-

ner in November, when he was awarded theDow's Lake Trophy for being the SummerOttawa Solo II Champion. Allan competedin the CSS Class. Now equipped with ablack Eagle Talon, Allan is looking forwardto another exciting Solo II season in 2001.

Allan Pepper Talks About Driving

"I've always been into cars. When I was akid it was watching racing on TV, and play-ing racing games like Sega's Outrun," saysAllan.

"I was also into radio-controlled racers. I

actually went to the Canadian nationals (inBelleville) once, and to the Hobby Show atthe Ex a couple times. Not that I did verywell, but it was fun and helped teach mesome of the basics about how thingsworked. I even spent some time custom-fabricating my own chassis and suspensioncomponents out of channel aluminum."

Allan's first car was actually a little pick-up,a Mazda B2000, that he got while at univer-sity. "It was very practical, but not a wholelot of fun. Co-op terms and moving everyfour months required some sacrifi-ces," hesays.

The Molson Indy sparked his interest incompetitive driving. "I think I've missedgoing to it (only) four times since it started.Standing at the end of the Lakeshorestraight and watching the Indy cars streakby under the bridge at 300+ km/h and com eout at 60 km, lap after lap, is what did it."

Could the need for speed be genetic? "Asfar as I know there is no family history of

racing, although I have heard persistentrumours about an uncle who may haveworked with the Jaguar works team in thepast," says Allan.

What kind of car do you drive at Solo II?This year, I drove a black 1997 Eagle TalonTsi AWD. Before that, it was a white 1995Eagle Talon Esi.

What improvements have you made toyour car?The biggest improvement for this year wastrading up to a new car with 50% morehorsepower and 100% more driven wheels!Other than that, I haven't done much so far.It's pretty much all the "free" stuff you cando in SS class, so I've still got some room togrow for next year.

This is what I've done: opened the intake; firmed up the struts with KYB AGX's; firmed up the chassis with some strut tow-er bars (hey, they made the sunroof stopsqueaking over the bumps); and helped out the brakes by replacing therotors, pads and fluid.

How long have you been competing atSolo II events?This was my first year as a season regular,but I've been competing for three.

How does it feel to be the fastest driver?I wouldn't say that I'm the fastest driver;there are quite a few out there who go muchfaster. I'm just grateful that this year turnedout as well as it did.

How does Solo II compare to the other

types of driving you do, such as rallying?I haven't done much other driving. A recentTSD rally (thanks, Jaak and Jim), somedrag racing, some summer and winter Soloschools, and one F2000 racing school isabout it. I've been using Solo II as a spring-board to learn the car control required forsome higher speed events, like rallying,Solo I and track events. There is so much to

learn, and the autocross events allow me todevelop my skills in as safe an environmenas I could think of. Ask me again next yearI may be better able to compare!

What's the reason for your success?I'd say that one of the main reasons wasbuilding some driving skills before I gotinto my current car. Spending two yearsworking the bugs out in the white Talon and

getting my mind around the physics of SoloII really helped out. Now, when I get intothe car, I am much more aware of how ibehaves near the limit and just what thoselimits are.

As this year progressed, my intent was towork on slowing down where I needed toand becoming smoother behind the wheelJudging from the white knuckles on someof my passengers, I don't know if this les-son really took, so I've still got some workto do.

What plans do you have for next season?I'm not sure. I'll be back for the next Soloseason, of course, but in addition I think I'dlike to get into some track driving, perhapseven a Solo I event.

For the winter, I may get involved with theYokohama Winter Rally Series, but I rathersuspect that the Slush'n'Slide will be all thedriving I'll be doing.

What tips do you have for the up-and-coming driver?Take the performance ground schoolSpend some time learning how friction andweight transfer (physics) work in relation towhat you are doing behind the w heel. Learn

how to use the brakes effectively. One ofthe biggest learning experiences for mecame when I was attempting to brake andsteer into an off-camber corner! I nowunderstand why the result was so dramaticbut at the time it just seemed like a naturathing to do.

That's good advice. Thanks for your timeand good luck next season, Allan!

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Puzzle #2: 2001 CART Driver Names

Place the 2001 CART Drivers names in the puzzle above. Use onlythe last name, no space. If you need a list of drivers, see page 8.Solution is on page 13.

Puzzle by Bennett Leckie

February 2001

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February 200

Product Install andReview

Header andExhaust System

by Rob Microys

As with most drivers of small import

coupes and hatchbacks, I found that mycar was sometimes lacking in powerdelivery when compared to big Detroitiron. I had an opportunity to upgrade myexhaust system this month, as the oldsystem on my 1995 Nissan 200SX SE-Rwas about to fail. After doing someresearch, and from my experienceworking on Bob Armstrong's NX2000racecar, I selected a 4-2-1 header fromHotshot Systems and a new exhaustsystem from HKS, purchased from Chrisat Hunt Club Honda.

The Hotshot header for the SR20DE

motor (found in the Nissan 200SX SE-R,NX2000, and Infinity G20) is a reallynice piece. It has a 4-2-1 design with aflex-pipe. The piece is ceramic-coated,which should help longevity in the saltywinters, and the welding is of excellentquality. I'm hoping to add significantpower to the car's already reasonablypotent 140 factory horses. The Hotshotheader is by far the industry best for theSR20DE motor, and in a head-to-headcomparison in a previous issue of SportCompact Car it had the best dyno pull ofany of the other manufacturers.

The HKS exhaust is also a really well-built, with a fully baffled stainless mufflerand tip fed by a mandrel bent 60mmaluminized steel exhaust pipe. Theexhaust also has a center resonator. Thewelds and flanges are of very high qualityand thickness.

With Chris' help, I started the job at about7:00pm. The entire job can be done withbasic hand tools, but some of the boltswere removed with less effort by using anelectrical impact gun. During a

previous trip to Nissan I acquired new

nuts for the header to head, new bolts forthe catalytic converter, and all thegaskets, just in case. The gaskets weren'tneeded for the header came as it with highquality copper gaskets, but it was nice tohave the new nuts and bolts. However,the HKS exhaust didn't come with a catgasket or new bolts, so it had certainlyhelped to get the extra bits.

The old manifold and down pipe cameapart without too much trouble,considering that the car has seen six ofour lovely Canadian winters here inOttawa. The one hard part about themanifold was removing the EGR fitting, a

big 24mm fitting sort of like a brake linenut, just bigger. It was a very tricky oneto remove, as only could only get anopen-ended wrench on it; but with heatingit up, we did remove it without incident.Once the exhaust was dropped, a quickjob with a hacksaw removed theoffending system from the car. Thehardest part of the entire job was toremove the catalytic converter from theold exhaust and down pipe. Nissan'ssystem is a little different, as the flangesare threaded and the exhaust and headerbolt on to the converter. This made itvery important to be extremely careful

when removing the bolts to the cat - onecan't just use a welding torch and cutthem off. With a lot of heat from a goodpropane torch, and the help of special nut-gripping vise-grips, the bolts were easedout of the converter, and the easy part ofthe install proceeded.

While I was busy getting the exhaust outfrom under the car and freeing up theconverter from the rusty old exhaust anddown pipe, Chris was busy cleaning offthe head and installing the primary pipes.Nissan uses quite large studs, and we hadno problems with them. Once the header

primaries were on, the next part was tomount up the secondary pipe andconverter. After a bit of bumblingaround, we figured the logistics of theinstall - we mounted the converter to thesecondary pipe, mounted that as one uniton to the car, and bolted it up to theprimary pipes.

After the header was installed, the HKSexhaust bolted on in less than 5 minutesand we were all done. We double-checked every fastener, connector, and

carefully reclaimed all the tools lyinaround under and on the car. It was timfor the "acid test". We opened the garagdoor and started the car up. The car idlesurprisingly quietly for a huge exhausystem, it isn't loud or obnoxious. Wchecked for leaks and there were nonSatisfied, we shut it down, lowered thcar, finished cleaning up and went for thobligatory test drive (I did have to drivChris home that night). We checked thclock, it was shortly past 11pm. Not bafour hours for a full header and exhausystem, including a trip to Canadian Tirfor a 24mm wrench.

As we drove off, the note of the car wa

quite pleasant, and not overly loud - thsystem is just a bit louder than mprevious Pacesetter system, which realwas quite quiet. A quick blip to ththrottle prompted a growl and retort threvealed that behind the polished exhautip lies some serious performance. Oncon the road with the car warmed usufficiently, we cracked the throttle opeand much to my enjoyment, the car realpulls a lot harder. Power and throttlresponse is up at all RPMs - with the higend particularly being strong now from5000 straight to the redline at 7200. Thcar used to labour above 6500, but now

pulls quite healthily up to the redlineDyno-tested at about 12 horsepower onstock SE-R, I would say that the AccuPrecise SOTP dyno (seat-of-the-pantagrees that this give my little car somserious extra ponies - I highly recommenthese products, their manufacturers anthe service/deals at the parts departmeat Hunt Club Honda (shameless plug foChris...).

Sources

Hunt Club HondaAsk for Chris

2555 Bank StreetOttawa, Ontario(613) 526-5617

Hotshot Performancewww.hotshot.com

HKS USAwww.hksusa.com

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January 1999March 2001

- Interior and Exteriorcleaning and detailing

- Mid to highend maintenance

- Custom engineered upgrades

- Design and consultingservices

- Custom mandrel-bentstainless steel exhaustsystems up to 3" diameter

- Precision MIG and TIGwelding of:

- Aluminum - Stainless Steel - Inconel - Titanium - Various other metals

by appointment only

(613) 798-8163

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March 2001

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February 2001

January ExecutiveMeeting MinutesTuesday January 16, 20017:10pm - 8:45pm

Prese nt:Chris Holmsten, Basil Chiu, Rob Microys,Helen Zhou, Gord Acorn, Adam Mortimer,Ron Woltman, Dave Butler, JeremyHamilton, Bob Benson, Richard MuiseWinter Driving School-Ron W. and the instructors met to

determine how weekday co urses could bebest handled. It was decided somemeasure of renumeration wa s required forthe particpating instructors, yet stilltransferring monies to the Clubs' coffers,was in order. It was agreed that anamount of $150.00 be allocated to eachinstructor for their efforts ahd theremaining amount go to the Treasury.

-This proposal was unanimously acceptedby the executive.

Mem bersh ip Direc torship-Gord A. states that he cannot continue to

manage the club's membership because

he is too busy.-proposes to find someone new to run

membership, but is willing to stay onand help out.

-a warm and sincere vote of thanks wasgiven to both Helen Zhou and GordonAcorn for their unflagging diligence andwork as memb ership persons over pastfew years.

-ideas of how to ease the load ofprocessing memberships are discussed.Ideas include on-line registration and thewebsite having a members-only section.

Shannonville Lapping Weekend-Jeremy H. states the club must begin to

organize the Shannonville LappingWeekend. It is believed 30-40 peoplewill be needed to help out.

-as of yet the club has not paid for theShannonville track.

-flyers of the event will be made by B asilC. and sent out to other car clubs.

Solo II-the Solo II organizers meeting on Feb.17

will be listed in the next link.-a Solo II schedule will be made-Helen A. will e-mail Ron W. and C hris

H. a contact for Solo II at Alcatel and

has agreed to set-up a meeting for themwith this person.

Other Assorted Items-A draft copy of the event worker po ints

form was made.-Basil C. would like the nam es of all

people who volunteer for events fromthe event organizers.

-The link will now be put on the MCOwebsite as well as being published.

-Dave B. states the MC O is now affiliatedwith CARS (Canadian Association ofRallysport) as of Jan. 3. MCO m emberscan now comp ete for points in CARSevents.

-The MCO is also in the process ofupdating the papers of incorporation.

-Richard M. has been recruiting morepeople to help with the Link.

-Basil C. would like to run a media eventwith people from Formula SAE andsolar car races, etc.

-Ron W. asks to make sure Robe rtWilson of Travel Edge (sponsor) knowshis Ad is on the Link an d website.

Here is the list of 2001 CARTDrivers for the puzzle on page 4.Michael Andretti Bruno Junqueira

Alex Barron Tony KanaanKenny Brack Michael KrummPatrick Carpentier Nicolas MinassianHelio Castroneves Roberto MorenoCristiano da Matta Shinji NakanoGil de Ferran Max PapisScott Dixon Alex TaglianiAdrian Fernandez Tora TakagiChristian Fittipaldi Marcel TiemannDario Franchitti Paul TracyLuiz Garcia Jr. Jimmy Vasser

Mauricio Gugelmin Max WilsonBryan Herta Alex ZanardiMichel Jourdain Jr.

Winter 2001 MCO Karting LeagueNext Event: Thursday February 22http://www.mco.org/karting.indoorkarting.htm

See http://capitalkarting.com/leagues.htm for currentstandings.

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February 2001

Freezing My Exhaust OffThe Joys of Winter Solo-IIby Ayan Gangopadhyay

The crisp January air. So clean. Sorefreshing. So.... COLD!!!!

After standing outside for five or sixhours, it's really only the latter that comes

to mind. Your feet are cold. Your handsare cold. Your ears and nose are cold.Your brain is cold. And now you have togo out there, and drive really fast on ice,using those frozen hands, feet, and brain.

Sure, you may say, I've spent the dayoutside before, skiing or snowboarding.But have you ever stood around an openfield, in the middle of winter, with closeto no physical activity? The answer islikely "No", unless you've tried MCO'sWinter Solo-II Series!

In preparation for Winter Solo-II (also

known as Slush n' Slide), MCO rentedCapital City Speedway on Hwy7, andsnow-plowed a tri-oval road course with

three large "chicanes" that can be openedup or closed off to create a multitude ofdifferent course layouts. The course wasthen watered to provide a solid base of icefor the cars to run on, with furthersnowfalls have left the track with a nicetop-coat of hard-packed snow (muchmore fun and faster to drive on than glareice), and decent-sized snowbanks asguardrails. Those who may have tried

Summer Solo-II and found the biggestchallenge to be picking your way throughthe sea of cones will find this refreshing,as the course is very clearly defined (bythe snowbanks). The challenge thenbecomes going fast.

Winter Solo-II is much like SummerSolo-II, in that it is a timed event with onecar on the course at a time. The mainsource of risk to your car is hittingsnowbanks. The cars are divided into sixclasses determined by drive system(FWD, RWD, or AWD/4WD) andwhether the car is "street" or "race". Thisyear, most of the competitors are runningstreet cars, including some pretty new,expensive vehicles! All cars are subject

to a technical inspection, where similar toSummer Solo-II, the car has to be ingood, safe running order and the driveneeds a Snell M90-rated helmet or bette(note - there are loaner helmets availablat the track for a small fee).

Winter Solo-II is an excellent opportunitto learn about car control, as your car iconstantly on or over the edge oadhesion as you make your way arounthe track. You learn to control frontwheel, rear-wheel, and four-wheel skidsYou have to be exceptionally smooth andcontrolled in your application of anyinput, whether it be steering, throttle, obrake. Typically it is not the fastest cathat wins, but the smoothest driver.

All kidding aside, the two events so fathis year have had the best weather andtrack conditions I've seen in my five yearof participation. Kudos to the organizerwho (with a little help from MotheNature) have put together an excellentrack and an excellent event!

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February 2001

The 2001 Ontario StreetStock Series

The Ontario Street Stock Series is a race series in thetradition of the best single-marque events featuring the all-new Nissan Sentra XE. This is a driver's series where nomodifications will be allowed to the Nissan Sentra XEengine, drivetrain or engine management computer. Spectires, suspension and muffler will ensure equalperformance and mandated safety modifications will allowclose, action-packed racing.

This series will take place at CASC-OR race events atMosp ort and Shanno nville. It will feature practice,qualifying, a 10 lap heat race on Saturday, and a 15 lapfeature race on Sunday. Prize money will be paid out ateach feature race for positions 1 through 5, and the OntarioStreet Stock Series champion will take home the grandprize at the end of the. The prize fund and major sponsorswill be announced shortly.

The rules will be very simple and a Drivers Committee willestablish and enforce the regulations. A claiming rule willensure that all drivers have access to com petitive cars.

The $1,000.00 series registration fee will cover the costs oftrophies, administration and sanction fees and will provideeach competitor with a pre-registered number, series rulesand regulations, a standard decal package, and promotionalitems that will ensure high visibility for the sponsors. Theper event entry fee will be $350.00 with $250.00 going tothe organizing club and $100.00 to the prize fund. Cars areto be made available for dealer promotions, mall displays

and selected trade shows. On-track promotions will beheld at 2 events where sponsors will be hosted at the trackand enjoy track tours in the race prepared Nissan SentraXE. Special promotions can be arranged to complem entsponsor marketing plans and dealer activities. A fullyprepared car will be featured at the 2001 Toronto AutoShow.

All cars will be sourced through selected dealers and thevarious components sealed prior to delivery. Theanticipated cost of the basic car is about $14,300 plustaxes. It is expected that a ready-to-race car will cost about$22,000 complete with all required modifications and

safety equipment. Parts will be available at dealer costplus 10%.

For further details, or to register for this series, please callDave Diedrick at 905-619-8813 or Laurence Polley at 905-846-5175.

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all are welcome!

MCO General Meetings - 1st Tuesday of every monthMCO Executive Meetings - Third Tuesday of every month

LOUIS'S STEAKHOUSE

1682 Cyrville RoadTake 417, get off at Innes Road (by 417 Nissan and Costco (Price Club))

(613) 741-2130

11

THE PRESIDENT'SREPORT

by Ron Woltman

So much to do, so little time. I regret myabsence from these pages the past twoissues but believe me, I have not beenidle.

First - the Winter Driving Schools havebeen a resounding success! In fact, wehave far more potential participants thenwe can possibly manage. Somewhatfoolishly, I assumed the role of organizerand registrar - MISTAKE. Worse yet, wehave had considerable press, both in theCitizen, and CJOH, which prominentlyfeatured my home phone number. Idelegate well, but I missed the boat onthis one while we transitioned from theout-going executive. Without fear ofexaggeration, I could have easilyemployed a person, full-time for threedays a week, to manage the flow.

My genuine appreciation goes out to allthat have made this effort a success notonly for the club, but also for thecommunity as a whole: all of the patientand truly excellent instructors NigelMortimer, Bob Armstrong, Len Clue,Jeremy Hamilton, Bennett Leckie, AdamMortimer, Jaak Laan, Roger Picard, Pauland Chris Swinwood, Rob Microys,Ferdinand Trauttsmandorff, Sam Mandia;Bennett, who has lived out at the track; allthe hearty volunteers who have come outto help; Baz for the promotion; RichardMuise, the certificates. Great team effort.Let's work together to achieve the samemeasure of team effort and success forour race weekend at Shannonville, July 6-8.

On behalf of the club, I attended the allclubs meeting hosted by the Wheelssection of The Ottawa Citizen and the

Byward Market. Quite the gathering -close to 100 souls. There will be anofficial calendar published by ShannonLee Mannion and shared with all clubs,and we will publish highlights, but restassured if you want to attend. A clubactivity, a cruise night, a flea market,drive for this, that and the other thing, carshows et al, why you can be busy mostvery weekend from March throughOctober, and most nights in between.And that includes planes, trains andautomobiles. Watch your LINK for moredetails. We have also entered the already'award-winning' LINK in the Wheelscontest for best monthly club newsletter.

Your committee for the Shannonville raceconsists of myself, Cindy Armstrong, Roband Sherissa Microys, Bob Benson andBasil Chiu. We will, as team leaders, becalling on YOU for help. Quoting thenew U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,"Endeavors succeed or fail because of thepeople involved. Only by attracting thebest people will you accomplish greatdeeds."

The executive, from an initiative ofBennett Leckie, has a produced a 'draft'workers form, which once completed, willappear in your LINK, and be used to trackworker points for club members. Pleaseuse when you are either organizing orworking an event.

We are looking for individuals to takeover the role of membershipchairperson(s). Gord and Helen haveexecuted that role for the past few years inexemplary fashion, and I salute themboth. They have generously offered toassist in the transition to whoever stepsforward to assume that responsibility.See Gord or anyone else on the executivefor further details.

See you all at the meeting.

2001 Summer Solo-IICompetitor's

MeetingLouis' Steakhouse1682 Cyrville Road, OttawaSaturday February 17, 2001 at 2:00pm

All competitors are welcome to attendthis planning and bitch session to reviewthe rules, supplemental regulations,propose changes to how we do things,suggest improvements to process and/orequipment. It's your sport guys - and itneeds you and your input to continue tooperate and improve.

For more information, contact ChrisHolmsten at finnlog@netcom.ca or (613)831-1720

Proposed Schedule:

Apr 22 Solo II Test Day

Apr 29 Solo II School #1May 6 Solo II Event #1May 27 Solo II Event #2June 3 Solo II Event #3June 17 Solo II Event #4July 22 Solo II Event #5Aug 12 Solo II School #2Aug 19 Solo II Event #6Sep 9 Solo II Event #7Sep 23 Solo II Event #8Oct 7 Solo II Event #9Oct 21 Solo II Event #10

February 2001

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Winter Driving MadeSafer, More Fun

MCO's Winter Driving Schoola "Must"!

by Jean MacGillivray

Three is an auspicious number. Superstitionhas it that bad luck runs in threes, but then sodoes good luck. I prefer the latterinterpretation: I'm "three times lucky" becauseJanuary 7th marked the third time I'veattended the MCO Winter Driving School. Asin years past, Nigel Mortimer did the honoursas Chief Instructor, with 14 MCO'ersvolunteering their talents as instructors.

There's a perfectly good reason for repeatingthe school, year after year. The first year, I hadmy 1994 BMW 318i and needed to learnwinter-driving skills in a rear-drive vehicle.The second year, I needed to brush up on thoseskills, and have some fun. This year, with my2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS, I needed to learn

the limits of all-wheel drive in winterconditions.

I know I always say this, but man, did I havefun! Instructor Jaak Laan of Solo II and MCOLanark Highlands Rally fame, climbed aboardto teach me all that he knows (right, Jaak?).

The Subaru, equipped with brand-new BlizzakWS-50's, gave me great traction. No one couldbelieve the car's ability to stay stuck on theroad, including me...though I did visit asnowbank or two and mash some cones in myenthusiasm. In other words, I found out thatthere are limits to that traction...and the

consequences of exceeding them!

In all, 19 students shared 14 instructors, with

most of us getting a personal instructor for theday. I figure that about one-third of thestudents had ties to MCO members, as therewere other wives and children out to learn theropes - or, rather, the skids! Others had heardabout the school from the m edia.

The most dedicated student had to be a youngdriver from Kingston, who arose long beforedawn to make the trek to the Capital CitySpeedway. No doubt he had ampleopportunity to practice his new skills on thetwisty roads home!

During the day-long course, we learned how toaccelerate smoothly and compare the effects ofthreshold braking to locking the brakes up. Webraked on different surfaces, including glareice. We learned what makes the caroversteer/understeer and lose traction, andhow to correct it. Finally, we put those skills

together in trying to brake and go to the left or

right (according to the instructor's last-minutechoice) of a three-pylon obstacle. In the midstof all this, we had to avoid the balls beingthrown in front of the car by willing volunteers!

Heartfelt thanks to all the instructors andvolunteers who came out to teach us the nutsand bolts of safe winter driving. They had toendure telling us where to go on the circuit(politely, of course), digging us out ofsnowbanks, and doing whatever else wasrequired to get us going in the right directionagain - okay, so I admit I was going backwardssometimes!

Will I be back next year? Probably, but as avolunteer instead. Right now, I'd like to try oneof the Slush-and-Slide events. Yes, the WinterDriving School has given me that much moreconfidence!

February 2001

MCO: The First Fifty Years

On Sale Now for $35!Plannning for a November delivery of 300 numbered copies. It is a hard-covered coffee table style bookrecounting the long history of motorsopts in Ottawa and the regions. With 150 pages, everything and

everyone is included. Don't miss out on your copies!

There is still space available for sponsorship as well. For $20 you can ensure your nam e is in the book bysponsoring a page of your choosing. Full or partial page ads are open.

Contact Sherissa Microys at (613) 822-7204 or e-mail s.microys@hom e.com

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February 2001

THE TRAVEL

"The Professional Edge in Travel Services"

A Division of R.H. Travel Inc.- Ont. Reg. #4142303

Robert Wilson

Your Ottawa Travel Consultant

traveledgeottawa@home.comwww.traveledgeottawa.com

Phone: (613)260-7012Fax: (613) 733-6839

1-888-339-9733

Puzzle Solution2001 CART Drivers

V

A K R U M M

S A

S N

E C T A K A G I

D E F E R R A N A

S N A K A N O

D A M A T T A

R

W I L S O N G

N U

J U N Q U E I R A G J

V E O

B E L U

P A P I S M R

R F I T T I P A L D I

B R A C K N A

O A G I

N R M I N A S S I A N

F P O R

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R M E I N

N T N A D

Z A N A R D I O R

N E E

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C T I E M A N N

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M I K E SSERVICECENTRESPECIALISTSA & C C lass MotorhomesQualified tech niciansFifteen years experience

Courteous Fast Se rvice

Repairs to allmakes of carsand trucks

Open at 7am6 days a week

6104 Perth St.Richmond, ON(613) 838-3524

Seniors DiscountAvailable

Ministry ofTransportLicensedInspection

Station3 EqualPaymentPlan

February 2001

For Sale/Wanted

WANTED: VW PERFORMANCE PARTS

Building an 87 16v Scirocco for the Grass Roots Motorsport

$2001 Challenge. Need any perform ance parts for a1, a2 or a3.

Also looking to rent garage space to work out in the evenings

Please call Eric at 613-746-7780or email racerboy000@hotmail.com

For Rent:

Manor Park semi-furnished townhouse room for rent. $370/mo

(everything). 2 roomm ates. 1.5 bath. 5 appliances. Walk to #7.

Please contact Basil at 749-9444 or 830-1561.

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The HANS Device

images Copyright Hubbard/Downing Inc.

While safety equipment has addressedmost of the possible injuries a raceriver faces, head and neck protection

s coming to the forefront as the nextwave of safety regulations are beingormed.

Most of the safety devices used foread injury are to reduce direct impact

of the head (such as padded cockpitsand of course helmets). However, thistill allows a fatal force loading on theead and neck. Reducing this force washe philosophy behind the new HANSHead and Neck Support) device.

The HANS device is new to themarket, but 15 years in development.The HANS device consists of aarbon fiber shoulder mount and

exible nylon tethers that attach theelmet to the shoulder mount. Thehoulder mount is secured to the driver

by wearing it under the safety harnessthere is a guide for the harness on

either shoulder), and can be padded forextra safety for the upper torso andollar area (by reducing chest

compression during impact). From theback of this mount is a short yoke.Tethers are attached to the helmet andthis yoke. In normal use, the helmet hasfree mobility; the driver can look up,down, left, right and even tilt the head.However, during an impact, the helmetcan not move more than a few inchesbefore the tethers stop the motion.

This can reduce the forces on the headfrom 107 G's (1120 pounds) to 62 G's(210 pounds) during a 40mph crash (astested by GM and Mercedes Benz). Theinjury threshold is 740 pounds, so thissystem can save a driver from whatordinarily would be a critical injury.

The HANS device was invented byRobert Hubbard, PhD., Professor,

College of Engineering at MichiganState University in collaboration with hisbrother-in-law, long-time IMSA sportscar driver, Jim Downing.

There are 3 models available, Model-I,Model-IV, and Model-III. Model-I is thelargest of the HANS devices, andrequires a more upright siting positions,and is used in race vehicles and boatswith large cockpits. The smaller Model-IV is used for sprint, stock cars andother cars with smaller cockpits or smallwindow opening. The Model-III is beingused in the CART, IRL and Formula-1style open cockpits with a reclined seat.

The HANS device is now requiredequipment in CART for all oval courses,and recommended for the road circuits.The FIA has also mandated that theHANS device is required for allFormula-1 drivers for the 2001 season.Many other racing series (includingboat racing) are considering making the

HANS device standard equipment.

The HANS system is exclusivelyavailable from Hubbard/Downing Inc ofAtlanta, GA. Further information isavailable at http://www.hansdevice.com.

Grassroots Motorsport in the National Capital Regionsince 1949.

Affiliated withCanadian Automobile Sport Clubs - Ontario Region (CASC-OR)

and ASN Canada FIA