the official newsletter of the iowa chapter · pdf file · 2012-06-06the official...

N E W S W E R K STHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA

I O W A C H A P T E R B M W C C A • w w w . b m w i a . o r g

M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 2

President’s Corner

Annual PicnicExpected in July

Karting

Spring Drive

Heat Wave at the2012 Annual Dinner

June Traditions

The Longest DayDriving School

Registration Form

2 N E W S W E R K S

N E W S W E R K STHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCA

NEWSWERKS is published for the Iowa Chapter of BMW CarClub of America.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

National OfficeBMW CCA National Office640 South Main Street, #201Greenville, SC [email protected]

To join the BMW CCA or renew membership or change youraddress – www.bmwcca.org

NEWSWERKS is a publication of the Iowa Chapter BMW CCAand is no way associated with BMW AG.The contents featuredherein shall remain the property of the chapter. This publicationis mailed to chapter members in good standing six times peryear. The ideas, suggestions and opinions expressed in thispublication are solely those of the chapter and/or its members.

Please submit material suitable for publication to: Nicole Jobst at: [email protected] [email protected]

PresidentDavid [email protected]

SecretaryDave [email protected]

Driving Events CoordinatorJeff [email protected]

At Large/MembershipCindy [email protected]

Communications DirectorChris [email protected]

Governor Quad-CitiesSubchapterKevin [email protected]

Immediate Past PresidentFred [email protected]

Vice PresidentJeff [email protected]

TreasurerRyan [email protected]

At LargeMike [email protected]

Social Events CoordinatorAlison [email protected]

Newsletter/AdvertisingNicole [email protected]

WebmasterManoj TomarDana [email protected]

Club Websitewww.bmwia.org

May 2012May 5Vintage Torque FestMaquoketa May 15Informal Social6:00 p.m.Gathering on the Groundsweather backup is at Home Plate Diner204 E 30th St., Des MoinesMay 20Karting11:30 a.m.Starts with brunch at theDecker Hotel128 North Main St., MaquoketaKarting is at 61 Kartway, 1578 Highway 61,Delmar

June 2012June 8-10Longest Day Driving SchoolMid-America MotorplexPacific Junction

June 12Informal Social6:00 p.m.Gathering on the Groundsweather backup is at Home Plate Diner204 E 30th St., Des Moines

July 2012July 10Informal Social6:00 p.m.Gathering on the Groundsweather backup is at Home Plate Diner204 E 30th St., Des MoinesJuly 28Annual Picnic11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Raccoon River Park,Biddle Rotary Shelter West Des Moines

Calendar of Events:May 2012-July 2012Events, club activities, and all happenings BMW

Change of Address InformationPlease send your requests for address changesdirectly to the National Office at the address below. Thelocal chapters have to receive this information fromthem and cannot change this information themselves.Please send a note with your proper information to theNational office at:

Roundel, BMW CCA, Inc.Address Changes640 South Main Street, Suite 210Greenville, SC 29601

Or email to: [email protected] (yes, 2”C’s)Or on the website: BMWCCA.org

Follow us on Facebookand look for details on

upcoming events inemail blasts.

M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 2 3


Thanks to the sponsors of the 2012 Annual Dinner

Merrill Axle and Wheel

President’s Corner by David Brighton

The New Year is well under waynow, and several Iowa BMWCCA events have occurredsince the turn of the calendar.In January, we attended anIowa Energy basketball game.During February, we held ourAnnual Awards Dinner and inMarch the annual spring drive

to Blakesburg occurred.

In each of our 2012 events, there has been a recurringtheme; new faces have been appearing at our events.Folks who have been members for several years butnever attended an event are beginning to come andsee what our Club is all about.

During the Annual Awards Dinner, I had the privilege tosit next to one of our members that was attending his

first event. He admitted to me that my “what’s holdingyou back” article had made an impression on him andhe made an effort to finally attend an event. I hope wemade a good impression on him so that he and his sonwill want to attend more of our events.

During the spring drive, we also had several memberswho were attending their first event. It was a wonderfulevent for “first timers” and hopefully that day of drivingand dining made an impact on them to attend more ofour events.

In my opinion, our annual planning meeting has madean impact on our membership and gives membersownership in the events we plan. I hope the trend ofseeing new faces at our events continues and those“first timers” will come back again and encourageothers to do so.

4 N E W S W E R K S

Annual Picnic Expected in July by Alison Bell

Mark your calendars! Our tradition of picnicking in thewarm days of Iowa summer shall continue. The 2012picnic will be held on Saturday, July 28, at RaccoonRiver Park in West Des Moines. We will be feasting atthe Biddle Rotary Shelter from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ourfamous barbecue chef Don Van Lengen will beproviding the meat, and all you have to do is bring aside. Last year’s Moroccan theme went so well thatwe decided on an Indian theme for this year’sofferings. If you are looking for ideas onwhat to bring, check outwww.indianfoodrecipes.net orwww.indianfoodforever.com.

You can also bring something more traditional if thatis more your style. You can bet that even though itdoesn’t fit with Indian culture, there will probably betons of Don’s fantastic beef brisket to eat! Sodas willalso be provided, and you may bring your own beeras long as it comes in a can.

To get to Raccoon River Park, take I-35 to the GrandAve. East exit about 2 miles from the Interstate will be

signs for Raccoon River Park. The shelter islocated near the playground and the

Nature Lodge. So shine up thoseBMWs and start testing your

recipes, we look forward toseeing you there!

Welcome New MembersLAST FIRST CITYBertrand Bryan IndianolaDenney Jerry WaterlooLanxon Johnathan Clinton

LAST FIRST CITYRiley David Cedar RapidsBormann Chaz Charlotte

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Kartingby Mike Myers

The club will try their racing on Karts again this year,after its popularity from last year’s trial event. We willbegin by meeting for the Sunday brunch buffet, 11:30 a.m. at the Decker Hotel, Decker Hotel, 128 North Main St. in Maquoketa. Price for brunch lastyear was $8.95 plus tax and tip, payable at the hotel.

After brunch, we'll depart for the track, 61 Kartway,1578 Highway 61 in Delmar, arriving around 1 pm. Forthose of you that worry about these kinds of things, it'sall hard surface roads until you get to the track parkinglot.

The kartway is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weare being provided rentals at a group rate of $20 perparticipant for the first session and $10 for eachadditional 10-minute session (price is subject toconfirmation at the opening of the rental season). Youwill be responsible for payment at the track at the endof your day. Helmets and neck braces are providedwith the rentals, though personal equipment can beused it as long as you also have a visor or goggles foreye protection. Long sleeves and pants are alsorecommended. Kart rentals are also available to thoseunder 18 once a parent signs a consent form – see thetrack website for additional information.www.61kartway.com

We'll be going out in run groups of six for 10 minutes at a time, so I'd like to limit the rentals to around 24participants to avoid significant waits.

For those that would just prefer to watch, digest andjust enjoy what we hope will be a sunny afternoon,bleachers and picnic tables are available. If you areable to bring a canopy for shade, I'd recommend youdo so. A cooler stocked with (non-alcoholic) beveragesis also a good idea. Restroom facilities are portabletoilets.

Please RSVP to Mike Myers at [email protected] 319-504-1025. You can RSVP by registering atmotorsportreg.com if you know you are going. Lookfor an additional announcement with confirmed pricesand updated information when registration for theevent opens at http://www.motorsportreg.com.

Simpson Motorsports Inc.Jim Simpson

319-351-12693577 Perch Dr. SE

Iowa City, IA 52240

6 N E W S W E R K S

Spring Drive by Mike MyersThe Iowa Chapter's Spring Drive on March 24 wasdefinitely a celebration of the season!

About 20 members, including several first time clubevent participants, and roughly a dozen vehicles meton the square in Pella.

Those that arrived from central Iowa had sunnyweather all the way there, while my drive over wetroads from the Cedar Rapids area left my freshlypolished and waxed Z4 with "rally decorations."

The weather for the remainder of the event providedtop down temperatures with partly cloudy conditions -about all you can ask of Iowa in March!

After several of the group's vehicles were loaded withlarge amounts of baked goods, we departed forOttumwa. Major roads were avoided, and as a resultwe were provided with perhaps a little more in the wayof typical Iowa springtime conditions than I hadintended... think agriculture and roadkill. But, at leastnone of it was committed by our group! Nevertheless,we all arrived safely at the Appanoose Rapids Brewing

Company where we picked up some additionalparticipants and were very nicely taken care of forlunch.

After lunch and the distribution of door prizes, we leftfor a short drive out into the country to the AntiqueAirpower Museum near Blakesburg, where we wereprovided with a tour of the facility, the uniquememorabilia and the rare aircraft hangared there. Oneof the aircraft was even powered by a BMW motorcycleengine!

In closing, I'd like to say "You're Welcome" to all ofthose that have thanked me for organizing the event!

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8 N E W S W E R K S

Heat wave at the 2012 Annual Dinner by Alison Bell

On what was proven to be one of the warmest AnnualDinner dates in Iowa Chapter history, members met atBMW of Des Moines for the 13th Annual Dinner on Feb. 18. We enjoyed food from Tasteful Dinners, winefrom Jasper Winery, and delicious cake from Cakes forAll Iowa. Our guest speaker, Tim O'Brien, areamanager from BMW of North America, delighted uswith topics such as the new 4-cylinder engine, variousnew models andnew technologies.We also got aspecial preview ofthe 2012 3-series.

Our annual award for member of the year went to FredBell, and the Cutting it a Little Fine award went to ChrisKjellmark. Sponsor of the year goes to our new webdesigner Manoj Tomar and his company, Amplimark.

We would like to thank BMW of Des Moines for hostingthis year's dinner and hope to revisit soon. Work on the2013 Dinner has begun, so check our website,Facebook, etc. for more details.

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1 0 N E W S W E R K S

More Pictures from the Annual Dinner

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1 2 N E W S W E R K S

June Traditions by Fred Bell

In our culture, certain things just come to mind whenyou think of June. Graduations and weddings are whatmany come up with first. But if you’re in the IowaChapter of the BMW club, there is another tradition –the Longest Day Driving School!

Every June for the last decade-plus – which is most ofthe chapter’s existence – we have hosted a drivingschool at MidAmerica Motorplex near Council Bluffs.Veteran LDDS attendees know what to expect: Greatfun in your BMW on the track, great camaraderie withyour fellow attendees and chapter volunteers, andgreat food at our Saturday barbecue dinner at thetrack.

For those of you who have not tried it yet, here’s a littlemore on what you’ll encounter. MidAmerica Motorplex(MAM) is a wonderful track for learning more abouthigh performance driving and car control. It's verytechnical (that means there are a bunch of turns, noneof which look the same) and it has very low penaltiesfor doing something wrong, unlike tracks that haveconcrete walls or a lot of ‘Armco’ steel barriers. Thisallows advanced drivers to work on new techniqueswith little consequence other than mowing grass, while

novices will find it very friendly in getting their feet wetin this part of our club’s activities. We have addedsome new features to our classroom and on-trackinstruction, too – come check it out!

When does all this fun happen, you ask? Well, that’seasy! June 8-10. (You already knew it was going to beJune, right)? Saturday and Sunday are when most ofthe action happens for students; Friday’s track sessionis reserved as an orientation and skills-polishing dayfor instructors and advanced students.

How do I sign up? Again, pretty easy. Just go to thechapter website and you’ll find the LDDS page,www.bmwia.org/longest-day-driving-school. Or,register online at www.Motorsportreg.com. Hurry – wehave a very useful event memento that is free to thosewho register by May 8, our way of saying thanks tothose who sign up early. Our host hotel, where we alsoprovide the Friday evening reception, is the SpringHillSuites in Council Bluffs, phone 712-256-6500. Wehave a block of rooms reserved; just ask for Iowa BMWClub. The room block is in effect until May 24. Finaldeadline for registration – Monday June 4 or sooner ifthe school fills up. See you at the track!

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Name ________________________ BMW CCA # _____________

Age ____________________ Date of Birth ___________________

Address ______________________________________________

City____________________ State_________ Zip _____________

Phone (Day) ________________ (Evening) ________________

Email ________________________________________________

Car Information

Year _______ Make ______________ Model _________________

Significant Modifications, if any ____________________________

________________________________________________________

Guest Information

To receive free admittance for guests that accompany or visit you atthe track, enter their names below. Those not listed will be admittedbut MAM will charge them $10/person/day.

________________ _________________ _________________

________________ _________________ _________________

Run Group Preference

Novice _____ Intermediate _____ Advanced_____ Instructor_____

Driving Event Experience:

How many days of high performance driving schools have youattended?

How many days at MidAmerica Motorplex?

Have you attended any professional schools (e.g. Skip Barber,Bondurant)?

Have you instructed at a BMW CCA or PCA driving school?

Describe experience and/or specifics of recent events:

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

The Longest Day Driving School Registration FormJune 8-10, 2012 • Mid-America Motorplex

In 2012, we will again be offering some different run groups and feestructures to better serve our students, instructors, and members. Pleaseread them over and then check only one. All registrations include theSaturday night BBQ.

1-day Novice Registration ....................................................................$210Reserved for first time students only. Students will receive Saturday-onlyclassroom and on-track instruction. A great way to finally get your feet wet inthe world of high performance driving.

Young Driver Registration ....................................................................$265Discounted Full Event Registration for first time students from 18-24 years ofage only.

Full Registration ....................................................................................$325Normal Full Event Registration

3-day Registration ................................................................................$370Our 3-day Full Event Registration run group for pre-approved advanced-leveldrivers to hone their skills without dedicated in-car instruction. You will beassigned an instructor to oversee your progress and offer consultation. Youmust be pre-approved for this very limited run group. Includes open sessionon Friday, with Saturday and Sunday scheduled run groups. Contact chiefinstructor Scott Smed for pre-approval before registration.

Instructor Registration............................................................................$90Includes familiarization session on Friday, normal run groups on Saturdayand Sunday and our sincere Thank You!

Note: All students must be members of the BMW CCA per current IRSrules. Non-members may either sign up through the National office(www.bmwcca.org) for BMW CCA membership, or pay per the list below tohave us do it for you.

Non-members of BMW CCA ($48 annual fee, which includes chaptermembership)..............................................................................................$48

Event Memento - Free with full registration, if received by May 8th ....................................................................................................Free

TOTAL$ ________________

Registration Deadline is June 4, 2012 or when school is filled.

Note: Some run groups are very limited so register early!

The chapter will forward any membership fees to the BMW CCA National office.

School registrations received after May 8th will not be eligible forthe event memento, due to ordering constraints.

Send payment and completed form to: Iowa Chapter BMW CCA, PO Box 42113, Urbandale, IA 50323

Additional information, contact information and on-line registrationare available at http://www.bmwia.org.

Driver Signature ______________________________________

Date ________________________________________________

Note: Your insurance may or may not cover claims arising at the track. Read your policy!

IOWA CHAPTER BMW CCAPO BOX 42113URBANDALE, IA 50323

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDFort Dodge, IowaPermit No. 486

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