First Report from Gingerman '04

New 10/23/04

The "Gingerman before Lapeer" track day is now over, and you can still feel the smiles from miles away.

We had about 22 drivers there with quite a few SHO's and several Bondurant Mustangs, a couple Cobra's, a Bullet, a 911 and a couple other vehicles. My son Ken noticed, not ONE Chevy on track although Kirk threatened to go rent an Impala. :)

Thanks to those that helped with instruction with the Novice class that was also another big success. Four drivers including my son Don went from tentative first steps to laps at respectable speeds and lots of fun without any mishaps.

Other than some minor mechanical problems, all solved, to the best of my knowledge, before we all went home, there were no problems.

A few cars went off-track, but no damage resulted that I was told about.

It was fun to see Gary Morrell from Colorado and Kurt Gutzka from Washington State stop by while on business in the area.

Kirk Doucette made it from Maryland along with John Hrinsin, Dave Kegel, Kurt Metros,Paul Nimz, Ben Bentley, Tom Ochal, David Schultz, Don C. Mallinson, Ken Mallinson,Don L. Mallinson, and Tonya Kelley,all driving SHO's.

We had great weather, after a cool morning and a touch of fog, the cars were on track by 9am. I think everyone got 5 or 6 20 minute sessions (I lost track).

For the most part everyone let cars pass if necessary and I heard almost zero complaints. Rare for events where testosterone levels get so high! :)

I want to thank everyone for attending and helping make it a great day.

For my part, being able to finally get my oldest son to a track event was the main goal of this entire event. To be able to watch my sons work together, have fun, get in some good natured ribbing and help the old man, along with keeping me on my toes was just a pure joy.

At one point Ken and I were out together to do a little "follow the leader" I was in the 540 while Ken was in my '89. coming into turn 11 (last turn before the main straight) I was leading and was doing some aggressive late braking when I looked in my mirror and saw my '89 start to do a slow lazy pirouette. Ever play an auto racing computer/video game where you see crashes in the rear view mirror? IT was just like that. MY '89 was turning with all four tires trailing huge amounts of smoke and I had to make a choice. Continue to brake a lot to make Turn 11, or take the pit entrance and keep up speed for another 200 feet.....I took the pit entrance as my son spun off into the inner portion of turn 11. I had a track radio at my side and heard the corner workers comment that it looked like my car was going to hit the worker station at that turn (unmanned for this event). I came to a rest in the hot pit lane and heard that he had avoided the tire wall, and was on the move again.

After he pulled into pit lane we walked around the car, verified that everything looked good and went back out. He came in after one more lap with what he considered bad tire vibration from the flat spots.

I took the car out later and the flat spots were no worse than a couple I had put in during previous events. We finished the day using my '89 and Ken's 95 and the 540 without incident.

BTW, at the next event or convention, everyone please smile and call Ken by his new name: Ken "720" Mallinson for the two times he went around. Tire marks on the track looked like they were made by a Spirograph!

I can't say how proud I am of my sons for how they helped make it a fun day, and how they both managed to get our cars back without damage, if with a little less tire tread!

Again, thanks to all that attended. I hope we can do it again next year, hopefully with Bob Gervais to help organize.

I hope those that made Lapeer had great weather and a lot of fun. I just didn't have time to make that haul...maybe next year.

Don Mallinson
SHO Club

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