Sunday, March 9, 2014

"You" Interviewing Me!

I had already thought of doing this "you ask me" type of interview after the ITR Expo series. Then, Jay said that he wanted to interview me. So, I put a slight twist on it and had others ask me one question with Adam Jabaay doing the intro. Here we go..

How do you write an introduction for an interview with someone, when the interview will be published on that same person's blog? You call them a weirdo.  Brad Adams is a bit of a weirdo, and that's why we all know who he is.  His oddities make him memorable, personable, enjoyable to talk to(usually), and even sometimes crabby. He's a family man (dang he and Brandy made a hilariously cute kid). He's hard working and you should be his friend(or at least laugh at his antics from a distance). He probably wants to be your buddy too, unless you're annoying. And if you're annoying, he'd probably still give you a high five and make you feel like a winner...........while wearing a giant American flag shirt.........and a Facebook "LIKE" foam thumb.  

I met Brad "on the internet", after he had already attended a West Michigan Honda Meet and gotten bitten by the track bug HARD. He had subsequently attended his first ITR Expo, where I looked his car over in the midst of being racked with nausea from instructing at an event that was blazing hot, while being too stupid to drink enough water and eat well. I remembered his car and later saw it in a state park in southern Indiana while on vacation with my wife(he was holding a newleaf. meet/cruise in the state park). I messaged him on Honda-tech, wondering if i had seen his car for sure, and thus began our whirlwind romance.....or something. We might not have a physical attraction to each other, but we do often text too much, and my wife suspects something might be up(IT'S NOT). 

Brad loves racetracks. Brad reads books about driving(we all should). Brad pays attention  to details about prep on his car, but he OBSESSES about prep to his mental driving game(we all should). He reviews his session footage after every day on track(yeah, we should do that too). He wants to maximize every day on track, but I don't get the impression that he's doing it because he wants to be "the fastest guy"(if he did, he wouldn't play with a 135 whp Civic on a budget). Passion drives his constant self-improvement. He loves the social aspect of the track weekend too, and that's something we all can learn from. Before I started hanging out with Brad, I didn't know many people at ITR Expo....I was very social at West Michigan Honda meet, but I was a bit of a wallflower at the "cool kids" meet(as I saw it then) of Expo.  Loudmouth Brad sort of helped me to come out of my shell a bit at the Expos I have gone to since getting to know him. I've come to realize that the social aspect of this hobby is one of the best parts of it.  If you're not making at least a couple new friends every time you're at a racetrack, you're doing it wrong. I got to know(at least a little bit) so many people during the few days that Brad and I spent loading my truck up with crappy Hondas and going to VIR for NSXpo, that it was shocking. He talks to everyone, laughs about anything and everything. He even stayed awake for our entire 14 hour drive to VIR, ON SHEER EXCITEMENT. 

Go to the racetrack and have fun with your friends, but dont forget to make a few new ones. Because if you dont, you're missing out. And if I'm there, come say hi to me. I give free high fives, and many times, I'll even work on your car. Lets all be buddies.


What was your first car and what ever happened to it?

Me: My first car was actually a truck. I think it was a 1994, but it was a 5 speed, 4 cylinder S-10. Basically, my mom and step-dad picked it out. My mom made it a point that my first vehicle was a manual. I was pissed!! We would go out on the country roads to learn and she was probably the worst teacher there was. If I killed it or rode the clutch, I got RIPPED!! But, that’s my mom, we recently joked about it and she might have almost peed her pants. With her, I never got the hang of it. But, one day, I had to drive to my dad’s. I popped in a Tupac cassette and you could picture me rollin’! That was the day that I really learned to drive that thing. 

I did a lot of stupid stuff with it. There was the thing that I called the berm. Basically, after the corner, I’d have two wheels on the steep hill and two on the road. I learned to shift without the clutch in it and I could also roll from a dead stop in fourth gear. Haha.

My freshman year of college, some guy pulled out in front of me in the rain. I T-boned the crap out of him. The truck was totalled, we bought it back, but sold it. My step-dad found me a 1992 Civic hatchback. He said that I always liked this yellow one in a Lowrider Magazine. Anyways, I liked the manual at this point and it was an automatic, but it was perfect for me travelling with my bike!


What got you into racing or into cars in general?

Me: I always enjoyed IndyCar racing given where I am from. But, cars, I honestly don’t know. I remember in college playing some game on Xbox that was fun to mod/race. That kind of sparked it. But, I remember a specific day at the skatepark and Justin Day said that I should put a B series in my car. He wasn’t the first to tell me this, but my reply was “People who put money into cars are idiots!” Ha! Look who is the idiot now. Anyways, I got a summer job at the dealership where I met Justin’s brother, Travis George. Travis told me about Honda-Tech and well, the rest is history. So, my best answer is Travis telling me about H-T is what “got me into it”.



What has been your favorite car to drive on track?

Me: I haven’t driven many cars on track. So, my easy answer would be The Brapmobile. 


What is your favorite track that you have driven?

Me: I wish that I could say Mid Ohio. But, after going to VIR, that’s my number one. So much of everything there and I had to adapt to a lot of stuff quick. 



What do you enjoy most about racing or the car community in general?

Me: The people that you meet and the places you see. I learned that through BMX. In a day’s time, I probably text just as many out of state people as I do in state. When we went to Disney, Matt DiMare and I tried to set up breakfast at a Cracker Barrel. If it wasn’t for the track or ITR Expo in this case, I wouldn’t have that contact that lives over a thousand miles away. Or when I went to Chicago for work, I went indoor karting two days with people that I had met at the track. Pretty neat how close you can become with someone over a simple hobby!!


Lyda Heng: You were looking to sell your hatchback awhile ago. Are you still going to sell it? Why were you trying to sell it in the first place and what car were you looking to replace it with?

Me: Well, if someone wants to buy it for the right price, yeah! Haha. The reason that I put it up was there was a Honda Challenge 4 “EG” hatch up for sale. Wheel to wheel is the main direction that I want to go. And, the only logical financial thing to do would be to sell The Brapmobile for an already built race car.


Mike Sayers: With your beard and crazy t shirts it seems that you have taken a page out of Jordan Taylor’s book. What other drivers inspire you in your racing and daily life?

Me: That question is awesome. I enjoy JT’s stuff, A LOT. He posted something the other day where someone said that he was bad for the sport! Lol.

I have actually mellowed out over the years. Brandy is pretty reserved, so that kind of rubbed off on me(I know someone is laughing). Plus, with Bailynn being born, I calmed down a bit more then. I would say the “weirdness” started sometime in middle school. I didn’t like wearing jeans, so I wore Zubaz and it kind of went from there. I’m sure some of my classmates have pictures. But, I would wear rain boots with very short shorts and some sort “wild” shirt to school, amongst other sorted outfits. In high school, I knew someone who delivered pizzas for Papa Johns, so he gave me a delivery bag. I used that bag as a backpack as well as a Teletubbies and T-Rex one in high school. The list could go on forever. Haha. I just don’t take myself too seriously. I like to have a good chuckle every now and then, even if it is at my own expense.

As far as drivers inspiring me, Ryan Eversley is the one. He drives for Compass360 in Conti, so there is the Honda connection. But, the amount of charity work that he does with the Children’s Tumor Foundation is staggering! He is very down to earth, too. I met him after qualifying, I believe, at Indy and we had a good ten minute chat in the middle of that busy day for him. 


Tall Kyle: What's up with this crazy beard that we have been seeing lately?

Me: You had one, too, so you should know. The past several years, it seemed that I got sick after shaving off my “No Shave November” beard. So, this year, I kept it and let it go. I actually trimmed the sides, but no social media proof. Brandy wants me to trim the rest, so I’ll keep that for awhile. Haha. 



Steve LaClair: How bad were you shitting bricks proposing to Brandy in front of 100+ friends? And what was the contingency plan if she said no?

Me: I was actually most concerned about her finding the ring. It actually stayed at the track the whole time before the banquet. Mind you, I ran the PCA event the weekend before, so that was 4 days at minimum without her finding it.

Proposing at the banquet wasn’t that bad at all. I kind of “zone out” in front of big groups like that. You yelled “Speech” as I was walking up, I thought my cover was blown then. Haha.

A lot of people don’t know that the plan was devised in less than a week. I would say that only 5 people knew the plan going into the event. I actually went and bought the ring the morning that we left for Mid Ohio while she was at work.

As far as a back up, no need. She wasn’t going to say no. LOL! 



Matthew DiMare: Which do you prefer better? Karting or track time?

Me: Rental karts are super fun, especially when you can get the speed up in them and slide around.

There is the local slick track that is super slow, but super fun, just ask Jason Morse!

I’d still have to say cars because I can still scare myself.

I’ve not had my TaG kart on track yet, but from the drives around the neighborhood in it. My answer might be different shortly. Haha! Those things are gnarly once you’re in that powerband!



Abbymael Rodriguez: What are your top five Expo moments?

Me: 1. Having the family there at Expo12 and proposing to Brandy.

2. The trip to Expo11 at CMP and the trip to Expo13 with Travis. No better way than traveling with friends.

3. The last day at Expo12 and my last cooldown lap around the track. Just soaking it all in. It was my fourth day in a row there, I had just proposed to Brandy, and that track is what really got the “itch” started.

4. After Expo10 having some of the regulars calling me a “sandbagger” for being in beginner. For my self esteem, it kind of told me that I was headed in the right direction.

5(Tie). Karting at CMP during Expo11. The Mansfield Reformatory tour during the Expo13 banquet. At Expo12, Adam Jabaay had been out in their LeMons CRX. When I would pass, he would normally flip me off. I catch it going into the Keyhole, so I was going to get one in on him. I pass the CRX on it’s passenger side. I leave about six inches between my mirror and the CRX mirror. I look over and it is Jeremy, I didn’t know him that well at the time, but the look on his face was priceless!



John Thornton: If you could own one supercar what would it be and why?

Me: Porsche 991 RSR. I don’t know if that’s a supercar, but I’d have super fun with it.


Christian Shipp: Brap and newleaf., what’s the source of these?

Me: Brap, if I remember right, was a play on words between a co-worker/BMX buddy and I on Facebook probably 5 or 6 years ago. How it carried over into the track community, I have no recollection. The nickname has stuck and is what I normally go by in the paddock.

The whole newleaf. thing stemmed from BMX. A good buddy, Travis Leach, started eleventeen. Our other good friends’, Darcy and Shelby, parents owned a sticker company. We made stickers and if people asked for them, we gave them out. We had people in California to Texas saying they seen an eleventeen sticker. Really didn’t have a definite meaning, more of a bond between a common interest. Travis then wanted to start newleaf. as a clothing company. At about that point, a lot of us started going in different directions. So, when I got into the track scene, I wanted something to bond my buddies and I together.


Chris Sanford: Do other people you come in contact with that are not car people think you are absolutely nuts for spending the time and money on the car and racing?

Me: Most of our close, non-car friends know what I do, but I don’t think that they fully grasp what really goes on. I assume that most people think that you spend some extra cash on parts and go drive on a track just like going to the store. Haha. I’ve actually thought about putting a seat in on the passenger side and giving some ride alongs at Putnam. I think it would give a lot of people an appreciation of what really goes on. Brandy got a full dose of it one time. I got her to go with me to an autocross test and tune. After my third run, she was out for the day because she felt sick. Haha. Obviously, the nature of autocross can do that, but on track, hitting a brake zone at 100mph+ might scare a few people.



Jay Haire: What car do you want next?

Me: After driving Saurabh’s Miata, I think that platform might be next!


Jon Walker: You have been road racing your Civic for (x) amount of years, why have you kept it in relatively the same/stock form for so many years? And, what reasons do you have for not taking your passion to the next level, i.e. racing SCCA or Honda Challenge?

Me: 2010 was my first year in the hatch, so 4 years in it now. I did one event(WMHM09) before that which was in my daily driven ’92 Civic EX sedan. It was completely stock besides the Azenis tires, Si wheels, HP+ brake pads, and Motul RBF fluid. The hatch wasn’t done and I was pretty pissed because, at that time, I thought it was all about the car. Luckily, I got a great instructor in Adam Penn. We got moving in the sedan and I learned it was more about the driver than the car.

Really with the hatch, I have only changed brake and tire compounds. I’ve switched spring rates, barely, and added a small OE bar. I like to keep working on myself before the car. I can add this or that to the car and make it “faster”. But, if I have never reached the full potential of said set up, what is the point. Have I driven the car hard or well, yes, do I think that I have reached the full potential, eh, there is more left, always. Haha.

A lot of people will ask me about the LS trans. I got screwed on a used trans, long story short, it was a LS trans, and I had a USDM ITR diff ready to be used. I didn’t know at the time that the USDM diff wouldn’t fit in the JDM B16 trans. So, LS gear stack it was. Yes, it suuuuucks, as you can hear in my videos, but it has taught me “momentum” driving.

Wheel to wheel racing, besides LeMons, has eluded me. Hopefully, it is in the near future, obviously financially dependent. But, yes, the "bug" is real.


Ryan “Teal” Kristoff: Where(track or event) have you learned the most about driving or about yourself?

Me: Definitely VIR during NSXpo. VIR is wild, way different than what we have here in the Midwest, even Mid Ohio. Most of the Midwest tracks, for me at least, you can drive with the same “style”. VIR, not so much for me at least, there was one or two corners that I could kind of drive like most Midwest tracks. Haha. Plus, the place is fast and has a whole lot of elevation changes. I can’t wait to go back, VIR is amazing!


Ryan Conley: Do you have any good online dating tips for me?

Me: I haven't had to resort to such a thing. Spencer always posts funny Tinder pictures, so I think it would be at least a nice comical experience. I think Steve LaClair uses ChicksWithBikes.com, so he might be a good reference. But, I've got nothing. Good luck though!


















Friday, March 7, 2014

Jay Haire Interview.


Have you ever planned a birthday party? Did you find the task stressful? Now, try to imagine planning an annual event, like a birthday, but you're inviting all of your friends, plus friends of friends while trying to get some big name attractions to party at someone else's place. Enter Jay Haire, he has had the task of Mr. Party Planner for ITR Expo the last couple years. Whether it be CMP or Mid Ohio, he has picked some nice party spots. He's brought in big attractions like HPD and their Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Civic, plus an Ariel Atom with an HPD motor pushing 275hp at 1,300lbs!! This year Jay has one-upped himself. He has scheduled the party at Road America and invited RealTime Racing along!! Not to mention, long time Expo sponsor, King Motorsports might show up to party! Take a selfie of yourself and yell "Cheezthis" because who wouldn't cheese with this much excitement!! Well, enough of what Jay has done, lets talk about Jay before we move on to the interview. Jay has a ITR sedan that he tracks, he also wears a sombrero while at the track, and Jay is married on and off of the track. Jay's wife Lauren might get more excited about Expo than Jay! Alright, lets get to know more about Jay!


BA: What was your first car and what ever happened to it?

JH: I learned on my dad's '83 Chevy S-10, which was a 4 spd V6. Learning to drive manual on that challenged me at times but also made every following car seem easy. I have a stronger appreciation for that truck now than I did then. I have heard that it still runs!


BA: What got you into racing or into cars in general?

JH: Many things, including mutual interests from friends and reading car magazines growing up. My grandfather worked as a mechanic, and I think some of those genetics found their way to me.

Where I grew up, I enjoyed driving out of town on rural roads during summer nights. I found it very therapeutic.

It all went downhill from there, ha! 



BA: What has been your favorite car to drive on track?

JH: I have the best memories in my old 95 Integra GS-R. I experienced the most in that car and had a healthy confidence with it. I learned how to handle kinks, rainy surfaces, stay on the throttle, and how to repair things before heading home.

However, the current Integra Type-R sedan is a real blast! The sedan chassis is incredibly stable. Although some corner workers (and fellow drivers both on and off track) look at me funny, it’s a better car than the GS-R. Plus, with right-hand drive, I’ll never mis-shift into 2nd on 3-4 shift! That’s a huge money saver right there.

Someday, I would like to own an S2000.



BA: What is your favorite track that you have driven?


JH: I have not driven places out west such as Laguna Seca, yet. Mid-Ohio, VIR, and Grattan are a lot of fun, but Road America intrigues me lately.  I like them all! One thing to note, when at Road America, do not get "Plymouth'd" at night. You can ask Lance about that one, ha.


BA: What do you enjoy most about racing or the car community in general?

JH: You know Brad, so many things come to mind. We all have made some great friendships, attended weddings, and helped each other out when needed. That goes for both at the track and outside of it.

I can say that we have all made some genuine friendships out of it that extend over 10 years, and yet, we’re all making new ones each year too.

As far as being on a track, it never gets old to me. It also keeps my driving skills sharp off the track, which I need to survive the other drivers during my daily commute.


BA: First off, thanks for all that you do for ITR Expo!! How many Expos have you been to now?

JH: I'm happy to do it if people enjoy it. It's a nice reward to see the event succeed and genuinely appreciated each year! It means a lot to me when people say thank you. I never take it for granted.

This year will be my 12th! That’s scary to think about.


BA: Can you give the readers a small glimpse into what you do for ITR Expo?

JH: That question kind of scares me. It forces me to think about everything I do, ha.

In short, it’s a part-time job for most of the year and kicks into a full-time role when the event is near. Behind the scenes, there are a lot of extra things we all work on that make the event better. I could ramble on about all of those, but it will make heads spin, including my own.

It’s easy to rent a track, the rest of it is not if you want to make it an annual event. We owe a lot to the community who continue to support it.


BA: What are some of your favorite memories from Expo?

JH: The first moment was Expo 10 at Autobahn when Gary Robinson, who was the Manager of PR for Acura, flew in for the event. He was the nicest guy, but the best part occurred at the banquet. He gave a fantastic presentation including the Type-R’s history and future. For some of us long-term Expo planners and attendees, it was a huge accomplishment to us.

During the last two events at Mid-Ohio, I’m grateful for being able to thank everyone at the banquet. It’s a great moment because it goes both ways. I cannot put that into words.

Plus, you proposed to your future wife at one of those, Brad! How awesome is that? (I'm such the romantic!-BA)


BA: You've driven at Road America, what do you like most about the track?

JH: Road America is very different from most tracks. I challenge people to try other tracks instead of sticking to the same few they always attend, and most of our group has not been there yet.

The place itself is huge, and the track is fast! It contains a good mix of elevation, speed, heavy braking, a carousel, blind uphill crests, and amazing scenery. I find it enjoyable both at full-speed and touring lap pace.

I’m really excited to bring ITR Expo there and believe it’s a true bucket list track.


BA: You always get some cool cars to Expo. This year is no different and I'm not trying to sound like a 13 year old girl going to see One Direction. But, "RealTime, like, OMG, are you serious??!!" (Laughs)

JH: Haha, we have had some great cars over the years including the Ariel Atom Special Honda Racing Edition last year, the HART cars in 2012, and both King Motorsports RSX Challenge and World Challenge Mugen RSX. This year, King is working on something new but still in the works!

To step it up even further, we’re working with HPD and RealTime Racing to make this year very unique, and Peter Cunningham has been awesome to work with so far. Stay tuned for that announcement! This is new for ITR Expo and will make this year’s event a true cannot miss!




Thursday, March 6, 2014

Joe Farrell Interview.


Joe Farrell is commonly know as Doespike around the ITR Expo paddock. Doespike is a nice, quiet gentleman that is known for using his flashers around VIR! Nike used to have an ad campaign called "Bo Knows", but now these import kids are using the term "Kanjo". The question is what can't Joe do?! Joe was pretty much the mastermind behind the Mansfield Reformatory banquet. Joe might be quiet, but his track resume is not. Can Joe pick between which Type R to take to the track, yes! Well, I think it is time to get to know one of our #IntegraFriends a little bit better..


BA: What was your first car and what ever happened to it?

JF: 2001 Acura Integra GS sedan. I still have it, mostly winter DD duties.
I wish I had Leno monies for a full subframe-off restoration. haha



BA: What got you into racing or into cars in general?

JF: I Loved the look and feel of my first car. I began to explore the Acura world and found they made a no-BS trim level called the Type-R. I began to learn all I could about them which led me to ITRCA and the old Honda-Tech ITR forum.


BA: What has been your favorite car to drive on track?

JF: ITR, it was bred for track duty right out of the box.


BA: What is your favorite track that you have driven?

JF: Watkins Glen International. It is an absolutely amazing and historic track with an incredible town that is into the racing heritage as well. Glen trips are just a blast start to finish, on and off track. 



BA: What do you enjoy most about racing or the car community in general?

JF: The friends that I've made and places that I've been able to visit. And it is all because of these little cars.


BA: How many Expos have you been to now?

JF: Seven! I still feel like a n00b.



BA: What keeps bringing you back to Expo?

JF: Friends, old ones and new. We also run a very unique event compared to other car clubs. You definitely get much more bang for the buck at ITR Expo.



BA: Is it easier to log the miles that you do every summer since you have two Type Rs to pick from?

JF: Haha, yeah. I now use my '98 with full interior and A/C for my WMHM trek each year. I nearly cooked to death the previous years in the '97.


BA: This will be your first time to Road America. Do you plan on using your flashers/hazard lights?

JF: LOL! Flashers will not be accepted at Expo.


FLASHERS ON!

BA: You are apart of Team Lazy, but there was nothing lazy about the preparation for last year's banquet. Do you think that Expo13's banquet will ever be topped?

JF: It was easier than you may think. Most coordination was done while sitting down at my desk at work(very Lazy approved). Caterer did most of the heavy work. I just wish I could have taken the tour!! :) I was actually surprised that most people did take it. I love how we are making Expo a well-rounded good time and not just another HPDE.  







Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Ryan Conley Interview.


When deciding to do a set of ITR Expo based interviews, I was pretty pumped about getting to know more about Conley. I think our first interaction was at Expo11 regarding karting, but I think that was the extent of it. I believe our first real interaction was at WMHM11. We spoke during the weekend, but we also caravaned back towards Indy together with a stop for dinner. He was very easy to talk to and super nice guy. He actually flew up for WMHM12, I was around him for a lot of the weekend and we watched the XGames together at Black River Tavern. haha. I then got in contact with him before Expo12 to let him know of my plans and to see if he could be of assistance. Of course, he was down and he was one of the very few that knew the surprise that Brandy was going to be presented with. Since then, I try to grab a chat with Ryan any chance that I get. Enough of my interaction with him, it is your turn. Ryan is a guy who is willing to help anyone and as I mentioned before, if not the nicest, he is one of the nicest people that you will ever meet. I have seen the "other side" once and it was awesome, but beware, I wouldn't want to be on that side!! Well, besides cookies, online dating, and BMX tricks, lets see what makes Ryan tick!


BA: What was your first car and what ever happened to it?

RC: My first vehicle was a 1987 Mazda B2200 SE-5 cab plus. My dad bought it for $500. It over heated and needed a brake job. At 15 it took me two weeks in my driveway to fix it, but it was a great learning experience. I have been a big DIY’er ever since. It blew up my freshmen year and that is when I bought my first car, a 99’ GS-R.


BA: What got you into racing or into cars in general?

RC: The experience above is what got me wrenching on cars. I have a twin brother and my family didn’t have the means to always pay a shop. My dad was by no means mechanically inclined, but we got a Haynes manual and fixed items like the brakes, clutch MC, drive belts, shocks, etc. Swapping the timing belt was a miserable experience. A good life lesson there; “If it is too difficult you are either doing wrong or don’t have the right tool.”

After the purchase of the GS-R I was able to start modding, rather than just fixing items. Through sites like Team-Integra.net, OG H-T, and ITRCA I was fortunately taught to avoid "Lego" mods. My first real time spent on Honda-Tech was the week of ITR Expo5 and I got very track-focused early on. The GS-R was purchased with 78k, so mechanically it was sound. I only did suspension and safety mods throughout the five years I owned it. After backing out of events like ITR Expo6 and a few we-todd-did-racing track days, I finally did my first event at ITR Expo7 at Virginia International Raceway. Despite some serious nerve issues I was hooked.

I must note that I have yet to participate in any form of actual racing. I do see myself throwing my hat in on a LeMons or ChumpCar type event in the future, but the past ~6-7 years I have focused solely on HPDE’s. Now that I am on the west coast, I’m thrilled there is a series like the HFF Challenge.  I plan to spend time participating and supporting the HFF series, I think it is great for many like myself.


BA: What has been your favorite car to drive on track?

RC: I’m a total nut when it comes to DC2s, so I am biased. I’m on my fourth ITR and sixth DC2(BA: Can't hide money). I tracked all except my second GS-R which would have been a blast due to the motor Jay Haire/King Motorsports built. Other than driving a few friend’s EGs, my track experience is limited to DC2s, so I’m uneducated. Currently my near stock '97 ITR has been a lot of fun. I’m still refreshing the worn 140k bushings, but it has been a blast in stock form at the five track events I have taken it to since its purchase. It has been a good reminder of how fun these cars are out of the box.



BA: What is your favorite track that you have driven?

RC: Until recently it was Virginia International Raceway. Laguna Seca might be a contender now though.



BA: What do you enjoy most about racing or the car community in general?

RC: The community of people that I have met through the years is what I enjoy the most. I first got on team-integra.net and OG H-T in '04, many of my first friends from those sites are now close friends ten years later. My best story is showing up at ITR Expo7 at dusk after driving 10.5+ hours alone. I didn’t know anyone, but as I was unloading my car and swapping wheels, five guys approached me. They ended up helping me swap wheels, unload, and then drove me to dinner. It was a great introduction to the ITR community, ITR Expo, and track days in general. My favorite part about ITR Expo and other track days now is driving in a caravan with friends to the event, plus hanging out. The driving part is just icing on the cake.



BA: So, ITR Expo7 was your first DE. What got you to sign up for Expo?

RC: After seeing all the fun at ITR Expo5. I was set to go, but I chickened out of signing up for ITR Expo6 and the first we-todd-did-racing event. There was another we-todd-did-racing event the following spring, but I had to cancel due to a mechanical issue. When registration for ITR Expo7 opened up, I just registered and paid despite not knowing anyone. I spent the winter making sure the car was solid, getting brake pads, a helmet, etc., and just went for it.


BA: You've been to almost half of the Expos, what keeps bringing you back?

RC: Now that’s a funny thought. I consider myself to be the second class Expo compared to many of the OGs that were around in the early OG H-T/Expo1 days. Up until recently, I think there were two guys that had been to every ITR Expo. Now I’m doing the math and its funny to think this will be my eighth ITR Expo. As we discussed earlier, the people at this event are what keep me coming back. My first year I met maybe ~15 people because I was shy and went to bed early since I was exhausted from my first two days on track. The next year at Expo8 I made a point to meet people, and it was well worth the effort. Each year that you attend Expo, you meet more new faces, build better friendships, and all of a sudden you are hanging out with ~150 friends each year. Between the evening hangouts, beer exchanges, banquet fun, it is tough not to have a good time. Everyone is super open and friendly, whether you need to borrow a random bolt, need a wrench, or just want a cold beverage at the end of the day.



BA: Obviously driving on track near the limit is fun, but do you think that the time spent off the track is more fun? If so, why?

RC: I have a very non-competitive personality. Tracking has always been one of the most stressful, yet exhilarating things that I have ever done, so it’s a mixed bag. A bad day on track is still a good day though, especially when spent with good friends. Off track is generally full on relax mode and have fun with friends over dinner, beverages, and hanging out at the track. I view driving on track as a catalyst for initially bring us all together, but hanging out with friends is the biggest proponent on why I continue to track.


BA: You're kind of like the resident banquet speaker for Expo. You do a really good job, do you rehearse at all? (Laughs)

RC: Ha! It’s a funny story on how I became the MC at the Expo 11. I found out about 30 minutes before the event. Jay, Dave, and some of the other committee members elected me on the spot and I just laughed, then immediately had a cold beverage. For Expo12 and 13, I obviously had notice, but I don’t feel I have done a good job, so thank you. Other than writing out a layout of the evening on paper nothing has been rehearsed.  Well, other than your proposal at Expo12. Sadly, there were no Expo proposals last year, so I’m hoping someone steps up to the plate this year.



BA: Alright, here is the kicker and you might lose some friends over this. You now live in San Francisco, so which coast do you prefer most, East or West? Just kidding, don't answer that. A lot of people complain about travel, distance, etc. For one, you've been to a lot of tracks and logged tons of miles. But, last year, you had a pretty extensive itinerary for getting to Expo13 at Mid-Ohio. Can you share your story with the readers?

RC: I’m officially in the middle of two camps now, the old East vs. West coast battle. Ha. I miss my garage space, but I’m happy to have the privilege to track with great communities of people at awesome tracks all over.

Expo13 was a fun trip and proves how much of a nut I am. I sold my daily driver ITR(01-0187) when I moved from South Carolina to SF due to theft concerns. I daily drove a 02’ Civic Si for over a year out here and did one track event at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. This was an Eibach Springs charity fundraiser event, so there was a big group of the HFF Challenge regulars. A friend let me borrow his 98’ ITR for a session and it just ruined me. Even with old tires, I knew I had to find a way. So, I found a garage spot to park a car and put a plan in motion to buy another ITR.

A good friend on the Expo committee was considering selling his '97. We began talking and eventually worked out plan around my schedule. Dave went above and beyond making sure the car was solid for both the track and the road trip. He even threw in spare tools/parts for the drive home.  At this point, I will mention that Dave lives in Florida, which is a bit of a drive back to San Francisco. Another good friend, Ali, also lives in Florida.  He offered fly to Tampa, pick up the car, and drive it ~9hrs to my old house in South Carolina. I flew from SF to South Carolina and we continued to the journey to Expo13 in Ohio, joining the southeast Expo caravan along the way. 

I tracked the car both days and then left to visit my family in Nashville. After a day we hit I-40 West. We weren’t road warriors, but with Ali’s help we made good time. Ali found an iPhone app that allowed you to map stops around beer breweries, so we tried to make every stop worthwhile. This was during the big storm in Colorado, so we detoured off I-40 near the Arizona border and headed south. I had met several people from Phoenix through both Expo8 and Expo10, and later SEMA in '12. With Nolan Whitenack’s help we had an awesome back roads route from 40 to Phoenix and spent a good evening with Nolan, Phil Robles, Simon Pavlick, Matt from ICB, Carlos Espinosa, and Paul Green from Project One-Thirty. It was a great night and Nolan was generous enough to offer us a place to crash. After one more long day Ali and I finished the drive to SF.

It is pretty cool how awesome the track community is. Almost everyone that was involved with purchasing the '97 and the subsequent roadtrip I have met at track events like ITR Expo. It really sums up why I continue to invest my time into tracking my cars with community run events like HFF Challenge, ITR Expo, etc.






This picture made people think that Conley's internet dating skills were paying off! 

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Keith Meilink Interview.


Many of you have seen his work, so lets get to know the man behind the camera. With the ITR Expo themed interviews, I had to get a hold of Keith. He is the one behind the Expo coverage that you see in the Honda Tuning magazine. While at Expo, it is hard to find Keith during the day, he is everywhere while the track is hot. Either driving on track or around the track to shoot, he is busy all day. From my time around Keith, he is super laid back and mellow. He's easy to chat with, yet kind of the quiet type. But, he is very passionate about his craft, photography. Check his site out at www.meilinkvision.com, but for now lets ask Keith a few questions.


BA: What was your first car and what ever happened to it?

KM: Well the first car I ever drove was a ’92 Ford Taurus. After having it for two months everything started to go wrong on it, including problems with the transmission shifting. Apparently, it was a common problem with those models.

As for the first car I purchased myself, it was a ’99 Integra LS that I picked up about nine months later. I had it for four years and everything I did was mostly cosmetic; OEM lip kit, coilovers, Rota Slipstreams in white, JDM ITR SRS steering wheel, TSX retrofit, intake, and exhaust. I had plans to K-swap it back in 2007, but used the money to go on vacation instead. After that, I happened to stumble upon the ITR community, which swayed my decision to sell the LS and get an ITR instead. From there I sold it to my brother who had it for a few years, then he traded it for a turbo RSX. Just a couple of months ago my brother actually saw it parked in East New York, Brooklyn. Apparently, it is a shit box now.


BA: What got you into racing or into cars in general?

KM: I was born out of The Fast and the Furious generation. A friend of mine took me to see it on opening night back in ’01. We were freshmen in high school at the time. I knew of the "muscle world" and fixing up old Chevys and stuff. But, this showed me the possibilities of the import world and modern day cars. The two of us went and saw the movie another two times that week.


BA: What has been your favorite car to drive on track?

KM: Well, I have only really tracked my ITR. I did take my S2000 out at Mid-Ohio, but I really didn’t get on it too hard. I was still running shitty brakes and hadn’t expected to go out in it. I know S2000s are supposed to be great track cars too, but at the moment I have so much more experience and confidence with the ITR.


BA: What is your favorite track that you have driven?

KM: VIR. It just has a great mix of everything and the weekend I went it was a blast. The only thing with that compared to other tracks I’ve been to is the long back straight. So many cars would pull away from me, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem anymore.  


BA: What do you enjoy most about racing or the car community in general?

KM: The people and all of the friends that I’ve made. There’s a totally different atmosphere between drag and HPDE/track days. Being in NY, drag racing is still the more popular sport and it’s like die hard competition all the time. Everyone is shady as shit and forget getting a helping hand. Look at someone the wrong way and don’t be surprised if words get tossed around.

Now compare that to the HPDE world and wow, what a difference. Everyone is willing to help you out, talk, and become friends. Just look when I bent a shit load of valves at CMP. Each person was ready to throw down and pull the head off that instant. #RyanConley even offered to take like a three hour round trip just to pick up the parts from his house that I needed. I was too depressed to work on the car because of what happened and had the car towed to Hondaworks. And, again, just help everywhere. Patrick met me on a Sunday, his day off, at the shop to open up and roll the car in. He then took me to Andy’s house. Andy was gracious enough to hang out with me that night and then drive me to the airport to fly home. When one person goes down, all the others are there to lift you back up.


BA: ITR Expo9 was your first event. That is kind of a hike for you, so what got you to sign up for Expo in the first place?

KM: Fourteen plus hours of driving, yup, I’d say a hike. Lol. But, you’re also talking to someone who has been to CMP more than any other track and that’s about an eleven hour drive for me. So what’s another three?

Anyways, I had just bought my ITR ten months prior and knew ITR Expo was the "IT" event to go to. I remember watching the old videos from Expo 3 and 4 and just being in awe at the amount of ITRs. Once I bought my own, there was no doubt if I’d go or not, no matter where it was.


BA: The NorthEast caravan rolls in deep. How many cars do you guys normally get together?

KM: Well they used to be big, then died down, but are back up again. Hell for Expo 11, I rolled down from NY by myself and on the way home it was just Edwin and I. Expo 12 saw a pick up in cars and 13 even topped that. I think we had about fifteen cars.


BA: You've made the switch from B series to K series. Was that in preparation for the long straights at Road America? (Laughs)

KM: Well if my Forza times are any indication of the K vs everyone else in B, I should be about ten seconds faster, so yeah I guess so. Lol.

But, for those that don’t know, the switch was due to the B blowing up. After doing a cost comparison of going bigger with the B and building it to a 2.0 or selling all of my B stuff and going bolt on K. It came out to be just a little more for the K. I figured the extra couple of bucks would be worth the reliability and longevity of a stock motor. That’s assuming I don’t start building it like I did the B. Lol.


BA: You normally shoot the event and drive, is that hard to juggle both tasks?

KM: Extremely difficult. I have to give up track time to make sure I get the best pictures. I’m also walking miles upon miles around the track all day in the hot sun. Then trying to get back to the paddock in time for the sessions that I’ve chosen to drive. Add in the rigors of tracking too and I’m exhausted by the last session. I really don’t get much social time at the event so once we’re back to the hotel or at the banquet, you really won’t see me with a camera. I know people like getting the after scene photos and viewing the social aspect of the event, but every one needs some down time and that’s when I take it.


BA: Have you ever thought about driving and shooting at the same time? Or does that have #RyanConley written all over it? 

KM: Lol. Well actually this year I’m thinking about trying some stuff out with GoPros and using them for stills instead of video to get shots like that. We’ll see what happens.