Edition 7, June 26th - 2007

Racing in Shanghai

This writer took a few weeks off as we just returned from a business trip to mainland China. When we arrived in Shanghai, it appeared to me that everyone in this city of 15 million people was trying to get somewhere at the same time. The streets are clogged with bicycles, electric scooters, and taxis. The favorite make of taxi in this country is the Volkswagen Santana 2000, a boxy four door, four cylinder beast with manual transmission on the floor. The drivers of these beauties spend little time in winding up the engine, rather they seem to speed shift to get to the highest gear as soon as possible, which we assume helps them get to the next intersection faster then the cab next to them, and this is when I found the similarity to American racing.

If you could imagine Bristol Motor Speedway with 200 cars on the track at the same time with the flagman letting everyone go at the same time five wide, you might be able to imagine an intersection in China . Brakes are a premium and squealing rotors are heard everywhere. Car horns and flashing one’s headlights at all other vehicles is the main form of trying to advise others that you have the right of way. As you can imagine accidents happen with some regularity and as a passenger, (would never want to drive in this demo derby) you tend to look forward so not to notice the cars coming at your door, or trying to get in the same spot your taxi is occupying. Our company driver Susie is fearless in traffic, as she seems to ignore others around her. In other words she hits her marks and does not mirror race. We think we may have a new Mid Am driver, (if horns are ever allowed).

Berge Wants His Good Luck Tree Back

Spoke with #97 owner Adam Berge this morning, and he wants to find the good luck tree that he had last year to pick a few leaves for his pocket. Four weeks ago the team shook down the car at Dells Raceway Park and thought they had found a set up for Kaukauna. Broke a rocker arm there and were lucky to finish. Went to Slinger, car timed good, felt good and raced up to third position before breaking a shock bracket and had a tire go down due to rim leak. The team took off a week to regroup, and get their head back in the game, but after attending the Craftsman Truck race at Milwaukee, they returned to Slinger only to have a major engine component break and end their evening.

So who ever borrowed our good luck tree, we would like to have a few leaves so we can finish a race without a mechanical problem. As usual, Adam and I finished our conversation by visualizing the next race. Good, I said Madison on July 7; which is close to our home. “Yeah Adam replied, we set track record during qualifying there last year” Maybe we just found a few good luck leaves for Adam’s pocket. See you at Madison on July 7 th

Racing to the Checkers

Jim