2005 PAR Spotlight #6 - Dave Lehrschall

I grew up in central Indiana.  There were banked oval tracks, dirt tracks, and drag strips everywhere and we went to race events there like folks go to baseball games here.  Because I wanted to work around cars, I went to work for General Motors at one of their components divisions, Delco Remy.   I’ve worked for Delco Remy, now Delphi, for the last 35 years including three years in the US Army.  I worked as a helicopter crew chief on active duty stateside and in Viet Nam.  I stayed in the Indiana National Guard for 14 years and left as a CW2 Aviation Maintenance Officer.  I still work for Delphi.  Today, I manage development of manufacturing systems for ignition coils around the world.  This requires a lot more traveling than I like because it keeps me away from my wife, Suellyn.   1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?               I’ve been an SCCA member for almost one year now.  (I can’t believe that I’ve lived in El Paso for 19 years and did not join earlier!)     2.      What was your first car?   Technically, my first car was a 56 Ford.  I was 13 years old at the time.  I was the neighborhood mechanic even then, working on lawn mowers and helping the local Saturday night racer / shade-tree mechanics who let me watch because I was small enough to slide under the cars with out ramps to line up transmissions with engines.  The 56 Ford was in the process of being stripped for “Figure-8” racing and did not run.  My neighbor, who admittedly was intoxicated at the time, agreed to trade the car for a riding lawn mower I had re-built.  I fixed the old Ford and drove it around for two days before my mom found out.  I bought my first serious car, a simple 4-door 61 Corvair, a year later after convincing my parents that it was in such bad shape that it would take me the two years to rebuild the engine.  I kept mowing yards to buy to parts and six months later had it up and running.  I was driving at 14.   3.      What was/is your favorite car?   My favorite car is my current car, a 2004 GTO.  Again, as a kid Saturday night oval track races and the Sunday afternoon drag races were big.  It seemed like I was always working on someone else’s racecar.  I grew up around muscle cars.  This car has an outstanding stereo and I love music, but I generally drive with the windows down just to hear the big V-8 roar or occasionally the squeal of the tires.  I had an option to fly from Michigan to El Paso and ship the GTO.  I chose to take vacation days and drive.  The car is awesome off the line, but you’d be amazed just how quickly you can go from 60 to 100+!  Admittedly, it is a little “heavy” for autocross and leans a tad, but I’m having a ball with it.    4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     My first autocross event is my favorite racing memory.  I was at least 20 seconds slower than anyone else that first time out, but when I got back to the grid I was so pumped up with adrenaline that I could barely stop shaking. I actually bruised my hand gripping the steering wheel. Once I finally got the door open and exited the car, all I could do was jump up and down and tell everyone within earshot just how exciting it was!  Imagine taking a hot car out and pushing it and yourself to the limits without worrying about a ticket!  I got a lot of smiles (clearly, I had identified myself as a rookie). I did more drifting that day than anyone would recommend.  Daniel Camacho jumped in to ride along and coach me.   I appreciate Daniel’s humor.  I remember his comments as something like, “All that shifting and drifting was a lot of fun. It wasn’t smooth or fast. But it was fun!” (I’m working on smooth and fast).   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   Locally, I have to say Karl Busch.  That’s a tough call because I’ve gotten to really enjoy the healthy rookie rivalry with Ari Mirles, Jessie “Scoobie” Moya, Karl, and a couple of guys from the Alamogordo Mustang club.  Recently, we were comparing what each had to do to win the rookie class for the day and encouraging each other to go for it.  Ari and Karl were so close the computer had issues sorting it out.  I thought I had a chance that day, but I finished 2 seconds behind first on the PAX and had at least three in front of me including Ari, Karl, and Scoobie.  The PAX performance clearly shows how Karl has improved his skills and his car through this season relative to everyone else. The emphasis is on his improvement.  I’ve observed that he has worked hard at it and sought advice from Luis Moreno.  Karl is always there to work on track setup and to share what he has learned as well. Going back a few years, I would have to mention Mark Donohue, Jackie Stewart, and Parnelli Jones as the racing stars I followed.  In grade school during the early 60’s I got hooked on a book series built around the “Black Cat Racer”.  I don’t remember the hero’s name, but I remember reading about four-wheel drifting, down-shifting, and the excitement of racing.    6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   I have to go with driver, car, and then car preparation.  I’ve watched Kevin Bartley and Luis Moreno drive my car for the first time and smoothly better my time by several seconds over my best time that day.  I’ve gained more respect for not only seeing a racing line in two dimensions, but for also seeing subtle “roller coasters” and surface differences that will affect the vehicle loading on the wheels and change traction.  I always have a better day when I walk the track and listen to Luis.  As I’m getting more experience, I’m beginning to understand the suggestions to learn how to drive what you have before going wild on modifications to your car.  I’m not good at it yet, but I am beginning to see the connection between course variations I over-looked before and my performance.  As far as cars are concerned, I like the PAX system!  It provides a means to level the field somewhat to compare drivers.  I’m looking forward to running in F Stock next year.  I know that today’s muscle cars will not compete with a hot Z06 for example.  But, you drive what you brought right?  Preparation makes a lot of difference within the class.  I think tires, then tires, and maybe tires are the most important preparation points.  Inflation, compound, and width all add up to make big differences.   7.      What makes you successful?    I haven’t  “thrown down the gauntlet” to the other F Stock competitors as I’ve been running in the rookie class, but I have been watching the F Stock competitors’ times and with a couple of exceptions I’ve run faster.  I’m hoping to do well with a big turn out of F Stock Mustangs, Camaros, and Transams next year. (So far the other GTOs in town seem to be just polished and parked!)    I don’t consider myself successful just yet in regards to finishes.  I’ve been very successful at having fun with the Solo II activities.  I think the local group encourages individuals to look for improvement within ourselves and to have fun. I’ve learned a lot this year and I attribute that to ride along support from more experienced drivers, conversations with other drivers at the track, club meetings, and on line.  The rookie group has been very supportive of each other and honestly celebrated each other’s improvement in performance.  I’ll miss the rookie group next year. I may have to create a little grouping to compare times and keep pushing these guys.  I do think that I’m beginning to understand what I need to work on to be successful.  While it’s a lot about competition with others it’s also about improving on your own skills.  In this regard I think I have taken a major step forward in understanding where opportunities are and whether I really did the best I could with that opportunity.  Next year’s focus will be on consistency, smoothness, and as Luis points out, seeing those opportunities in your mind before you actually run.

2005 PAR Spotlight #5 - Ari Mirles 

I'm Ari Mirles. I was born in Torrance, California then moved to Puerto Rico with my family when I was 15 and stayed in PR until I graduated from the University of PR at Mayaguez with a BS in Computer Science and a MS in Software Engineering. I then moved to San Jose, California for my first job.  I now work as a AI researcher/developer at the Physical Science Laboratory at NMSU in Las Cruces since November 2001. I met my wife in Puerto Rico (we both were working on our theses at the time). She came to "visit" me in California after she graduated. We were married in CA and have been married for four years.  I would like to thank all the members and people I've met and interacted with in the PAR region. You all have made being a part of the SCCA and racing a really great experience that is very rewarding. Thanks!   1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?               I've been a member since March 2005.   2.      What was your first car?   My first car was a 1983 Honda Civic 1300 hatchback. That car was a lot of fun. That car spent most of its road time with the gas pedal on the floor. It was basically a go-cart with a license plate. I won quite a few clandestine drag races after modding the intake manifold and adding a header, muffler and nice wheels and tires.   3.      What was/is your favorite car?   I'm a classic British roadster fan. I worked in a British car only restoration shop for over five years during college, where I earned my expertise in all areas of British cars, electrical (Lucas was my friend), ignition and carburetion (nobody can tune S.U. carbs like me). I've come to love the early MGBs, although I favor the sound of a Triumph six at full chat. There’s nothing like a small and agile roadster with chrome bumpers, wire wheels, fender mirrors, spartan interior and peppy bullet-proof engine plus the looks that turn heads. I had a 1969 "B" of my own but had to sell it when I graduated with an MS in software engineering and left Puerto Rico for my first job. I had to sell the MGB, but still wanted a roadster, so I bought my Mazda Miata. There’s nothing like a convertible that doesn't leak ;-)   4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     My first time racing Solo 2 in the Miata last year as a non-member. I was hooked! After my run, I had jittery knees and the rush of adrenaline. It was cool to flog a sports car on the course as it was intended to be used.   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   I would have to say I admire all the racers that pour their heart, blood, sweat and tears into racing, not only the famous ones, but also the little guys that love the sport such as the privateers who have to pony up the costs on their own to participate in racing.   6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   The Driver who controls the car is the most important he/she must be mentally and physically prepared to handle the task and know their limits and test their limits. An unprepared driver can take a great car and not perform as well as a more experienced driver in a lesser car (I see this often at the races). The car is secondly important as it provides a base for the driver and the amount of adjustment and tweaks that can be done to it. Thirdly, car preparation to extract the most performance out of the car.  I ranked this third because the amount of car preparation depends on the car. 7.      What makes you successful?    To me success comes from dedication, hard work and to have fun while achieving goals and treating others as I would like to be treated. I can’t say I'm there yet, but thus far, life is good and I can say I'm enjoying life getting there. :)

2005 PAR Spotlight #4 - Daniel Camacho 

My Dad is Costa Rican and my Mom is from North Carolina.  I was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, but have lived in the U.S. all my life (28 years).  I've visited my Costa Rican relatives a few times.  Right now, I'm an engineer in the Air Force.  I joined after 3 years of post-college job-hunting, at the age of 27, which makes me the oldest lieutenant in my squadron.  They sent me to the right base, but I'm not so sure about the job.  In college, I purposely studied things that move - not concrete.  Oh, well...at least Civil Engineering gets me training on a rifle.  In most other career fields USAF officers have to settle for a dinky little pistol.  I actually got to put on body armor and play soldier one day!  Might as well enjoy it while it's actually play, right?  I liked airplanes before I liked cars, but airplanes are pretty much inaccessible to me.  I started liking cars when I was about 15.  I started becoming a gearhead when someone loaned me her kids' go-kart one afternoon.  Being able to see the tires plowing across dirt illustrated all these words I'd been reading like "understeer" and "oversteer".  Later, I learned how to drive a manual transmission, and started driving my parents' 1980 Datsun.  I eventually realized that, compared to everything else I'd been driving, the Datsun felt like a go-kart.  I can never go back to automatic transmissions, or the kind of overweight slugs my parents drive, much less trucks.  In 1997 I started reading about modified cars, and first learned about autocross.  Racing hadn't appealed to me until then, but when I read a description of autocross I thought to myself "I want to do that!"  When I first heard of an autocross school within driving distance, nothing could stop me from going.  I imagine I can do autocross for a long time.  The only person I know to get burned-out on it had been doing it for 30 years.  It's too bad the Air Force makes me ask my commander's permission to go racing, but on the other hand, I think the paperwork I write may help legitimize this hobby for others.  I like the way some troops' faces light up when they hear about an officer racing on weekends!  I might still get a pilot's license one day, but I like hot-rod airplanes the way I like hot cars, and even if I win a lottery, I could probably never afford a surplus jet fighter I want while I'm young enough to enjoy it!     1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?   I've been a member of the SCCA for 11 months.   2.      What was your first car?   The first car I owned was also my parents first brand-new car, a 1980 Datsun 210 station wagon.  I've been riding in that car since I was 3 years old, so I'm pretty attached to it.   3.      What was/is your favorite car?   Out of the cars I own, my favorite is the Datsun.  Out of the cars I've driven, my favorite was my best friend's 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo.  It was beat all to heck, inside and out, and was still fun to drive.  I can't wait 'til he fixes it and I get to see what a Supra is like in new condition!  My ideal cars are the 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R, and the Lotus Esprit Turbo.  But, this list isn't complete without mentioning the Lamborghini Countach, the car I liked before I liked cars.  To this day, I think it it looks and sounds awesome...But I've been spoiled by cars like the Datsun whose windows roll down all the way!   4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     My favorite racing memory is the day after I put the rear swaybar on the Datsun.  I just knew I couldn't win a trophy with that car, but I had so much fun on the test drive that I had to take it to the race the next day.  It was already a fun car, but with the rear swaybar it seemed to handle even more like a go-kart.  So, when the racing commenced, I swerved and drifted it around the slick, gritty course at Sanford, NC's abandoned airport.  The only other person in my class that day was my good friend Jamie Palmer, racing his FSP Triumph Spitfire.  I was having so much fun I didn't realize I was winning!  I had a few trophies from racing my 240SX, but it was much more satisfying when I won with the Datsun that day!   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   Hmmm...   6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   The driver is definitely most important, and car prep might be next.  Even if a car is stock, it has to be in good shape.  Within your class, your choice of car helps, but probably doesn't determine the outcome.  Especially not at the local level where most modified cars aren't modified to the limit of the rules.  I think whoever picks their tweaks the most wisely has an advantage in their class.   7.      What makes you successful?    I'm as successful as I am because I've been autocrossing since November 1997, and going to the excellent schools put on by Tarheel Sports Car Club and Triad Sports Car Club.

2005 PAR Spotlight #3 - Fred Hernandez 

I was born in El Paso over fifty years ago.  I graduated from El Paso High and attended UTEP.  My wife Cheryl and I own a long haul trucking company.  Currently, her youngest son, Stephen helps me pit and is now driving at some autocrosses with me.    1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?   I first joined Pan Am in 1974.  I even helped Maxine way back when, when we hosted the National Convention.  I didn’t keep an active membership all these years, and quit autocrossing back in 1990.   I resurfaced in late 2003 after I bought my current Z06.  That’s why Louie Moreno calls me the Ghost of Christmas Past.   2.      What was your first car?   My first car was a four door 1962 Ford Fairlane my Mom gave me to drive back in high school.  The first car I bought was a 1967 Chevelle SS 396, which I eventually made into a 427.  The first real sports car was a 1969 Corvette coupe with a 427.    3.      What was/is your favorite car?    My favorite car is the original Grand Sport Corvette.  Chevrolet’s answer to the Cobras.  If you don’t know what they look like, look at one of our Carrera Panamericana t-shirts.   4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     I have had lots of personal autocross memories.  One of my favorites was the National Corvette Convention at Daytona.  We got to trailer through “the tunnel”, pit in the garage area and stage in the pits along the front straight.  We ran the inside road course, then came onto the end of the front straight, turned right and went across the Start/Finish line the wrong way, then back into the pits to our finish. I didn’t do as well as I have at other times, but it was awesome.  You know!  Next year, we get to go to Sebring!   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   I would say guys like Bobby Rahal and Paul Newman. Both were talented club racers and pro racers, and are now successful car and team owners.  What racer wannabe wouldn’t have loved to walk in those footsteps?   6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   All other things being equal, I would say driver, car, then preparation.  Firstly, take two or three drivers, put them in the same car and it tells you who is better.  Secondly, if certain cars weren’t better than others, we wouldn’t need classes.  Thirdly, take a spec cars series and see the difference in two cars, its preparation.   7.      What makes you successful?    If anybody is considered successful, it is because they have taken their God given talents and applied them through hard work and effort.  Or maybe they were just lucky.

2005 PAR Spotlight #2 - Gustavo Ganem 

1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?   I have been a member of SCCA since 2002.  Before that I raced shifter karts with SKUSA and the Southwest Racing Association.   2.      What was your first car?   My first car was an AMC Hornet.  I wonder if any one remembers these.   3.      What was/is your favorite car?   I have a long list of favorite dream cars that I like, but I have to say that my favorite car right now is the number 33 Formula Continental that I am currently racing!  It is an absolute blast and I can drive it all out without losing my license!   4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     My favorite racing memories come from my early teens in Mexico City.  I belonged to a large group of car fanatics that would get together and race.  The racing took place at a four kilometer circuit that went around Mexico's Autonomus University.  The university had its own security and cops were not allowed inside.  Every saturday night, after the university would close, 20 to 30 of us would sneek in, pay off the security guards and race!  That's were I learned to race.  One of the notables that attended these races was Michael Jourdain (the father of course).  Those were the days!   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   The racers that I admire most are Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez.  I was fortunate to have met them and I was present when Ricardo lost his life at the Mexico F1 Grand Prix.   6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   Driver, car, car prep?  I think the are all interrelated.  Given the same car, the driver and his ability to set up the car are the most important.   7.      What makes you successful?    What makes me successful?  The same thing that makes every one successful: hard work and passion.

2005 PAR Spotlight #1 - Jesse Moya 

I was born in Downey, California lived in El Monte, California. Then moved to El Paso, Texas. I am now currently employed with the Department of Homeland Security. I have been married for five years, but have known my wife for 10 years. She is more of a crew chief than a pit crew. My son (Marco) is  more of the cheering section, and hopefully he will like karts here pretty soon. I would like to thank each and everyone of the Pan Am region as I think I have learned so much from everyone, and I don’t think that would have been possible in a bigger region.     1.      How long have you been a member of SCCA?   I have been officially a member since 02/05.   2.      What was your first car?   A 1972 Mustang with a 351 C.   3.      What was/is your favorite car?   Realistically an S203 converted STI, Dream car it is a RUF 996 Porsche.   4.      What is your favorite racing memory?     The first time I saw a WRC rally on TV.   5.      Who is the racer you admire or respect the most?   I have several, Peter Solberg, Jack Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher and as of last December Andy Pilgrim.   6.      How do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?   1. Driver 2. Car Prep 3. Car   7.      What makes you successful?    Success will come 40-50 years form now when I am able to look back on my life and see that I was a good father, husband, son, brother, and cone killer.

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