Wild day in F1 developments
WOW, F1 hot discussions.....
* Silverstone says the doors are still open for F1
* Bernie stands firm on no F1 return to Silverstone...
* 8 teams including Brawn GP, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso - all say YES to FOTA and NO to FIA for 2010 season...
* FIA introduces 3 new teams for 2010 Campos, Manor and US F1....
What a trip. The stories continue to build as F1 practice continues at Silverstone.
* Silverstone says the doors are still open for F1
* Bernie stands firm on no F1 return to Silverstone...
* 8 teams including Brawn GP, Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso - all say YES to FOTA and NO to FIA for 2010 season...
* FIA introduces 3 new teams for 2010 Campos, Manor and US F1....
What a trip. The stories continue to build as F1 practice continues at Silverstone.
"I've Been Everywhere" -- The German Auto Experience
It is time to end the German trip, go home, take a short trip to Mississippi, and then rest for a time in Centerville, Ohio, before getting back to writing history. I wanted to take stock of all the places I have been since May 8, 2009, related to the automobile industry in Germany.1. Technical Museum of Baden-Wurrtemburg located in Mannheim
2. Ladenburg Benz Museum
3. Porsche Museum, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen
4. Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart
5. Audi Museum, Ingolstadt
6. BMW Plant, Leipzig -- 4 days
7. Porsche Museum and Archives, Zuffenhausen -- second time
8. Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart -- second time
9. Technical Museum, Munich, Transportation Section
10. Eisenach BMW Die/Stamping/Rolls Royce Development Center
11. Eisenach Opel Assembly Plant
12. Dresden "Glass Factory" VW Plant
13. Zwickau Audi Horch Museum
14. BMW Museum, Munich
15. Porsche Leipzig Assembly Plant and Track
And I might have missed something!
Special thanks to other UD faculty members -- Dr. Art Mosher, Sean Falkowski, and Becky Blust! And our wonderful 16 students -- I love you guys!
New SCX C2 set-Porsche and Ferrari
The new SCX C2 analog set comes with the silver Ferrari 360 and the UPS livery Porsche 911.
A Soldier's Story
The Soldier Field Cycling Series debuted last night in the south parking lot of - yep, Soldier Field - and I would say was nearly an unqualified success.
The races started on time, and my field, at least, was sold out and filled up to the 75 rider max.
I knew there would be a lot of inexperienced riders out there, but also a full compliment of teammates - at least ten, an army, you might say - to help me get to the front and stay there. I could tell this would be a very important tactic in the race after seeing Turn 4 of the 8 corner course: it pinched narrowly after a wide, muddy pothole - that would obviously send riders into two lines - and would not be able to handle anything more than two wide. The rubber band effect would be worst coming into the long backstretch immediately after.
I almost didn't make it even that far - nearly going down twice at each of the opening corners. Swerving, braking riders in front and on both sides made protecting my wheel seem like playing three games of Wack-a-Mole at once. Safely through Turn 4 finally I was able to jump up to the front, found a spot at 3rd wheel, and pretty much stayed there.
XXX attacks went off seemingly every lap. Diddy Kong took a flyer, then Michael Young. He stayed off for a couple, then slowly started coming back. With 10 minutes to go, he was just about to be absorbed, and as we blocked, I jumped, hoping it wasn't too early, but didn't want the front of the field to be too recovered from previous chasing.
It worked and I got a decent gap, taking that next lap alone.
Coming through the start line I got company, an ABD rider who jumped past pretty hard at the sound of the prime bell. Gapped. He won $20.
Repeat the two of us for the next lap. I get a gap. Win $15. Unattached rider bridging up.
We're together, XXX Army blocking. We trade some pulls, but admittedly, I am not doing my share of the work. It is bike to work week, after all. Already having 40 miles under your legs, then finding your self in a break with two other gorillas is less than ideal.
(photo by Kevin W. Heeley)
On the backstretch before seeing two to go, Mark Watkins yells at us to get going: the pack is just 6 seconds behind. ABD wags, I pull to the line.
Hurting.
I get the better of myself and pull off hoping to get a wheel, but lack the pop to hop on ABD and Unattached's wheels when they jump. Dropped. In no-mans-land to fend off the hungry, quicky-approaching pack.
Completely redlined I pedal as quickly as I can and begin to close. Turn 8 I am almost there when they jump to sprint. Out of saddle to the line, with what feels like a bag of cinder blocks on my back, I throw just before I can get pipped out of the top three by MS Racing behind me. It was that close.
On the cooldown lap, I introduced myself to my breakmates, but the ABD rider surprisingly knew my name. "Adam," he told me, was Mr. Outside. He recognized me from Winfield Twilight and that race's report, and when he saw me go, he said he knew that was the move. And it was: Unattached (Illinois jersey) took the win and a Chipotle burrito prime, and Mr. Outside, Adam, was 2nd.
I look forward to racing with both those guys again. Hopefully soon in the 1/2/3s field.
Great course, if a little funky. Some turns were so wide as to be as dangerous as the very narrow Turn 4. New riders need guidance, and giving them full reign to turn as wide as they want is bound to cause much braking, swerving, and general consternation. But this is to be expected of a field with so many riders, and I want to extend my congrats to everyone who made this their first race. Scotty! You did it!
A great night all around, and congratulations to the promoters, as well! Well done. For us on the podium, there was no cash - except for the $15 prime - only a gift certificate, but that's OK. Pepsi Max podium girls!
The races started on time, and my field, at least, was sold out and filled up to the 75 rider max.
I knew there would be a lot of inexperienced riders out there, but also a full compliment of teammates - at least ten, an army, you might say - to help me get to the front and stay there. I could tell this would be a very important tactic in the race after seeing Turn 4 of the 8 corner course: it pinched narrowly after a wide, muddy pothole - that would obviously send riders into two lines - and would not be able to handle anything more than two wide. The rubber band effect would be worst coming into the long backstretch immediately after.
I almost didn't make it even that far - nearly going down twice at each of the opening corners. Swerving, braking riders in front and on both sides made protecting my wheel seem like playing three games of Wack-a-Mole at once. Safely through Turn 4 finally I was able to jump up to the front, found a spot at 3rd wheel, and pretty much stayed there.
XXX attacks went off seemingly every lap. Diddy Kong took a flyer, then Michael Young. He stayed off for a couple, then slowly started coming back. With 10 minutes to go, he was just about to be absorbed, and as we blocked, I jumped, hoping it wasn't too early, but didn't want the front of the field to be too recovered from previous chasing.
It worked and I got a decent gap, taking that next lap alone.
Coming through the start line I got company, an ABD rider who jumped past pretty hard at the sound of the prime bell. Gapped. He won $20.
Repeat the two of us for the next lap. I get a gap. Win $15. Unattached rider bridging up.
We're together, XXX Army blocking. We trade some pulls, but admittedly, I am not doing my share of the work. It is bike to work week, after all. Already having 40 miles under your legs, then finding your self in a break with two other gorillas is less than ideal.
(photo by Kevin W. Heeley)
On the backstretch before seeing two to go, Mark Watkins yells at us to get going: the pack is just 6 seconds behind. ABD wags, I pull to the line.
Hurting.
I get the better of myself and pull off hoping to get a wheel, but lack the pop to hop on ABD and Unattached's wheels when they jump. Dropped. In no-mans-land to fend off the hungry, quicky-approaching pack.
Completely redlined I pedal as quickly as I can and begin to close. Turn 8 I am almost there when they jump to sprint. Out of saddle to the line, with what feels like a bag of cinder blocks on my back, I throw just before I can get pipped out of the top three by MS Racing behind me. It was that close.
On the cooldown lap, I introduced myself to my breakmates, but the ABD rider surprisingly knew my name. "Adam," he told me, was Mr. Outside. He recognized me from Winfield Twilight and that race's report, and when he saw me go, he said he knew that was the move. And it was: Unattached (Illinois jersey) took the win and a Chipotle burrito prime, and Mr. Outside, Adam, was 2nd.
I look forward to racing with both those guys again. Hopefully soon in the 1/2/3s field.
Great course, if a little funky. Some turns were so wide as to be as dangerous as the very narrow Turn 4. New riders need guidance, and giving them full reign to turn as wide as they want is bound to cause much braking, swerving, and general consternation. But this is to be expected of a field with so many riders, and I want to extend my congrats to everyone who made this their first race. Scotty! You did it!
A great night all around, and congratulations to the promoters, as well! Well done. For us on the podium, there was no cash - except for the $15 prime - only a gift certificate, but that's OK. Pepsi Max podium girls!
Porsche-Leipzig Visit, June 17
After nearly 6 weeks in Leipzig, we finally made it to the Porsche facility, one of the most modern assembly plants in the world. Located near the Leipzig airport and northwest of the city center, this site is a must visit for anyone wanting to learn more about the contemporary auto industry. After a remarkable lunch in a restaurant located at the top of the visitor center, we were taken for an in-depth tour of the plant by our guide Christa, who without a doubt ranked at the very top of all museum/plant tour guides during our trip both in terms of enthusiasm and knowledge. Currently the mixed line Cayenne/Panamera production process makes about 78 cars per shift, with two shifts per day, and a 5 Cayenne/1 Panamera mix. About 17% of the product is now going to China. Right now, all Panameras are going to the press and to dealers, with customer production starting September 17.
The plant is located next to the track, where one can take a driver education class, or just be piloted around a course that has numerous GP track design features. We were also taken into a state-of-the-art camera facility, where there are more than 20 cameras that video one's driving experience. In short, it is simply impossible to describe the facility to you. You need to visit, or minimally look at the Porsche-Leipzig URL at http://www.porsche-leipzig.com.
What struck me the most about the tour was the answer to a question I posed to Christa about plant absenteeism. Recently we had visited Opel at Eisenach where I learned that absenteeism was at about 7%. Christa did not even understand the question! Apparently unless one is sick, there is simply is no absenteeism at this Porsche plant. As she explained, people are proud to work at Porsche, and the more than 500 employees working there are a tight knit group. That story was repeated at BMW as well. Elite manufacturers, making smaller units of vehicles, simply do not have the labor problems of those pushing higher rates of cars per hour.
In sum, the visit here was a capstone to our study of the German auto industry. From all accounts, and despite the world-wide recession and drop in consumer demand, the German luxury manufacturers are optimistic and will hold on, despite the storm. Both BMW and Porsche employees possess strong emotional ties to their work, their products, and their organizations.
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