#from thermal club challenge race!!

[jack-doohan]

x

[coimbrabertone]

Indycar at Thermal

So, Thermal happened. For those who don't know, the NTT Indycar Series had a non-points exhibition, vaguely all-stary race at the Thermal Club, a private racing club in southern California. This was billed as the "$1 Million Challenge" for ironic reasons that I'll get to in a moment. Anyway, for the event, the field was split in half with two ten-minute heat races, the top six cars transferring from each heat into a final. In the twenty lap, twelve car final, the drivers would race for $500,000, because they couldn't even get that part right.

The first heat race was pretty good, with drama off the start leading to Romain Grosjean getting spun out and collecting Rinus Veekay, while Indycar legend Scott Dixon was penalized out of contention for starting it. Felix Rosenqvist led, but Scott McLaughlin was hunting him down at the end.

The second heat was a bit more mixed. The Chip Ganassi Racing cars of Alex Palou and Marcus Armstrong controlled the pace, but the McLarens put on a show fighting for the final transfer spot. Callum Ilott filling in in the #6 started just outside the transfer spot, but then got swallowed up by his teammates, Alexander Rossi and Pato O'Ward. Rossi and O'Ward proceeded to put on a show fighting for the sixth and final transfer slot, with Alex winning out in the end. CGR's pace was ominous, but McLaren kept it entertaining.

Then the race hit rock bottom with the first half of the feature race. The $1 Million race was twenty laps, but it was divided into two ten lap halves, with a ten-minute break in the middle, and drivers weren't allowed to change tyres in the middle. Knowing that, the teams figured that they would just save their tyres in the first half knowing the field would bunch up for the second half, meaning they'd have more tyre to attack with in the second half. So, on a long, twisty road course without many passing opportunities, we had to watch the drivers one by one decide that they couldn't push any further so they should just save for the second half. Colton Herta was the first to do it, then Agustin Canapino, then Alexander Rossi...soon enough, everyone all the way up to Graham Rahal in seventh was driving seconds off the pace saving their tyres.

Then we get to the ten-minute break with the NBC commentators practically pleading with the viewers that the race was going to get better in the second half. Alex Palou finished lap ten, and then the race just kept going because Pietro Fittipaldi was evidently underfueled and it took him about three minutes to cross the finish line. Then, in a strange, quiet mid-race break where nothing else seemed to be happening, Graham Rahal retired with a technical issue and Pietro Fittipaldi was disqualified for not having enough fuel. The fun, all-for-money, twelve car all-star race was down to just ten cars.

Nevertheless...the second half was better. Alexander Rossi pushed his way up the field, clashed with Josef Newgarden, and both went wide while Colton Herta went underneath them both for the position. Cars were actually racing now! Herta charging up the field and Rossi hanging on a few cars behind made it look like this saving strategy might actually amount to something after all...only for Alex Palou to dominate the race anyway. This was better, but for most of the fans, the damage was already done.

Indycar twitter was dominated by people talking about this race being a terrible mistake, rock bottom of Roger Penske's series ownership, and a horrid waste of time. Me? My reaction was mostly to just disassociate and laugh at the trainwreck. I love Indycar, I want Indycar to do well, I love Indycar so much I'm writing a novel-length fic about it on AO3, so it sucks to see a dud of an event like this. The worst part in my opinion is that we're stuck with this being the most recent race for a month, because the Long Beach Grand Prix isn't until April 21st.

It's been a rough offseason as an Indycar fan, and seeing an uncharacteristically dull St. Pete race where Josef Newgarden dominated following by this confused little Thermal Club event where reigning champ Palou came out on top...it's not great. I just hope Long Beach brings a return to normalcy, with good, hard, unpredictable American open wheel racing...in a month.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Inside a cinder block office building perhaps best known for the Hindu temple and table tennis club next door, a startup company is testing what may be one of the hottest new developments in clean energy technology.

At the back of a small warehouse laboratory buzzing with fans and motors, an MIT spinoff company called Electrified Thermal Solutions is operating something its founders call the Joule Hive, a thermal battery the size of an elevator.  

The Hive is a large, insulated metal box loaded with dozens of white-hot ceramic bricks that convert electricity to heat at temperatures up to 1800 degrees Celsius—well beyond the melting point of steel—and with enough thermal mass to hold the heat for days.

As the price of renewable energy continues to plummet, one of the biggest challenges for the clean energy transition is finding a way to convert electricity to high temperature heat so societies don’t have to continue burning coal or natural gas to power heavy industries. Another thorny issue is finding a way to store energy—in this case heat—for when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.

“If you are running an industrial plant where you’re making cement or steel or glass or ceramics or chemicals or even food or beverage products, you burn a lot of fossil fuels,” Daniel Stack, chief executive of Electrified Thermal Solutions, said. “Our mission is to decarbonize industry with electrified heat.”

The industrial sector accounts for nearly one-fourth of all direct greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., which drive climate change, according to the EPA. Thermal batteries powered by renewable energy could reduce roughly half of industry’s emissions, according to a 2023 report by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, a nonprofit, and its affiliated Renewable Thermal Collaborative. 

Additional emissions come from chemical reactions, such as carbon dioxide that is formed as an unwanted byproduct during cement production, and from methane that leaks or is intentionally vented from natural gas pipes and other equipment. 

The challenge to replacing fossil fuel combustion as the go to source for heat, is that there aren’t a lot of good options available to produce high temperature heat from electricity, Stack said. Electric heaters, like the wires that turn red hot in a toaster, work well at low temperatures but quickly burn out at higher temperatures. Other, less common materials like molybdenum and silicon carbide heaters can withstand higher temperatures, but are prohibitively expensive.

As a grad student at MIT, Stack wondered if firebricks, the bricks commonly used in residential fireplaces and industrial kilns, could be a less expensive, more durable solution. Bricks do not typically conduct electricity, but by slightly altering the recipe of the metal oxides used to make them, he and ETS co-founder Joey Kabel were able to create bricks that could essentially take the place of wires to conduct electricity and generate heat.

“There’s no exotic metals in here, there’s nothing that’ll burn out,” Stack said standing next to shelves lined with small samples, or “coupons,” of brick that he and his team have tested to find the ones with the best heating properties. 

[eekhaut]

Getting ready for the cyber wars

Hiding in plain sight: activists don camouflage to beat Met surveillance

Privacy campaigners bid to beat police facial recognition plans by wearing ‘dazzle’ makeup

James Tapper.     Sat 1 Feb 2020 17.19 GMT The Observer. 

Emily Roderick, Evie Price and Anna Hart, founders of the Dazzle Club, wearing makeup designed to confuse facial recognition cameras. Photograph: Cocoa Laney/The Observer

Wearing makeup has long been seen as an act of defiance, from teenagers to New Romantics. Now that defiance has taken on a harder edge, as growing numbers of people use it to try to trick facial recognition systems.

Interest in so-called dazzle camouflage appears to have grown substantially since the Metropolitan police announced last week that officers will be using live facial recognition cameras on London’s streets – a move described by privacy campaigners and political activists as “dangerous”, “oppressive” and “a huge threat to human rights”.

Unlike fingerprinting and DNA testing, there are few restrictions on how police can use the new technology. And some of those who are concerned have decided to assert their right not to be put under surveillance with the perhaps unlikely weapon of makeup. Members of the Dazzle Club have been conducting silent walks through London while wearing asymmetric makeup in patterns intended to prevent their faces from being matched on any database.

“There was this extraordinary experience of hiding in plain sight,” said Anna Hart, a lecturer at Central Saint Martins art college, who founded the group with former students Georgina Rowlands and Emily Roderick.

“We made ourselves so visible in order to hide. The companies selling this tech talk about preventing crime. There is no evidence this prevents crime. It might be sometimes used when crime has been committed, but they push the idea that this will make us safer, that we will feel safer.”

Facial recognition works by mapping facial features – mainly the eyes, nose and chin – by identifying light and dark areas, then calculating the distance between them. That unique facial fingerprint is then matched with others on a database.

Makeup attempts to disrupt this by putting dark and light colours in unexpected places, either to confuse the technology into mapping the wrong parts of the face or concluding there is no face to map.

The concept was created by an artist, Adam Harvey, who coined the term “computer vision dazzle”, or “cv dazzle”, to mean a modern version of the camouflage used by the Royal Navy during the first world war.

Many other artists, designers and technologists have been inspired by his attempts to hide without covering the face. Jing-cai Liu, a design student, created a wearable face projector, while Dutch artist Jip van Leeuwenstein made a clear plastic mask that creates the illusion of ridges along the face.

Others have used hats and T-shirts with patterns that are designed to trick cameras into not recognising part of an image as a human at all. Researchers at the University of KU Leuven in Belgium managed to avoid recognition by holding a large photograph of a group of people. Yet few people used these countermeasures on any regular basis until the Dazzle Club began last year as a response to the installation, later scrapped, of technology at King’s Cross, London.

“It was very annoying and made us quite angry. There are a lot of issues with bias,” Roderick said, referring to research that showed black people were more likely to be misidentified.

The group meets once a month to walk through different parts of London and it has been inundated with inquiries over the last few days.

“It would be interesting to wear it day to day and for it not to be too outrageous, for it to be more commonplace,” Roderick said. “But the speed that facial recognition algorithms learn means that you can’t find one design and use it for the rest of your life. At some point, it will learn that you are a face with cv dazzle. It’s a classic arms race.”

Harvey, an American artist based in Berlin, has been investigating surveillance technology since creating cv dazzle in 2011. He told the Observer that dazzle was a technique rather than a pattern. “It has to be a meandering, evolving strategy,” he said.

While makeup presents a challenge to facial recognition, it can still be beaten by other technologies, said Dr Sasan Mahmoodi, a lecturer in computer vision at the University of Southampton. “They cannot do makeup on their ears,” Mahmoodi said. “It’s difficult to change your ear, although you can hide it with a hat or hair. There is also gait recognition – people have distinctive walking patterns. If you know where the camera is you can walk differently, but if you’re not aware of where it is you cannot hide your gait.”

Harvey is sceptical about gait recognition but has other concerns about infrared, thermal and polarimetric techniques which measure heat and the polarisation qualities of skin.

“Giving too much power to the police or any security agency provides the conditions for authoritarian abuse. It’s like pollution – there’s a cost which we are ignoring. Hopefully this provides an alert to people that it’s so easy – you can turn on the system in one day, and the cost is so low, that there aren’t any built in frictions that discourage people from using it.”

Laurie Smith, a principal researcher at Nesta, the innovation charity, said there was a need for regulatory systems to be smarter: to anticipate technologies rather than react to them.

The Met faces challenges to its facial recognition plans. Big Brother Watch is bringing a crowdfunded legal challenge against it and the home secretary, according to Griff Ferris, the organisation’s legal officer.

“Live facial recognition is a mass surveillance tool which scans thousands of innocent people in a public space, subjecting them to a biometric identity check, much like taking a fingerprint. People in the UK are being scanned, misidentified and wrongly stopped by police as a result.

“We’ve seen activists in Hong Kong fighting oppressive surveillance using masks, umbrellas and laser pointers. When we protested the police’s use of facial recognition surveillance at a football match recently, many of the fans arrived wearing masks to protect themselves.

“Our rights should really be protected by parliament and the courts, but if they fail us on facial recognition people will have to protect themselves in these ways.”

[irispublishersfashion]

Iris Publishers_Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology (JTSFT)

An Empirical Analysis of Potential Cyclist Injuries and Cycling Outfit Comfort

Authored by YW Teyeme

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between pain/injury and training characteristics in cyclists. In addition, ergonomic wear comfort of their garments was investigated. A total of 94 complete questionnaire responses were analyzed. The result indicated that lower back pain was the most prevalent injury causing the highest rates of functional damage and medical attention. The injury level of cyclists was affected by the cluster with elite cyclists reporting pain while cycling. Many cyclists were not very satisfied with the comfort level of their current outfit, 39% of respondents were experienced with different discomfort sensations. The most frequent causes of discomfort were thermal and moisture discomfort sensation related to fabric characteristics. Moreover, design and fit of the garment were considered as cause of discomfort next to thermal discomfort sensation. Therefore, it could be concluded that garments that have good ventilation or breathability and very good fit values were preferred by cyclists. Design, limited choice (availability), appearance/look and quality were the main reason for their brand selection preferences.

Keywords: Cycling; Injury; Pain; Training characteristics; Cycling outfit; Comfort

Introduction

Cycling has become one of the world’s most popular sports in recent years. But its increasing popularity has also resulted in a growing number of injuries. Cycling is an endurance activity often requiring long bout with a spinal forward flexion posture. Because of its prolonged repetitive nature of the activity, riding a bike becomes a challenging activity. Moreover, cyclists are known to be vulnerable to low back pain.

Cycling is an endurance sport often requiring long bouts with a prolonged spinal forward flexion posture. Because of its prolonged repetitive nature of the activity riding a bike is a challenging activity. Therefore, cyclists are known to be vulnerable to low back pain. This is generally not very severe but can be the source of great frustration to the cyclist and the medical practitioner who is consulted to solve the clinical problem [1-3]. A study with professional road cyclists to register overuse injury indicated 86% of cyclists registered had an experience with overuse injuries. From the reported injuries; 45% were in the lower back, 23% in the knee and 11% in the neck. Only 23% of these injuries led to absence from training or competition [2].

Anecdotal evidences and studies of recreational cyclists also indicate anterior knee pain and lower back pain as common problems. Literature shows that knee injuries are most likely to cause time-loss from cycling, while lower back pain leads to the highest rates of functional impairment and medical attention [4,5]. Pain in the lower back and upper buttocks area is common in competitive cyclists. The combination of the severe forward leaning posture and the intense exertion of the muscles of the upper leg and gluteal puts constant squeezing pressure on the muscles and nerves in this area. Once inflammation develops it can be extremely difficult to get rid of for cyclists who train and/or compete daily. Not only is this condition painful, but it can also negatively affect performance as the body tries to protect the painful area by decreasing muscle activation. Even those who are tough enough to “pedal through the pain” may find that they are no longer able to race as fast or as far [6,7].

Cycling is a very popular sport all over the world. In each season cyclists use a variety of clothes. While each season’s kit has different comfort requirements, hot summer (and cold winter) riding can be the most demanding. Most of the time they wear jerseys and cycling shorts, with different types of accessories [8,9]. The cycling jersey is usually worn with a tight fit in order to reduce air resistance. Jerseys are made from a material designed to wick moisture from the skin, keeping the cyclist cool and comfortable. Nevertheless, cycling sports jersey that is worn by bikers is different from other sportswear. It is well known for its prints and artistic style lines. But the style lines and prints only serve to promote the sponsors.

Cycling shorts are short & skin-tight legwear designed to improve comfort and efficiency while cycling. It can compress the legs, which can help combat muscular fatigue with greater performance. It reduces wind resistance increasing aerodynamic efficiency, protects the skin against the repetitive friction with the bicycle seat, draws sweat away from the skin to prevent chafing and cools the rider down through the process of evaporation [10].

Cycling can be performed in many different weather conditions; thus, the expectations that people have from athletic apparel has increased. Athletic apparel must prevent excessive heat loss in cold weather and enable the release of sweat from the surface of the skin in hot weather [4]. Thermal resistance, air permeability, water vapor permeability and liquid water permeability have been suggested as critical properties for the thermal comfort of the clothes [3,11].

The right clothing offers comfort, protection and performance. Different clothing is designed to suit different disciplines. Cycling sport is different from other sports. It has many features such as high energy consumption, high sweat rate and higher limb exercise and activity range than upper body. Being a high-strength outdoor sport, cyclists’ motions generate much heat during cycling. Furthermore, as cycling sport is a long duration sport, cycling clothes should be not only functional but also must be comfortable while exercising for a long period (up to several hours). According to the characteristics of the cycling sports, cycling jerseys should adapt to the body movements in order to stretch and make the human body activity easy under the condition of satisfy the premise of clothing aesthetic effect. Furthermore, it should have other features such as an efficient mechanism to handle perspiration, a high moisture absorbency, heat preservation, windproof performance, resistance to sunlight and excellent washing performance [12].

Summer jerseys use synthetic fabrics, whilst winter jerseys sometimes feature wool such as merino. Cyclists look for jersey materials that provide good breathability and wicking to draw sweat away from the skin [13]. Experienced cyclists commonly wear matching compression shorts and jerseys while riding or racing [14]. This type of clothing is designed to optimize aerodynamics and comfort. City and commuter cyclists will need clothing that offers all-weather protection and visibility; road cyclists may look for an aerodynamic fit and specialist garment [9,15].

The objective of this study was to assess whether a relationship exists between self-reported pain and cycling behavior (training volume, experience, the incidence of injuries, the prevalence of complaints, etc.) in the ability groups. Besides this, the study also aims to identify the potential injuries in cyclist and to establish the prevalence, both anatomical and discipline specific distribution, and severity of injury in elite/pro, recreational, amateur and junior cyclists.

Unlike previous studies, this paper not only identifies potential injuries but also looks into the satisfaction of the cyclists with the comfort of their current outfit. This can be used later to aid the development of a well fitted, comfortable cycling outfit that helps prevent prevalent injuries while satisfying the comfort desires of the wearer.

Methods

Participants

All level of cyclists was invited and divided in four cycling clusters; Junior: Men and women under 18 years old and cycling for competition; Elite: professional cyclists contracted by a team; Amateur: cyclists who do competition but are not professional or junior; and Others: recreational cyclists. For the purpose of this study, a total of 94 cyclists were recruited as any individual who cycled frequently.

Survey

A survey was developed and used to collect demographic information, training characteristics and comfort related information on the existing cycling outfits. Questions related to the aim of this paper were selected and are discussed in this paper.

Data collection

The online survey was distributed to cyclist club members via the Flanders cycling club’s website in Belgium and via personal email. Voluntary return of the completed survey constituted participant consent. In many cases the questionnaire provided participants with a number of possible responses and participants were asked to choose the response that described their situation best.

Statistical analysis

The responses were collected, and data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistics software (SPSS V.21, IBM Corporation, New York, USA). The questionnaires returned by 94 subjects were included and statistical analysis was performed including descriptive methods and Chi-squared tests (χ2). The level of statistical significance for χ2 analysis was set at p = 0.05. To deduce whether the responses indicate a relationship between the variables (significant differences in expected frequencies), the p-values were examined. If the p-value of a parameter was greater than 0.05 (p > 0.05), not statistically significant relationship among the variables could be established, and it was not investigated further.

Results and Discussions

The survey contained two parts, one specifically asking about potential injuries of cyclist and one about problems with their current outfit. The response rate from each cluster is as follows: 50 recreational cyclists, 22 elite, 16 amateur and 6 juniors’ cyclists (Table 1).

For More Open Access Journals in Iris Publishers Please click on: https://irispublishers.com/   For More Articles in Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/

For More Information:https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/fulltext/an-empirical-analysis-of-potential-cyclist-injuries-and-cycling-outfit-comfort.ID.000578.php

[zenkatki]

Pandemic Ironman 2020

I have been asked by a few people to write something regarding Ironman Florida, the first full 140.6 Ironman held in the United Stated since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have never done a race write up before and I am not sure where to begin. I will take it from training which started in March to the end of the race and the reader can skip around to the parts they find interesting.

Training

Ironman Florida was to be my tenth Ironman, a step on the road to Legacy. I started a training plan that I had used before in February and tweaked it a little with my Ironman Coach certification. I already had a good endurance base from the 2020 Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World in January, so February was primarily weight training and short distance swim, bike and runs. I still had a pool this month at New York Sports Club in Smithtown.

March is where things got interesting and COVID-19 lock-down started. The gym closed. I quickly purchased a Thermal Reaction wetsuit from Blueseventy and found my gloves and booties. I am fortunate to live 2.5 miles from the Long Island Sound so open water swims started early March. It was freezing but a bit fun to channel my inner Wim Hof. The swim training for this Ironman was entirely open water, with one pool swim in July when my sister invited me to her Town Pool once it opened. It was a concern because I feel pool intervals are important but I learned to incorporate intervals in the open water which helped break up those sessions and gave me focus.

I was able to get weight training done at work, we have a pretty decent set up in our garage. Biking and running proceeded as usual with a mix of outside rides and runs and some Zwift workouts. With a ten month training period I worked a lot of Zone 2 heart rate training, I’ve become a big believer.

It was weird not knowing at this point if the race was even on, and training helped me deal with a lot of the unknown, the anxiety. It pushed me through the spring and summer feeling hopeful despite seeing all the races on the circuit being cancelled. I had a 70.3 planned for late August in Maine that was not to be this year.

Time passed and soon it was race time. Ironman sent multiple e-mails stating they were still looking to hold the race and how it would function. I kept a folder in my e-mail with all the correspondence from Ironman, the airline, the hotel and TriBike Transport.

Travel

For whatever reason this was a tough flight to find. I had to go American Airlines and the flight to Florida was out of LaGuardia to Charlotte to Fort Walton Beach, an airport that was about an hour away from Panama Beach City. Going home was Panama City to Charlotte to JFK. Out of all three airports, JFK in New York was the only one with the Department Of Health forms to fill out upon arrival.

Now the story I’m about to write is to show how important it is to remain alert and pay attention to detail when you travel. Hopefully you will learn from my mistake here.

I wearily got off the plane at Fort Walton and found a cab outside, a nice, elderly man named Bill who was willing to drive me over an hour to my hotel in Panama City. He was driving, we were chatting and he asked me if it was okay for him to stop for gas. Sure, no problem. At the gas station he asked if I wanted to get anything and I said yes, I’ll run in for a drink. As I exited the gas station I saw the taillights of my cab leaving the pump and proceeding down the road. Without me. I did my best to stay calm but my cab had just left me stranded and my bags were in the car, along with my wallet, shield, and ID. I wondered if I was on a television show. After a few minutes it became clear that I was not on TV, and I needed to do something to track down this car. I was angry at myself for not knowing the cab company name, or getting the vehicle’s plate. After getting nowhere on the phone trying to contact the airline I asked the woman at the gas station to call the police. It was at this moment my cab returned, and my friend Bill said he thought it was weird I wasn’t answering his questions anymore and when he turned around and didn’t see me, he remembered I ran into the gas station. I refrained from physically strangling this man and climbed back into the minivan, clearly shook regarding how this race weekend just started.

Hotel

I had booked the Boardwalk Beach Hotel & Convention Center when I registered for this race. It was originally the host hotel and the race was to take place right on the grounds which is super convenient. Due to COVID and the safe return to racing, the race venue was moved six miles away to Aaron Bessant Park so they could spread us out more. I kept the reservation at BBH to be fair and help with the hotel’s business. I did enjoy being there but it was far from everything. In retrospect I should have rented one of those kewl golf carts and used that to get around for the weekend. I spent approximately $100 in Uber fees going back and forth to Aaron Bessant and Pier Park. All my cab fees, airport runs included, came to about $250. A shuttle would have been super nice but I think the majority of the people racing switched their accommodations upon the announcement of the venue change.

The hotel itself was okay, I was on the ground floor so it was out and a short walk to the water and road. The cafeteria had coffee in the morning and some pastries but I only saw them cooking food my last day as I checked out. The people that worked there were nice, I’ll forever remember me cleaning my bike in my room with the door open and housekeeping cleaning the adjoining rooms. I had put some music on the Bluetooth and we had a great time.

Race Check In

About a week before traveling Ironman sent out an Active.com e-mail with a link to reserve race check in times. This again was to space us out and not have us standing in line, clogging up the area. I picked Wednesday night between 5-6PM. Bibs were given out first come, first serve so the lower your bib number was the earlier you checked in. I was #1038. I arrived at about 4:45 with my mask and was told I could go in. It was athletes only so if you were with someone they had to wait outside the Ironman Village for you. I had to answer a short survey verbally, get my temperature taken, and then was directed table to table, just like a regular race. For places where a line of people might happen there were tape marks and lanes were roped off with string and little ribbons indicating every six feet. I was able to pick my bike check-in time for Friday, they gave me a little card with 2-3PM on it. I actually really liked this system and I think it would be great even when racing goes back to its regular routine. I found it interesting that the swag such as the swim cap and back pack didn’t have the race name on it. The finisher shirt and medal had no date on it. I guess up until the very start of the race it was always uncertain if it would be a go.

I learned that Ironman Gulf Coast 70.3 would also be on Saturday, November 7th, with an 11:00AM start time. So both races would be going at almost the same time using the same course and staging area. I received an e-mail from Triathlon Wire with the numbers of about 1250 athletes for the full and 300 for the half.

After checking in I walked over to the TriBike Transport tent, picked up my bike, put air in the tires and rode it back to my hotel. It was dark when I got back so I walked over to Subway for a veggie sub.

Thursday was a day for me to ride a little, swim a little and look around a little. My calves let me know when I did too much walking. That happens to me often at Disney for marathon weekend. You’re in a great place and want to see it all but remember, there’s a race in a couple of days! I did what I could to find vegan food options in a very big seafood area. I remembered to bring food to eat later back to my room, I had a refrigerator and a microwave there.

I walked on the pier and saw a few of the swim course buoys set up. It always looks so far, doesn’t it?

Before bed I watched the athlete briefing on-line and reviewed the race packet I printed out before I left New York. I got my gear bags ready to be handed in along with my bike the next day.

Bike Check In

Friday I rode my bike and gear bags to check in at 2PM. For some reason we also needed to wear our timing chip which made me thankful I watched that briefing the night before, because they really weren’t letting people go in without them. Athletes only again, no one without a timing chip and an event race band could enter transition. In I went with my mask on again.

Bikes were placed every other space on the rack giving us a little more room. Gear bags stayed with the bike. I tucked mine under the rear wheel that was in the air. All items in the bags must stay in the bags even during the race. So the guy two spots down from me who set his area up like he was doing a neighborhood sprint complete with a towel mat had to put all his gear back in the bags. After taking a picture of my set up and saying good night to my bike (for real, I speak to it) I got out of there. I made sure I knew where I was regarding swim in, bike out/bike in and run out before I left. I picked up a veggie pizza before heading back to the hotel. I spent the remainder of that day eating, relaxing, reading, prepping my Special Needs bags. I usually apply race numbers (TriTats) the night before but there was no body marking for this race so I wasn’t going to use up the numbers.

I was slightly concerned about getting to the race start so early the next morning. The front desk had recommended a cab service, but I met an awesome man named El by the hotel pool. He needed a charger for his Garmin. I let him use mine and we started talking about the next morning. He had driven to Florida from Tennessee, had his car and offered me a ride to the start which I gratefully accepted.

Race Morning

Up at 3:45AM race morning. Made instant coffee, ate half a bagel, lubed, dressed, double checked all my bags and headed out. El and I drove to transition and he was able to park close to the transition entrance. Special Needs bags were handed off on the way in to Transition. Masks were on. I went to my bike, double checked the tires and filled the water and Gatorade bottles. They didn’t want us wondering around too much. I did see Chris Nikic walk into Transition. This race was his attempt at becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman. I thought it was great to see him, a good sign. Now that I think about it at this point I just focused on that good thought and the cab ride from the airport wasn’t even in my head. Mike Reilly was there! I got ready to swim and tucked my Morning Clothes bag behind my gear bags, Morning Clothes stayed with us as well.

Swim

The forecast projected it being overcast most of the day and the morning was a bit cloudy. I picked goggles with a super light tint and it was a good choice. We were to stand with our bikes until our projected swim time was called out. I stayed put until I heard, “1:20-1:30 head to the swim start now!” Everyone thinking they were finishing the swim in that time started out and towards the beach, it was about a seven minute walk on the road and on sand. Some people had throw-away shoes on, I did not. The road had tape marks every six feet, they wanted you to try to stay on them when walk-traffic stopped. On the sand they had roped off lanes with pink ribbons tied on every six feet. We were to stay on a ribbon. There were spectators the whole walk. Eventually my lane made it to the water and they were letting four people enter every five seconds or so. Despite this great system guess what. Once we were in the water in was a traditional Ironman. It took some time to get passed the breaks but once I was in I was going. Two loops, clockwise in the Gulf. I saw fish and a sea turtle. There was a current pushing us sideways so it took some effort and a lot of sighting to stay to the left of the buoys. It wouldn’t be an Ironman if I didn’t get hit in the eye and I got it on my second loop. If you’re familiar with the Lake Placid swim it was like that only no cable though, sorry. Despite it being wetsuit legal I was getting hot towards the end. I really enjoyed the water though and had a swim time of 1:27:01.

T1

My transition neighbors were gone by the time I got into T1 so I had plenty of room. I was expecting to have to wear a mask in Transition but we did not. I had my bike gear in the bag set up so I could just pull it out and put it on and it worked well. I hung my wetsuit on the bike rack to dry hoping that was allowed. It was still there when I got back so I guess it was. Once I was bike ready I made my way out to start my ride. My T1 time was 10:39.

Bike

Because the swim had been warm I started my bike ride a little thirsty which was unfortunately a sign of things to come. To keep contact points down Ironman had reduced the amount of Aid Stations, so after drinking my water and most of my Gatorade quickly it was some time before I could refill. I ate every 45 minutes to an hour on the bike. Solid food was no problem, I had a lot with me and grabbed extra going through the Aid Stations. It was fluid I needed more often than it was available. If the sun had been out full force I think I would have had an even worse problem. It was about 80 degrees, humid, still overcast and windy which meant I was sweating and not really going anywhere when pedaling against the wind. I used the tail wind as best I could to make up time. I really think I need to be re-fit for my bike because at mile 30 I was already having terrible lower back pain. It wasn’t an easy ride and despite everyone telling me how flat the course is, it was over 3,000 feet of elevation. I had to get off to use the porta-potty and stretch early on. I guess at this point I should mention my race kit. I wore a one-piece tri suit from Zoot, the Autism Ohana kit. Google it if you have a chance, I think it’s great. Very colorful and for a good cause. I wore it to remember my friend Lizzie that I run with sometimes in Central Park as a volunteer for Achilles. But there are goods and bads of wearing a one-piece and the bads is definitely when you try to use the bathroom in it. It has little sleeves that are tough to find and get your arms through when they are wet. So there was a struggle in that porta-potty, no doubt. Finally I opened the door. The porta-potty was on an incline and I kind of stumbled out of it and cracked my left knee on the doorway. Then I bent over to grab my knee and hit my big, bike helmet head on the side. I felt like the Three Stooges was trying to do an Ironman, I really did. Shaking my head I got back on the bike and started to go. I felt my knee throbbing for about twenty miles. As I write this I have a wicked bruise. But back to the bike…This was a one loop course on the highways of Florida. There were wide shoulders and a bike lane that we rode in but in the back of my mind I kept thinking this was an active road way and any passing needed to be super carefully done. Cars were courteous enough not to use the right lane but if a driver wanted to be a jerk and use it they could. Any residential/business areas had spectators. As I said before it was windy. I did the best I could and had some good splits when the wind was with me but I needed to get off a few more times to stretch. I finished the bike with a usual time of 7:14:01.

T2

Again I had the area to myself so I sat to change shoes and get ready for the run. I was a little put off by my bike split and my stomach was not 100% but I thought I could have a strong run if I stayed focused. Removing sand from my feet was a challenge but it was important so avoid any irritation so I took the time to do that before I put my socks on. I stretched my back and drank more Gatorade before I left. I had a T2 time of 10:53.

Run

As I started my run I was greeted by just as many spectators as any other Ironman. Some had masks on, some didn’t. Some were dressed up, some played music. Everyone was encouraging and motivating. I started out so happy to be running. This course was an out and back two times along the highway parallel to the beach, passed all the hotels, bars and restaurants. The halfway turning point and the finish line were at Pier Park. For six miles I ran strong and thanked everyone for being out. A lot of people liked and commented on my race kit. It was great. But soon I knew I was going to have to do the run/walk, even as the sun went down and it started to cool off. I was unable to eat anything solid for the majority of the run. The thought of trying made me dry heave. I saw a few people really heaving in the bushes and was afraid I was going to join them. I took in as much fluid as I could, mainly water and Coke. I was sweating out a lot of salt, my neck and face were all gritty. I thought at first maybe it was sand but why would there be sand on my face, right? Out and back, out and back, using whatever I could in my brain to keep moving. I followed the cones they used to mark off the run area. Walk one cone, run five cones. My quads were shredded. I thought of my Mom and my Family. I thought of work and how I wanted to make everyone proud. I thought of the finish line and finally, FINALLY it was my turn to cross. My run took 6:25:20. Mike Reilly called me an Ironman with an official time of 15:27:52.

After crossing the spectator-less finish line I was given a mask and a masked volunteer guided me along, not touching me, to a table with plastic bags containing my finisher shirt and race medal. Someone with gloves and a mask removed my timing chip. I made my way over to Athlete Food and choked down half a veggie sub. I got my picture taken with my medal. (There were photographers out on the course too.) I had completed my 10th Ironman.

As I gathered my gear and dropped my bike back at the TriBike tent, Chris Nikic became an Ironman. I cheered from the parking lot. I started to walk back with the plan of getting passed the road closures to an area where I could call an Uber to get back to my hotel. But I started walking with a man named Dan who had volunteered in a kayak for the swim and at the finish line as well. He had just as long of a day as I had but when he heard of my plan to get back he ran into his hotel, got his keys and drove me to my hotel. And that really, really describes the Ironman atmosphere and Family to me. We all help each other, we all do what we can to get each other through the challenge. I am so grateful I found this sport, these events and have met some of the most amazing people.

I hope this write up helps someone with their goal, be it an Ironman or a first sprint triathlon, or a marathon or whatever. Please feel free to contact me with any questions if I missed something you wanted to know about.

Thank you to everyone for the well wishes, encouragement and congratulations. Thank you to Ironman and the Volunteers for having this race during one of the most hectic times in our lives.

Thank you for reading.

Kristen

SuperKat1029@aol.com

Instagram - @zenkatki

[bigyack-com]

Montara Hospitality Unveils Details of Tri Vananda Wellness Project in Phuket

Thailand's Montara Hospitality Group has unveiled plans to develop a comprehensive health and wellness residential community in Phuket, Thailand. Scheduled for completion in 2022, Montara is investing over THB 6,600 million (USD 220 million) in the development of Tri Vananda, which they say will be one of Asia’s largest and most comprehensive wellness residential communities. Tri Vananda will feature 298 villas, anchored by a wellness resort specializing in integrative and functional medicine and cognitive wellbeing, in a sprawling hillside setting dotted with lakes and gardens 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Tri Vananda's health center will offer consultation rooms, physiotherapy and TCM treatment rooms, a cognitive health center, and facilities for health diagnostics aimed at treating residents and guests with tailored programs.

A mindfulness center on the lake will have an indoor hall and outdoor areas for meditation. Also situated on the lake will be a spa with thermal rooms, relaxation areas, a hammam, private spa suites, and a fitness center with a 50-meter swimming pool, gym, sauna, juice bar and lake pier for recreational water sports. Finally, a dedicated club designed for children will help to foster a wellness-led lifestyle for younger community members. Two and three-bedroom solar-powered residential villas ranging in size from 270 square meters to 750 square meters have been designed by Habita Architects, renowned for their nature-focused work, together with Arsom Silp Institute of the Arts.  The teams in both firms are led by National Artists and UNESCO-recognised architects. Interior design will be helmed by the award-winning P49 Deesign. “With the future in mind, Tri Vananda will be a multigenerational community rooted in a way of life based on the principles of wellness, sustainability and hospitality. Here, our residents and guests will enjoy some of the most fundamental and cherished attributes for overall wellbeing like clean air and nature, which are increasingly lost in urban settings, while having access to proven health and wellness therapies and programs,” said Montara's CEO, Kittisak Pattamasaevi. Villa sales start in July 2020. See latest Travel News, Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: Wellness, Montara, Phuket. 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[scifigeneration]

What drones may come: The future of unmanned flight approaches

by Brandon Stark

The once-small community of drone hobbyists has transformed into a worldwide phenomenon. In 2016 especially, significant technology improvements and regulatory clarity have paved the way for even more dramatic changes in the coming years.

Among the biggest adopters of drones, and experimenters with them, have been universities. As the director of the University of California system’s Center of Excellence on Unmanned Aircraft System Safety – effectively the drone headquarters of our whole 10-campus system – I have an excellent view of the drone industry’s past, present and future.

The truly surprising details are about how wide and diverse a range of purposes drones are serving on our campuses – and what’s coming next. As we begin exploring what drones can do, and identifying what social and commercial uses they might serve, the work provides a glimpse into the future of drone flight across the country, and throughout our economy.

Engineering research

Drones have only recently reached the commercial mainstream. However, university engineering departments have been designing and building them for decades. For years, engineering students, for instance, have studied the advanced control algorithms that keep drones flying level and straight. Their work has helped bring us to the point where drones are even available for sale in toy stores.

It is no surprise that our engineers are still working on drones and related technology such as sensors, automation and innovative platforms. Some introductory engineering classes involve students building and flying drones; more advanced students learn about flight dynamics and algorithms that help drones stay aloft.

In recent years, though, our engineering departments are focusing less on building the aircraft and more on improving safety, navigation and ability to carry equipment that allows drones to help with different tasks.

For example, researchers are developing navigation systems that don’t rely on GPS satellites. This could help allow drones to navigate autonomously inside buildings, in deep canyons, underground or other places where GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable. Whether delivering packages to remote locations or handling emergency tasks in hazardous conditions, this type of capability could significantly expand drones’ usefulness.

Another research group is working on ways for drones to help detect gas leaks from oil pipelines. With millions of miles of pipelines across the country, that is a monumental task. Attaching methane-sniffing sensors to drones could make it much easier: Autonomous drones could fly the routes of every pipeline nearly constantly, registering the location and volume of leaks, and alerting repair and cleanup crews.

Growth in agriculture and environmental work

Our largest use of drones has been out in the fields. Two-thirds of the UC system’s drone flights, which encompass thousands of flights and hundreds of flight hours, have been for agricultural and environmental research. This suggests that those areas could provide breakout opportunities for drone uses.

Some scholars have found many ways drones can replace existing manned aircraft, like with a pesticide-spraying helicopter that could reduce time and costs and provide safer operations. But the biggest factor has been how easy drones make it to collect data that were extremely difficult, or even impossible, to collect before.

For example, drones with special thermal cameras are allowing researchers to investigate water consumption rates of several varieties of crops in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The drones’ data collection is so detailed that the scholars can count individual melons, allowing much better estimates of crop yield. When farmers know much more precisely how big the harvest will be, they can better estimate how much money they’ll make – and can make better budget decisions with the information.

Drones are also proving themselves useful in high-resolution aerial coastal survey mapping. In the past, researchers walked along the coast and took pictures to survey areas. This was difficult to do without disturbing wildlife. In addition, surveyors would take pictures from small planes to model and predict coastal erosion and flooding. With drones, they’re able to collect data more frequently with greater detail, and do a better job mapping and analyzing environmental data. That helps improve our understanding of coastal ecology, and prepares local residents and communities for possible disasters because the drones are able to get closer to certain environments which scientists will be able extract more information from.

For instance, when monitoring giant sequoias, a team of five to seven people would have to map the area, which would take about a week. A drone flight has been able to replace that work with a two-minute flight. That makes it easier to track how the trees are growing and responding to changes in their environment.

Beyond the academic realm

To meet the demand from people with no experience in drone technology, we have developed special workshops for students, staff, faculty and UC research partners to learn about drone technology, regulations and flight instruction.

Campus film and media departments regularly use drones to make sweeping images of our scenic campus locations for promotional videos and reports. Beyond that, though, university facilities workers have been using drones to monitor construction sites, inspect building areas that are hard to get to (like roofs) and keep an eye on the university’s sizable landholdings. All of these uses can significantly improve worker safety, productivity and cost savings.

Students are also using drones recreationally, which has raised safety and privacy concerns on our campuses, just as it has off-campus. With plenty of green spaces, many students want to fly their drones and other model aircraft on campus, even near dorms or other housing. We’ve addressed this need with respectful solutions like helping students form clubs and organizing flying events, either on campus fields reserved for the day, or at off-campus parks. We are also seeing what may be the beginnings of a collegiate Drone Racing League.

This sort of just-for-fun experimentation can make it challenging to regulate drone flights based on what the drone is doing. But universities are often test locations for new technologies. Our work – both formal and recreational – encourages creativity and can foster an entrepreneurial spirit. We can expect that at least some of these early uses for drones will eventually spill into the commercial and consumer markets.

Brandon Stark is Director of the University of California Center of Excellence on Unmanned Aircraft System Safety at the University of California, Merced.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

[eddiejpoplar]

2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona Weekend – From A to Zanardi

BMW of North America first came to the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1975 with two BMW 3.0 CSL racing cars that were the foundation of the company’s very first marketing program in North America. 57 years later, BMW NA continues to race entering two BMW M8 GTE machines in the 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“The Rolex 24 At Daytona is a very special event for BMW as this is where our American racing program began, way back in 1975” said Victor Leleu, Manager for BMW Motorsport, North America. “This year we are proud to wave the green flag for the first race of IMSA’s 50th season and for the debut race of the Michelin Pilot Challenge. We congratulate IMSA on providing 50 years of unforgettable wheel-to-wheel action. In addition to all of the examples of the Ultimate Driving Machine on display and on-track, we are extremely excited to have Alex Zanardi joining us. Daytona continues to be a gathering place for BMW fans and enthusiast from around the world and we can think of no better venue to show them our passion not only for the sport but our heart and soul that we pour into each and every BMW vehicle we make.”

Auberlen The 2019 Rolex 24 At Daytona will see BMW NA Ambassador Bill Auberlen start his 411th race in a BMW. Joining one of the top BMW Customer Racing teams, Turner Motorsport, full season the veteran will race in the GTD class in search of the three victories that will make him the winningest sports car driver in IMSA history.

BimmerWorld Racing BimmerWorld makes a return to IMSA racing after a very successful 2018 season. The Dublin, VA-based team finished third in last year’s GS class and won the Street Tuner (ST) championship. For this weekend’s BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona, the opening round of the Michelin Pilot Challenge series, the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 will be co-driven by team owner James Clay and Devin Jones. The second BimmerWorld entry, the No. 80 BMW M4 GT4, will be co-driven by 20 year old drivers Aurora Strauss and Kaz Grala. Straus finished second in the Pirelli World Challenge’s GTS SprintX-Am class last year while Grala won the NASCAR Camping World Truck series race at Daytona in 2017. Jones scored a class victory at Daytona last year while James Clay will be starting his 10th Daytona race this weekend.

Classic BMW In three short years, the Plano, TX-based team has grown to be one of the largest and most successful BMW customer racing effort in the world. Winners of the 2018 BMW Sports Trophy Team title, Classic BMW returns to IMSA in 2019 with the #26 BMW M4 GT4. At Daytona, Team Manager Toby Grahovec and regular Jayson Clunie, who shared a podium finish at Sebring last year, will split driving duties with newcomer Kyle Reid. Competing in the 2018 MINI Challenge, Kyle took 18 podiums in 20 races, of which 15 wins, earning him the Sunoco 240 Challenge victory and subsequent seat in the #26 BMW M4 GT4 for the BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona. The team will aim for the podium, following its 4th place finish in last year’s race.

Drivers BMW Team RLL will be contesting this weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona with an international lineup of drivers. The No. 24 BMW M8 GTE will be co-driven by Alessandro Zanardi (IT), John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Chaz Mostert (AUS) while the No. 25 M8 GTE will be piloted by Connor de Phillippi (USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA), Philipp Eng (AUT) and Colton Herta (USA).

Endurance Challenge The January 26th BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona will provide the opening act for the 57th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona weekend as privateer and professional racers From all over the world begin another season of sports car racing in North America. The four-hour race is the opening round of the 2019 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. For an eighth consecutive year as title sponsor, BMW of North America, LLC will support the race with the Grand Marshal, starter and pace car.

FAST FAST, the 19th BMW Art Car. Designed by renowned American artist John Baldessari, this M6 GTLM competed in the 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona. Finishing in 8th place, it was co-driven by Bill Auberlen (USA), Alexander Sims (GBR), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Bruno Spengler (CAN). After its first and only race, the car was retired and now is part of BMW’s Art Car Collection.

Green The green flag for the 2019 BMW Endurance Challenge At Daytona waves at 12:15 p.m. Friday, January 25. The race will be broadcast on NBCSN Feb. 6 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The 57th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona Race for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starts at 2:35 p.m.

Horsepower The engine of the BMW M8 GTE consists of 2,300 parts and generates between 450 and 500 horsepower, depending on the requirements of the respective sporting authorities.

In-car cameras Both of the BMW M8 GTE racing cars will carry in-car cameras in the Rolex 24. Michelin has provided the cameras in the No. 24 BMW M8 GTE while the BMW NA cameras will provide a driver’s point of view from the No. 25 BMW M8 GTE. Both in-car cameras will be streamed live at IMSA.com

Jones Devin Jones won the ST Championship in 2018 with BimmerWorld Racing. With nine podium finishes under his belt during the last season Jones will join team owner James Clay behind the wheel of the No. 82 BMW M4 GT4 in Daytona this weekend.

Kangaroo Australian driving ace, Chaz Mostert makes his second start behind the wheel of the BMW M8 GTE. His first race at Petit Le Mans last year ended with a podium finish. As the BMW Team RLL quickly learned, the only impression Chaz is really able to do well is that of a Kangaroo.

Lighting Lights will be very important during the 13 hours of darkness at this year’s 24 hours At Daytona. The headlights in the BMW M8 GTE were developed from scratch specifically for the endurance racing environment. They not only look cool but are also state of the art in both design and manufacturing. The cooling elements for the headlights are 3D printed in-house at BMW’s Additive Manufacturing Campus in Oberschleissheim, just north of Munich.

M The most powerful letter in the world.

New BMW models for 2019 include M850i xDrive Convertible, X7 SAV, Z4 Roadster and the M5 Competition, all on display in the infield at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

Organization It takes four transporters, 56 crew, 8 drivers, 10 golf carts, 2 physical therapists, 8 motor homes and 24 lbs. of beef jerky to run two BMW M8 GTE race cars for 24 hours at Daytona this weekend.

Performance Center Comprising two locations, Performance Center East in Greer, SC and Performance Center West in Thermal, CA, the BMW Performance Driving School offers a variety of driving classes that highlight the performance, responsiveness, and safety features in each BMW vehicle. BMW Performance Center instructors will be at DIS providing VIP hot lap rides on Friday and Saturday.

Qualifying There are two qualifying sessions in Daytona. One takes place at The Roar Before the 24 to allocate pit and garage spots. The second, more familiar qualifying, takes place on Thursday to determine the starting positions for the race.

Rahal Bobby Rahal leads BMW Team RLL into its second decade as BMW NA’s motorsport partner. The team works tirelessly before, during and after each race to prepare the two BMW M8 GTE race cars for competition.

Stephen Cameron Stephen Cameron, Henry Schmitt and San Francisco BMW, that is a lot of S’s but for 30 years, Cameron Racing has been competing and supporting customer racing programs for fellow enthusiasts. Cameron and Schmitt will take the green flag at this weekend’s BMW Endurance Challenge race behind the wheel of the No. 88 BMW M4 GT4. BMW of San Francisco, an official BMW Motorsports Parts center continues their support of the veteran Cameron Racing team for the 2019 season.

Technology Transfer BMW still believes that racing improves the breed which is why the M8 GTE race car was launched more than a year prior to the street version. Racing is one of the best tests of strength and reliability and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship provides the perfect setting for testing of 3D printed parts for example.

Ultimate Driving Machine The Ultimate Driving Machine has been BMW’s claim since 1975 and continues to be proven on the roads and racetracks throughout North America to this day.

Victory The BMW M8 GTE scored two victories in its 2018 inaugural season and at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, BMW Team RLL is looking to add to the brand’s win tally at the classic endurance race. An overall win was scored in 1976 by the BMW 3.0 CSL and by a BMW Powered Daytona Prototype in 2011 and 2013. Class wins were scored in both 1997 and 1998 by the BMW M3 GT2.

Will Turner Will Turner’s Turner Motorsport team has been racing for over 20 years with BMW making them the second longest running BMW team. Turner Motorsport plans a full season program in GTD plus a return to GS with the M4 GT4 for the first time in yellow and blue.

X BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles. BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles accounted for 63 percent of BMW brand sales in December 2018. Plant Spartanburg exports 70% of the vehicles that are built here making BMW the largest exporter of vehicles by value form the U.S.A.

Years 50 Years of IMSA, 50 years of BMW Car Club of America, 44 years of BMW of North America, 25 years of BMW Plant Spartanburg, 11 years of BMW Team RLL and 2 years of M8 GTE racing.

Zanardi Alessandro Zanardi makes his return to racing in America this weekend at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Zanardi was the 1997 and 1998 IndyCar CART Series champion and has been racing with BMW since 2003. A Paralympic multi-time gold-medalist and world record setter, Alex will take on the new challenge of endurance racing with BMW Team RLL behind the wheel of the No. 2 from Performance Junk Blogger 6 http://bit.ly/2ReCspH via IFTTT

[ethelbertpaul444-blog]

Getting Into Miamis Latest Hot Club Will Cost $350,000

Miami, a town notorious for its mind-numbing commerce and slow-cruise culture, is lately looking like best available municipal for vehicles in America. Soon after Formula 1 won its order to hold a race there next year and Grand Basel announced it’ll have an automotive incident there in February, two developers have solidified plans to build a $220 million racetrack and private members club simply 11 miles from Miami’s artsy Wynwood district. Set to open at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in May 2019, The Concours Club will offer more than 2 miles of racetrack designed by Alan Wilson, plus an infinity fund and jacuzzi, full spa and a, wine-coloured and cigar storage, restaurant and forbid, and full concierge services. The Concours Club employments a separate enter and house for the inevitable corporate-sponsored move eras, which ever spring up on premier racetracks and dilute the exclusivity experience for members. Let’s just say that if you’re deterring your Hennessey Venom F5 parked there for moving at 180 mph down a back directly, you don’t want to have to dodge a group of reporters researching out Audi’s latest station wagon. Source: The Concours Club ” The amenities are what adjust us apart ,” spoke co-founder Neil Gehani.” We want to be sure we bring in the right people, and then we want to keep everyone in there formerly they get here .” Gehani and co-owner Jay Pollak will give 40 founding memberships costing $350,000, with no annual oweds. Founding members will then invite pals and colleagues to buy” bequest participations” covered at 150 people. Those will cost $125,000 plus annual oweds. Corporate participations may be offered shortly after the initial opening. If that all sounds like a steep gambling, it is. But it’s conducted in accordance with the pricing of other private racetracks around the world such as the Thermal Club outside Palm Springs, Calif ., and the Monticello Motor Club, set in the lush Hudson Valley of upstate New York. And, to put it in position, it’s less than the cost of even one of the cars–a Pagani Zonda costs $ 1.4 million, for example, and a Koenigsegg Agera costs $2.1 million–owned by the prospective representatives, who will be a mix of wealthy international collectors and neighbourhood, well-connected driving enthusiasts. Amenities include a members clubhouse, a skidpad, a kart route, real estate renders, driving simulators and training, and an on-site tuning browses. Source: The Concours Club ” This is a niche within a niche, but it’s a crucially important one, because as the aspect of motoring changes, the top end is going to consolidate and will ever have a market ,” Wilson suggests. He recently returned to the U.S. from is currently working on various racetracks in Europe.” It’s like if governments come in and read all eateries have to be vegan–there will still be people who want to have steak. There will always be a market for steak ,” he says. South Florida’s Appetite Miami is an emerging world luxury fund, sitting 14 th of all world municipals in overall rich, according to Knight Frank’s 2018 Wealth Report. South Florida in particular reigns the top-end real estate busines, where contracts signed for luxury Miami Beach condos–defined as the top 10 percentage of the market–rose 92 percentage in cost during the first quarter of this year, according to data released after real estate company Douglas Elliman and appraisal firm Miller Samuel Inc. In mainland Miami, total contracts for luxury condos at the end of March were up 22 percentage in price over last year. Six-figure sports cars and million-dollar hyper automobiles , not to mention collectings readily worth hundreds of millions of dollars, fold easily into that range of wealth. With brand-new power from F1, Grand Basel, plus massive annual establishes like DRT and the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the fervor around beautiful vehicles and motorsport in Miami is at a fever pitch. Pollak, who’s in charge of defining the lifestyle and culture constituent of the fraternity, guided the team that produced such cinemas as,, and. Source: The Concours Club ” The gondola culture here is amazing ,” alleged Gehani, a Chicago-based collector who’s called Miami regularly for 15 years.” It’s truly international, with a real fondnes for vehicles that is only getting bigger. They tell beings go to Florida to die–but people come to Miami to live .” Years of Quiet Planning The founder and chief executive officer of $1.7 billion Trilogy Real Estate Group, Gehani spent 18 months searching for the perfect real estate for his track and assessed the rival. Then in 2016 he linked up with Pollak, the co-founder and director producer of the Reserve Label, a media and marketing studio, and they contracted Wilson, who gave his stripes developing the trails at Thermal, Miller Motorsports Park, and Ningbo International Speedpark. The Concours Club is unique among the many other localised racetracks across the U.S. chiefly because of its site: It’s close enough to, mention, Brickell, Miami’s monetary region, to get there during a occupation lunch. Most tracks have to be located further from urban centers because of zoning and noise ordinances. For the Concours Club, those were already set with the presence of the contiguous airport. ” A good trail has got to be challenging and technical, and it’s got to be something you don’t get tired of ,” Gehani says.” It’s got to be something they are able to never lord .” Source: The Concours Club ” In this sell, it’s locale, spot, point squared ,” Wilson supposes when asked why he chose to take on the Miami project.” If you drive around the heart of Miami, you receive a lot of sexy sports cars, but those chaps aren’t really driving their automobiles. “There wasnt” roads .”( It should be noted there is a 1.5 -mile oval track called Homestead-Miami Speedway, a residence for Nascar and IndyCar racing, 40 miles outside Miami .) ” We have no real driving arteries ,” concurred Al Rodriguez, a longtime foremost figure in the Miami Porsche car scene.” The culture here is fueled by people from South America, where there is a humongous car culture, particularly in Argentina. They’re into rallies and driving. For them to get up and depart driving on a Sunday morning for two hours, that’s what they do. So eventually what this guild is doing is it’s going to create garbs got to go and drive. It’s what as a community we need .” ” Yeah, it’s high-pitched objective. There’s no question about it ,” announces Wilson.” You target your market, and that’s exactly what Jay and Neil have done: For the top-end addict, the spot there is no better spot for what this is anywhere in the world .” Source: The Concours Club Real Luxury Experiences Needed Of course, formerly you get beings to the move, best available business framework would also work to keep them there. That’s the goal now, which apparently is a novel doctrine in the sector. ” It’s not just the driving, it’s the lifestyle ,” Gehani says, adding that he’s expend $16 million on the clubhouse alone.” I’ve been to moves where you want to pilot in, you want to entertain, but it’s embarrassing. My wife hovered into Autobahn Country Club, checked it out, and added,’ I’ll see you never .'” Gehani and his team are promising lawns, lounges, cupboard offices, driving simulators, vehicle storage, full servicing and maintenance, racing bays, and even pit footpaths. Members will be chauffeured in a concierge automobile immediately from the tarmac next door or, do, from Faena Hotel Miami Beach, to the secure exclusivity of the Concours Club, an invitation to join the sorority states. The North Paddock. The way will be open from 8 a. m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year, with 24 -hour security. Source: The Concours Club Those sips promise to be defying, if not tight. The road has 17 thinks, including three extreme hairpins, and multiple hill changes. Top speed isn’t undoubtedly the stage. As Wilson suggests, it’s better to be interesting than easy. ” It’s like a golf course–I’ve intentionally applied bunkers where the incapacitated like me will always property a drive ,” he alleges.” That means you play and you play and you get up and you say,’ Man, I could do better.’ There’s no reason ever for member states to get bored .” Invitations for the 40 founders begin in July. http://dailybuzznetwork.com/index.php/2018/07/28/getting-into-miamis-latest-hot-club-will-cost-350000/

[toughgirlchallenges]

Helen Croydon - This Girl Ran: Tales of a Party Girl Turned Triathlete  - ditching a glamorous city girl lifestyle, and two years later qualifying to be a GB age-group triathlete!

Helen joined a running club four years ago mainly because she needed a new social scene that didn’t involve drinking! She threw herself in to the club scene, going to cross countries at weekends and it was a revelation. For a city girl like Helen, hanging out in a cold, muddy field on a Saturday and buying thermals and waterproofs was a complete change of life! At her first race she didn’t even own a backpack so carried kit in a designer tote bag! But each time she survived a day in the cold, it made her want to test more boundaries. 

Helen, started road cycling, open water swimming and then triathlons. For two years she filled almost every weekend with a new endurance challenge - She did a 112 mile cycle through the Peak District, a 5km ocean swim between two islands in Greece, and spend two days of fell running in Isle of Wight.

Two years later, she qualified for the age-group World Champs triathlon and got to go to Chicago and compete in GB kit. In her book she talks about how outdoor sport changed her life and outlook. Not only has it made her physically stronger but it also made her mentally tough, calmer and more patient. She stopped being a slave to glamour and feminine ideals, and made her appreciate what a beautiful country we live in and introduced her to a whole new wholesome social scene. 

Her goals is to inspires more women to get into sport and she’s passionate about getting women to discover their adventurous side.

Show notes

Author, Journalist and producer working freelance

This Girl Ran: Tales of a Party Girl Turned Triathlete is a memoir about ditching a glamorous city girl lifestyle,  toughening through outdoor sport, and two years later qualifying to be a GB age-group triathlete.

Never seeing herself as sport but loving the outdoors

Losing her love for the outdoors and becoming an indoors person

Wanting to be fit and using the gym and being very image conscious.

Fitness is not a chore and the realisation of what the body and mind can do

Joining a local running club and discovering how much she loved it

Why she wanted to make this change at 36

Making new friends and ditching drinking

Deciding to run 10 miles on her first run with the running club

Feeling a sense of achievement and getting hooked

Buying a bike and cycling to running club   

How it changed her life   

Her first race and how it led to future challenges

Signing up for a half marathon and going on a triathlon training holiday!

The imposter syndrome and dealing with fears

Being torn between the old person and the new person

Her first triathlon race and why it stands out in her memory

When Helen has learnt most from doing triathlons that she has applied to other parts of her life

Qualifying for the age group world championships after 2 years of starting triathlon! (June 2015)

Deciding on whether or not to get a coach

What training looked like and being near breaking point

Racing in Chicago! Being in GB Kit and getting to meet other athletes

Feeling lonely at the race and feeling low at the end 

Why she changed her attitude after the race and relaxed her regime 

Cycling to Paris and planning to cycle the South Down’s Way

Tips and advice for other women and why you have to know your reason why

Why you just have to go - no thinking - just get up and go!

  Social Media

Website  - www.helencroydon.com  

Twitter - @helen_croydon

  Check out this episode!

[itsworn]

Nitto Tire Brings Mustang Mania to the Thermal Club

For most folks, pairing up the name Nitto with muscle cars naturally conjures mental images of the drag strip. The tire company has built a reputation for delivering serious straight-line grip in recent years, a notion that was further bolstered by Dodge’s collaboration with Nitto to create a custom version of their NT05R drag radial for the Challenger SRT Demon.

But as models like the Camaro ZL1 1LE and Mustang Shelby GT350R have proven, muscle cars are no longer one trick ponies, and it has prompted enthusiasts across the country to head out to their local road courses and autocross events in increasing numbers. That trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by Nitto, and they’ve sought to support this sea change in the market by honing their high performance tire designs and expanding their range of available sizes.

To showcase this they invited us to The Thermal Club, a private racetrack facility located in Southern California’s Coachella Valley, to put their latest high performance tires to the test on a range of both late-model and vintage Mustangs and experience first-hand how these machines can dance when outfitted with the right rubber.

The Nitto High-Performance Tire Hierarchy

Nitto brought a trio of high performance tires for our day at the track, each of which fills a specific niche in the market, based on enthusiasts’ needs and experience levels.

“With the recent increases in factory horsepower, our development team wanted to increase the capability of our tires in turn,” explained Nitto’s Howard Sohn while discussing the company’s latest entry in the UHP tire segment, the NT555 G2. “It’s an updated version of the NT555, which is a summer tire that the Mustang audience just fell in love with.”

While the NT555 G2 is a purpose-built performance tire, it’s intended primarily for street use, so Nitto’s design offers some consideration for the varying conditions drivers might encounter on the road. “We of course increased the tire’s dry grip, but we also found ways to enhance its wet traction handling properties as well,” Sohn added. “Although it’s a summer tire, it’s really a two-season product, and that makes it more user-friendly for street use.” Sohn also explained that with the NT555 G2 being geared toward the muscle car segment, offering OEM-spec fitments for late-model Challengers, Camaros, and Mustangs was also a priority.

For those looking to move a step beyond a summer tire, Nitto’s NT05 offers a more track-focused design. “This is our 200 treadwear product, and it’s the one we use in our drifting program,” Sohn said. “This is a great track day tire – it provides the kind of consistent performance that instills confidence in track day enthusiasts so they can improve their skill levels on track.”

At the top of Nitto’s totem pole of street-legal performance tires sits the NT01. “This is our DOT-approved R compound tire,” Sohn noted. “It’s a tire I’ve personally fallen in love with – with its high-grip compound and stiff sidewall construction, it’s a very track-friendly design. And like the NT05, we’ve designed the NT01 to provide consistent performance that makes the tire predictable on-track, unlike some competitors’ tires, where traction will suddenly fall off. It’s designed to grow with enthusiasts as the skill level goes up.”

Ponies Hit The Track

Along with a fleet of late-model Mustang GTs outfitted in the aforementioned high-performance tire offerings, Nitto also brought along some of Classic Recreations’ resto-modded machines and a collection of enthusiast builds to join in on the fun, the latter representing each different generation of Ford’s pony car.

The sessions began with some warm-up laps to allow newcomers to acclimate to the track and learn the racing line. Once everyone was up to speed we were unleashed to explore the limits of NT555 G2, NT05, and NT01 on Thermal’s South Palm course, a 10-turn, 1.8 mile circuit that combines long sweepers, tight hairpins, and Thermal’s lengthiest straight.

South Palm’s healthy mix of hard braking zones, fast corners, and tight technical sections provides a real workout for any performance car, and the 2018 Mustang GT we piloted was no exception to the rule. Outfitted with the NT05, the tires quickly came up to temperature and provided plenty of stick for cornering, braking, and containing the five-liter’s deep well of torque. Lead footed drivers like your author could still get the back end to step out on command with an over-zealous application of throttle on corner exit, but as Sohn mentioned, the tires provide plenty of warning as you approach the limit and give way progressively. While the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tire that’s outfitted to the latest Mustang GTs with the factory Performance Package provides solid grip out of the box, those looking for a tire with a more track-focused design would be wise to put the NT05 on their short list.

We next hopped behind the wheel of Classic Recreations’ GT350CR. Although the advancements made in the past five decades in ergonomics and driver accommodation were made immediately obvious by your author’s 6’3” frame and the need to work the left leg around the side of the steering wheel each time the clutch was released, out on the track, the GT350CR proved it was more than just a pretty face.

While the NT555 G2 might be Nitto’s most street-focused UHP offering, it’s still light years ahead of any performance tire that was available on Shelby Mustangs back in the day, and it gave us the confidence to push the GT350CR a bit harder with each successive lap, braking later, carrying more speed through the corners, and dipping deeper into the throttle when the road straightened out.

The added capability does come with a potential caveat for vintage muscle car owners though, who will need to have wheels that are at least 17 inches in diameter in order to outfit their cars with these tires. The NT05 and NT01 both have some limited availability in smaller sizes, but it’s worth noting that the sidewall of these low-profile tires is notably shorter than your typical 15-inch muscle car radial.

Though the NT555 G2 and NT05 are highly capable tires in a road course setting, it’s the NT01 that was made for guys like Joe Ayad. Joe competes in Optima’s Search for the Ultimate Street Car series with his 1987 Fox-body, and with his Mustang’s wide stance, aero kit, roll cage, and array of hardcore performance hardware from stem to stern, this pony is really more race car than street machine.

While the NT01 requires the most compromise in terms of treadwear, road noise, ride quality, and wet weather handling of the three Nittos, its DOT compliance provides folks like Ayad the convenience of being able to drive to track events, compete, and head back home without needing to swap out wheels and tires.

Designed with experienced track rats in mind, while the NT01 delivers the most street-legal grip in Nitto’s product roster, these tires provide a bit less warning than the others when they’re ready to give way, and they’re also at their best in a narrower window of tire temperatures.

If you’re hunting for a specific lap time or in a competitive driving event, the NT01 is the clear choice among the three tires Nitto brought to the event. However, if you’re out there to just mix it up and have a good time in your street car, the NT05 or NT555 G2 might be better options.

That last point was driven home by Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr at Thermal Club’s skid pad.

Drifting The Mustang RTR Spec 2

“These are the NT555 G2s,” Vaughn explained as we strapped into the track-tuned RTR Spec 2. “They aren’t the stickiest tire that Nitto makes, but to me, they’re the most fun.”

His definition of fun clearly involves giving tires a short, brutal life. After applying a dose of throttle followed by a pull of the RTR’s handbrake, we spent the majority of the following three minutes proceeding sideways around a figure 8 course.

Though the tires screamed the song of their people as they went up in smoke, it was clear they were behaving in a manner that was predictable for Vaughn, who would give the RTR a stab of throttle or lock the rear wheels up with the handbrake as needed to create a series of heroic, seamlessly-controlled bouts with opposite lock.

Holding a drifting exhibition at an event centered around showcasing the road course capability of a tire might seem a bit counter-intuitive – after all, the whole point of drifting is to push a tire beyond its limit and keep it there – but it also illustrates Nitto’s understanding of the enthusiasts who’re going to be bolting up high performance rubber to their rides.

Performance means different things to different people, but fun is pretty much universal. We didn’t see a single long face after folks hopped out of the RTR following a ride-along with Vaughn.

The post Nitto Tire Brings Mustang Mania to the Thermal Club appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/nitto-tire-brings-mustang-mania-thermal-club/ via IFTTT

[ntrending]

We can’t truly protect the environment unless we tackle social justice issues, too

New Post has been published on https://nexcraft.co/we-cant-truly-protect-the-environment-unless-we-tackle-social-justice-issues-too/

We can’t truly protect the environment unless we tackle social justice issues, too

In the Southside of Chicago, Ali Rashad works with a group of men to rebuild the community they live in; environmentally, spiritually, and economically. As the manager of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network’s Green ReEntry Program, Rashad helps formerly incarcerated individuals find jobs that are rooted in sustainability.

The program, which has been operating for the last seven years, aims to provide these Chicago residents economic opportunity by rehabbing and revitalizing homes in Chicago Lawn, a neighborhood on the city’s southwest side that has experienced decades of white-flight, segregation, and changing demographics.

The Green ReEntry Initiative runs a fully accredited program that helps members become certified for HVAC installations, carpentry, and electrical work. But in each step, the program emphasizes the use of environmentally friendly products and processes—from disposing of debris during construction to installing tankless water heaters and high efficiency furnaces. The organization is actively expanding its green jobs as well. Soon, they may include a solar panel installation track, further reducing the group’s environmental impact.

Green ReEntry’s approach is part of a larger network of environmental justice organizations across the nation. Historically, low income and minority communities have been on the receiving end of pollution, toxic waste, and other environmental problems at rates much higher than middle-class white Americans. Many of these communities have also been on the discriminatory end of the criminal justice system, public school funding, and access to amenities like parks and grocery stores.

“The whole spirit of organizations like ours,” says Green ReEntry’s Rashad, “is a spirit of wanting to right social wrongs.”

Communities like Chicago Lawn have experienced first-hand environmental and social injustices for decades, but it wasn’t until 24 years ago that this idea of environmental justice came to be legally recognized. On February 11, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 12898, which mandated that federal government agencies had to take into account principles of environmental justice in their work.

“What the environmental justice movement has been able to do, and do well, is redefine what environmentalism is and what the environment is,” says Robert Bullard, a professor at Texas Southern University’s School of Public Affairs. “It takes environmentalism out of the neat little boxes,” he says.

Whereas environmentalism is steeped in the language of wildlife, wetlands, and nature, Bullard explains, environmental justice adds the built environment to the list of places that should be protected: where we live, work, play, learn, and worship.

Bullard has been at the forefront of the American environmental justice movement from its start; he witnessed Clinton signing the Executive Order. But the movement predates Clinton’s order by years— centuries, in fact. America’s history of environmental injustice is as long and storied as its history of environmental protection.

What the environmental justice movement has been able to do, and do well, is redefine what environmentalism is and what the environment is.”

The men who founded the crown jewels of the country’s National Parks did so by forcibly removing Native Americans from their indigenous lands. Gifford Pinchot, who crystallized American conservationist thought in the 1900’s, was a known eugenicist. His ideals were closely linked to ensuring the viability of the natural world to sustain and entertain the “superior racial stock.” Nine years after John Muir founded the Sierra Club in 1892, he published a series of essays collected in a book called “Our National Parks,” an extended love letter to Yosemite. “The Indians are dead now… Arrows, bullets, scalping-knives, need no longer be feared; and all the wilderness is peacefully open,” he wrote in a 1901 essay. For most of our country’s history, most efforts to protect the environment were actually only meant to preserve it for a select few. And that often meant deliberately placing pollutants in the neighborhoods of marginalized Americans.

“Back in the [1970s], there were environmentalists who [still] said, no, what you’re talking about is a social issue,” says Bullard. “We don’t work on social issues. No, you’re talking about civil rights or human rights. We don’t work on that.”

Bullard work turned from academia to activism when his wife, attorney Linda McKeever, asked him to help her collect data for a class action lawsuit she had filed over the location of city owned-landfills in Houston. Every single one was located in a predominantly African American neighborhood, and causing health issues from the proximity to environmental toxins. The initial lawsuit was among the first to challenge environmental injustices on the basis of civil rights. Although the judge ultimately denied an injunction, Bullard continued working on issues of environmental justice—and the momentum behind it was building.

Thousands of miles away, a similar crisis made national headlines in Warren County, North Carolina in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The state government needed to build a landfill for the thousands of tons of contaminated soil that carried polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, a toxic industrial chemical that had been illegally dumped on roadsides. The North Carolina government decided to construct the landfill in one of the state’s poorest rural towns, in which three quarters of the population was African American.

PCBs are a known carcinogen that can cause a litany of health and developmental problems, particularly among children. PCBs also remain in the environment for a long time, meaning that contamination in soil, water, and air can last for decades. As such, they can often accumulate in the tissue of organisms—including humans—that encounter it. Community advocates wanted the landfill stopped, but in order to do so they had to prove beyond a doubt that the facility’s slated location had been racially motivated—a claim that state officials successfully denied in court.

The effort to compile and map the link between race and environmental hazards was monumental. At the time, no easily accessible databases from the EPA existed. That started to change after Ronald Reagan signed a law creating the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TR) in 1984. Spurred by gruesome industrial incidents like the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island, and the gas leak at a Union Carbide chemical plant that killed more than 20,000 people in Bhopal, India and left generations exposed to toxins that caused birth defects, the law mandated that industrial facilities report information on chemical releases to the government and the public.

“The TRI database is something we take for granted today,” Bullard says. “Ordinary individuals can put in their zip code and address and identify what’s near schools and parks, what chemicals are released and stored. That information in the hands of ordinary people makes a lot of difference. That’s very empowering.”

Having data and technology readily available allows community members to actively engage and participate in every step of the civic process, from identifying problems to proposing solutions. Organizations like Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services in Houston, for example, monitor chemical leaks and spills in Houston’s industrial corridors with sophisticated equipment like thermal imaging cameras. This equipment detects toxic emissions that nearby residents of the predominantly Latino and African American neighborhoods might be breathing in, even if they can’t smell or see the substances. After Hurricane Harvey, TEJAS also partnered with researchers from Texas A&M University to record contanimation from floodwaters in environmental justice neighborhoods.

Last October, a local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of the country’s most prominent civil rights organizations, introduced a program to help middle school students in the heavily polluted and industrial Indiana town of East Chicago test their own water for lead contamination.

After seeing little progress from public officials, the Indiana NAACP decided to put the scientific tools in the hands of its own citizens. Some residents in the area lived in a housing complex that was literally built on top of a known lead refinery, according to local news reports. The complex is now an EPA Superfund site, although the contamination occurred decades before it was recognized as one.

The NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program was officially established in the late 2000s, but the organization has been engaged in advocating for clean water and clean air since the height of the civil rights era. “The association has been looking at these issues for a very long time, but it was largely framed as a public health issue,” says Marcus Franklin, the research and systems manager for the environmental program. In fact, the organization was one of many that sued the state of North Carolina on behalf of residents of Warren County.

At the national level, Franklin works on reports that are produced by the NAACP in partnership with scientific or environmental organizations, providing key data and analysis for local organizers. “One of the goals of our program is to bring the equity framework out there,” Franklin says. “We usually try to connect our units with universities and other organizations that can help facilitate data collection, and when we can, we advance projects that incorporate aspects of participatory science.”

Recently, the NAACP collaborated with the Clean Air Task Force on a report titled “Fumes Across the Fenceline”, documenting the high concentration of African Americans living near oil and natural gas facilities that release carcinogens like benzene and volatile organic compounds. African Americans were also 75 percent more likely to live in such communities than white Americans and as a result, had higher rates of cancer and asthma than the general population. That’s no coincidence: It’s a legacy of decades of segregationist housing policy as much as lax environmental regulations.

At the heart of it, pollution and environmental issues are an intensely local problem: families and communities are the front lines of exposure. It’s the same ethos that infuses the work of Green Re-Entry, in Chicago: community-based action is vital to lifting up neighborhoods that are glossed over when the focus rests squarely on national averages and indicators.

For West Harlem Environmental Action, or We Act, as it’s known, community-led civic engagement grounds the organization’s advocacy. “Yes, the big green groups have been creating environmental change for decades, with things like the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act,” says Peggy Sheppard, the executive director of We Act. “But we are concerned with what’s happening in our neighborhoods. Not just that national air quality is better, but that air quality is better in all of our neighborhoods. In many respects, that’s harder work.”

In the early 2000’s, We Act filed a civil rights complaint against New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority for siting several bus depots in Harlem and Washington Heights, causing air pollution to increase in those neighborhoods because of the number of diesel vehicles that were crossing through them, including right in front of schools and parks in low-income neighborhoods. The group’s grassroots campaign helped influence the city to begin switching or retrofitting its fleet to hybrid engines with more filters for particulate matter that would, in effect, reduce this air pollution. “[Local] elected officials live in these neighborhoods,” Shepard says. “But they never thought about requiring that buses be cleaner— their priority is jobs. If they’re not pushed to think about it, and understand the impact, they’re not working on it.”

That’s why, advocates say, knocking on doors and bringing residents to the table is crucial to environmental justice. “You work with the people who are most affected, who are living closest to those problems, so that people can speak to the issues, and talk to their elected officials. They can go to Albany or Washington, and be a strong voice for the conditions they are experiencing.”

More recently, as part of its healthy homes campaign, We Act has focused on the impacts of indoor air pollution, which is a major cause of asthma and other illnesses. It took two years of organizing to build a city-wide coalition and pass the Asthma Free Housing Act which mandates that landlords conduct annual inspections for mold, pests and other allergens. “Air quality, chemicals—it affects pregnant women and children intergenerationally,” says Shepard. “You have to look at transit that is not spewing pollution, at the quality of food, and open spaces for recreation. All of these add up to a healthy community.”

There is still work to be done. And under the Trump administration, that work has taken on a new urgency. In March of 2017, the EPA’s top environmental justice adviser, Mustafa Ali, resigned from his position when the agency’s new director Scott Pruitt proposed gutting the environmental justice program’s budget. The cuts would mean losing staff and funding for programs that primarily assisted low-income communities and communities of color, if not the elimination of the entire environmental justice program itself. Ali was a founding member of that office, and the EPA did not comment on whether or not his vacancy has been staffed as of yet.

“When I hear we are considering making cuts to grant programs… which have assisted over 1,400 communities, I wonder if our new leadership has had the opportunity to converse with those who need our help the most,” Ali wrote in his resignation letter.

Pruitt has also repealed numerous environmental regulations writ large that impact clean air, water, and other environmental contamination affecting all communities in the U.S.

“Our groups are already not very well protected by these policies and rollbacks,” says Franklin. “But if you take a look back and look at the entire system, can we ever say that our people were better off? It’s the same fights. The same struggles persist.”

As for Bullard, who has been fighting this fight since the 1970s, the Trump administration’s environmental policies are just one of many ups and downs he’s witnessed. Bullard points out that the environmental justice movement has also grown to recognize climate justice, an international movement that advocates for those who contribute the least to climate change in terms of emissions, but will be affected the most by changing weather patterns and access to food and water.

“Environmental justice did not originate from the government,” Bullard says. “It was born out of struggle in communities that face threats. So there will continue to be environmental justice and climate justice movements as long as there is injustice. In the end, I’m optimistic that we will get to justice and fairness for all.”

Written By Amal Ahmed

[manleycollins]

Journal Entry #22 - Moving On With Life, Nothing Personal, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

JOURNAL ENTRY #22 Name: Manley M Collins Social Security Number: 5 7 9 - * * - 6 5 4 1 Date of Birth: 06/21 Place of Birth: Washington, District of Columbia Country of Birth: United States of America Date: December 15, 2017 TOPIC: Moving On With Life, Nothing Personal, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year DEPARTMENT: United States Department of Health and Human Services DEPARTMENT: United States Department of Labor

This is a general journal entry for updates since July 2017.  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year for all who celebrate.

Gym (Preventive Maintenance) Gold's Gym is an awesome gym.  I got there and they welcomed me as a part of the family. The group fitness trainer, managers and some personnel staff spoke made me feel at home.  This gym is great for the budget goers.  The group classes were awesome even if I was the only African-American male in the class.  It was interesting that most of the cardio and strength classes were full of women, but yoga was ended up 50% male/50% female.  I joined the Gold's Gym challenge which helped me cut down the weight, but when I lost my mojo and could not get my full routine back.  The weight started creeping up again so I switch gyms. Gold's gym did provide my needs and unexpected wants.  Equinox, I still see you.  Town Sports International helps me think about New York, Boston, and Washington, DC.  The workouts got every part of body sore.  I love feeling this way and always hungry.  I did another weight measurement and it is hovering around 170-174 lbs. After one group class, I felt my middle back for the first time. Another class, I felt my shoulders and legs. I did start a Christmas card campaign to check on a specific condition and see what happens when I do strangers in a group or organization.

Family and Friends I have started to heal from the war, fighting, and trauma occurred over the past households. I am getting your texts, voice messages, FB notes, etc.  I am not ignoring you, but I have taken myself out of ALL families' business and step families' business. It is nothing personal against any specific family member, but I must set a boundary.  I still have a few wars to finish from first half of life.  I know I have not been back to South Carolina for a good minute, but it was good reason to check out the United States.  I did have a Christmas holiday dinner/social with the District of Columbia Military Reserve Corps (DCMRC).  I spent Thanksgiving at FedEx field for the Washington Redskins versus New York Giants game, I was working the food stand at the club level.  The club level of FedEx Field is very nice.

Health Therapy in the past for my mental health has been interesting.  I am in intensive outpatient program and never knew therapy could be so helpful and useful. I feel relieved of telling stuff that I never told any other therapist.  I am getting to root of both my breakdowns.  I am getting the comfort that I am not alone with my mental illness. I have a deeper appreciate for hospitals, doctors, nurses, and therapists.  I am able to discuss my current emotions and how all the varied associations affect me.  I am able to discuss the interactions with people and brainstorm with others older, younger, and same age regarding certain situations.  After hearing what happened to birth father, I sent out an advanced hospital directive to apply to specific hospitals through the 13 colonies.  I am also preparing a will and apply for life insurance.  The life insurance process is very interesting.  If you are too healthy, you are most likely to be denied if no medical records can be found on any conditions you claim.

Church I am participating more with church activities around the holiday season.  I lit the peace candle in the season of Advent.  I purchased a poinsettia in memory of my birth parents.  The losses incurred this year are Manley Rochelle Nolen, Rosabell Jones (brothers' grandmother), Uncle Scooty Jones (brothers' uncle), Chaunya Blackwell (former real estate agent and FB friend), and Al Jerome Frazier (friend from SC).

Labor Position #47 - Amazon It is amazing how this company works.  All crazy methods worked, but still able to get deliveries on time or same day.  I am learning how to do warehouse and blue collar work.  DDC3 is very different from MKE5-Kenosha, WI.  I did complete knowledge transfer from MKE5 to DDC3 via the VOD board.  I am learning how to work with pallet jacks, unload trailers, thermal printers, bags and cubbies, flex drivers, misdiverts, and TDR semis.  It is fun and a lot of work with a diverse group of people.  Managers and supervisors listen to the employees for what makes sense.  I did start a Christmas card campaign to check on a specific condition and see what happens when I do strangers in a group or organization.  It is very interesting on how much voluntary extra time (VET) and voluntary time off (VTO) offered during peak season with all teams 90 days of hire.

Relationship and Marriage New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New England States, you can ready the girl.  She has to be 18-35 (max is 40) years old, preferrably an attorney or any doctoral degree (no divinity degrees).  Eighty percent (80%) of her family should be from your state or Northeastern geographical area.  She must be aware the relationship will start unnatural with plenty of paperwork.  She will have to be a US Citizen and born in your state.  She must be able to birth two (2) to four (4) kids.  Any race or ethnicity allowed. Washington, DC, you already saw what you needed to see from the original family system that brought me here and you will not see it again for forty (40) years after March 26th-April 3, 2016.  I will be a single, bachelor open to dating only while in office or running for office.  History has shown single men have held political office before.

South Carolina Preparation After Washington, DC primary election, I am repackaging Washington, DC to apply to South Carolina.  South Carolina, please note I will not be operating like my mother or any of my family.  I am coming to perform one task to run for office.  Keep watching www . manleycollins . com for further details.  If you are a friend, we should make arrangements to see each other because unlike before when I came to see you that is the old Marvell.

[jonathanbelloblog]

Becoming a Ferrari 488 Challenge Race Driver

CIRCUIT MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec, Canada — I can see it in the distance, a black and green dragon waiting, hungry, practically drooling for a chance to swallow me whole and spit me out in tattered, racing-red shreds. Turn 8. And I’m blasting toward it so fast it feels like I’ve just exited a bazooka.

Flat out in sixth gear, the mechanized fury of the turbocharged V-8 behind my ears pummeling me like a hailstorm inside the stripped-bare cockpit, the first in a row of LED redline indicators on the wheel alights—then another, then another. A rivulet of sweat plops into my eye, and I fight to blink away the sting. Still I’m flat on the gas. Then, within a single heartbeat, furious drama: I reach my braking marker, the dragon leaps out to devour me, and at the last possible second … now! I hammer my right foot on the pedal harder than I’d kick an IRS collector, and the Ferrari slams into an invisible catcher’s mitt, my helmet straining forward against the HANS restraint straps. I crack off two downshifts with the left shift paddle, begin easing off the brakes, and in a crush of lateral g’s, I turn into the apex.

My helmet crackles as my passenger in the right seat—instructor and pal Anthony Lazzaro—barks through the intercom: “OK! No brakes! No throttle! No pedals! Just coast!”

Coast? Isn’t the old adage, “In a race car, you’re always either on the gas or the brakes”? Doesn’t coasting mean losing time? Since my very first racing school 30 years ago I’ve followed the cornering mantra: in slow, out fast. I’ve been a practitioner of trail-braking, turning in while gradually trading the tires’ stopping power for cornering grip. I’ve used light throttle to balance the car before acceleration. But never have I simply coasted. Without me saying a word, Lazzaro seems to grasp my bafflement. “It’s one of the biggest myths in racing, the always-pedaling thing,” he says. “People watch an onboard camera from a Formula 1 car, but they aren’t understanding what they’re seeing. I guarantee you Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is coasting into the apex before getting back on the power.” Well, if it’s good enough for Seb. I do as Lazzaro says (nobody’s ever explicitly told me this before), and it works! With zero throttle the Ferrari’s nose doesn’t lift a millimeter—maintaining front-end weight so the front tires bite harder—and the 488 Challenge race car turns in as if it’s on a leash. Eureka! It’s a bona fide lightbulb moment, as if I’ve finally been given the password to enter the Racing Secret Circle & Grille. Moreover, with the car now so perfectly set up at the apex, I’m able to get back on the throttle harder and sooner, which equals more speed at corner exit.

No brakes! No throttle! No pedals! Just coast!

Later, with instructor Jeff Segal (the only man with class wins at Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Daytona 24 in a Ferrari), I review the onboard telemetry from my laps. “See here how you’re giving up a little speed on the way in but gaining more speed on the way out?” Segal asks. “You’re not fighting the car on the exit. You’re blasting out of the turns and gaining time all the way down the straight. On this lap you got blocked by traffic near the end, but you still were more than two seconds quicker than yesterday.”

It’s working. I’m becoming a Ferrari 488 Challenge race driver.

Superman in a Supercar

Ferrari race driver. Can three more evocative, seductive, aspirational words exist for a motorsports enthusiast? Who hasn’t watched Le Mans or the Monaco Grand Prix and thought, “Man, that should be me inside that beautiful machine with the Prancing Horse.” Who hasn’t at least asked themselves, “I wonder if I could even do that?”

Red, white, and Whew! St. Antoine catches his breath after another lapping session in the ferocious 488 Challenge. Below, he reviews telemetry with Corso Pilota instructor Jeff Segal.

Since 1993, Ferrari’s unique Corso Pilota training program has been answering “what ifs” and turning fantasies into realities for hundreds if not thousands of Ferrari owners and aficionados. Now offered in three locations in North America—Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec; Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; and The Thermal Club track near Palm Springs, California—Corso Pilota is a series of four courses, each a step up in speed and advanced techniques. The program is designed to train even novices to a skill level where they’re fully qualified to race in the ultracompetitive, seriously fast Ferrari 488 Challenge series, which attracts everyone from future pro racers to entrepreneurs to celebrities such as actor Michael Fassbender.

For 2017, that meant six race weekends at tracks across America plus the opportunity to earn a spot in the Ferrari World Finals in October at Italy’s Mugello Circuit. “The best part about Corso Pilota is you can test the waters,” says Ian Campbell, head of a research firm in Boston and a classmate of mine at Mont-Tremblant. “It’s certainly not an incidental expense, so you don’t want to jump in and then find out you don’t like it. Instead, the program gives you a chance to sample the 488 Challenge race car in a controlled environment and work your way into it before you commit to the full race series.”

Ah, the 488 Challenge. Monica Belluci in metal. Ours is the first North American class to pilot the new machine (the previous Challenge cars were based on the 458 Italia). That means about 100 more horsepower (at least 661 hp, but Ferrari won’t say for sure) from its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch shifter, which is essentially the same combo as in the 488 GTB road car (the race transmission gets shorter ratios). But the 488 Challenge is thoroughly reworked for track duty: slick tires, wings, a roll cage, racing brakes, a gutted interior with a new race-optimized panel, deep buckets with six-point belts, vastly reworked bodywork with a more aggressive aero package, and revised electronic driver aids with a new, two-phase traction control system. Using a knob on the wheel, the driver can select when the system intervenes and how aggressively it does so.

To sample life in Corso Pilota, Ferrari jumped me straight into the third level of the program, a two-day class dubbed Evolution. Mind you, life as an aspiring Ferrari race driver doesn’t come cheap; just the Evo quarter of the course costs $20,000. For that sum you get two long days in the $250,000 488 GTB road car and the even-pricier 488 Challenge racer, tutelage from some of the best racing instructors in the world (these guys are busy race drivers who teach, not the other way around), all meals (including adult beverages at the end of the day), and first-class accommodations. In Quebec, that means the superb Hôtel Quintessence on Lake Tremblant. Also included is a custom-tailored Sabelt racing suit (probably worth $2,000) plus Nomex gloves, driving shoes, and a few Ferrari goodies.

There’s no shortage of 488 GTBs at this school.

All 14 of my classmates have already done the required first two levels. I get nods all around as one tells me, “When you put on that red Corso Pilota suit, you feel like Superman.” I must say, it does feel pretty good—at least until I try to climb into the Challenge car’s passenger seat. We’re broken up into groups, and I’m assigned to Challenge No. 1 for a few demo laps with Lazzaro at the wheel. The trouble is, I can barely get inside. The space is tiny (worsened by a big fire-suppression bottle on the floor). I try a few entry techniques and finally fold myself halfway in, but as I do, my HANS device hangs up on the roll cage and pins my chin to my chest. For a moment, I really cannot breathe. Eventually an assistant helps shove me in, and it’s claustrophobic as hell in here. It’s hot and as cramped as a broom closet, and no way am I getting out quickly if I have to. I take a slow, deep breath as the assistant locks in my belts (no room to do it myself). Then I’m plugged into the intercom, and Lazzaro is talking in my helmet earphones: “We’ll do a few quick laps to reacquaint you with the circuit [he trained me here years ago] and show you what the Challenge car can do.” He gives me a thumbs up. “Ready?”

Instructor Anthony Lazzaro shows the author the secrets of the Challenge race car’s cockpit.

Seconds later, I’m being subjected to a ride that feels more like a round with Floyd Mayweather. Holy mother of Enzo! This isn’t a car, it’s a NASA training device gone berserk! I’m already black and blue, and we haven’t even reached Turn 5. The speed is freakish. The grip is literally breathtaking. The braking is … life-changing. Every corner feels like we’re going to fly straight into the Armco, then Lazzaro finally stomps on the binders. It’s a virtuoso performance. Lazzaro is a five-time national karting champion, a Formula Atlantic champ, and since 1988 he’s raced everything from Indy Cars to Trans Am to NASCAR. It’s an education just to watch the guy work.

Naturally, most of my classmates are highly successful individuals with the wherewithal to indulge their racing dreams. Bill Kemp, a home builder from St. Louis, owns a Mercedes SLS AMG and a Ferrari 458 and plans to do the Challenge series in 2018. “The program is really in-depth,” he says, “very demanding. Admittedly, it’s a huge leap going from zero race-driver training to Corso Pilota. But I went to one of the Challenge races and immediately got hooked. And now here I am, in Course 3 and taking my passion for motorsport to the next level.”

Vroom Closet: The 488 GTB and 488 Challenge share powertrains but that’s about all. The race car’s passenger seat is a sardine can.

Three women are also taking the Evo class. Riley Ryen, an event planner from Calgary, Canada, owns a Lamborghini Aventador and a Ferrari 458. “Well, I used to race horses when I was younger,” she says about her plans to compete in the 2018 Challenge series. “Now it’s just more horsepower!” When I ask Sabrina Galanti from Toronto what she does for a living, she laughs and says, “Race car driver! Actually, I have raced a few Porsches before, and I have a Ferrari 812 Superfast on order, which I plan to take to the track. Right now the plan is just to learn more, and eventually maybe I’ll try racing in the Challenge series.”

“You’re ready to do a Challenge series race right now. You should think about it.”

Over the two-day program, my classmates and I spend a lot of quality time lapping in the Challenge cars, plus a number of slalom and wet skidpad exercises in the 488 GTB and a few F12tdf road cars. Incredibly, the instructors ride with us when we’re lapping—even in the Challenge cars at full tilt. It requires, as former racer David Hobbs would say, “large attachments,” but it’s also the best way to give us instantaneous feedback and guidance. In fact, lapping the 488 GTB is actually scarier than doing so in the 488 Challenge. The street car is every bit as fast in a straight line but has nowhere near the cornering or stopping power of its racing cousin. And it’s got none of the extra safety protection, just a standard seat belt and some air bags.

Corso Pilota costs big—around $76,000 for all four classes—but that sum includes overnight stays like at the Hôtel Quintessence in Quebec.

By the afternoon of the second day, I’m lapping the 488 Challenge at a pace I wouldn’t have believed the previous morning. I mean, we’re going really freaking fast—around 160 mph at the braking marker on the back straight. At the same time, it all feels totally under control. Logical. Almost mathematical. Do this, do that, follow instructions, and the speed just comes. The guidance I’ve received from Lazzaro and the other instructors (including pro racers Mikel Miller and Jean-François Dumoulin) has been game-changing. Despite the countless schools I’ve attended previously and all the racing I’ve done, from now on I’ll forever be a better, faster driver, thanks to this Evo class.

Ferrari ownership is a course prerequisite, and student Riley Ryen qualifies via her own 458 Italia. Below, St. Antoine chases a 488 Challenge in a 488 GTB.

I have to admit: By the close of the second day, it’s something of a relief to complete my final laps—me, Lazzaro, and the incredible 488 Challenge unscathed. Yet along with the slowly ebbing adrenaline, my brain is awash in a blissful bath of endorphins and satisfaction drawn from two days amid the wail of a Ferrari V-8—the acrid tang of hot rubber ripping across sinuous asphalt, the tension of pushing a high-strung machine to the brink, the sheer violence of the speed, and the hammer braking and relentless g-forces assaulting my every corpuscle. Lazzaro walks over as I’m stowing my helmet and slaps my back. “Hey, nice work out there,” he says with a smile. “You’re ready to do a Challenge series race right now. You should think about it.”

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

Becoming a Ferrari 488 Challenge Race Driver

CIRCUIT MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec, Canada — I can see it in the distance, a black and green dragon waiting, hungry, practically drooling for a chance to swallow me whole and spit me out in tattered, racing-red shreds. Turn 8. And I’m blasting toward it so fast it feels like I’ve just exited a bazooka.

Flat out in sixth gear, the mechanized fury of the turbocharged V-8 behind my ears pummeling me like a hailstorm inside the stripped-bare cockpit, the first in a row of LED redline indicators on the wheel alights—then another, then another. A rivulet of sweat plops into my eye, and I fight to blink away the sting. Still I’m flat on the gas. Then, within a single heartbeat, furious drama: I reach my braking marker, the dragon leaps out to devour me, and at the last possible second … now! I hammer my right foot on the pedal harder than I’d kick an IRS collector, and the Ferrari slams into an invisible catcher’s mitt, my helmet straining forward against the HANS restraint straps. I crack off two downshifts with the left shift paddle, begin easing off the brakes, and in a crush of lateral g’s, I turn into the apex.

My helmet crackles as my passenger in the right seat—instructor and pal Anthony Lazzaro—barks through the intercom: “OK! No brakes! No throttle! No pedals! Just coast!”

Coast? Isn’t the old adage, “In a race car, you’re always either on the gas or the brakes”? Doesn’t coasting mean losing time? Since my very first racing school 30 years ago I’ve followed the cornering mantra: in slow, out fast. I’ve been a practitioner of trail-braking, turning in while gradually trading the tires’ stopping power for cornering grip. I’ve used light throttle to balance the car before acceleration. But never have I simply coasted. Without me saying a word, Lazzaro seems to grasp my bafflement. “It’s one of the biggest myths in racing, the always-pedaling thing,” he says. “People watch an onboard camera from a Formula 1 car, but they aren’t understanding what they’re seeing. I guarantee you Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel is coasting into the apex before getting back on the power.” Well, if it’s good enough for Seb. I do as Lazzaro says (nobody’s ever explicitly told me this before), and it works! With zero throttle the Ferrari’s nose doesn’t lift a millimeter—maintaining front-end weight so the front tires bite harder—and the 488 Challenge race car turns in as if it’s on a leash. Eureka! It’s a bona fide lightbulb moment, as if I’ve finally been given the password to enter the Racing Secret Circle & Grille. Moreover, with the car now so perfectly set up at the apex, I’m able to get back on the throttle harder and sooner, which equals more speed at corner exit.

No brakes! No throttle! No pedals! Just coast!

Later, with instructor Jeff Segal (the only man with class wins at Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Daytona 24 in a Ferrari), I review the onboard telemetry from my laps. “See here how you’re giving up a little speed on the way in but gaining more speed on the way out?” Segal asks. “You’re not fighting the car on the exit. You’re blasting out of the turns and gaining time all the way down the straight. On this lap you got blocked by traffic near the end, but you still were more than two seconds quicker than yesterday.”

It’s working. I’m becoming a Ferrari 488 Challenge race driver.

Superman in a Supercar

Ferrari race driver. Can three more evocative, seductive, aspirational words exist for a motorsports enthusiast? Who hasn’t watched Le Mans or the Monaco Grand Prix and thought, “Man, that should be me inside that beautiful machine with the Prancing Horse.” Who hasn’t at least asked themselves, “I wonder if I could even do that?”

Red, white, and Whew! St. Antoine catches his breath after another lapping session in the ferocious 488 Challenge. Below, he reviews telemetry with Corso Pilota instructor Jeff Segal.

Since 1993, Ferrari’s unique Corso Pilota training program has been answering “what ifs” and turning fantasies into realities for hundreds if not thousands of Ferrari owners and aficionados. Now offered in three locations in North America—Circuit Mont-Tremblant in Quebec; Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; and The Thermal Club track near Palm Springs, California—Corso Pilota is a series of four courses, each a step up in speed and advanced techniques. The program is designed to train even novices to a skill level where they’re fully qualified to race in the ultracompetitive, seriously fast Ferrari 488 Challenge series, which attracts everyone from future pro racers to entrepreneurs to celebrities such as actor Michael Fassbender.

For 2017, that meant six race weekends at tracks across America plus the opportunity to earn a spot in the Ferrari World Finals in October at Italy’s Mugello Circuit. “The best part about Corso Pilota is you can test the waters,” says Ian Campbell, head of a research firm in Boston and a classmate of mine at Mont-Tremblant. “It’s certainly not an incidental expense, so you don’t want to jump in and then find out you don’t like it. Instead, the program gives you a chance to sample the 488 Challenge race car in a controlled environment and work your way into it before you commit to the full race series.”

Ah, the 488 Challenge. Monica Belluci in metal. Ours is the first North American class to pilot the new machine (the previous Challenge cars were based on the 458 Italia). That means about 100 more horsepower (at least 661 hp, but Ferrari won’t say for sure) from its 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch shifter, which is essentially the same combo as in the 488 GTB road car (the race transmission gets shorter ratios). But the 488 Challenge is thoroughly reworked for track duty: slick tires, wings, a roll cage, racing brakes, a gutted interior with a new race-optimized panel, deep buckets with six-point belts, vastly reworked bodywork with a more aggressive aero package, and revised electronic driver aids with a new, two-phase traction control system. Using a knob on the wheel, the driver can select when the system intervenes and how aggressively it does so.

To sample life in Corso Pilota, Ferrari jumped me straight into the third level of the program, a two-day class dubbed Evolution. Mind you, life as an aspiring Ferrari race driver doesn’t come cheap; just the Evo quarter of the course costs $20,000. For that sum you get two long days in the $250,000 488 GTB road car and the even-pricier 488 Challenge racer, tutelage from some of the best racing instructors in the world (these guys are busy race drivers who teach, not the other way around), all meals (including adult beverages at the end of the day), and first-class accommodations. In Quebec, that means the superb Hôtel Quintessence on Lake Tremblant. Also included is a custom-tailored Sabelt racing suit (probably worth $2,000) plus Nomex gloves, driving shoes, and a few Ferrari goodies.

There’s no shortage of 488 GTBs at this school.

All 14 of my classmates have already done the required first two levels. I get nods all around as one tells me, “When you put on that red Corso Pilota suit, you feel like Superman.” I must say, it does feel pretty good—at least until I try to climb into the Challenge car’s passenger seat. We’re broken up into groups, and I’m assigned to Challenge No. 1 for a few demo laps with Lazzaro at the wheel. The trouble is, I can barely get inside. The space is tiny (worsened by a big fire-suppression bottle on the floor). I try a few entry techniques and finally fold myself halfway in, but as I do, my HANS device hangs up on the roll cage and pins my chin to my chest. For a moment, I really cannot breathe. Eventually an assistant helps shove me in, and it’s claustrophobic as hell in here. It’s hot and as cramped as a broom closet, and no way am I getting out quickly if I have to. I take a slow, deep breath as the assistant locks in my belts (no room to do it myself). Then I’m plugged into the intercom, and Lazzaro is talking in my helmet earphones: “We’ll do a few quick laps to reacquaint you with the circuit [he trained me here years ago] and show you what the Challenge car can do.” He gives me a thumbs up. “Ready?”

Instructor Anthony Lazzaro shows the author the secrets of the Challenge race car’s cockpit.

Seconds later, I’m being subjected to a ride that feels more like a round with Floyd Mayweather. Holy mother of Enzo! This isn’t a car, it’s a NASA training device gone berserk! I’m already black and blue, and we haven’t even reached Turn 5. The speed is freakish. The grip is literally breathtaking. The braking is … life-changing. Every corner feels like we’re going to fly straight into the Armco, then Lazzaro finally stomps on the binders. It’s a virtuoso performance. Lazzaro is a five-time national karting champion, a Formula Atlantic champ, and since 1988 he’s raced everything from Indy Cars to Trans Am to NASCAR. It’s an education just to watch the guy work.

Naturally, most of my classmates are highly successful individuals with the wherewithal to indulge their racing dreams. Bill Kemp, a home builder from St. Louis, owns a Mercedes SLS AMG and a Ferrari 458 and plans to do the Challenge series in 2018. “The program is really in-depth,” he says, “very demanding. Admittedly, it’s a huge leap going from zero race-driver training to Corso Pilota. But I went to one of the Challenge races and immediately got hooked. And now here I am, in Course 3 and taking my passion for motorsport to the next level.”

Vroom Closet: The 488 GTB and 488 Challenge share powertrains but that’s about all. The race car’s passenger seat is a sardine can.

Three women are also taking the Evo class. Riley Ryen, an event planner from Calgary, Canada, owns a Lamborghini Aventador and a Ferrari 458. “Well, I used to race horses when I was younger,” she says about her plans to compete in the 2018 Challenge series. “Now it’s just more horsepower!” When I ask Sabrina Galanti from Toronto what she does for a living, she laughs and says, “Race car driver! Actually, I have raced a few Porsches before, and I have a Ferrari 812 Superfast on order, which I plan to take to the track. Right now the plan is just to learn more, and eventually maybe I’ll try racing in the Challenge series.”

“You’re ready to do a Challenge series race right now. You should think about it.”

Over the two-day program, my classmates and I spend a lot of quality time lapping in the Challenge cars, plus a number of slalom and wet skidpad exercises in the 488 GTB and a few F12tdf road cars. Incredibly, the instructors ride with us when we’re lapping—even in the Challenge cars at full tilt. It requires, as former racer David Hobbs would say, “large attachments,” but it’s also the best way to give us instantaneous feedback and guidance. In fact, lapping the 488 GTB is actually scarier than doing so in the 488 Challenge. The street car is every bit as fast in a straight line but has nowhere near the cornering or stopping power of its racing cousin. And it’s got none of the extra safety protection, just a standard seat belt and some air bags.

Corso Pilota costs big—around $76,000 for all four classes—but that sum includes overnight stays like at the Hôtel Quintessence in Quebec.

By the afternoon of the second day, I’m lapping the 488 Challenge at a pace I wouldn’t have believed the previous morning. I mean, we’re going really freaking fast—around 160 mph at the braking marker on the back straight. At the same time, it all feels totally under control. Logical. Almost mathematical. Do this, do that, follow instructions, and the speed just comes. The guidance I’ve received from Lazzaro and the other instructors (including pro racers Mikel Miller and Jean-François Dumoulin) has been game-changing. Despite the countless schools I’ve attended previously and all the racing I’ve done, from now on I’ll forever be a better, faster driver, thanks to this Evo class.

Ferrari ownership is a course prerequisite, and student Riley Ryen qualifies via her own 458 Italia. Below, St. Antoine chases a 488 Challenge in a 488 GTB.

I have to admit: By the close of the second day, it’s something of a relief to complete my final laps—me, Lazzaro, and the incredible 488 Challenge unscathed. Yet along with the slowly ebbing adrenaline, my brain is awash in a blissful bath of endorphins and satisfaction drawn from two days amid the wail of a Ferrari V-8—the acrid tang of hot rubber ripping across sinuous asphalt, the tension of pushing a high-strung machine to the brink, the sheer violence of the speed, and the hammer braking and relentless g-forces assaulting my every corpuscle. Lazzaro walks over as I’m stowing my helmet and slaps my back. “Hey, nice work out there,” he says with a smile. “You’re ready to do a Challenge series race right now. You should think about it.”

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