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July 2014

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Contents

D RIVENWORLD ISSUE 55, July 2014

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dustin Troyan

ART DIRECTOR

Connected Media Group LLC

COPY EDITOR Heather Troyan DESIGN Connected Media Group WEB DESIGN

Jeff Balbien

STORIES BY Dustin Troyan Mark Llewlyn Scott Martin Brooks Smith Tommy Mansuwan Vincent Cachot Jim Hunter Mike Grudt

Page 17

PHOTOGRAPHY Greg Grudt Scott Martin Duane Steinter Tommy Mansuwan Dustin Troyan Jim Hunter Jamison Martin

Advertising/Marketing: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com

818-516-5053 www.drivenworld.com www.connectedmediagroup.com www.supercarsunday.com Page 12

Driven World Magazine is published twelve times per year by Connected Media Group LLC. It is distributed at upscale locations and events all over California. It is also available online and distributed electronically to high-net-worth individuals as well as members of the car community at large. All rights reserved. Driven World and Supercar Sunday are registered trademarks of Connected Media Group LLC. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or any other materials or advertisements herein may be reproduced without permission of copyright owner. Driven World Magazine and Connected Media Group LLC, do not take responsibility for the claims provided herein. Connected Media Group LLC, Driven World Magazine, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for the errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. Connected Media Group LLC does not assume liability for any products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers or editorial information.

On the Cover: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bugattiâ&#x20AC;? Photo: Randall Cordero www.Corderostudios.com Page 8

From the Editor Twenty years. For twenty years I have had espresso, roasted to perfection, ground to the exact measure and drawn through a fancy espresso machine, every morning. Twenty years. Seems like a long time, seems like yesterday. How time flies. I never knew that Espresso or coffee would play such an important role in my life. I guess I would be considered a coffee expert, by default. A master coffee roaster too. How did that ever happen? Me, a coffee snob. Life sure is amazing. I have not had my standard eight shots of espresso for about a week now. Does it show? Seems like a lot, but it really isn’t, for the seasoned coffee veteran. I draw them a bit long; perhaps they are more of an Americano (espresso based coffee). I never thought I would be the type of guy that would take coffee with me on vacation, I do. I did. Coffee, a ritual to billions globally. When I say coffee, I don’t mean a blended this or that with a shot of Vanilla and a whipped cream. I am a purist. Give it to me straight, neat, black, plain…I like good coffee. Something hard to find. A diatribe to a bean, how romantic. I suppose the romance is not the bean, but what was around it. As many of you know, all the car events that I have done started at Village Coffee Roaster, which is now defunct. Gone. It was a great time, the days of wine and roses…well, coffee. We shut the store down a few years ago. Louis the owner and I were and are like father and son. A kinder man you may have never met, perhaps a bit misunderstood, but I understand him. A gentle giant. After we shut the store

This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grand Army of the battlefield, and the battle takes place. Things remembered arrive at full gallop, ensuing to the wind. The light cavalry of comparisons deliver a magnificent deploying charge, the artillery of logic hurry up with their train and ammunition, the shafts of with start up like sharpshooters. Similes arise, the paper is covered with ink; for the struggle commences and is concluded with torrents of black water, just as a battle with powder. ~Honoré de Balzac, “The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee”

down, we put the coffee roaster into a warehouse and we continued to roast coffee for a few good customers and ourselves. It was truly a labor of love. The cost incurred to keep our espresso habit going, was thousands, but that’s Louis for you. We, he, somehow justified it and we continued to roast coffee and blend some amazing beans, mostly for ourselves. I learned to be a coffee snob from Louis. Only the best. That was Louis. He would never compromise on quality, period. He is no longer roasting coffee, but he is one of the best coffee roasters around. I was lucky to learn from him and over the years roasted thousands of pounds of coffee. Never in my life did I think I would be a coffee roaster. The day came that Louis decided he was going to move out of state. I knew that meant our coffee roasting days were over. There was simply no way to justify it. So, I roasted a last batch of coffee and froze it in five-pound bags. We sold off all the green coffee and the roaster. I always thought I would end up with that Diedrich Coffee Roaster. I had a vision of having a big spread one day and a collection of cars in a huge garage and in the corner was that little roaster with some bags of green coffee. I figured I had about six months of coffee left and when it was gone, it was gone. I don’t know if it was the coffee that I loved or that every morning, sitting in front of my computer drinking my espresso, it reminded me of the great times at Village Coffee Roaster, with so many great friends, memories, met my wife there, so much fun we had and of course Louis. That cup of coffee in the morning was like seeing Louis. His influence on me. Louis is now living in Louisiana with his wife and her family and they are having a lot of fun. It is funny how people and things come into your life. Never did I think I would be a coffee roaster, nor did I think I would be so close to Louis, we were opposites in so many ways. He met his wife at Village Coffee Roaster too. His nephew met his wife there as well. There must have been something in that coffee. I told myself that once I ran out of coffee that I roasted, I would take a break from my espresso ritual. To buy someone else’s espresso it seemed like sacrilege. Like cheating on Louis, on all those fond memories. It has been four days and I am doing ok. But when I woke up today, I felt a little espresso craving. For now I will go through the selection of Teas that we have at the house. Caffeinated Teas that is. Staring with English Breakfast. There was a point where I was pretty savvy at the teas too, since we sold tea in bulk. No expert by any means, but if I had to I could make a good cup of tea for you. Every past letter from the editor I think started off with a couple shots of the brown gold. Poured out of my Livia 90 Espresso Machine. I could go into great detail on the machine and in fact if you want a quality machine, I would highly recommend Pasquini. They are located on Olympic in Los Angeles. Oh geeze, I am channeling Louis.

I am not much of a snob. Coffee sure, but perhaps that is a thing of the past. I like to think that I am a pretty simple man. A nice meal from time to time is lovely. When I am going to cook at home I get my meat from one store, Jim’s Meat Market in the Valley. Heck, I drove past that place my entire life until one day Louis made me go there with him. Louis is a bit of a foodie too. So he buys his meat and then a few extra and hands them to me and tells me how to prepare them. Hooked. Jim’s Meat Market has amazing meats and in my opinion the only place to shop for meats. I am at Jim’s a couple times a week. I like to buy my food fresh and I live nearby. I often find myself making suggestions to others that are food shopping. I have no idea how I know what I know but it is amazing what you pick up over the years. The different influences that you are surrounded by. Louis would often do the same thing. Tell someone what to buy or how to prepare it. At just about any store. It is kind of like having the know-it-all with you and every chance the guy gets he is offering his suggestions. I remember how it all began. I was at Jim’s by myself and some lady asked the meat guy some questions and I chimed right in. How to prepare the meat, cook it, let it rest and what to serve with it. I did it so matter of factly that she must have thought that I was a professional. The meat guy was shocked and I think I was too. Then it hit me, I turned into Louis. That was the beginning of “doing a Louis” and from there on out, it happens all the time. I will sometimes call him in Louisiana and tell him that I “did a Louis.” When Heather is around and I do it, she just laughs. Twenty years I drank Louis’s espresso. I opened his mail, I ran his store. We often talked about opening a second store and that would be my store. We looked at locations over the years and we had plans for growth. We truly had a superior product but it just didn’t work out. Sometimes things don’t, that is just life. But, we did give it the old college try and then some. I really do love my espresso in the morning. It is a ritual, the grinder, the aroma the draw from the machine, nice crema on the top. Warms you up as it goes down and a nice little wake up call. Louis would take his with two sugars and some heavy cream. Many espressos I made for him too. God only knows how many drinks I have served people over the years. But now I mostly serve myself or served myself. Will I go back to espresso? Odds are that I will, but for now there is something romantic about my blend of Guatemala, Sumatra, Ethiopian, Brazil and New Guinea beans. Something that I just can’t seem to want to part with. Something that was so special so true. It wasn’t the coffee, it was the friendships. It was the moments. Espresso is a book of memories of good and bad times with fine people. So, for now it is tea. Dustin

THE HRE WHEELS ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE

Every year, HRE opens its doors for one of the most eclectic and exotic car gatherings in southern California. 2014 marked the biggest HRE Open House yet, with over 700 cars and over 1000 attendees. At 9:00am gorgeous vehicles rolled into the parking lot including everything from your tastefully modified BMW M3, to rare supercars like the Maserati MC12. This year’s show was emcee’d by The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah, who gave people a rundown on the day’s activities that included factory tours guided by HRE President Alan Peltier, giveaways and more. Event sponsors were out in force this year, and the selection of cars they brought was nothing short of staggering. The team at Eibach brought a true rarity thanks to the

folks at Sector 111, the barely street legal BAC Mono. The cars are a huge part of the event, but another great part about coming to the open house is the occasional sneak peek at new HRE models. This year’s special unveil came in the form of our latest three-piece creation, the Series RS1. The Series RS1 debuts with six new styles, including the 9-spoke mesh RS100, the 7-spoke split RS101, the 5-spoke twist RS102, the 15-spoke multi RS103, the solid 5-spoke RS105, and the 6-spoke RS106. Two of these models were on display on a stunning McLaren MP4 and a brand new Lamborghini Aventador Roadster. Every year, we wrap the event with a massive raffle and this year was huge for us. Not

only did we give away a free set of FlowForm wheels with tires and a forged set of wheels with tires, but through the raffle we were able to raise over $6500 dollars to donate to the Motor4Toys charity, a car show in December designed to gather as many toys as possible to give to kids in need all over the country. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors, customers and vendors for helping us put this incredibly fun event together. We love meeting new friends, long-time customers and hearing feedback from folks on the tour. We hope to see you next year! Head to our Facebook page for the complete gallery or just Google search “HRE Open House 2014” for great fan photos!

About Those 458 Challenge Cars

Story & Photos By Jim Hunter

To view additional photos visit: www.drivenworld.com/forums Two tracktards, one from Bogota, another from Milan, met while passionately pursuing their need for speed and formed the mighty Team C.I.A.O. (Columbian Italian Axis of Oversteer). As stated in one of their early press releases, the "synergistic actuation between Latin drivers and German technology" could not be held within the mere confines of a racing circuit and thus "The Axis of Oversteer" website was born. Carlos Gomez, "CG" as he is known on the website, represents the Colombian end of that sliding vector and is a seasoned race car driver. Because of his prior competition experience in the ALMS and the IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup, Carlos comes to the Ferrari Challenge North America as a pro competing in the Trofeo Pirelli Championship. Carlos, with his extensive time behind the wheel of BMW and Porsche racecars, offers a unique perspective on the Ferrari 458 Challenge car. "It is probably the most powerful racecar I have competed in. 600hp!" Running half the North American series this year, Carlos arrived in Montreal for his second outing following the 2014 season opener in Daytona. His next round will be Quebec's Mont Tremblant before concluding this year's foray at the Circuit of The Americas later this year for the USGP weekend.

The Challenge series is a nod to Ferrari's rich heritage as a racing stable, where Enzo would sell on Monday the very car that won on Sunday to finance his operations and keep his racing team moving forward. "This car is basically the same 458 you can buy for the street. The engine and transmission are the same," Carlos notes. "It is just completely stripped out and with a race suspension and race ABS system. It is much closer to the street than a Porsche Cup car, for example. That proves that the product Ferrari sells for the street is probably the highest quality and performance out there." What is it like to race a 458 Challenge car? The levels of grip are not that high since the tires are not made with the most grippy compound. Therefore, you have to be very gentle with the car. Yes, you have to push to the limits to make a fast lap, but you can't wrestle the 458; you have to be very precise and smooth. Fast hands are required too, but it's probably one of the better balanced race cars out there. If you fight with the car, you will just overheat the tires and go slower. The 458 Challenge rewards a smooth precise driver."

For those who have followed the series since the 458 was introduced, there have been some aero modifications which give these street machines a closer resemblance to their strictly racing cousins, the 458 GT's which run in sports car series worldwide. "The modifications to the car are mostly to help the car's handling in high speed cornering and braking. However, they are only aero and consist of a fully adjustable carbon fiber wing and a fixed front splitter and bumper with better air flow. The wing and splitter create enough downforce to bring the Challenge car a bit closer to the downforce levels of the 458 GT3, so it is similar to racing spec. It allows for another level of adjustability and setup of the car. You can brake later at high speed and corner a bit faster in 80mph+ turns." Carlos drove with outstanding form at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, harkening back to those early years with Team C.I.A.O., fiercely pushing to rob victory from Ferrari of Houston's Ricardo Perez. Although close, Carlos netted a 2nd Place podium result in both races . . . sprayed lots of expensive champagne . . . and with that electric "Axis of Oversteer" livery wrapping his 458's sinuous lines, he looked stellar doing so!

Bell Kaff, Instant Classic

Story by Mike Grudt Photos By Greg Grudt

Story by Scott Martin Photos by Scott Martin & Jamison Martin

To view additional photos visit: www.drivenworld.com/forums There are two people I know who are totally Driven… One is Dustin Troyan who publishes, appropriately, Driven World Magazine among many other ventures. The other is Larry Romestant, a mechanical engineer who reimagines and builds some of the nicest motorcycles you have ever encountered. Not to be cliché, but because the word has more than one meaning, I think it’s important to refer to the dictionary to see how they may be “Driven”: Adj. “strongly motivated to succeed.”, or “being under compulsion, as to succeed or excel.” Verb. “to cause and guide the movement of a vehicle or animal, especially to operate an automobile (in this case we’ll need to add motorcycle).” Those of us who know Dustin understand the analogy but if you don’t know him, I’m sure you’re familiar with someone who is driven in that way and is a success because they are constantly striving for the best they can achieve. I have known Larry Romestant and his wife Carol since noticing his cycles at the Greystone Mansion Concours D’Elegance in 2010. I was taking photos (as usual) and was floored by the design of his bikes. But when I started talking to Larry, I was

instantly impressed by his enthusiasm and complete knowledge of his builds, but also about every other motorcycle that was on display. I could tell immediately that he was a totally driven person. Over the years, I have witnessed several new builds and photographed many of them along with some great Canyon rides. The one thing that has continued to impress me is the way Larry is motivated to keep designing and building the best possible bike he can using the most innovative processes and technologically advanced parts. It is also amazing to me that, although he is proficient in CAD design and sometimes has his own parts printed, he can also take a raw piece of metal and hand-mold a part to fit perfectly and send it out to be powder-coated, then bolted on to the bike in the same day. And through it all, he remains a staunch perfectionist! His favorite pallet is the K-Model, or “Flying Brick” line of BMW cycles, but the K Master’s latest creation, “Bell Kaff”, incorporates elements of British, Italian and German motorcycle styling from the 60’s and 70’s. The bike re-imagines a 1970’s Café Racer, with a 1200cc engine and drive train from a 2004 BMW K1200RS and was recently unveiled at the 6th Annual Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California. It was

presented to Evan Bell to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Irv Siever Motorcycles in Orange, California. Romestant stated, “The whole idea is for the bike not to look like a custom. I wanted it to look like it could have rolled straight off the factory floor… even though nothing like this could have actually come from the factory at that time.” Larry is currently putting the bike through its final paces before delivery at the dealership’s anniversary celebration in July, mainly because he is never satisfied… another sign of that “Driven” gene. Bell Kaff and several of Larry’s other custom creations will also be filmed in a segment at Jay Leno’s Garage at the end of June. Pictured in the article: Bell Kaff (Aqua); The Bomb (Crème); The Beast or Big Red (Red/

Yellow). If you would like additional information, please go to www.specialks.net Scott Martin is a Calabasas resident, photojournalist, auto broker and frequent contributor to Driven World Magazine. He can be reached at sroscott@me.com or 818-430-7266

SENSATIONAL MONTREAL: NEW GAME, CLOSE FINISH

Story & Photos By Jim Hunter With the arrival of the F1 circus to a North American stage for the first time in 2014, a season of change advanced into its middle act and beyond what had been a tenuous opening. Despite years of intense speculation in the media over the looming dawn of F1’s new technical era, the season opener in Melbourne apparently caught many off guard. The new V-6 Turbo Hybrid power units sounded nothing like their normally aspirated V-8 predecessors. Organizers threatened lawsuits and heated, often vitriolic anger dominated automotive and motorsport forums worldwide. Grandiose, reactionary commentary describing the power units as “lumps” while claiming “the sport is dead, no one will show up” read as bold retorts by those betrayed by the omnipotent ever-evil Bernie. F1’s cherished, spectacular sound may have been lost, but the reasons for and parties behind the new regulations were largely mythological. In truth Ecclestone and F.O.M. had little to do with an agenda driven by manufacturers who demanded a link between their race cars and the cars they market for the road. From their perspective, V-8’s weren’t in the showroom, so why should they be on the race track? In fairness, only Ferrari stood with Ecclestone expressing significant doubt over the new direction the sport was taking. So as the curtain rose in Melbourne, it was immediately evident that the days of ultra violent shrill had passed into yesteryear. There were other changes, too. Strict fuel flow and us-

age requirements put engineers in a bind trying to maximize the power they had without exceeding usage limits and running out of fuel. Although attrition rates did not reach nearly as high as many pundits predicted, it was clear that F1 c2014 was a work in progress. But as the teams populated the narrow, back stage avenue of temporary tents lining the St. Lawrence for the Grand Prix du Canada, the seventh round of the 2014 championship, questions regarding the new era were beginning to play more as subtext under the exposition over the fight at the front. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas appraised the Canada paddock; “I think everyone should be already by now very used to the cars with all of the testing we had and the first few races.” Always one of the most highly anticipated stops on the calendar, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve would provide a good idea of just how well the drivers and teams have adjusted F1 to c2014 to date. Although the arc in this technical drama had not fully played out, attention was back on the sport, the prize at hand, and how Montreal’s unique low downforce circuit would define the

field. As Bottas so succinctly states, “it’s just maximizing the tool you have, but on the track.” McLaren driver and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button offered,” This is a circuit where aerodynamics are important but not as important as a lot of the races we’ve been to lately . . . it’s more a mechanical grip track. I think its going to be reasonably tricky around here with the torque we have from these engines on corner exits.” Although long straights bode well for the might of his Mercedes 2014 power unit, the fact that the neither Button nor any of his competitors would be able to rely on aero to tame the laws of physics meant that Montreal could demonstrate just how adept everyone had become

To view additional photos visit: www.drivenworld.com/forums with massive, immediate torque, reduced downforce, harder tires, and the reduced feel of brake by wire. “There aren’t any fast corners here but it’s still a fun circuit to drive,” says Button. “Long straights, a lot of low speed chicanes where curb riding and good exit speed is important” Bottas agrees. “It’s a very different track, its quite narrow, quite slippery, quite bumpy. You need to be really precise on the curbs, so its going to be interesting” Indeed, the circuit is narrow and slippery. There are several corners which place emphasis on stable, confident braking with tightly sweeping exits where traction and speed are critical to quick, competitive lap times. Boiling down the primary differences in this year’s car, Bottas offers, “The torque is the main thing (difference) and at the same time we have a little less grip, less grip than last year. So the cars are sliding a bit more than they used to.” Friday’s first Free Practice was thrilling as the drivers found their way, exploring throttle on corner exit. The session served up a spectacular display of opposite lock in large quantity as the drivers searched the boundaries of putting the power down effectively. The Grand Prix du Canada would also challenge the new brake by wire systems beyond degrees seen so far in 2014. Several drivers on the grid have struggled with the new braking system, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, with so many chicanes and tight corners following high speed blasts, requires braking finesse to maintain competitive advantage. Kamui Kobayashi has endured such particular challenges at Caterham. “In the beginning we were like someone who dropped out of the sky or from some other country; you don’t know where you are. It’s been like that. When we’ve had a problem, and don’t know where we are, we don’t know what we need to do ‘cause we have nothing, no experience at all.”

On the contrary, Bottas feels more confident with his Williams, especially at this circuit. “Braking has been ok for us, compared to others. Some teams with a bit more downforce have been slightly more competent, but in general I think corner entries and braking into the corners is one our good areas, and I think short corners with chicanes is not bad for our car.” Kobayashi sees progress, however. “I think now we are more familiar, we know, we’ve got more experience and we know what we have to do. Is becoming easier to improve, get confident with it and stay consistent.” And as nothing remains stagnant in F1, Renault arrived in Canada promising their teams more outright horsepower. Ferrari brought significant updates for which they hoped the best fully acknowledging that the circuit would not suit the F14-T’s weaknesses. Pirelli offered their soft and supersoft tires, which would be tested by the unseasonably warm weather. When the lights went out on Sunday torque and braking indeed played heavy in the drama. Max Chilton’s aggressive throttle over the curbs claimed not only his race but teammate Bianchi’s on the very first lap. The circuit also proved to be very tough on brakes as suspected. Most notably on Force India’s Perez, whose braking issues may have played a role in his huge last lap shunt with Felipe Massa, costing both drivers a probable podium and cautionary trips to the hospital for checks. Brakes also weighed heavily on the fate of both Mercedes drivers who were trying to overcome a power unit shortfall by making up the difference on braking. The lighter weight four piston calipers (deemed sufficient with the braking assistance of KERS) could not take the beating, especially in the heat, costing Hamilton his race. Rosberg, who led from the start, benefitted from intel on Hamilton’s failure and drove around the Mercedes woes brilliantly to maintain

a podium finish. Ferrari struggled, hampered by the same issues they’ve fought all year long, a lack of traction, poor tire use, and general lack of straight-line speed. The story of the race however proved to be Daniel Ricciardo’s sensational first Grand Prix victory. Ricciardo, enormously popular in and out of the paddock, drove a solid race to capitalize on Rosberg’s struggles and brake the vise-like grip Mercedes has held on the top step all season long. He has overshadowed his quadruple World Champion teammate Sebastian Vettel in his first season at Red Bull, a feat not surprising to those who have followed his career since karting. And what about the sound? It depends. Perhaps it is only our narrow definition of “spectacle” which has been lost. Standing alongside Montreal’s sweeping exits, one could not fairly dismiss the aggression within the new turbo hybrid’s engine note. As the teams have learned to manage fuel flow, they’ve found a way to bring these power units closer to the full 15K rev limit allowed within the regulations. In addition, the sound of turbos spooling down off throttle and the scruff of tortured rubber fighting for grip actually contribute to a broader, more complete Grand Prix soundscape. The 2014 Grand Prix du Canada reminded us that as tough as it can be to acknowledge, people sometimes simply do not like change. A sensational, closely fought race that emphasized driver skill arose along the narrow Île Notre Dame. Although not without current governance and economic challenges, the sporting side of F1 is quite healthy indeed. Grand Prix racing has seen plenty of change over its sixty plus year history, but the sport has never faltered. Thus premature claims of the sport’s death will prove greatly exaggerated as this new era appears set to deliver the same challenge as did those that preceded.

Cars and Cigars Story by Dustin Troyan Photos by Scott Martin and Dustin Troyan The season opener of Cars and Cigars was a huge success. Partnering with Lavaggio and The Auto Gallery is a natural synthesis embodied in passion. To kick the season off, it was mandatory that we did a scenic drive through the Santa Monica Mountains which would end at Lavaggio for festivities. Our starting point was the Auto Gallery McLaren/Maserati Dealership in Calabasas. The Auto Gallery Team gave us a warm reception and as the cars arrived and the dealership turned into an exotic paddock with the finest cars the world has to offer. We departed the Auto Gallery and headed through Calabasas to Mulhholland Drive. It was such a sight, thirty exotics cruising down one of the world’s most famous highways. It was one of those perfect moments when the weather was perfect, there was no traffic and you are cruising along with thirty of your friends. It was magical. Arriving at the “Overlook” at the Rockstore, the enthusiasts and photographers that were there went crazy. So many exotics on a cruise on a Saturday afternoon, who expected it? As we stretched our legs at and took photos, surreptitiously, a Ferrari 458 Speciale rounded the corner and parked with us. It happened to be one of the only press cars in the states and timing could not have been better. We just got a bit more exotic. Fantastic. It was time to head to Lavaggio in Agoura Hills. Heading down Kanan through the tunnels, always fun! As we pulled into Lavaggio, it was a concours unto itself. Lavaggio which is arguably the finest auto detailing facility on the planet had pulled out all stops for the Cars and Cigars event. The Auto Gallery was also there with the newest and greatest from the brands they represent. As the evening unfolded, the guests enjoyed the live music, wine tasting and lovely hors d’oeuvres that were passed. It was an absolutely amazing start to a wonderful summer season of friends, cars, passion and driving. A very Special thank you to Lavaggio and The Auto Gallery for supporting this great event!

To view additional photos visit: www.drivenworld.com/forums

Car Culture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by Mark Llewellyn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ License Plate Facts: Automotive plates are 12” x 6” and Motorcycle plates are 7” x 4”. You need a license for just about anything today. One needs a license to get married, to fish…even James Bond needs a ‘License to Kill’. So it’s no wonder “License Plates” are a requirement for every car in the United States.

When automobiles first hit the scene in the early 1900’s, there was no such thing as a license plate. 1901 was the year, and New York was the first state to require vehicle license plates. At that time, the plates were made by the car owner and usually displayed the owner’s initials. In 1903, Massachusetts was the first state to mandate state-issued license plates. These ‘first plates’ were made of iron and covered in porcelain enamel, just like sinks and tubs. Their very first plate featured the number “1” and was issued to Mr. Frederick Tudor. One of his relatives still holds an active registration for this plate! Soon all states began to issue license plates in order to regulate cars, drivers, and traffic. For California, it was the year 1905 when the government started a statewide registration system. Owners of vehicles paid a $2.00 fee and were issued a circular tag. To obtain the tag, the automobile had to have satisfactory lamps, good brakes, and a bell or horn. In 1905, the number of registered cars in California was 17,015. Over the years, many different legislators and departments have been assigned the custodial duties of regulating vehicle records.

Plates become valid when adorned with appropriate stickers and tabs. California license plates remain with the vehicle when it’s sold, except for personalized or special interest plates. 1970 - California plates change from the standard black background with yellow characters to a blue background with yellow characters. 1970 - Ronald Reagan signed legislation beginning the state’s personalized-plate program. The first personalized plate read: AMIGO. Currently, there are over 1 million personalized plates issued. 1982 - Plate design changed again, this time to a white background with blue letters and numbers. 1991 - Reflectorized plates were issued. 2011 - The state adorns their web address “dmv.ca.gov” at the bottom of the plate. How creative!

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Ferrari Club of America Southwest Region Pasadena Ferrari Show 2014

Story by Mike Grudt Photos By Greg Grudt

If you are a Ferrari aficionado I hope you were present at the show held a few weeks ago in Pasadena. If not, there is always next year (just like the Dodgers since 1988…). My son Greg and I recently attended the annual Ferrari Club of America Southwest Region’s annual event on Colorado Blvd. in mid May. There were numerous Ferraris (mostly red) in most models made over the past few decades. There were no F-40’s or F-50’s, but anytime you can see a 288 GTO (in a parking lot…not even at the show) and two Enzos (an orange one and a black model) then I would say it was a pretty good showing. We always arrive prior to the arrival of the crowd to get some clean pictures and the overcast sky made for perfect lighting. One of my favorite examples was a long wheelbase Ferrari 250 California Spyder in a dark blue. Supposedly this is a one off model with rectangular slots in the steering wheel and squared off door handle surrounds and other alloy trim pieces. The standard model has more rounded corners on these parts. I took the guys word for it since I have only seen a couple of these rare cars and I don’t remember how these parts

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are shaped. It made a good story. Oh, and this is a daily driver…maybe the owner works from home and doesn’t drive too far. There were also a 360 and a 458 race car and an old Ferrari race car with a bare aluminum body. It really sounded cool when the owner fired it up for the judges. A museum from northern California has a collection of very unique Ferrari’s and other vehicles. They brought an off white color 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica. There were a couple of 16M’s a Scud or two, a 599 GTO, at least one Testerossa and countless 348’s, 355’s, 360’s, 430’s and 458’s (they were a dime a dozen). There were a few local exotic car dealers and vendors present. One vendor was selling extremely detailed Ferrari models in 1:8 scale that had plug wires, belts and so much detail it was truly amazing. I’m told each model goes for a few thousand dollars or more. If one can’t afford the real thing I guess this is the next best option. All in all this was a great show at a great locale. See you there next year. Please enjoy Greg’s photos: www.exoticcarfotos.com Story by Mike Grudt and Photos by Greg Grudt

Story and Photos by Scott Martin

11th Annual LAPD Still Saving Lives Car Show and Safety Fair VTAC, or Valley Traffic Advisory Council held an extremely successful fundraiser in support of the Los Angeles Police Department, Valley Traffic Division on Saturday, May 31st at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills, California. The yearly LAPD Still Saving Lives Car Show event promotes traffic safety and education, with generated funds used to directly purchase items such as displays, handouts, cameras, computers and teaching aids to assist LAPD officers in their efforts with approximately 12,500 school age children and 20,000 residents and community members. Other VTAC programs are youth drinking and driving education through “Sober Graduation” and “Child Safety Seat Inspections.” The annual Car Show began early, with some organizers and vintage Airstream trailer participants sleeping in the park and the Helicopter landing in the middle of the night so as not to raise dust with everyone around. Early morning, the car lineup and parking began in earnest, with the previous year’s show winner and Jeff Dunham’s Batmobile taking prominent positions. Reserved spots for show supporters Exotic Euro Cars, Mercedes Benz of Encino, Vista Woodland Hills and Picture Car Warehouse were plotted out, and law enforcement and military equipment vehicles took their places around the park’s perimeter. A lot of vendors including Coastline Motorsports and Century Towing provided information and sample products to the motoring community. The military trucks were a great addition and a big hit with the youngsters who got to sit in the drivers’ seats and turrets, and SWAT officers, who were not normally in attendance drew big crowds with their equipment displays and conversations. The LAPD helicopter, as always, got a lot of “selfie” and kids photo action. Speaking with one of the event coordinators Jeff Littman, he said that he was picking up a great vibe all day, which I could definitely see… it looked like everybody was having a great time

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between the cars, the food, the music and great weather… just a perfect day! He also commented that this was one event that seemed to bring all different types of people together. Featuring over 300 cars, Raffles, a Silent Auction, Free Admission, tons of Food Trucks and the LAPD Motorcycle Drill Team, the gathering definitely had something for everyone. Entertainment was supplied by The Original Gumball Factory and the festivities were kept going non-stop by KTLA personality Mark Kriski. According to VTAC President Ed Arensdorf, this was the best attended event in

its history, with the most cars registered and the most money raised. He said, “We are very proud of what we accomplished with the communities’ help in breaking so many records at this year’s car show and look forward to many more years of supporting our local law enforcement in the San Fernando Valley.” He also mentioned how hard it was for the judges to make a decision about the winning vehicle, resulting in a historic tie… Gary Wales’ hand-built “La Bestioni” and Dale Conover’s Concours-condition 1956 Chevy Nomad.

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FERRARI CHALLENGE MONTEREY: SEIZE THE DAY Story and Photos by Jim Hunter

In a world of “gentlemen racers,” Jackie Heinricher’s story is entertaining, if not altogether inspirational. Heinricher, competing in the Ferrari Challenge for the first time, is a relative newcomer to automobile racing. “I had never raced anything in my life, not even a burnout as a kid because that was the kind of thing my brother did. Not me!” Jackie is living an extraordinary adventure. Having never been to a racing circuit, she reluctantly agreed to enter an AMG Mercedes Driving Academy at Laguna Seca two years ago. “I had no idea what I was up against. It was crazy. I kept telling my instructor that I couldn’t do it.” Despite finding the scene overwhelming, Jackie completed the course and caught the attention of driving instructor Nick Kunewalder, who invited her to a Ferrari Client experience driving the 458 Challenge car. “I flew to Sonoma, got to the track and, there again, all guys, and a full blown race car! I was sick to my stomach nervous. I basically had to be peeled out of the rental car to get myself into the Ferrari.” Anthony Lazzaro took her for a couple of demo laps before she finally worked up the nerve to slide into the driver’s seat. “Not fast, but I drove and paddle shifted the car since it’s the only thing you can do. It sort of came natural. I was amazed and captivated by the car and the notion that I might try to race this car. I road back to the airport with a smile on my face that to this day is still stuck in my mind. I thought long and hard about it. I ran a company, and it’s not

an inexpensive sport, but I finally made the decision a year later, to invest in doing it, and started racing. My very first ever race was Daytona this year.” Relaxing between practice sessions for the Ferrari Challenge round at Laguna Seca, Jackie recounts the intense commitment her newfound endeavor commands. “It is one of the hardest things I have ever done. For anybody who thinks that they can jump in a race car and do ... as people say ‘oh a 30 minute race, that’s no big deal’ … well, a 30 minute race at full throttle, battling cars, is a very big deal! The Ferrari is crazy fast and requires guts and skill to drive.” Like all racing drivers, Jackie has embraced nutrition and fitness as a way of life. However, as with any challenge that an individual might apply themselves toward, motorsport is not without rewards. Jackie has experienced quite a few and already has several stories to share. “It’s extremely exhilarating and addictive, but I don’t want to just drive just to be driving. I’m trying to get up to speed and be competitive and to not have the fear factor of doing battle. I feel like I’m doing that, and I’m looking forward to just getting better and better and better at this. Ferrari and the Ferrari Challenge have become very deep passions for me. And I find that there are great people racing. I feel honored to be a part of the racing family and racing world.” Jackie is relatively new to the Ferrari community. However, given the marque’s spirit in

competition and long history of selling road cars merely to finance racing operations, Enzo would probably proudly embrace her as a true Ferrarista! “My very first Ferrari ended up being the Ferrari 458 Challenge Car! This is unusual because most drivers in the series own street cars before the Challenge car. I now also own a Ferrari street car. I admire the brand and imagine I will have more Ferrari’s in my future.” It’s impossible not to appreciate Jackie’s courage and sense of humor. “Daytona was really an experience. Going 190 miles an hour takes some getting used to, but interestingly the cars are spaced out if you’re a beginner and we were under a yellow flag. When I later arrived at Sonoma for the last race there were 38 cars, a lot of battle, and no yellow flags, so I feel like that was really my first real race. I literally called my crew and said I can’t finish. I’m too... I’m wiped out. And they said ‘Oh, you’re gonna finish.’” Jackie did finish the race, and by doing so reaped yet another surprising reward for her efforts. “After I finished Sonoma, a couple of parents came up to me with their little girl. She was kind of hiding behind her mother’s legs, and they asked with wide eyes if she could take a picture with me or meet me! I absolutely said yes. She shyly came around and I asked ‘will you take a picture with me?’ Afterwards, I handed her a Ferrari anniversary pin and she was just very thrilled to be in that situation and so excited.” Motorsport is a very rich life indeed. Forza Ferrari! Forza Jackie!

Golf Tips with Tommy Mansuwan You may have heard the phrase, “high launch, low spin”, if you have been around the game of golf recently. And no, it isn’t all marketing. New studies and theories on the golf swing have concluded that to maximize your distance from a driver, you should hit up on the ball while producing sub-2000 rpm spin rate on the ball. Most of this information has come from the advancement in golfing technology, thanks in big part to Trackman, a radar based system that monitors nearly all aspects of impact in a golf swing. While I could write an article on Trackman itself, let’s focus on how to get an upward attack angle on the driver instead. To understand the swing arc, imagine standing in a golf posture in the middle of a hula hoop while it is angled towards the

Straighter Drive

ground. The surrounding hoop is essentially your swing plane while the bottom of the hoop that contacts the ground is your spot of impact in the swing. The area to the right of impact would have a negative (downward) angle of attack whereas the area to the left would have a positive (upward) attack angle. So what is the easiest way to ensure you contact the ball with the driver on the upward motion? Tee the ball up slightly higher than normal and on the outside of your left foot (right foot for lefties). Having the ball further left in your

stance will make sure the club gets past the bottom of the arc before hitting the ball. And putting the ball higher will allow for better contact since the club head will now be traveling in an upward motion. Got all that? Now comes the tricky part, aim about 15 yards right of your target. If you were to set up straight down the middle of the fairway with that ball position and make a normal swing, you would hit it left all day long. Why? As the club head moves upwards through the swing, the face will also rotate along the arc resulting in the face pointing left (or shut). To counter this, just aim further right than normal and give it a normal swing. While I did state to aim 15 yards right of the target, you can use that as a starting point and work around that depending on how much room you need. Don’t try to fight it but rather, use it to your advantage. This is the setup most tour pros use as a result of Trackman as it allows the player to really go hard after the ball without fear of hitting it far off line. Let the release of the club do all the work. To recap: - Tee ball higher than normal - Move ball position towards the outside of the left foot - Aim right of your target line - Swing normally while making sure to keep your head behind the ball

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That’s our Brooks!

I’m going to admit something I...I’ve never really been a fan of the Dodge (or SRT, or now Dodge again) Viper. There, I said it. And what a load off! Look, it’s not that I don’t like it. I mean, what’s not to like. Big, fast, V10, torque, I get it. But it’s just not my thing. And even with all its undoubted charms, I’ll always have a bone to pick with the big snake. That’s because, at the exact same show where the Viper debuted, Chrysler showed another car. The Plymouth Speedster had no top, a cut down windscreen, and two seats. Other than that, and being powered by fire, you’d struggle to find similarities with a Viper. The wheelbase was 86 inches, the interior was covered in wetsuit material, and it was powered by a four-cylinder, mounted behind the seats. It was a sports car of a very different ethos, and I can’t decide whether it paid tribute to the Porsche 550 Spyder, or presaged the MkIII Toyota MR2. I saw pictures of both cars in Popular Mechanics when I was 13, and while I thought the Viper was cool, I wanted the Speedster. Of course, the Viper went on to become a legend. One with a racing record that stands toe-to-toe with the Shelby Cobra to which it paid tribute. Meanwhile, if you search the internet for pictures of the Plymouth Speedster, you will find them, all eight or so. Plymouth itself is gone; largely forgotten. Their own attempt to emulate the Viper’s success produced the lukewarm Prowler, a V6 “Hot Rod,” with an automatic. What

By Brooks Smith would have happened if Plymouth had taken the Speedster into production? Plymouth would have folded even sooner, is my guess. At least, that’s what my record at picking winners suggests. I think of myself as a dedicated car enthusiast, and one who knows a thing or two about his hobby. But the fact is, manufactures could save a lot of money and time focus-grouping cars, if they would just show and explain their new models to me, then ask what I think. If I don’t care about it, you’re probably on the right track. If I can list reasons I’d recommend it to a friend, that’s a good sign as well. But if I fall instantly in love, and want it desperately, you should quietly crate the car back up, push it into a corner of the warehouse, and forget that you ever wanted to do so foolish a thing, as to bring something that interesting, to market. I used to think I was a snob (I still do, but or different reasons). If a car was rare, I tended to like it, and I thought it was rarity that turned me on. Cars like the ATS 2500, De Tomaso Vallelunga, Matra Djet, and Tornado Talisman found a warmer place in my heart than did more common contemporaries. As time has passed, I’ve come to understand that it’s the qualities I look for in a car, that keep it rare. There are plenty of more mainstream examples. Remember the Nissan NX2000? No, Of course you don’t. Why would you? No one does. It was a brilliant thing, with Sentra SE-R

running gear, and a neat 2+2, t-topped body. Had better brakes than the Sentra, too. It was my favorite hot hatch on the market, ahead of things like the Honda CRX and the Volkswagen GTi. While I still see many of the latter two, I can’t remember the last time I saw an NX. Or the Suzuki Swift GTi. It shared body panels with a Geo Metro, but was powered by a jewel of a motor; 1.3 liters, twin overhead cams, and 16 valves. It handled sweetly, with pure trailing-arm rear suspension, just like a French hot hatch. Mazda MX-3 V6, anyone? Why wouldn’t one want a little coupe, powered by the world’s smallest production V6 (1.8 liters!)? I still don’t know. Mustang SVO, Nissan R390, Volkswagen Type-34, De Tomaso Guara, Lancia Scorpion, Peugeot 405 Mi16, Del Sol V-TEC, Saleen S7, Fiat 2300S...the list goes on. And don’t even get me started on the Yamaha OX99-11! It’s not all bad news though. Sure, rarity makes cars harder to find, and care for. And it’s natural to want to see things you like, be successful. But anonymity also keeps prices down. So many of the cars remain aspirational, instead of astronomical. Even something like an ATS is worth far less than a comparable Ferrari. And that’s something for fans of forgotten oddballs to cling to. But I still die a little inside, every time I see a Viper drive by.

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