V O L UM E 7 | M OT O R C L U B MAGAZINE
1
LUXURY WITHOUT POWER ISN’T LUXURY. THE FIRST-EVER BMW M760i xDRIVE WITH 601 HP. Elegance has never been so exhilarating. The first-ever BMW M760i xDrive boasts a magnificent 6.6-liter TwinPower Turbo V-12 with 601 horsepower and a 0–60 time of just 3.6 seconds. It’s excitement on demand, and in every inch. Because as far as BMW is concerned, there’s no luxury like the luxury of power.
BMW. OFFICIAL VEHICLE PARTNER OF MMC. ©2017 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.
2
M O TO R C LU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2017 SEASON ON THE COVER...
2ND ANNUAL
Concours d'Elegance
FRI., OCT. 6 – SUN., OCT. 8
QUEALLY MAZDA CLASSIC, POWERED BY HWI OPEN TO ALL GENERATIONS OF MIATAS & MX-5 CARS NO POINTS AWARDED TOWARD YEAR-END CHAMPIONSHIP
SUN., AUG. 13
SUN., OCT. 8
(PRO-AM)
(AIM DEMO RACE)
SUN., SEPT. 24
FRI., OCT. 27 ______
PROCUP KARTING ENDURO FRI., SEPT. 22 – SUN., SEPT. 24 ______ MMC MEMBER CHALLENGE TWO GROUPS: SPORTS CARS (CLASSES BASED ON HP/WEIGHT RATIO) & LITES (RADICALS, OPEN-COCKPIT CARS, OPEN-WHEEL CARS, ETC.) POINTS AWARDED TOWARD YEAR-END CHAMPIONSHIP TWO SPRINT RACES PER DAY (ONE RACE PER GROUP)
SAT., AUG. 5
SAT., SEPT. 9
BMW Art Car #18 by Chinese artist Cao Fei Cao Fei, the youngest and first Chinese artist ever to conceptualize a BMW Art Car, creates multimedia works that are a reflection on the speed of change in China, on tradition, and on the future. With her BMW Art Car Project, Fei employs augmented and virtual reality to address the future of mobility, such as autonomous driving, airborne cars, and digitalization. Staying true to her artistic practice, Fei builds a parallel universe that consists of three different components: a video focusing on a time-traveling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful light particles (accessible via a dedicated app), and the BMW M6 GT3 racecar in its original carbon black.
B:11.94”
T:11.69” S:10.75”
______ INVITATIONAL ENDURANCE RACES ENDURANCE FORMAT WITH TWO OR MORE DRIVERS PER CAR MINIMUM OF ONE MMC MEMBER PER CAR RACING GUESTS WELCOME
SAT., OCT. 14 ______ PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA NATIONAL RACE THURS., JULY 13 (TEST & TUNE DAY)
FRI., JULY 14 – SUN., JULY 16 (NATIONAL PORSCHE RACE & PORSCHE GT4 CUP CHAMPIONSHIP RACE)
______ TEEN SLEEP-AWAY RACING CAMP FRI., AUG. 18 – WED., AUG. 23 ______
Paying tribute to the carbon fiber structure of the racecar chassis, Fei’s holistic use of a non-reflective black incorporates the car into the possibilities of the digital world. Within this concept, Fei’s implementation of video art and augmented reality creates an environment of which the M6 GT3 is an essential part. In her video work, the practitioner executes spiritual movements, which echo in colorful streams of light. When the app is used within the premises of the car, these light swishes become an AR installation floating above and around the BMW M6 GT3 – involving the spectator as an interactive participant.
HALLOWEEN FUN RACE SAT., OCT. 28 ______ MMC EXCLUSIVE: PORSCHE WINTER DRIVING EXPERIENCE IN QUÉBEC SUN., FEB. 11, 2018 – WED., FEB. 14, 2018 ______ MMC RACING SCHOOLS
This narrative reflects on a traditional spiritual ceremony very common throughout Asia in which new objects are being blessed. In this case, the blessing is wishing good luck to car and driver. On a broader level, the light elements mirror what the eyes cannot see and the mind cannot picture.
AVAILABLE IN 3-DAY ALL-INCLUSIVE, 2-DAY ADVANCED, OR 1-DAY INTRO FORMATS
TUES., AUG. 8 – THURS., AUG. 10 TUES., AUG. 29 – THURS., AUG. 31 MON., SEPT. 18 – WED., SEPT. 20 MON., OCT. 30 – WED., NOV. 1
Read more about BMW Art Cars on page 24.
UMEE 77 | | M MOOT MAGAZINE VVOOLLUM TOORR CCLLUUBB MAGAZINE
33
Welcome to Motor Club Magazine, the publication created for members of Monticello Motor Club. Our team of designers, writers, photographers, and editors deliver content tailored to an audience of motorsports enthusiasts. The content of Motor Club Magazine is the intellectual property of Monticello Motor Club and/or the respective advertising entities, and is protected by copyright laws. No content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise exploited in any manner without the prior expressed or written permission of the copyright owner.
PUBLISHED BY Media Solstice, LLC 845.202.9199 www.mediasolstice.com Monticello Motor Club 855.MMC.CLUB www.monticellomotorclub.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Jessica Gardner Holly Covart Suzanne Forni
CONTRIBUTORS Kim Barnes Holly Covart Vittoria DiBella Ralph Garcia Jessica Gardner Mary Jo Gardner Johanna Geissler Stephen Israel Molly McCoy Matthew O’Sullivan Matthew Peckham Ari Straus
PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Casse Dom Miliano Trevor Neil Richard Prince Chris Ramirez Joshua Sweeney Chris Szczypala
“IT’S SIMPLY NOT IN OUR NATURE TO SIT STILL. WE NEED TO MOVE. WE NEED TO DRIVE.” MMC CEO & MANAGING PARTNER ARI STRAUS
PRINTING Allied Printing Services, Inc.
Any and all advertisements are the responsibility of the individual advertising entities. No advertisement contained in Motor Club Magazine constitutes a legal offer made by Monticello Motor Club, including content errors, omissions, or infringing content.
67 Cantrell Road Monticello, New York 12701 855.MMC.CLUB (855.662.2582) info@monticellomotorclub.com www.monticellomotorclub.com
44
MO M OTO TORR CCLU LUBB MAGAZ MAGAZINE INE | | VO V OLU LU M MEE 77
DRIVER’S SEAT ARI
STRAUS
CEO & MANAGING PARTNER, MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB
Stagnant is not a word typically used to describe Monticello Motor Club’s members. It’s simply not in our nature to sit still. We need to move. We need to drive. True auto enthusiasts share a passion for motorsports that often ranges from high-performance street cars and racecars to antique and classic collector cars. What differentiates MMC members from other enthusiasts, however, is our commitment to fully experiencing these cars, as opposed to simply owning them. MMC is a reflection of our members and their propensity for action. Even as we approach our 10-year anniversary, we remain obsessed with growing and improving. We are always exploring ways to better deliver safe and exciting motorsports experiences and camaraderie to an exclusive group of high-end auto enthusiasts. Our partnership with BMW of North America (see page 11) is just one recent example of our commitment to growth. BMW is known for building the Ultimate Driving Machine, none more impressive than BMW’s M and M Performance models. The entire BMW lineup – which becomes even more awe-inspiring when unleashed on MMC’s race track – is now
available for members, their guests, and a handful of visitors applying for membership. We have also joined forces to offer the first and only racing school in the United States to utilize a fleet of 2017 race-prepared BMW M2 Coupes.
for other members who are interested in combining their automotive passion with portfolio asset management. Many member cars under VMM’s management will be on display at Art In Motion from October 6 through October 8.
We’ve added several Polaris RZR XP Turbo side-by-sides to our fleet as part of our new partnership with Polaris, one of the largest powersports companies in the world. This has allowed us to offer our members the ideal combination of power, suspension, and agility as they explore the miles and miles of off-road trails that are spread across our 670acre country club property.
Finally, we mustn’t forget our partnership with Resorts World Catskills (www. rwcatskills.com), the $1.5-billion casino and four-season destination resort project under construction just five minutes from Monticello Motor Club’s front gate. Poised to become one of the most comprehensive gaming resorts in the Northeast, Resorts World Catskills will give our members even more reasons to visit throughout the season.
Sometimes looking to the past fosters future development. Such is the case with our latest construction project, the MMC Collector Car Gallery. This stunning 13,000-square-foot, glass and steel structure, opening just in time for the second annual Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance at MMC, will showcase a few dozen of some of the world’s finest collector cars, owned by our members. The new building will also become home to Vintage Motor Management, which provides acquisition and management services to the many MMC members who have a passion for car collecting. VMM’s on-site presence will ease the way
These new partners and experiences are just a few examples of MMC’s commitment to high-quality wish fulfillment. Our members become part of the MMC family in order to live their lives to the fullest, and that’s exactly what MMC allows them to do – season after season.
Shiny side up,
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
5
MMC CONTENTS V O L U M E
7
3
14
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: 2017 SEASON
8
EVE DAMIEN: HEAD OVER WHEELS
10
MMC & BMW: THE ULTIMATE DRIVING PARTNERSHIP
30
12
20
BMW M2 RACING SCHOOL
PORSCHE PLAYGROUND CREATES WINTER WONDERLAND
14
24
CHRIS DUPLESSIS: MMC TRACK DIRECTOR
BMW ART CARS: CAPTURING THE ART OF SPEED
35
28
SOCIAL SCENE
30
ALEX WOLENSKI: FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
58 6
MO TO R C LU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
8
20
34
SULLIVAN SPIRITS TOUR
35
CATSKILL BREWERY LIVES GREEN
10
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
7
“IT FEELS LIKE MMC HAS BECOME A NEW WORLD FOR ME, AND I LOVE EVERY BIT OF IT.”
88
MO MOTO TOR RC CLU LUB B MAGAZINE MAGAZ INE || VOLU V OLUM ME E 77
Eve Damien HEAD OVER WHEELS
If you had asked 59-year-old Eve Damien her opinion about high-performance driving and Monticello Motor Club two years ago, she would have said the whole concept was dumb. A bunch of testosterone-filled men driving around and around and around a track like a swarm of bees? No thank you. Ask her the same question now, and she’ll tell you that Monticello Motor Club has changed her in ways she never could have guessed. “I don’t know how this happened; it’s so out of the ordinary for me,” Eve said. She’s as surprised as anyone about her change of heart. Really, the track represents so much of what Eve doesn’t like: loud noises, strong smells, and driving fast. “When I go up there, it’s a different experience; I like the smell of hot brakes and the roar of the engines on the track,” Eve said. “It’s really interesting; I am normally more introverted, but I find myself talking to other people, engaging people.” “It feels like MMC has become a new world for me, and I love every bit of it,” she added. It was Eve’s husband, Miguel, who finally talked her into giving MMC a try. He is a member, and absolutely loves the track and MMC’s first-class facilities. Still, he felt guilty being away from home for a whole day every time he visited the Club. He’d frequently ask Eve to come along, but she’d always take a pass. She just didn’t see the appeal. Finally, Eve acquiesced, even agreeing to accept a private driving lesson from MMC’s lead pro instructor, Jason Rabe. Her stomach was in knots throughout the two-hour drive to MMC from their home in Little Silver, N.J., but she’d made a promise.
By the end of that day, she wondered why she had waited so long. “You don’t have time to be nervous; I was so surprised,” Eve recalled. “Driving takes over your whole brain; you can’t think of anything else.” Soon after, Eve had a Gold membership of her own and a race-prepared Porsche Cayman S to go along with it. Now she heads to MMC every chance she gets, averaging nearly twice the number of track days as her husband, Miguel. “I have a routine; I get out of bed at 4:30 a.m. and grab coffee and breakfast on the way,” Eve said. “My car is ready and waiting for me to go out and do my sessions. I'm putting a lot of time into it; I'm steadily working to develop confidence and drive faster.” Eve is a cautious driver on the track, but she’s diligent in her efforts to improve. Last season she took part in one of MMC’s Intro to Racing Schools, and in February participated in MMC’s Winter Camp4 Canada Porsche Driving Experience at Québec’s Mécaglisse motorsport complex. Truth be told, Eve expected some level of condescension from MMC’s male members when she first started driving; instead, she’s enjoyed only support and encouragement. MMC has become her second home, and she’s made some incredible friends there. “I hear it all the time from the husbands at the Club: ‘I wish my wife would come and drive.' I know other women must have the same concerns I did before I got here, but I am encouraging all women to do it,” Eve said. “It’s hard to explain, but when I get out of the car at the end of the day, I’m tired, of course, but I’m also just so satisfied to have had another day on the track.” “It’s my favorite feeling,” she added.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
9
“BMW IS IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING CARS, AND THERE’S NO BETTER WAY TO SELL LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE THAN AT A PLACE THAT’S DESIGNED FOR LUXURY AND PERFORMANCE.”
MMC CEO & MANAGING PARTNER ARI STRAUS
10 10
MO MOTO TOR R CLU CLUB B MAGAZ MAGAZINE INE || V VOLU OLUM MEE 77
MMC & BMW The Ultimate Driving Partnership
As part of its new multi-year agreement with BMW of North America, Monticello Motor Club will host the first and only racing school in the United States to utilize a fleet of 2017 race-prepared BMW M2 Coupes. “The BMW M2 delivers a perfected formula of chassis balance, steering response, and power-to-weight ratio,” said Tim Rittenhouse, experiential marketing manager for BMW of North America. “In short, it is everything that makes BMW the Ultimate Driving Machine, and a natural fit for driving at speed on MMC’s 4.1-mile track.” The BMW M2 Racing School, available in 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day formats, is just one benefit of MMC’s expanded relationship with BMW, which was recently announced as MMC’s Official Automotive Partner. Additionally, MMC members are now able to enjoy the thrill and luxury of some two dozen BMWs that have been added to MMC’s onsite fleet, including the BMW 2 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW M models, and plug-in hybrid electric BMW iPerformance models. BMW charging stations will be installed at MMC and at Resorts World Catskills, which is scheduled to open its doors in March 2018 just five minutes from the track.
In addition to the cars available for members to drive and race at the track, BMW Sports Activity Vehicles and Sports Activity Coupes will be showcased through winter driving and offroad experiences. A select few BMWs will also be available for members to use on the streets, highways, and the scenic country roads of the Sullivan County Catskills surrounding MMC. Other member benefits include invitations to exclusive BMW events and preferred pricing on the purchase of BMWs. “As MMC prepares for its milestone tenth anniversary, our partnership with BMW will play a vital role in solidifying MMC's reputation as the premier automotive country club and private race track, not only in North America, but in the world,” said Ari Straus, MMC CEO and managing partner. “Even better, the breadth of the BMW product line - including its M models, luxury sedans, and its SAVs and SACs - appeals to so many of our members and their guests because of its consistent performance, advanced technology, innovation, and luxury.” "BMW's reputation as an international leader in the luxury vehicle market and its impressive history in the motorsports world make BMW an ideal
partner," added MMC Chief Operating Officer Alex Wolenski. BMW, one of the three top-selling premium automotive brands in the country, has enjoyed success on the motorsports scene for nearly all of its 100-year history. In fact, the first automobile to bear BMW’s Roundel emblem, the BMW 3/15 PS DA 2, achieved a victory in the International Alpine Rally just four weeks after its debut in 1929. Some other notable BMW motorsports triumphs include victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning the Formula One World Championship, and numerous DTM titles. “With our shared commitment to performance and service excellence, we’re excited to showcase this new partnership to MMC members and motorsports enthusiasts,” said Rittenhouse. “By offering our clients in the Northeast access to a setting that fosters performance driving experiences – both on and off the track – we are able to authenticate the ultimate driving experience that comes with owning a BMW.” For those who are not yet MMC members, the BMW lineup has taken center stage as part of MMC’s Taste of the Track driving experience, where guests are able to explore all that
V O L UM E 7 | M O T TO O R C L U B MAGAZINE
11
MMC offers its members. That includes access to its famed race track in the guest’s choice of one of five BMW M and M Performance models. Most recently, BMW brought its M Track Days program to MMC, where invited guests enjoyed a half day with the full M lineup – from the agile BMW M2 to the brutal 567-horsepower X6M – on MMC’s road course. The M Track Days program, which will visit a total of five
tracks in 2017, gives participants the opportunity to work with BMW-certified driving instructors through a series of in-car activities, including autocross, lead-follow drills, and drag racing. In addition, the top drivers from each stop will move on to the session finals to compete in an exciting event at the BMW Performance Center West track in Thermal, California. The winner will be named “The Ultimate Driver.”
“BMW is in the business of selling cars, and there’s no better way to sell luxury and performance than at a place that’s designed for luxury and performance,” said Straus. “We’re excited about the future, and are already making plans to bring other BMW-specific events and classes to MMC throughout the next few years.”
BMW M2 RACING SCHOOL AT MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB (3-day, 2-day, or 1-day options available)
WELCOME TO THE ONLY RACING SCHOOL IN THE U.S. TO UTILIZE A FLEET OF 2017 RACE-PREPARED BMW M2 COUPES
As the newest addition to the M lineup, the BMW M2 has high performance in its DNA. It delivers a perfected formula of chassis balance, steering response, and power-to-weight ratio. In short, it is everything that makes BMW the Ultimate Driving Machine, and it’s fully armed for takeoff!
THE BMW M2 Racing School at Monticello Motor Club includes: • Approximately three hours of driving time each day • Use of race-prepared BMW M2 Coupes • Individually tailored one-on-one & small-group instruction • All classroom materials • Breakfast & lunch each day
For more information, email info@monticellomotorclub.com or call 855.MMC.CLUB (855.662.2582)
12
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
We’ve got your back. When you exit the pits, your mind should only be on one thing: being your best. The last thing you want to worry about is your car, and how it’s been prepared. At Speedsport Tuning, we’ve spent nearly three decades supporting track day enthusiasts and pro racers alike with expert, trusted, competition services. We take care of all the preparation, set-up, and transportation, so you can focus on the important things. No matter which Porsche you drive, whether it’s a vintage air-cooled 356 Outlaw or a rare 550 Spyder, a stock Boxster or a fully-caged Cayman, all the way up to the latest 911 GT3 or GT3 Cup, you can rely on Speedsport Tuning’s expertise. The technicians supporting you at the track are the same professionals who prepare your car back in our fully-equipped, 23,000 square foot Danbury, Connecticut facility. From Monticello Motor Club, Watkins Glen, and Lime Rock in the north all the way down to Road Atlanta, Daytona, and Sebring in the south, we’ll help you get the results (and the podiums!) you’ve worked hard for. Hit the track with the right team behind you.
Speedsport Tuning founder Spencer Cox (with his wife Denise) after completing the grueling Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. A talented racer and holder of numerous PCA lap records, Spencer is a member of Monticello Motor Club and a Porsche Club of America Chief Instructor.
Monticello Motor Club founding member and Speedsport Tuning client, Jack McCarthy, with his retro-liveried 2017 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
203-730-0311
email: service@SpeedSportTuning.net 52 Miry Brook Road, Danbury, Connecticut 06810 V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
13
SMALL-TOWN BOY. PRE-TEEN HERO. INTERNATIONAL RALLY RACING SUPERSTAR. MMC TRACK DIRECTOR.
14
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | VOLU M E 7
CHRIS DUPLESSIS If you’ve ever been to Monticello Motor Club, you’ve probably met Chris Duplessis. He’s hard to miss, really. He talks to literally everyone, and he’s always wearing a huge smile that looks like it could morph into a belly laugh at any moment. As MMC’s director of track operations, he’s responsible for anything and everything related to MMC’s 4.1-mile race track – instructors, track access, and, most importantly, the safety of those enjoying the track at high speed. This is Chris’ job, but his hallmark is his infectious happiness that extends to everyone who crosses his path. “Even during a safety briefing before a race, I try to put a fun spin on everything. It’s a much better way to get a message out there, and everybody is happy,” he said. “Everyone is here to have fun, and we do everything we can to deliver that safely.” But how does a guy who grew up on a farm in Maine – raised on the flying gravel of a rally stage rather than the smooth asphalt of a road course – find a career at North America’s premier automotive country club and private race track? By traveling a road with a lot of twists and turns…
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
15
Chris got his first taste of racing as a 6-year-old boy in Bethel, Maine. His dad crafted a little clay track on the family farm, and cobbled together a go-kart using a 5-horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine commandeered from the wood splitter. The more laps Chris took on the loose gravel surface, the more he learned about – and loved – driving fast. Even more, he loved drifting, where he’d slide around corners with his front wheels pointing in the opposite direction of the turn. From there, it was an easy transition to rally racing, especially in a town that annually hosted the New England Forest Rally, a national rally racing championship race. Back then, Chris, his brother, Forest, and their dad, Richard, used to go to every rally event they could find across Maine and New Hampshire. It was at one of those events – Climb to the Clouds, a hill climb up Mount Washington – that 14-year-old Chris made a split-second decision that changed the course of his life. He and his father were working crowd control at the climb when a driver crashed into a tree and his car burst into flames. Without thinking, Chris rushed to the burning vehicle and pulled the trapped driver out, saving his life. Chris was honored for his bravery with a Carnegie Foundation Hero Fund medal and a check for $3,500. He used the money a few years later to buy his first rally car, a caged shell of a 1990 Volkswagen Golf that was still disassembled.
16
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
Over the next few years, Chris put the parts back into the car, and even received academic credit for his efforts. Unfortunately, the aging engine blew up the first time he tried to drive the car, but Chris – the eternal optimist – just hunted down another engine and started again.
“In road racing, you see the same 18 turns a thousand times; in rally racing, you see a thousand turns once,” Chris said. “You have to trust your co-driver to make it through; he or she has to trust you. It’s a lot more than just man and machine.” __________
__________ Rally racing is about so much more than hitting jumps and sliding through corners. It’s also about teamwork. Because each race is run on an unfamiliar course, each driver is completely reliant on their co-driver to chart the wisest – and fastest – route to the finish line. The co-driver is armed with a road map that details every aspect of the path ahead, from ditches and rocks to the length of straightaways and the angle of corners. He or she uses that map to deliver a constant set of directions to the driver throughout the race.
Chris kept entering races, and kept winning them. By the time he was 25 years old, he was already a four-time national rally racing champion, and was tearing up rally stages in exotic locales like Greece, Finland, Portugal, and Wales. He was living the life he’d dreamed about since he was a 6-year-old kid driving go-karts around a homemade track on the family farm. “Chris Duplessis is by far one of our most spectacular drivers in the Rally America National Championship who consistently exceeds what is possible in a 2WD rally car,” Rally America owner Bill Fogg was quoted as saying.
The sweet sound of roaring engines, the winding race track, the manicured lawns: Chris knew right away that he’d found a new path, this one paved with asphalt. __________ “Those (rally racing) years gave me some really badass stories, and I wouldn’t give them up for anything, but I really lucked out with MMC,” Chris said. “MMC is a high-end club, yet it’s not stuffy and it’s so much fun. There’s no place else where I’d get to be immersed in motorsports this way – which is amazing – and still enjoy a stable family life.” And the best part of his job? During these years, Chris got married, and his wife, Sarah, became pregnant with their first daughter. That's when he decided he wanted to be home more than the rally racing life would allow. While Chris was in New York to support a rally team, he visited Monticello Motor Club and his life took another twist.
“All of it; I love it all,” he said. “First off, there are amazing cars, and I’m 100-percent automotive everything. Second, the members are such cool people. They come from all different backgrounds, but they’re all here to have a good time.” And that’s just what Chris delivers through his attention to track safety: a good time.
NAME: CHRIS DUPLESSIS D.O.B.: 11/29/86 HOMETOWN: Bethel, Maine
2012 Spirit of the FIA World Rally Championship Academy Award Recipient (Athikia, Greece) 2012 Rally America 2WD National Champion 2010 6th Place at X Games 16 (L.A. Coliseum, Calif.) 2010 Rally America 2WD National Champion 2009 Rally America 2WD Eastern Regional Champion 2008 Rally America 2WD National Champion 2007 Rally America Group 2 National Champion 2007 Rally America 2WD Eastern Regional Champion 2005 Rally America 2WD Eastern Regional Champion
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
17
18
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
19
PORSCHE PLAYGROUND CREATES WINTER
WONDERLAND Think back to your teenage years. When it snowed, were you excited because you’d be able to throw your car into wide donuts around an empty parking lot? Some of Monticello Motor Club’s members were able to relive that experience over Valentine’s Day weekend, only this time it was in Porsche’s newest sports cars on an icy Canadian race track. MMC’s Winter Driving Experience at Camp4 Canada, delivered by the Porsche Sport Driving School, allowed members to let loose in three different varieties of Porsche sports cars – the rear-drive 911 Carrera S, the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4S, and the mid-engine, rear-drive 718 Cayman S – at Québec’s Mécaglisse motorsport complex. “It was a fantastic trip; better than they could have even described,” said MMC member Eve Damien, who celebrated her 59th birthday while in Canada. “It was the best birthday present ever.”
20
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
“SLIDING THE CAR AROUND THAT ICY TRACK AND GETTING IT TO GO WHERE YOU WANTED WAS AWESOME.” MMC FOUNDING MEMBER NICK GROOMBRIDGE
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
21
MMC 2018 EXCLUSIVE: PORSCHE WINTER DRIVING EXPERIENCE AT CAMP4 CANADA Delivered by
WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 – Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018 WHERE: Québec’s Mécaglisse ACCOMMODATIONS: Estérel Resort, Québec Monticello Motor Club members are already reserving their spots for MMC’s 2018 Winter Driving Experience at Camp4 Canada, where MMC and Porsche will have exclusive use of Mécaglisse, an extraordinary driving facility about an hour north of Montréal.
“I learned some great techniques to get the car to go where I wanted it to go on a slick surface; I’m definitely more confident on MMC’s track now,” said Eve. “Of course, this is aside from the fact that it was so much fun.” In fact, Eve is already making plans for her husband, Miguel, to join her on next year’s MMC Camp4 Canada trip, which she said would be the perfect way to celebrate her 60th birthday. “I can’t wait to up my game next year,” she said.
VISIT WWW.MONTICELLOMOTORCLUB.COM/2017-WINTER-DRIVING-EXPERIENCE TO CATCH ALL OF THE ON-TRACK ACTION FROM MMC’S 2017 PORSCHE WINTER DRIVING EXPERIENCE AT CAMP4 CANADA.
22
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
PROGRAM ONE
“Sliding the car around that icy track and getting it to go where you wanted was awesome,” said MMC Founding member Nick Groombridge, who made the trip with his wife, Kim, and son, Ian. “The lower speeds on the track make you feel like
When that happened – and it did – no one was hurt, or even batted an eye. Instead, each car was plucked out of the bank (some multiple times), brushed off, and sent back out there for another go.
“ICE FORCE”
PROGRAM TWO
Porsche's instructors taught members how to keep the cars on the track by using deliberate steering, throttle, and brake inputs. Admittedly, most started out by perpetually spinning out on the ice. By the end, however, members had acquired the confidence and knowledge to negotiate an icy corner – at speed – with the car sideways and the spinning rear wheels throwing curtains of snow into the air.
you’re sort of going in slow motion, so you play a bit more; really, the worst that can happen is you’ll hit a snow bank.”
“CAMP4S”
PROGRAM THREE
A video created to memorialize the trip shows a bunch of giddy adults having the time of their lives as they slide $100,000 sports cars around an ice-covered track, seemingly without a care in the world. What you don’t see are the invaluable driving skills participants learned along the way.
Members will utilize the latest Porsche sports cars on Mécaglisse’s miles of ice circuits and two large skid pads in one of three programs designed and delivered by Porsche Sport Driving School.
“CAMP4”
(only 12 seats available) • Porsche’s most advanced winter/ ice driving program; previously only offered in Finland • Fleet: Porsche Carrera 4S, Turbo, GT
(only 16 seats available) • Advanced winter/ice driving program • Fleet: Porsche Cayman, Carrera S, Carrera 4S
(only 8 seats available) • Introductory winter/ice driving program for novices with minimal to no track experience • Fleet: Porsche Cayman, Carrera S, Carrera 4S
MEMBERS ONLY: To reserve your place for MMC’S 2018 Porsche Winter Driving Experience at Camp4 Canada, please contact Concierge by emailing concierge@monticellomotorclub.com or by calling 845.791.7936.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
23
BMW
Art Cars
Capturing the Art of Speed
BMW Art Car #19 by John Baldessari 2244
MO MOTO TORR CLU CLUBB MAGAZINE MAGAZ INE || VVOLU OLUM MEE 77
Frank Stella in 1976. Roy Lichtenstein in 1977. Andy Warhol in 1979. Robert Rauschenberg in 1986. Jeff Koons in 2010. For nearly 45 years, famous artists from around the world have each used a contemporary BMW as a canvas on wheels as part of BMW’s Art Car Project. Now numbering 19, these artifacts are cultural highlights and engaging ambassadors for the brand. The BMW Art Cars have consistently displayed an extremely high artistic and creative standard, from Jenny Holzer’s thought-provoking “Truisms” to the 2007 ice installation created by Olafur Eliasson, which pushed the boundaries of what could be done in a traditional exhibition. The first Art Car was created in 1975 by American sculptor Alexander Calder at the behest of French racecar driver and art aficionado Hervé Poulain. Poulain, Jean Guichet, and Sam Posey drove Calder’s creation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year. "It was supposed to be a one-off… but the moment this car left the pit… it became the immediate darling of the crowd that was watching,” said Thomas Girst, head of cultural engagement for the BMW motor car group, in a recent CBS News article. And so the Art Car Project was born. Artists for the BMW Art Car Project are chosen by an independent jury of renowned international museum directors and curators. The artists who have been selected include many of the most revered names from the last five decades of contemporary art. The project usually involves just one artist, but BMW recently commemorated its 100th anniversary by asking the jury to select two artists who would each work on an M6 GT3 racecar. The jury chose Chinese multi-media artist Cao Fei to design the 18th Art Car and American conceptual artist John Baldessari to create the 19th car. (Baldessari unveiled his completed project first, which explains the oddity of Art Car 19’s appearance before Art Car 18 when the cars are presented in chronological order.) The first Chinese artist and, at 39, the youngest artist ever chosen to create a BMW Art Car, Fei premiered her multimedia vision in May 2017 at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO TOR R C L U B MAGAZINE
25
BMW Art Car #15 by Jenny Holzer
BMW Art Car #11 by A.R. Penck
Fei chose an unprecedented and immersive approach with her Art Car, empowering the viewer to engage with the artwork through cutting-edge technology. Staying true to her artistic practice, Fei built a parallel universe that consists of three different components: a video focusing on a time-traveling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful light particles (accessible via a dedicated app), and the BMW M6 GT3 racecar in its original carbon black. The installation delves into a trajectory spanning thousands of years, paying tribute to Asia’s ancient spiritual wisdom as it moves towards the realities of the future. Fei’s artwork joins the BMW collection auspiciously as Art Car 18, which is considered a lucky number in China. “To me, light represents thoughts; as the speed of thoughts cannot be measured, the #18 Art Car questions the existence of the boundaries of the human mind,” Fei said. “We are entering a new age, where the mind directly controls objects and where thoughts can be transferred, such as unmanned operations and artificial intelligence. Which attitudes and temperaments hold the key to opening the gateway to the new age?”
BMW Art Car #18 by Cao Fei 26
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
BMW Art Car #4 by Andy Warhol
BMW Art Cars: 1975 – 2017
Artist
Country
Year
Car
01
Alexander Calder
USA
1975
BMW 3.0 CSL
02
Frank Stella
USA
1976
BMW 3.0 CSL
03
Roy Lichtenstein
USA
1977
BMW 320i Group 5 Race Version
04
Andy Warhol
USA
1979
BMW M1 Group 4 Race Version
05
Ernst Fuchs
Austria
1982
BMW 635 CSi
06
Robert Rauschenberg
USA
1986
BMW 635 CSi
07 '
Michael Jagamara Nelson
Australia
1989
BMW M3 Group A Race Version
08
Ken Done
Australia
1989
BMW M3 Group A Race Version
09
Matazo Kayama
Japan
1990
BMW 535i
10
César Manrique
Spain
1990
BMW 730i
11
A. R. Penck
Germany
1991
BMW Z1
12
Esther Mahlangu
South Africa
1991
BMW 525i
“My concept turned out playfully satirical, but it also highlights some of the trademark ideas that I use,” Baldessari said. “The BMW Art Car is definitely a typical Baldessari, and the fastest artwork I ever created!”
13
Sandro Chia
Italy
1992
BMW 3-Series Racing Prototype
14
David Hockney
Great Britain
1995
BMW 850 CSi
Following the 40-year tradition of BMW Art Cars, Baldessari's M6 GTLM made its professional racing debut at the opening round of the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Daytona International Speedway. Driven by BMW Team RLL members Bill Auberlen, Alexander Sims, Augusto Farfus, and Bruno Spengler, the Art Car finished eighth in the GTLM class.
15
Jenny Holzer
USA
1999
BMW V12 LMR
16
Olafur Eliasson
Denmark
2007
BMW H2R Project
17
Jeff Koons
USA
2010
BMW M3 GT2
Fei’s BMW M6 GT3 will take to the track in November 2017 at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau.
18
Cao Fei
China
2017
BMW M6 GT3
19
John Baldessari
USA
2016
BMW M6 GTLM
BMW Art Car #17 by Jeff Koons
While Fei’s Art Car looks to the future, 85-year-old Baldessari thinks of his Art Car as a representation of contemporary life. Presenting his work at Art Basel in Miami Beach late in 2016, Baldessari put a red dot on the roof so that it can be seen from above, wrote the word “FAST” in capital letters on one side, and added an image of the vehicle itself on the other side.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
27
S O C I A L
S C E N E :
02
01
CLASSIC CAR CLUB RECEPTION MMC members lived it up at an exclusive cocktail reception at Classic Car Club Manhattan’s new location on Pier 76, bordering the Hudson River Park waterfront. CCC is bigger and better than ever, with 31-foothigh ceilings, 28,000 square feet of indoor space, additional parking, and a 15,000-square-foot patio. 03
04
05
01: Roger G., Brian G., John K. & Kevin L. 02: MMC’s Jenna Hiatt, Joe M. & Stephen C. 03: Joe & Niki O. 04: MMC’s Ari Straus & John K. 05: Chuck G. & Pro Instructor Al Dimisko 06: Lyle & Susan H., Alex R. & Jacob A. 07: Stephen C., James O. & Al D.
06
07
08
11
09
10
GPNY KARTING WORKSHOP Stevan and Stuart McAleer of McCumbee McAleer Racing and McAleer Motorsports invited MMC members and their children to a 2-hour on- and off-track private group karting lesson to hone their high-speed skills on the karting track at Grand Prix New York.
08: MMC Pro Instructor Stevan McAleer & Hamburg T. 09: Guest Laurent, Vika O. (12), Hamburg T., Tyler T. (12), MMC’s Colin MacGregor, Robert P. Jr. (12) & MMC Pro Instructor Stevan McAleer
28
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
10: MMC Pro Instructor Stevan McAleer & Vika O. (12) 11: MMC Pro Instructor Stevan McAleer, Tyler T. (12), Robert P. Jr. (12), Hamburg T., Vika O. (12) & guest Laurent
I N
T H E
O F F - S E A S O N 13
12
14
MMC MEMBER MEETING MMC's pre-season member meeting at Grand Prix New York offered some exciting news about the 2017 driving season, including the announcement that BMW of North America is now MMC’s Official Automotive Partner through a multi-year agreement. Members got to catch up after a long winter, and were able to tear it up on Grand Prix New York’s indoor karting track. 15
16
12: Spencer C., Roger G. & Todd P. 13: Michal S. 14: Harry S. & MMC’s Bill Reiss 15: Glenn S. 16: John F. & Kevin A. 17: MMC’s Mike Weyandt, Glenn S., GPNY staff, Joseph Y., Emma D. (14), Justin & Jessica T., Michal S., Joe O., Harry S. & MMC’s Joe Foster 18: BMW, the official automotive partner of MMC
18
17
19
20
21
22
MMC WINTER DRIVING Talk about a snow day! Members were invited to play hooky and take to the snow-covered track for some slipping, sliding, and driving, all while learning about driving safely on snow and ice.
19: Stephen S. in the lead 20: Stephen C.
21: Chip S. with kids, Brad (13) & Jessica (10) 22: MMC’s Chris Duplessis
BMW Art Car #19 by John Baldessari V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
29
30 30
MO MOTO TORR CLU CLUBB MAGAZ MAGAZINE INE || V VOLU OLUM MEE 77
IVY LEAGUE AUTO TECH HAS MMC FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS A L E X
W O L E N S K I
You’re not likely to find too many Ivy League graduates who are eager to shimmy beneath a car and get their hands greasy. But Alex Wolenski, Monticello Motor Club’s chief operating officer, isn’t your average Ivy Leaguer. Raised in Whitehouse Station, N.J. (population: 2,000), this car-loving whiz kid has been taking things apart and improving upon them since he was a small boy. And that is exactly what Alex does as the man in charge of just about everything that a member experiences at Monticello Motor Club – from making sure the lawns are immaculate to ensuring that the new fleet of BMWs is humming. “He’s like MacGyver,” said Ari Straus, MMC’s CEO and managing partner. “He fixes everything – both literally and figuratively.” Alex’s passion for problem-solving started with an old broken-down lawn mower when he was just 10 years old. All these years later – after driving, working on, owning, and teaching others to drive some of the highest performing cars in the world – Alex can still describe the rush he felt when he and
his grandfather made that mower’s engine spark to life. “It was really neat to take something that wasn’t working, disassemble it, and make it better when we put it back together,” Alex recalled. “That was my high.” That feeling only intensified when 18-year-old Alex climbed behind the wheel of a Porsche for some track driving, thanks to a buddy who belonged to the Porsche Club of America. It wasn’t just the speed that Alex enjoyed; it was the challenge that high-performance driving presented. From tweaking a car's setup to calculating the timing of a perfect pass, Alex had finally found his sweet spot. “Just driving was boring; just fixing things was boring,” Alex said. “What really gave me a thrill was the combination of the two.” His mechanical and analytical acumens helped him excel in both his college-preparatory school in Morristown, N.J., where he won the Panasonic
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
31
Creative Design Challenge (a state robotics competition), and at Brown University, which is among the top 10 colleges in the country. At Brown, Alex took upperlevel engineering, business, and entrepreneurship courses. He also enrolled in the Formula SAE Series program, where students are tasked with building, testing, marketing, and racing a formula racecar. For his senior independent study project, Alex spent all of his savings (and thousands more that he borrowed) to rebuild a black 1977 Porsche 911 with dozens of new parts that he designed, fabricated, and installed. This was all accomplished in the same engineering lab where the late, legendary racecar driver Mark Donahue earned his engineering degree in 1959. The biggest hurdle, he recalled, was replacing the car’s original 8-wire mechanically fuel-injected engine with an exponentially more complicated 88-wire electronically fuel-injected engine from a 1997 Porsche. After graduation, Alex went to work as a warehouse operations manager and later an internal consultant for McMaster-Carr Supply Company, which Alex called “the Amazon of industrial parts.” Over the next seven years, Alex focused on improving the quality, efficiency, and safety of their warehouse operations. Through it all, Alex always returned to the asphalt, continually honing his skills, both under the hood and behind the wheel.
3322
MOTO TOR R CLU CLUB B MAGAZ MAGAZINE INE || V VOLU OLUM MEE 77 MO
It’s that passion that led him to Monticello Motor Club, where he is able to combine all of his varied skills to do what he has done his entire life: build something and make it fire on all cylinders. “Alex brings a true passion for motorsports to MMC combined with unique skillsets in automotive engineering, traditional corporate business training and management, and entrepreneurship,” Straus said. “He sets a spirit of excellence for his team.” During the off-season, Alex also takes on the role of executive brand ambassador for MMC, competing in – and often winning – a variety of club races down south. This year he’ll make his professional racing debut in the Battery Tender Mazda Global MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich. “We strongly encourage Alex to pursue his racing endeavors during the off-season,” said Straus. “His success in various races outside of MMC demonstrates that the team that owns and runs MMC walks the walk.” Even better, Alex translates the experiences he acquires at other facilities and on other tracks to operational improvements at MMC that continue to elevate the member experience. “As calculating as Alex is on the track, he’s that same way in business; he thinks his way through things to chart the wisest course,” said MMC Track Director Chris Duplessis. “He definitely leads by example – he’s the first one here in the morning and the last one to leave every night – and pushes everyone to meet his high standards; he makes us all better.”
RZR XP® TURBO EPS
FUEL YOUR PASSION Embrace the rush — an unmistakable connection between driver and machine. Fire up the 168 hp engine, take it into a turn and feel the dynamically balanced chassis grip and pull. The drive of your life is waiting — because no other performance side-x-side can match the legendary Polaris RZR XP® Turbo in pure exhilaration.
LEARN MORE AT POLARISRZR.COM RIDE THEM NOW AT MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB WARNING: The Polaris RZR® can be hazardous to operate and is not intended for on-road use. Driver must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate. Passengers must be at least 12 years old. Drivers and passengers should always wear helmets, eye protection, and seat belts. Always use cab nets or doors (as equipped). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Riding and alcohol/ drugs don’t mix. All drivers should take a safety training course. Call 800-342-3764 for additional information. Check local laws before riding on trails. ©2017 Polaris Industries Inc.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
33
Sullivan Spirits Tour
3
1 4
5
1 PROHIBITION DISTILLERY
2
10 Union Street, Roscoe, NY (33-min. drive from MMC) prohibitiondistillery.com | 607.498.4511 HOMEGROWN CREATIONS: Vodka, Gin, Bourbon Whiskey Prohibition Distillery, located in the old 1929 Roscoe Firehouse and former VFW Hall in the historic town of Roscoe, offers guided tours and tastings of its award-winning Bootlegger 21 spirits (all gluten-free and certified kosher). During summer months, visitors can enjoy hand-shaken seasonal cocktails and local bites at Bootlegger's Alley Bar. OPEN DAILY YEAR ROUND; 10 A.M.-6 P.M. TASTING ROOM • TOURS • LOCAL BITES/SEASONAL COCKTAILS
CATSKILL DISTILLING COMPANY 2037 Route 17B, Bethel, NY (18-min. drive from MMC) catskilldistilling.com | 845.583.3141 | info@catskilldistilling.com HOMEGROWN CREATIONS: Vodka, Gin, Grappa, Whiskey, Bourbon The Catskill Distillery, 1,000 feet from the entrance of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, is one of the first farm distilleries in New York State. It produces all of its award-winning spirits – including Peace Vodka and Most Righteous Bourbon – from locally grown grains, fruits, and botanicals; there are never any additives used. The tasting room, which features the restored bar from the 1939 World’s Fair in Queens, maintains a full calendar of musical, art, and educational events. Visitors are welcome to dine at the Dancing Cat Saloon right next door.
2
OPEN DAILY YEAR ROUND AT NOON • DISTILLING TOURS • TASTING ROOM ENTERTAINMENT • FULL BAR ON SITE • OUTDOOR/INDOOR DINING SITE
ROSCOE BEER CO. 145 Rockland Road, Roscoe, NY (34-min. drive from MMC) roscoebeercompany.com | 607.290.5002 | inquiries@roscoebeercompany.com HOMEGROWN CREATIONS: IPAs, Ales, Ryes, Stouts, Barley Wine, Scottish Ale, Seasonal Beer The Roscoe Beer Co. launched its flagship brew, Trout Town American Amber Ale, in April 2013, and has since added on new favorites, such as the Trout Town Brown Ale and the Trout Town Rainbow Red Ale. With its sprawling 1,600-square-foot tasting room, brewery, and gift shop, the Roscoe Beer Co. is the perfect stop for daytrippers and families. The brewery now offers a series of special events all year long, such as its Trout Town Summerfest and Trout Town Oktoberfest. OPEN DAILY YEAR ROUND; CHECK ROSCOE’S WEBSITE OR CALL FOR HOURS TASTING ROOM • TOURS • SPECIAL EVENTS 34 34
MOTO TORR CLU CLUBB MAGAZ MAGAZINE INE || V VOLU OLUM MEE 77 MO
3
CATSKILL BREWERY 672 Old Route 17, Livingston Manor, NY (28-min. drive from MMC) catskillbrewery.com | 845.439.1232 | info@catskillbrewery.com HOMEGROWN CREATIONS: IPAs, Pilsners, Lagers, Ales, Wild, Golden Sour, Seasonal Beers The Catskill Brewery, a world-class production craft brewery, creates fresh ales and lagers using state-of-the-art green technology for a great, honest, hardworking beer made by hand from Catskill mountain water and all natural ingredients. Since it opened nearly three years ago, the Catskill Brewery has produced roughly 40 different beers, which are distributed on the brewery’s own trucks to 400 different establishments, the vast majority located in New York City. Catskill Brewery’s Ball Lightning Pilsner is even sold inside Yankee Stadium.
4
Most recently, the Catskill Brewery earned three medals (one for each of its three entries) at the TAP New York Craft Beer and Food Festival: a Gold in the Sour Beer category for its Eye Of Newt Flanders Red, a Silver in the Light/Dark/Stronger Lagers category for its Ball Lightning Pilsner, and a Silver in the Strong Belgian Ale <8% category for its Freak Tractor Blonde. OPEN YEAR ROUND; MON.-FRI. 9 A.M.-7 P.M. & SAT. 1 P.M.-6 P.M. GROWLER HOURS • SPECIAL EVENTS
"EVERY DECISION WE MADE WAS A GREEN DECISION." MMC MEMBER & CATSKILL BREWERY CO-FOUNDER RANDY LEWIS
T
he Catskill Brewery, created by Monticello Motor Club member Randy Lewis and his two partners, is a fully renewably powered green brewery. The building, which has earned LEED Gold certification, utilizes geothermal systems to heat the brewery and cool the storage units to keep the beer cold. A solar thermal hot water system backs up the geothermal systems during high heat demand and preheats the brewing water during production. Solar photovoltaics provide electricity that powers the entire facility; during high loads, wind renewable credits are purchased from the local electric grid. “Every decision we made was a green decision; even the garden plants are indigenous to the area,” said Randy, who also owns Global Natural Foods, Inc. “Our goal was to set an example for the entire region, and I think we’ve done that.”
Every aspect of the design and construction of the facility utilized the greenest, most environmentally friendly building technologies, from the porous paving system in the parking area to the green roof on top. Even waste such as spent grain from the brewing process is utilized in an environmentally way by sending to local farmers for livestock feed or composted with household waste on site.
CALLICOON BREWING COMPANY 16 Upper Main Street, Callicoon, NY (35-min. drive from MMC) callicoonbrewing.com | 845.887.5500 HOMEGROWN CREATIONS: Ale, Porter The Callicoon Brewing Company is a must-visit for the beer connoisseur. Located in a converted firehouse overlooking the Delaware River in the sleepy hamlet of Callicoon, the brewpub offers its own Callicoon Cow Pale Ale and Callicoon Brown Cow Porter on tap, a full line of other local and regional craft brews, and a full bar. Come by and enjoy incredible Reuben sandwiches and Callicoon’s famous Seamus’ Deep Fried Hot Dog.
5
OPEN DAILY YEAR ROUND AT NOON • ENTERTAINMENT RESTAURANT/FULL BAR ON SITE V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
35
36
MO TO R CLU B MAGAZ INE | V OLU M E 7
V O L UM E 7 | M OT O R C L U B MAGAZINE
1
2
ARTI N MO TION
AIM O N
T A R G E T
Monticello Motor Club is known for offering worldclass experiences to its members and guests, and last year’s inaugural Art In Motion event was no exception. As you explore this special flip cover edition of Motor Club Magazine, you’ll enjoy an engaging recap – through both stories and images – of the first-ever invitation-only Concours d’Elegance of Speed & Power.
As part of the festivities, Art In Motion will be christening Monticello Motor Club’s newly constructed Collector Car Gallery, which will put a spotlight on members’ classic and collector cars. This 13,000-square-foot building at the north end of MMC’s clubhouse paddock will act as AIM’s primary hospitality venue and the location of our Saturday night party.
In 2016 we combined the best of American and European traditions, and attracted some of the finest examples of the breed, many observable in their most natural environment – on the race track and at speed.
Following Art In Motion, the MMC Collector Car Gallery will display MMC members’ significant classic and sports cars, and will be the focal point of MMC’s expanding collector car movement (more on this in the coming months and in the 10-year anniversary issue of Motor Club Magazine).
The response from those who attended – collectors, members of the concours community, celebrities, MMC members and their guests, and dozens of members of the media – has been overwhelmingly positive. Rarely in the concours world has an event had a bigger impact than did Art In Motion.
I’m looking forward to seeing all of our members and guests at MMC from October 6 through October 8 for the second annual Art In Motion, an event that has already claimed a permanent spot on the calendars of the finest car collectors in the world.
Now it is time to do it again, only this time we’re going even bigger. In fact, this year’s celebration will span three days, and kick off with a 2-hour road rally of classic and sports cars through the beautiful Catskill Mountains to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. We’ll also be including more vehicles, and offering more hands-on experiences and on-track activities. Of course, we’ll stay close to our roots by creating another exclusive, invitation-only spectacular that will showcase the very best vintage and modern cars. However, there will be more classes of historic race and rally cars, and MMC members will have new opportunities to participate with their own classic and modern sports cars.
Paul Queally Founder, Art In Motion Chairman & Principal Partner, MMC
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
3
AIM CONTENTS V O L U M E
7
8
23
AIM'S BEST: MATTHEW ORENDAC
24
CLASSIC CAR COLLECTING: MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
24
6
1ST ANNUAL ART IN MOTION DRAWS 1,000 VISITORS
8
THE ULTIMATE CAR GUY BRUCE CANEPA
12
2017 ART IN MOTION: CALENDAR OF EVENTS & SPECIAL GUESTS
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR 2016 & 2017 EVENT SPONSORS
4
ARTI N MO TION
14
1-OF-1 PORSCHE POLICE CAR AT ART IN MOTION
18
2016 CONCOURS WINNERS
20
THE WHOLE WORLD OF MOTORSPORTS
26
ON THE COVER...
26
WOODSTOCK LEGACY EXPANDS
28
28
FINDING THE RIGHT VEHICLE TRANSPORT COMPANY
Meet automotive fine artist Heidi Mraz, the talent behind Art In Motion’s 2016 (on the cover of this issue) and 2017 promotional posters.
14
Mraz creates portraits that celebrate a car’s beauty while conceptually illustrating its unique significance. Created in her studio in Great Falls, Virginia, her work has been featured in many solo and group exhibitions, and she is represented in both corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad.
20
“I’ve always been fascinated by cars as an art form and their connection to our past,” Mraz said. “Their unique styles, engineering, and histories are what drive me to create a visual narrative.” Mraz became interested in art at age 12. Her father frequently took the family to Europe, and she reveled in seeing famous artwork up close and soaking in the architecture and artistry of cathedrals. It was in Europe that Mraz first fell in love with classic sports cars. In fact, she learned to drive a manual transmission while zipping along the Autobahn in a Porsche 911 Carrera. Mraz is perhaps best known for her bespoke automotive portraits, built from a palette of torn test notes, historical data, schematics, magazines, photos, and more. Each finished piece is a virtual scrapbook of the storied history of the automobile portrayed. “The trickiest part is designing an image that’s fine-tuned enough to look like a photo from a distance,” Mraz said. “In actuality, it’s a bed of organized chaos and abstract colors.”
www.heidimraz.com
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
5
1ST ANNUAL
Concours d'Elegance
DRAWS 1,000 VISITORS; BIG PLANS FOR 2017
The first annual Art In Motion Concours d‘Elegance of Speed & Power at Monticello Motor Club – created to celebrate the speed and sounds of automotive works of moving art by utilizing MMC’s private 4.1-mile race track – drew nearly 1,000 visitors to Sullivan County, and featured some of the most significant and prestigious sports and racing cars ever produced. “The unique environment at Monticello Motor Club allowed us to marry three things: a fine country club atmosphere with 5-star food and hospitality, a world-class race track, and the sights and sounds of sports and racing cars in constant motion,” said Art In Motion Co-Founder and Managing Director Matt Peckham. Some of the vehicles featured at the event included a 1954 Maserati A6GCS Spider, a 1974 Ferrari BBLM, a 1949 Talbot Lago T26C Factory Grand Prix, a 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS, the only 1955 Ghia Aigle Alfa Romeo in existence, 20 percent of the Cunningham C-3 Coupes ever built by Briggs Swift Cunningham, and a 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Boano.
6
A RTI N MO TION
All net proceeds from the one-day event were donated to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a not-for-profit cultural organization, to benefit its education and community outreach programming (more on page 26). A special charity auction, managed by David Gooding of California-based Gooding & Company, featured a fully restored 1954 Jaguar XK140 MC Roadster, donated by Monticello Motor Club member Matt Fassnacht. A fellow MMC member made the winning bid of $125,000. Gooding & Company will be back again this year to auction off automobilia, motorsport experiences, luxury items, fine wines, commissioned paintings, and, of course, a collectible car or two. “We were overwhelmed by the response of everyone who attended: owners, judges, members, friends, and families,” said Monticello Motor Club Chairman and Principal Partner Paul Queally. “It was great motivation as we outlined plans for 2017. This year’s festivities will span three days, and offer guests an experience that could only be enjoyed at a place like Monticello Motor Club.”
Read more about the 2017 Art In Motion Concorse d'Elegance on page 12.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
7
CONCOURS SPOTLIGHT
8 8
A RTI N MO TION A RTI N MO TION
T H E
U L T I M A T E
C A R
G U Y
BRUCE CANEPA A legend in the worlds of racing and collector cars, Bruce Canepa made a huge splash at the first annual Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance at Monticello Motor Club. He took top honors in the Best of Show Race and Competition class with his 1969 Porsche 917K (Chassis 004) that was previously owned by John Wyer Engineering, one of 25 cars built to satisfy the 917’s homologation. The car, wearing its historically correct Gulf blue and orange paint, is likely the most accurate 917 currently in existence. Bruce also earned the Porsche MARQUE Race award with his 1984 Porsche 962, and the Finest Competition award with his 1981 Porsche 935K4. This year, Bruce is coming back, and bringing with him an even more impressive collection of historic vehicles from his Canepa Motorsports Museum in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
AIM: What was your impression of Art In Motion? BRUCE: I came without expectations, but it was a first-class experience all around. It’s hard to impress a seasoned car guy, but AIM did. You have something very special with Art In Motion. Standing on concours grounds with concours cars, coupled with the sounds of exceptional racing machines running 50 yards away, is the ultimate experience. It’s like having Pebble Beach surrounded by Laguna Seca. That’s how a car event should be. Many of these cars are so rare, with maybe one or two others like them in the world. There was a pre-war Miller Locomobile Junior 8 Special and the 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, raced by Chrysler France, on the track with Porsche’s 935, 906, and 917. That’s really unheard of, particularly in the United States. There is just no other event like Art In Motion, and the quality of Monticello Motor Club’s facilities was exceptional and unique in all of the best possible ways. I brought our transporter all the way from California to be there, and I’ll be back again this year. AIM is an event that anyone who is serious about vintage sports cars should attend. AIM: What are you bringing to Art In Motion this year? BRUCE: I have a Porsche 935 that I’ve owned since it was new; it was my first serious racecar. I’ve raced it consistently since 1979. The 935s are unruly, difficult, and a handful. It takes a real wheelman to drive a 935 and unleash its full potential. I’ll have fun running it on the track at Monticello Motor Club. We have the carbon fiber-tubbed Schuppan 962 TSC-02 in our shop now. It will most likely be at Art In Motion. This is an important car that hasn’t been seen for decades. By 1989, the 962 was losing its competitive edge, so Australian racer Vern Schuppan devised a way to stiffen the car by replacing the aluminum monocoque with a carbon fiber tub. He had six tubs built, three for racing and three for the street. Our Canon car is one of the two remaining racecars. The introduction of the Nissan and Toyota GTP cars saw the birth of the next generation of ground effects cars using newer '90s technology. This would eventually put an end to the 962’s decade of dominance. For any car to be competitive for a decade is unheard of in racing.
AIM: The value of Porsches has really climbed over the last few years. What caused the rise in prices? BRUCE: Collectors have finally discovered that Porsches are great cars. A Porsche does everything well. If you compare a 1973 Porsche 911S to a Ferrari Daytona, the Porsche is just a better car to drive. The handling is awesome. The Ferrari is beautiful, but is only fun driving in a straight line. They take a lot of physical effort to drive; it’s fatiguing. Porsche is the only manufacturer to have won a major championship every decade in multiple disciplines for the past 50 years. They can be driven to the maximum reliably for 24 hours straight. Their design was always way ahead of the curve, so a Porsche can remain competitive for 10 to 20 years. Other marques lose their competitive edge after a few years. Porsches are so well designed. They are competitive in road racing, hill climbs, rallies… the list goes on. AIM: How would you describe the collector car market in 2017? BRUCE: While the dramatic monthly increases in value have subsided, there is still plenty of energy in the collector car market. Great cars with history and provenance are bringing premium prices, but there are not enough of these cars to support all of the auctions. We have gone from a few auctions to a multitude, and it has put an unattainable demand on a limited market of exceptional cars. Discerning collectors are always looking for cars of great quality and provenance, either in original, unmolested condition, or perfectly and expertly restored. Those cars, though very limited in supply, are out there, and we are constantly and diligently searching for them. There is some uncertainty in the world, which has fostered a lack of confidence in the global economy. That has put some collectors into a holding pattern, but experienced collectors still carefully purchase top-tier cars. Interest in collectable cars has gone up significantly in the past 10 years, and it continues to grow, as do discretionary income levels around the world. The automobile will always be, without a doubt, the most exciting and useful collectible you can own.
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
9 9
ABOUT BRUCE CANEPA The son of a Ford and BMW dealer, Bruce Canepa grew up working hard and driving fast. He started racing young, in quarter midgets, go-karts, supermodifieds, and sprint cars. By the late 1970s, Bruce was a regular in the IMSA series. By 1979, he was both a driver and team owner, and finished third in the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Porsche 934 S. The Porsche factory took notice, and provided him with a brand new factory 935 for the remainder of the 1979 season. Not content with only mastering road courses, in 1981 Bruce competed at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, qualifying first and finishing second overall in a Porsche turbo-powered open-wheeler. In 2000, he returned to Pikes Peak, setting the course record for Big Rigs three years in a row. Bruce’s racing career continues today with his own collection of historic cars. Bruce’s business, based in Northern California near Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is simply called Canepa. With Bruce’s reputation in the industry, no further description is necessary. To a car enthusiast, Canepa is an all-encompassing fantasy world. Its large facility includes a design house, a restoration facility, a workshop to set up and support historic racecars, a showroom, and a motorsports museum. The museum alone is worth the trip. The building is new, high-tech, and brightly lit, offering a sharp contrast to the huge vintage photos covering the walls and the display of racing cars and motorcycles dating back to 1919. Board track, dragsters, Can-Am, NASCAR, Indy Car, hill climb, land speed, sprint car; it’s all there. The restoration, fabrication, and race-preparation facilities at Canepa meet every expectation. Bruce is all about details. His team is focused on research and perfection. They restore fine automobiles for private collections and for their own inventory. The level of quality is always the same, no compromises. Bruce can discuss, in detail, every car that passes through his sales and restoration facility. He’s a hands-on guy and a racer; his business truly is full-service. Canepa not only restores and sells vintage racecars; it also provides event preparation and support. Bruce Canepa, the businessman, has studied, experienced, and mastered sports cars.
10 10
A RTI N MOTION A RTI N MOTION
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
11
2ND ANNUAL
Concours d'Elegance
FRIDAY, OCT. 6 – SUNDAY, OCT. 8
1
DAY
All Roads Lead to Bethel Woods • START YOUR ENGINES Luncheon at Monticello Motor Club with Danny Sullivan, Brian Redman, and Tommy Kendall • OVER THE RIVER & THROUGH THE WOODS Two-hour road rally of classic and sports cars through the beautiful Catskill Mountains, surrounded by the region’s breathtaking fall foliage; plenty of sightseeing stops along the way • HALLOWED GROUND Cocktail reception at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of the 1969 Woodstock music festival; rally cars on display Five-star dining and live entertainment in Bethel Woods’ stunning wood and stone Event Gallery, which offers a 360-degree view of the countryside
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
Tours of the Museum at Bethel Woods, where its award-winning Woodstock and The Sixties exhibit celebrates the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair and the entire decade that it came to represent
2017 ART IN MOTION
special guests DANNY SULLIVAN Hear what really went on in the paddocks of Formula One, IndyCar, and IMSA as Danny Sullivan, Brian Redman, and Tommy Kendall provide the commentary throughout this year's 3-day AIM event. Ask Wayne Carini about his TV show, Chasing Classic Cars, as you enjoy dinner at MMC’s Collector Car Gallery. Guests will have the chance to challenge our celebrity champions on the karting track and on the slot car track, and also get a shot to ride with them at speed on the road course at Monticello Motor Club.
12 12
A RTIN NMO MOTION ARTI TION
Danny Sullivan is an American racing champion who earned 17 wins in the CART IndyCar World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. He was Series Champion in 1988, and a top-seven finisher six times between 1984 and 1992.
2
DAY
A Day of Racecars • RACECAR CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE Racecars on display in the upper field and in motion on the track, with Formula One cars, road cars, and vintage and modern off-road rally cars
• CARRERA SLOT CAR CHALLENGE • GOODING & COMPANY AUCTION
• QUEALLY PRO-AM MAZDA MX-5 RACE
Danny Sullivan and his special guests discuss the history of Formula One
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7
A Day of Sports Cars
• FAMILY & COMPETITIVE KARTING CHALLENGES • HOT LAPS & RALLY DEMONSTRATION
• LUNCH FROM ANY ONE OF AIM’S NEW TRACK OBSERVATION LOCATIONS AS RACECARS NAVIGATE THE SOUTH COURSE
• PANEL DISCUSSION
• POLARIS SIDE-BY-SIDE OFF-ROAD EXPERIENCE
Automobilia, luxury items and experiences, and at least one collector car (net proceeds to benefit select charities) • DINNER & AWARDS AT THE MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB COLLECTOR CAR GALLERY
3
DAY
• SPORTS CAR CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE Sports cars on display, with special car exhibits by Bugatti & Miller • HOT LAPS IN MODERN SPORTS AND SUPER CARS • POLARIS SIDE-BY-SIDE OFF-ROAD EXPERIENCE • CARRERA SLOT CAR CHALLENGE • BROADCAST BY DANNY SULLIVAN, WAYNE CARINI, TOMMY KENDALL & BRIAN REDMAN Regular updates about AIM happenings, racing history, and personal anecdotes throughout the weekend • ON-TRACK DEMONSTRATIONS Vintage and modern street cars, supercars, and Formula One cars • CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE AWARDS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8
• ART IN MOTION CELEBRATION AT THE MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB COLLECTOR CAR GALLERY
BRIAN REDMAN
WAYNE CARINI
TOMMY KENDALL
Brian Redman is a world-famous driving champion and winner of 77 races in 12 countries. He is one of the racing world’s most accomplished and respected figures, and a 2002 Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee. Mr. Redman has competed in Formula racing, open-wheelers, Can-Am, IMSA, and FIA.
Wayne Carini is the host of Chasing Classic Cars (currently in its ninth season) on the Velocity channel, and the proprietor of F40 Motorsports Sales and Restoration Services. He is a noted collector, recognized collector car authority, and president of Carini Consulting, a collector car consulting firm.
Tommy Kendall is an American sports car legend who was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2015 and the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame in 2017. Now a television broadcaster, Mr. Kendall won the SCCA Trans-Am series title four times and the IMSA GTU series title three times. V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
13
1-OF-1 PORSCHE POLICE CAR TO KEEP PACE AT ART IN MOTION
14
A RTI N MOT ION
One of the world’s rarest and most unique vintage Porsches, the 1968 Polizei-Bekleidung 911, will keep pace on Monticello Motor Club’s track during the second annual Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance in October. This pristine, brightly colored hot rod is actually a prototype that Porsche created five decades ago for display on the American auto show circuit. The goal at the time was to convince U.S. law enforcement agencies that the 911 would be an ideal patrol car for its officers. And why not? Back then, at least eight other countries – Portugal, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland, Finland, Austria, Germany, and Holland – had bought into the idea. The Dutch police force was particularly fond of the rear-engine German pursuit vehicles, and their orange and white livery was undeniably eye-catching. For its debut, Porsche outfitted the car with a U.S.-spec red plastic dome light, a klaxon siren, a loudspeaker on the engine lid, and an illuminated "STOP" below the rear license plate. It also had double rear-view mirrors, storage under the rearseat shelf for a first-aid kit and emergency gear, a dash-mounted outside thermometer, U.S.-style front grille-mounted driving lamps, and a TRW power pack in the trunk to run all the extra electrical equipment. Finally, it was painted orange and white to match Holland’s fleet, and featured German “Polizei” script along the doors, hood, and rear deck lid.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
15
The car first appeared at the National Capital Auto Show in Washington, D.C., then made its way to shows in Chicago, New York, and New Haven. Although impressive, the Polizei-Bekleidung 911 failed to attract any interest among American law enforcement, so it was shipped back to the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, Germany at the close of the 1968 auto show circuit. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where it sat until Southern California Porsche dealer Bill Yates convinced Porsche to sell it to him for display in his showroom (selling price: $5,600). After Yatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; passing, the orange and white soft-window Targa was owned by several collectors before being purchased by Art In Motion Founder Paul Queally. Now Queally is bringing this one-of-a-kind piece of history to Art In Motion, where it will take on the role of the pace car for all on-track races.
16
A RTI N MOT ION
ExcelAire is the official aviation partner of Monticello Motor Club.
For more information or to book a flight with ExcelAire, call or email MMC’s Aviation Concierge
1.877.MMC.AIR1 | joeh@excelaire.com
V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
17
20 1 6 AR T IN M O T ION C ON C OURS Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ELEGANCE AWARD WI NNERS BEST OF SHOW
Concours ENTRANT: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Tour de France OWNER: Roy Brod
Finest GT
Finest Competition
ENTRANT: 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS Ghia-Aigle OWNER: Stephen Bruno
ENTRANT: 1981 Porsche 935 K4 OWNER: Bruce Canepa
Most Elegant
Most Unique
ENTRANT: 1958 BMW 507 OWNER: Tom Pesikey
ENTRANT: 1970 Citroen M35 OWNER: Jeff Lane
Race & Competition ENTRANT: 1969 Porsche 917K OWNER: Bruce Canepa 18 18
A RTI N MOTION A RTI N MOTION
2 0 1 6 A R T IN MOT IO N CO NCO URS D‘ELEGANCE AWAR D W I N N ERS CHOICE AWARD WINNERS
Judges’ Choice
Founders’ Choice
ENTRANT: 1954 Cunningham C-3 Vignale OWNER: Jim Taylor
ENTRANT: 1952 Allard J2X OWNER: Michael Rich
Honorary Concours Judge Wayne Carini
Honorary Race Judge Danny Sullivan
ENTRANT: 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 OWNER: Robert Kurtz
ENTRANT: 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 OWNER: Paul Queally
BEST OF CLASS AWARD WINNERS Porsche Marque; 356 Era '51-'64
Porsche Marque; 9 series
ENTRANT: 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder OWNER: Nick Clemence
ENTRANT: 1973 Porsche 911 OWNER: Steve Midgett
USA
Germany
ENTRANT: 1956 Cooper T39 “Bobtail” OWNER: Rob Adams
ENTRANT: 1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide Deluxe OWNER: Alan Rosenblum
ENTRANT: 1970 Mercedes 280SL OWNER: Tony Labella
France
Italy
Member
ENTRANT: 1973 Alpine-Renault A110 1600S (VC) OWNER: Chris Robins
ENTRANT: 1962 OSCA 1600 GTS Zagato OWNER: Peter Brotman
ENTRANT: 2009 Ferrari F430 OWNER: Morgan Duffy
Porsche Marque Race
Race & Competition Early
Great Britain
ENTRANT: 1986 Porsche 962 OWNER: Bruce Canepa
ENTRANT: 1926 Miller Locomobile Junior 8 Special OWNER: Driehaus Collection
Race & Competition Late ENTRANT: 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, raced by Chrysler France OWNER: Michael Connell V O L UM E 7 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE V O L UM E 7 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE
19 19
THE WHOLE WORLD OF MOTORSPORTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;
ALL UNDER ONE TENT
0 220
ARTI RTIN NMOTION MOTION A
Racing will get a little bit – ok, a lot – smaller at Monticello Motor Club in October as slot car racing brings even bigger excitement to this year’s Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance.
A slot car is a much smaller version of an actual car, with a working 18,000-rpm motor that is powered by electricity transmitted through metal rails on a plastic track. Sticky tires and small internal traction magnets help hold the car in place on the track. Each car is controlled remotely, via a hand throttle that the driver uses to modulate power to the car on the track.
AIM attendees will have the chance to take a turn on Carrera’s track, and can even challenge AIM’s celebrity guests – Indy 500 winner Danny Sullivan, Trans Am Champion Tommy Kendall, Chasing Classic Cars host Wayne Carini, and World Sportscar Champion Brian Redman – to head-to-head competition throughout the 3-day event.
One of the largest slot car villages in North America – 40 feet long and 8 feet wide – will be on display at AIM, courtesy of Carrera Toys North America, and will feature a fleet of vintage GT-type 1/32 scale slot cars that will mirror many of the very cars gracing Art In Motion’s concours field this year.
Slot cars date back to 1912, and were extremely popular in America just after World War II. Slot car racing thrived in America throughout the 1950s and 1960s, but lost favor to video games post-1980. In recent years, slot car racing has enjoyed a healthy revival, thanks to evangelists like Carrera Marketing Manager David Kennedy.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TO T O R C L U B MAGAZINE
21
“I learned a long time ago that the people who are fascinated with slot cars are the same people who are watching or participating in auto racing in some form,” said Kennedy, who started playing with slot cars when he was just five years old. “A true auto enthusiast loves everything about cars, regardless of their size.” In fact, Jörg Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler, both Porsche factory drivers, raced slot cars as children. Darren Law, the program manager for Flying Lizard Motorsports, still has a slot car track in his home. “There is very little difference between real racing and slot car racing,” said Kennedy, a two-time 24-hour endurance slot car racing national champion. “You’re just not in the car.” Most everything that someone does mechanically to make a racecar go faster, you can also do to a slot car, according to Kennedy. Those techniques range from selecting the right motor and tuning the chassis to getting just the right exotic metal parts to reduce drag.
22
A RTI N MOTION
It’s not just the mechanics that matter; you also have to have the know-how to gauge track conditions, properly drive into a tricky corner, and pick just the right spots on the track to accelerate. “In our minds, we are racing real cars, only smaller,” Kennedy said.
“IN OUR MINDS, WE ARE RACING REAL CARS, ONLY SMALLER.”
M A T T H E W
ORENDAC Chairman, Automotive Selection Committee 2017 Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance
DAVID KENNEDY
Art In Motion is pleased to welcome Matthew Orendac as the chairman of the Selection Committee for AIM's second annual Concours d’Elegance. The Concours is the highlight of AIM's 3-day spectacular at Monticello Motor Club, just 90 minutes from New York City. Matthew has been in the collector car insurance business for three decades, and is currently in the Private Client Services Division at Hagerty Insurance. One of the premier experts in the collector car world, he has been part of selection committees for Radnor Hunt, the Concours d'Elegance of America, Pinehurst, and Edison Concours. He has also been invited to judge at Pinehurst, Boca Raton, Edison, Hilton Head Island, Masterpieces & Style in Germany, Burn Foundation, and the Classic Car Club of America’s National and Grand Classic. The assistant director of the Classic Car Club of America’s Metro Region, Matthew has attended more than 800 car shows, and is a veteran of many car caravans, car rallies, and tours. He lives in Lumberton, N.J., with his wife and five children, and is very involved with Hagerty’s Youth Advocacy Program, which helps foster the next generation of car enthusiasts and collectors.
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
23
COLLECTING THOUGHTS
CLASSIC CAR COLLECTING = UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
But first, make good decisions... Make Good Decisions. Classic and vintage cars are, by definition, old. They represent a different era, with different conditions, different engineering, and different expectations. Our perceptions and observations around comfort, reliability, and speed have changed since we first saw that Ferrari 308 GTB or ’63 Corvette split window. So as you admire that vintage Bentley or perfect Aston Martin, keep in mind how different everything is today in all, and I mean all, aspects. Before you buy any car, ask yourself a few simple questions about how you want to use it and what you expect to get out of it. And then…
By Matt Peckham Founder, Vintage Motor Management
Drive One.
C
Really. I can’t tell you how many people I know who’ve purchased a classic car without driving it, or at least driving one like it. Find a friend, a dealer, or a broker, who has a similar car and drive one. I arrange for people to “sample” cars on a regular basis.
ollecting cars is different from collecting stamps, Hummel figurines, or coins.
Those collections are nice, but they won’t win you an award at Pebble Beach, carry you across the Mongolian desert, or turn a perfect lap at Spa-Francorchamps.
Collecting vintage and classic cars will deliver more joy, more fun, and more new experiences than collecting almost anything else. The trick is to focus on the positives and eliminate the negatives, both when you first make an acquisition, and throughout the time you own the vehicle.
24
A RTI N MOT ION
When you are driving the car, remember that engineering and conditions today are different than they were 30, 60, or 90 years ago. The 1928 Rolls Royce Pall Mall Phantom that we care for is exquisite, truly a high-water mark of automotive excellence in 1928. If you want to experience what it was like to drive back then, you could not ask for a better example. Just be aware that there is a difference between 1928 and 2017. Today we have roads, reliability,
pace, and comfort, all of which contribute to a different experience. You might think, “Of Course!” but that’s sometimes hard to remember when going through your test drive.
Find the Right Car for You. There is no such thing as the perfect car, but there is such a thing as your perfect car. The first consideration is evaluating what’s most important to you, on a continuum with passion on one end and return on investment on the other. If your first question is about a car you love or a car you must have (like, say, a 1958 Borgward Isabella), then I start with passion. If you start off wondering about the appreciation value over the past 12 months, then we’ll approach the acquisition from a completely different point of view, primarily as an investment.
Hire a Good Advisor. These cars are dynamic assets. Everything that has (or hasn’t) happened to the car before you’ve seen it impacts its usability, enjoyment, and, ultimately, its value. Every bit of a car’s history affects how it will behave in the future. Was it used and serviced regularly? Stored properly? Are all of the bits there? Does that shiny restoration cover up a world of misery and expense? Can you validate everything that
Our philosophy about car collecting is simple; it’s about making good decisions. Decisions about what to acquire, how to increase value and ultimately how best to enhance your collection. We’ve assembled a professional, conflict-free staff and network of experts to eliminate the stress of ownership. From research, to restoration, to maintenance, to storage, and all the details in between, we will handle the specifics so you can enjoy your cars.
you are seeing? Does that ultra-low mileage Ferrari mean ultra-high repair bills because it hasn’t been used for 30 years? The seller, private or otherwise, may be very upfront with you – or he or she may not be. An expert can help guide you through the process. When necessary, we will call in one of our network of marque experts to research and inspect the car. We work with specialists for every major class of car, marque, and geography. Hiring an advisor is a step that you must not skip. Consider it an investment in your investment. The money you spend inspecting that Porsche 356 may save you tens of thousands in future repairs and frustration.
Enjoy Your Car. Many of us enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the research, the acquisition, the ownership of a truly exclusive car, and a great story of the elusive one that got away. For many others, it’s just as important to have a car to drive, show, and use. For the vast majority of people, it is about nostalgia. In my book, the use-case justifies all else. These are assets that need to be used and enjoyed. Whether it’s a simple country jaunt, a run to the grocery store on a nice day, the Tour at Pebble Beach, the Peking to Paris Rally, or the Colorado Grand, these cars need to be used, and used often.
A collector car gets better with proper use and care. Only the finest Concours d'Elegance cars need to be coddled and swaddled. In fact, every car at our facility is kept in ready condition, and driven regularly. And each one of them is enjoyed, just as they should be. Car collecting is all about making good decisions; get the help you need, pick the right cars, and drive them often.
Matt Peckham is the founder of Vintage Motor Management and a life-long collector of a variety of motorized conveyances. He is also the managing partner of the Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance at Monticello Motor Club. VMM is an MMC partner, and will manage all of the activities associated with the Collector Car Gallery, opening in September 2017. VMM oversees automotive assets, acquisitions, and events all over the world.
Contact Matt Peckham for a consultation on your collection or next acquisition. mpeckham.vmm@gmail.com | 862.246.3422 www.vintagemotormanagement.com
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
25
WOODSTOCK LEGACY EXPANDS THROUGH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Neil Diamond. Zac Brown Band. Rod Stewart. Sting. They’re names everyone knows, and they have all graced the Pavilion stage at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts this year. And then there’s 18-year-old Will Colpoys. You might not recognize his name, but it’s because of Bethel Woods that he is on his way to Manhattan’s prestigious School of Visual Arts to study animation in the fall. “I wouldn’t be where I am today, as well-rounded and experienced artistically and culturally, if it weren’t for Bethel Woods,” Will said. Will spent most of his young life in Florida, blessedly immersed in the arts. As far back as he can remember, Will was drawing all the time – in the notebooks he carried, on napkins, on any scrap of paper he could find. He especially liked drawing cartoons of superheroes like Spider-Man. He liked to act as well, and performed at the Florida Repertory Theatre in plays like Fame and Aladdin. When Will was 13, his family relocated to rural Roscoe, N.Y., which offered far more for trout fishermen than for theater buffs, and where the K-12 school district boasted an enrollment of just 266. Sure, Will still got to study art and Photoshop, act in school plays, and sing in the chorus, but he wanted more. He was aching to immerse himself in the arts, just like he’d done down South. He found exactly what he was looking for in Bethel Woods’ arts and humanities programs.
26
A RTI N MOT ION
The beautiful Bethel Woods Center was built on 800 acres surrounding the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, N.Y. While the Center is best known for the many summer concerts held at its amphitheater, these events serve to support Bethel Woods’ primary educational mission. Over 31,000 kids and adults per year are reached through its classes, workshops, films, lectures, and hands-on learning inspired by the ‘60s. Its programs are presented at its non-profit arts center, schools, and throughout local communities. “By making the arts and humanities more accessible to people of all ages, we engage young students, their families, and, ultimately, their communities in the transformative power of the arts,” said Bethel Woods Chief Executive Officer Darlene Fedun. “We believe in the
“I had a concrete understanding of how to take shots and what to do, but I didn’t have the creative backing to compose certain shots that were more emotionally compelling,” recalled Kelby, who will be going to Penn State to study photography and advertising this fall. “I definitely learned how to have people emotionally connect to my photos.” Bethel Woods’ arts and humanities programs are heavily supported by individual donations and corporate sponsors. Monticello Motor Club is among the Center’s strongest supporters, and in fact, donated all net proceeds from the first annual Art In Motion Concours d’Elegance of Speed & Power to Bethel Woods.
benefits of quality cultural, historical, and arts experiences, and the impact they have on shaping a generation of new leaders, responsible stewards, and contributing community members.” Through one of its programs, Broadway in Bethel (now called P.L.A.Y. Theater), Will was able to study with visiting artist Mark Robinson, who had acted, directed, and taught in places like the Public Theater, Circle in the Square, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Another Bethel Woods program, Project: Identity Photography, offered 18-year-old Kelby Hochreither of Hawley, Pa. the opportunity to grow his photography skills to a whole new level.
“Because of the ongoing generosity of so many, we are able to reach a growing number of individuals, and provide greater accessibility through transportation and scholarships for children and families who may not otherwise have the means to participate,” Fedun said. “Kids in programs like Project: Identity grow both personally and artistically by working with teachers and students with diverse backgrounds and experiences.” Both Will and Kelby participated in multiple programs through Bethel Woods, and eventually joined on as interns, Will with the Saturdays at the Woods program and Kelby through the Project: Identity Photography program. “These programs help a lot of people emotionally cope and kind of get another type of environment outside of the regular school setting,” said Kelby. “They get to talk to people with similar interests and learn from real artists; I think most of us can use these programs as a stepping stone toward future growth.”
V O L UM E 7 | M O TOR C L U B MAGAZINE
27
FINDING THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE 5 helpful tips when selecting a vehicle transport company By Dean Wilson Vice President of Marketing, Intercity Lines, Inc.
For those of you who have a special relationship with your vehicles, whether a priceless vintage, a one-of-a-kind collectible, or an asphalt-tearing racecar, the process of selecting a carrier to transport your pride and joy isn’t something to be taken lightly. Here are five suggestions to help ensure that you make a wise choice.
1
PUT YOUR INVESTIGATOR HAT ON.
Start by asking around. Most auction companies, car clubs, and restorers can provide solid recommendations. Go online and find out how long the company has been in business, and whether it is licensed with the United States Department of Transportation. Each auto transporter is issued a MC Docket number and USDOT number, which you can validate at www.fmcsa.dot.gov. You can also investigate a company’s safety record on the same website.
2
WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER.
Take a look at how the company treats its own fleet of vehicles. Check the equipment being used to make sure it’s up to par. Is each vehicle secured with straps or nets to avoid damage from over-tightened chains putting a strain on the axle, or under-tightened chains banging against the car? Does the company use horizontal hydraulic lift gates to ensure safer loading and unloading? Does the company use custom-built trailers specifically meant to transport cars? These are signs of a professional carrier that knows the business.
3
5
Remember, the carrier is responsible for your car during transportation, so ask about limits and the total liability coverage. It’s important to know that your vehicle is covered for its full value. Better yet, have the carrier provide a Certificate of Insurance. It should include coverage amounts for liability, workers compensation, cargo limits, and a deductible (if applicable). At Intercity Lines, we have $2 million worth of cargo insurance. Never use a transporter who asks you to sign a damage waiver unless you’re prepared to repair any damage to your vehicle yourself.
Once you have found a carrier that meets (and hopefully exceeds) your expectations, take several steps to prepare your pride and joy for the journey. Here’s a brief checklist of tasks we recommend you execute before your vehicle is whisked off to yonder destinations.
MAKE SURE THEY (AND YOU) ARE COVERED.
4
IT ISN’T ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS.
Not all vehicle carriers provide the same level of service; be specific about your needs. The quotes you receive for quality delivery service should be comparable from one carrier to another. If a price quote looks too good to be true, it probably is. Strongly consider spending the extra money for an enclosed trailer so that your vehicle is properly protected, especially on longer trips. Lastly, never give a deposit. Exclusive and reputable vehicle carriers ask for a payment when the vehicle is picked up or dropped off.
Intercity Lines, Inc., a family-owned auto transporter with more than 35 years in the business, specializes in classic car transport, luxury car transport, and exotic car transport. It offers customized enclosed auto transport equipment, advanced communication technology, innovative services, and highly trained and enthusiastic employees. Intercity Lines is the official transporter for Monticello Motor Club, Palm Beach Cavallino Classic, Blackhawk Automotive Museum, and Gooding & Company, and is one of only four transport companies recommended by Hagerty, a global leader for collector car and boat insurance. Intercity is also an associate partner of the Ferrari Club of America. Intercity Lines’ longtime clients include both comedian Jay Leno and Chasing Classic Cars’ Wayne Carini. For more information about Intercity Lines, Inc., visit www.intercitylines.com or call 800.221.3936.
28
A RTI N MOTION
PREPARE FOR THE JOURNEY AHEAD.
• Follow all the guidelines the carrier has specified. The last thing you want is for the carrier to show up and refuse the shipment because you haven’t met the agreed upon conditions. • Make sure the car is as clean as possible, inside and out. You may even consider taking photos during the pickup inspection to document your vehicle’s exact condition. These photos will be invaluable in the event you need to file a damage claim after delivery. • Loose parts should be secured so they don’t shift and damage other parts of the vehicle. • Ensure that your vehicle’s battery is fully charged to avoid additional costs for winching, that the anti-freeze level is adequate for the climate at both ends of the trip to avoid a cracked engine block, and that the gas tank is roughly a quarter full (carriers prefer the tank to not be filled). • Create a detailed list of any special instructions the carrier may need to properly care for your vehicle, including any special switches, anomalies, tricks to getting it started, alarm instructions, etc.