Motor Club Magazine - Volume 5 by Monticello Motor Club

V O L UM E 5 | M OT O R C L U B MAGAZINE

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2 0 1 6

S E A S O N

PERFORMANCE FLIGHT CHALLENGE MEMBER RACE SERIES June 18 July 30 Aug. 27 Sept. 17 Awards & Banquet: Sept. 17 QUEALLY MIATA CLASSIC June 10 July 15 (Pro-Am) Aug. 5 Sept. 2 Oct. 14 Oct. 23 MMC MAZDA CHALLENGE June 26 July 17 Aug. 14 Sept. 25 INVITATIONAL ENDURANCE RACES June 4 Oct. 8 HALLOWEEN FUN RACE Oct. 29 PORSCHE CLUB OF AMERICA NATIONAL RACE July 7 (Test & Tune) July 8-10 FAMILY KARTING RACES June 4 (Member-Guest) June 18 (Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Challenge) July 30 Aug. 27 Sept. 17 Oct. 8 (Member-Guest) 3-DAY RACE SCHOOLS* June 7 July 5 July 12 Aug. 9 Aug. 30 Oct. 4 *Seats unfilled by members may be offered to non-members

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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 Holly Covart Jessica Gardner Mary Jo Gardner Luis Guadalupe Jenna Hiatt Molly McCoy Matthew Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan Lisa Ramirez Johanna Seidel Ari Straus Howard Walker Alex Wolenski

PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Casse Kevin Goggin Alison M. Padron Richard Prince Chris Ramirez Michael Roberto Chris Szczypala

PRINTING Allied Printing Services, Inc.

Welcome to Motor Club Magazine, the bi-annual 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 express prior written permission of the copyright owner. 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, NY 12701 855.MMC.CLUB (855.662.2582) info@monticellomotorclub.com www.monticellomotorclub.com 4

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D R I V E Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S

S E A T

s we enter our ninth driving season, we once again pause to explore some of the things that make Monticello Motor Club so unique.

MMC is more than North America’s premier automotive country club and private 4.1-mile race track. We are more than a karting track, an offroad course, a fleet of exotic rental vehicles, and professional driving instructors. And we’re more than our growing member race series. MMC is defined by the diversity of our membership. Our members range from business executives and scientists to retirees and college students. Some are getting behind the wheel of a racecar for the first time, while others are driving in professional racing series. In this issue, our members take center stage, and discuss everything from their favorite racecar (Mazda MX-5 Cup racecars are huge these days) to their ideas about family bonding. We bring particular attention to the women of Monticello Motor Club, and explore their personal journeys to the asphalt. We also applaud the successes of our corporate partners and friends, each of whom helps in some way to enhance the MMC experience for our members. “We began this journey as pioneers.” Ari Straus, MMC’s CEO and managing partner, wrote those words nearly three years ago, and I’m proud to say that we remain pioneers today. As we approach our 10-year anniversary, we continue to explore new territory. It’s our evolution that we celebrate here, and the evolution of our members and partners. Whether you are a motorsports enthusiast or secretly dream of becoming Speed Racer one day, we hope you find some common ground with the people and places we have brought to life in the pages of this magazine.

Shiny side up,

Alex Wolenski Chief Operating Officer Monticello Motor Club V O L UM E 5 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE

CONTENTS V O L U M E

EMMA DELATTRE: NO COOKIE-CUTTER KID

DR. KIMBERLEY GANNON: DRIVEN

36 28

UNEXPECTED FAVORITE FOR MMC RACERS

38 FACE-OFF: HIGH-PERFORMANCE EXOTICS VS. MAZDA MX-5

40 MONTBLANC LEGEND SPIRIT INTRODUCED AT MMC

22 CLASSIC CAR CLUB MANHATTAN GETS NEW HOME ON PIER 76

24 FOR THE LOVE OF FERRARI

28 8

AMY DUNCKELMANN: THE ADVENTURER

CATCH MMC PRO RACING INSTRUCTORS & MMC MEMBERS ON THE PRO CIRCUIT

10 JAGUAR LAND ROVER: EXTREME MACHINES

14 STEVAN MCALEER: A PRO SCRAPPER WITH DRIVE

18 MCCUMBEE MCALEER RACING BRINGS MMC AMATEURS INTO BIG LEAGUES

58 6

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ARTIST TIMOTHY RAINES

30 RACE TRACK FAMILY ROAD TRIP

50 BMW 7 SERIES MAKES GRAND ENTRANCE

53 PRO TIPS

54 DR. IRENE TIEN: THE OPTIMIST

56 SOCIAL SCENE

MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS TO ITS FAMILY

MMC PRO SHOP: ALPINESTARS

AURORA STRAUS: INTUITIVE

46 LOCAL FLAVOR

47 BETHEL WOODS 2016 EVENTS CALENDAR

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“THE DRIVING CAN BE STRESSFUL AND EXCITING, BUT IT’S ALSO CATHARTIC, EUPHORIC.”

Amy Dunckelmann TH E

A DVE N T U RE R

There’s a small strip of blue painter’s tape on the telephone on Amy Dunckelmann’s desk. It’s the same kind of tape a driving instructor once put on the top of Amy’s steering wheel. The tape was there, he told her, to help orient her when driving fast around the curves of the track, a talisman of sorts to keep her mind centered on which way is dead straight ahead.

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“I can look at it there on my phone and it reminds me to keep moving forward,” she said. “It’s instant focus.” That’s what high-speed driving is for Amy: instant focus. You can train your mind on the car, where you are, and the turn ahead. Everything else is just noise. Amy, a regional head of Card Products at HSBC, lives in Manhattan in an apartment she just renovated, with her puppy named Noodles. She is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, a

former triathlete, and the owner of a blackon-black Porsche 911.

line. She knew right away she had discovered her new frontier.

She’s also a cancer survivor.

The downside, however, was the travel time to driving schools, and the limited track availability. After poking around online some more, Amy found Monticello Motor Club.

The disease is what got in the way of the triathlons she loved; it’s also what drove her to seek out a new challenge. “I wanted that same sort of mental focus, the same excitement and camaraderie that I found in triathlons,” she said. Amy had some experience with high-speed driving in the past, but that was years earlier. Still, her status as a novice didn’t keep her from joining a driving school she found on-

“The night before I’m heading to MMC, I don’t want to go out,” said Amy, who officially became a member last year. “I want to be rested, but I can’t sleep because I get so excited. I’m the first one at Starbucks in the morning, and I just want to pick up my car and get there.”

“I talk to the mechanics, I talk to everybody, and everybody is willing to help,” she said. “The driving can be stressful and exciting, but it’s also cathartic, euphoric. When I go back to the city, I feel like I was just at the spa, except I don’t smell like lavender.” Instructors tell her that she’s a pleasure to teach, absorbing information and criticism, and free of “car ego.” “I think sometimes people get in a racecar and they have to prove that they’re no coward,” she speculated. “I’ve been married twice and I beat cancer. I have nothing to prove.”

Amy is new to high-performance driving, but no question is too basic for the team at MMC. V O L UM E 5 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE

EXTREME MACHINES MMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partner creates excitement with its new F-TYPE SVR & Range Rover Sport SVR

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he F-TYPE SVR is among an elite group of supercars that can top 200 mph. From standstill, it can rush to 60 mph in a mere 3.5 seconds, powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that develops a massive 575-hp. It is, quite simply, the fastest, most extreme Jaguar series production sports car. Its cousin, the Range Rover Sport SVR, is the world’s most capable performance SUV. This supercharged 550-hp 4x4 is able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, and reaches an electronically limited top track speed of 162 mph. It’s fast enough to lap Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife race track in just 8 minutes, 14 seconds. What do these two sensational vehicles have in common? They were both developed by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division, and are the first to wear the coveted SVR badge. Formed in 2014, Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations and its team of 150 expert designers and engineers have already produced a portfolio of halo vehicles, including high luxury and extreme performance. In addition to the Jaguar F-TYPE SVR and Range Rover Sport SVR, they have developed the limited-edition F-TYPE Project 7, inspired by the legendary Jaguar D-Type, the ultra-luxurious SVAutobiography, and the bespoke Holland & Holland edition of the flagship Range Rover.

The amazing custom Land Rover Defender, Range Rover Sport SVR, and concept Jaguar C-X75 vehicles that starred in the latest James Bond movie, Spectre, were all built by Special Vehicle Operations. “Our mission at Special Vehicle Operations is to take great products created by Jaguar Land Rover, and make them even greater,” said John Edwards, managing director of Special Vehicle Operations at Jaguar Land Rover. Arguably no other vehicle showcases the expertise of Special Vehicle Operations more than the new, ultra-high-performance, all-wheel-drive Jaguar F-TYPE SVR. Available as a coupe or convertible, it was developed to be Jaguar’s lightest, quickest, most-powerful F-TYPE, and its fastest and most powerful series production road car ever. Key performance enhancements include an optional Carbon Ceramic Matrix brake system with exceptional fade resistance, and a new Inconel Titanium exhaust system for an even more purposeful, harder-edged sound. To reduce high-speed lift and drag, the F-TYPE SVR features an enhanced aerodynamic package that includes a re-designed front bumper and splitter, a rear venture, and a carbon-fiber deployable rear spoiler. Upgrades to the chassis include new dampers and a thicker rear anti-roll bar, wider tires, lightweight 20-inch forged wheels, and new, stiffer rear suspension knuckles.

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JAGUAR & VINTAGE RACING Continuing its support of SVRA With Jaguar’s long history of racing, it was no surprise when Jaguar Land Rover North America entered into a partnership with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association to sponsor SVRA racing in the United States. Acting as the official sports car of SVRA, Jaguar not only sponsors a series of races, many of them featuring its legendary C-Type, D-Type, and E-Type racers, Jaguar also offers race-goers the opportunity to test the dynamic performance of the newest additions to the Jaguar lineup, including the 550-hp F-TYPE R. “Exciting performance is at the foundation of the Jaguar DNA, beginning with our rich history in racing, up to our newest models,” said Kim McCullough, vice president of marketing at Jaguar Land Rover North America. “With this partnership, we have the opportunity to introduce the modern Jaguar lineup to today’s most passionate automotive enthusiasts.”

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The F-TYPE SVR will join Jaguar’s dynamic fleet at Monticello Motor Club later this year for members to experience on the track. The track at Monticello has an especially close connection with the new Range Rover Sport SVR. Land Rover staged its global media ride-and-drive event at MMC, giving hundreds of journalists the opportunity to experience the 4x4 both on MMC's 4.1mile track and on the challenging trails of MMC’s 300-acre off-road course. “Both the F-TYPE SVR and Range Rover Sport SVR showcase the three pillars of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations: ultimate performance, ultimate capability, and ultimate luxury,” Edwards added. “I had a lot of fun driving the Range Rover Sport SVR on the track at MMC last year, and can’t wait to experience our F-TYPE SVR there soon.”

JAGUAR BACK ON THE TRACK ...And it’s electric Jaguar’s history is steeped in motorsport success. Who can forget those seven victories at Le Mans, wins in rallying in the ’50s, British saloon car wins in the ’60s, and in SCCA in the ’70s? This fall, Jaguar is heading back to the track, campaigning in the innovative FIA Formula E Championship in a new, all-electric single-seater. Jaguar is partnering with Williams Advanced Engineering – part of the group that includes the Williams Formula 1 team – to provide a real-world performance test bed for future Jaguar Land Rover technology. “Electric vehicles will absolutely play a role in Jaguar Land Rover’s future product portfolio, and Formula E will give us a unique opportunity to further our development of electrification technologies,” said Nick Rogers, group engineering director for Jaguar Land Rover. “The Championship will enable us to engineer and test our advanced technologies under the most extreme performance conditions.” Jaguar will enter the third season of Formula E in late 2016. The current 2016 season features 10 rounds worldwide, from Beijing, China to Buenos Aires, Argentina. The United States round was held in Long Beach, Calif. in April.

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A PRO SCRAPPER WITH DRIVE S T E V A N

M C A L E E R

our-time Scottish Open karting champion. Mazda MX-5 Cup champion. IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge champion. Professional driving instructor in both karts and racecars. Owner of a karting business. Co-owner of a professional race team. Stevan McAleer, a pro instructor at Monticello Motor Club, knows what it takes to get ahead, and he’s more than willing to fight for his place in the professional racing world. “I’m very honest with myself; it comes back to the fact that I want this more than anyone else,” McAleer said. “When one direction doesn’t work, you look for another route.” This 31-year-old scrapper from Glasgow has encountered his fair share of obstacles since gaining recognition as one of the top karters in Scotland over a decade ago. The first stumbling block came when his parents realized that they could no longer afford to fund McAleer’s karting endeavors. In answer, McAleer started looking for alternatives that would keep his racing dream alive. He came across a scholarship contest where the winner got a fully funded pro racing season in the 2006 Skip Barber Eastern Regional Championship in America. “Perfect,” he thought. McAleer scraped together the $495 he needed to enter, and eventually won the scholarship. He officially transitioned from karts to racecars, and won 11 out of 14 races in America that year. That was enough to secure a second year of funding to continue his racing career. But by 2008, the money was getting harder to come by, and had dried up entirely by 2009. “I know a lot of talented drivers who gave up when they hit that wall,” McAleer said. “I always knew that wasn’t for me.” Instead of heading back to Scotland, McAleer stayed in America and took a job at Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco, and coached on the side. In 2012, McAleer started working as a professional driving instructor at Monticello Motor Club.

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“I WANT THIS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE. WHEN ONE DIRECTION DOESN’T WORK, YOU LOOK FOR ANOTHER ROUTE.”

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That same year, CJ Wilson Racing brought McAleer on board to race in the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Championship series, which he won in dominating fashion. His talent secured his position behind the wheel of an MX-5 for CJ Wilson Racing for the next three years in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge. Last year was McAleer’s most impressive to date. He and co-driver Chad McCumbee, of NASCAR fame, not only took home the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST title for CJ Wilson Racing, they also enjoyed their first season in the 2015 MX-5 Cup series as team owners of McCumbee McAleer Racing, sponsored by ModSpace Motorsports. McCumbee McAleer Racing took home two wins, and earned the Team of the Year honor. McAleer’s goal is to create a place in the racing world that exists beyond personal podium wins, one that allows him to help shape the careers of other drivers for years to come. “Regardless of where I am in my career, my coaching will always be every bit as valuable as my driving,” said McAleer, who continues to instruct members at MMC. “I so enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with other drivers, and MMC is the ultimate place to teach, practice, and race.”

NAME: STEVAN MCALEER D.O.B: 08/28/1984 HOMETOWN: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND CURRENT: COLD SPRING, NEW YORK 2015 CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTSCAR CHALLENGE ST CHAMPION (WITH TEAMMATE/PRO CHAD MCCUMBEE) CO-OWNER OF MODSPACE MOTORSPORTS/MCCUMBEE MCALEER RACING 2013 IMSA'S "MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB ROOKIE OF THE YEAR" AWARD DEBUTED IN GRAND-AM CONTINENTAL TIRE SPORTSCAR CHALLENGE GS CLASS 2012 PLAYBOY MAZDA MX-5 CUP CHAMPION 2011 POLE POSITION & WINNER OF E1 CLASS AT 25 HOURS OF THUNDERHILL (9TH OVERALL OUT OF 83 CARS) WINNER OF ANNUAL MMC MAZDA SERIES EAST COAST INDOOR KARTING CHAMPION PORSCHE GT3 AUTOCROSS CHAMPION 2009 GRAND PRIX SHOOTOUT FINALIST FORMULA BMW CHIEF INSTRUCTOR & COMPETITION MANAGER AT GRAND PRIX NEW YORK LLC 2008 5TH PLACE OVERALL IN SKIP BARBER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2007 4TH PLACE OVERALL IN SKIP BARBER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2006 2ND PLACE OVERALL IN SKIP BARBER EASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN NORTH AMERICA 2005 “BE A RACING DRIVER” SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT (EARNED FULLY FUNDED SEASON IN 2006 SKIP BARBER EASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN AMERICA) 2003 SCOTTISH FORMULA TKM OPEN CHAMPION 2002 SCOTTISH FORMULA TKM CHAMPION SCOTTISH FORMULA OPEN CHAMPION SUMMERLEE FORMULA TKM OPEN CHAMPION WEST OF SCOTLAND FORMULA TKM OPEN CHAMPION TKM CHALLENGE CHAMPION WEST OF SCOTLAND OVERALL CLUB CHAMPION 2001 SCOTTISH FORMULA TKM CHAMPION SCOTTISH FORMULA TKM OPEN CHAMPION 2000 SCOTTISH OPEN JUNIOR TKM CHAMPION V O L UM E 5 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE

MCCUMBEE

MCALEER

RACING

Brings MMC Amateurs Into Big Leagues M

cCumbee McAleer Racing, sponsored by ModSpace Motorsports, is kicking off its sophomore season in the SCCA Pro 2016 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup, presented by BFGoodrich Tires, with an expanded team, including some of Monticello Motor Club’s best amateur racers. “Each of our new team members has reached a point in club racing that tells me they’re ready for the next step,” said team Co-Owner Stevan McAleer, who won the series in 2012. “We couldn’t be prouder to help foster that progression in the MX-5 Cup series.” This year’s team includes five MMC members: returning racers 17-year-old Aurora Straus and ModSpace President and CEO Charles Paquin, who has years of experience on the pro circuit, and new racers 18-year-old Max Faulkner, Chris Ohmacht, and Justin Raphael. “The MX-5 Cup is an entry level pro race series, but it’s one of the toughest out there,” McAleer said. “The MX-5 is a momentum car; you have to drive the hell out of it to make it go fast.” McAleer and MMR Co-Owner Chad McCumbee, who together won the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST title last year, had a strong first season in the MX-5 Cup, taking home two wins in the series and earning the Team of the Year honor.

2016 MCCUMBEE MCALEER RACING TEAM for the Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires

Racer: Max Faulkner DOB: 3/8/1998 Residence: Rumson, NJ (originally from West Harting, England) Favorite Movies: Senna, Truth in 24 II Favorite Cars: Jaguar F-TYPE, Praga, R1, Audi R8, Mazda MX-5 Aspirations: To race at pro level; move into mechanics role for an F1 team Fun Fact: Attended boarding school from age 15

Racer: Chris Ohmacht DOB: 12/22/1966 Residence: Bethlehem, PA Favorite Movies: The Great Gatsby, Atlas Shrugged Favorite Cars: Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Mazda MX-5 Cup Aspirations: To learn, improve, and push my limits every day… in racing and life generally Hobbies: Tennis, wine, travel Best Racing Moment: Every day in a racecar is a great moment!

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Racer: Charles Paquin DOB: 9/10/1972 Favorite Movie: Live and Let Die Favorite Cars: 1967 Ford GT40, Dodge Viper Aspirations: I want to be Paul Newman. Hobbies: Gardening Best Racing Moment: Top 10 Rookie season or maybe rolling a car at VIR Fun Fact: I’m one-eighth Scottish… must be related to (team co-owner) McAleer.

Racer: Justin Raphael DOB: 2/9/1971 Residence: Franklin Lakes, NJ Favorite Movies: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Steel Magnolias Favorite Car: Porsche 911 Hobbies: Playing drums, hiking, golf

Racer: Aurora Straus DOB: 9/17/1998 Residence: Cold Spring, NY Favorite Movie: Harold and Maude Favorite Car: My 2015 Mazda CX-5 SUV Aspirations: Pursue a degree in mechanical engineering & English literature Hobbies: Racing, folk music, songwriting, tutoring Best Racing Moment: Driving at night in Sebring in 2015 with Alex Wolenski. We took 2nd place in the six-hour enduro. Fun Fact: I have perfect pitch.

CATCH MMC PRO RACING INSTRUCTORS & MMC MEMBERS ON THE PRO CIRCUIT

MMC PRO RACING INSTRUCTORS

TYLER COOKE Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge #84 BMW 328i

STEVAN MCALEER Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge #25 Mazda MX-5

JASON RABE Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge #31 Porsche Cayman

JUSTIN PISCITELL Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge #34 Mazda MX-5

KYLE TILLEY Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge #81 BMW 328i

MMC MEMBERS

TILL BECHTOLSHEIMER PHILIP BLOOM JOE CATANIA Continental Tire Porsche GT3 Cup USA Porsche GT3 Cup USA SportsCar Challenge #11 Porsche GT3 #22 Porsche GT3 #35 Porsche Cayman

2016 RACE SCHEDULE April 29-May 1 MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA Salinas, CA May 13-15

WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY Watkins Glen, NY

LUCAS CATANIA Porsche GT3 Cup USA #26 Porsche GT3

JOE COURTNEY Ferrari Challenge #177 Ferrari 458 Challenge Evo

AL DELATTRE Ferrari Challenge #116 Ferrari 458 Challenge Evo

June 16-19 ROAD AMERICA Plymouth, WI July 8-10 CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORTS PARK Bowmanville, ON Aug. 26-28 VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY Alton, VA Sept. 28-Oct. 1 ROAD ATLANTA Braselton, GA Visit mx-5cup.com for more information or to view a complete event schedule.

MICHAEL MARSAL ADAM MERZON ARI STRAUS WeatherTech SportsCar WeatherTech SportsCar Continental Tire Championship Championship SportsCar Challenge #97 BMW Z4 GT3 #26 Prototype Nissan BR01 Visit IMSA.com for a complete schedule of races and TV coverage. V O L UM E 5 | M O T O R C L U B MAGAZINE

Emma Delattre N O

C O O K I E - C U T T E R

Emma Delattre shows up with her dad, Al, for a photoshoot at Monticello Motor Club recently and unceremoniously announces, “My mom says that if I mess up my hair, I’ll ruin this whole thing.” The 14-year-old’s cheeky grin belies the potential disaster at hand, and she heads inside the familiar Clubhouse to change into one of her race suits. She has several, some for racing karts and some for on-track driving in full-size cars.

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K I D Only one helmet though, and it’s painted bright pink and blue. She used to have pink splashed all over her karts and cars (you couldn’t miss her pink Fiat on MMC’s track last year), but she’s moving away from that now. She’s left the pink on her helmet as a little shout-out to her being a girl. When Emma steps in front of the camera a few minutes later, she shoves her hands deep

Emma is her silly self in front of the camera, making funny faces and drawing peals of laughter from the entire crew. Away from the camera, she eyes the new 2016 MX-5 Cup cars that are lined up in MMC’s garage. Emma’s got one of these ready-to-race cars on the way, but it’s still in the build stage. Before heading to the karting track for more pictures, Al snags Emma and tells her to slide into one of the MX-5s. He wants to check out the fit. Emma has grown since last year, so she might be able to drive the car without it going through a whole slew of modifications. That will be a pleasant change from the work the Fiat required – steering wheel extender, pedal extenders, a specially poured seat – to accommodate Emma’s then 13-year-old frame. She won’t be ready to race in the Miata for a while yet; she’ll need plenty of on-track practice first. In the meantime, she’s been learning more about MMC’s track configuration, which Al has uploaded to the driving simulator they have at home. ••• Up at MMC’s karting track, Emma scrutinizes the new Birel kart that has been brought out for her to use during the photo shoot. Her dad warns her to take it easy. It’s a cold track. Those are cold tires. That’s a new, unseasoned kart. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she says with a dismissive smile. into the pockets of her suit and waits for direction. The goal is to capture a picture of Emma that will somehow mesh with the other portraits of female MMC members appearing in MMC’s upcoming Motor Club Magazine. But Emma is different than most of the others. She didn’t “discover” the joy of driving fast later in life. It’s all she’s ever known. She’s been racing karts competitively forever, and hanging with her dad at professional racing events since before she could walk. She considers MMC a second home, and probably spent more time there before she was 12 than most members have since signing up.

This child is without guile or vanity. She’s Then she takes off around MMC’s 0.6-mile easy-going, confident, and completely com- karting track at breakneck speed. She stops when prompted so that the photographer can fortable in her own skin. set up some posed shots of her with the kart. Throughout the shoot, Emma dutifully follows the photographer’s instructions while Then she’s off again so that he can capture her father looks on. He shares his thoughts some motion shots. occasionally, and reminds her to show off the HP-Tech and GPX logos that are sewn onto He’s done, but she’s still going. Around and around and around, the photo shoot seemher suit. ingly forgotten. Her “racing uncles” (who just happen to be 3-time GRAND-AM champion and GPX owner “Let her know when you want her to stop,” Al Jeff Segal, racing guru Nick Longhi, and HP- finally says from the pits. “She’ll do this all day Tech Motorsport race team owner Jorge Her- if you let her.” rera) will get a kick out of that, he says.

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MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB | CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

CLASSIC CAR CLUB MANHATTAN GETS NEW HOME ON PIER 76 C

lassic Car Club Manhattan has found a new home on Pier 76 in Manhattan’s Hudson River Park, bringing life back to a cavernous space that used to house the New York Police Department's mounted unit. Classic Car Club, the world’s first automotive club of its kind, provides its members access to a stable of nearly 40 of the greatest automobiles ever produced, from vintage roadsters to brand new supercars and everything in between. Members pay monthly dues and then purchase “points” that buy driving days in cars of their choice. There’s no additional insurance fee; members are just asked to return the cars with a full tank of gas.

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The new space, nearly triple the size of CCC’s former SoHo location, will allow CCC to accept an additional 25 driving members, expand the number of social memberships it offers, and build out a full calendar of public special events and educational programming. “The unbelievable view of the Hudson River from Pier 76 will provide the perfect backdrop for our collection of cars and an unprecedented hub for our members, auto enthusiasts, and the local community to share their passion for anything on wheels,” said Michael Prichinello, co-founder of CCC. Monticello Motor Club's exclusive partnership with CCC provides each MMC member with a complimentary vehicle rental of his or her choice and free pick-up/drop-off within Manhattan.

The main showroom, a warehouse space with 31-foot-high ceilings, has enormous windows that provide not only stunning views of the Hudson, but also pedestrian viewing access to CCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prized collection.

The facility will include a new 3,000-square-foot clubroom for Classic Car Club members, and an 11,000-square-foot auto showroom, river terrace, and special events space that will be open to the public.

Located right across from the Jacob Javits Center on 34TH Street, the mammoth 25,000-square-foot space is nearly triple the size of CCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former home in SoHo.

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For the

Love

Ferrari: ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

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“

Our (Ferrari) customers came to us and wanted to race,” said Miller Motorcars General Manager Bailey Vanneck.

That’s all it took for Miller Motorcars Racing to field a new team for the Ferrari Challenge three years ago. The team's drivers, Al Delattre and Joe Courtney, both members of Monticello Motor Club, and Rodney Randall, have been podium mainstays since. That spells great things for Miller, particularly in an IMSA-sanctioned race series that hosts events at major tracks across the country. The single-make racing series was created in 1993 by Ferrari to allow its owners to experience the exhilaration of driving a Ferrari GT racecar in its purest environment – on a race track, in competition. Miller Motorcars President Richard Koppelman embraced the concept right from the start, and helped create Miller’s very first Ferrari Challenge race team more than two decades ago.

“You can’t really exercise your car the way it was made to be used in the United States,” Koppelman said in a 1996 New York Times article. “By being involved in the Ferrari Challenge, you can get some good running time in.” It makes sense, really. Ferrari’s roots are deep in the racing world. In fact, Enzo Ferrari founded Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 primarily to build racecars. He had very little interest in producing road cars, but eventually conceded as a means of funding further racecar projects. “Ferrari is a racing company at its core,” Delattre said. “The 458 Challenge Evo racecar (used in the series) speaks to that lineage; its V8 engine produces 560-hp, making it a serious race weapon.” The series has intensified since those early days; the process has become more involved and the competition can get fierce. Miller Motorcars Racing, determined to make a good showing three V O L UM E 5 | M O TO R C L U B MAGAZINE

years ago, partnered with HP-TECH Motorsport, a South Florida-based professional race team and performance company with a reputation for fostering driver development. “We wanted to partner with someone who is an expert in the racing field, and there’s really no one better than HP-TECH,” said Evan Cygler, director of marketing at Miller Motorcars. So far, the formula has worked. Miller Motorcars Racing is becoming a well-known name, and its drivers continue to improve. In fact, Courtney came in second place overall in the Coppa Shell class last year, and was leading in points after this season’s first two racing events. “The Miller team is made up of quality racing professionals and dedicated drivers,” said Cygler. “The series is showcasing the hard work we all put in, and demonstrates how connected we are to the high-performance brands we represent.” A MATCH MADE IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE DRIVING Al Delattre, an active and longtime member at Monticello Motor Club, was one of the customers who helped convince Miller Motorcars to get back into the Ferrari Challenge in 2013. Joe Courtney, who joined the team in 2014, is also an MMC member. That connection has helped bring MMC and Miller together, and patrons of both organizations are reaping the rewards.

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The friendship just makes sense. Separated by a quick 90-minute drive, both Miller and MMC deliver a quality experience to the sophisticated motorsports enthusiast. Those who buy from Miller are also those who embrace the exclusivity and track access afforded to MMC’s members. Miller’s race team now uses MMC’s track – one of the longest road courses in the country – for its test days, providing interested members with valuable insight into what it takes to participate in real club racing. “Fellow members ask us questions, and drive the racecars on track,” Delattre said. “They see that racing at this level is a serious avocation, but they also learn that there’s a professional race team ready to help them achieve their goals.” “Monticello Motor Club is an incredible and unique environment, and being a part of the MMC family has allowed us to share our passion and experience with all of its members,” said Jorge Herrera, owner of HP-TECH and team manager for Miller Motorcars Racing. In addition, Miller now hosts client appreciation days at MMC. Attendees are invited to bring their personal supercars to MMC, and drive them in real conditions on a real race track. “It’s amazing to introduce our clients to something as exceptional as MMC; there’s nothing comparable,” said Cygler. “The experience helps open their eyes to a whole new world of high-performance driving.”

2016 MILLER MOTORCARS DRIVERS: 458 CHALLENGE*

JOE COURTNEY #177 Monticello Motor Club Member President, Eastern Account System, Inc. Class: Coppa Shell Car: 458 Challenge EVO Debut: Daytona, 2014 1st Top 10: 2014 Daytona (8th Place) Best Season: 2015 (2nd in Coppa Shell class) Finishes Inside Top 10: 23 of 28 races (82.1%)

AL DELATTRE #116 Monticello Motor Club Member Management Consultant/Racing Dad Class: Coppa Shell Car: 458 Challenge EVO Debut: Sonoma, 2013 1st Top 10: 2013 Sonoma (7th Place) Best Season: 2015 (6th in Coppa Shell class) Finishes Inside Top 10: 27 of 39 races (69.2%)

NORTH AMERICA 2016 RACE SCHEDULE Jan. 28-30

DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Daytona Beach, FL

April 8-10

SONOMA RACEWAY

Sonoma, CA

May 13-15

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

Austin, TX

June 10-12

PARC JEAN-DRAPEAU

Montreal, QC

Sept. 22-24 LIME ROCK PARK Lakeville, CT Nov. 4-6 HOMESTEAD MIAMI SPEEDWAY Homestead, FL Dec. 1-4 WORLD FINALS DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY Daytona Beach, FL

RODNEY RANDALL #105 Cardiologist/Owner, Advanced Cardiovascular Center of Tampa Bay Class: Coppa Shell Car: 458 Challenge EVO Debut: Daytona, 2015 1st Top 10: 2015 Daytona (2nd Place) Best Season: 2015 (5th in Coppa Shell class) Finishes Inside Top 10: 9 of 14 races (64.3%)

Visit races.ferrari.com for more information or to view a complete event schedule. *through 2015 racing season

Source: Ferrari.com

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A “BRAND” NEW ARTISTIC APPROACH

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Artist M

ward-winning artist Timothy Raines’ unique splatter painting technique has helped redefine the style of some of the world’s most iconic brands. Using gravity as a vital element of his execution, Timothy creates movement and energy by carefully releasing bright acrylic paint to splatter on a canvas below. To achieve a range of results, he varies the distance above. Athletics, automobiles, icons, landscapes: Timothy has captured them all through various commissions, and his work continues to grow in popularity. He has been licensed for seven years by Major League Baseball, and an original Raines painting of every team logo is on display at the MLB headquarters in New York City. He’s also worked closely with American Express at a number of invitation-only events. One of those events brought Timothy to Monticello Motor Club, where he created two distinctive paintings of Aston Martins, one of which still hangs in MMC’s Clubhouse.

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R A C E

T R A C K

F A M I L Y

ROAD TRIP 30

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“BEN GOT SUCH A KICK OUT OF IT WHEN HE HIT 100 MILES PER HOUR. THEN HE LAPPED HIS OLDEST SISTER ON THE TRACK, AND HE WOULDN’T LET UP ON HER ABOUT IT THE WHOLE RIDE HOME.”

r. Glenn Schattman blames it all on his wife, Claudia. She’s the one who bought him that gift certificate for a racing school years ago. His passion for high-speed driving just sort of snowballed from there.

It began with the occasional track day, then a racing license, and then another and another. It wasn’t long before Dr. Schattman was traveling to tracks around the country for various racing events.

But he couldn't help but struggle with the fact that every time he left for a driving event, he was leaving Claudia and their four kids at home in Westport, Connecticut. His career as a fertility specialist and associate professor of Reproductive Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College afforded him little free time, and he tried to be as judicious with it as he could. But still… And then there was all that time he wasted getting to and from race days.

“You have to load everything up, trailer your car, unload it all when you get there,” Dr. Schattman said. “Then you’ve got to do it all over again when you’re done.” When Dr. Schattman first discovered Monticello Motor Club, he knew he’d found the perfect solution. He could head to the track after working a half day on Fridays, and still make it home in time for an evening of family bonding.

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“I had a home base and all the access I wanted to this amazing track,” said Dr. Schattman, who signed on as a Gold member, affording him nearly unlimited access to MMC’s facilities and amenities. “I considered it a much more efficient use of my recreational time.” ALL THE THRILL; NONE OF THE GUILT Then he made a discovery that made MMC even better. He didn't have to choose between racing and family time: he could have both simultaneously. It all started after he tried to give his 22-yearold daughter, Emilie, a lesson on how to drive a stick shift. It turned out that it wasn't one of his better ideas. He regrouped and scheduled a driving lesson for Emilie, a Barnard College graduate, at MMC in one of MMC’s rental Spec Miata racecars. He took his youngest son, 14-yearold Ben, along for the ride. A short time later, both of his kids – Ben in his father’s 2011 Audi A5 – were speeding around MMC’s road course with pro instructors, and having the time of their lives. “Ben got such a kick out of it when he hit 100 miles per hour,” Dr. Schattman said. “Then

he lapped his oldest sister on the track, and he wouldn’t let up on her about it the whole ride home.”

School. Then he and his dad can battle it out side by side in the Queally Miata Classic, one of MMC’s member race series.

Since then, Dr. Schattman has upgraded his membership to the Family level, and brings the kids with him to MMC all the time. They’ve all spent time on the track, and Dr. Schattman gains a fair degree of comfort from knowing that they’ll all be safer drivers on the roads as a result.

Dr. Schattman has also invested in a couple of karts, and he and his kids spend quite a bit of time cruising around on the 0.6-mile karting track at MMC.

Dylan, his 20-year-old college student, has already taken some private instruction, and has plans to attend an MMC 3-Day Racing

“We’ve all done some crazy adventurous stuff together – heli-skiing among them – and MMC is right in line with that,” Dr. Schattman said. “Honestly, it hadn't occurred to me that MMC could be a family thing we could all enjoy. It’s great.”

MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB

Fleet Spotlight

Sodi GT5 Kart

2005 Lotus Elise: Supercharged

2009 Porsche Cayman PDK

• • • • •

• • • • • •

Top speed of 50 mph Honda 270cc 4-stroke motor 9-hp 2-pedal operation Kart weight: 325 lb

0-60 mph in 4.9 sec Top speed of 150 mph Supercharged 1.8L I-4 engine 245-hp 6-speed manual Curb weight: 1,975 lb

Monticello Motor Club’s fleet of high-performance cars and karts grows with every season, providing more options for members to rent for use on MMC’s 4.1-mile track or its 0.6-mile karting track.

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0-60 mph in 5.4 sec Top speed of 165 mph 2.9L Flat-6 engine 265-hp 7-speed PDK automatic Curb weight: 3,104 lb

BE THE DRIVER YOUR CAR DESERVES MONTICELLO MOTOR CLUB

3-DAY RACING SCHOOL MMC’s 3-Day Racing School, available using one of MMC’s Porsche Cayman PDK or Spec Mazda Miata racecars, provides participants with a foundation in racing techniques, either for improving their highperformance driving skills or as a gateway toward competitive racing.

• • • • • •

Approximately 3 hours of driving time each day 2:1 student-to-instructor ratio Plenty of private one-on-one instruction Mock races Small class sizes of 4-8 people All classroom materials provided

Graduates will be eligible to apply for a sanctioned racing license.

3-Day Racing School Spec Mazda Miata Racecar $6,950

3-Day Racing School Porsche Cayman PDK Racecar $8,950

ENROLL TODAY. Gift certificates available. Space is limited. (Spaces not filled by MMC members will be made available to non-members. Non-members are allowed to drive at MMC twice per year and not more than five times in five consecutive years.)

CONTACT 855.MMC.CLUB OR INFO@MONTICELLOMOTORCLUB.COM

CONSIDERING MEMBERSHIP? Part or all of your program cost may be applied towards a membership if purchased within 30 days of the experience. (Credit level varies depending on membership level commitment.)

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“I’M KIM GANNON, AND I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO HEEL-AND-TOE SHIFT IN 4-INCH HEELS.”

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Dr. Kimberley Gannon DRIVE N

When Dr. Kimberley Gannon took a trip to the BMW dealership in 1998, her eyes were fixed on the shiny M3s. “A female doesn’t really need that much power,” the salesman told her. “You don’t understand,” was her firm reply. “I do need that much power.” Kim’s mom, Norma Jean, always drove Corvettes back in Indiana. Maybe that’s where Kim got her love of fast cars. Or it could have been the bond she formed with her very first car, a little blue Firebird with racing stripes. Either way, Kim's attraction to speed has been a constant throughout her adult life. So when a colleague suggested she take one of the BMW driving classes offered at Putnam Park, just south of Indianapolis, she jumped at the chance. “I figured it would be like a defensive driving class,” she said. “But I walked in and it was just a room full of guys whose focus was driving fast on a track. I almost turned around and ran out the door.”

into the clinic for Alzheimer’s disease. Her world of biotech start-ups is fast-paced, and requires that she look ahead to anticipate where things might go wrong. “I always tell my team members to keep their eyes up and the throttle down,” Kim said. That focus keeps Kim coming back to high-performance driving. It’s the only time she can shut everything else off, and think of nothing else but the next turn. Over the years, Kim has participated in several BMW and Porsche high-performance driving schools, and has driven at both Germany’s Nürburgring and Belgium’s Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. But it was a Jaguar Performance Driving Academy that drew her to Monticello Motor Club last summer. “I was blown away by the whole experience; I couldn’t wait to go back,” said Kim, who became a member of MMC a short time later. Driving a fully race-prepared car (a rental from MMC's fleet) amplified Kim's interest in track driving.

Almost. But that’s not her style. When it came time for her to stand up and introduce herself, Kim swallowed her fear and announced, “I’m Kim Gannon, and I want to learn how to heel-and-toe shift in 4-inch heels.”

“Now it’s hard to drive a regular car on the track,” Kim said. “The racecar takes it to a new level.”

She did. And had a blast doing it.

Kim thinks of her late mother, Norma Jean, often while at MMC. She would have gotten such a thrill out of racing around MMC’s track. That drive seems to be in her blood.

“By the end, I was completely exhausted, but I had the biggest smile on my face,” she recalled. “I actually went out and put seat harnesses in my 4-door M3 after that.” Driven. That’s who Kim is.

“We did a mother-daughter road trip to pick up my Porsche 911 in North Carolina and drive it back to Boston,” she said. “It was just the two of us, driving fast and blasting the Black Eyed Peas.”

She enjoys a successful career in neuroscience drug discovery, and recently succeeded in getting a novel molecule

She added, “Mom later ended up buying a Porsche Panamera, and I think that trip had something to do with it.”

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UNEXPECTED FAVORITE FOR MMC RACERS Miatas gain in popularity among MMC’s elite

onticello Motor Club is known for its impressive 4.1-mile race track, its country club amenities, and its exclusive membership. It plays host to some of the most impressive auto manufacturers and race teams in the world, and has become the go-to venue for companies out to make an enviable impression. Explore MMC’s private member garages and you’ll find one of the most impressive – and expensive – collections of exotics in the world: Jaguar, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Radical, Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren, Maserati, Audi, BMW, Lotus, and of course… The Mazda Miata. Yes, you read that correctly.

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The surprisingly scrappy Mazda Miata has been popping up all over MMC, and is the star player in MMC’s fastest-growing member race series, the Queally Miata Classic, held on various Fridays throughout the season. “Anyone can drive a Miata, regardless of his or her level of skill,” said MMC Co-Founder and Partner Paul Queally, who started the Queally Miata Classic four years ago. “Everyone has a chance to feel like part of a team.” UNEXPECTED CRUSH Their love affair with the Miata takes many MMC members by surprise. Most join MMC with the overwhelming desire to push the limits of their favorite exotics, to finally make good use of all of that incredible horsepower.

“YOU CAN’T BE AGGRESSIVE WHEN RACING SIDE BY SIDE IN AN EXOTIC; NO ONE WANTS TO SCRAPE A FERRARI BUMPER. NO ONE IS GOING TO CARE IF YOU TRADE BUMPER PAINT IN A MIATA.”

MMC CO-FOUNDER, PARTNER

Paul Queally

But eventually, they get behind the wheel of a Miata, and sparks fly.

going to care if you trade bumper paint in a Miata.”

Members enjoy the playful, carefree nature of the approachable Miata, often called the “sports car for the masses.” The car feels almost indestructible, allowing racers to literally hurl it into corners. It lacks power, but still remains full of energy and is eager to play.

Others love the challenge the Miata presents on the race track. The car doesn’t have the horsepower necessary to cover up driver error at crunch time, which means its driver must have a deep knowledge of racecraft to excel. It’s what makes the Miata an ideal springboard for so many aspiring pros.

As a bonus, repair costs for a Miata are a fraction of the costs associated with most exotics. Example: a front bumper cover for a Ferrari 458 Italia costs around $2,000; the same part for a Miata is roughly $200. “You can’t be aggressive when racing side by side in an exotic; no one wants to scrape a Ferrari bumper,” Queally said. “No one is

The Miata has become so popular among MMC members that MMC is adding another Mazda-related racing series, the Mazda Challenge, to its 2016 members-only racing calendar. Members are already lining up to take part in this new Sunday series.

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FACE-OFF: HIGH-PERFORMANCE EXOTICS VS. MAZDA MX-5

ANTHONY GERACI Glen Head, NY President European Granite & Marble Group MMC Member Since 2010

ANTON BONIFACIC Stroudsburg, PA Owner Sunset Hill Shooting Range MMC Member Since 2013

JOE ROBILLARD Short Hills, NJ Chief Investment Officer HHR Asset Management, LLC MMC Member Since 2013

MATT FASSNACHT Madison, NJ Assistant Portfolio Manager/Analyst HHR Asset Management, LLC MMC Member Since 2013

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E X O T I C S

“My high-horsepower cars have real speed, and are always exciting to drive. They aren’t race-prepared with full cages so I don’t use them for competition.”

M I A T A S

“The Miata is just more challenging than my other cars, even though it’s the least expensive of them all. It’s a low-horsepower momentum car that forces you to learn racecraft and throw your ego out the window. You have to contain your natural aggression and drive it at the limit as you learn to go faster.”

HEAD TO HEAD “I don’t feel a significantly higher level of excitement in my other cars as compared to driving a Miata. In fact, I find Miata racing more exciting than some other race classes because of the level of talent involved.”

“I enjoy how my Porsche Boxster handles – the precision and braking. It’s so great to drive. There’s no guesswork. I don’t have to question myself through every movement. The larger horsepower lets you catch up if you make a mistake.”

“I took a school with a Miata and had so much fun. I figured out that I don’t need a supercar; I need a car that matches my skill level. The Miata is a great car for an amateur. It gives you feedback from the steering wheel, the brakes, even the body vibrating.”

“I have some vintage racecars, but my Radical is my favorite right now. It’s quick and precise; the speed through corners is so much fun.”

“The Miata is easy to drive well; it’s hard to drive perfectly. It’s a car that rewards good driving.”

“The Miata is challenging, but sometimes it’s more fun to just drive and not worry about the demands required to drive well.”

“I got into a Miata as a way to learn the technical part of racing. The Miata is so much more difficult to race because your mistakes are amplified.”

“If you mess up going into the apex in a Miata, you don’t have the power to make it up. In (exotics), subtlety gets lost in the power.”

“The (exotics) are completely different. The sound, the paddle shifting, the look, the automatic clutch, the aerodynamics, the power – driving one is such a great experience. It’s exciting and fun, and amazing what car technology can do.”

“Comparing the precision of the two is like comparing a butter knife to a steak knife.”

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Montblanc Legend Spirit I N T RODUCED AT MMC

hen Interparfums Luxury Brands wanted to give grooming editors a proper introduction to its newest men’s fragrance, Montblanc Legend Spirit, it found the perfect venue in Monticello Motor Club.

Described as “a newfound expression of his personality caught in a moment of total freedom and serenity,” the scent’s target market is perfectly aligned with MMC’s own elite market. “The venue… helped bring Montblanc Legend Spirit to life,” said Benjamin Dondina, the United States public relations manager for Interparfums Luxury Brands. “We loved giving editors the experience of an afternoon with luxury cars so they could ‘follow their spirit’.”

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Guests, including editors from Esquire, GQ, and Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health, were flown from New York City to Monticello Motor Club by helicopter, and treated to both lead-follow and hot laps on MMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famed 4.1mile private race track.

The MMC Members Lounge provided the perfect backdrop for Interparfums Luxury Brands' executives to introduce Montblanc Legend Spirit to their guests.

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M O NTIC E LLO MOT OR C LU B WE LC O M ES 02

RICHARD ASTACIO

RON CHECCA

DON ENDE

Occupation: Plumbing & HVAC Contractor; Astacio Plumbing & HVAC Residence: Stamford, CT Vehicles I Own: 2001 SM, 1999 SM, 2013 Mini Cooper S, 2014 Corvette Stingray Experience Level: Amateur Joined MMC Because: “It was the track, for sure!” Favorite MMC Moment: Last Queally Miata Classic of 2015 Favorite Track Car: Porsche Cayman

Occupation: Attorney, Manager; Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company Residence: Stamford, CT Vehicles I Own: 2013 Hennessey Twin Turbo Ferrari 458 Italia, 2014 Porsche 991 GT3, 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition Experience Level: Novice Joined MMC Because: “After experiencing Monticello at a Taste of the Track, I had little choice.” Favorite MMC Moment: Reaching Class 4 (thus silencing [MMC’s] Trevor Neil, if only for a moment) Favorite Track Car: Hennessey Ferrari 458

GEOFFREY HSU

TONY KING

TODD R. PAJONAS

Occupation: Investment Management Residence: NYC, NY Vehicles I Own: 2015 Porsche GT3, 2006 BMW E46 M3 Experience Level: Novice (anxious to move up!) Joined MMC Because: “I love the track and facilities, and I met lots of interesting friendly people on my two guest days.” Favorite MMC Moment: “(An instructor) teaching me how to trail brake; I loved it.” Favorite Track Car: GT3

Occupation: Everything related to racecars; Redline Motorsports, LLC Residence: LaGrangeville, NY Vehicles I Own: All varieties of BMW M3s Experience Level: Instructor; semi-pro racer Joined MMC Because: “I enjoy low-key track days with zero stress, and to share those days with my family and friends.” Favorite MMC Moment: “A track day with my track buddies, brother, and nephews. Everyone had a ball on the main track and the karting track. Bonus: great food, too!” Favorite Track Car: BMW E30 M3

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Occupation: Creative Director, Founder; King & Partners Residence: NYC/South Salem, NY Vehicles I Own: Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8, Porsche 911 991 GT3 Experience Level: Amateur Joined MMC Because: “My social life has become very car-focused; I wanted to find a place I could have fun, hang out with my friends, make new friends, become a better driver, and eventually learn how to become a competitive racer.” Favorite Track Car: Porsche GT3

Occupation: Attorney specializing in IRC1031 tax exchanges; Legal 1031 Exchange Services, Inc. Residence: Easton, CT Vehicles I Own: 2006 Porsche Cayman S PCA Prepared I Class racecar Experience Level: Club Racer Joined MMC Because: “MMC allows me to enjoy a world-class facility alongside many of the people with whom I club race.” Favorite MMC Moment: “I’ve already had many great moments at MMC… probably the two corporate events my company hosted, where my clients were able to enjoy the track.” Favorite Track Car: My Porsche Cayman

NE W M EMBERS* TO I T S FA MI LY 07

JOCK PERCY

DAVID LEE SANDAK

MITCH SANDAK

Occupation: CEO; Perseus.co Residence: Manhattan, NY Vehicles I Own: 4 x BMW M3 GTR/GTS, Ferrari 430, Ferrari 360F1, Ferrari 355, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Nissan Primera JTCC Experience Level: Amateur Joined MMC Because: “It was the opportunity to form new relationships with other members, on and off the track, that convinced me to become a member.” Favorite MMC Moment: “Hammering around in the Miata a few times; I can’t wait to get back on track!” Favorite Track Car: All of them!

Occupation: Periodontist; Advanced Periodontics & Implant Dentistry of Westchester Residence: Weston, CT Vehicles I Own: Spec Miata, BMW M4, Corvette Z06 Experience Level: Novice Joined MMC Because: “I’ve dreamt of becoming Speed Racer ever since I was five years old.” Favorite MMC Moment: “Winning one leg of the Queally Miata Classic on the last day of my 2-day Advanced Racing School (with Miatas).” Favorite Track Car: A Miata that has a bunch of dents already

Occupation: National Truck Protection Residence: Westfield, NJ Vehicles I Own: 2002 BMW M5, 2014 Ford Raptor, 2016 Mustang GT (on order to run at MMC) Experience Level: Joined as a Level 2 Joined MMC Because: “I wanted a place where I could enjoy high-speed driving in a safe, supportive, and social environment that was close to home.” Favorite MMC Moment: “Finding out I made Level 3; I just wanted to know that at my age, I could still make improvements to my driving skills.” Favorite Track Car: “It’s too soon to tell.”

BRIAN TRAINOR

CHRISTOPHER SEAN WHALEN

ANDREW R. WILSHINSKY

Occupation: President; Home Instead Senior Care (White Plains, NY) Residence: Yorktown Heights, NY Vehicles I Own: Porsche 911 Turbo (wishing for a track racecar!) Experience Level: Novice Joined MMC Because: “I’m living out my dream of racing on a track and being a part of something so unique and special.” Favorite MMC Moment: “My first driving session going solo.” Favorite Track Car: “It’s too soon to tell; I’m hoping to test out several through MMC’s Fleet Access Program.”

Sales Manager Annapolis, MD Novice “I have never experienced a sport that requires this level of unbroken concentration; it is addicting.” Favorite MMC Moment: “Turning 2:47 in my first-ever qualifying event.” Favorite Track Car: Porsche Cayman Occupation: Residence: Experience Level: Joined MMC Because:

Occupation: Corporate Retirement Director, Senior Portfolio Management Director; Morgan Stanley Residence: Milford, PA Experience Level: Novice Joined MMC Because: Love of high-performance driving/cars Favorite MMC Moment: All of them! Favorite Track Car: Too soon to tell

*List not all inclusive

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Aurora Straus IN T U IT IVE MMC Member Aurora Straus is a college-bound 17-yearold who loves math, physics, and English. She is a singer-songwriter, plays several instruments, and regularly performs before an audience.

know-how to achieve varied results. She uses her perfect pitch to tell her when to shift gears, and her love of math and physics to help her analyze the data collected from the car after each practice lap.

She is also the youngest driver to ever compete in the SCCA Pro 2016 Battery Tender Global Mazda MX-5 Cup, presented by BFGoodrich Tires.

It’s not surprising that Aurora’s presence on the racing scene draws a fair amount of media attention. A quick Google search of her name brings up dozens of race-related images and videos that span the last few years.

Most drivers in the series are either young adult males racing for sponsorships, or middle-aged men looking for good pro-level competition. Then there is Aurora, a finely boned teenage girl with a serene smile and dark blonde hair that reaches to the middle of her back. She isn’t a racing fanatic or a huge gearhead. Aurora is a mild-tempered over-achiever who carries herself with calm maturity. It’s the adrenaline that she loves on track. It’s the same feeling she gets when she performs one of her songs in front of an audience. It’s the butterflies in her stomach that tell her that she’s pushing her own limits. She treats her racecar like one of her musical instruments. She concentrates on playing it with careful finesse and

There are in-car shots and videos of Aurora driving various racecars (including a Radical SR3 right after her 15th birthday), and even a few of her signing autographs at a racing event. And then there are the other videos and pictures. Aurora on stage singing a duet of TLC’s 1999 hit, “Unpretty” when she was 10; a recent selfie with her girlfriends, all wearing silly Santa hats; a promo shot of Aurora perched on a stool in a local coffee shop, her head bent over her guitar. She isn’t defined by one passion over another. She’s all of those things, and embraces the thought of becoming even more. Because it’s the exploration, the unknown, that brings on the butterflies she likes so much.

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THE HERON 97

40 Main Street, Narrowsburg, NY theheronrestaurant.com 845.252.3333 theheronrestaurant@gmail.com (40-min. drive from MMC)

The Heron, named among the top 10 restaurants in the Catskill Region in 2015 by Trip Advisor, incorporates the tremendous agricultural resources of the region into its lunch and dinner menus. Owned and operated by Chef Paul Nanni and Marla Puccetti, The Heron, in Narrowsburg, along the scenic Delaware River, is open year-round, and features modern American cuisine and cocktails. The Emerald Ballroom, The Heron’s new bar downstairs, provides live music, special events, and a pub menu. 55

HILLSIDE SCHOOLHOUSE 259 Van Tuyl Road, Barryville, NY hillsideschoolhouse.com 845.557.8565 info@hillsideschoolhouse.com (30-min. drive from MMC)

Hillside Schoolhouse, named one of the Top 25 Hotels in the U.S. on the 2015 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List, is a schoolhouse-turned-boutique inn with an awe-inspiring 1,400-square-foot main floor/lobby, featuring original hardwoods, clapboard, slate chalkboards, and soaring 16-foot ceilings. Designed with a mix of new, salvaged, and antique furnishings, the shared space is home to a communal dining table and oversized tufted sofas for relaxing, as well as a full kitchen and powder room tucked into the Schoolhouse’s two original coat rooms. There are two unique rooms available – The Belfry and Room 1893 – and the opportunity to rent the entire property.

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Just 20 minutes from Monticello Motor Club

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KITTATINNY CANOES 3854 NY-97, Barryville, NY kittatinny.com 800.356.2852 info@kittatinny.com (27-min. drive from MMC)

June 17 BARENAKED LADIES with OMD and Howard Jones June 18 DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES with Mayer Hawthorne June 24 JOURNEY & THE DOOBIE BROTHERS with special guest Dave Mason July 9 STEELY DAN WITH STEVE WINWOOD July 15 THE BEACH BOYS & THE TEMPTATIONS

July 30 ROCK HALL THREE FOR ALL featuring Heart with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick July 31 DION & RONNIE SPECTOR Aug. 4 TOBY KEITH with special guests Aug. 6 JERRY GARCIA SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION featuring Warren Haynes & The Hudson Valley Philharmonic

July 16 JIM GAFFIGAN: FULLY DRESSED

Aug. 20 SMOKEY ROBINSON

July 20 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND with Los Lobos and North Mississippi Allstars

Aug. 28-Sept. 25 HARVEST FESTIVAL AT BETHEL WOODS

July 22 ZAC BROWN BAND with Drake White & The Big Fire Kittatinny Canoes offers outdoor adventures for anyone who wants to experience the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, two pristine areas protected by the National Park Service. Regardless of experience levels, visitors can travel the majestic Delaware by canoe, kayak, raft, or tube. Visitors can also partake in dual-racing ziplines or paintball in the fresh mountain air. For an overnight Catskills experience, Kittatinny Campground features more than 250 rugged acres with 350 campsites nestled in the woods or along the riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bank.

July 24 KIDZ BOP LIVE!

Sept. 10 DON HENLEY

MUSEUM AT BETHEL WOODS SPECIAL EXHIBIT GALLERY April 17-Dec. 31 RIGHTS, RACE & REVOLUTIONS: A Portrait of LIFE in 1960s America by Grey Villet

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OVE RS E A S Bearing the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva, this timepiece is the ideal companion for an extraordinary voyage that reveals a unique perspective on the world. It is the only watch of its kind.

CRAFTING ETERNITY SINCE 1755

OV E RSE AS CH RO N O G R A P H

Geneva official watchmaking certification

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BMW Series

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MAKES GRAND ENTRANCE

fter years of highlighting performance over luxury, BMW has married the two in a big way with its sixth-generation 7 Series. The 7 Series was developed to redefine BMW’s place in the luxury sedan market, and even surpasses some of its highend competitors. But if you want the world to recognize you as a real leader in dynamic performance, technology, and luxury, you need just the right platform to announce your arrival. “The 7 Series is the most luxurious model we’ve ever created, and the international launch had to reflect that,” said BMW Group Fleet and Performance Center Specialist Oleg Satanovsky. “Everything had to be three or four steps above anything else we’d ever done.” Enter Monticello Motor Club, an automotive country club and private race track tucked into the Catskill Mountains, 90 minutes outside New York City. Its reputation for exclusivity aligned perfectly with BMW’s goal for the 7 Series, and provided the ideal stage to emphasize the vehicle’s assets. In anticipation of the launch, MMC was transformed into BMW’s showroom. Various demonstrations and experiences were set up at different locations across the property. Each location was within seconds of the others, and reporters were invited to explore whatever was of most interest to them. Some reporters wanted to drive on MMC’s 4.1-mile track; others preferred to be passengers. Some tested the car’s comfort by riding in the back seat; others spent most of their time talking to BMW’s techs or exploring the 7 Series’ technological advancements.

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“One comment we heard over and over from journalists before the event was how surprised they were that a launch for a car as large as the 7 Series would include an on-track component,” Satanovsky said. “But we wanted to be able to show that while the 7 Series was more luxurious than ever, we had also introduced new technology and improved its dynamic character.” And the effort worked. The launch of the 7 Series made headlines across the world, and had reporters gushing about all of its bells and whistles, both in the cockpit and on the track. “Automakers have chosen [MMC] to show off the prowess of such sporty cars as the Cadillac CTS-V, Lexus RC F, and even the gonzo McLaren 650S… you would never expect an all-new 7 Series, the brand’s

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luxury flagship, to tackle the twists and turns of this country club road course. You’d be wrong,” said auto reviewer Kirk Bell on motorauthority.com. “…the new 7 did things on a 1.8-mile stretch of track that seemed to bend the laws of physics.” Auto journalist Lawrence Ulrich wrote, “… this 7 Series impresses whether you’re sitting in the front seat or in back. Or even watching it park itself.” IEEE Spectrum even named the 7 Series among its 2016’s Top Ten Tech Cars. Satanovsky concluded, “I don’t know if there was anywhere else we could have had this event and had a better outcome.”

PRO TIPS MMC Lead Pro Instructor Jason Rabe gives the inside scoop on MMC’s most challenging turns

SWITCHBACK (Corners 13, 14, 15) (Quick left/right S) ENTRY: There’s a hard threshold brake zone as you approach these turns at the end of MMC’s longest straight. Resist the urge to give it throttle during the uphill. Instead, carry a steady speed and concentrate on proper car position as you enter the first of two turns. Use both curbs, and stab the brake before you turn in for the left. MID-CORNER: The key here is proper car position so that you can transition from one turn to the next successfully. Quick hands will help create spring energy, which will allow you to properly move through the turn, and help get the car rotated in preparation of the right downhill exit. EXIT: Hold the steering input to the right, and don’t release too soon; this will create too early of an exit.

CAROUSEL (Corner 9) (Long left-hander) ENTRY: Enter this long left-hander by setting up on the right side of the road. Slightly brush the brakes or downshift (depending on the vehicle), and stay nice and straight. You don’t want to over-slow; allow the uphill elevation to work as a supplemental brake. MID-CORNER TO APEX: This turn has a late apex, so turn in with slow hands. Make sure you’re back to maintaining a nice, steady throttle, and keep turning your head to the left. After you’ve clipped the Carousel’s apex, position your car about center track to set up your approach to Pine Tree, another challenging stretch of MMC’s course.

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Dr. Irene Tien T H E

O P T I M I S T

Dr. Irene Tien has her husband to thank for her need for speed. About eight years ago, David Batal “gently suggested” to his wife that she give high-performance driving a try. He was really into it, and thought it might be a way for the pair to spend more time together. She finally relented, and attended some Porsche Club of America events with him.

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And then it happened. Something started to change. “I became,” she said, “a driver separate.” Irene, an emergency room doctor at Newton-Wellesley Hospital near Boston, can’t exactly pinpoint when this transformation occurred, when she stopped going along with Dave and started going for herself. All Irene remembers is that with solid instruction and solo track time, her confidence began to build. “I felt real satisfaction moving past the novice, beginner stage,” she recalled. “Then I learned how to keep learning, how to accomplish improvement on my own.”

This shared love of motorsports led the couple to Monticello Motor Club five years ago, and now they make the trip down from Boston every chance they get. “At this point, I really enjoy it on my own,” Irene said. “The bonus is my husband likes it, too.” Irene and David are long-time Porsche people. Their first track car was a 1999 Spec Boxster, and Dave is a former Porsche Club of America instructor. The couple’s daily drivers are both Porsches, a Macan for Irene and a 997 Turbo for Dave. Most recently, though, they’ve both become a bit spellbound by open-wheel racecars.

“I LIKE A CAR THAT’S KIND OF STRIPPED DOWN. I LIKE TO FEEL THE ROAD AND THE WIND AND THE BUGS.”

“We like the visceral nature of driving,” said Irene. “I like a car that’s kind of stripped down. I like to feel the road and the wind and the bugs.” Irene drives her Ariel Atom on the track these days. There are no computer driving nannies, no power steering, and no anti-lock brakes. It’s stiff, it’s bouncy, and it’s loud. “When I’m done, my arms are tired, my upper body is tired, everything is tired; I don’t mind that,” she said. “I like a car that’s hard to drive.”

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S O CI AL SC E NE 01

48 HOURS OF SUN IN SEBRING

MMC returned to Sebring, Florida to support its members, and race its MMC F-Class Boxster S at the 23RD Annual 48 Hours at Sebring PCA event. Members enjoyed top-notch food and drink provided by MMC’s Chef John Perruna at the MMC Hospitality Tent throughout the event.

01: Adam M. 02: Todd P. 03: (from left) MMC's Jacob Solomon, Michael Weyandt, John Perruna, Chris Duplessis, Alex Wolenski, Jenna Hiatt, Doug Giese, Shannon Hornbeck & Joe Foster 04: John U.

CAR SHOW VIPs

More than 80 MMC members and guests enjoyed the 17TH Annual Gala Preview of the 2016 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Thanks to MMC partner Jaguar Land Rover, MMC members were afforded early access to the auto show and a live auction of a new 2017 Jaguar F-PACE First Edition, elegantly showcased amidst red carpets and specialty cocktails on the VIP floor.

05: Anton & Barb B. 06: Lewis L.

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07: (from left) Don E., MMC’s Trevor Neil, Efrin C. & MMC’s Phil Reed

08: Aaron P. 09: Dennis O. & MMC’s Jenna Hiatt

BOSTON ON TOP MMC members from its Boston contingent were treated to a private suite at the TD Garden to watch the Boston Celtics chip away at the New York Knicks for a 105-104 win. 11

10: David & Sara K. 11: Michael & Germaine C. 12: (from left) Linda L. & Kim G. 13: (from left) Morgan D. & Michael C.

CLASSIC CAR CLUB HAPPY HOUR MMC members joined MMC’s newest partner, Classic Car Club Manhattan, for one of CCC’s exclusive happy hour events in Soho.

14: Joe O. 15: John & Anne U. 16: (from left) Evan C., Tommy & Ronald W.

17: Kresimir & Suzanne P. 18: Roni & Bob B.

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MMC PRO SHOP

TECH 1-T & TECH 1-Z ALPINESTARS gear is worn by some of the world’s most notable racecar drivers, including Marcel Fassler, Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Felipe Massa, Nico Hulkenberg, and Oliver Jarvis. The ALPINESTARS TECH 1-T is constructed with durable, fullgrain leather for optimized comfort and abrasion resistance. Its Nomex® tubular lining offers excellent heat resistance and reduced seams and weight, while its ergonomic, PU fireproof heel counter provides support, protection, and stability.

The ALPINESTARS TECH 1-Z is created with a supple, lightweight kangaroo leather, which provides enhanced comfort and durability. It includes an upgraded thin-rubber compound outsole, providing unsurpassed levels of feel and grip, and a low-cut collar in the heel, allowing for greater Achilles heel comfort and an improved range of movement. Both models are built with lightweight microporous padding around the heel and insole to enhance comfort, and perforation zones for enhanced cooling performance and maximized airflow. The TECH 1-T and TECH 1-Z are certified to FIA homologation standards to be used in races.

ALPINESTARS TECH 1-T (black/red, black/anthracite, black/green fluorescent) and TECH 1-Z (black/silver, black/green fluorescent, cyan/black) racing shoes are available in both women’s and men’s sizes, and are available in MMC’s Pro Shop. The newly redesigned Pro Shop also carries Nike gear designed by Racer Ink, Levelwear apparel, Alpinestars race suits, and OMP race shoes.

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