by Bob Morin

It’s been a weird couple of months for Sheila and me as far as the club is concerned.   In June, I missed the picnic at Ev & Judy Newton ’s home since I work on Saturdays, and then in July, we were on vacation and both missed the West Point Tour, so it seems like forever since I’ve been to a Chapter event and I feel like I’ve missed out.   On top of that, we both missed the June business meeting because we were in Indy for the F1 race that wasn’t and we also missed the July meeting due to that same vacation, so I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again.   Of course, the next event is the BMW Concours at Oxridge Hunt Club and that is on a Saturday.   Damn!   I can’t wait for ’02 Fest!   Then a week later, we’ll head to Oktoberfest, so I’ll be able to make up some lost ground.

I have stayed in touch over the last two months though and at least I’ve heard that the West Point Tour was a great time.   Although the weather wasn’t the greatest and I was hoping that the turnout would have been better to support Cheryl and Rudy Basztura’s first effort to host an event for the Chapter, it sounds like everyone who did attend enjoyed the day.   Thanks to Cheryl and Rudy for stepping forward out of the general membership to host an event that takes a lot of time and effort to organize.

Coming up next month, and probably pretty fast as you read this, will be the Annual Humpa Picnic on Sunday, October 2^nd.   The following Sunday, there has been a change to the calendar.   On October 9^th, we will have another Bike Ride in the Simsbury, CT area (see article elsewhere in this issue).   This will fill in for the Witches’ Brew Rally, which unfortunately had to be removed from our calendar.    Finally, at the end of October (the 28^th) we will hold our final Driver’s School of the year at Lime Rock Park.   I hope that everyone interested in that event has gotten through the confusion of last month’s DZ containing the wrong event application.   Nancie sent out e-mails to each member for whom we have an e-mail address (over 1200) and we also sent an e-mail to each member for whom we have an e-mail address that has ever attended a Driver’s School (different database), which may have resulted in some of you getting two notices.   The website has the correct application and it should also appear in this issue if there are any spots left in the event.

Is there even anyone who cares what I might say about F1 this month?   If so, maybe you’ll enjoy this.   After the Grand Prix in Hungary, BMW put out a Press Release that said among other things, “both the BMW WilliamsF1 team drivers made the best out of their race and scored some valuable points.”   Heidfeld came in sixth and Webber came in seventh.   Come on, that’s a total of 5 points!   Granted that’s one more point than they scored in their previous five races, but it’s still pathetic.   Sam Michael, WilliamsF1 Technical Director was quoted in the same Press Release as saying, “Most encouraging is the pace improvement of the car.   We have been running within 0.8 seconds of the fastest cars on this maximum downforce circuit.   Well done to the people who have worked so hard…”   This is unbelievable.   It has gotten so bad that we are supposed to be encouraged by sixth and seventh, happy to finally beat both Saubers, both Red Bulls and both Jordans for the first time in a while and lastly, to be happy to be only losing 0.8 seconds per lap.   That equates to Heidfeld being over 68 seconds back and Webber finishing down more than one lap.   Outstanding!   Give everyone a huge raise!!   Maybe you’ll enjoy this.   In 2002, our boys finished 2^nd in the Constructors’ Championship, in 2003, they came home 3^rd, in 2004, 4^th was all they could muster and this year they are looking like a solid 5^th, thanks to BAR missing three races all together.   So, by 2010, they should be 10^th.   Now that’s progress.

News From National continues to report membership declines, this month falling to 75,061, down 2.16% from last year.   National is hoping you’ll take the time to complete a brief survey to let them know how they are doing by going to www.bmwcca.org and clicking on the link right on the home page.  

Usually at this point I say something like I hope to see you at an event soon, but some of you could turn that around this month and say you hope to see me at an event soon.   I’ll be there, I promise!