EYE CANDY // "THE CAR GOES WHERE THE EYES GO"

As our good friend Garth Stein writes in his critically acclaimed novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, "the car goes where the eyes go." So with that, enjoy this bit of Eye Candy featuring a fearsome driver at the wheel of a Ferrari 430 GT // [comment]

EVENT // JAMES JORDAN @ THE MONTEREY HISTORICS

Earlier this week I spoke with James Jordan, a director at the Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development program. James had traveled North from his home in San Diego last week, so that he could enjoy the sights and sounds of the 2009 Monterey Historics. Joining him at Laguna Seca was Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain, as well as Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey. I asked James if he'd be willing to share a few photos from the event, as we were unable to find a photographer that could make the trip. James obliged, and what follows are but a few of the photos he took over the course of the weekend... [read more]









For a look at more of James' photos from the 2009 Monterey Histroics, click here

2009 SOVREN PACIFIC NW HISTORICS // PADDOCK & PRE-RACE

The SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics are to the Northwest, what the Monterey Historics and Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance are to the California automotive scene. A collection of automobiles and personalities that might otherwise go unnoticed, this years SOVREN event, while slim in turnout, was a great opportunity for Northwest motorsport enthusiast to see some of the most fabulous race cars ever produced (see above). That said, follow the link for a look at some of the lust-worthy metal that made an appearance this year... [read more]

The Seattle based Liberty Motors, Ace Cycle-Car. Somewhat similar to the Morgan three wheeler, this V-Twin powered ride was a hit at SOVREN.

The first and only time I have seen a Cord in person. Manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929-1932 and again in 1936 and 1937, this was a rare opportunity to see a very rare car.

While there were a few woody's on hand, this Chrysler certainly caught our eye.

There were a great deal of vintage Trans-Am car in attendance, relatively speaking, and it was great to see this 1970 Boss 302 Mustang out on track all weekend.

A few vintage Harley-Davidson's were in attendance, but 'The Flying Merkel' was a particular favorite of ours.

For more photos from this years SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, click here

Photo: Terry Frye
Editorial: Justin Coffey

2009 SOVREN PACIFIC NW HISTORICS // FRIDAY FESTIVITIES

The 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics have come and gone, and after a long weekend at the race track we thought we'd take a look back at some of the interesting automobiles and fantastic racing that took place this July 4th weekend... [read more]

Here is a look at the ColdTrackDays booth along SOVREN's vendor row. This year we partnered with Munich Evolution, Group 2 Motosports and Garth Stein, author of the hugely succesful novel The Art of Racing in the Rain. In hopes of promoting not only ColdTrackDays but those that have supported our efforts to bring unique motorsport coverage to the interwebs, our booth drew quite the crowd thanks in part to the 1979 BMW M1 on display.

Signed copies of Stein's novel were on sale, as well as a few pieces of GoEnzo.com swag.

I cannot thank the guys at Desteenation enough. They were able to supply us with ColdTrackDays t-shirts with only two days notice. A great way to show your support for CTD, click here for additional information on how to get your very own ColdTrackDays t-shirt!

An Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was in the car corral all weekend. Only the second 8C I have ever seen, their aesthetic appeal continues to amaze me.

An early 1920's board track racer was on display as well. And while I do not know the entire history of the car, what I do recall is that it had been 'slightly modified' from the time it was constructed, through 1937 when it was retired from racing. Changes included an additional 10" added to the length of the body as well as the addition of a head rest. All in all, this is probably the most interesting car on display this weekend. It was a rare opportunity to see a relic of motorsport, one that would not be possible without the good people at SOVREN and their continued effort to bring vintage racing to the PNW.

The Trans-Am cars draw quite the crowd. American muscle at its finest, and with a field of more than 20 cars, the Group 5 races were the highlight of my weekend. And although this particular car, a 1967 Shelby Mustang owned by Mark Roberts, was not the fastest car on track, its aesthetic appeal was outstanding. Missing headlamps, exposed cooling lines, hood pins and cables... perfect.

For a look at more photos from the 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, click here

Photo/Editorial: Justin Coffey

2009 SOVREN HISTORICS // M1 PRO CAR, CTD T-SHIRTS & MORE

This weekend is the 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics. An annual gathering of Northwest vintage racing enthusiasts, SOVREN is the largest event of the year and the only one of its kind in this area.

Like last year, ColdTrackDays will have a booth along SOVREN's vendor row. ColdTrackDays shirt's will be on sale, as well as signed copies of Garth Stein's novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Additionally, the gentlemen at Munich Evolution have brought out their recently acquired 1979 BMW M1 Pro Car, formerly owned by the Prime Minister of Qatar. So if you are Northwest native, be sure and stop by the ColdTrackDays booth, say hi to a few of our staff members, pick up a copy of Garth's book and a ColdTrackDays T-Shirt! // [comment]

LE MANS AND RACING IN THE RAIN // DEMPSEY ON WIND TUNNEL

During an interview with Wind Tunnel's Dave Despain, Grey's Anatomy star and Team Seattle driver, Patrick Dempsey, discusses the importance of Team Seattle and its connection to Seattle's Children's Hospital as well as his forthcoming film based on Garth Stein's novel 'The Art of Racing in the Rain.'.

Follow the link for a look at Dempsey's Wind Tunnel interview... [read more]



Be sure and stay tuned as ColdTrackDays will be brining you exclusive coverage of Team Seattle's 2009 Le Mans effort! // [comment]

WHAT WE'RE READING // FOREVER MX-5 'ISSUE #3'

I was approached by Jeff Zurschmeide of Forever MX-5 magazine late last year, shortly after I came back from the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He had seen a photo I took while at the GP and was curious if he could use it in the forthcoming issue of FMX5. I obliged, and was asked to briefly explain what it was exactly I was doing in Italy and how I had managed to snap a photo of this little red Miata on the track at Monza.

Well, after some unexpected delays, the third issue of Forever MX-5 is now available at your local newsstand. Featuring a great bit of editorial from our friend Sam Moses, a review of his book 'Fast Guys, Rich Guys and Idiots' as well as a feature on his battle with Garth Stein at the Mazda Grand Prix of Portland, issue three was certainly worth the wait // [comment]

GARTH STEIN, PATRICK DEMPSEY AND THE 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA

High Banked Turns

When my publisher said they wanted to send me to Stuart, Florida on January 23 to promote my book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" at a library event called BookMania!, I was a little skeptical. Florida, after all, is in the opposite corner of the country from Seattle, and it's a hypotenuse that stretches to 6.5 hours when flying east-to-west against the jet stream. But I checked my calendar, and what did I see? The 24 Hours of Daytona was the same weekend! I immediately accepted the invitation to BookMania! and called Hertz to rent a car....

Now, Daytona Speedway is a real trip. It's absolutely, staggeringly huge, filled with masses of people, motor homes, tents, campfires, and strange aluminum beer cans in the shape of bottles (what, the cylinder doesn't work any more?). From the infield, the scope of the place is incredibly massive, with the high banked turns and the black-and-white checkered bleachers, and the screaming of Daytona Prototypes....

I arrived just as the race was beginning at 3:30 pm, and was met at the gate by Debbie from Grassroots Motorsports. She whisked me in and under the track to the infield and to their tent, where I had a signing session and signed a ton of books for people. The GRM tent had a lot going on: food, beer, a 24 hour slot car race, and two full iRacing.com stations. (iRacing.com is a totally cool racing simulator with impeccable graphics and track detail. Try it and you'll humiliate yourself for hours before you get the hang of it--it's really hard!)

Right after the race began, my father called me on my cell phone.

"They just announced on Speed," he said, "that Patrick Dempsey has acquired the rights to make The Art of Racing in the Rain into a movie!"

"I know that, Dad," I said. "In fact, you know that! I already told you."

"I know, I know," he said with a laugh. "But they said it on TV, so it must be true!"

I did a quick interview with Amber from Speed, and then I hooked up with my Mazda contact, Dean Case, who took me to the catering tent for dinner. (Last summer, I was able to race for Mazda in the MX-5 Cup Portland Grand Prix. I finished miserably, but without incident, and we got a lot of good publicity for the Oregon Humane Society. I may just get the chance to race in the MX-5 Cup again this summer!) After dinner, I met Lyn St. James, the former Indy 500 driver who loves ARR and incorporates parts of it in her public speaking program--she's a wonderful person. And then Dean and I went to find the Hyper Sport/Dempsey Racing #40 Mazda RX-8 team. Patrick was racing as part of a five man team to raise money and awareness for Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

They weren't in the hot pits--not a good sign--so we went to the garage area and, sure enough, one of the drivers had crashed the #40 car pretty badly. It took 2.5 hours for them to rebuild the front end and get the car back on the track, but they got it done. And at around 9:30 in the evening, I found myself standing in the hot pits with Patrick Dempsey, talking script treatment and screenwriters.

Just for the record, PD is a really wonderful person, nice guy, and he's totally into the book and very excited to make it into a movie. I know there's a long road between now and it getting done, but he seems genuinely enthusiastic and excited about the whole thing.

Later, I went into the media center with Kevin York, my friend who drove the Compass 360/GoEnzo.com car last season in the Koni Challenge. Kevin's son, Evan, an up-and-coming karter, was with him to watch the race. What was strange was that in the media center, suddenly I was a celebrity (it's pretty unusual for anyone to notice or care about a writer). J.J. O'Malley, the Grand Am Manager of Communications, announced that I was in the room, and several reporters introduced themselves to me and told me how much they loved the book. J.J., then led me outside to do an interview. We were talking into a wireless microphone and I had no idea what kind of an interview it was because I couldn't hear anything. About half way through our chat, I tuned my ears away from J.J. and toward the sounds around me, and I could hear my voice echo through the entire stadium--he was interviewing me over the public address system! I mean, that was surreal.

Patrick got in the #40 car for his stint and I watched and wandered for a bit, and then I caught a few hours of sleep. At about 7:30, I got up to see how the team was doing. It wasn't doing well. The car had crashed again and was out of the race. PD was very upset, but tried to be upbeat and philosophical: "That's racing," he said. It is, but he added: "We've never not finished this race," so it was clear he was hurt by the result.

Later Sunday morning, I did a signing at Wine Country Motorsports, who have really championed ARR from all their stores and trackside. They sold a lot of books at Daytona, and Dave Lipsky, the owner, chided me for doing the track interview and bringing in too much business. "If I knew you were doing that, I would have ordered more books," he said.

After checking in with Patrick one more time, I said my goodbyes to the wonderful Mazda folks (including Jim Jordan, who also calls strategy for Patrick Dempsey's race team), and headed off for Orlando and the long flight back to Seattle. And while the flight home was somewhat bittersweet--I wish Patrick's team had been able to finish--there was still the buzz of the track in my ears--the smells, sights, and sounds that I tried to capture in my book. The electricity of a big race is absolutely tangible; hopefully, in the talented hands of Patrick Dempsey, that electricity will translate to the big screen and ARR will be a movie some day in the future.

Garth Stein
www.GoEnzo.com

GARTH STEIN // IS READING TO BMW FANS

ColdTrackDays supporter Garth Stein, will be at the University Book Store in Bellevue (WA) this coming Thursday, October 4th, for a special reading hosted by the Puget Sound Region of the BMWCCA. Garth will read from his acclaimed novel, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and will be available for autographs, questions and general chit chat beginning at 10am. If you are in the area and have a free morning, a Garth Stein reading is not something to be missed. For additional info, click here. Hope to see you there // 10.01.2008

GUEST POST // GARTH STEIN ON...NOT WINNING

As they say, crow is a dish best eaten warm....

Okay, Sam won. On paper, it seems he didn't win by much. But he did win. He finished in 19th and I finished in 22nd out of 24 (thanks to my dear friend Andrew Caddell graciously being disqualified, and Brad McAllister crashing out). So, my hat is off to Mr. Sam Moses, who isn't the Fastest Guy (clearly, 18 were faster that day), but is obviously not an Idiot, either. So he must be the other option--a Rich Guy--rich in the human spirit!

So the question is, what did I learn from the race? (Other than that being dropped by the pack and driving alone without data management isn't very much fun after all...)

I learned that the guys from Mazda are really terrific people. I learned that Charles Espenlaub is nearly the fastest human ever. I learned that when the angry lady approaches you at a Humane Society fundraiser, you should act like you don't speak much English. And I learned that even if you were fast a couple of years ago--at least fast enough to not finish last in previous races--you may not be fast any more. Because going fast takes lots of practice. And some talent, too.

But I also learned that racing is about one's behavior off the track as well as on it. I was able to do many print and radio interviews that raised the profile of my novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain (which, by the way, is still on the New York Times best seller list), as well as benefiting the Oregon Humane Society and Mazda racing as well. I made many new friends. And I met new fans--drivers and race officials who had already read my book and wanted an autograph. So it was a fun and enjoyable weekend. Even if I did get my butt kicked.

The good news is it looks like I'll be paying a visit to Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving next spring, as they are huge supporters of my book. So maybe that will improve my on-track performance.

Finally, my racing in the SCCA Pro MX-5 Cup Grand Prix of Portland taught me the most important thing of all: it doesn't matter if you win the race, as long as you look good for the photo ops! Because the race only lasts 45 minutes, but photos last forever....

So. Looking forward to seeing you on the tarmac in the future, I remain, faithfully,

Yours,

Garth Stein, #32
GoEnzo.com

Guest Post // Garth Stein On Racing Sam Moses

As promised, here is author Garth Stein's perspective on his upcoming battle with Sam Moses, at the Mazda Grand Prix of Portland:

In addition to my strict dietary regimen and exhaustive exercise routine, I am doing a great deal of meditating and visualization.  The mental aspect of the race is the most important element, and that's where I have an advantage.  Oh, I know Sam is clever and quick-witted, and he is especially good at Sudoku.  But his mind is, by nature, trapped in the reality of the world around us, whereas I can envision myself not simply beating Sam, but winning the race outright.  If I concentrate hard enough, I can make it happen!  I know it is possible.  

I also have an advantage in that I've raced SM before, whereas Sam has only driven some crazy stock car up some pyramid in New Guinea or something.  (Like that's supposed to impress anyone!  Cannibals?  Oooh!  I'm scared!)  The important element of driving a car like a Spec Miata or an MX-5 Cup car is momentum, and clearly I have all the momentum.  I mean my book is on The New York Times bestseller list, it's the Starbucks pick, it was the June #1 Booksense pick, and it's been #1 in Taiwan for the past five weeks....  These things add to my momentum--and the momentum of my car!  

Finally, I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Sam, friend, save yourself the embarrassment of being beaten by a fiction writer.  Take the weekend and go climb Mount Hood.  It's very nearby, and it's quite beautiful this time of year.  Stick to mountain climbing, Sam.  Leave the car racing to me.  (I've attached a topographical map of Mount Hood for your convenience.)Packing list for my track bag:  Nomex racing suit.  Nomex socks, underwear, balaclava.  Racing gloves, racing shoes.  Helmet and HANS device.  Extra sack for trophy. 

Packing list for Sam's track bag:  Waterproof boots.  Crampons.  Lots of nylon rope with which to stop his plunge into the crevasse he may stumble into.  One of those GPS alarm things so he can be rescued while dangling from the nylon rope deep in the crevasse.  Beef jerky so he can sustain his strength while waiting for the search dogs to find him.  A box of chocolates that he can give to his rescuers as a way of saying thanks.  A cell phone he can use to activate his TiVo from the crevasse so he can watch me win the Mazda Grand Prix from his couch after he's rescued.  

If you do show up, Sam, please remember:  This is not a row boat; the seats face forward!

The Mazda Grand Prix of Portland begins July 22 and runs through the weekend. To read Sam Moses' perspective on racing Garth Stein, click here // 07.15.2008

Guest Post // Sam Moses On Racing Garth Stein

As promised, here is Sam Moses' perspective on his upcoming battle against Garth Stein at the Mazda Grand Prix of Portland:

Garth is a one-point-two-million-dollar man; that’s how much Harper paid for his dog Enzo’s book. I’m a starving artist, cashing in my IRA to fix and I hope some day race (again) my 600-horsepower, 25-year-old historic stock car, the Bandit Oldsmobile, made famous by my book, “Fast Guys, Rich Guys, and Idiots,” one of the five best books ever written about motorsports, according to the great Brock Yates who is known for his wisdom. There are no royalty checks coming in from “At All Costs: How a Crippled Ship and Two American Merchant Mariners Turned the Tide of World War II,” an astonishing feat of journalism, according to Ken Auletta, the best journalist in the land. It’s too soon to sell my next book, “It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This: The True Life Adventures of Senor Madre and the AngloArabAsian Brothers,” because I’ve only written the first five chapters, and haven’t even sent them to my agent yet.

If hunger counts for anything on the track, and of course it does, Garth is in trouble.

Without a doubt, Garth can outswag me. I pay for the few paltry tee-shirts I give away out of grocery money, and I have two growing boys to feed. It hurts me to see their forlorn hungry faces across the table. Garth’s PR team is like Penske Racing, including a dog specialist named Ami, and I’ll bet she’s just totally chipper! He’s got fawning fans. I’ve got me and my girlfriend Khia who has a day job at Pape Machinery in Portland. He’s got the giant New York publisher, Harper. My University of Nebraska Press is small, although it’s a wonderful and prestigious publisher specializing in Native American literature and classic memoirs like “Fast Guys, Rich Guys, and Idiots.”  

Don’t get me wrong. Garth is my hero. Anybody gets paid $1.2 million for the quality of their creative work is my hero.   

But I’ve got to be the underdog on this bus, forget about my alleged racing experience, long ago. I think Enzo would be rooting (woofing?) for me, if he were still around.  

Well, I did rent a ride in a shreiking BMW Z3 M-Coupe, last summer. The RTG Motorsports car had “Fast Guys, Rich Guys, and Idiots” on its long sleek silver hood, in bright red. I finished fifth overall in a field of 40 cars in an SCCA race, running up front with the Porsche Turbos and one rocket-fast Camaro with tons of money in it—and I was fourth until the gearbox overheated. One of the Porsche Turbo drivers came up to me afterward and said, “Man, you drive the wheels off that thing.” If I drive as well as I can, I’ll be satisfied. If Garth can beat me at my best, when I’m driving the wheels off my Team MER #2 Mazda MX-5, my goenzo.com hat that he hasn’t given me yet will be off to him.

The Mazda Grand Prix of Portland begins July 22 and runs through the weekend. To read Garth Stein's perspective on racing Sam Moses, click here // 07.15.2008

Fact Vs. Fiction // Mazda Grand Prix of Portland

The Mazda Grand Prix of Portland is soon upon us (July 22-27), and this years race will be a bit different from those before it. Spectators to this years event will be able to see not only the Star Mazda Series, but also a short Formula Drift competition, a huge field of Spec Miata's and the Playboy sponsored MX-5 Cup, all take to the track over the weekend. If that weren't enough, spectators at this years GP of Portland are going to be witness to something special. A couple of local boys, Garth Stein and Sam Moses (maybe you have heard of them) will be dueiling it out in a pair of Playboy MX-5 Cup cars. Both acclaimed writers in their own fields, Mazda is promoting the race as Fact vs. Fiction, a battle between the non-fiction author (Moses) and the fiction author (Stein), both of whom are no stranger to the tight fit of a race seat. So here is where we come in. The ColdTrackDays staff, having done some co-promotional work with local author Garth Stein and his book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain", has teamed up with MaszdaSpeed Development, the Mazda Grand Prix of Portland and both of the authors, to bring our reader a bit of insight into these two guys. Both Stein and Moses will be guest posting on ColdTrackDays in the coming days, each leaving a little reminder to the other, why they will be seeing the checkered flag first. So stay tuned, keep reading and for a copy of the official press release for the event, click here // 07.14.2008

Go Enzo! // Video Trailer

If you have not picked up a copy of Garth Stein's book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" we are sure you must have seen it. You know, early in the a.m. grabbing a cup of coffee at your local Starbucks, there it sat, dark blue cover and thought provoking title. You are a car guy (or gal) and anything that screams auto culture is sure to have grabbed your attention. But the dog on the cover may have thrown you off a bit, causing you to second guess it's auto culture appearance and title. Well without spoiling the good stuff, here is a video trailer that author Garth Stein put together himself. The video trailer and interview, may give you a bit more insight into the synopsis of the book, and have you running (or driving through, as you can do these days) to your nearest Starbucks to fetch a copy. A few members of the ColdTrackDays staff, attended a reading by Stein last night at the Elliot Bay Book Company (a great alternative place to purchase a copy by the way), and while each staff member had a similar satisfaction having read the book, each came out with a different take on the meaning and philosophical ideas within it. A great piece of fiction and a must for any true motorsports fan. Additionally, ColdTrackDays will have copies available at our booth, during the July 4th SOVREN races at Pacific Raceways. Garth Stein, a Seattle native and former race driver himself, has teamed up with ColdTrackDays to promote both his novel and the growing motorsport community here in the Northwest. Swing by our booth, say hello and grab a copy, if you haven't already left your desk to do so... // 06.26.2008

Garth Stein // On Being Optimistic

With a lack of opposable thumbs and a improperly fashioned tongue, Enzo's frustrations seem justified. But then again, what can a dog expect out of life? A lab terrier mix, Enzo is the faithful companion of one Denny Swift. Husband of Eve and father to their daughter Zoe, Swift is hanging it all on the line in order to pursue a racing career, and Enzo is riding shotgun. Rough patches are in the future and Swift will find Enzo to be his most steadfast supporter, though a bit silent. While waiting for his life as a dog to draw to a close, Enzo reflects on his life and the life of his friend Swift, all while waiting to be reborn a man. A brilliant piece of fiction, put to paper by a Seattle native, The Art of Racing in the Rain takes you on a philosophical journey through purpose and pleasure. A great companion for us here in the Northwest, as we may find more rainy days at the track then sunny, author Garth Stein provides a bit of comedy in an otherwise dreary situation. The staff here at ColdTrackDays devoured this book from cover to cover and look forward to future works by our fellow Seattle resident // 06.03.2008