text:
|Ladies Forum A place for our female Calgunners to discuss, share and interact without the 'excess attention' sometimes found in online forums.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Assaults on women in parking lots
I watched a documentary about Walmart last night and got really jumpy. Now, don't get excited, this is not a Walmart-bash. It's a parking lot bash.
I made this separate thread because I think it's slightly different from the wonderful Mrs Kitty carjacking thread.
There was a whole segment on how people are carjacked, kidnapped, assaulted, you name it. And that's after the victim has spent her money inside. Apparently, they mostly try to grab you when you're loading your car and getting back in.
The documentary made points about parking your car pretty far away from the door, so that no one can sneak up on you. Parking close to other cars seems to be the greatest risk. So, if I deliberated parked far away from the door, and came out to see two cars parked right next to mine, I call security right? Too soon for 911 because there's no threat?
Before anyone asks, I've applied for a CCW, but don't have the license yet.
Apparently, stores mainly use the parking lot cameras to detect union activities out there, if they monitor the cameras at all. At worst, they are used to identify the BG's who raped and killed you.
I go to Walmart (again, not bashing them in particular), for ammo about once a month. I don't like to shop there for much else. I only go there in broad daylight, park in a separate but not lonely area, never with guns in the car, and am highly cautious. What better victim than a middle aged, middle class lady with lots of ammo which probably means a decent car and a gun or two.
It's making me jumpy enough that I want to bring a friend with me the next time I go, to stand by the door, see me safely into my car, and then I'll go pick her/him up. It's also making me jumpy enough to pay the extra buck or two per box and buy ammo at my local gun dealer or range.
What do you all think? These parking lots seem to be "boutique shops" for carjackers seeking a victim. What else can we do to keep safe in these idiot parking lots?
Do only safe sex. Never have sex with someone crazier than you are.
Don't marry or move in together before you're both at least 25.
Don't have children until you're married five years or at least age 30.
Put 10% of your salary into savings every month no matter how broke you are.
Don't ever screw around with the IRS.
Keep a handgun on your bedside table.
Don't smart-mouth judges, or cops who stop you on the road.
Bonnie, you're not being paranoid. I'm chiming in because I think along a similar path.
In this case, it's my local Safeway. There have been a number of purse-snatchings/knockdowns of women in broad daylight there. In one case, it was a few minutes before I stepped out of the car with my teenaged son. Some poor lady with her 2 daughters had just exited the store when a "kid" ran by her, grabbed her purse, and knocked her down. I was approximately 25 yards from her because I park in the next country to make sure I can see everything around me (not admitting that other drivers would suffer if I had to back out of a space, mind you - lol)
This was a Sunday and from their clothing, it looked like they had just come from church. All I could do was call the cops and give them a brief description of the kid who ran down the hill to what I believe was an awaiting car (freeway entrances there) and try to give her some comfort. I felt bad for the daughters -- freaked out and crying, poor kids. They looked to be about 8 and 5 maybe. The mom didn't want medical, just her husband. Her phone was in her purse, so I gave her mine to call her husband.
We waited together until the husband drove up. What a mess! Not sure how much the Safeway cameras were able to pick up, but you're right -- it's for after the fact
If you live in Solano County, please join us at:
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor, CRPA Board Member
It is a sign of the times and I think a wakeup call about carrying a purse. It may be time to leave the purse and carry your ATM card or credit card in your pocket. Even with a CCW if someone is purse snatching, you do not have the cause to shoot the jerk. Now if you feel threatened, that's another story. Generally, purse snatchers are cowards that pick on the vulnerable. Parking lots, at night are just not safe for most women who are alone unless you have the self defense techniques you need to defend yourself.
I don't expect everything handed to me. Just set it down anywhere. Unknown
I am pretty aware of what is going on around me in parking lots but even I have been caught off guard in Target parking lot before. As is my habit, when I get in my car, the first thing I do is lock my doors. I've done this since I started driving 25+ yrs ago. Well one day I get in my car, lock my doors and look over my right shoulder to back out and as I start to back out someone slammed on my driver window. Startled the Hell out of me! I stopped and turned to look and there was a black guy glaring at me and motioning for me to roll down my window. I cracked it about an inch and he yelled at me "You locked your doors!!!" Ummm yeah? And he yells "It's because I'm black isn't it??" And starts slamming on my door. I laid on the horn and dialed 911 on my phone. It had nothing to do with him being black. He could have been purple, green, white or red and I still would have locked my door. He ran off and once I calmed down I talked to the police and drove home. This was before I was carrying but it startled me enough that it got me thinking. I am just glad my kids weren't with me. I don't want my kids to witness me being a victim ever and unfortunately it is just getting worse no matter where you are. I was relieved when Riley told me he did not want to trick or treat this year because it just isn't safe. He's going to help our neighbor with his haunted house. The little girl killed in CO this week just puts a point on it.
Bug, glad it turned out ok for you. I didn't have a guy hit my window, but I don't like people coming up from behind me when I'm loading the groceries either. Just not cool, you know?
In my case, this was when I had my Lab with me. She's the daughter of our K9 and like most family dogs, very protective of her humans. She was laying on her stomach in the back of my Suburban. I was slightly turned when she jumped up, snarling at this guy she saw approach me from my left. All you could see is spit flying and fangs from my baby girl.
He ran off screaming and cursing at both of us. The world is just full of bad opportunists who think we're easy prey...
If you live in Solano County, please join us at:
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor, CRPA Board Member
Watch your surroundings. When I enter a walmart I pay attention to loiters and people that seem to be out of place. Warm night with jackets or sweaters or roaming around, leaning on walls near front entrance casing people.
Once those are established you know who to potentially keep an eye on.
People asking for change or anything say no and keep walking. I dont allow them to close the distance. They want to read your body language, what your carrying, and if you take your wallet out its a chance of snatching or worse when your distracted and looking down they attack. A local person in my area got his car stolen when picking up his kid at school. A man approached him while he was waiting in his car picking up his son. Man ask what time it was, guy looks down at watch, looks up gun in his face. So don't get distracted.
Have a pepper spray or taser in pocket ready to go. If it makes you more comfortable have it in your hands. Since you parked further your at a good start to be able to see if someone is following you. When loading your car and someone approaches, ask what they want before they get too close. Usually you can tell, depending how good you are at reading people on their intentions. Tone of voice, body language etc.
If you act scared they know your scared and prey on you. When your confident well aware of your surrounding they know your not an easy target and wait for someone easier Stay alert.
May have grammar/spelling error. Typing on phone
WTS: Mossberg RARE Bullpup and Mossberg 500
WTS:NiB coated XDS 45 CCW,(Inland Empire)
FS: Saiga Vepr 12 barrel shroud / PSL 1911 pink carbon grip / G3 Cetme MP5 lower
WTS: Plate carrier load bearing / BLACKHAWK Load-Out Bag Wheeled / SIG rifle bag 36"
WTS: 7n6 5.45x39 spam cans / Crates IE area Riverside San Bernardino
I stopped carrying a purse a long time ago. I put my DL, concealed license, credit cards, money and medical cards in my pocket......and my gun on my side. When I am loading my groceries, I have my back to the car and face the parking lot...putting one bag in a time and stop after each bag to look around. If anyone is watching, they know I am aware of my surroundings. The best defense, is a good offense....Forever known as D&O. Take nothing for granted even if you are in the best part of town
To Bonnie, if something doesn't feel right, ask for a security guard to escort you out to your car and wait for you to get inside and locked in the car! D&O
I've actually thought about giving up my purse and just getting a thin wallet. Medical card, license, CCW, base ID and ATM card. I seem to notice my purse getting in the way more and more and I hook my keys to my belt and my phone in my pocket so it is really not necessary.
Being overly worried day to day, for me, would be exhausting. That being said, I don't shop at nights alone and I won't go into a mall parking lot alone at night.
Being aware is very smart and I work much harder these days at doing just that.
I don't expect everything handed to me. Just set it down anywhere. Unknown
Stores like Lowes and home depot helps load your purchases, I wonder if walmart offers this service.
WTS: Mossberg RARE Bullpup and Mossberg 500
WTS:NiB coated XDS 45 CCW,(Inland Empire)
FS: Saiga Vepr 12 barrel shroud / PSL 1911 pink carbon grip / G3 Cetme MP5 lower
WTS: Plate carrier load bearing / BLACKHAWK Load-Out Bag Wheeled / SIG rifle bag 36"
WTS: 7n6 5.45x39 spam cans / Crates IE area Riverside San Bernardino
I know Raleys has bag boys/girls who always offer to help me out but not Target and never Home Depot. I get accosted by Mexicans every time I go there. If I am bringing out paint supplies, wood, flooring, gardening supplies etc, I always get them approaching me and asking if I need labor. I stopped going there now and when we are dong projects I make my husband go.
I posted this on another thread in here a month or two ago but it seemed appropriate in this thread too..
Sorry for the dup if any of you saw my last post:
I am of the opinion that many bad guys/oportunistic criminals will see a small woman as a vulnerable target due to size and strength so I do try to always be aware and able to not only avoid situations where something bad could happen but also to be able to properly defend myself should the need arise.
Back in 1998 I took a unisex self defense class taught by a SWAT team instructor for the city. A few things he harped on which I will never forget and have made a conscious effort to practice daily.
Most people are oblivious to their surroundings. When walking out of a grocery store or work or wherever watch people as they go and most likely you'll catch yourself making some of these same mistakes: Most are on the phone, looking down, fumbling for their keys, etc. Not really paying attention to the world around them.
Always make sweeping glances around and if you see someone, make brief eye contact. The instructor had told us that most potential attackers look for the oblivious victim to get the drop on them and by just making brief eye contact, it can dissuade a potential attacker because now you can identify them. I have never verified the validity of this claim but to me it makes sense. If you do any people watching, you really see that most people seem to be completely unaware.
Another thing I do is ALWAYS walk away from cars in parking lots and corners of walls, buildings, etc. My partner thinks it's fun to try to hide and jump out and scare me which he does on a regular basis for some reason. However, I know it's frustrating b/c 99.29% of the time he's spotted and the tactic fails. It doesn't make me jumpy at all and I don't mind b/c I feel that it's a good training exercise. If I'm ever caught off guard, that was a fail on my part.
WTB: multiautomatic ghost gun with a .30-caliber clip to disperse with 30 bullets within half a second. Must include shoulder thing that goes up.
BonnieB, I'm going to try to make it out to the Sacto shoot, at SacValley, at the end of the month.
If you remind me, I'll show you some easy steps you can take to increase your comfort zone...it is easier to demonstrate than describe
...because the journey is the worthier part...The Shepherd's Tale
Its not just women. In Stockton there are robberies every day. One of the Stockton Officers told me they average about 5-10 armed robberies every day. I'm sure more than a few are in parking lots.
One of the more popular methods is the suspects ask the victim what time it is. When the victim looks at their watch they get sucker punched. Some take the cell phone and throw it away to give them more time to get away.
Lots of good ideas here....Pepper spray is not too bad to carry.
If you go shopping try to go with others....groups are always a deterrent. As others have stated ask for an escort from the store.
Better yet state you have an injury to your arms, wrists, shoulders or whatever and need assistance placing the items in your car. That will get a faster response than a "security" escort.
Stay alert when leaving Wal-mart. And wherever it is you are. Just left a Wal-mart in the evening a few months ago with my purchases and heading for my car. Heard a woman yelling at another and next thing I see is a SUV screaming around the corners of the parking lot and heading right at me.
I pushed my basket out of the way and ran. Others had already dialed 911 and apparently there was a squabble over a cell phone. The driver kept going around in circles for about 5 minutes then got out and started yelling at another shopper who punched her.
Then she got back in her SUV and sped off, but her license # had already been reported. I didn't consider any defense other than running and in retrospect that would have been my defense every time in that kind of situation.
A rule of thumb I picked up someplace (might have been one of Gavin de Becker's books, but I'm not sure) is to be especially careful and aware when you're in a place where it would take you more than 30 seconds to reach a place where there is a crowd, or where it would take help more than 30 seconds to reach you.
Parking in a well-lit area is a good thing if you can, especially at night, but I'd rather park close to other people and carry my Surefire flashlight in my hand than park farther away to be near light.
One other suggestion: It turns out that dropping what we're carrying in order to face a threat can be challenging because of our conditioning. I've actually practiced this - I'll hold a book, grocery bags, purse, coffee cup, etc. in my hand and, on a cue from a friend, I'll see how quickly I can drop what I'm holding and come into a "ready" stance.
Tammy (in Santa Barbara County)
Blog: www.momwithagun.com
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." ~ Amelia Earhart
"Experience is what allows you to recognize a mistake the second time you make it." ~ Unknown
I posted this in another thread (can't find it) but seem absolutely relevant to rehash for this one.
When my mother was in her early to mid 50's she was attacked twice in parking lots. Once three BG's came up to her car and tried to get her purse, etc as she was coming back from the market (this is at night). She would always bring our dog with her, so she opened the car door and our dog got out and made sure two of the men ended up in the hospital. The third ran and, yes they were armed.
The second time she was actually in her car, parked with the windows open. She was looking down going through her purse for something when a guy reached in and tried grabbing her. Again, our dog was in the car and came over the front seat and made sure that man saw the inside of an ER.
I know its not always practical, but when possible, get a large dog and take him/her with you when ever possible. They are an AMAZING deterrent and with very little training will protect you and your family. Incidents like these are NOT limited to women and have happened to many men I know...hence why I take my dogs with me when I can because I am concerned about the same thing and it works wonders around people who get my spidy senses going.
The dog mentioned above was a very sweet lab who loved my mother dearly...and as proved, would do anything for her.
In todays busy world its hard to keep your nose out of our smart phones. I have been really trying my hardest to wait to be in a secure place before checking and replying to emails and text, or making phone calls like when I get into my car and have locked the doors.
Locally there has been a few instances where purses and wallets have been snatched inside a grocery store from the victims cart while they are shopping. Its hard to pick out a watermelon while holding on to your purse. So I have started to use the child safety belt in the cart to lock up my purse. That way if someone is trying to run away with my purse they are going to at least have to work a bit for it.
The best defense is to be aware.
Never never put your handbag in the child seat of a shopping cart. Your wallet can disappear and you'll never notice til you try to check out.
Do only safe sex. Never have sex with someone crazier than you are.
Don't marry or move in together before you're both at least 25.
Don't have children until you're married five years or at least age 30.
Put 10% of your salary into savings every month no matter how broke you are.
Don't ever screw around with the IRS.
Keep a handgun on your bedside table.
Don't smart-mouth judges, or cops who stop you on the road.
Cross-body bags are best to prevent theft, though to be honest, I've heard thieves can and do cut the strap and run with the purse. I always have a cross-body bag (Fossil, two-tone supple leather and deliriously cute) and would never go back. Also keeps my hands free to hold more important things - like little hands.
I always scan parking lots as well, and I make sure the first thing I do is get my sweet cherubs in the van and shut them in while they buckle up. If there's no cart corral VERY close to me, I leave the cart out of the way nearby. I won't chance leaving those kids for one second. Sometimes women forget that children make one infinitely more vulnerable - threaten my child and I will cooperate instinctively. Bad guys know this. I remember hearing of a murderer who used to frequent parking lots of malls, targeting mothers with young kids, laden with shopping bags. He preferred mothers with SUVs and tinted windows, which suited his purposes. He knew menacing their babies = instant cooperation from Mom. Once inside, he'd zip-tie the mom's neck to the head rest and she was effectively incapacitated.
These people are seriously evil. We cannot let our guards down...
As the recent victim of a carjacking attempt at a parking lot, ill just state that the most valuable defensive tool is situational awareness.You have to pay attention to your surroundings! If you see something that looks shady don't write it off as paranoia, and if you feel threatened don't hesitate for a moment to reach for the phone/knife/spray/gun/baton/cane if need be.
In order to get sued or arrested you have to be alive, and at the moment of trouble staying out of jail is secondary to staying out of the morgue. Bad guys aren't interested in a gun battle or close range knifefight, and as such once they see you aren't an easy mark they'll probably scram. You might be the hottest woman on the face of the Earth driving a $500,000 Bentley, but even the dumbest scumbag knows that stuff isn't worth potentially dying over. Not when there's literally thousands of other marks who won't fight back.
The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be.
The more subsidies you have, the less self reliant people will be.
-Lao-Tzu, Tau Te Ching. 479 BCE
The 1911 may have been in wars for 100 years, but Masetro Bartolomeo Beretta was arming the world 400 years before John Browning was ever a wet dream.
About a year ago I went to Walmart with my family one Saturday afternoon. My wife and gorgeous, thin, teenage daughter with long blonde hair headed to the car with the cart a couple minutes ahead of me. We had parked a long ways out.
Several spaces from our car was a white pickup with 3 guys hanging out nearby. No other vehicles in the area. When the men noticed my wife and daughter approach, they first gave them the up and down once over and then quickly started moving. First they went to the other side of the truck and were talking while looking at the women. Then two circled opposite sides of the truck and started approaching with smiles and were starting to say something to engage the women. Wife and daughter clued in on the weird vibe and got into the car, leaving their stuff in the cart.
As this was happening, I had been quickly catching up and watching the guys' actions with every step I took. When the guys saw me quickly approaching and eyeballing them like a pissed off grizzly, they stopped in their tracks and quickly loaded their vehicle and drove off. Not entirely sure what their motives were, but both my wife and daughter were creeped out by the whole thing.
Needless to say, my wife and daughter don't head out ahead anymore and my wife tries to park a little closer now when she's on her own.
"On bended knee is no way to be free." - Eddie Vedder, "Guaranteed"
"Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks." -Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to his nephew Peter Carr dated August 19, 1785
BB: When at stores, I usually park close to the store front entrance. There are lots of people moving in and out of the store, and someone grabbing you or harassing you is readily visible to all. I rarely park far far away, unless I am with someone else, but when I do this and have choice of parking I wall line. I also reverse park against them, or what kids I guess call suicide parking. At all times when I am out and about, I have personal space, if someones approaching me to ask me a Q I say no thankyou loudly and clearly, if they persist I simply run off and away from them. If they are sob story about needing bus fair, or to use my phone, or what time is it, or for change. After I have told them to stop/stay away from me, I yet again sprint off. I don't wear heels, nor clothing that leaves me immobile. If someones asking me for a jump, or if I know where a certain place is, I politely tell them no I can't help them, again loud and clear.
IF anyone persist and pushes further into my private space, I always choose to retreat. If someone makes the effort to park RIGHT next to me, as well on my DRIVER side? I ask security, a bag boy, or etc to simply walk with me to my car, and or I enter passenger side. There is always ways to set yourself up, so you have a solid to your back, and can keep a view of your surroundings.
As for the purse thing, I rarely use them lately, I usually use a modified Patagonia pack, with added on back spacing, restitched straps, and hidden back pouch for blunt tools.
Or a Kifaru E&E bag, Hazard4 Kato bag, webbingless and customized Maxpedition Remora. Tactical Tailor Urban Operator. But my main daily bag is a Camelbak Linchpin, no annoying webbing outside that scream tacticool. No camo pattern to scream GUN!!! No weird morale patches of zombies or etc.
Depends on where I am going, what I am doing, and things change, when I am running erranges I also use a Hillppl Chest Rig, can carry a second fire arm inside, as well magazines, light, etc. Thats what I've been doing lately when running. Works great. Working with a company right now for a setup aimed at consumer with chest though
Kifaru Koala is also another great little rig.
But back to topic at hand, muggings, assault, etc. I've had first hand experience with stalkers, and such; especially since I used to model a lot when I was younger.
Most young people today, are yabbering on their phones as they walk around in life, day or night, ignorant to their surroundings, or predators that may be around. Honestly, wish the state was a bit more free, much to the degree like TX or CO, was the only reserve I had when we moved back to CA for my work.
Honestly most people don't have nor developed a circle or area of personal space, will willing allow random strangers to approach them, ask them questions, etc.
I may sound over cautious and security minded, but, thats what keeps people a bit more safe.
Predators try to look for people distracted, over loaded on purchases in their cart, not paying attention to their surroundings, etc. They see a woman in heels and automatically see, that woman can not run away in those. Oh shes blabbering when she went into store, and when she went out? She'll make an easy target, shes to distracted.
They do lots of random things to, such as fill your window with A LOT of spam fliers, or ask for change for a $1....ask for a ride. Tell you they lost their phone can they use yours to call it? Can you jump their car its late, and they have no one to call.
I leave fliers and let them fly off when I am driving, I ignore request for change or for rides, if someone lost their phone, I ignore them, if someones honestly locked themselves out of the car, and or dead battery? I will keep them at a distance, and call AAA for them. Or if they "locked their keys in" An officer in a response to a call, would gladly help.
Parking well lit areas, and aware of my vehicles entry points, their position to how ppl may uniquely park a van, or large SUV, and are just sitting in it, though its an empty parking lot. If someone approaches with their hands in their pockets, bee lining to you at speed. Etc.
Having good kit on you for an emergency or just daily is important as well. Nothing is as offsetting to someone as 500Lumens from a Surefire fury to their eyes, getting a chemical mixture that burns like hell. Or for some folks who CCW, the ultimate safety if the wcs occurs? Protecting yourself.
A lot of ppl dont carry much of anything because of weight issues, or not fashionably appealing. I carry a lot of stuff in my bags for myself, my family, day to day, and for emergency use. The weight of my bags and their content? I don't notice anymore. You work safety, training, and the products you use, into your life, from cooking, to the gym, to your phone to an ipod, you work those things into your life.
Everyone can do further more for their PerSec in their daily lives. Hope everyone stays safe!
I park close to the front of the store, closer to the crowds and cameras. I have had people help me and my husband recently jump start his Tundra. We then went and bought a battery and went to the gun range.
I think being aware is responsible and smart. I can't live paranoid. It would make me crazy.
I don't expect everything handed to me. Just set it down anywhere. Unknown
I've had numerous self-defense instructors tell me that you never scream "rape", "help", or "thief" because people think you're crying wolf, goofing around, or just don't want to be involved; but if you scream "fire" people come look because everyone wants to see a good fire.
Tammy (in Santa Barbara County)
Blog: www.momwithagun.com
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace." ~ Amelia Earhart
"Experience is what allows you to recognize a mistake the second time you make it." ~ Unknown
I know walmart doesn't do this but alot of stores do. You could ask for help out to your car to load the groceries. I would think having 2 people loading groceries would deter someone looking to carjack/kidnap/assault
Updating this thread, which is important for all of us.
Do only safe sex. Never have sex with someone crazier than you are.
Don't marry or move in together before you're both at least 25.
Don't have children until you're married five years or at least age 30.
Put 10% of your salary into savings every month no matter how broke you are.
Don't ever screw around with the IRS.
Keep a handgun on your bedside table.
Don't smart-mouth judges, or cops who stop you on the road.
I live in a very safe city, nothing ever happens here. But reading this I realized how negligent I have been by not raising my kids to be aware of potential dangers. It is so easy to forget how different things are outside this bubble. Now I didn't grow up here and have certain street smarts, for example I always get my car keys (with kubaton attached) out before I leave the store, no texting/phone calls while walking, watch my surroundings, don't unlock the car until I finish putting the bags in the trunk and put the cart away.... This is just stuff I do naturally and it didn't occur to me that my kids may not do this until I read this thread and thought about it. All we tell kids here is to watch out for cars backing out of their parking spots. Nothing about situational awareness - we're going to have a serious talk today, they won't live here forever
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
Linear Mode


text:
To see adult content (Parental Act), confirm you are over 18 years old
Sean Davey
Sean Davey is a Hawaii based professional, specializing in water photography and coastal based photo shoots. Sean's images are sought after by advertisers and publishers, the world over and have appeared on well beyond a hundred magazine covers. Over the past several years, Sean has embraced the artistic side of his craft more and over this time has built quite a name for himself in the art world with 4 solo shows in Hawaii, Australia and Brazil, as well exhibiting at many art shows upon invitation. Sean's newest art show, entitled "Sun King" is due to occur in Sao Paulo, Brazil during late May. For more info about Sean check out his website at http://www.seandavey.com
All works by Sean Davey (2 pictures)
from the gallery of Sean Davey
from the gallery of Sean Davey

subset: commoncrawl


text:
North News:
The Champions of One Eye
Le Morne, the one eyed monster - Domesticated by the North Kiteboarding Wave Team!
Also the second year the KSP stopped in Mauritius and took place in epic conditions. Day 9 showed the finals at the One Eye Kite Surf Pro. The women's final saw a repeat victory from local Ninja Bichler (GER, North), dominating her home break. 3 times world champion Kirsty Jones was a bit unlucky with conditions but still managed to achieve a respectful third place and was showing her impressive hard style and beautiful barrels also in the expression session. The men's side saw underdog Patri McLaughlin (HI, North) take down reigning world champion Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) nailing the only perfect 10 of the competition in the dying moments of the final.
In the marquee matchup of the day, the men's final promised to be the best heat of the event and it did not disappoint. The powerful Cozzolino was pitted against the barrel-hunting McLaughlin in a final that saw several lead changes and some of the most impressive tube rides of the event. McLaughlin got off to a great start with an opening wave score of 6.83 to Cozzolino's 4.5. However, Cozzolino answered back with an 8.5 to give him the lead at the midpoint of the final.
McLaughlin's never-say-die attitude finally paid off in the final moments of the heat with the event title on the line. Pulling into a seemingly un-makeable barrel, McLaughlin emerged claiming the first 10-point ride of the competition. Cozzolino scored a 7.5 late in the heat, but was unable to overtake McLaughlin for the title of the One Eye Kite Surf Pro.
"I'm so stoked right now I don't even know what to say", said the overwhelmed McLaughlin. "I got the biggest closeout barrel of my life in that final, and I am just so happy to be here."
Final Results of the One Eye Kite Surf Pro:
Men's Final:
1-Patri McLaughlin (HI, North) 17.67
2-Airton Cozzolino (ITA, North) 16.00
Men's 3rd Place Final:
3-Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA) 13.67
4-Luke McGillewie (RSA,RRD) 10.57
Women's Final:
1-Ninja Bichler (GER, North) 17.00
2-Jalou Langeree (NED, Naish) 11.53
Women's 3rd Place Final:
3-Kirsty Jones (GBR, North) 12.24
4-Ines Correia (POR, RRD) 12.23
North Kiteboarding:
1st and 2nd Men's, 1st and 3rd Women's, an amazing result for the whole team. Well done everybody!!


text:
Kilimanjaro trekking adventure trip Machame route December, join group
Book trips Kilimanjaro trekking and go to Kilimanjaro summit with a group, find travel partner, join group
Machame route 6 days Kilimanjaro climb is a scheduled departure adventure Kilimanjaro tour available in December and January. Save money and climb Kilimanjaro with travel partners, have fun and summit Kilimanjaro Successful. Through Lemosho route and Machame, tourists who ascend Kilimanjaro meet on third day at Most beautiful Kilimanjaro Shira Camp and Lava Tower.
Private Kilimanjaro treks and group discount Kilimanjaro climbing trips are organized by reputable Tour Operator in Tanzania, name Kilimanjaro Tanzanite Safaris Co.Ltd.
Direct Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Apart from Kilimanjaro tours, more trips organized are wildlife safaris, horse riding, day tours waterfall visit, vacation Tanzania safaris, beach holidays Zanzibar etc.
Travel reviews and past client testimonies are things you can read and book Africa trip with peace of Mind. This is Travel Agency you can trust because it is well recommended at TripAdvisor and Google Map Businesses.
Cheap vacation packages, budget travel deals, Hotel deals, cheap flight tickets travel tips, Last minute bookings and all inclusive holiday packages are avaialable.


text:
Michigan Tech Society of Physics Students Receives Two National Honors
By Marcia Goodrich | Published
The Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter at Michigan Technological University has been selected as an Outstanding SPS Chapter.
The recognition comes on the heels of the chapter's Blake Lilly Prize. The prize recognizes chapters that "make a genuine effort to positively influence the attitudes of school children and the general public about physics." Only four chapters in the nation received the award.
"I was really excited," said Michigan Tech SPS chapter president Renee Batzloff, a senior majoring in applied physics. "And it's been decades since our chapter has been recognized" as an outstanding chapter.
The Michigan Tech chapter is part of Zone 9, which includes more than 40 SPS chapters in Illinois, Indiana, Upper Michigan, and Wisconsin. Only four were named outstanding chapters. Award selection criteria include involvement with national meetings, outreach effort, community service, interaction with alumni, student recruitment, and more.
The students have been traveling to regional SPS meetings to network, and they have also been active in reaching out to the community. In collaboration with the Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, they conduct Family Physics Nights at the Calument Laurium Keweenaw Public Schools. There, they present about 15 demonstrations to teach children—and their parents—about the quirky side of physics. "It blows their mind," Batzloff said. On a smaller scale, they give presentations at the area science fair, Preview Day and Spring Fling.
They also helped to host a new event, the Physics Force Circus, which was brought to Michigan Tech by the University of Minnesota and drew in over 300 parents and students.
"They've been doing this kind of outreach for several years, and they also help the department with open houses for prospective students and their families in the fall," said their advisor, Will Cantrell, an associate professor of physics. "We find that if you want perspective students to get excited about coming here, they need to talk with our current students."
The credit for the chapter's success goes entirely to the membership, he added. "I'm the advisor, but this is all do to their efforts," he said. "Thanks to them, we're not a best-kept secret anymore."
The Society of Physics Students is a professional association for students. Membership, through collegiate chapters, is open to anyone interested in physics. This SPS operates within the American Institute of Physics, an umbrella organization for ten other professional science societies.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. Our campus in Michigan's Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.


text:
Spike in Gas Costs Pushes Up Inflation Gauge
CPI Climbed 0.3% in June, but Prices for Food Rose at Slower Pace
U.S. consumer inflation continued to stiffen last month but largely decelerated outside a jump in gasoline prices, and food costs in particular slowed after surging in recent months.
The consumer-price index for June, released Tuesday by the Labor Department, offered the latest evidence that U.S. inflation is on the rise after several years of sluggish price gains. There is little sign, though, of runaway prices that would force the Federal Reserve to quickly raise interest rates to check inflation....


text:
I'm entering a couple shots and after I enter I see the the shot has a "category" line in the description which says "nothing entered"
On the entry form, I cannot locate any place to select a category.
Can I get a little help on this?
Question about Ocean Views contest
Started by saudio, Dec 18 2012 07:52 AM
1 reply to this topic
Posted 18 December 2012 - 07:52 AM
Posted 18 December 2012 - 12:30 PM
Never mind, I called them. There are no categories for this competition. All one category, The Ocean.


text:
Downloads: 1,183,952
Join Date: 11th Aug 2014
About Me
Hey there! Thanks for visiting my page! I try my best to offer the best quality downloads with the 100/100 work done by myself. I use blender for modelling and Sims4Studio for composing my objects/mods. Looking forward to making more and more stuff!
Top Download
Discover the all new iPhone X, with the first edge - to - edge display in Apple's line up.
16th Oct 2017 at 12:32am in » Overrides63,526
Personal Picks
Bring the latest technology from Samsung to your Sims with the new Samsung Galaxy Note8, we promise that this time it won't blow up your mind too much. Easy joke :)
30th Aug 2017 at 1:56pm in » Overrides36,778
Welcome to a new ERA for smartphone technology: the infinity display, bezel less and water resistant GALAXY S8.
6th Apr 2017 at 9:46pm in » Overrides31,074
littledica has 26 downloads in the following areas of our download section:
Showing latest 8 downloads:
23rd Aug 2018 at 2:55am
H&B MacroWave - Microwave oven
13th Jul 2018 at 1:46am
8th Jul 2018 at 12:05am
[UPDATED] H&B PowerWave - Stove
31st May 2018 at 8:18pm
Ariana Grande's No Tears Left To...
3rd May 2018 at 10:59pm
H&B AddWash Duet [Functional...
25th Feb 2018 at 11:48pm
11th Feb 2018 at 6:32pm
3rd Feb 2018 at 5:30pm
- Share only on MTS2.
- You may include with Lots.
- You may include with Sims.
- You may include with recolours.
- Do not re-use my textures for unrelated projects.
- Additionally:
- You may recolour using my textures.
- You may include with Lots.
- You may recolour using my textures.
- Do not re-use my textures for unrelated projects.
- Please give credit with a link when using my work.
- Ask me first before modifying/using.
littledica is not a member of any public groups
Last Activity: Today 3:40 AM ·
Home Page: click here · Sims 1 Games Purchased: Sims 1, Livin' Large, House Party, Hot Date, Vacation, Unleashed, Superstar, Making Magic Biography: Hi! Welcome to my profile! About me? i'm just a teen interested in 3D modelling and Sims lover! Location: Italy Interests: Simming, 3D modelling, PowerPoint Presentations Design, EATING! Occupation: Student Tumblr name: littledica / littledica-personal (NSFW) Origin ID: littledica
Games owned: The Sims 2: The Sims 3: The Sims 4:


text:
By now, you know european car magazine incorporated eurotuner.com several months ago, with our editorial team working on both titles. One of eurotuner's most popular events was its annual Tuner GP, so we decided to continue it under the EC banner since it's a great showpiece for many of North America's best European tuners.
As a result, the format of the event is very similar to how it was at eurotuner, with shops invited to compete on the dyno and road course against one another. We used to incorporate drag racing as well, to give the teams a greater challenge, but dragstrips are virtually extinct in Southern California, so we dropped it for this year, hoping to bring it back in 2013.
The Tuner GP isn't a competition as such, since no two cars are the same. It's more of a grudge match, with the teams competing to highlight their engine and chassis tuning abilities.
We split the cars into rear- and all-wheel drive classes, with a Time Attack class for cars that don't see street use and a new electric vehicle class. However, ECGP is designed to demonstrate how the various modifications perform in real-world tests. So if you're thinking about tuning your R32 or M3, you might like to consider some of the engine or chassis mods featured here.
The Tuner GP is a great opportunity to examine specific tuning packages and discover whether they meet the tuner's claims. And while the team with the best numbers has something to brag about, it's not the whole story. For example, cars that do well in each discipline are likely to be highly focused track cars that might not translate well to the street. But by measuring power and lap times, you can see which package delivers the most overall, or in the specific area you want. But it's worth remembering that the Time Attack cars are stripped out, lightweight machines, whereas most of the other classes represent street cars with full interiors, steel body panels, etc. This is what you'll be driving, unless you're looking to build a dedicated track car.
ECGP is designed to let you browse tuning conversions under the harshest conditions and decide what modifications or base vehicle would work best for you and your requirements
ECGP is a test of speed, power and poise. We scrutinize the cars on the dyno for outright power and torque, and on the road course to see how the total package performs under pressure.
In order to accommodate such a variety of cars, we really don't impose many rules. You must use the Continental ExtremeContact DW tires we supply to each team, and you can't inject nitrous into the engine (although you can use it as an external cooler).
In the past, tuners were allowed to swap components or software maps on the dyno, but we've removed this ability to ensure the cars remain in the same tune throughout the event.
Previously, some teams would find an advantage with tire choice, making cars on street tires the underdogs. So we teamed up with Continental Tire to supply its ExtremeContact DW rubber to all the teams. These are considered an ultra-high performance street tire, well suited to modified street cars, yet they also withstand considerable abuse from the Time Attack cars, allowing them to record some very fast times that are comparable to dedicated race rubber.
On the dyno day at Church Automotive Testing, teams were allowed three pulls to ensure the ECUs had adapted and to check for any potential problems. As we said, this year there was no tuning allowed between runs, but faults, blown hoses, etc, could be rectified on the spot.
For the road course we visited the tight and technical Streets of Willow. It's a relatively short track but its demanding turns and high-speed corners are a great test of chassis balance over engine power, which is why we choose it rather than some of the faster SoCal tracks. It gives the less powerful teams an equal chance to shine, instead of the more powerful cars simply blowing them away on the straights. We're not simply looking for the fastest and most powerful cars here.
Turn the page to discover how each team did on the dyno and road course. We also have a profile of the teams as well as the overall results and a spec list for you to better understand what went into building these remarkable cars, and how they fared in our 2012 Tuner GP.
Continental tires ExtremeContact DW
Specifying a control tire for the Tuner GP meant we can focus on what parts the tuner has fitted, rather than the rubber he's chosen. A mix of tires in the past was either flattering or condemning some teams, so the standardization of the Continental DW gives us a better indication of how the tuner's components are working together.
With such high-performance machinery, it was vital for us to choose tires that were equal to the task, rather than leaving the competitors scrabbling for grip. So we've been fortunate to forge a relationship with Continental Tires for the past few years.
We initially approached Conti for the ExtremeContact DW tires because they'd performed very well in a group test we conducted at eurotuner magazine in collaboration with Tire Rack. In fact, they won the last Tire Test we conducted in 2009 against ten of the latest high-performance tires in both wet and dry conditions.
The Continental ExtremeContact DW was declared the overall winner thanks to its abilities in mixed weather conditions, as well as good braking performance and turn-in grip.
And although the Tuner GP remained hot and dry all day, the DW's abilities were appreciated by GP competitors who experienced high levels of predictable grip. The teams needed to keep the car stable under high braking forces, while also requiring strong and consistent cornering ability. What's more, when the tires do finally let go under severe provocation, they respond predictably to give the drivers plenty of feedback. In fact, the number of drivers drifting through turns after their timed sessions suggested they were very comfortable with the tires' performance.
Continental ensures the DW (meaning Dry and Wet) provides both a lower rolling resistance and improved tread life than its competitors. It has a 340 UTQG rating, which means they should last many thousands of miles under normal conditions. There are different indicators within the tread blocks themselves to alert drivers to when the tires have exceeded their optimum tread depth for both dry and wet conditions.
To verify the treadwear, one of our GP drivers reported that he was still using the DW tires we provided last year. Not only had they completed a full track day, but he then put them on his daily driver and will even participate in track days on them up to a year later!
Dyno Competition
With 13 cars lined up outside, it CAN take all day to dyno every team in the Tuner GP, especially when each car is allowed three pulls for consistency. So this year, Shawn Church from Church Automotive Testing in Wilmington, CA generously offered his services.
Not only does he have an enormous facility, with more than enough parking for our motley crew, but Church boasts three Dynapack dynos, allowing us to run multiple cars together.
The Dynapack bolts to the driven hubs of the car, ensuring no wheelspin and greater accuracy. It takes a little longer to fit the adapters than strapping a car down, but the Church crew was well practiced in the art.
Once everything was clicking, we had one car being dynoed while a second was being prepared for its runs. We had all the cars tested in about five hours, with only minor problems to overcome, all associated with traction control systems farting because they could sense all four wheels turning at 100mph. However, Shawn Church was very familiar with his equipment and was able to resolve every issue. He's used to testing a huge variety of machines and problem-solving electronic issues, so nothing we presented caused him any difficulties.
The weather was unusually hot for early October and the humidity was very low; not ideal conditions for maximum power runs, but all the teams coped well, some using ice or nitrous to cool the intake.
As mentioned, we allowed up to three runs and recorded the best results here. We considered taking an average but several cars had spurious readings because of traction control or heat issues, skewing the results. Since the Dynapack can't produce wheelspin, the numbers recorded should be an accurate measurement of what the engines were capable of.
Time Attack Class
Attempting to run the cars in alphabetical order, Berk Technology was first on the dyno with its Time Attack-prepped BMW 135i. As in past years, the team is only interested in the track portion, but tolerates our dyno session, not expecting to win but hoping for around 400hp at the wheels from its N54 twin-turbo 3.0L. "It's got a stock bottom end with bolt-ons," company owner Bryan Min explained. "We won't win here but just want to beat Christian [Miller, 034Motorsport] on the Streets of Willow track!"
As predicted, they didn't have the most powerful engine, but they did hit 402hp to the wheels at 5900rpm, with 420 lb-ft of torque at 4500rpm during three very consistent runs, proving they know exactly what this car is capable of.
Their big rival, 034Motorsport, always brings a big gun to the fight. After several years running a mid-engined VW GTI with a single-turbo Audi S4 V6, the team reverted to its B5 Audi A4. It's powered by a 1.8T 20v motor with a 2.0L built bottom-end. The motor revs to 8500rpm and uses a Precision 6262 turbo to make its power.
Team principal, Javad Shadzi predicted 630hp and seemed almost disappointed to realize 596whp at 7000rpm and 501 lb-ft at 5560rpm. It turns out, the dry air may have been causing some ignition problems, prompting the team to request a shorter ramp time on the dyno to avoid engine damage. This undoubtedly compromised output but kept the 2.0T in one piece. However, 034 came away with the most powerful car in its class, if not the Tuner GP...
Running later in the day when the temperature had risen, Platte Forme returned with the same ESS Tuning VT2-500+ supercharged E46 M3 as last year. However, they'd gone from 9psi to 12, improved the cooling with a new intercooler and oil cooler, and addressed fuel starvation problems with a new fuel cell.
The guys had sneakily been testing on the Church Dynapack the day before and identified problems with the Okada Projects ignition coils and throttle position sensor. Once changed, the 3.2L motor put out 473whp at 8000rpm and 325 lb-ft at 6500rpm, an increase of 90hp over the previous day...
We would recommend you watch the ECGP12 video at europeancarweb.com - not only is it a great record of events but it captures some of the violence of the M3's exhaust note. Along with the E36 M3 and CLS63, it stood out as one of the more spectacular-sounding cars at the event.
With no FWD cars entered for the first time in 10 years, Raffi and Vic Kazanjian from Euro Sport Accessories had abandoned their usual VW GTI for an AWD R32. It was equipped with a VF-Engineeering supercharger, head gasket spacer to reduce the compression to 9:1, Eurospec 264? cams plus custom Euro Sport FMIC and exhaust system.
It was great to hear a VR6 running at full song on the dyno, exceeding the predicted 360hp to produce a respectable 387whp at 6000rpm and 379 lb-ft at 5000rpm.
Its major opponent would be the 2012 Golf R from former R32 turbo specialists HPA Motorsports, who had driven down from Canada for our event. They brought a stage 2 version of what they described as a DIY street conversion, the car having a full interior.
Hoping for 410hp at the crank, it boasted an 8.7:1 head spacer for the GT30-71/76 turbo set at 26.5psi, plus an HGP intake manifold and injectors. It ran an HPA downpipe, quad muffler system, software and a prototype intake.
On the dyno, the combination produced 392whp at 6700rom and 350 lb-ft at 5000rpm, putting it close to the prediction. It would certainly be interesting to see how these VWs compared on the track the following day...
The third VW was the Mk5 Rabbit from Bluewater Performance, but with its AWD conversion and turbo upgrade, this specialized machine was practically halfway to time attack status. It debuted last year to take on 034's purpose-built machine and did exceptionally well, although it suffered on the track slightly with cooling issues. After significant development over the past year, the team returned to try and win the event.
Unfortunately, things got off to a bad start for Bluewater when the 2.5L five-cylinder engine block breather failed four days before ECGP12. After losing all its oil, the motor had to be rebuilt the following day and fitted the day after. So one day before our event, they drove up the road to check the engine and it immediately blew a plug out of the block, losing the oil again. Fortuantely, LTMotorwerks allowed them to use their workshop to wrench on the car, and J&S Engines next door provided a new plug.
By the time the team arrived at the dyno their nerves were frazzled since the motor had never been under load until then. There was drama when a boost hose blew off on the second run but it was quickly refitted. "We were just happy to see the car run," said Gabe Adams from BWP. "I'm happy just to see a number. It would have been nice to push the boost a bit more but we didn't want to risk anything."
Running conservative boost and revs, the 2.5L turbo produced a healthy 594whp at 6500rpm and 554 lb-ft at 5200rpm.
Unfortunately, this was to be the Rabbit's last appearance since it was smoking heavily as it came off the dyno and was later found to have jumped three teeth on the timing pulley when the tensioner failed, bending most of the valves. The team tried valiantly to rebuild the head at Eurocode's workshop but threw in the towel at 3am and headed home. This isn't the last we'll see of the Bluewater Rabbit and we commend their huge effort, which was rewarded with the best run in the AWD class.
As for Eurocode Tuning, they brought another B8 Audi S4 to show off the parts they'd developed for the supercharged 3.0L V6. It had the Eurocode intercooler, headers and prototype intake, plus a Milltek cat-back exhaust, smaller APR pulley and custom APR software.
The team was expecting to see around 460hp but the dyno showed 492whp at 6200rpm and 477 lb-ft at 3800rpm. However, they were pumping nitrous onto the intercooler, which is allowed, but the spray was certainly entering the intake, which isn't. So while they didn't break the letter of the law, they were sailing close to it. Fortunately, none of the competitors complained but it might explain why the output was slightly higher than expected.
Our final AWD entry was the 997 Porsche 911 Turbo from GSR Autosport. This was the car the more established competitors feared. As a eurotuner event, we previously didn't allow the 911 because it wasn't a vehicle the magazine covered. However, as a european car event, this is what it was all about. And the mere sight of the 911 had people quaking in their boots; it certainly attracted one of the largest crowds when it ran.
As it happens, they need not have worried so much since the modifications were relatively mild. The Porsche had Promotive software, IPD plenum and Y-pipe, evoms intercooler, BBi pulleys and coil packs, Euro Pipes exhaust with high-flow cats, a GT3 throttle body and Aquamist meth injection.
Expecting around 500hp, the 911 spun the Dynapack to 493whp at 5700rpm and 552 lb-ft at 4400rpm, which meant it was a long way off the most powerful cars in ECGP12, but its legendary ability to put that power to the ground was still a cause for concern.
This class was dominated by BMW shops, but GSR Autosport was adventurous enough to enter a Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG. Again, the mods were limited, with just a middle resonator delete, K&N filters, Renntech software and a custom intercooler ice chest from GSR.
Heat is the engine's biggest problem, so they were hoping the ice and 108-octane race fuel would help cool it, but pre-detonation was detected on only its second run. They aborted before something expensive happened and were relatively pleased with 552whp at 5300rpm and a preposterous 816 lb-ft at 2900rpm. That's an utterly ridiculous number, and promised to be hugely entertaining at the track. Somehow we couldn't see this behemoth being particularly wieldy through the tight turns but only time would tell.
A great deal was also expected of the E92 BMW M3 from european auto source. This was the same car as last year, sporting a VF-Engineering 620 supercharger conversion the team estimated would be good for 550hp at the wheels. However, the DCT transmission was causing a few problems since the traction control had to be "errored-out" before it would allow high-speed runs. Unable to sense the front wheels moving, Shawn had to defeat the system before it would respond properly. After a couple of minutes, the might V8 was pumping out a best of 574whp at 8100rpm and 383 lb-ft at 7000rpm, which exceeded the team's expectations.
That only left LTMotorwerks (formerly LTBMW), which had entered two cars. The first was joint oldest in the field; a '95 E36 M3 belonging to company co-owner Ivan Madrigal. It's his own track car and boasted a stage 2 Active Autowerke blower complete with bigger injectors, FMIC, etc. It also had a ported head plus LTMW headers and exhaust system.
Hoping for around 420hp, Ivan was delighted to see his 18 year-old car put down 420whp at 6800rpm and 336 lb-ft at 5800rpm. However, he was slightly concerned about a weeping head gasket that had appeared during 100? shakedown track tests two days earlier. Hopefully, he'd make it through the entire event in one piece.
The second car from LTMW was an '09 BMW 335i belonging to customer Darren Yoo. It started out as an E90 show car in Porsche GT3 RS grey with M3 panels and uprated turbos on the N54 engine. Despite its auto transmission, Darren had the bug and wanted to chase more power, so opted for the Vishnu/FFTec single-turbo conversion with downpipe and software. It retains its Active FMIC and LTMW 2.75" center-exit exhaust, which gives the four-door an angry snarl.
The car had recently been dyno-tuned but Darren wasn't sure what its numbers were, so was hoping for 550hp. However, the traction control wouldn't allow the car to exceed 10mph on the dyno. So it was unbolted and driven around for a few minutes before returning.
With high-fives all round, the 335i spun the Dynapack to 597whp at 6200rpm and 550 lb-ft at 5100rpm. This made it the most powerful car at ECGP12, much to the chagrin of 034, which was bested by 1whp, and Bluewater, which was only 2.5whp away!
Despite such impressive numbers, we saved the best until last. For the first time in our ten year history, and as a possible nod to its future, we invited the electric-powered E36 M3 from EV West to participate.
Their story is fascinating, since two friends in the computer field decided to build their own car and even took it to Pikes Peak, where we first encountered it. At the Race to the Clouds, they had turned down the power supply to about 250hp to reduce wheelspin and get it up the hill, but for our event they'd be turning it up.
Revving the electric engine to only 4400rpm, the first run produced 333whp and 647 lb-ft, which was shocking enough for most of us. However, the team decided to increase the current and voltage output to approximately 80% of the battery capacity, resulting in 383whp at 2500rpm and 840 lb-ft at 1100rpm.
European Car 2012 Tuner GP Dyno Numbers
Church Automotive Testing
When we put this event together, one of the biggest subjects for debate is the choice of dyno. Some shops prefer a Mustang dyno, others like the Dynojet. Each has its benefits but we like the bolt-on Dynapack option because it eliminates issues such as wheelspin, alignment losses and tire inflation. It also overcomes the small differences in mass and inertia between different wheel and tire options, creating a level playing field for a comparison event such as ours.
The Dynapack places load on the engine using electrical or hydraulic pressure. This should make it easier to replicate real world conditions and better able to measure changes in output.
A further advantage is that Church's dyno uses one of the biggest cooling fans we've ever witnessed, allowing the cars to run cool on the hot, dry day of our event.
Shawn Church works on a huge variety of machinery, from Civic to Cadillacs, and was well versed in all the machinery we presented to him. So if you're in the Los Angeles or Long Beach area and need a very experienced performance test and diagnostic center, visit Church Automotive Testing (home.earthlink.net/~spchurch).
Fastest Lap Competition
Streets of Willow
There's no doubt that while the dyno competition is interesting and informative, it's simply a delaying tactic before we get to the track. This is where everybody wants to win their class, if not outright on the technical turns at the Streets of Willows racetrack in Rosamond, CA.
Although the weather was unseasonably hot, a strong wind helped stifle the heat somewhat, but engines, brakes and those Continental tires were definitely feeling the 90? temps by the afternoon.
The day started early with cars split into run groups, each getting three 20min practice sessions to set-up the cars, learn the track and scrub-in the tires. This was followed by three timed laps per car after lunch. While teams knew their practice times, we kept the final laps secret, so you're discovering how they did in the same way they are. And believe us, there are some very happy teams out there right now. This was the fastest event we've ever run, the cars setting some spectacular times on high-performance street tires...
With only Bluewater missing from the roster, we had a full field for the morning sessions. The drivers' briefing was followed by some intense preparations as drivers gave feedback and teams fettled damper rates, ride height, tire pressures, boost, aerodynamics and more.
There was a stark contrast in the paddock between the race teams and the tuners, between those with a pro driver and the ones who were having a go themselves. On the whole, every team acquitted itself well, having prepared the vehicles for the impending battle.
For cars like the Mercedes CLS63, GSR's greatest asset would be drift racer Michael Essa behind the wheel. As a co-owner of the shop, he knows his way around a racetrack but was clearly struggling with the car's weight. "It's like driving a boat. The brakes are great but the car is really heavy, so they're getting hot. And I can't switch off the traction control fully because it becomes undriveable with 800 lb-ft. So I'm running it in Sport mode that allows some slip but, at the end of the day, it's a 4200 lb car on street tires..."
The Kazanjian brothers from Euro Sport Accessories were again sharing driving and wrenching duties, delighted with the new R32 Turbo's track manners. "The car is perfect," exclaimed an enthusiastic Raffi. "The power and handling are good. What more could we ask for?"
The guys from Platte Forme were delighted nothing broke on the dyno and were making big adjustments to the suspension to cope with the bumpy track. However, they forgot to fit the timing transponder, so had no idea what progress was being made in the early sessions.
The electric M3 from EV West was very entertaining to watch on the track but was oversteering wildly. Car builder Michael Bream told us he was fighting against the electric motor's phenomenal torque while learning the track and tires at the same time. "If I get the line wrong, it's easy for me to kick the tail out and push the car wide to avoid going off," he explained.
LTMotorwerks were having fun in their two cars. The E36 sounded incredible but the E90 was struggling with its auto 'box. It was throwing up codes and having shifting issues in the first session, so it wasn't looking good.
HPA had set its sights on the Euro Sport R32. "They're our benchmark," explained company owner Marcel Horn. "We have similar power in our Golf R and shaved 3sec of our laps times in the first session as our driver learned the track. With their track knowledge, we'd be happy if we could match them at the end of the day..."
As the only electric-powered vehicle in the field, EV West had the class win assured, but we were curious to see how it would stack up against the LTMW E36 M3, for example.
Unfortunately, with the batteries draining and a steep learning curve for the team, it was the slowest competitor by virtue of only enough charge for one timed lap. As it stands, 1min 32.581sec is a respectable lap around the track and their fastest of the day, but about 4sec slower than the conventional E36 M3.
Traditionally, all-wheel drive cars dominate the road course but RWD was in the ascendency. So we were fascinated to discover how the class would fare this year.
One of the big battles was between the two VW teams, with Euro Sport Accessories setting the bar with a best time of 1:28.959 with some precise driving, but it wasn't as as good as the 1:27.7 they recorded before the lunch break.
HPA Motorsports didn't fare so well. The first lap was way off the pace and only built to 1:32.035 on the final lap. This was their fastest of the day but hard driving in the morning had accelerated the tire wear. It's more impressive considering the car was in full road trim and it's stage 2 tune was (perhaps optimistically) called a DIY build. Afterwards, the team rued the decision not to bring an R32 turbo as well, as originally planned.
The two remaining AWD cars were more closely matched, with GSR Autosport taking the class win in its '08 Porsche 911 Turbo. The crew had been fettling the sway bars and Moton damper settings to suit the street tires, but they seemed to be struggling to get the relatively narrow 285/35 R19 rear tires to hook up.
With Essa behind the wheel, the best time of the day was set in the morning at 1:26.5. This translated to 1:26.855 in the timed sessions, with Michael only pushing the first and third laps, using the second to cool everything down.
Fractionally behind the 911 was the Porsche-green Audi S4 from Eurocode Tuning. As former GP winners, the company knew what was required and its quattro system was being put to good use on the track, with the car being driven very hard in the morning sessions. Any doubt that you couldn't get an S4 to oversteer was soon silenced as small changes to the KW V3 coilovers and tire pressures started to bring the numbers down. However, a rubbing tire caused sidewall damage, meaning the driver couldn't push as hard as he wanted in the afternoon. The fastest timed lap was 1:27.095, which was agonizingly close to the Porsche. It was a valiant effort, but a couple of seconds off their best lap last year with APR touring car driver Ian Baas at the wheel of a similar S4.
With LTMotorwerks taking gold on the dyno, all eyes were on the BMW 335i four-door automatic to see what it could do. With a driver gifted to them by Bluewater's absence, who was unfamiliar with the car, and the transmission not happy under duress, lap times were inconsistent. Acceleration was strong but its cornering was hampered by gear selection issues, so a best time of 1:28.748 was its fastest of the day and not representative of its engine output.
Sneaking ahead of the 335i was the '95 BMW M3 from LTMotorwerks. With owner Ivan Madrigal at the wheel, he pushed it round with a best lap of 1:28.327. This was his best time of the day but it seemed to happily run similar times all day, despite fears of a head gasket problem on the previous day.
The RWD class winner was the E92 M3 from european auto source. Fitted with its VF supercharger and possibly the world's largest rear wing, it skated the line between street car and Time Attack classes. Since it's still street-driven, we gave it the benefit of the doubt.
The crew reported that power was good, the brakes were strong but they were dealing with some heat issues. This was reflected in the laps, with a best time of 1:26.1 coming in the morning. By the afternoon, the car had slowed to a decent 1:26.811, which snuck them in front of the GSR 911 by 0.04sec. This represents a good improvement over the same car's best time of 1:27.7 that it recorded last year.
That only left the GSR Autosport Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG flailing in last place with a time of 1:28.801.
In reality, that's impressive for such a large car on a tight track, and we're confident it would have climbed the ranks if we'd been on a faster circuit.
As it was, Essa again only used two of his three laps to set a time, opting to cool the engine, brakes and tires in between. It's a tactic that worked because the fastest lap was about 2sec quicker than anything in practice, but I think we all learned the CLS63 isn't a Tuner GP car...
Time Attack
All the money was on this class to claim top honors, and it was a safe bet. However, you'd have lost money if you backed last year's winners Berk Technology. Its BMW 135i is a winner in several Time Attack competition series, so expectations were high. The team knows the set-up and the driver knows both the car and the track, so what could possibly go wrong?
In the three practice sessions, the crew spent a great deal of time checking the tire pressures and changing suspension settings, producing some fast 1:24 laps. And with last year's winning time of 1:24.694, this performance would seem to be enough to claim the victory.
With the car putting its Continental street tires under considerable stress, driver Carl Rydquist cooled everything in between his timed laps, only taking two fliers. The result was 1:23.893, which would have wiped the floor last year. Yet unbelievably, it was only good enough for third overall and in class at ECGP12.
Perhaps the biggest surprise came from Platte Forme. This was a team we met for the first time last year, but which struggled to find the right set up. However, they were more prepared this year, with the car looking and sounding far more purposeful.
Equipped with the most aggressive aero devices of all the teams, and sporting a banshee wail, the Platte Forme E46 M3 appeared to be the quickest car on track, vastly improved over last year in the hands of student Terry Liu.
During the morning, a great deal of preparation work went into the car, forcing them to miss the first session. But once on track in the morning they were flying, setting a best time of 1:22.9, which put everybody else on notice.
During the timed session, a best time of 1:23.119 caused dismay among the Time Attack class, setting a very high bar for 034Motorsport who were to follow.
And the winner is...
Fastest lap of the day and Time Attack class winner was the aforementioned 034Motorsport with its B5 Audi A4.
Without disparaging their fellow competitors, 034 is highly organized, totally focused and utterly determined to succeed. In previous years they won the event with this same car fitted with a VR6 turbo engine. It was then retired to Time Attack competitions, fitted with a modified 1.8T and entered into Pikes Peak. In the meantime, they built a mid-engined, RWD VW GTI fitted with a B5 Audi S4 V6 turbo, which subsequently won our Tuner GP at its second attempt.
Having been beaten last year at Streets of Willow by Berk's 135i, company president Javad Shadzi took the decision to bring the Audi out of retirement. During the practice sessions they went through a well-rehearsed routine, taking feedback from professional driver and 034 employee Christian Miller.
The car's significant aerodynamic additions caused an amount of instability in the high desert winds, so changes were made to reduce the effect. Despite being developed for R-compound tires or slicks, the A4 made good use of its Conti street tires thanks to air pressure and suspension adjustments, softening them to find more grip.
Like several other pro drivers, Christian was surprised at how well the Continental DW tires were holding up. Although never designed to run on racecars such as these, the tires delivered consistent grip and liked lower pressures, whereas most street tires are generally over-inflated on the track to find grip.
Sitting out the last session, Christian asked for 4psi on his push-to-pass button that he used on the two straights, raising it from the normal 24psi when the car needed it most. The results speak for themselves, with the fastest lap coming in the timed session, breaking the beam at 1:22.386, its remaining laps also faster than any other car.
It was a dominant performance, quicker than many similar cars on R-compounds, and the fastest time we've ever seen at Streets in the TunerGP. It sets the benchmark for ECGP13 and we invite all North American tuners of European cars to step up and try to beat that impressive time.
european car 2012 Tuner GP Lap Times
Replay Video
If you visit www.europeancarweb.com and enjoy our video, all the in- and on-car footage was recorded using Replay XD1080 HD cameras. It uses a water-resistant, anodized, aluminum housing, making it the smallest, lightest HD camera on the market. It uses two buttons for on/off and start/stop, making it easy to operate, with an LED and vibration telling you it's running. However, it allows 1080P, 960P, 720P, time-lapse photos, internal and external audio, etc. You set the Mode once and it remains, and an indicator on the rear cover reminds you were its at.
With a raft of mounting options and its small size, the Replay camera is a versatile option to the popular GoPro cameras we generally use, and we were pleasantly surprised to see the positive results from our ECGP footage (replayxd.com).
Tuner Profiles
Time Attack Class
2001 Audi A4
Location: Fremont, CA
Founded: 2004
Of all the teams in ECGP, 034Motorsport is easily the most competitive. While they're a fun bunch of guys, motorsport is in their name and something they take very seriously.
Coming down from NorCal, 034 returned with its A4 widebody, although the last time we saw it there was a VR6 turbo under the hood. This time, it's home to a fully built 1.8T 2.0L that sounded demonic as flames spat from the side-exit exhaust.
Christian Miller knows this car well and proved it by setting the fastest time of the day with a 1:22.4. The car is built to win, but is also adaptable. A few months ago, for example, it was at Pikes Peak, and you can read about their endeavors in EC 12/12.
This year's rules banned component swapping, so 034 president Javad Shadzi stuck to just one turbo to dominate the event. It was mission accomplished, gaining 100hp on their smaller turbo without sacrificing much at low RPM. The recorded 500 lb-ft is pretty astonishing for a 2.0L.
Berk Technology
2008 BMW 135i
Location: Santa Ana, CA
Founded: 2001
Having spent the majority of their time tuning imports, Berk turned things around with the 135i. The company specializes in exhaust fabrication and implementing high-flow cats, but this 135i is the full package, looking perfect on the track.
They dominated the RWD class in last year's event, but this year the competition was far tougher. For a car with such limited engine modifications, it's an example of what you can do with good chassis tuning. That said, 400hp at the wheels is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you factor in the custom V-Fiber aero kit, Seibon carbon hood and trunk, along with the gutted interior and rollcage.
With a simple KW Variant 3 coilover setup, an OS Giken limited-slip and a Performance Friction big-brake kit, the car performed flawlessly at speed. Let's not give all the credit to the car, because driver Carl Rydquist is an amazing wheelman; a European endurance racer and chassis engineer by profession. He even waved to us, showing off for the camera on his final lap.
Platte Forme AG
Location: Alhambra, CA
Founded: 2010
Platte Forme is a Los Angeles-based European tuning facility with experience in both racing and modifying. Their E46 M3 catches your eye in its Laguna Seca blue, with its yellow Klassen wheels wearing wide 275-section rubber at all four corners. It has a pitbull stance, paired with aggressive aero canards and huge rear wing.
While it looked fast standing still, the volume of noise from its open exhaust was epic. A stage 2
ESS VT-500 supercharger is the heart of the power adders, but Platte Forme went the extra mile to bring it to the time attack league. As such, it's completely gutted with an in-house cage, three-way adjustable JRZ coilovers and a parts list that goes on for days.
It's certainly commendable that this small shop managed to pilot their M3 right up to the tail of 034's A4, getting within a whisker of the winning time during practice.
AWD Class
Bluewater Performance
2007 VW Rabbit
Location: Westminster, CO
Founded: 2008
Bluewater Performance specializes in VW/Audi performance installations and fabrication, along with high-horsepower tuning. Best known for big-turbo R32 builds, they decided to construct this '07 Rabbit for last year's etGP and returned again with the AWD turbo car.
Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to avoid the catastrophic failure of minor parts, which the Rabbit sustained just days before ECGP12.
With a fresh motor and slightly bruised ego, Bluewater made it to the dyno sessions without any time to check over or break-in the motor. As you'll have read on the dyno pages, things didn't end well but we know the team will be back next year - when this thing runs correctly, it'll be a force to be reckoned with. Fortunately, Bluewater aren't giving up until they dominate our event.
Eurocode Tuning
2010 Audi S4
Location: Torrance, CA
Founded: 2001
Eurocode prides itself on honesty and integrity: you can read about it on the "About" section on their website, but what that doesn't get across is the team's competitive drive, or how badass their Audi S4 is.
It was finished in Signal Green - an Audi Exclusive option and easily the loudest new Audi we've seen. But paint wasn't the only noise. Among the diverse field of cars, you could be blindfolded and still know which was the Eurocode S4 lapping the track - it was a banshee.
It was also moving at a rapid pace thanks to a combination of go-fast parts from APR and in-house Eurocode developments. Despite its weight, the S4 on its KW V3 coilovers and a slew of suspension parts, seemed to have virtually no understeer. If anything, the driver was oversteering out of the slower turns, the set-up allowing the car to rotate. With the grip of the Conti tires and quattro drivetrain, it would then find traction and shoot up the straights.
Euro Sport Accessories
2004 Volkswagen R32
Location: Anaheim, CA
Founded: 1988
These guys have been around for a while. Starting back in '88, Euro Sport now sells everything from its own exhausts and intakes to suspension setups. They even have an in-house dyno to measure gains from software upgrades.
Not only is Euro Sport a veteran of the European tuning scene, they're long-time participants of etGP and now ECGP. In the past they've hit the track with a Mk1 Rabbit racer, Ford Focus, Mk4 Golf 1.8T and this year's Mk4 R32.
The R32 was undoubtedly a sleeper. It looked unassuming enough, sitting nicely on Avant Garde M310 wheels and burbling a sweet VR6 exhaust note. Lapping the track, though, you'd hear the VF-Engineering turbocharger spinning to 12psi, dumping its excess boost pressure out the back. It really moved!
Euro Sport's R32 was a great example of how to create a well-balanced car without going overboard. It's a great daily driver but fully capable of lapping the track, although it seemed to have some understeer issues that might be sorted with a more dedicated race suspension set-up. Acceleration, on the other hand, was no issue, thanks to the VF-Engineering turbo kit.
HPA Motorsports
2012 Golf R
Location: Surrey, BC, Canada
Founded: 1991
HPA is most notably associated with its wild VR6 twin-turbo AWD conversions for anything with a VW or Audi badge. Its cars became icons and in previous years, they've battered some egos in our Tuner GP.
This year, HPA decided to change things up with a new Golf R. It was fitted with what the company described as a DIY upgrade kit and was street spec, complete with full interior.
The goal was to make minimal upgrades to the hatchback while still being a contender for the GP title. It was undeniably fast by any standards, but the opposition was a little tougher than perhaps the company expected.
The R featured a hybrid turbo that sacrificed nothing in terms of drivability, as well as an in-house six-piston brake set-up and KW Clubsport coilovers.
Without doubt, the HPA Golf R would be one of the most pleasurable and practical daily drivers, without blowing your budget on an M3 or S4.
RWD Class
European Auto Source
Location: Anaheim, CA
Founded: 2003
european auto source is well known in the BMW world, having created some of the meanest looking Ms and developed a number of its own products. For the second time, they brought their '11 M3 to the grid but recent changes made an enormous difference...
This year, the M3 sported AST 4200 coilovers and Swift springs. While the rear wing sure isn't for the shy, it certainly kept the rear-end in check at high speed and through the corners. Recaro Pole Position seats and a VS Motorsports cage completed the interior, buttoned up with their own Macht Schnell hardware.
The european auto source M3 showed good reliability lap after lap, although even with its giant APR wing, the E92 was still one of the more tail-happy cars in the field. Thankfully, driver Jordan Yost is a race instructor and appeared well equipped to deal with any situation. Perhaps next year they'll move up to the Time Attack class.
GSR Autosport
2008 Porsche 911 Turbo / 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Founded: 2004
GSR Autosport from Lake Forest, CA is home to a number of amazing projects, unrivaled craftsmanship and fabrication, along with friendly, approachable staff. Mike Essa is at the heart of the operation, coming from a career of racing, with a growing presence in the Formula D championship and a member of the BMW tuning scene.
GSR does everything from V10 swaps in M3s to bolt-on installs and race preparation. However, instead of competing in the GP with one of their wild track-purposed beasts, they showed up with two high-dollar cars making generous amounts of power.
Admittedly, we feared a lightly modified 911 Turbo had the potential to dominate the field, especially with Essa behind the wheel. There's no escaping it, 911 Turbos are monsters, and this one has Moton Clubsport coilovers (cha-ching!) and a ton of other suspension and engine goodies. With some weight reduction, the results would have been far more interesting.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, GSR also brought a Mercedes CLS63 AMG. It's a burnout machine but these aren't always the best choice for a track event. If our dyno competition been based on torque figures, however, things would've worked out differently, because the CLS made a whopping 816 lb-ft, thanks to two turbos and 6.3-liters of displacement. Overall, both cars were solid additions to the lineup and performed without a hiccup, because that's what you expect from GSR Autosport.
2009 BMW 335i / 1995 BMW M3
Location: El Monte, CA
Contact: 626/452-8321
LTMotorwerks, formerly LTBMW, has made an incredible name for itself in the SoCal BMW community in the last few years, which is pretty remarkable for a shop that started in the owner's home garage. It's become a one-stop-shop with everything from full body conversions, custom spoilers, paint and repairs from their in-house body shop and paint booth, to motor swaps, turbo installations, suspension swaps, etc.
In this year's GP, LTMW showed up with two different animals. The '95 E36 M3 belongs to co-owner Ivan Madrigal and is a track toy: a really awesome toy with rock-chipped paint, a piercing exhaust note and wide wheels making it look the part. It walks the walk, too, making 420whp and weighing very little.
At the other end of the spectrum was the E90 335i belonging to Darren Yoo. The car started life as a regular automatic daily driver, but now the only original thing left is (unfortunately) the transmission. Otherwise, LT fitted M3 body parts and painted it Porsche GT3 RS grey, and fitted HREs. The stock turbos were upgraded and then swapped for a Vishnu/FFTec single-turbo kit with custom LTMotorwerks center-exit exhaust system. This combination gave tons of power: in fact, it had more than any other car in the event. Next up should be a six-speed conversion...
EV class
EV West
Location: San Marcos, CA
Founded: 2010
Finally, we had an oddball that went by the name of EV West. The company is in the business of converting gas-powered cars to high performance electric vehicles. To do this, it even manufactures proprietary parts for people who want to do their own conversions.
What vehicle did they choose to build for themselves? An E36 M3, of course. And this example makes a mind-bending 840 lb-ft of torque almost instantly. It's a monster. They even made it to the top of Pikes Peak this year and hold the record for the fastest gas-converted vehicle up the mountain. They're now building an electric off-road racer to compete in the Baja 1000.
While torque is nice, so is horsepower, and the M3 made 382hp, but the problem is the car tips the scales at 3800 lb with its battery packs.
Another disadvantage is that the relatively narrow E36 body meant the team was only able to fit 275-section tires under the rear. With so much torque, it certainly needed more rubber. Even so, it can hit 60mph in under 4sec and has a direct drive, two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission without a torque converter. Welcome to the future!
|Wheels & Tires
|■ 034Motorsport
2001 Audi A4
Dyno: 595.9whp / 501.2 lb-ft (2nd)
Lap time: 1:22.386 (1st)
|bored and stroked 1.8T 20v enlarged to 2.0-liter with tall-deck block and long rod ratio, stage 3 ported AEB head, Supertech oversized valves and springs, titanium retainers, 034/CAT Cams, JE pistons, 034 rods, dry sump, Precision CEA 6262 ball-bearing turbocharger, 034 stage IIc ECU, DIS coils, race header and 3.5" exhaust, Evo 8 intercooler, AEM intercooler and water spray system
|Audi 01E six-speed transmission with 1-2 dog gears, short ratio 3-6 gears, JHM 5:1 center diff, 034 clutch-type rear diff, DSS front axles, 034 billet flywheel, Tilton 7" clutch, JHM spherical short shifter and linkage
|Alcon four-piston calipers, 330mmrotors f, 034 four-piston rear brake kit, AP Racing pedal box with bias bar
|PSI/Ohlins TTX four-way adjustable dampers with Eibach springs, OEM Avant front sway bar, 034 blade-type rear sway bar, 034 front and rear control arms and sway bar end-links
|17x9.5" Enkei PF01 wheels, 285/40 R17 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|carbon fiber hood, RS4 composite fenders and front bumper, front splitter, rear diffuser, carbon APR wing, carbon sunroof delete panel
|■ Platte Forme AG
Dyno: 473whp / 324.5 lb-ft (8th)
Lap time: 1:23.119 (2nd)
|3.2-liter inline-six 24v with ESS Tuning VT2-500+ supercharger kit, Okada Projects coils, AEM water/meth kit, Platte Forme headers, custom 3.5" single-exit exhaust, custom oil cooler, coolant tank, oil catch can and power steering cooler, Delrin mounts
|six-speed manual transmission with AKG chassis-mount shifter, JB Racing flywheel, Clutchmasters FX500, BMW Motorsport V8 LSD upgrade and 3.91:1 final drive, TMS solid differential and subframe mounts, Platte Forme subframe reinforcement kit, diff oil cooler, Delrin mounts
|Brembo six-piston calipers and 355mm rotors f, Platte Forme duct kit, Project Mu pads and fluid
|Platte Forme/JRZ Race three-way coilovers, Ground Control camber plates, Weight Jacker, camber arms, sway bars, race FCAB, race RTAB
|18x10.5" Klassen MS-02 wheels, 275/35 R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|Platte Forme lip and front splitter, side skirt extensions, valance, Voltex GT rear wing and canards
|■ Berk Technology
2008 BMW 135i
Dyno: 402whp / 419.2 lb-ft (10th)
Lap time: 1:23.893 (3rd)
|3.0-liter N54 inline-six 24v twin-turbo with Berk race exhaust system, AEM meth injection, GIAC software
|six-speed manual, OS Giken LSD
|Performance Friction Z-Rated four-piston calipers, 355mm rotors all round, PFC01 pads
|KW V3 coilovers
|18x9.5" VMR wheels, 275/35 R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|V-Fiber body kit, APR front splitter and GT wing, Seibon carbon hood and trunk
|■european auto source
Dyno: 574.2whp / 383.2 lb-ft (4th)
Lap time: 1:26.811 (4th)
|4.0-liter V8 32v with VF-Engineering VF-620 supercharger kit, Akrapovic Evolution titanium exhaust
|DCT dual-clutch automatic
|AP Racing six-piston calipers, 368mm rotors f, four-piston, 356mm r
|KW Clubsport coilovers
|18x9.5" f, 18x10.5" r Volk TE37SL wheels, 275/35 R18 f,295/35 R18 r Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|APR GTC-250 M3-spec adjustable rear wing, Vorsteiner GTS-V carbon fiber front lip and rear diffuser
|■ GSR Autosport
2008 Porsche 911 Turbo
Dyno: 493.1whp / 552.7 lb-ft (6th) Lap time: 1:26.855 (5th)
|3.6-liter boxer-6 twin-turbo, Protomotive software, Evolution Motorsport intercoolers, BBi under-drive pulley, coil packs, GT3 throttle body, IPD plenum and Y-pipe, BMC filters, Europipe exhaust with 100-cell cats, RSS tips, Aquamist HFS3-V2 meth injection
|six-speed manual, B&M short throw shifter, Sachs Sport clutch
|GiroDisc lines
|Moton Club Sport coilovers, Eibach springs, H&R sway bars, Tarett links, monoball front camber plate, monoball rear shock plate, GT3 lower control arms
|19x8.5" f, 19x12" r Tech 1 Concave Superalloy wheels, 245/35 R19 f, 285/35 R19 r Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|Aero kit front lip, GT2 side skirts, ROTtec carbon rear diffuser and mirror caps, Cargraphic rear spoiler, TechArt GT3 front bumper vent
|■ Eurocode Tuning
2012 Audi S4
Dyno: 492.2whp / 476.8 lb-ft (7th)
Lap time: 1:27.095 (6th
|3.0-liter V6 24v supercharged with APR software and coolant system, Eurocode intake, after-cooler radiator and long-tube headers
|six-speed manual, Meisterwerk short shifter
|StopTech STR-60 Trophy six-piston calipers, 380mm rotors f, Street pads, braided lines
|KW V3 coilovers, Alu Kreuz drivetrain stabilizer, ÜSS adjustable stabilizer bars and end-links
|19x9.5" BBS CH-R wheels, 275/35 R19 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|Audi Exclusive Signal Green
|■ LTMotorwerks
Dyno: 420.2whp / 335.8 lb-ft (9th)
Lap time: 1:28.327 (7th)
|3.0-liter inline-six 24v JMS build with JE pistons, ported/polished head, stage 2 Active Autowerke supercharger, LTMW custom exhaust
|five-speed transmission, ACT clutch
|AP Racing four-piston calipers, 330mm rotors f, stock r
|KW Clubsport coilovers, Hotchkis sway bars
|17x9.5" Advan RGII wheels, 245/45 R17 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|BMW M3 Lightweight front splitter, Voltex wing
|■ LTMotorwerks
2009 BMW 335i
Dyno: 597whp / 550 lb-ft (1st)
Lap time: 1:28.748 (8th)
|3.0-liter N54 inline-six 24v with Vishnu/FFTec single-turbo conversion, LTMW custom exhaust
|automatic transmission
|Brembo Gran Turismo six-piston calipers, 355mm rotors f, four-piston, 345mm r
|KW Clubsport coilovers
|18x10" f, 18x10.5" r HRE R43 wheels, 275/35 R18 f, 285/35 R18 r Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|M3 body panels, Porsche GT3 RS grey paint
|■ GSR Autosport
2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG
Dyno: 551.7whp / 816.3 lb-ft (5th)
Lap time: 1:28.801 (9th)
|5.5-liter V8 32v bi-turbo, AMG Performance Package, Renntech R1 Tuning Package, downpipes, Renntech intercooler pump, K&N filters
|Portfield R4-S pads
|19x9" f, 19x10" r AMG wheels, 265/30 R19 f, 285/30 R19 r Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|custom carbon wing
|■ Euro Sport Accessories
Dyno: 386.5whp / 378.5 lb-ft (12th)
Lap time: 1:28.959 (10th)
|3.2-liter VR6 24v with 9:1 head spacer, VF-Engineering turbo kit, GIAC software, custom intercooler, Eurospec 264˚ cams, 2.5" exhaust
|six-speed manual with Clutchmasters FX100 clutch kit
|Hawk HT-10 pads, braided lines
|Bilstein Sport shocks, H&R springs, SBC front camber kit, adjustable rear control arms, Euro Sport Accessories rear cross brace
|18x8.5" Avant Garde M310 wheels, 245/35 R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|■ HPA Motorsports
2012 VW Golf R
Dyno: 392.3whp / 349.8 lb-ft (11th)
Lap time: 1:32.035 (11th)
|2.0-liter four-cylinder TSI 16v with HPA hybrid turbo, fuel pump, front-mount intercooler, HGP intake manifold, downpipe, 100-cell cat, exhaust bypass
|six-speed manual, Haldex Gen4 Competition controller
|HPA six-piston calipers, 355mm rotors f, slotted rotors r
|KW Clubsport coilovers
|19x8.5" BBS CH wheels, 235/35 R19 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|■ EV West
Dyno: 382.6whp / 840.6 lb-ft (13th)
Lap time: 1:32.581 (12th)
|two 11" Twin Warp DC motorsBattery: 80 180Ah CALB Lithium LiFePO4 cells
|two-speed direct-drive Powerglide transmission, torque converter removed, external pump
|StopTech six-piston calipers, 355mm rotors f, two-piston 332mm r
|Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, Eibach springs, Ground Control camber/caster plates, sway bars
|18x9.5" Sparco Assetto Gara wheels, 275/35 R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|carbon hood, doors and sunroof, Bimmerworld splitter, Sneed Speed wing, Lexan rear window
|■ Bluewater Performance
2007 VW Rabbit
Dyno: 594.4whp / 553.7 lb-ft (3rd)
Lap time: DNS
|2.5-liter five-cylinder with JE pistons, IE rods, fuel rail and surge tank, 1200cc injectors, Bosch 044 fuel pump, prototype cams, Ferrea valves and springs, Bluewater Performance Bonneville turbo kit, Precision PT6765 turbo, T4 manifold, Bluewater short-runner intake manifold, Tread Stone intercooler, 44mm TiAL MVR wastegate, Bluewater 3" downpipe and exhaust, stage 4 Flex Fuel conversion, oil cooler, CSR electric water pump, BSH mounts
|02M Audi TT AWD six-speed manual transmission, Tilton twin-disc clutch, FST flywheel, '08 R32 Haldex rear diff, R32 driveshaft crossmember, rear subframe and axles, BSH mounts
|StopTech four-piston calipers, 355mm rotors f,R32 calipers, 312mm rotors r
|JC Cross Competition coilovers, H&R sway bars, BSH end-links
|18x10.5" CCW Classic wheels, 295/35 R18 Continental ExtremeContact DW tires
|VW Thunder Bunny body kit, custom fender flares
Classes & cars
■ Time attack
'01 Audi A4
Platte Forme AG
Berk Technology
'08 BMW 135i
'09 BMW 335i
european auto source
GSR Autosport
'11 Mercedes CLS63 AMG
GSR Autosport
'08 Porsche 911 Turbo
Bluewater Performance
'07 VW Rabbit
Eurocode Tuning
'12 Audi S4
HPA Motorsports
'12 VW Golf R
Euro Sport Accessories
■ Electric Vehicle
EV West


text: Odjick vows to beat mental illness, but needs to be ready to ask for helpEd Willes (The Province) Published: June 25, 2014Updated: June 27, 2014 11:40 AMFiled Under:The Province > sports > hockeyShareOdjick vows to beat mental illness, but needs to be ready to ask for helpTumblrPinterestGoogle PlusRedditLinkedInEmailGino Odjick (left) on the Canucks' bench with Trevor Linden in 1996.Photo by Colin PriceHe starts with a joke. "That's the thing with headaches," Gino Odjick says. "At least you know you still have a head."And during a 30-minute phone conversation, there are long stretches when he's funny and coherent and to the point. At these moments, it's hard to reconcile the man you're talking to with the man who's fighting mental illness; the man so many people care for and so many are worried about.But isn't that the way with this disease? Isn't that its nature? There are no easy answers, no cut-and-dried symptoms and cures. Odjick knows there's something wrong. He just doesn't know how to treat it, and that is the source of anguish for the man, his family and his friends."I don't care what medicine heals me," he says. "I just want to heal. I don't want to be in pain. I don't want to be angry."On that everyone agrees. The problem is how to get there."He thinks it's our objective to throw him in the hospital and leave him there," says a member of his inner circle, who requested anonymity. "We just want him to get the best care possible. I love the man to death. I truly do. It hurts. We're all waiting for the shoe to drop."What does that mean? "Honestly, we don't know," the Odjick confidante says. "Mental illness goes 100 different ways." And it's never in a straight line. On this day, Odjick says he's calling from Edmonton, where he's getting some tests done. Why he chose this day to answer a text that was sent two weeks ago is unclear but, generally, he seemed to be in good spirits and willing to talk about a story that broke nationally in early December when he checked into the psychiatric unit of a hospital in Gatineau, Que."I've been having the headaches since I retired (from the NHL in 2002)," he says. "It's like getting hit over the head with an axe. You learn to suppress the pain and you try to live a healthy life."I'm not going to function as a normal human being. There will be times when I have to go and rest. But I'll focus, eat healthy, live healthy and stay in shape."And that's the way he thinks he can beat this thing.Others aren't as sure. "Is it manageable?" the Odjick source says. "Yes. But it's not manageable until he gets some help, and it has to be serious help."That, however, would mean slowing down, and Odjick says he has too much work to do to take a break. A great deal of the phone conversation, in fact, revolves around his involvement with First Nations causes and businesses.He said he was put on Earth to "eradicate poverty among aboriginals." To that end, he's involved in land deals with Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini."When I see people on Hastings Street (in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside) I know how they got there. There's no opportunity. That's why I'm in a rush to get things done, to help my people. It's expensive to keep people poor."Odjick says his mental-health issues date back to his hockey career and are the by-product of post-concussion syndrome. He says it wasn't the fighting that injured his brain but the "cheap shots, the high sticks, the elbows." Through the NHL, he began seeing a recognized expert in this field in Toronto. But he didn't stick with the program and that's part of a frustrating pattern to his family and friends."What's the difference between depression and concussions?" Odjick asks. "It is what it is, but I'm not going to lie down and die. I'm going to make a difference. They're telling me one thing, but I'm going to fight with what I have. I believe I'll live until I'm 150.""I think his intentions are pure, but he needs to look after himself first," the Odjick friend says.Still, the fighter remains. Odjick vows his condition won't defeat him, and he's never backed down from anything in his life or his hockey career. And maybe that's the problem. Sometimes a different kind of toughness is needed; sometimes it has to start with the admission you're vulnerable and need help. Serious help.That would be the first step of a journey. You just hope he takes that step.CommentsShare your thoughts