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Posted by Maxwell:
I would like to encourage anyone with a free Saturday up his or her sleeve to try to make it up to Phil Wicks' Midwest Driver event August 30th.
For anyone who wasn't able to make it to the latest Chicago MINI Motoring Club meeting, it will be a multi-part class. The class is at Gateway International Raceway, just north of St. Louis on the Illinois side. It is essentially an entire day running from 8 am to 5 pm. It begins with some MC/MCS-specific class-time discussing your car and its functions, followed by some in-car practice with braking, skids, emergency maneuvers and general driving technique, and then finally we are out on the track, which is actually located on the infield of Gateway
International and utilizes part of the main oval for one portion. (You can check out the lay of the land at www.gatewayraceway.com/mapOval.html — the gray portion is the main part of the track we will be using.)As has been previously mentioned, the regular price of $275 is lowered to $220 for all Chicago Mini Motoring Club members (and members of other MINI club as well). Also, if you have had some track time or a driving school class in the past, then you may wish to take the intermediate level class which will include more track time and costs only $140 instead of the usual $175. They also require a DOT approved helmet for everyone, so any motorcycle helmet will do–I've got a spare or two in my basement if anyone needs one.
Finally, to anyone from the Chicagoland area who is interested, I am going to be spending the night in a hotel in Collinsville Friday and Saturday night. To all those who plan to go, you should let me know as soon as possible if you have not already made reservations. If we get a few people
together who all want to spend the night there, we can probably qualify for a group rate.If you have not yet signed up, but you do plan to attend, I recommend calling Phil, and getting your name on the list; then just fill out the entry form on his site and send it in via snail-mail.
Contact information:
Me:
Maxwell Heathcott (aka Chitown_COOP)
mheathcott@hotmail.comPhil Wicks/Midwest Driver:
midwestdriver.com
racerwicks@aol.com
(314) 330-6449Hope to see a lot of you there!
<p>How many of us are going?
1) Chitown_coop
2) Jeeves
3) ?
Which hotel are we using?
Drury
Peartree
Holiday INN at ?</p>
<p>Jeeves/Ron</p>
<p>I'll be there Ron. Steve who sat next to me at the Patrick meeting is also going. Phil suggested the Pear Tree to me and that's where I reserved my room. I'll be there F and Sat.</p>
<p>Jim</p>
<p>DS/W 02 MCS</p>
<p>I SO WANT TO DO THIS! but can't this time, my buddy is moving back to OK (yes Oklahoma) and I can't make it. I know right now the one thing that is slowing my car down the most is my driving!</p>
<p>I've already signed up for it. CANNOT WAIT!!! Fortunately, I know lots of people in the St. Louis area, so no hotel for me! I'll just me you guys at the track.</p>
<p>O.K. Pear Tree it is then.</p>
<p>Jim,
Pear Tree/Best Western in Collinsville? Or Pear Tree/Drury in Fenton?
Ron.</p>
<p>The Peartree in Collinsville is virtually next door to the track…as are the ones listed in the first post. I had started to lean toward the H.I. in Collinsville, but I'll run with the pack and save a few $$$ in the process, I suppose.</p>
<p>Is anyone leaving that Friday from Chicago? If so, what time? Maybe we can caravan!</p>
<p>Booked the Pear Tree/ Best Western in Collinsville, for Fri and Sat. Not sure what time I'm leaving Wisconsin to head down south.
Ron</p>
<p>Ditto what jeeves just said. I booked the Pear Tree for Friday and Saturday. I'm looking to head out around 7 p.m. Friday night. Anyone else starting out that late?</p>
<p>You guys have no idea how jealous I am…</p>
<p>Me too.. Hopefully you guys can do a writeup of your experiences after you get back..</p>
<p>Pear Tree Collinsville is where I am as well. I am taking Friday off and will probably leave the North burbs around lunch time or early afternoon.</p>
<p>Jim</p>
<p>Looks like a noon departure from just over the border in Wisconsin. Should put me at the Pear Tree about 6pm. Thats the plan anyway.</p>
<p>Ron</p>
<p>Anyone else planning a later departure on Friday? (Don't you people have jobs?)</p>
<p>LOL Maxwell. Yes I have a job, but it provides vacation days that I must use. What a great day to use one. 🙂 I do several driver's schools a year and try to get in early the night before so I'm well rested. </p>
<p>See you there!</p>
<p>Jim</p>
<p>02 DS/W MCS</p>
<p>Maxwell,
Yeh, I work. Always 12, sometimes 16 hours a day, but only 3 days a week. I'm an E.R. nurse.
See you at the track.
Ron</p>
<p>So, do we have a final list of all the Chicago metro natives that are headed down-state on Friday?</p>
<p>And what's the latest time that anyone is heading out? My work schedule has changed (how convenient!), so I'll be taking Friday off, but still don't anticipate leaving until late afternoon…</p>
<p>Maxwell,
So far it looks like you, Jim, and myself from this area.
I'm leaving Kenosha @ 11am.
I have 2 helmets that I hope are acceptable(full face with shields).
Staying at the Pear Tree, in Collinsville.
Black over Black, 02 MINI. Wis plate “MOTOR ON”
Look me up, if you don't get in real late. Or else we will see you at the Hotel Breakfast room @ 7am.
Ron</p>
<p>Hey. Looks like I'm going to be leaving earlier than planned. Probably more like early to mid afternoon…</p>
<p>What are the dinner plans?</p>
<p>NOOOOOOO!</p>
<p>have fun and be careful guys.
i'm very sorry that i'll have to miss it.</p>
<p>S-</p>
<p>Thought I would comment on the Midwest Driver Track Day.
Phil Wicks and his staff have an incredible program.
The day was fast paced and we learned non-stop. Phil and his people worked hard to make sure everyone had personal attention, had fun and learned. I had a great time and came away with a greater understanding of the physics of driving. I'm completely amazed at what a MINI can really do. My on board camera worked great, but can't begin to show what it was really like.
My thanks to the St. Louis MINI Club. Probably the best MINI club in the U.S.A. Some day the Chicago club will repay your gracious hospitality.</p>
<p>Phil, Paul, Mick, Karen, and everyone else, thanks. </p>
<p>I learned to drive my MINI like I never dreamed possible. </p>
<p>MOTOR ON</p>
<p>I have posted a thank you to all of the Chicago Motorers <a href="http://www.minicooperonline.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpBB_14&file=index&action=viewtopic&topic=15618">here</a>.</p>
<p>Thanks!
Aaron</p>