Bob was joined by racing’s lawyer, Ken McGuire, who shocked the group in his discussion of waivers and their possible uselessness in a court of law.  Then the group got into a serious engineering discussion with noted engineer Buddy Fey, author of Data Power, the leading book on data acquisition in the 1990′s now out of print.

Ed Shadle our special lunch time speaker, shared his excitement and frustration in his quest to break the land speed record in his North American Eagle.  Complete with videos of a number of test runs including one at 400 mph, everyone was fascinated by the engineering required to go that fast.

If you missed this event, you should plan now to attend next year.  The date is already set at February 9, 2013 and you can register by going to our shopping section.  Here is just one of the comments made by one of the seminar participants:  “Another great seminar.  Andy works hard to get a great selection of speakers with a wide range of interests.  Don’t miss it!  Great winter ‘fix’ to get rev’d up for the season.” Mel Kemper – Formula Mazda

Officially you are looking at the new site before our “grand opening (announcement)” to the racing world.  After it’s been up a little while and bugs worked out, we’ll announce it to the world.  In that regard, if while here you find something screwy, please send us an email and let us know.

Thanks for visiting.  Since we can update the site ourselves, check back often for fun and interesting stories as well as increased items in our shopping catalog.  We have thousands of items in stock and getting them loaded will take some time.

“Answers to Racing’s Most Pressing Questions Revealed”

“Holy Moly, I’m going backwards at 80 mph in Turn 2 at Pacific Raceway!” You’ve got about 2 seconds to decide what to do before something bad is going to happen.  Since this has never happened to you before, you have no experience in this situation so you are at a loss as to what action to take.  What should you do?

Everyone has been on a new track, with only limited track time to learn the line before you find yourself on the pace lap desperately trying to decided what to do.  Maybe you’re even thinking about all those guys who paid big bucks, took an extra day off from work to learn the track.  Now you are at a disadvantage.  What are you going to do?

As you stare at the car in the paddock getting ready for your first practice session, you’re thinking, “I’ve torqued the wheels and checked the tire pressure, is that all there is?”  Isn’t there something else I should be doing?

Dear Racing Enthusiast,

Of the three questions above, the one answer I really needed was to question #1 and I just did as I was taught.  I pushed in the clutch and stood on the brakes for all I was worth.  To my surprise the car stopped short of hitting anything, I was waved back on the track by the turn marshal and off I went.  Inside I was saying (out loud as I often talk to myself in the car), “Thanks Carroll Smith, for great advice on what to do when going off the track.”  I learned that tip at one of the Armadillo Racing High Performance Racing Seminars.

Hey talking to yourself is OK as long as you get good answers back.  So as I sit at my computer composing this letter to you I’m asking myself out loud, how can this letter be funny, interesting but most of all motivating to convince you just how much there is to be gained by attended our 17^th annual seminar.

Did you know that over 1000 race enthusiasts have attended our seminars in the past 16 years?  Heck even Jeff Clark can and announced that he learned something of value.  1000 different racers over the years but probably only about 50 are still racing.  This sport is intense and expensive so racers come in, race and get out just when they are starting to be successful.  Since history shows that your time is short, you need to focus so you can get the most from your time.  Here are a few comments from previous participants:

The masters who are coming to give you the answers:

Buddy Fey is a professional race engineer who focuses on chassis tuning, data acquisition and chassis design.  His racing experience, dating from 1976, also includes team management, car preparation, driving, computer software and engine development.  Buddy gained national fame as the author or Data Power the first practical guide to using data acquisition systems in racing.  Buddy will be speaking on “Controlling your outcomes without being a picky bastard.”  In other words, you’ll learn how to take charge of your racing program to get the results you want.

Bob Earl, America’s most experienced driving coach, will share as much of his knowledge of driving skills as he can.  Not only has Bob raced at the amateur and professional level and won races and championships, he is one of the most highly sought after coaches and is determined to present basic as well as advanced techniques to help you go faster and drive with more confidence.  While Bob can teach you everything you need to be a top notch racer, he will focus on how to learn a new track quickly with limited track time.  This is so important with a new track coming on line at The Ridge and modifications to Spokane.  Bob is your coach so come prepared to ask him how to overcome your biggest challenge.  “Getting driving tips from Bob Earl was priceless.” – Roger Caddell father of Andrew Caddell, Spec Miata National Champion

Ken McGuire, Racing’s Lawyer, has raced every season since 1968 and finally admitted to practicing law in February of 1990.  He represents drivers, manufacturers such as Wilwood, sanctioning bodies including the IHRA, and 30 to 40 race tracks.  In 2002 Ken was a featured seminar speaker at the Performance Racing Industry tradeshow.  I’ve invited Ken to speak because he is funny, witty, and informed.  He’s not only is going to share information you should know concerning liability and sponsorship but is going to talk about why you need to promote yourself and racing.

As if these three speakers aren’t enough, Ed Shadle the pilot of the North American Eagle Land Speed Record challenger, will update you on his efforts to go 1000 mph.  Ed is the real deal having already gone over 400 mph.  He is currently featured in Race Car Engineering Magazine as a team that has a real chance of setting the world LSR.

Hey getting the best of the best takes some cajoling, and I’m still working on bring in one or two additional speakers.  You’ll be able to check our website for updates.  But don’t wait for the full speaker line-up before you register.

“You have raised the bar on your program and its great.  Well worth the drive from Eastern Washington.” – Ken Richens Super Vee

In addition to the speakers listed, drinks, snacks and lunch will be provided.  Further a special “Goodie Bag” is being prepared with lots of valuable gifts including a copy of Race Car Engineering (a $12.95 value).  You can get Ed Shadle to autograph your copy if you like.

Overall there is no better event of this kind anywhere in the USA.

Now that is a bold statement but I’m not known as one who holds anything back.  Further I’ll put my money where my month is with this unbelievable guarantee –

If after hearing the morning speakers for three hours, you are not totally thrilled by the knowledge you have gained, I’ll refund your entire seminar registration fee plus $25 for wasting your time!  With this guarantee you have nothing to lose except valuable seconds off your lap times.

I’ve gotten grief from my accountant and marketing consultant over the pricing of a major event of this kind.  The accountant was told politely to shove off and the marketing constant?  Well let’s just say that the $597 he wanted to charge, I overruled because I want you to attend, you know you need to attend and you know you will learn enough to cover the cost 10 times over, plus you’ll have fun.

The price is just $197.00.  Which for many of you is less than the price of a single race tire or just slightly more than a daily latte at Starbucks for a month.  To encourage you to register Right Now, we’ll give you $20 in Armadillo Racing Bucks to spend on anything you like at seminar.  This is like getting a 10% discount but only if you register by January 15^th.  After that you’ll pay full price.  The location is being negotiated but will be in the Puget Sound area and near a major Interstate.

Click Here to Register

Yours for Racing,

“Armadillo” Andy Collins

Armadillo Racing Inc.

Celebrating 27 years of trackside support in 2012

PS  If you are still undecided let me just give you one example of a person who never stops learning:  Mack Brown, head coach of the 2005 National Champion University of Texas Longhorn Football team says “Every summer, we attend coaching school and it isn’t just to be seen.  We require our coaches to go to the panels…I picked up at least five very valuable points…When guys who have won championships, at whatever level, are willing to speak to you, you need to listen.”

Maybe you’ll never be a national champion, or maybe you don’t aspire to be one, but whatever your racing dreams and goals are, our team of speakers will help you achieve them quicker.  Join Buddy Fey, Bob Earl, Ken McGuire, Ed Shadle and a roomful of winners, by registering right now.

Click Here to Register

“Great speakers and timely subjects.  An excellent opportunity to hear national and international experts at a local setting.  Well organized and a definite value for the money.” – Roger Stark Dodge Viper

PSS Economy still got you a little nervous?  Don’t think of this as spending money on racing, consider it an investment in yourself.  The people you meet and the information you’ll learn can change your life.  Hey you may be able to buy performance parts anywhere but you can’t find a seminar like this anywhere in the country.  Our guarantee makes registering easy.  If after the morning session you don’t think you have gotten your money’s worth, just let me know and we’ll refund all your money plus $25 for wasting your time.  Do it now!

Click Here to Register

PSSS Haven’t been to the seminar in a few years?  Think there is little to be gained by attending again?  Since last year, there is a new track at the Ridge, SCCA has mandated a head and neck restraint (SFI 38.1), Snell has created an SAH2010 helmet rating, SOVREN is allowing cars from 1972 to vintage race, and Formula 1 is returning to the USA.  Stay on the cutting edge and register now or you’ll be left behind.

Click Here to Register

The Replay HD Camera follows on the heals of the Replay XD which we’ve been selling to racers for about a year.

Question:  Why should I use racing fuel when my car runs just fine on pump gasoline?

Answer:  Wow the long answer to this question could take pages and pages to answer so I’ll do my best to make it short.  Pump gas is crap.  There, it has been said.  Even 92 octane pump gas just doesn’t have enough octane to prevent knocking and pinging in a high performance racing engine.  Now if you are running a stock engine with the factory installed knock sensor then the computer will adjust your timing and other performance factors to keep the engine safe from damage resulting from poor quality gasoline.

If you have a performance engine and have gone to great lengths to tune this engine for power, then racing fuel is a necessity.  Without higher octane fuel, the engine managment system will simply change your setting and negate all your hard work by returning the engine to run on the crap gas you put in it.  Thus you wasted your time and money building a performance engine because the computer took away all your performance settings to keep the engine alive on crappy gas.

If you don’t have an engine managment system, then your engine will not live very long on pump gas and certainly won’t make power.  When you take it apart you’ll see the damage to valves, rings, pistons and combustion chambers that result from detonation and knock.  Performance racing isn’t about economy and if you think it is, you need to take another look at why you are racing.  Simply put you need racing fuel to provide enough octane to prevent engine damage while allowing you to tune for best performance.

Just ask around at the track.  In the performance classes, winner use racing fuel all the time because racing fuel protects their engine investment from damage and makes power.  Here’s a tip for  you – always use the same fuel.  Set up your car on one brand of racing fuel and stick with it.  All racing fuels are not equal and if you want power and consistency go the extra mile and make sure you are always using the same high quality fuel to ensure you are making the power you’ve paid for.  Here’s another tip for you – when you use a high quality racing fuel, and your car isn’t performing as it should, it isn’t the fuel.  This keeps you from wondering, Is it the fuel?  No it isn’t, now go trouble shoot your problem elsewhere.  On pump gas you are always asking, did I get a bad load of fuel?

Next time we’ll cover another often  asked question.

Andy Collins

President