It’s time to rev up your engines! (With apologies to Scotty Kilmer.) And make plans to attend St LAC’s AGM on Wednesday, October 30th; 6h30 pm at the Loyal Oarsman.
Find out what’s planned for next year, get an update on the CRX preparations and hear about the latest efforts to expand our membership base.
Yes, you too, can be a part of one of Ontario’s oldest car clubs efforts to promote auto sports in our area.
Not one, but two companies this month unveiled something electric car enthusiasts have been asking for for a long time — electric “crate motors” that can be pretty easily swapped into whatever gasoline-powered vehicle they’ll physically fit into. Batteries not included.
According to Autoblog, upstart Electric GT (EGT), led by Eric Hutchison, plans to soon offer both a single- and dual-motor EV conversion kit.
Both can be bolted onto manual transmissions, and many motor mounts and plate adapters for various gearboxes have already been developed; the company can custom-design adapters, too.
Not one, but two companies this month unveiled something electric car enthusiasts have been asking for for a long time — electric “crate motors” that can be pretty easily swapped into whatever gasoline-powered vehicle they’ll physically fit into. Batteries not included. 
According to Autoblog, upstart Electric GT (EGT), led by Eric Hutchison, plans to soon offer both a single- and dual-motor EV conversion kit.
Both can be bolted onto manual transmissions, and many motor mounts and plate adapters for various gearboxes have already been developed; the company can custom-design adapters, too.
The new e-crate motor is shaped like a classic V8 motor, except it’s about 5 inches longer than most classic Chevy or Ford small-blocks. The single-motor kit makes 140 hp and 240 lb.-ft.; while dual-motors make 240 hp and 340 lb.-ft.
For more go to https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/electric-crate-motors-make-turning-your-gas-car-into-an-ev-easy
It is with great pleasure that we are announcing today that John Bondar and Steve Gidman have acquired the long-time privately-held Shannonville Motorsport Park (Shannonville). The new Bondar/Gidman team plans to revitalize what is widely known as the Birthplace of Champions! Shannonville is one of the few multi-purpose motorsport facilities in Canada. Sitting on 146 acres, it features a 4.03 km multi-configurable racetrack, a go-kart track, a drag strip and a skid pad with three grandstands overlooking the main track. The new management team will provide a new vision and energy to build the facility into a multi-use event hub with an emphasis on corporate events while keeping a dedication to driving/racing/training programs. The facility is uniquely located approximately equidistant between Montreal and Toronto which allows it to attract customers from the two key markets in Eastern Canada. Also, conveniently close to the international border, it provides access to the northeast United States, adding to its potential market another two million people within a three-hour drive of the facility. “There is a lot to be done and we will chip away at it. Our strategic plan will address the needs of our customers. Shannonville will change the way people think about a motorsport park. We believe in providing a stimulating and comprehensive experience that will inspire our future generations of Champions. With a focus on excellence, our vision is to grow Canadian motorsport by creating a facility that will benefit the racing community. We have turned a historic page. I am proud to be part of this transformation and I am grateful that Steve has joined me in this thrilling endeavour,” shared John Bondar, Managing Partner of Shannonville Motorsport Park. “John and I share a great enthusiasm for motorsports and I look forward to working together to create a revitalized Shannonville Motorsport Park. There’s plenty of work ahead and it will take time, but the result will be worth the wait,” explained Steve Gidman, Partner of Shannonville Motorsport Park. The new management team will take on their new role immediately. More details on renovation plans and overall improvements will be available soon. From 2003 to 2007, John was the President of CASC Ontario Region. While serving on the national advisory board, he became a trusted mentor to the other Regions across Canada and he has also been called upon by the Minister of Transportation Ontario to provide expertise in strategies to curb street racing activities. In 2007, John launched the Canadian Touring Car Championship (CTCC) and has grown it into the premiere Canadian sports car racing series that we know today. About Steve Gidman Permanent-URL: http://www.automobilsport.com/bondar-gidman-acquire-shannonville-motorsport-park—198955.html |
Please check your mailbox for an email from St LAC inviting you to share your thoughts about the details for our upcoming AGM. You should either receive the survey in the form of a link or embedded in the email.
It’s our plan to meet for fun and figures ($): 
With the limited budget that 30 members represents we have some soul-searching to do as to costs and your input is valuable.
So, you wanna be a rally car driver, huh? Why not! There’s no end to the excitement and heart-stopping action.
Meet new people!
No one will mind where you wash your car. 
And parking is never a problem. 
RSO has released the schedule for this year:
PMSC – Rallycross #5
September 14, 2019
Burnt River Off Road Vehicle Facility, 476 Ledge Hill Rd, Burnt River, ON K0M 1C0, Canada
See more details
ORSC – MLRC Sprint #2
September 21, 2019
Baptiste Lake Rd
See more details
CRC – Pacific Forest Rally
September 26, 2019 – September 27, 2019 @
Merritt, BC, Canada
See more details
ORRC – No Winter Maintenance Rally
September 28, 2019
MLRC – Rallycross #4
September 29, 2019
Bancroft Fish & Game Club, 27602 ON-62, Bancroft, ON K0L, Canada
See more details
There are many ways to get involved with rallysport – navigational rallies, performance rallies and rally cross. Or volunteer at any of the events; some performance events have over 200 volunteers helping! Being a volunteer at the performance events can get you up close to the action, and gives you insight into how the events run. Interested in exploring the province? Helping at a navigational rally will take you to some places you never imagined. 
Or just jump in to Navigational (or TSD) rallies. They’re the cheapest and easiest way to get started. A regular road-worthy vehicle (car, pickup truck, minivan), a willing partner, some basic tools (calculator, digital timepiece, pencils) and you’re on your way. There’s always a basic introduction before every rally.
Performance rallies require more of an investment, but the rewards are great! Two people working together to go as fast as they can on a closed road.
Rallycross lets you get a taste of performance rallying at a fraction of the cost. Take your daily driver, plop on a helmet, and have a go at a short dirt and gravel course.
Brad Hulton of Inside Track magazine plans on renting Shannonville for the evening of 
Sunday, October 20th. He expects the cost to be $100 or less. Contact information to follow.
Most of our membership belong to a select group that, for them, tires are of the utmost importance. So much so, that
price isn’t usually the first consideration. But is this the case when it comes to our more mundane transportation; namely, the commuter car? I came across this from Consumer Reports and thought it might help when it comes to the latter.
Tires are a global commodity, and many of the major brand names that Consumer Reports tests are manufactured in China. But those tires are designed and manufactured to quality standards dictated by the original manufacturers. Chinese tire brands don’t have that oversight, and some may not have the marketing foresight to design products well-suited to the specific requirements of the U.S. consumer.
It seems that the Pegasus tire as tested was not actually manufactured for its design owner–Global Pacific Industries. It would appear that even cheap products get the knock-off treatment.
Aside from the performance lows, if value is a high priority, consider that the Pegasus cost about half as much as a top-scoring tire, the Michelin LTX M/S2. But keep in mind that the Michelin will last almost three times longer. Factor in the cost of buying two additional sets of tires, plus mounting and balancing, and you could save hundreds of dollars, not to mention get a better all-weather performing tire, if you choose the Michelin.
Certainly if you are on tight budget, and who isn’t nowadays, buying a cheap tire is better than riding on worn-out tires. But as our tests show, buying bargain-priced tires such as these Chinese models isn’t the right choice for the long haul.
Consumer Reports has removed its ratings for the Pegasus Advanta SUV tire originally reported on page 60 of our November issue and online. Although we purchased the tire through normal retail channels, Arizona-based American Pacific Industries (API) notified us that, based on the DOT tire identification code on our tires, the model tested was not produced or distributed by an authorized Pegasus vendor. The “unauthorized” Pegasus tires performed relatively poorly for snow traction and tread life. We have not tested “authorized” Pegasus tires.
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/chinese-truck-tires-are-no-bargain/index.htm
It’s rather pleasing to know that there are those who seem to enjoy my attempt at humour in an otherwise serious sport. My thanks go out to Inside Track magazine for another minute of future fame.
