Thursday, June 30, 2005
Teacher, Teacher!
They say memorization works best when set to music...I'll never think of the ABC's the same way again!
Happy Birthday America
I'll have a beer for ya! Actually, I'm hoping to spend the holiday selling my Miata. See the link below for the webpage & help me sell my car!
Other stuff...hmmm...my pal Chris is getting married in a week. Sucker!
Went to my first Battle Creek minor league baseball game the other day. They're no Lugnuts.
My lawn looks like ass. I'm too cheap to water it.
That's it for now. More ugly life details to come.
Other stuff...hmmm...my pal Chris is getting married in a week. Sucker!
Went to my first Battle Creek minor league baseball game the other day. They're no Lugnuts.
My lawn looks like ass. I'm too cheap to water it.
That's it for now. More ugly life details to come.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
With the disaster that was the US Grand Prix at Indy last weekend, Michelin is trying to calm the firestorm of bad publicity...
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Fast Fathers & Fun Friends!
John Hammer and the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio Spec Miata raced Fathers' Day weekend...it was the South Bend Sprints at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI.
Unseasonably cool temperatures kept the speeds up as the Spec Miata track record fell by more than 1 second. Gingerman is Hammer's home track and his competitiveness was obvious right off the bat. "It was pretty cool after qualifying when Mike Neal, one of our fastest guys, came up to me and actually commented that I was driving MUCH better than I had at Grattan" says Hammer. Saturday qualifying put the #08 car in 17th starting position. The start was another thing as the 170,000 miles on the engine meant acceleration was not up to par with the rest of the field. Hammer lost 7 positions at the start. "Don't let it fool you, I was in a 5 way battle for position the whole race, it was really great!" A 23rd place finish out of 28 starters was also an 8th place in class finish.
Sunday, the sun was back out & the temperatures rose. Qualifying saw just about everyone fall off by about one second. The Hodgson / Bigmouth car qualified 20th of 32 starters, but again, lack of horsepower saw Hammer fade at the start. "I really need a new engine!" says Hammer. "But man, what a race! Dennis (in an old Pinto!) had the horsepower, but I had him in the corners and we fought a great battle with Conrad in his CRX." Hammer finished 19th and after the race, the 3 drivers had some great laughs in the paddock.
The car came back with nothing more than a few paint chips and a new clean entry in it's logbook. "You know" says Hammer, "Some folks actually spend their free time BOWLING...I don't get that!" Up next, the team looks at racing Waterford Hills Raceway near metropolitan Detroit.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
Unseasonably cool temperatures kept the speeds up as the Spec Miata track record fell by more than 1 second. Gingerman is Hammer's home track and his competitiveness was obvious right off the bat. "It was pretty cool after qualifying when Mike Neal, one of our fastest guys, came up to me and actually commented that I was driving MUCH better than I had at Grattan" says Hammer. Saturday qualifying put the #08 car in 17th starting position. The start was another thing as the 170,000 miles on the engine meant acceleration was not up to par with the rest of the field. Hammer lost 7 positions at the start. "Don't let it fool you, I was in a 5 way battle for position the whole race, it was really great!" A 23rd place finish out of 28 starters was also an 8th place in class finish.
Sunday, the sun was back out & the temperatures rose. Qualifying saw just about everyone fall off by about one second. The Hodgson / Bigmouth car qualified 20th of 32 starters, but again, lack of horsepower saw Hammer fade at the start. "I really need a new engine!" says Hammer. "But man, what a race! Dennis (in an old Pinto!) had the horsepower, but I had him in the corners and we fought a great battle with Conrad in his CRX." Hammer finished 19th and after the race, the 3 drivers had some great laughs in the paddock.
The car came back with nothing more than a few paint chips and a new clean entry in it's logbook. "You know" says Hammer, "Some folks actually spend their free time BOWLING...I don't get that!" Up next, the team looks at racing Waterford Hills Raceway near metropolitan Detroit.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Come Join Us @ The Racetrack This Weekend!
Racing Father's Day Weekend!
John Hammer & the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio Spec Miata are back on track this weekend competing in the South Bend SCCA's double regional weekend at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI.
"This is my home track, I've been running it for 6 years and of all the tracks we run, this one I may actually have a chance at a respectable finish!" says Hammer with tongue in cheek. "Since this is the track closest to my home, I'm inviting all of my friends out to see the racing this weekend. Come out and support your local racers! Heck, I'll even let you set the tire pressures on the racecar!"
KAZOOM will be represented in Spec Miata by Hammer & member Bill Pruitt.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
John Hammer & the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio Spec Miata are back on track this weekend competing in the South Bend SCCA's double regional weekend at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI.
"This is my home track, I've been running it for 6 years and of all the tracks we run, this one I may actually have a chance at a respectable finish!" says Hammer with tongue in cheek. "Since this is the track closest to my home, I'm inviting all of my friends out to see the racing this weekend. Come out and support your local racers! Heck, I'll even let you set the tire pressures on the racecar!"
KAZOOM will be represented in Spec Miata by Hammer & member Bill Pruitt.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Miata For Sale!
After 11 years of ownership, I'm putting my '94 Mazda Miata up for sale. This is a very rare car and well built for agressive street driving, autocross and track days. Now that I have my own racecar, my street car doesn't have to be quite so extreme, so I'm already looking for another Miata with a few more creature comforts. The '94 however, is the perfect car for someone who truly enjoys driving. I created a webpage with all the information, just click the title above for the details. If your reference helps sell the car, I'll buy you dinner!
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Some days just rock...
Saturday, I woke up at the Old Harbor Inn, in South Haven, MI looking out into Lake Michigan. I stopped for a look-see at Gingerman Raceway where I had a great Sausage, Bacon & Cheese ommelette and hung out with the Viper Racing League drivers for a half hour. Then, back on the road to metro Detroit where I got to hang with my old radio teacher & friend Will Hatch. On to a party with the Wetzels & our old high school crew and finally a late dinner of Chicken Marsala with Lyn, her fiancee Milos & friends.
Just about perfect. Except for the baseball sized swelling of my left ankle now. Ouch!
Just about perfect. Except for the baseball sized swelling of my left ankle now. Ouch!
When Top 10 is as good as a victory
May 31, 2005
John Hammer and the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio Spec Miata opened the race season with an exciting weekend at the West Michigan Region SCCA Memorial Day Circus Double Regional. It wasn't a victory, but for the team, just being there is a win.
"I have to tell you, it's been a dream come true to be on the track with the rest of these guys" says Hammer, starting this third season in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing program. "To think, just a few years ago I was dreaming of owning fireproof underpants and now, here I am with a legitimate reason to wear them!"
Each day of the Double Regional is treated as it's own race, with qualifying and race sessions Saturday and Sunday. This was only the third time the team had raced at Grattan Raceway so Saturday was essentially a test day. Still, the race group included nearly 45 cars on track with nonstop action for the entire time! Hammer says "Think of rush hour traffic on I-94...now, imagine it at 100
miles per hour as all 45 cars are trying to be the first into a right hand turn with just inches separating them...it was WILD!"
On Sunday, the team watched the sky as threatening clouds drenched the area just North of the track, but the racing surface stayed dry and the speeds increased. In fact, the new track records set on Saturday would only have gotten you 3rd
place on Sunday. Hammer's times dropped as well and the race began with him in a 3 way battle for position. After making those 2 passes, the 08 Spec Miata was on it's way to a 9th place finish. "I want to thank Hodgson Heating & Cooling, Tim Dowling and my wife Julie for their help this weekend!"
"While most folks spent the weekend watching Formula 1, the Indy 500 or the NASCAR race, I actually WAS racing. No, I didn't take the checkered flag first, but with help from my friends, I have already won."
Follow the team's action all season long. Up next: Father's Day Weekend at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
John Hammer and the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio Spec Miata opened the race season with an exciting weekend at the West Michigan Region SCCA Memorial Day Circus Double Regional. It wasn't a victory, but for the team, just being there is a win.
"I have to tell you, it's been a dream come true to be on the track with the rest of these guys" says Hammer, starting this third season in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing program. "To think, just a few years ago I was dreaming of owning fireproof underpants and now, here I am with a legitimate reason to wear them!"
Each day of the Double Regional is treated as it's own race, with qualifying and race sessions Saturday and Sunday. This was only the third time the team had raced at Grattan Raceway so Saturday was essentially a test day. Still, the race group included nearly 45 cars on track with nonstop action for the entire time! Hammer says "Think of rush hour traffic on I-94...now, imagine it at 100
miles per hour as all 45 cars are trying to be the first into a right hand turn with just inches separating them...it was WILD!"
On Sunday, the team watched the sky as threatening clouds drenched the area just North of the track, but the racing surface stayed dry and the speeds increased. In fact, the new track records set on Saturday would only have gotten you 3rd
place on Sunday. Hammer's times dropped as well and the race began with him in a 3 way battle for position. After making those 2 passes, the 08 Spec Miata was on it's way to a 9th place finish. "I want to thank Hodgson Heating & Cooling, Tim Dowling and my wife Julie for their help this weekend!"
"While most folks spent the weekend watching Formula 1, the Indy 500 or the NASCAR race, I actually WAS racing. No, I didn't take the checkered flag first, but with help from my friends, I have already won."
Follow the team's action all season long. Up next: Father's Day Weekend at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI.
John Hammer drives the Hodgson Heating & Cooling, BigMouthAudio, AutoRacing1.com Spec Miata in the Sports Car Club of America's Club Racing series. He is a radio personality and motorsports journalist. For information on the team, appearances and sponsorship opportunities, send an email to BigMouthJohn@comcast.net
