Random Firings by Hank Farber

Let me try to explain why it is that I am President of the New Jersey chapter of the BMWCCA after having served on the board for five years as Treasurer. Actually, I will try to explain why it is that I have chosen to devote substantial hours to the Club over the past half-dozen years. (That is, an explanation other than ethnically inherited guilt.)

You might think that I have devoted effort to the club because of the cars, but you would be only partly right. The cars are fun and endlessly interesting, but a central ingredient is the people. I have found a terrific group of folks who are interested in cars but are also interested in lots of other things. And they have become my friends.

My first club event was a car control clinic in 1992. Imagine the scene. I pull into a parking lot at Ramapo College. I don't know a soul. I am immediately introduced all around to a group of people who are devoting their morning to teaching people they don't know how to control their cars close to the limit. The fire-engine shows up and wets the lot for the skid-pad part of the clinic, and I am sliding with the best of them. I threshold-brake through the cones on one try. I stop 50 feet short of the cones on the next. And so it goes. The instructors show infinite patience and good cheer. They dispense seemingly-sound advice on all aspects of driving and cars (and, as I learn later, on many things they know nothing about). I left with a smile on my face and a half-dozen new friends.

The next club event was a driving school at Lime Rock in the Spring of 1992. I was simply amazed at the level of organization (something we try to maintain to this day) at the school. It seemed professional to me. Again the folks were unfailingly friendly and, when they could have easily held newcomers at a distance, I felt welcome. Oh yeah. The driving. It was amazing. I think it took me a month to get the
s-eating grin off my face.

I became a regular attendee at driver's schools run by our chapter at Lime Rock and Bridgehampton (a moment of silence please). And the organizers were very open to my offers of help. This made me feel even more involved and enhanced my experience. I deepened my friendships and began to count club members among my personal friends.

It was the friendships that made me take the next step, which was to attend a couple of board meetings. When my predecessor as treasurer decided to step down to head the Lime Rock committee in 1995, it seemed natural to step up. So I did. And I have not regretted it. I have a circle of friends with whom my wife and I socialize (yes, I am still married) even outside of club activities.

Fast forward to Y2K. For the second year, I decide to join a group of club members on the annual trip to Daytona for the 24 hour race. No, we don't spend 24 hours at the track. We eat civilized meals at real restaurants and we sleep a civilized amount each night. We were probably at the track for 10 hours. Note that BMW is not a factor in the race (an understatement). The experience is just generally interesting and fun. So there I am sitting in the stands and I notice a fellow two rows ahead of me with a BMWCCA jacket on. I decide that, as president of the NJ chapter, I should say hello. I do so, and the fellow tells me that he is from Alabama. I forget just where, Alabama not being a place I know much about or visit much (c.f., Easy Rider). Evidently, not much goes on in whichever chapter to which his part of Alabama is assigned (it changes periodically). When I described the driving events in a typical year (9 days of driving schools, several club races, two rallies, an autocross series, the random car control clinic), he was clearly impressed and surprised. I wonder if he will be moving to NJ soon.

So here is a pitch. All of these events do not happen without active help from the membership. The New Jersey chapter has over 2000 members in the year 2000. We (the current leadership) are always hoping that more of you will come out to events, get to know us, and maybe get interested enough to get involved. We have a busy schedule this year. If you haven't been to a driving school, its time you tried one. (Bet you can't try just one). I particularly recommend our schools at Summit Point this year (May 6-8 and August 21-22). The first of these will be especially interesting because it includes three unique track experiences. It's a great group of folks. Honest.