If there was any lasting question about the quality of Simpson gear, they seem to have done all in their power to answer it by making everything absolutely they make completely bulletproof. I just bought a “speedway” duffel bag for my racing helmet, suit, etc, and for less than $100 I have a bag the SWAT team could…

I thought they used the metric system?

Note the presence of a passenger. Hitting the gas is no big deal but he’s going super easy on the brakes and easing into each turn. He’s trying to not frighten or nauseate whoever is in the passenger seat. 

One handed driving, undoes his seat belt while in a disabled car on a hot track and then pulls his helmet off without having to undo the strap... I think the Track Gods meted out punishment as some kind of justified retribution for doing literally everything wrong.

While visiting my parents in New Jersey recently my mother asked why I, or anyone, would want to live in California with all the gangs and immigrants overrunning the state. She thinks Napa Valley must have streets flowing with blood and men running with knives in their teeth. Everyone is out to get you.

I actually was on the receiving end of something similar. I was trying to get on the Bay Bridge heading home from work in San Francisco and someone rear ended my M5.... Gently. I looked in the mirror and saw and older man and thought maybe his foot slipped off the brake. I gave him the benefit of the doubt until he…

If this were a hill climb and he went off the side of a cliff who is at fault?

I know Laguna Seca very well. They used to not race motorcycles there because it was unsafe in the case of someone departing the track. They put in a ton of time and money and effort to re-do parts of it specifically for motorcycle safety and the result now is that if you go off in a car (at any place you’re likely to…

An unexpected ditch in the runoff from erosion due to lack of sandbag is equally negligent, one could argue.

Have you noticed how you burn more oil sometimes than others? I’ve noticed the negative effects of bad gas more than any positive effects of the good stuff. If it’s crap or the wrong octane or there’s the switch from summer to winter blends it changes the flash point and by the time the car’s adjusted itself (thanks…

I had no idea. I’ve had good luck with Valero. I’ll check and see if a Costco is near me that offers fuel.

High five! Here in California what I get now is increased emissions alerts thanks to 91 octane being the best I can get locally and the quality of that being iffy here by Oakland. That actually gives you the engine icon. It goes out after a few clean runs but gives you way too much time to develop The Wallet Sweats.

I had a VW Scirocco clutch cable snap while driving home from the shop. I used that starter to launch the car from every red light on my way back to the shop as up shifting was easy. Downshifting wasn’t too terrible but not for 1st gear. It was something of a proud moment being able to get the car back to the shop…

E60 M5 is 37 degrees as well. It’s also exceptionally LOUD. You’d think you just lost oil pressure or something until you realize the logo is a snowflake and not your engine exploding into a hundred pieces.

I got into the wrong 1970's Mercedes 300D one night and started it with my key. I was parked under a sodium vapor light and the pale blue of my car vs the tan color of the one I almost stole was hard to distinguish. Had there not been someone else’s stuff sitting in the passenger seat I’ve no idea when I would have…

On my M5 the opposite works as well. It’ll close all of your windows and sunroof and lock and turn the alarm on.

As a fully instrument rated pilot who has competed in aerobatics let me tell you that every time I hear the words “flying car” this video is exactly what I picture.

This solves the age old problem of what to do when you have a Bugatti budget yet Bugatti doesn’t make a car quite ugly enough to catch your eye.

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