Chin Motorsports ends the year with a BASH at Sebring Raceway

Chin Motorsports ends the year with a BASH at Sebring Raceway, Dec.31st, 2000

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Frigid weather greeted 52 intrepid track enthusiasts as the meager winter sunshine attempted to defrost race cars in the Chateau Elan parking lot. We weathered yet ANOTHER record low of 27 degrees. Cars wouldn't start, windows were frozen shut, and the cold was disgusting. Short of Hawaii we can't go any further south! For the FIRST time, no one had to enforce the "long-sleeve shirt, long pants" clothing rules on the track....nobody even bothered to check.

11 eager novice students signed up for our final event of 2000. The first laps were very "interesting" with more spin-outs in the first hour than I can remember, many caught on video tape. Nothing like "concrete" cold tires and cold pavement for slick track conditions that lasted ALL day. There were several firsts....

1) There were absolutely NO bugs killed during the event. They were smart enough to stay "home".

2) My car had no rubber marks.

3) Very few people had brake problems, even the "usual suspects"

4) Wind chills were well below zero (35 degrees, 160mph headwind in the Formula Mazda!!)

5) No windshield washer fluid splashed on my hood during heavy cornering....because it was FROZEN.

Thanks to Brian Rasche and Vince Howard for the pictures that follow!

Robert Lane and Wei-Shen Chin with the Red Beast on stilts (Aaron Weiss looks on and snickers)