Volume 24 #3 April, 2014 Upcoming Events Thu WPMC Monthly Teleconference Sat New River Gorge Cruise May 1 Meeting Aug 9 7:00 PM Sat Coon Cruise Sat Heinz Field Tour Aug 16 May 3 Sat WPMC Annual Picnic Sat Fellows Riverside Garden Cruise Aug 23 May 31 Sat-Mon Topless in the Mountains XX with Thu WPMC Monthly Teleconference Aug 30-Sep 1 the Trillium Club Jun 5 Meeting 7:00 PM Sat Golf Outing Sep 13 Sat Burtner House Cruise Jun 7 Sat Christmas in September Sep 20 Sat Greendance Winery Cruise Jun 14 Sat Foxburg and Glass Blowing Cruise Sep 27 Sat Holmes Amish Cruise Jun 21 Sat Bellafonte Train Cruise Oct 4 Sat Stramba Farm & Fiber Mill Cruise Jun 28 Sat Chautauqua and Wineries Cruise Oct 11 Thu WPMC Monthly Teleconference Jul 3 Meeting Sat WPMC Christmas Party 7:00 PM Dec 6

Sat-Sun Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Jul 19-20

Sat Whitmire Cruise Jul 26 May Deadline Thu WPMC Monthly Teleconference The deadline for articles for the Jul 31 Meeting May newsletter is May 5, 2013 7:00 PM

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Fellows Riverside First Cruise of the Gardens Cruise - May Season: West Penn 31, 2014 Miata Day at Heinz by Dennis & Ruthann Weber Field ocated near downtown Youngstown, Ohio are twelve by Larry & Patty Pietropaoli acres within the 2882 acres that make up Mill Creek L Metro Parks system. The gardens offer a cultural o, what does a West Penn Miata Club member look and educational center where people and plants for in the April Newsletter? Everyone knows that connect. We will be dining in the beautiful Garden Café S - it is the announcement on the season's First Cruise. on Lake Glacier. After lunch, we have time for self guided So here it is...... tours of the gardens, gift shop, and art gallery at the visitor center. We will enjoy all kinds of roads through West Virginia and Ohio, from four lane divided highways to Patty suggested that since we (the Team) didn't go the our much loved two lane curvy Miata back roads. I am Super Bowl this year, we should plan a local cruise to Heinz estimating about four to five hours of driving and ending Field and schedule a private tour of the stadium. I ran the the cruise by 5:00 PM. Watch for an email or check the idea past the Club officers and found enthusiastic support. club “forum” for starting place and time. Please RSVP for a "West Penn Miata Day at Heinz Field." (Football to me by May 15, 2014 at [email protected] or 724- junkies welcome.) And here are the long awaited details: 342-1296 . The chef needs a head count.

On May 3, 2014, leaving Sheetz, 12000 William Penn Highway (Rt 19N), Wexford, at 9:00 AM sharp , proceeding Topless in the through western North Hills, Sewickley Heights, and North Side to historic Max's Allegheny Tavern for a private lunch Mountains - XX at 11:00 AM. From there, we will tour through Old Allegheny to Gold Lot 1 at Heinz Field for a 1:00 PM by Steve Lapp scheduled tour. Afterwards, we will return to North Hills and have our traditional diet busting ice cream treat at he Trillium Club of Canada has invited WPMC to Bruster's Creamery at Brant School Road near Rt 910. join them for the 20th Anniversary Edition of Due to the urban route (more intersections and traffic than T Topless in the Mountains. Dates are Saturday, usual) there will be a 1imit of 15 cars so please make your August 30 to Monday, September 1. As always, this event reservation early at [email protected]. is about one thing - DRIVING. Over the course of two days, expect to drive your Miata over 350 miles on some of the best roads West Virginia has to offer. The cruise Cost: Tour: $8.00 per person payable at Sheetz (please will operate from the Hampton Inn in Elkins, WV. This have correct change) year’s event will feature some classic favorites along with Parking: $6.00 per car new roads discovered during Topless XIX. The procedure for registration follows. SVP: Monday, April 28, 2014 R 1. Contact Steve Lapp at [email protected] Team attire will help. or 412-366-3388 to obtain a registration form. Registration deadline is June 30. See you there?? 2. Contact the Hampton Inn to insure rooms blocked for

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(continued from page 2) 2014 CRUISIN & ZOOMIN this event are still available. Trillium is controlling the number of cars by the number of available hotel rooms. SEASON If a room is available, make your reservation, complete the registration form, and send it to Richard Rutsch, the BY LINDA ZIMLIKI leader of this event. ell, I thought we were headed for better weather Please contact Steve Lapp with any questions. after the early March warm up but we had a lot Wmore winter. The projected temps in 70's was very encouraging until I heard about three major storms in the middle of the U.S. following that. There could be as much as 2 feet of snow. Our temps will be dropping over the weekend. Let’s hope that by May the snow and cold weather will be out of here. The season got off to a great start with a very informative Tech Session. If you have an idea for a cruise, please check with me, since great minds Tech Session Report sometime think alike. Someone else may have the same by Steve Lapp idea.

ineteen WPMC members attended the 2014 Tech A few members have shown an interest in autocrossing. Session at Baglier Mazda in Butler. Tom Byers The website was in last month's newsletter. I have further N from Baglier welcomed us with coffee, donuts, information, provided by WPMC member Scott Davis, for complimentary car coffee mugs, and keychains. The session those who are interested. started with Michael Capito, general manager at Baglier, discussing Baglier's resources, and how they can benefit us. Dennis Baglier, who has been racing cars since 1989, NORTH HILLS SPORTS CAR then spoke about racing experiences along with potential events at Pittsburgh International Raceway that might AUTOCROSS interest WPMC. The session then moved to the service area where we were able to examine a modified Miata owned by Dennis Baglier. Bill Kamerer, service manager www.nhscc.com/index.hrml at Baglier who has worked on Dennis' cars for many years, provided a lot of insight on different modifications and Description of what Autocross is: their associated costs and benefits. Bill wrapped things up with a final Q&A in the service area to cover other topics from WPMC members. One of the key elements The fastest growing form of motorsport today is one in that came out of this session is that Baglier offers a full which the deftness of the driver and agility of the car are range of expertise from stock to performance Miatas. more important than pure speed. This sport is called Autocross or Solo. Imagine if you will, a track meet on wheels. You approach the starting line one at a time, helmet Many thanks to Vera DeMatteis and Linda Zimliki for on, firmly belted into your car. You look onto a large organizing our first outing for 2014. Special thanks are parking lot that has been transformed into a complex also due to Tom Byers, Michael Capito, Dennis Baglier, serpentine course with the addition of a large number of and Bill Kamerer of Baglier Mazda for their hospitality traffic cones and white gypsum lines. Your challenge is to and for conducting an informative and enjoyable event. try to drive through this course as quickly as possible without hitting the cones. Each displaced cone adds two seconds to your score. Essentially it's you against the clock, figured to 1/1000th of a second. Even though this may

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(continued from page 3) More Information: 724-834-7272 or 724-424-2534 sound difficult, it is great fun and leads to a great deal of Proceeds Benefit SPECIAL OLYMPICS satisfaction when you do it right. The secret to winning is Goodie bags to 1st 200, NSRA Inspection On-Site, DJ Ted, usually taking the best "line" through the course while Chinese Auction, Food Vendors maintaining speed and smoothness, but sometimes slower is faster. During a run, which usually lasts about one Below is link that will give you car cruises in the area. minute, you will make thousands of driving decisions and http://www.carcruises.com/cruise_list.asp?state=Pennsyl really feel the car working under you. vania&month_select=5

Autocross is a low budget, low pressure sport in which Starlite Car Cruise - http://www.starlitecarcruise.com almost anyone can participate, usually in the same car It's the largest car cruise in Pennsylvania and maybe the they drive to work. It is a safe, fun way to experience the US. Located at North Way Christian Community, 12121 thrills of competition driving. Perry Hwy, Wexford, Pa. The Car Cruise is every Friday evening from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Season starts May 24 The autocross day starts with registration from 8:30 to and ends Aug 30. Many members have attended this event 9:30am. Tech inspection closes at 10:00am. Timed runs and really enjoyed it. (typically about 5-6 runs) follow the mandatory Drivers Meeting. The day usually lasts until late afternoon Look forward to seeing you on our first cruise May 3. depending on the number of cars/drivers present. A helmet (see the website for helmet requirements) is needed to run and they do have a few loaners at the events. Regular events cost $20 for members and $25 for non- members. Yearly membership is $20 (individual) $30 (family).

Nearly all of the NHSCC autocross events are at the North Park Swimming Pool parking lot in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.

The Autocross dates this year are: April 14, April 28, May 12, May 26, Sept 8, Sept 22, Oct 6, and Oct 20. (Always check the website for updates and details.)

Hopefully a few WPMC members will come out and participate, or even watch an event. They are a lot of fun. Other Events Which May Interest Members: Looks like Joe Zimliki did a few mods over the winter - Photo by Jim Pacillo

Rollin Oldies - 23rd Annual Rod run Sunday May 26 - Registration 8:00 AM/ Awards 2:00 PM Place: Thermo Village Road, New Stanton Park, New Stanton, Pa

The Newsletter of the WEST PENN CLUB e-mail: [email protected] Officers web site: http://www.westpennmiataclub.com Founder: Paul Fronko Legalese President: (724) 869-9405 West Penn Larry Pietropaoli The FUN ‘N’ THE SUN TIMES is published as a service by the West Penn Miata Club, Inc. Ð Club Vice President: (412) 498-0962 a non-profit corporation. Mike Butler

Treasurer: (724) 962-2217 The WEST PENN MIATA CLUB Vera DeMatteis assumes no liability for any infor- Editor - In - Chief: mation contained herein; or injury or Steve Lapp damage resulting from the use of this Secretary: (412) 366-0261 information. The ideas, maintenance, Bob Coon Send all opinions, or modification tips editorial contributions to: expressed are to be used at the readers’ Events Chair: (724)327-1762 discretion. Individual contributors Linda Zimliki WEST PENN MIATA CLUB and/or editors express no approval, c/o Steve Lapp authentication, or endorsement. 105 Gadshill Place Past President: (724) 226-3461 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Bill Willis e-mail: [email protected]

WEST PENN MIATA CLUB c/o Bob Coon 111 Kinross Lane Pittsburgh, PA 15237

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