Cruizin’Cruizin’ NewzNewz The Official Magazine of the Z Series Car Club of America FALL 2019 President’s Message! - Eric Peck www.zscca.org ZSCCA is entering its bi-annual board election season. In case you haven’t ZSCCA Board of Directors & Staff seen or heard this news yet, I am not Eric Peck • President running for re-election as President Huntersville, NC [email protected] this year. As this may be my last col- 309-214-2753 umn, I want to acknowledge the end Jon Moorhead • Vice President of this very rewarding chapter of life Salida, CO [email protected] for me. I want to thank all our mem- 719-221-1891 bers who have supported my efforts Robert Van Zandt • Secretary in leading the board and this body of sports cars. This makes Z ownership Yorktown, VA enthusiasts. [email protected] a somewhat unusual thing. Even in re- gions where top-down is a year-round Chuck Krblich • Treasurer Fort Lauderdale, FL Why am I stepping back? Simply put, possibility, you just don’t see them on [email protected] I’ve been the face of the club for a every street corner. So, when we do 954.295.0277 while now, and it’s time for someone meet another owner, we are genuinely Nico Valentijn • Membership Liaison Bristol, IN else to fill that role. I think we have excited. Of course, not all Z-owners [email protected] all seen organizations where leaders are enthusiasts, so that narrows our Chris Wootten • Strategic burn out, become jaded, stagnant or special group even more. This makes Relationships Ambassador ineffective. I’m also conscious that the us a smaller, tighter fraternity. Easton, MD [email protected] longer a leader serves, the more that organization is identified with that per- ZSCCA is a shelter from the craziness Reenie Paley Marshall • Special Projects Manager son. ZSCCA is not Eric’s club, it’s your that we are bombarded with on a daily Midlothian, VA club. You all have simply allowed me basis. With the love of our cars and the [email protected] to guide and shape it for a season. I’m joy of driving them as our bedrock, we Brian Roces • Technology & not going to be that guy who doesn’t connect in person and on social media Social Media Director New York, NY know when it’s time to go. to escape the noise. In other forums, [email protected] we may disagree vehemently on many Mark Bigelow • Member-at-Large I want to assure everyone, I am not things, but in our Z world, we find com- Petersburg, PA [email protected] leaving ZSCCA. I will remain involved mon ground and the other differences in club activities. Nancy and I intend to fade to the background. We work hard Jay Parnes - Area Rep Manager Rochester, NY fill roles with ZFEST and other events. on our social media platforms to keep [email protected] I’ll continue to plan epic road trips and 585.737.2784 that noise out. regional events for everyone to enjoy. Andy Hartwell • Editor Selden, NY Again, THANK YOU for your confi- Unlike many other European Car [email protected] dence in, and support of me and the clubs, ZSCCA has no club racing or Ric Genthe • Creative/Production Director rest of our board of directors. It’s truly competition department. We do have Madison, WI [email protected] been an honor. members that enjoy track days, and 608.575.9285 there are a few that actually do race Ainsley Jacobs • Web Master ---- competitively, but racing is not a part Alpharetta, GA 267.738.2134 of the ZSCCA mission. While compe- Now, I’d like to spend a few more para- tition can be a powerfully good thing, it Wayne & Amy Lester • Founders Emeritus Nebo, NC graphs telling you what I’ve learned can also be source of friction between [email protected] about ZSCCA, and what I think makes members. I’ve been involved with the it the special close-knit organization SCCA over the years, and I can tell you ZFEST, ZSCCA and their graphic representations are that it is. that making and enforcing competition registered trademarks of the Z Series Car Club of America. rules is a thankless and never-ending Reproduction of them requires written approval. Let’s start with the car itself. The task. I’m glad we aren’t in that business. BMWZ-Series is a relatively small niche vehicle, compared to other enthusiast We know our cars VERY well. ZSCCA cover and back photo by Kathy Desruisseau continued on page 63 1 from the Editor! - Andy Hartwell Fall 2019 Issue Editor’s Column for what was and what came before. “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” We never truly lose our friends, we just find ourselves in - L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables new places and new situations. Our interactions may dimin- ish or take new forms, but we stay connected in our lives. Welcome to the fall 2019 issue of Cruizin’ Newz. In these Such is the case with a man who has contributed so much pages we have presented several views and experiences of of his energy, talent and drive to the betterment of every- ZFEST Blacksburg as told by some of the many members one in this club. I am speaking, of course, of our President, who enjoyed a full week of group activities in the hills of Eric Peck. western Virginia. With over 200 Zs filling the parking lot of the Inn at Virginia Tech, and so many hundreds of attend- With fall season upon us comes Eric’s decision to not seek ees filling the seats of those wonderful rides, we could not reelection this year. An end of his presidency draws with it help but have a fun-filled week together. The contributions the cold we will all feel in the air, and in his absence at the printed herein reflect that assessment. helm. Can you think of anyone in the club who has done more to support the building of friendships through activi- Being together is at the heart of this club. ties that he himself led, or organized, or otherwise partici- pated in? I can’t. As the years roll on, like the seasons within each of those years, new friendships are formed while some may fall away, When the next election cycle is completed we will have just as it is in nature. With each spring and summer season a new President and I urge all of you to support that new we find new growth, new outcomes, new favorites. With leader as I feel confident that he or she will work hard to the fall and the following winter seasons we experience loss continue the positive legacy Eric has built. My feeling is that and removal yet always retain a promise of what lies ahead we haven’t lost a friend. We have gained a new journey, and when the time for renewal arrives, as it always does. In that you can bet that Eric Peck will be coming along for the ride! seasonal passage, we gain and we lose and yet we hold onto what we most cherished and we hold everlasting affection One last thing: Cruizin’ Newz is your magazine and exists continued on page 63 continued on page 63 2 How the Miles Became Smiles at ZFEST 2019 By Bruce Keller We left our home in Belleville, Ontario on Tuesday, June 26 and headed for an overnight stay with my sister and her husband in Harrisburg, PA. I had our little roadster absolutely sparkling when we left, but knew that it wouldn’t last as we were about to drive into the tail end of a storm as we headed east down the 401. We encountered light drizzle before crossing the border, but just after entering You’re Tagged! Photos by Kathy Desruisseau 3 New York State and heading south on I81, the skies opened Jill and I don’t do Facebook, but I regularly go onto the ZSC- and we found ourselves in a torrential rainstorm. Thank- CA public Facebook page and read postings about what fully, between Watertown, NY and Syracuse, NY the rain is going on. It was here that I saw that a few Pennsylvania stopped, but then we encountered a far more damaging members were going to meet up at a McDonald’s near Har- shower. risburg just off I81 at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday to convoy down to Blacksburg. Since this was only about a 15 minute This time the shower consisted of stones. As we neared Syr- drive from my sister’s place and it was about the time that acuse, we were suddenly startled by a sharp smack on the we had planned to leave, we decided to ambush them and windshield. The sound of a flying stone making contact with hitch along. It turns out that we already knew a few of the your windshield is always disconcerting and we thanked our people from previous ZSCCA events, including a dinner in lucky stars that it was there to protect us as we completed a Niagara Falls a few years ago at a Mark Bigelow arranged quick scan of it to check its integrity. All appeared to be okay. drive with the Nittany Zs. Even though they had no idea Then there were two more strikes in quick succession, and that we would be waiting for them at McDonald’s, I knew then another and another.