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Motor 1
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Radford Racing School Is the Real Deal
Hardcore track and amateur racing people often scoff at racing school. " Why would I need racing school?" T hey wonder. " I do so many track days." Or, it could be that you've done dozens of LeMons, Lucky Dog, or Champ Car races—it's all the same. The general attitude in amateur paddocks across the country is that racing school is a waste of money. Just spend it on more track time. I was one of those people, then I got invited to do Radford Racing School's four-day GT Road Racing SCCA licensing course. Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1 I won't lie, my pride got the best of me. I saw an opportunity to get an SCCA Full Competition license without having to do all of the club's minimum race start and probationary requirements. All I had to do was simply complete four days of driving Radford's Dodge Challenger Scat Pack school cars, do some basic stuff, and head home with a shiny new certificate saying that I was somehow better than before. Experience, I thought, was better than instruction. I've already spent thousands going racing, how is a $7,000 course really going to improve me over spending that money on a couple of race weekends? I've done hundreds of days at the track, one of my best friends is a pro IMSA driver, yadda yadda, typical track day guy hubris. Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1 That tone changed once I landed at Radford's facility in Chandler, Arizona, and realized the caliber of my instructor. For our group of students, there was a small team of two head instructors and two assistant instructors handling us. The head instructors were proper racers: BJ Zacharias, a multiple SCCA championship winner and longtime ALMS, Grand Am, and IMSA Continental challenge driver, and Spencer Bucknum, the 2023 SRO TC America champ and current McLaren Trophy driver. True professionals were teaching these courses, not your local HPDE instructor or autocross guy. The first two days of the course were largely warmup and evaluation exercises to teach us the bare bones basics, things that most of us think we know but actually don't. Some of the exercises, like choosing a lane based on last-minute traffic light illumination, were focused on road safety. Others, like the specially designed skid car that could unweigh the front or rear tires using a specially designed frame, were designed to test gentle car control and the delicate loading that the front and rear tires see with throttle and brake. Then the real deal exercises, like stopping at a specific cone at a specific brake pressure, were thoroughly designed to teach a core tenet of driving: Braking. All of it was to prepare us for days three and four, which were all done on Radford's main track, east track, and autocross course. Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1 True professionals were teaching these courses, not your local HPDE instructor or autocross guy. While those early exercises were a surprising revelation, the real meat of the school was on those last two days. This is where the instructors could properly review data and technique, and offer advanced instruction. The biggest thing Zacharias and Bucknum drilled into everyone was the importance of braking, and everything that follows it. And not just braking hard, or braking points, but the actual granularity of good braking. Trail braking is a buzzword tossed around a lot, but I feel that the popular understanding of trail braking is limited. The way both instructors taught it was extremely high-level. I've always understood trail braking in concept, and I practice it plenty in simulators like iRacing to decent effect. But Radford truly drilled what I needed to know into my head, and this is where the unusual choice of Dodge Challenger for the school car really made sense. A Challenger doesn't really want to turn, and using brake pressure to make the front axle work is critical to cornering the heavy, lumbering thing. But on the crappy (and specifically chosen because of this, according to Zacharias) Cooper Zeon RS3 rubber, you can't use too much brake pressure, or it will overwhelm the tires. With these restrictions, I found a revelation: I was abusing the brakes and never actually trail braking. Photo by: Michael Teo Van Runkle It's extremely subtle, but true trail braking depends on the car. Some cars might take 40 percent brake pressure to the apex, others take zero, and some will take 5 percent. The Challenger accepted almost any brake pressure, but it would show you the physics at play. A 5-10 percent trail neatly tucked the Challenger's nose to apex, utilizing the tire's full grip and rotating the car plenty without removing too much load from the rear axle. Zero percent meant that the Challenger simply didn't turn, while 40 percent pressure turned the Challenger into a drift machine, or an understeer machine, depending on how I worked the wheel. A quicker initial steering input overwhelmed the front tires and sent the car into understeer, but a slow, gradual build into steering unloaded the rear tires as the front was building grip, transitioning into a graceful slide. Zacharias worked closely with us to nail this down, doing multiple drills and showing just how responsive the cars were to braking. He'd break the pressure down into numbers from 1-10, 10 being the most intense and 1 being the least. Without saying complicated racing driver words like "brake shape," he effectively taught that lesson. He even tossed an AiM Solo 2 in each of our cars to see how we were driving, and effectively decoded what each student was doing in the car. Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1 Photo by: Chris Rosales / Motor1 Over two days, two tracks, and more than ten total hours of track time, I honed these new skills. Not only were the instructors top-notch—I got more track time than I knew what to do with. I drove for lap time, tried a lot of drifting, and everything in between. It allowed me to have quality time with the car and helped me work on my method, all under the watchful eye of two skilled instructors. To say I was proven wrong about racing school is an understatement. I actively got quicker after my time at Radford, even with my fairly deep racing and driving experience. Visiting Radford was like getting a new pair of glasses and being able to see more clearly–I learned a method rather than an easy trick. It's something I can continually build on and practice. So yes, even for a hardcore track day and racing guy like me, racing school turned out to be an invaluable experience. And I have a shiny new SCCA Full Competition license to go do some more serious racing with. More Racing Schools How BMW's Racing School Makes You A Better Driver Skip Barber: The First Step On Your Racing Journey Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Car and Driver
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Pirelli Trofeo Track Tire Is Basically a DOT-Approved Racing Slick
Pirelli has a new competition tire exclusively for the United States called the P Zero Trofeo Track. The nearly-slick tire is designed for SCCA and NASA events, and here's the kicker: it's DOT approved. That said, Pirelli strongly recommends you don't use them on public roads, as they're basically a competition slick. With how expensive track time can be, it's easy to forget how lucky we are in the United States to have so many road courses scattered throughout the country. With all those tracks comes a wealth of grassroots motorsport and club racing, and several series that require DOT-approved tires to compete. Pirelli's newest tire, the P Zero Trofeo Track, is a nearly-slick competition tire designed specifically for those events. Pirelli The new tire is intended for the various SCCA and NASA championships that require drivers to use DOT-approved tires. That means they're technically street legal, but they're intended strictly for track use. Pirelli Pirelli Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
STV News
16-05-2025
- Health
- STV News
Mum airlifted to hospital after suffering heart attack during family bike ride
An Aberdeenshire schoolteacher was airlifted to hospital after she suffered a heart attack during a family bike ride. Steph was enjoying a day out at the Glenlivet Mountain Bike Trail Centre during the Easter holidays when she began to feel unwell. The Kemnay woman managed to manoeuvre herself off the trail before falling unconscious. 'I was trying to keep up with my eldest daughter on the trails when I suddenly felt really ill,' the 51-year-old says. 'My eyesight became blurry, and I knew I was going to pass out.' SCAA Steph was airlifted to hospital The mother-of-two began to hear voices around her as she regained consciousness. Steph added: 'A member of staff from the centre arrived on a quadbike and I believe he called 999. 'That's roughly when the pain in my chest started. It then radiated down to my elbows, and I couldn't feel my hands or open my eyes, it was unbearable. 'I couldn't move, my arms and legs felt so heavy, and I knew it wasn't going to be possible for me to get myself up.' A medical team arrived by land ambulance and conducted an ECG test. They concluded there was an issue with the teacher's heart. Steph was transported to a meeting point where paramedics were able to supply pain relief and confirmed that she needed urgent medical treatment. As the travel by road would clock in at over an hour and a half, a crew from Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCCA) stepped in and managed to lift her into the helicopter. In just 15 minutes, she arrived at Aberdeen's Royal Infirmary. 'The SCAA paramedics had warned me that when we arrived at ARI, lots of people would swarm me,' the mum said. 'When we landed, I got wheeled quickly into surgery in a big hurry. 'I had a stent fitted to fix a block in my right coronary artery. The whole operation was complete in 45 minutes, and I was allowed to go home after three days. SCAA Steph has since shared her story at charity events. 'I heard from the cardiologist the following day that I had had a lucky escape, but I eventually found out just how close I had been to dying.' Since her heart attack, Steph has become a supporter of SCAA. She is now a SCAA volunteer, regular giver, lottery player, and recently shared her story at the charity's Operation Skyward launch event held at the Aberdeen base. Here she was able to reunite with the crew and aircraft that played a vital role in getting her the medical care needed to save her in time. Steph said: 'It's important for me that others get the same opportunity I did – for SCAA to reach more people in time. 'I didn't expect to nearly die on a hillside in Glenlivet at the age of 51, that wasn't part of my plan. My life was hanging in the balance. 'Thank you is not enough, but that's all I can say. It's a debt I can never repay.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Motor 1
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Pirelli Has a new Street-Legal Racing Tire for the US. We Tested It
The Pirelli engineers are a bit jealous of us Americans. Speaking at the launch for the new P-Zero family at Monza, they tell us how nice it must be to have a thriving grassroots club-racing and track-day scene in America, and so many great road courses for us to drive. Realizing there was a huge market, Pirelli created a new DOT-approved track-only tire exclusively for the US, the P-Zero Trofeo Track. And good news for the tariff-weary—Pirelli is making these in its Rome, Georgia factory. Photo by: Pirelli This near-slick tire is aimed at various SCCA and NASA championship series, which require tires that have DOT approval. These are technically street-legal tires, but you really shouldn't use them outside of a track. "It's basically a slick tire, with some tread designed to make it comply with the DOT, but it's thought of as a competition tire," says Emanuele Vanzetti, the engineer leading the Trofeo Track's development. "We designed it to run at the pressures you run at the track, it's designed to have a wide working range." Pirelli is offering sizes for 17- to 21-inch wheels, which may disappoint those looking for tires for things like Miatas and E30s , but should cover a ton of modern cars. Beyond the club-racing series, the tires should also be good for those running autocross, time attack, and track days. Vanzetti says that his team did development work both at the European tracks it typically works at, which provide a great reference point, and at US road courses. Just a few weeks ago, Pirelli was working at Carolina Motorsports Park. Photo by: Pirelli The idea is to provide a tire that provides consistently strong lap times. Not just heroic performance for a lap or two, and then a massive drop off. We actually got to run a couple laps of Monza in a Mustang Dark Horse fitted with 315/30R19 Trofeo Tracks all around. A full test will hopefully come, but for now, it was a nice opportunity to get a bit of early exposure to the tire. What's immediately apparent is just how agile the car feels on these P Zero Trofeo Track tires. The Mustang Dark Horse is not a light car, at nearly 4,000 pounds, but at Monza's slow first chicane, it changes direction so freely. After driving a bunch of road cars on road tires earlier in the day—which were still excellent—the Trofeo Track's ability to resist understeer at a place where it's easy to carry too much speed and push wide was admirable. Photo by: Pirelli Photo by: Pirelli Braking performance was excellent, too, with tons of stopping power and great stability. The Dark Horse does have excellent brakes on its own, but on these tires, you can go so deep, even at a crazy high-speed track like Monza. We're still waiting on full sizing and a price list, but early impressions are strong. Not only can we not wait to test these more seriously, we want to know how the market responds. More Pirelli Action Has Pirelli Finally Figured Out How to Beat Michelin? Pirelli's New Cyber Tires Can Talk to Your Car Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Asharq Al-Awsat
01-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia Reviews Arbitration Law to Boost Commercial Competitiveness
In a move to strengthen its commercial environment and align with international best practices, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Kingdom's current arbitration law. According to information available to Asharq Al-Awsat, the initiative is part of broader legislative reforms aimed at enhancing legal certainty and investor confidence in Saudi Arabia's business landscape. Arbitration—an alternative dispute resolution mechanism where parties agree to settle disputes through neutral arbitrators rather than traditional courts—is commonly used in commercial and civil cases, excluding personal status matters. According to sources familiar with the matter, the ministry is actively engaging with stakeholders from the private sector, including investors and entrepreneurs, to solicit feedback on the current arbitration framework. The goal is to identify key challenges and practical gaps, and to ensure that the updated legislation is responsive to real-world commercial needs. The review covers a wide range of issues within the existing arbitration system. Among the ministry's priorities is assessing whether the current legal text is sufficiently clear and whether it adequately defines key terms used in arbitration proceedings. Officials are also examining the scope of the law's applicability, particularly in international disputes, and evaluating whether existing criteria for cross-border arbitration have posed implementation challenges. The ministry is seeking insights on the clarity of mandatory versus supplementary legal provisions, judicial jurisdiction over nullification claims, and the effectiveness of procedural regulations. Feedback is also being collected on the legal capacity of corporate entities to enter into arbitration agreements, as well as the validity of arbitration clauses included in contracts or signed post-dispute. Another area of focus is the process for determining and agreeing on arbitrators' fees. The Ministry is exploring ways to streamline this process and address practical issues related to arbitrator challenges and disqualifications. Established in 2014 by a Cabinet decision, the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) serves as the Kingdom's primary institutional body for overseeing arbitration and mediation. It operates as a non-profit entity governed by recognized judicial and commercial principles. The SCCA has reported a notable uptick in caseload: in 2024, the center registered 120 new cases—a 30 percent increase over the previous year. Arbitration cases alone surged 59 percent, rising from 46 to 73. The total value of disputes reached SAR 1.1 billion ($293 million), while the average time to resolve a case remained under six months.
