Our Team

Jennifer Skripchuk – Intro & Update

GHIT 0211: GHIT Host/Driver Updated Introductions – Jennifer

It has been several years since we did our host/driver introductions and we thought we’d update our newer listeners with a bit of background from each of our hosts.

Jennifer was a self proclaimed driver that started racing at less than zero. She attended our first race and joined the team as a driver at our second race. She has probably improved the most of any of our drivers to this point and is now a solid race driver and continuing to improve quickly. On this episode, we go over where Jennifer is currently in her driving career and what her goals are for the next few years. As a bonus, we included the original introduction we had way back to episode #14, long before Jennifer was “coerced” into becoming a podcast host, We hope you enjoy getting to know us better and learning where we are (or maybe where we think we are) and where we wish to go in the coming years.

If we missed something that you wanted to know, please let us know on our website or social media etc.

In this issue of Dominating with Dawson, we go back into the racing jargon bin and find out what shaving tires means, why you would do it, and what it might gain you on the track. We haven’t ever done this and don’t see it coming to our team anytime soon, but maybe it will help you or your team. Perhaps it is more prevalent in a sprint race than our more normal endurance racing events.

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc. Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating or even better, a podcast review, we would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/JenniferReIntroduction

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

GHIT 0211: GHIT Host/Driver Updated Introductions – Jennifer

Vicki Fischer- Intro & Update

Deaf Stig and Vicki and Erik makes and appearance

Erik, Lonnie and Vicki — Deaf Stig and Vicki and Erik makes and appearance

GHIT 0210: GHIT Host/Driver Updated Introductions – Vicki Fischer

It has been several years since we did our host/driver introductions and we thought we’d update our newer listeners with a bit of background from each of our hosts. Vicki Fischer started from ground zero as a newbie to racing, driving, and car mechanics and has progressed to become one of our top mechanics and an excellent racing driver. We go over where Vicki is currently in her driving career and what her goals are for the next few years. As a bonus, we included the original introduction we had way back when this all began (after we had only raced twice and had zero HPDE’s etc.). We hope you enjoy getting to know us better and learning where we are (or maybe where we think we are) and where we wish to go in the coming years. If we missed something that you wanted to know, please let us know on our website or social media etc.

In this issue of Dominating with Dawson, we go over the ways that a front wheel drive car and a rear wheel drive car behave differently on a track. This subject resurfaced with the start of work on our Honda Civic race car and Jennifer looking to get a Honda Civic project car. It is not the same, but it is somewhat surprisingly similar. Ben also goes into the first few things you can do to adjust the FWD car to behave more like a rear wheel drive car.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/VickiReIntroduction

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS

Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems you will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

GHIT 0210: GHIT Host/Driver Updated Introductions – Vicki

GHIT’s Race at NJMP 2021

GHIT 0207: Our race at NJMP – June 2021 Our 24 Hours of Lemons Race at NJMP Thunderbolt for 2021

We are all suffering from a serious sleep deprived, post-race weekend hangover, and we are all calling in from across the US with varying internet speed and connections. It starts with the somewhat normal Race Bar takeover and then we go into the NJMP 2021 race. For this event, our drivers consisted of Vicki, Alan, and Jennifer and our two adopted teammates Aaron Diamond from the Saabs of Anarchy racing team and Elazar Mann from Race Bar. It was a great weekend with many, many highs, and a few notable lows. It was almost back to normal, well as normal as a Lemons race can be, and it was great to see everyone again.

In this issue of Dominating with Dawson,

we start off with our latest GHIT swag t-shirt that we made for the Dominating with Dawson and how we surprised Ben with it a few weeks back. We then try to get back into our topic for this episode where we go into several things that you can practice on the public roads and during your normal driving that will improve your track driving or refine skills that you may want to start to employ on the track. It is a great time to practice driving with left foot braking, heel-toe downshifting, as well as other less obvious areas of high performance driving. Luckily for Bill, Vicki missed his joke, so he did not have to sleep in the tub after this episode, leaving a bit more room for Bill, lol.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/LemonsNJMP2021

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights from this episode include:

1) The Trophy truck/El Jeffe/Bad Hombre/Loki truck made its way to the track a bit late, but the theming of the truck and our drivers was a big hit in the paddock and with several of the young fans at the track.

2) The race weekend started off with some small issues with the El Jeffe that we worked through the entire weekend. Then we had a few other issues as the weekend progressed. In other words, a normal endurance racing weekend.

3) Aaron does his best robot impressions, but the connection improves after a few minutes.

4) We had an issue with the engine losing power and having difficulty starting. Unfortunately, we were not able to diagnose and fix the issue at the track, but let us know if you have any suggestions.

5) Our two guest drivers describe the glory involved with driving the El Jeffe Trophy truck. Since Aaron usually races a front wheel drive (Saab) and Elazar is usually in a mid engine car (Toyota MR-2), the truck is a bit different. It is not what anyone expects. We think Aaron and Elazar are both hooked.

6) In addition to our power/electrical issue, we also had a continuing issue with our new exhaust design. We fixed it Lemons style to keep racing and then we made a plan to fix it permanently, of course this was after sending Jennifer out for her stint.

7) Bill makes a terrible American Pie joke. He says he was really tired.

8) Aaron has raced in Lemons for almost 5+ years and had only two black flags in the entire endurance racing career. However, in true GHiT fashion, he managed to get two more in a single stint on Saturday. As Mars Blackman said, “Its got to be the shoes.”

9) Elazar describes how he dealt with a total brake failure going into the high speed turn 1, truly an example of dealing with a brake issue in one of the best ways possible. To add a bit to the weekend, Elazar was again subjected to a loss of the mounting bolt on the upper front control arm on the passenger side.

10) Alan goes for donuts, well just one donut, on our door. He may also have to adjust the HANS device or seek another design.

11) So in the end, we missed the checkered flag on Saturday by about twenty minutes and we missed it by again by about the same amount. Cue the sad trombone.

We had a great time, we learned some more, and we were able to spend some time with our old friends, our new friends and our soon to be friends.

A special shout out to our sister Jennifer who came to her first ever Lemons race and saw how much fun this can be. We hope you come back again soon.

GHIT 0207: Our race at NJMP – June 2021

HPDE at Mid Ohio – Lap 2 for 2021

GHIT 0205: Our HPDE at Mid Ohio – Lap 2 for 2021 – With NASA Great Lakes

We went back to Mid Ohio for a second lap in 2021 with Vicki, Jennifer, and Bill attending the May NASA Great Lakes event. It started out as a wet track and at Mid Ohio and that is always especially entertaining. We raced a turbo 1999 Mazda Miata (NB), a 2019 Mazda Miata, and a 2004 BMW M3 (E46) all were on street tires and racing brake pads and fluid. We go over the event where Vicki and Jen were in the HPDE 2 run group and Bill was in the HPDE 3 group. It all started out innocently enough. Then the weather went from warm and sunny to ridiculously cold and wet for Saturday and gradually warm and sunny on Sunday. The event was fantastic as always and the goals going in were designed for success. How did we do? We shall discover together within this episode. Special thanks to all the NASA Great Lakes team and the staff at Mid Ohio for a great weekend.

In this episode of Dominating with Dawson, we go over a variety of methods that can be used to improve your preparation for a “new to you” track and help you learn the track ahead of time and maximize your driving comfort on your first laps.

Any Guesses?

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating or even better, a podcast review, we would greatly appreciate it and it would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/2021MidOhioLap2

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, don’t forget to use our discount code for all Apex Pro systems. You will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights from this episode include:

1) We go into the details of the HPDE group 2 and compare it to the HPDE 1 and HPDE 3 groups. We also try to summarize the various drills that we did during the weekend.

2) Jennifer (and Vicki) have a difficult time prepping for a new track and since this was Jennifer’s first time at Mid Ohio, we worked our way through it, but we need to work on a better plan. Bill has ideas. Stay tuned.

3) Vicki tries to break a very bad habit that is really holding her back. She has a difficult time staying at full throttle until the brake zone, especially in high speed areas. There are some aspects of racing that require a great deal of commitment and even a bit of courage to work through. Her resolve to break through did lead to a quality 720 at the end of the big straight leading into China Beach.

4) How did Bill earn a steak dinner that somehow turned into Crack Barrel Meat Loaf.

GHIT 0205: Our HPDE at Mid Ohio – Lap 2 for 2021 – With NASA Great Lakes

HPDE at NJMP Lightning with NASA NE

GHIT Podcast 0203: Our Latest HPDE with NASA Northeast in May 2021 at NJMP Lightning

We review our latest high performance driving education (HPDE) event at New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP) in Millville, New Jersey. We had four drivers at the event from our team. Jennifer, Vicki, and Liam were in the HPDE 2 run group for this weekend. Bill was in the HPDE 3-4 group. We each learned quite a bit a this event and we are all better drivers after these two days on NJMP Lightning.

On this episode’s Dominating with Dawson, Ben goes into the acronym OSB. OSB is sometimes used to describe someone in a learning environment where it stands for “Other Sports Beckon”. We believe that anyone can learn how to drive at a track or an autocross event. While there are differences in everyone at the rate that they learn, or their initial skill/experience level, literally everyone can get to a very proficient level. But they take need to be open to learning and be willing to put in the effort to improve. We then move into how different teaching approaches are better able to match with different student personalities and how the needs of the student may change as their experience and skill level progresses.

You can subscribe to our podcast on the podcast provider of your choice, including the Apple podcast app, Google music, Amazon, and YouTube etc.

Also, if you could give our podcast a (5-star?) rating or even better, a podcast review, we would greatly appreciate it. This would help us to grow the passion and sport of high performance driving.

For instance, leaving an Apple Podcast rating is very easy. If you go to your podcast library, under shows and click on the podcast you can leave a (5?) star rating and enter your review.

A link to the episode is: https://tinyurl.com/NJMPHPDEMay2021

We hope you enjoy this episode!

PS

Please don’t forget that if you are looking to add an Apex Pro to your driving telemetry system, we have a discount code for all Apex Pro systems. You will receive a free Windshield Suction Cup Mount for the system, a savings of $40. Just enter the code “ghitlikesapex!” when you order. They are a great system and truly invaluable in safely increasing your speed on track and/or autocross etc. The recently released second generation systems and app increases the capability of the system greatly.

Best regards,

Vicki, Jennifer, Alan, and Bill

Hosts of the Garage Heroes In Training Podcast and Garage Heroes In Training racing team drivers

Highlights from this episode include:

1) Car reviews: Jennifer was in a 2019 ND.2 Mazda Miata with the stock OEM Continental tires and brakes. Liam was in his 2017 Toyota 86 TRD with Hankook RS4 tires and Raybestos ST-43 racing pads. Vicki was in her 1999 NB Miata with a Flyin’ Miata Turbo, Hankook RS4 tires and ST-43 racing pads. Bill was in his 2004 BMW E46 M3 with yellow Pagid brake pads and Michelin Pilot SuperSport 4 tires.

2) Telemetry we used for this event: Apex Pro and Garmin Catalysts.

3) How we owe our friends Jeff and Jim from the Three Pedal Mafia for saving our weekend by letting us use their family’s RV. Let’s just summarize by saying our prep for the vent did not go as planned. Situation normal.

4) Vicki’s prep to her turbo NB Miata did not go as planned before the event and at the event, but we did a few adjustments and all went well. It should be back up and running for our HPDE at Mid Ohio this coming weekend. Pro tip, do not try to adjust your wiring harness while the car is running.

5) Vicki and Jennifer’s thoughts on being in HPDE 2 vs HPDE 1. It was Vicki’s second time in HPDE 2 and Jennifer and Liam’s first time in HPDE 2. We also go into some of the differences in the HPDE’s between this event and some of the other organizations we have attended.

6) Let’s talk about point by’s at every post stint debrief, lol.

7) Vicki’s impressions of driving the E46 M3 on track for the first time.

8) We go over our goals going into the event and how we did during the event and what we learned over this weekend. We also go into some of the challenges we each face as we progress and grow as drivers on the track.

9) Liam pops in for a quick summary towards the end with his thoughts on the weekend. He also had a great time at the event and finally had a chance to be on track with the Garmin Catalyst.

GHIT 0203: HPDE at NJMP Lightning with NASA North East