PADDOCK CLUB HOUSE
PADDOCK CLUB HOUSE
The Paddock is the place for the HOD Team to share their experiences and knowledge with our members and HPDE enthusiasts.
by David Ray A TRIP TO EUROPE TO DRIVE: THE “RING” AND SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS PREQUEL: I’d intended to compose a compelling story about our experience in hosting 25 HOD drivers and their special people in Belgium and Germany… at iconic tracks named Spa-Francorchamps, and the Nurburgring Nordschliefe. But if that is what you’d like, this may disappoint. Instead, this turned out to be a story about a lifetime trip and experience of a 69 year-old guy […]
PS: Level 1 chargers are the lowest power (110), using a standard home plug. Level 2 chargers need to be professionally installed and carry twice the power (220) of a Level 1. Level 3 (FAST) chargers are the commercial units with twice the power of Level 2 and Supercharger capability. When offered the Kia EV6 GT for a week’s test, I will admit to being excited and intimidated. I am not any kind of expert on EV’s, […]
Humm… grocery store? Or the local road course for some hot laps? Easy decision!! A Review by: David Ray, Hooked On Driving Hey there folks! Sorry for being absent from writing reviews for you for two years. I was stoked when GM cleared the way for the CT4-V BLACKWING loan. Especially when I gave them my driver resume and they bought it!! They’re letting me track it!! Chapter One: Essential Specifications – Four door sedan– […]
INTRODUCTIONIn the early days of HOD I was highly creative in getting attention to our HOD brand. Through some lucky connections, I had become a member of the Western Automotive Journalists, who’s members have access to press fleet test vehicles. Writing (and sometimes filming) car reviews, my first big connection was the introduction of the BMW 6 series…and there were many others along the way. The press fleet policies have changed over the years, and […]
Wolf in Sheepskin: YOU Can Buy One! In our business, we run into a lot of successful people. Hardworking, enterprising, creative, brilliant, shrewd, aggressive, fearless….you could go on and on. Rod Dole fits into one or more of those categories. But if you met him, you’d think he’s just a regular guy. He’d been tracking with HOD on and off in his 996 Turbo for several years until a buddy who had gone in deep […]
Like Goldilocks Says, “Just Right!” By: David Ray Good news! I scored an M5 Competition for a week – a heavy responsibility to share impressions and experiences with such an iconic automotive sedan. I was stoked to be trusted with this amazing beast of a sedan – and it did NOT disappoint. Here’s a quick overview of specs on the M5 Competition: 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 – 617 hp, 553 lb. ft. 8-Speed Automatic/Paddle Shift […]
True to the “V” Heritage? The Last Word Review: by David Ray In 2004 I wrote an article about the then-new Cadillac CTS-V sedan. It was an easy review to do. That car was basically a Corvette with four doors, a stick shift, and the same pushrod V8 that powered the iconic sports car. I loved the car on and off the track – and while the niche has not proven to be a huge […]
Icon among Motorsports IconsThe DREAM Sport Sedan: But Did BMW Go Over the Top? To say that we were excited to get our hands on the M3 Competition is an understatement…but when they said “YES” to a track test at Sonoma Raceway, we were thrilled!! Yes, these cars are fun to drive in the real world, but the track is where the real rubber meets the HOD road. We will begin with first impressions: The […]
Why HOD does not allow Motorcycle (M rated) helmets at our events.Disclaimer: As founder of HOD, this is a very important subject so we’re posting this onour website. We require SA certified helmets – the sticker is inside the shell of thehelmet in the back. At this writing in April of 2023, we accept SA 2015 and newerhelmets. We generally allow the certifications to be up to 10 years in the past, butdouble check this […]
Driving Tips and Tricks Ok folks – I know this database…a bunch of hard-core drivers with a passion for our sport, AND a passion for sharing our knowledge, or at least our self-perceived knowledge! And of course, we’ve passed the sniff test as applied by the Bentleys, so there certainly is a reasonable amount of credibility that comes with being published here. So this is a story of an epiphany I had while babysitting my two-year-old grandson. And […]
Hooked on Driving Reviews and Driver Testimonials
Laguna Seca, Dec. 2 and 3, 2021:
Ron Singer, in a rented Mustang - I'm from Michigan and have done many races and track days but never have I seen one as well organized as this.
Louis Frizzell – blue BMW M3 - Every time a see a car that looks "trackable" I tell the driver about HOD. It's really fun to see their eyes light up with the thought of using there car on a race track.
Daniel Kasman, Hyundai Veloster N - Absolutely amazing event. I had a blast and felt safe the entire time. Everybody was very helpful and I feel like I learned a lot.
Thunderhill Nov. 18, 2021
John O’Neal, 2004 BMW M3, Novice driver - I like the priorities of HOD: fun, safety and learning. (Note: The priorities of HOD are Safety, then Fun, then Learning).
Ved Varun, silver Mazda 3 - My favorite group to be on the track with.
Bobby Ikeda, 2008 BMW – Group B - My first time with HOD. And I loved it. Great experience. Great event put on by HOD. Will definitely drive with this organization again. You guys put on a good event at a very reasonable price. I had a great day at the track. See you at the next HOD event.
Sonoma Nov. 5
Bob Peters, - I recommend HOD every chance I get, especially to folks that haven't tracked their car before since it is the safest and best run track organization I know.
Chris Iverson - I put an HOD sticker on my stickerless car. Nuff said.
