Club members from eleven different chapters—from California to Florida, and from Washington to Wisconsin—kicked off February at our First Members-Only Two-Day M School of 2014 at the BMW Performance Center.
Two women participants, Sera Trimble and Susan Purkhiser—both of the Los Angeles Chapter—surprised everyone with their profession as Hollywood stunt drivers (think Kia hampster and Subaru labrador next time you think that animals are driving!) Everglades member Mike Samper, on the other hand, is a driving novice—but he smoked the competition both days on the timed runs and figure-eight driving exercise. His high-school friend, Michael Kiser from the Rocky Mountain Chapter—affectionately known as Smiley—was not far behind his buddy on most runs.
Moustafa Abdelbaky, from the NJ Chapter, and his fiancée Melissa who became engaged last August on the Performance Center Skid Pad, returned for his first driving school experience. Golden Gate member, Joseph Kava, impressed everyone with his speed and driving finesse in many of the exercises. Dale Kressin, Badger Bimmer member and veterinarian dentist, might have been out of the clinic, but not out of his element driving the 575 horses of the brand-new competition Package M6—the newest in the BMW arsenal! John Schreiner from Houston and Tim Rogers from the St. Louis Chapter experienced the adrenaline rushes of driving the new F10 M5 during the wet-soaked figure-eight course.
Ian Napier from the Inland Empire Chapter might have travelled the farthest to attend, but we were delighted that locals Eric Eley from Peachtree, and Bob Hoover from the Sandlapper Chapter, attended and contributed so much to the program. David Caren, an IT specialist from the LA Chapter, coached some members on downloading their USB drives so that members could observe their new driving skills, captured with the aid of technology.
The instructors remarked that these Members-Only Two-Day M Schools once again prove that our club members are the true BMW enthusiasts!—Jackie Bechek
