March 2020

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189 FEEL AT HOME PART II 27.03.2020 10:00

Feel at home: who, where, with what ? Now: you and the ambition and necessity to be familiar with the racetrack – easier said than done. Circuit races, hill climbs: without track knowledge you are lost, you are far away from success.

Hill climbs and circuits, especially long ones as Nürburgring Nordschleife, have many challenges and hold many surprises, due to their layouts. When you do not feel at home over there: not the slightest chance for a really effective ride. The least hesitation due to the lack of line knowledge can decide over victory or defeat; in this respect, especially hill climbs are ruthless.

Line knowledge is a must! Blogpost 29 gives concrete hints how to obtain the necessary familiarity in these cases. As mentioned earlier: proper preparation prevents poor performance. Once confidence and automatism dominate, lap times will decrease (often almost inexplicably, automatically), and the true good feelings are coming up.

Thus, to feel at home is crucial and essential – valid for the familiarity with your vehicle and the track. It is of utmost importance for your safety and your performance, especially in motorsports! Have a safe and pleasant ride, anytime and anywhere.

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

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PS Today’s video shows a test drive for a leading auto magazine’s report; the driver does these rides over and over again with different vehicles, without the possibility to become completely familiar with each of these. In such cases, it is doubly important to feel at home optimally with the track.

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188 FEEL AT HOME PART I 20.03.2020 09:52

Feel at home: who, where, with what ? Today’s topic focuses on you and the ambition to be familiar with your vehicle – easier said than done; daily traffic presents the sad reality, in motorsport it looks much better, thankfully.

Be it road or track, it is essential. Feel at home – what does that mean ? At home, really at home: it is normal to find one’s way – even in the darkness. Is it the same, when you go by car ?

Today’s video focuses on one of The Castiron’s favourites: rallye drivers. Their job behind the steering wheel is depending mainly on two main points: the co-driver and to be familiar with the car in a really perfect manner – in other words, to feel at home.

Greatest confidence is involved here, also automatism. This video is worth a thousand words. Ask yourself: to feel at home in my car, is it also the same with me ? A strong dose of self-confidence – yes! Pride, arrogance – no!

Thus, to feel at home in the best sense of the word and be familiar with your vehicle. It is of utmost importance for your safety and your success in motorsports. The other side of the medal with the focus on the racetrack: see part II next week.

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

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187 THE CASTIRON’S FAVOURITES 202003 13.03.2020 09:40

Fast – at least this is what The Castiron and Ladyva have in common. In 2017 in London, she received at the Boisdale Music Awards hosted by Jools Holland the award as Best Boogie Woogie Pianist. Fast and best – that fits well!

But, from the outset: Ladyva started playing the piano when she was 14, inspired by the great masters of Boogie Woogie. Only two years later she began performing in Switzerland including various TV appearances, later on in further countries. Today’s video gives an impression – enjoy yourself!

In 2009 she released her first album, in 2011 she signed with Universal Music Group. Ladyva has also been invited in 2015 by Jerry Lee Lewis to perform at his 80th Birthday Farewell Tour in the London Palladium and the Glasgow Clyde Auditorium.

The Castiron takes the hat off to Ladyva and her performance. And, once again: will The Castiron’s wish, learning to play piano, be fulfilled ? May be, maybe not. In any case, it had not to be fast and best – just for personal enjoyment.

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

Recommendation: http://ladyva.com/index.htm

PS From current cause: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJFFUT_WWpI

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186 GASOLINE GUZZLER 06.03.2020 11:27

According to Wikipedia, a gas-guzzler (informal term) is a vehicle that is perceived to burn a lot of fuel. The term originally came into use when the US Congress established Gas Guzzler Tax Provisions in 1978 – to discourage the production and purchase of fuel-inefficient automobiles. The tax was applied only to cars.

Discouraged? Fuel-inefficient? Please have a look at the video. Do you notice any discouragement? And who and what defines the term fuel-inefficiency? Is it really that easy, so simple?

The Ford Mustang in the video and the operation purpose is extreme; in some situations it is similar with The Castiron’s Ford Mustang, Eleanor V: when the two are going out for a drift, then also Eleanor V is mutating to a gas-guzzler; why?

Why not? No, this is not the proper answer. But it is quite simple: nothing comes from nothing! A hard worker needs the necessary food – it is the same for men and machine! More work – more food; more food – hopefully more work.

Fuel-inefficient: is it miles per gallon? Or is it in relation to the horsepower, engine’s displacement, number of cylinders? Or is it miles related with the fun factor? Drifting a few miles or a longer journey on a country road, smooth and economical? What does really count – for you, in that specific case? Many questions, the answer is yours!

One thing must be said: preferably fuel-efficiency! The principal item is your right foot operating the accelerator pedal. Fuel-efficiency in a few words: low engine revolutions, in the case of manual transmission always choosing the appropriate gear. So far so good – do not forget the operation purpose. Have a nice ride, with a wide smile on your face!

See you next Friday. - God bless you, all the best! The Castiron

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PS Ford Mustang GT V8 (2005), C/D TEST RESULTS, FUEL ECONOMY EPA higway driving 25 mpg