Festival of Speed

Set amidst endless miles of unspoiled countryside, a drivers paradise awaits. An enchanting place distinguished by enduring traditions of excellence and hospitality. Announcing... The Festivals of Speed at Mission Inn Resort & Club. "A weekend behind the wheel" This time it's all about the driving. March 5th & 6th. Benefitting... Itinerary. Friday, March 4th. 7:00pm-9:00pm Cocktails on the Terrace. * Saturday, March 5th. 10:00am-2:00pm Drivers Tour of the Lake Region and Surrounding Roads. * Saturday, March 5th 2:30pm-4:30pm Dealership Ride & Drive Experience. * Saturday, March 5th 8:00 am-1:30pm Golf Classic, Mission Inn Resort & Club. * Saturday evening. 7:00-10:00pm Wine Connoisseurs Dinner at La Haceinda. Cigar smoke & Cognac tasting. * Sunday, March 6th. 10:am-4:00pm Festivals of Speed at Mission Inn Resort & Club. Display of Exotics on the Fairway.

The Venue. Mission Inn Resort & Club. Howey in the Hills , Florida. Our host hotel is the award winning, Mission Inn Resort & Club. Located just 30 minutes northwest of Orlando, it is a setting adorned with Spanish architecture, spring fed lakes and historic oaks. This 1000 acre resort welcomes guests from around the globe with the grace and hospitality of a plush private estate. While the car enthusiast in the family enjoys the "Rolling Sculptures" on display , others can enjoy the spa, tennis, golf, skeet shooting, boating, fine dining and other amenities. Taking center stage are 36 holes of championship golf. Boasting rare tee to green elevations of 85 feet, towering forests and sparkling lakes, the courses are absolutely spectacular. Both courses hold a Four star rating and have been recognized as "Best places to play" North America, by Golf Digest. * The Itinerary. Friday, March 4th 7:00pm-9:00pm Cocktails on the Terrace & Drivers Reception. La Margarita Lounge Terrace. The evening before the tour, drivers and automotive enthusissts alike will gather on the terrace overlooking the pristine fairways and rolling hills. As the sun sets, guests will enjoy fine wines, handcrafted cocktails and robust cigars while preparing for the tour the next morning. * Saturday, March 5th 10:00am-2:00pm Tour of the Lake Region. Mission Inn Resort & Club. On Saturday morning, drivers will gather at the Mission Inn Resort & Club to embark on an exciting journey throughout the rolling hills and country roads of the surrounding area. Its all about driving for this event and we have laid out an exciting route with stops planned along the way at fun and intersting venues. The tour ends with lunch and a ribbon presentation for each participating car. * Saturday, March 5th 2:30 pm-4:30pm Dealer Ride & Drive Experience. Mission Inn Resort & Club. A variety of dealerships will be onsite offering ride and drive experiences to interested attendees. Drivers will be given a presentation of the vehicles and then take to the open road to fully experience them in a no pressure introduction. * Saturday, March 5th 7:00 pm-10:00pm Wine Connoisseurs Dinner. La Hacienda, Mission Inn Resort & Club. The evening begins as guests are greeted with signature cocktails on the terrace while taking in magnificent views of the lakes and fairways. It is not uncommon to have a deer or eagle pass by while in this pristine setting. Once everyone is seated, a multi-course meal will be served with each dish being paired to a specially chosen wine to further enhance the dining experience. A wine expert will be on hand to personally introduce each vintage. At the evenings conclusion, fine cigars and cognac will be offered "under the stars". * Sunday, March 6th 10:00 am-4:00pm Motorsports Gathering & Display of Exotics. Mission Inn Resort & Club. * On Sunday, a fantastic display of the world's finest automobiles, motorcycles, watercraft and luxury lifestyle products will be placed for display on the fairway alongside the golf clubhouse. Our field is diverse, showcasing vintage and contemporary vehicles of all makes and models including motorcycles, race boats, and other exciting vehicles. Attendees view this event as a weekend "retreat" where they can relax and get to experience products on a more intimate level in a casual setting. Attendees will enjoy on site cafes serving the finest culinary offerings, smooth jazz, wine tastings, cigar smokes, luxury lifestyle displays, fashion shows, automotive art displays, dealer ride & drives and more. It's all about our participants at the Festivals of Speed. For those that take the time and effort to share their prized possessions, we roll out the red carpet by offering the finest in hospitality and gifts from our sponsors. The fairway and natural beauty of the resort is sure to make for a magnificent setting. Our VIP pavillion is well appointed and offers the best seats in the house to see the awards presentation. VIP's will enjoy fine wine, festive cocktails, exciting culinary offerings and more. Festivals of Speed is an automotive event that allows you to enjoy your passion with your family. By operating at fine resorts with an endless variety of amenities, we offer the chance for you to enjoy your passion while your family enjoys theirs. The day ends with a lavish awards presentation taking place in front of a crowd of thousands. Class winning cars will drive along the fairway to receive their awards in front of the stage while being interviewed by the master of ceremonies. Cameras flash and people cheer as their favorite vehicles take their place to accept an award. Detailed information regarding tickets and hotel room blocks will be posted within the week. www.festivalsofspeed.com

2010 Honda CR-Z

I'm not going to lie, when I first saw this car I almost laughed with how strange it looked. However, the more I see it the more I like it. From a looks point of view it's very interesting, at least from the front, the back looks ok-ish.

Honda is pushing the car as the "First 6-speed production hybrid" which sounds nice. Only one thing, it's not a full-on hybrid like a Prius is. There is an electric motor and a gas motor but the electric one runs at the same speed as the gas one so it's simplier but less efficient to the Toyota cousin.

On the other hand this might turn out better then it is. Unlike the Prius, this can come with a 6-speed manual gearbox but is still fuel efficient. The stats show that it can get 35/39 city and highway miles respectfuly. At the same time going from 0-62 in a little more then 10 seconds.

Lets compare this to another car with the same price frame. Lets say the Mini Cooper Hard Top.

First the engine, the Honda puts up a 1.5L 122hp i-VTEC engine. Like I said before it has 35/39 mpg city/highway with the Idle-Stop feature which turns the engine off when you come to a stop and then turns it on right after you take your foot off the brake. The Mini uses a 1.6L but puts out 1 less ph than the Honda. With a manual transmission, the Mini gets 29/37 city/highway mpg. Goes from 0-60 in 8.4 seconds.

All in all, I see the Honda with a 10.6 gallon fuel tank going 371 miles on a single tank (city mpg) and the Mini with a 13.2 gallon tank going 383 miles. Which means that the Honda CR-Z is something like a "My First Hybrid." It's like a hybrid but not really. However, this car is good because you can say that you are saving the planet while still being a fast hatchback.

I will probably talk about this a little bit more in the future so stay tuned...

TK Person of the Day: Sabine Schmitz

Although not known as well in the US, in Europe Sabine has garnered a big title, Queen of the 'Ring.

I'm referring to the Nürburgring.

The Nürburgring is one of the most famous tracks in the world for being so tough and demanding. And what, might you say, does Sabine and the 'Ring have in common? Well it so has it that Sabine has one of the coolest jobs in the world, she drives the Nürburgring... year round... while she gets paid doing it..

Specificly she is known for driving the "Ring taxi." Meaning, for a price she will drive you around the 'Ring at very high speeds. She has been doing this for so long that she has driven the 'Ring more than 20,000 time, averaging about 1,200 laps a year!

After she was born into a hotel and resturaunt owning family, her and her three sisters started to race but she was the only one who continued on. She soon starting winning races and even with a divorce in 2000, she went on to be the first woman to win the 24 hour Nürburgring endurance race. Sabine currently has around 45 wins, most of which was done in the BMW M5.

Even until the past couple of years ago, she was mainly known in Germany until Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear UK brought a Jaguar S-type diesel to the 'Ring and successfully (with many tries) to get it around in under 10 minutes with 9:59. Sabine, being the badass that she is, thought that was weak and proclaimed that she could do that in a van and easily beat his time by 47 seconds with 9:12 with the Jaguar. Thus, Sabine exploded in the UK. Only a season after did she go back on Top Gear UK and saying before that she could beat 10 minutes in a van, tried to beat the time in a Ford Transit van only to come 8 seconds short with 10:08. None the less she had made her mark on the automotive world.

A couple of years later she and a couple of other guys from Germany came together and soon made their own car show.

All in all, she likes driving really fast, enjoys cars, and is funny, making her supercool in my book and i'm sure that this will not be the last that we see of her.