MyChron Mike's Loose Wires

Thanks to Johnny Cash for the words and 3D Flags for animation.

Posted by MyChron Mike at 08:05 PM

March 05, 2007

Global Warming

With all the rhetoric on global warming being thrown around I figured I would add my 2 cents worth. I have checked my "carbon footprint" and found that I am below average in my contribution to "global warming" According to the calculator I used the average American has a carbon footprint of 16.64, mine was just above 12. I recycle at home, the office and at my girlfriends even though here in Roanoke its not the easiest to do. We also have planted many trees at the house over the past 3 years so I dont feel I need to give money for carbon offsets to companies whose administrative cost far exceed their contribution to cleaning up the environment. I believe based on what I read that our planet goes through climate cycles no matter what man does. Its very hard to know what the truth is when you have so many different theories from so many sides many of who have agendas. And I am really sick and tired of those who stand on their pulpit preaching to me how I need to live my life as they get on board their private jet to fly across the country for a haircut or off to Europe to attend a film festival. If you seriously want to lead in what you believe then get on a commercial jet along with real people who are the least contributors to your perceived problem. These politicians and elitist types wont in a million years live their lives like they are telling you to. I wonder who came up with the carbon offset plan? How wonderful that you can be the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases and because you have money you can make yourself feel so much better about your elitist ways by giving some tax deductible inherited or stolen money to your favorite green company who will plant a tree in your name. Did you know that at this years Oscars in the goody bags given to attendees they contained Terra Passes? I guess this was to offset all the private jets and limos used to get people to the show and parties afterwards.

OK enough of my ranting for now.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 06:00 AM

March 01, 2007

Exciting Times

Well folks trade show season is finally over! After a successful KMI Show in Chicago last weekend its time to get serious about racing. Here at AiM we are well into our tenth year producing and supporting products for almost any kind of racing you can imagine. Our GPS system has finally begun shipping to our dealers in the auto market and the kart version will soon follow. These are just the tip of the iceberg of new offerings from AiM. We are testing our first car drag racing products as I type and should be heavily involved with that market later this year. So looking at my calendar this morning we are going to log a ton of miles this year attending races all across the country.

Check back here often for exciting news on new products as well as technical tips.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 08:50 AM

January 18, 2007

Have You Ever Wondered?

After using the phrase "Pretty Please" this morning I was curious where it came from and how it became used in hopes of getting ones way? After all its unusual and rarely used today but I remember using the words when I was growing up in Texas. Well for anyone who would care to know here is the answer.

Under the meaning of "pretty penny," it says: ".Pretty has several meanings beside 'pleasing to the eye.' It also means 'considerable'." From the "Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins" by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988). That would explain "pretty please." One is REALLY saying please, a whole big bunch, a considerable amount.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)

January 05, 2007

Karting's Largest Trade Show

We are preparing for our annual trip to Hickory North Carolina, home of the World Karting Associations "Kartfest" which is the worlds largest and best attended trade show directed at the 4 Cycle racer. For years it has been the place to be for any and everyone involved in 4 cycle racing. Most major manufacturers and kart shops will be displaying their greatest and latest product offerings which along with WKA's National Series awards banquets make this show standing room only. AiM Sports will be showing our expanded line of MyChron4 products including the best selling MyChron4, Gold Expansion Box, Steering Wheels and the soon to be released M4 GPS system.

As usual all the MyChron Men will be on hand to answer questions and perform updates along with Roger Caddell of Victory Lane Data who will be offering a seminar on how to get the most from your MyChron.

Look forward to seeing you all there!

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)

Its About Time, And Money

I found this on the web when doing some research on horror stories from Nextel subscribers. This article addresses a couple of issues I had often contemplated.

Verizon Wireless To Terminate Worst Aspect Of Early Termination Fees

From the about-time dept

Mobile operators subsidize the price of mobile phones, so it's no wonder they want to make sure their customers stick around for a while to make up the lost money (and some profit) on subscription fees. However, over time they've extended the length of the contracts from one year to two, and increased the "early termination fees" to ridiculous levels. Those ETFs can be hundreds of dollars and they're impossible to get out of. Even dying won't get you out of the fees sometimes. While it may keep subscribers through the end of their two year contract, it also pisses off enough people that it simply delays the time frame until they switch to a competitor. It appears that Verizon Wireless has finally realized that people aren't thrilled about this. They're still keeping the early termination fee, but prorating it, so that the closer you are to the end of your contract, the cheaper it is to leave. That seems a lot more fair. The company also has decided that existing customers can get the same deals on new phones that new customers can -- which is something that never made sense. Churn is incredibly costly for the mobile operators. Keeping existing customers happy should be a priority -- yet, plans that gave better deals to new customers than existing ones simply served to piss off long standing customers (not that they could leave due to the high ETFs, of course). So, perhaps, lowering the ETF penalty, while also giving customers more reasons to stay, it will help reduce churn even more

Posted by MyChron Mike at 10:16 AM | Comments (1)

January 04, 2007

Boy am I glad the holidays are over! Seems like they flew by in no time but when the smoke cleared and January 2nd rolled around I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Between the Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando and the Thriller for the Driller Tulsa Shootout I barely had time for Christmas. That said, the PRI Show was huge and we showcased a new Formula Wheel with built in display and six button control. Although a prototype, it drew lots of interest and looks really sharp. We will also have a couple of Drag racing products in the very near future along with a new GPS Kart System.

Hope everyone had a great holiday and enjoyed your time with loved ones.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)

December 22, 2006

All of us at AiM Sports would like to wish you and your families a most Merry Christmas and a joyous Holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 12:17 PM | Comments (0)

December 05, 2006

The National Felon League

On my way to work this morning I sat dumbfounded when I heard on the news of another Cincinnati Bengal football player who had been arrested. This makes a total of 7 Bengals arrested in the past year for criminal conduct. One of them has had 5 criminal violations. Thats just the Bengals, in the National Felon League 1 out of every 5 players have arrest records ranging from petty crimes to murder. When I was a kid we used to be able to look up to athletes as someone we could grow up to be like. Can you imagine your kids saying mommy I want to grow up and be like Ray Carruth, star in the NFL and murder my girlfriend. The biggest criminals are the team owners and NFL management who employ these criminals. Their greed overwhelms any moral responsibility which they owe to the fans and the community. How many of you business owners hire convicted felons and pay them millions? Its time the owners, sponsors, television and fans stood up and said enough. They need to follow the example set by Robert Kraft owner of the New England patriots who has cut players in the past with criminal backgrounds.

Here are a few shining examples of how the NFL and team owners condone this behaviour.

* Atlanta Falcons defensive back Patrick Bates was charged with assaulting his pregnant girlfriend and, three weeks after the baby was born, kidnapping the child and beating the mother with a gun. Bates finally was let go by the Falcons, pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was signed by the Oakland Raiders.

* Falcons all-pro linebacker Cornelius Bennett was charged with rape, sodomy, sexual abuse and unlawful imprisonment. Bennett pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and was sentenced to 60 days in jail. He was neither released by the Falcons nor fined by the NFL.

* Former Rams and Miami Dolphins running back Lawrence Phillips repeatedly was arrested for assault and motor-vehicle violations. Rams assistant coach Johnny Roland minimized Phillips' conduct this way: "Everyone deserves a second chance -- sometimes a third or fourth chance. He didn't kill anyone."

Whats next? Murder on the field during the game?

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:14 AM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2006

MyChron Mikes Recommended Read

I have read quite a bit on the subject of the Fair Tax initiative aimed at overturing the way we now pay taxes in America. Do you ever think about what you earn and what you actually take home after the goverment gets its share? Its quite sickening and added to that figure is what you pay everytime you buy gas, groceries, clothing and try to save for retirement. The withholding taxes taken from your paycheck are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to taxation on America. To give yourself a real scare why dont you save the receipts for everything you purchase in a 3 month period and total up the taxes along with your income taxes.

Well I have some extra paperback copies of the Fair Tax book written by Congressan John Linder and radio talk show personality Neal Boortz which I would be willing to loan out on a first come first served basis. If youre interested drop me an email @ mc@aimsports.com and I will get a copy in the mail. I just ask that you return it after you have read it and if you think the idea works then tell someone about what you read.

There are many detractors of this plan and I am no expert on the matter but much resistance to the idea will come from those in big goverment who because of our present system hold power over each and everyone of us. Its time we as Americans become truly free to run our own lives without so much goverment control.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:48 AM | Comments (2)

October 21, 2006

Holy Burrito Batman

Its a wacky world out there and if you dont believe it read the story below! This actually made the network news in California! Maybe it was a slow news day or no Republican was caught doing who knows what.

It was a simple meal -- a beef and bean burrito.

But the deep fried dish gave one Sacramento woman deep thoughts after she claimed to see an image of Jesus' face burned onto its tortilla wrapping.

Valencia Phillips said she's not crazy, not so religious either. But even though Phillips was quite hungry one evening, she didn't dare bite into what she calls the "holy burrito."

"Right here, I see an emblazoned image of Jesus Christ on a burrito," Phillips said, pointing to the blackened image near the top right corner of the burrito she cooked for dinner. "It was amazing."

Phillips was so excited after seeing the image that she ran to tell her neighbor about it and then told her kids.

She prompty stored the burrito inside a plastic food container, resting on a bed of cotton balls.

Posted by MyChron Mike at 07:46 PM | Comments (1)

October 20, 2006

Milestones and Missions

AiM Sports, Michael Jaynes, Chrissy Jaynes, Enrico Rosignoli, Olga Garibaldo, Scott Jessup, Chad Brackens, Mario Trujillo, Devan Newman, Delann Hartman, John Jimison and myself are going to celebrate 10 years as a company the last day of October. It was 10 years ago that Michael, Chrissy and myself at the North American Championships in Charlotte NC decided we were going to start the company. It was such a strange twist of fate and maybe the second luckiest day of my life, the first being the afternoon I laid eyes on my now way long time girlfriend Melissa who has like all our familes supported me through all the long days and being gone from home so much. I could go on and on about the challenges we faced and overcame but I wont. I will say that I believe we have some of the best people in business who have open minds and tireless enthusiam for what we do.

I will also tell you that AiM Sports has never had a "Mission Statemet". Mission statements are words meant to persuade you that the company in question is working hard for you. Its a smokescreen. Pardon the pun but we have always AiMed high to put our customers first and treat them as we would want to be treated and go way beyond what people would expect from a business. Along the way we have met and become friends with so many of our dealers and customers. We have seen kids grow from one of the pack to racing in professional series all over the world. It has been the most rewarding 10 years of my life and I have so many great friends and memories and I know that I speak for everyone in the AiM World.

I look forward to the next 10 years and with them the new friends and challenges we shall face!

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:55 AM | Comments (1)

October 19, 2006

They Say A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words

What was Dani Pedrosa thinking on lap 2 in Estoril when he took the MotoGP points leader and his HRC teammate Nicky Hayden out of the race and the points lead with an out of control attempted pass? I think his ego is so huge that he couldnt bear the thought of Nicky possibly winning the MotoGP world championship and being the first to unseat Valentino Rossi in 5 years. I believe that he would rather have Rossi win again and then take his best shot next year in 2007 and he did his best to insure that scenario. I would bet that Rossi and Yamaha have had a few good laughs at the expense of HRC and Pedrosa in days since.

Nicky still has a slim chance at the title but it could require some help from Pedrosa but based on past experience that doesnt seem too likely.

UPDATE

Alberto Pig, Dani Pedrosa's manager and mentor now blames Nicky for the crash which took both Repsol riders out of the race. He claims Nicky braked early which forced Pedrosa to crash taking Hayden down in the process. This is after Pedrosa admitted in an HRC press release that he made a grave error in judgement. Again as is so common in todays world no one can assume responsibility for their mistakes. Maybe Pig is planning a career in politics?

Posted by MyChron Mike at 07:16 PM | Comments (2)

September 28, 2006

WKA

In the past 2 days the World Karting Association has announced 2 major changes for the 2007 season. First after much lobbying by its membership they have added a Manufacturers Cup race at New Castle Indiana. Undoubetdly one of two fine facilities located in the state.

Secondly with regards to WKA's effort to cut down on the tire prepping problems they have modified the tire rule for next year which will allow the competitors to bring their own tires to the track. They still must be new and not scuffed and are subject to random inspections with the new sniffer which is in use now. Tire prep is a huge issue affecting our sport and I applaud any club, group or organization trying to control it. Personally I am glad its not my problem to figure out as its so difficult to try and please everyone. I believe that they are doing this for the long term future of our sport and health of its members.

So with these two changes, one to a growing Manufacturers Cup series and one to the Briggs and Stratton National Dirt series which has seen markedly lower numbers this year I see nothing but a great year ahead for both.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 02:28 PM | Comments (0)

August 21, 2006

The Bike That Grant Built: Suzuki GSX-R600 Formula Xtreme Racebike

Road Racing World's September 2006 issue includes a feature on AMA Formula Xtreme racer Danny Eslick's Matsushima Performance GSX-R600 race bike. Eslick, a former AMA dirt track rider, has already won at Infineon this year. Team owner and crew chief Grant Matsushima is the genius behind this young team, and attributes their success not only Eslick's racing; the specially prepared Suzuki motorcycle is a key part of their strategy.

Among other key ehancements (read the article to learn more) Masushima uses an AiM Sports MXL Pista plug and play digital dash and data logger on the bike. The system is fitted with a gyro, enabling the team to generate track maps. With the data from the MXL, including lap times, rpm, gearing and more, the team can watch these values change as they follow the track map.

The MXL Plug and Play kits are custom programmed and include all the necessary hardware to ensure an easy, painless installation that replaces the stock dash. In a short time you can upgrade your stock dash to a high tech digital display and data logger that is ready for high performance racing - like AMA Formula Xtreme - or occasional track days. Learn more about plug and play kits for Suzuki race bikes, Yamaha, Kawasaki, or Honda motorcycles.

Posted by aimsports || erik at 03:49 PM | Comments (1)

July 30, 2006

Jet-powered Shifter Kart

Looking to pick up some speed? For $9,000, this may be your best go-fast ticket.: a one-of-a-kind shifter kit with a jet engine built by "Turbo" Tim Arfons.

According to Winding Road, Arfons, is the son of legendary driver Art Arfons, best known for a series of land speed records in his “Green Monster” jet-powered racers at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The kart features a JFS100 turbine that was previously used as a starter for the main engine of a Navy A-7 Corsair II fighter plane. The engine can spin to 72,000 rpm and run on either jet fuel, diesel or kerosene – whatever you got on hand. The seller suggests the kart can reach at least 100 mph.

If one of you guys ends up with this, give us a call and we'll help you figger out how to get a MyChron on there.

Check it out on eBay.

[Source: eBay via Winding Road and Autoblog]

Posted by aimsports || erik at 08:50 PM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2006

Happy 4th of July!

I hope you all enjoy the Independence Day celebration and are able to spend time with your families and friends. It will be a good time to reflect on what a great life we have here in what I consider the greatest country on Earth.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)

June 29, 2006

Ballistics Testing: VIDEO

Posted by the AiM Sports Ballistics Research Department:

So, I bought a tennis ball machine ... and bought Scott a sweatband and a jockstrap.
Our tests showed that an 85 MPH tennis ball will in fact, break a face shield of a motorcycle helmet.

The Official AiM Sports Ballistics Research Department Video Report.

Posted by aimsports || erik at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2006

We Get The Drift

Check out this video of AEM's Nissan 350Z drift racer. You'll have no trouble spotting the MXL digital racing display - it's sexy glow lights up the dash - and check out the shift LEDs flashing.

The MXL digital displays and race data loggers have been a hit with import racers and tuners since they came on the scene a few years ago. Even the "Fast and Furious" drift racing guys (and gals) are choosing the MXL for its performance, value and good looks. Previously we've mentioned nods from Modified and DSport, and the great work by AMS on their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII (pictured above).

Posted by aimsports || erik at 09:17 PM | Comments (1)

June 08, 2006

MyChron Data Systems Give Pocket Bike Racer Austin DeHaven His Racing Edge

We got a great email from proud dad Eric DeHaven about his son Austin DeHaven. Austin, a 12 year old pocket bike racer from Los Angeles, is off to a great start this year, building on his Junior 2.5 championship last year. He races in the SCminiGP group, riding a BMS 6.2 (going for the 6.2 Semi-Pro Junior championship) a Yamaha YSR50 shifter and a Honda RS125. Austin races with Team Smoking Pocketbikes and SavaWest Tires. He also runs CMRRA 50cc and 125cc national and invitational events.

Eric says, "We are in a big Championship battle this season, as Austin and another kid are very close and have just checked out on the rest of the field. The 2 of them are each others shadows trading wins and the lead almost every corner."

Austin, his brother Anthony, and his dad race at Calspeed Kart Track in Fontana (SCminGP's home track), Grange (their common practice track) Buttonwillow kart track, Streets of Willow, Adams Kart Track, Amago (recently closed), and Stockton raceway park.

Austin uses a MyChron2 on his pocket bike; it's a key part of the race program. Eric explains: "First off, lap times are very important and I work with Austin on being consistent and not to worry about being fast. Speed comes with consistency, so having the lap time right there onboard helps him keep a smooth flow and pace and lets him see how small errors or hitting all his marks will affect his lap times. When he is leading a race by a bit of a margin he can actually tell how much to back off to save tires and the bike."

"We use the RPM record and playback feature most of all. As these pocket bikes have only 1 gear, choosing the right gearing is 90% of making the bike fast. Seeing what RPMs he is pulling (and where) is very important. As opposed to what many may think, it's not always about keeping the bike from overrevving. We've found that a compromise between good corner drive, top end and overrev is a fine line and the RPM playback from the MyChron gives us the information we need to make an informed decision."

Eric continues: "I really feel that the future of racing is all about the engineering and the data, and the kids coming up now, if they can't speak with the engineers and know how to interpret the data, then they are going to get lost, or at least not have that edge, by learning it now, I think its only going to help them in the future as they move up through the ranks."

"For example, we use the the data from the MyChron to talk over the laps with Austin, as he tells me where he is braking and using the throttle. We can look at the playback and discuss if he is letting the revs drop too low or even braking too early for corners. This has helped him learn to carry lots of corner speed as he can actually see his revs replay after a lap."

"I use the EGT (exhaust gas temperature) and CHT (cylinder head temp) for carb tuning as his bike is a 40cc air cooled motor and its VERY sensitive to climate changes. Seeing the temps on playback, I can see not only what the jetting changes are doing while he is riding, but also what effects they have on race distance as the motor heats up. With this information I can plan the jetting for the motor to come in say, earlier or later in the session."

"We now have a Drack system which we are installing on Austin's Honda RS125 (which has 70cc motor). We are really excited about this system as we can create our own track maps. Further, this bike has more complicated suspension and more tuning possibilities, so we have added sensors for suspension travel, throttle and brake so we can really start looking at the effects of his riding on the data and how his comments and changes affect the bike and the readouts."

Austin enjoys working on his bike, working with the MyChron and learning how the data can improve his riding. He says: "the MyChron helped a lot for the race on the 3rd saturday. Without it we would have had a really bad set-up."

This ties in with something that we see often in the pits in all forms of junior racing, whether it's bikes, karts or junior dragsters. Too often, Dad is wrenching on the kart feverishly, while Mom is making food or looking after other kids. If it's not Dad, it's a hired gun tuner. The junior drivers are often bored, playing video games or sitting around, waiting for dad and/or the tuner to finish.

Mike Burrell's "Tuner" editorial in the June 2006 issue of National Kart News addresses this issue: "is the 'Super Tuner' robbing karting's youth of the opportunity to learn racecar dynamics and develop mechanical skills? Possibly."

By not involving junior drivers in the decision making, tuning and prep, you miss a golden opportunity for learning. Involve them as early as possible in what is happening on the vehicle, in the engine, on the track, etc. Working with the data from a data acquisition system is a great start. Ask them to review the data and determine what adjustments should be made. Don't be afraid to let them experiment with some parameters. The DeHavens understand this all too well, and encourage their sons to learn as much as possible.

Eric and Austin also had kind words for Scott Jessup and the AiM Sports support team: "Not only do you have the best products out there but your customer service and support are truely second to none." Check out Austin's progress at www.austindehaven.com.

Photos courtesy of Eric DeHaven.

Posted by aimsports || erik at 06:14 PM | Comments (0)

May 08, 2006

MyChron TG LOG Makes the Difference for Microsprint Driver Jason Brown

We got a great email from Don Brown about his son Jason, who recently put a MyChron TG LOG on his 250cc 4 stroke Microsprint. This past weekend, Jason won the Sportsman class at Lime Rock Speedway in Caledonia, NY. Jason raced karts for 6 years before switching to microsprint racing in 2004. In 2005, he lead 14 out of 17 weeks in the series and end up finishing second in points.

During the season opener racing this past weekend, Jason ran third during the heat race. Analyzing the data from his MyChron TG LOG, Don and Jason realized they needed to add a tooth of gear. He then started eighth in a field of 15 and won the feature!

Don says: "Going by seat of the pants we probably would not have made the gear change, and without doing so he would not have won. The system has proved its worth the first night out. We are still getting used to the MyChron but already it has been a real asset. It was only after studying the read-out of his heat race that we made the gear change and it proved to be the right choice. I sincerely believe that last night the MyChron made the difference between maybe a third or fourth place, and Victory Lane. "

Jason, 18, is a high school senior who will be attending Rochester Institute of Technology next fall. Our congratulations to Jason and best of luck for the rest of the season.

Posted by aimsports || erik at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)

April 16, 2006

Im Gonna Miss You Dad

I lost my dad today just short of his 80th birthday. Like all young men as they are growing up we often had our differences and I didnt always follow his advice. But his words of encouragement and wisdom must have stuck somewhere in the back of my mind because as I have grown older so many of the things he tried to teach me just became second nature to me. He taught me the importance of family and friends and without them you really have nothing. I have both and he was right about that. Even though he lived on the other side of the coutry we spoke usually every other day and I have our last conversation fresh in my mind and one of the things we talked about was this blog which he looked forward to reading to see what his son was up to. Well dad I hope you have your glasses with because this is for you.

I love you always and I am going to miss you so much.

Michael

Posted by MyChron Mike at 08:58 PM | Comments (11)

April 07, 2006

MyChron4

No news.

Posted by MyChron Mike at 02:23 PM | Comments (0)

March 23, 2006

MyChron4

As many of you are aware the release of the MyChron4 has been delayed several times. This has been due mainly to our desire to give our customers exactly what they deserve and that's the best product on the market. The hardware is ready and waiting for the firmware which is the key to everything. There is only so much that can be done with hardware but when it come to firmware the sky is the limit.

In some early testing with both 2 cycle sprint and 4 cycle oval racers the response has been overwhelming. It has been next to impossible to get the test gauges back from the racers who have been lucky enough to use them for a few days. And honestly these gauges which we have been testing have limited functionality in comparison to whats going to be released in the final version.

Something to remember when I say final is that this means final version prior to release for as many of you know we are always improving the firmware in our gauges. Our exclusive "Oval" only firmware was a result of our many trips to the race track and seeing exactly what info the racer was looking to get from their gauge, and this was over 2 years into the production cycle of the MyChron3. Because of this flash programmable firmware, anyone with a 4 year old MyChron3 can have the same fuctionality as a customer who just purchased a brand new M3. No need to keep buying new gauges just update them.

I will be at Margrettsville this Saturday March the 25th for support and to test what is hopefully the final firmware version before the M4 is released. I will have a few M4's with the new firmware and will be happy to show you the amazing features available.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 12:28 PM | Comments (1)

March 08, 2006

Hows This For Appreciation?

As some of you know we have been involved in the Junior Drag Racing market for a couple of years not only with product offering but as a 2 year running series title sponsor. We were actually the first title sponsor of the 330 series and basically agreed to back it with the hope it would take off. It wasnt like we gave sonsorship to a viable series but to one which was trying to get off the ground and make some headway towards becoming a Pro type series for Juniors. We supported this series for 2 solid years with cash, technical support and prizes. Thus it was with amazement that we found out not through a phone call or letter of thanks but through the grapevine that we had been replaced by another company as the title sponsor for the series. We were never given the opportunity to continue our association and to this day Kim and Rowland Woods who began the series have neither phoned or thanked anyone from AiM Sports for our participation in their series the prior 2 years.

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:37 AM | Comments (1)

March 01, 2006

KMI

Whew! Trade Show season has finally come to an end and none too soon. Scott Jessup, Michael Jaynes, Roger Caddell and myself attended the show last weekend in St Charles Illinois. Everything went off without a hitch with the exception of my flight up to Chicago which I was bumped off and rerouted on a later flight. But it gave the guys time to find a White Castle burger joint and enjoy a late lunch. And they even found it in themselves to keep a few semi cold ones for me upon my arrival. Burgers that is!

All the big players were in attendance at KMI however the general public attendance seemed to be down from previous years. Im not sure if this is a sign of the state of the economy and karting in general or due in part that the weather though cold was beautiful so many may have found some other activity to occupy their weekend. We offered ongoing seminars throughout the weekend in our booth as well as one in the big room upstairs. It was standing room only as were most of the ones at our booth. We had the powerful new MyChron4 on display and spent most of the weekend explaining the innovative new features available in the gauge. The general consensus was overwhelmingly postive especially with regards to features such as the countdown and predictive lap timing function never before seen in a karting gauge. Gotta give those college kids lots of credit!

Well I have ranted enough for one day. We are facing the start of one of the busiest racing seasons ever and I need to get back to work.

See you soon!

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:16 AM | Comments (0)

The Ides of March

If you've heard the warning, "Beware the Ides of March," then it's probably due to the works of William Shakespeare. The Roman ruler, Julius Caesar, was assassinated on the Ides of March - March 15, 44 B.C.E.

In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, an unknown soothsayer tells Caesar, who is already on his way to the Senate (and his death), "Beware the ides of March." Caesar replies, "He is a dreamer; let us leave him. Pass."

The Astrologer Spurinna
According to historical writer C.J.S. Thompson, Ph.D. in The Mystery and Romance of Astrology, 1929, the unidentified soothsayer from Shakespeare's play was a Roman astrologer by the name of Spurinna. According to Thompson - and confirmed in Plutarch's account of the story written in 75 A.D. and Suetonius in 110 A.D. - it was sometime prior to the fateful day of March 15 that Spurinna had first given Caesar the famous warning to "beware of the Ides of March."
The astrologer, Spurinna, had previously warned Caesar that on the Ides of March, he would be in great danger. If, however, Julius Caesar took care on that one day - then all would be well.

According to Plutarch's account, Caesar had previously made the wise decision to stay within the safety of his bedroom chambers on the 15th of March. However, Caesar's "friend" Decimus (Albinus) Brutus (not Marcus Brutus) managed to convince him that the astrologer's warnings were nothing more than superstitious foolishness.

So Julius Caesar decided to attend the Senate on the 15th of March. On his way to the Senate, Caesar "accidentally" met up with the astrologer. Upon seeing the Spurinna, Caesar confidently informed the astrologer: "The Ides of March are come."

Spurinna replied, "Yes, they are come, but they are not past."

Later that day - on March 15, 44 B.C.E - Caesar's enemies assassinated him in the Pompey theater, at the foot of Pompey's statue, where the Roman Senate was meeting that day in the temple of Venus.

What Are the Ides?
In the ancient Roman calendar, each of the 12 months of the year had an "ides." In March, May, July and October, the "ides" fell on the 15th day. In every other month, the "ides" fell on the 13th. The word "ides" was derived from the Latin "to divide." The "ides" were originally meant to mark the full moon - but since the solar calendar months and lunar months were of different lengths, the "ides" quickly lost their original intent and purpose.
So an alternative (albeit somewhat dubious) theory, as to why Caesar might have "seemingly" ignored the ominous warning of Spurinna, is that perhaps Julius Caesar got the dates of the warning mixed up. He may have been thinking that the Ides of March fell on the 13th.

Using this theory, forgetful Caesar would have been very careful and stayed home on the 13th of March, but on the 15th of March his guard was down.

Posted by MyChron Mike at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)

February 19, 2006

I'm Back!

Well i've been away in Northern California on my annual ski vacation the past week. Skied for 5 straight days and had a blast. We skied at Mount Rose just outside of Lake Tahoe last Sunday and then for 4 days at Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra. Some of the most awesome snow and weather I could have hoped for with only 1 day of snow and the rest beautiful sunshine. The trip didnt begin so sunny with snow in Roanoke causing a delay in our departure due to Northwest Airlines not having their own de-icing equipment and having to depend on the other airlines to lend a hand. That would be like AiM asking Digatron for help. Unbelievable. I think I have heard the famous airline words "Thank you for your patience" and "We are sorry for any inconvience" close to 100 times on this trip. Those must be the first words that Northwest teaches new employee's when they come on board. Well at least we arrived in Reno on the same day we departed though it was close. The return trip wasnt much better with delays and Northwest losing 3 of our 4 pieces of luggage and our standing 6 weeks in advance airport limousine ride home being cancelled because they got 2 better paying fares than ours. I have used both Northwest and the Roanoke Airport Transportation company for years but never will again after the poor service as well as extremely poor employee attitude exhibited towards their customers which brings me to my point.

After my week off I have come home to find quite a bit of bashing and outright lies on 4cycle.com in regards to the new MyChron4 and the malicious boasting of one of our competitors. I am well rested, happy and ready to attack the upcoming racing season as never before. We have a fantastic new gauge arriving on the market in a matter of days and have technical support lined up for the year. When our company AiM Sports was founded over 8 years ago our goal was to sell gauges. We accomplished this by offering something unique and by offering something unheard of in the karting world, service after the sale and trackside support. While our products are manufactured in Italy we are not restrained by closed minds who have not yet embraced this global economy. We have the ability to draw from resources all over the world and from our group which includes some of the freshest and brightest minds available today. Yes we are even guilty as charged by our competitor of hiring young men and women right out of college who have joined the team at AiM in their first job's as college graduates. We have been at more races in the past 8 years than anyone and personally I have logged over half a million miles in the air getting to and from these races. It is because of this support that AiM Sports and no one else in the karting data acquistion field can make the claim that we have built more personal one on one relationships with so many of our customers and dealers all across this country. It is the people at AiM who have a passion for being the best which drives this company forward, it is the people that make our company who we are. No we havent been building "instruments" for over 35 years but if we had you can bet it wouldnt have been 32 years before we ever attended our first race for support. Im sick and tired of those who lay claim to what they "have" done in the past. Dinosaurs also used to roam the earth but no longer.

So as the season begins look for the smiling guys with the backpacks walking mile after mile to support our customers no matter what their need at race tracks all across the country.

MyChron Mike

Posted by MyChron Mike at 06:29 PM | Comments (2)

February 13, 2006

Bullitt, Dodge Chargers and Steve McQueen

Booom!

Burnin' rubber.

Contributed by Erik Nielsen,
Director of Marketing

I don't get to watch "Top Gear" as much as I want, but when I do, I catch the re-runs on the Discovery channel which seem to be repackaged versions more suitable for us Yanks. The other night I watched an episode that had Richard Hammond driving a 1969 Dodge Charger in anticipation of the one he was purchasing (they showed it later, lime green colors and all). What a cool car.

They commented, of course, on the role played by the Charger in the movie Bullitt as the cars of the bad guys, and Jeremy Clarkson mentioned that the characteristic "vague" steering of the Charger can actually be seen in the movie during scene with the exploding gas station, where one of the bad guys (who presumably was to collide with the gas station) instead swung off to the side.

All of this reminded me how popular "Bullitt" has been over the years. I had seen it once when I was a kid, but then watched it over the holidays (I think it was on AMC). Very fun. And now Absolut has an ad with a clip of Steve McQueen and his famous Mustang that says "Absolut Man". Apparently Hollywood still thinks the monumental car chase is still one of the best ever. Anybody else love this movie?

Technorati Tags: bullitt, dodge charger, steve mcqueen, top gear

Posted by aimsports || erik at 09:12 PM | Comments (1)