A warning from Dr. Jim Lowe about Ultimate Track Rentals
I received this from Dr. Jim Lowe and asked him if he wanted to share this communication with the Skippyforums community. He thought it would be a good idea to warn anyone in our community thinking of patronizing Ultimate Track Rentals to think again. So here is Jim's unedited E-mail to James Scheckter
Sent: Sun, Oct 30, 2011 11:50 am
Subject: Ultimate Track Ripoff, er, Rentals...
Mr. Scheckter,
I recently received from AmX formal notice of their inability to act on my request regarding disputed charges from Ultimate Track Rentals' failed two-day NJMP event this past summer, during which you attempted to run your Indy Lights car for me. It appears that, in response to my request that you provide a partial refund to me, (followed by your email confirming that you were "working on how to get me a refund" and then followed by multiple unreturned phone calls), you simply sent AmX a copy of our contract, and, relying on the fact that I had pre-paid the charges, essentially told me to go fuck myself.
So that all who read this email (and there will be many) know exactly what transpired, I'll summarize our thankfully brief experience together:
I paid approximately $10,000 (and ultimately took a total of four valuable days off from work) in anticipation of getting the agreed-upon two track days driving Ultimate Track Rentals' Indy Light's car. The full contract was pre-paid by me, in good faith, despite the fact that it was immediately evident that the prices advertised on your website were seriously misleading for the NJMP member days run schedule (you charge for a "full day" at the track despite the unadvertised fact that member days include only four 25 minute sessions).
In exchange for my $10K, I received the following: Not ONE SINGLE LAP at full speed without mechanical problems in the Indy Car, as a result of repeated and unresolved gearbox and clutch problems. Over a total of four days, you were unable to get the car fixed and functional, and I was unable to run a single lap without shifting problems and clutch malfunctions making it impossible to run at full speed. In fact, on the third (rescheduled) attempted day of running, the car was unable to complete a full "out lap" in the very first session, and had to be towed in.
You offered to "let me drive" your Nissan instead; I did laps for portions of two 25-minute sessions, with your friends or clients along for the ride, trying to show some element of actual running by UTR to potential customers on your behalf. Regardless, two short sessions in a street car, over four days at the track, was not what I had contracted with you for.
Understanding the difficulties that even legitimate organizations can have when trying to run race cars, I was patient and polite, and didn't embarrass you in front of the NJMP members or prospective clients. In fact, I simply later privately requested to you that you refund me a portion of the amount I paid -- $4,000 -- as a show of good faith on your part. After a long delay, you finally replied that you were looking into "how to give me a refund" since, you claimed, you "had never done that for a credit card before." How creative.
Thereafter, you took the time-honoured (honoured by illegitimate and dishonest people, that is) approach, and broke off all contact with me, failing to return repeated phone and email requests.
You, Jim, had the opportunity to do the right thing, be a smart businessman, and show me that you were willing to extend courtesy to me considerate of my actions at the track and my position as a team owner and driver. Instead, in order to save the amount of $4K, you have elected to treat me like I'm some sort of stupid asshole, demonstrating clearly and unequivocally just what type of dishonest person you are, and just what an illegitimate and unreliable organization Ultimate Track Rentals in fact is.You had the chance to make it all good, maintain a working relationship with someone with an impeccable reputation in the world of professional racing, and make the minor concession to meet (not quite) halfway on the issue of money spent in good faith for what turned out to be a worthless event. Instead, you chose a path that, although unfamiliar to me, is obviously easy and comfortable for you.
As a result, I now look forward to each and every opportunity presented to me to clearly and exactly relate my opinion of you and Ultimate Track Rentals whenever the topic arises, and as frequently as possible even when it doesn't. Over time I have established and maintained widespread contacts in the racing world at every level. As a respected member of the racing community, my opinion is valued and my advice and input on many racing-related matters (especially those involving paying driver-clients and racers new to the pro-am ranks) is sought out and valued. Unfortunately, on the subject of Jim Scheckter and Ultimate Track Rentals, I will happily relate my opinion of what a cheap and dishonest person you are, and what a complete rip-off of a business Ultimate Track Rentals is.
It is an unfortunate fact that the racing world has had more than its share of unscrupulous and dishonest people; clearly, Jim Scheckter is just another one of them.
Jim Lowe
JLowe Racing, LLC
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You draw 'em a picture and they eat the crayons... (Duck Waddle commenting on the creative ways some people interpret driving instruction.)
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