Ed Dellis Instructs at Science of Driving.
Formal Education
Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Florida, (top 20%)
Graduating Thesis: “Vehicle Dynamics for the Racing Automobile”
Automotive Business Experience
Owner /President of PersonaGrip, Inc.
Invented (aboard a turbocharged motorcycle at 130 mph) and twice patented PersonaGrip Moldable Steering Wheel Handgrip System used by over 2/3rds of IndyCar drivers within a year-and-a-half of its introduction.
Customers include Indy Car and Formula One drivers: Emerson Fittipaldi, Arie Luyendyk, Scott Goodyear, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, Dave Villwock (Miss Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplanes), and Mike Seebold (Formula One Boats).
Director of Federalization
Performance Plus, Inc., the official US Hartge BMW importer, 1984-1985.
President
Motorsport Engineering, Inc. Ed federalized customer-direct-imported cars, and
modified high-performance Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and BMWs, 1986-1987.
Automotive Journalism Experience
Columnist
Wrote 21 articles in four years for BMW CCA’s Roundel magazine in a column called:
“On Driving”
Currently published in The BMW Enthusiast’s Companion, by Bentley Publishing Co.
Associate Editor
Wrote 95 technical articles for SAE’s Automotive Engineering magazine over a period of 2-1/2 years.
Racing Experience
Driving a 1958 Lister-Corvette:
Fastest Quarter Mile*, 2002 Cannonball One Lap — Indianapolis Raceway Park
(* This record held for 8 years)
Fastest Lap, 2002 HSR Group 11 — California Speedway 1:54.139 (long course)
Third-Place 2002 Super Tuner Challenge — Michigan International Speedway
Won The Cannonball Baker Award, One Lap of America 2000.
Won Fastest Time of Day (FTD), Michigan International Speedway, One Lap of America 2000
Won Fastest Time of Day (FTD), Gingerman Raceway, One Lap of America 2000.
Racing Various Cars
Won Vintage Imported Division, One Lap of America 1999
Second Place, Vintage Imported Division, One Lap of America 1996 & 2000.
Won the National Auto Journalist Association Pro-Solo Championship in 1988.
Received his first IMSA license in 1987.
Won the Men’s Fastest Time of Day (FTD) in a 1.8-L BMW 320i, 1986 BMWCCA Oktoberfest.
Won the Men’s Fastest Time of Day (FTD) in a 2.0-L BMW 320i., 1985 BMWCCA Floridafest
SCCA State, Regional, and Southeast Divisional Champion, 1982.
Drag raced at age 18 at the Gainesville Dragway, and worked as starter and announcer.
Sold joy rides in modified 2.0L Pinto to high-school classmates at $1/spin.
Began Motocross racing at age 14
Raced One-Design Sailboats at age 11
Rode wheelies over a mile on Sting-Ray bicycle at age 9
Lecturing & Media Experience
Human-Machine Interface Tuning in Automotive Ergonomics — IQPC Annual Steering Conference, May 2014, Ann Arbor, MI
Paradigm Shifting the Human-Machine Interface in Racing — Berlin, April 2013 at we.conect Annual Steering Conference
KDOC TV Morning Show — Feb ’08, Trailbraking in plain English
Led Classroom for TrackTime Driving School, 6 years.
Developed method for explaining car-control using Friction Circle, fuzzy dice, handcuffs, hairbrushes, and balloons.
Taught high-speed Police Pursuit driving.
Full-Time Instructor, Skip Barber Racing School, 2 years — Car Control Clinics and Ambulance Training
“The State of Driver’s Ed in This Country” Presentation — CRTL 1989 Annual Conference in Washington DC.
“The Secrets of Autocross” Presentation — 1986 BMWCCA Oktoberfest
Had over 40 traffic tickets by 17th birthday
Lost high-school driving privileges at 16 in a ’69 Z/28 Camaro
Lost high-school driving privileges at 15 on a motorcycle
Got whacked on a bike, spent days in a coma, New Year’s Eve 2004