Pictured is the exterior of Strictly BMW.

Imagine circling a racetrack in a souped-up BMW reaching speeds of up to 160 mph. Everything around you is a blur. The roar of the engine is deafening, but you're exhilarated by every second of it. Your adrenaline is pumping as you somehow manage to keep control of the speeding car as it rounds the final turn. You hear the anticipation of the crowd as you hone in on the finish line. This is your ultimate goal and finishing second is not an option. As you cross the line, your hands feel numb and your ears are ringing, but the sense of accomplishment you feel is experienced by only a few. This isn't a dream; it's a reality for Ron Newell, owner of Strictly BMW Independent Service in Bellevue, Wash.

Newell's race team, Strictly Team Racing, is in its fourth year of amateur competition and second year of professional racing. The team has seven BMW racecars entered in various events this year, including the West Coast Sports Car Championship held next month.

The Strictly Racing team attends between 12 and 14 race weekends from April through October. Pictured is Newell driving No. 89 - the team's E36 325 racecar.

The Strictly cars, drivers and crew attend an average of 12-14 race weekends from April through October. These events are between two and three days long and require personnel to transport and maintain the cars at the track. The team provides pit crew support, radio communications and logistical planning as well as driver development and coaching for the various drivers who race with Strictly.

“The shop is left slightly understaffed during large competitive events, especially when we have to travel,” Newell admitted. “But there are a number of volunteers that help make up our race team effort so it doesn't deplete our resources dramatically.”

Newell and his son, Andrew, who is also the service adviser at Strictly, are the two primary drivers for competitions. The rest of the drivers own their own racecars and retain Strictly to provide the trackside support and technical expertise. However, technicians and other members of the shop's staff occasionally lace up and compete as well.

Newell's nearly 30 years in the industry has helped him build a successful and unique business. In the early 1970s, Newell became intrigued by the possibility of a mobile tuneup business. After testing this endeavor for a year, he decided that it wasn't a viable business model and instead opened a “brick and mortar” repair facility in California in 1974. In his first venture, Newell chose to specialize in servicing German automobiles. By 1976, he moved to a larger facility and began narrowing his range of vehicles even further. His scope of work included only BMW, Porsche and Audi. After selling the business in 1979, he moved with his family to Washington where he decided to open his current location in Bellevue. He narrowed his field once again, deciding to only work on BMWs, creating Strictly BMW Independent Service.

Ron Newell, owner.

“I chose to work on BMWs because they were one of the most difficult and sophisticated marques to work on,” Newell said. “When I started this business, it was apparent that I could not be an expert on all vehicle makes. But, I had a good chance to become better than proficient, if not excel, on one specific brand of vehicle.”

This expertise and proficiency has paid off for Newell. Strictly services an average of 260 vehicles per month in its 7,000-square-foot facility. The shop consists of 10 to 12 employees, including five ASE certified master technicians with a combined 85 years of experience working with vehicles bearing the BMW badge. In addition to Andrew, Newell's youngest son, Adam, works at Strictly BMW in the Parts Department. Newell says the main advantage of working with family members is “you know their personal ethics and morality. The 'can you trust them' question has been answered.”

Newell's shop incorporates a 2,500-square-foot race and motorsport facility. In addition to the Strictly Team Racing cars, the facility maintains vehicles for between five and seven other team racecars at any given time. Newell's passion for racing has become a successful extension of his business as well.

“We enjoy driving and the competition,” Newell said. “[But] we also wanted to attract the 'enthusiast' market segment to our shop. Racing validates our competency in the 'high performance' field and has helped us become the leading BMW performance tuning facility in the northwest.”

To that end, Newell has created a racecar rental program for his customers to experience the intensity of high-speed racing. Strictly handles the transporting, setup and support of the cars. They also provide lunch, shelter and dressing facilities for the enthusiast. Newell says the program caters to all experience levels, from novice to professional. “A lot of value comes from our support, coaching and feedback as the driver endeavors to gain competency in the racing field,” Newell said.

Recently, Strictly BMW Independent Service launched a comprehensive Web site (www.strictlybmw.com) as part of its marketing initiatives. The site focuses on Strictly's services, products, motorsports program and customer testimonials. Customers can also sign up for the “Bimmer Informer,” a specialized newsletter sent to them via e-mail. In addition, Newell hopes the Web site will become a BMW resource as well as a way to connect to his customers and potential customers.

Technicians have a combined 85 years of experience working with BMWs, performing services from basic oil changes to complicated engine transplants.

Ian Alexander, manager of Strictlybmw.com, said, “Your Web site is critical today when it comes to branding. We want our customers to feel involved when they visit our site. By keeping it full of fresh BMW-focused information, we're really bringing our patrons something different, something they can't get anywhere else.”

Strictly BMW is also actively involved in the community, collecting food donations for Northwest Harvest, an organization that accepts and distributes food to various hunger programs in Washington. Newell and his staff have set up a collection site at their shop as well as at race venues.

Newell says his business is constantly changing. He adopts new systems and procedures that will better his business in the long run. But above anything else, his customers' feedback is paramount to Strictly's success. “We're always looking for customer feedback,” Newell said. “If you ask, they'll tell you what they want. And it's our job to change as our customers' needs change.”

Newell is currently in the process of developing his exit strategy, enabling his successors to run a well-established and growing business. According to Newell, this process will take four years as his business evolves into “Version 2.0.”

Strictly's parts department.

“I will slowly be removing myself from the day-to-day operations and helping the new management team implement Version 2.0,” Newell said. During this period, Newell plans to coach, train, watch and correct as necessary.

For nearly 30 years, Newell's experience in the industry has given him a sense of fulfillment and reward. “As chief trainer and coach, my job is very rewarding,” he said. “Watching our personnel grow and mature in this industry has been a joy. Hiring the right person is only a start ... retaining qualified help is key to customer confidence and profitability.”

Newell has been a member of the Automotive Service Association for more than 20 years. He believes involvement in the association creates a venue for support in regard to industry concerns. “The bonding and camaraderie that you receive from the ASA group can't be found anywhere else,” he said.

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