The North Star BMW Car Club, which boasts about 1,200 members, is a chapter of the BMW Car Club of America, one of the country's largest car clubs. A picture of health today, that wasn't always the case for the area club. In the early 1990s, it was so moribund its chapter status with the national organization was in doubt.

But some people stepped up - including John Biesecker, a past club president who is now the club's chief driving instructor - and it not only remained a chapter, it grew its membership to a number most area clubs can only dream of attaining. The number is somewhat deceiving, however. While all area members pay $40 a year in dues and enjoy a great monthly magazine, only about 10 percent of them are active in the club and no more than 30 percent attend at least one event annually. Still, the situation is far better than it was two decades ago.

Always involved with cars (he grew up in Indianapolis and his dad owned sprint cars), Biesecker now oversees the club's 60-some driving instructors. They handle the club's high-performance driver education driving schools (about three per year at Brainerd International Raceway, the first is May 29-31) and one-day car control driving/instruction clinics at Dakota County Technical College. The club also sponsors "Street Survival" teen safe-driving education programs. These events are open to non-members and non-Bimmers.

The clinics, including one in winter where you "learn how to drive what you drive in winter," says current club president Jorge Rimblas, are recommended before drivers take on BIR. Driving schools there, open to drivers from novice to advanced, involve classroom work and safe, fast driving. Nothing is timed and there's no racing. Other club events include social gatherings, tech sessions and driving tours, including two with overnights this year, and a spring "Garage Door Opener" (May 2) that gets cars and garages in shape.

With BMW emphasizing the driving experience, it's no surprise why people like Biesecker join the club. He buys used BMWs "simply because they're great driving cars" and likes being with people "who like driving smoothly, fast and well, and who want to pass on their knowledge." As a driving instructor, he says he also likes helping people "develop skills that could save their lives."

Rimblas certainly qualifies as someone who likes driving BMWs. Owner of a 1991 318is and 2006 Z4 M coupe, both of which he has driven at BIR, he says he didn't realize how much he could enjoy driving until he drove a BMW. "They're so responsive," he explains. "They really make driving fun."

For more on the club, visit www.northstarbmw.org or e-mail membership@northstarbmw.org.