For those of you that are totally hooked on great race footage, I have found
the ultimate.
I was not aware of this, but there is an IMAX movie, "Super Speedway" made
with Mario and Michael Andretti driving Indy cars. The movie was endorsed
by Newman/Haas racing and is narrated by Paul Newman. Although I have never
seen the IMAX version of the movie, I just bought the DVD version with
Digital surround sound.
OMIGOSH!
Some of the scenes are so incredible that you cannot believe they are real.
They must have sped up the film... after all, there is no way an Indy car
with a *HUGE* IMAX camera strapped to the wing could possibly reach speeds
well over 225mph. As well, the reaction times of Mario are way faster than
any mere mortal could possibly handle. They must have sped up the film...
right?
WRONG!
I watched "the making of" just for that reason. They apparently used a car
with tons of down force, and increased the legal boost to attain well over
1000 hp for the car being driven. There is some unreal footage of Mario
running an oval, with Michael in another car, and then running at the Molson
500 (?) up in Toronto, Canada with a full field running practice laps on the
road course. The drivers that were interviewed in bonus material on the
disk said that with the extra hp in Mario's car, they were running at race
speeds in all the shots.
If the video were not enough for you... then the sound will definitely put
you over the edge. I have a 7 speaker surround sound system with a digital
amp... My wife's small furry creatures hid under the furniture during the
race footage!
I figure all I need to do is move the chair a little closer to the HDTV,
attach a steering wheel to it, and I will be as close as I possibly could be
to driving over 200mph.
The video also goes into nice depth on how the cars and engines are made;
which is also interesting. As well, there is a bonus side-story about some
guy that digs up one of the first cars Mario ever drove (in really rough
shape) and restores it from the ground up... The movie culminates with Mario
driving it one more time.
After all the bad reviews on this list about all the crap in the theatres...
I can definitely give this a double thumbs up. Its done as a documentary,
but Mario Andretti is a pretty interesting guy... the guy has a pig for a
pet! You couldn't make some of this stuff up! In this case, fact is way
better than fiction.
BTW... who the heck was driving that yellow S4 down in Marina yesterday?
Whoever you are, that was some of the best driving I have ever seen.
Mike #27 M3 AS
// Mike Eynon
// Chief Technology Officer
// OnTh Wireless
// "The Wireless Database Company"
// 1366 Bulb Ave
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Anthony Tabacco
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2001 12:42 PM
To: ba-autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: June 17 at Laguna Seca paddock
For a quicker trip from the Bay Area, take 101 south and drive right on by
the Laguna Seca 156 exit signage up by Prundale. Go to farther to Salinas on
101 and turn directly west on the 68 exit. It will say Monterey Peninsula.
The 55 mph/double fine zone signs through the Prundale area south of San
Juan Batista are enforced by a fair numbre of chp.
Be prepared. The snack bar has no Gatoraid, only soft drinks and expensive
water. They keep it in big iced tubs on the deck so the really cheap can
just dip their...never mind.
Tony
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