Hi all,
a very sunburnt and burned out Dave Terrick here reporting on the "guy's
weekend" at the races:
Wow!. What a show. I was involved, years ago, as a flagman at thew Detroit
indy, but this was a whole different experience. The other half lives (and
races) very differently.
For starters, there was not a beater to be seen within miles of the track.
We, the "poor folk" were camping. Next to a 4 year old vette and a Land
Rover (his Benz doesn't get used for "camping weekends")
Notwithsatanding that, everybody was friendly. I don't remember that about
the Detroit race, maybe we were all just stressed from 18 hour work days on
the corners, maybe not. But, a Manitoba plate was enough to get most people
to wander over and say "hi" and share a, um beverage. American race people
sure take their camping seriously. And their fun. We had fun. And once
again proved that Manitobans can drink with the best of them (that VTR photo
didn't lie).
I think I'd like my ashes to be scattered over the hurry downs at
mid-course. Well, OK, maybe not, but I'm gonna race that track yet.
Elevation changes of a 10 story building up, down,up, down, down ome more,
up then down, mountain goats would feel at home. There were few mosquitoes
seen or felt. The beer was ice cold, the bratwursts braised to perfection.
And, except for the fact that a beer cost $3.75 - $4.50 (that's in Cdn $'s,
$2.50 to you) I could not have asked for anything else. No matter where we
walked to - and did we ever walk a lot - there was another concession stand,
another great view, and more friendly people.
Race day saw the place filled with about 130,000 people, most, it seemed
took race observation very seriouosly. I had a scanner with me, which made
me instant friends (again) everywhere. It was neat to see how patriotic the
crowd was - imaging cheering for an Andretti? Hey, what can I say. Tracy,
Carpentier, Moore, all Canadians for some reason did not elicit the same
cheers. But nobody cared when we did. Waitaminnit - neither did I. they
weren't really competitive. I've got photos of Tracy blowing a motor into
the stratosphere on Friday. Carpentier did a barel roll 7 times in turn 2
(like you might see in NASCAR) and I have many close ups of the baggie they
deposit his car in the pits with. Those wheel tethers just couldn't do the
job. And the pieces were too bis to sneak out of the track! Damn!
It would be impossible to synopsize the whole weekend quickly. But here
goes: If you can go to a permanent road course (not street circuit or
oval) - DO IT. Friday and Saturday pit acces is included in the gate and
you will find out that these racers and crew are just like us - only on TV
more. It's just plain neat if you're a motor sport guy. Permanent
facilities are diesigned for the drivers and the spectators - no buildings,
walls, slow corners, etc.
Now the LBC content:
Most of the sports car marques had areas corraled for drivers of those cars
ony. Corvette Corral had nothing but vettes. The 5-6-7 chev area had cars
with paint worth more than an entire LBC. Bimmer Bivouac had old bikes, new
bikes, old beemers, new beemers, slammed beemers, stock beemers.
"Brit's Pits", the LBC corral, had about 4 cars. Boo hiss. Stuck in a
corner, albiet a pretty one, next to the beemers and across from the vettes,
it was largely empty. A couple MGB's, an 'A from Winnipeg, a Jag Mk vii (I
think, real old, RHD, Rolls like) a GT6 with numbers (not mine) but no roll
bar (hmmmm?).
Guys in the TDC who are of the retired generation, tell stories of doing the
750 mile drive in 10 hours in TR3's with 3 people in them. Where did that
spirit go? There were more LBC's around, but no camaraderie, it seemed.
Sorry to bum you guys out but I thought there might be more from the
Illinois region there. Ted Schumacher had his stand out by turn 6 (he has
waaaay more than just TR stuff, y'know) and remembered me. Another friendly
face. I wish I hadn't spent all my money on beer before I found him.
Anybody out there want to rendezvous next year? It's a great party.
Dave T
back in the Great White North
Winnipeg
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