Re: Charlie Kolb
In 1969, Miami International Raceway (I hope I have the name right,
Miami'ns please correct me) opened with an SCCA regional that
first weekend. The course was not unlike WPB (Moroso) in
that it used a dragstrip as it's main straight, but was much
shorter than WPB, and there were no aligators in the ditches.
The course was down the drastrip, a hairpin left turn that
started you back down the return road, an artificial chicane,
and then a broad left hand sweeper through the dragster's staging area
and down the drag strip... and repeat.. :-) For the first practice
session on Saturday morning we ran all closed wheel cars in one group.
During that session, I had the pleasure of being passed by Charlie. I
was driving an MGA and Charlie was driving a Lola T-70. I was wound out
(balls out) at about 100 mph and was 3/4 down the drag strip when in my
mirror, I saw Charlie exit the staging area and start down the
dragstrip. He thundered passed me before the hairpin.. :-) I used to
visit his shop on US 1 and even sat in the Lola one evening to help him
bleed the brakes. The best jewel and "the one that got away" was an
Osca-Maserati Formula Junior that sat, complete, in the weeds behind his
Ford dealership. It was offered to me for $600 which at the time was
too princely a sum for me to handle. I still dream about that car,
and the mistake I made not buying it..
Vaughn
Grand_Wazoo wrote:
>
> For those that might not know, Charlie Kolb is back racing his little(?)
> heart out these days. He has a Bobsy that's fast and down right mean
> looking in it's all black paint job. He lives here in Florida and races
> some of our SCCA vintage races as well as many of the major vintage
> organization events.
>
> At Moroso here this weekend I saw him running well and starting the race
> several seconds before the second place car. it took 'em nearly half a
> lap to get his attention and try again.
>
> VAUGHN ROCKNEY wrote:
> >
> > Jim,
> > It would be great if your friend would restore Marlboro too!.. :-) I
> > was over there last weekend and the road course, oval and grandstands
> > still look complete, although grown up by trees and weeds. I once saw
> > Jackie Stewart, Sir John Whitmore, and another guy at the 12 hours
> > there, when Lotus Cortina's were new... also great history of fast
> > alfa's, Baracuda's and SAABS.. Also saw Charlie Kolb win a six-hour
> > there.. sigh..
> > Vaughn
> >
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