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Re: Charlie Kolb

To: Grand_Wazoo@mail.flinet.com
Subject: Re: Charlie Kolb
From: ROCKNEY@rcksuni1.is.ge.com (VAUGHN ROCKNEY)
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 16:59:27 -0500
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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