Simon Favre wrote:
>
> Yes, there were several list members enjoying themselves, me included. I
> saw Malcom and Diane Cox, Myles Kitchen, Jerry Burr and I'm sure there
> were many others.
I can see I made big impression on you. Of course I did choose the time
when you were tying your car down to the trailer and getting ready to
leave to come up and introduce myself. Timing is everything in
life--except in real estate, where location is the big three, or so I'm
told.
<snip>
>I ended up squeezed in
> between a blue MGB and a very fast little Abarth.
I'll bet that the black and gold Abarth of Jock Campbell. I had to work
like hell all race long to get around him, and finally did. Jock is
definitely not a "you look faster, I'll point you by kind of guy." But
he's not dangerous so it adds to the sense of accomplishment when you do
get by.
<snip>
> In the feature race on Sunday, one FVee spun it backwards
> into the tires in 2, putting us all on a full course yellow and pace car
> for the remainder of the race. The car was in a real bad place, so they
> had to get it out.
The driver of that car had been working on keeping her foot in the
throttle when going around turn 2 (an off-camber blind corner), and had
been getting more confident when the back end started to get loose, so
she lifted. From all the skid marks in the vicinity, she's not the
first, and won't be the last.
> I really
> think CSRG needs to work on the attitude problem. The faster and faster
> and faster crowd needs to figure out how to do their thing without making
> a mess of the track. It is possible. People have to know when to cool it
> and just enjoy themselves. My opinion is that every time you start
> thinking, "I HAVE to pass that car," or "I HAVE to hold this position,"
> you are potentially creating a problem for everybody else. The only thing
> you HAVE to do in this game is enjoy yourself. Otherwise, it's not worth
> the effort.
Speaking for myself and my group (small bore production), I don't have a
problem with the fast drivers. I do have a problem with slow drivers in
fast cars (and not even in CSRG so much), who seem to think if they can
get within spitting distance of your rear bumper at any point before the
track out point, the corner is theirs.
This week my biggest aggravation and amusement, and that of several
others, came from some new competitors who turned up in Sunbeam Alpines,
which had obviously been prepared at great expense by people who knew
how to prepare a racecar. Would that the drivers had undergone so
thorough a preparation. One would barge into the two hairpin corners
generating great billows of smoke from his tires. How he managed to
avoid spinning or contact is a tribute to luck and the wide berth given
by the other competitors. The other was very prolific at blocking.
We're not talking taking a defensive line here; we're talking drive in
the middle of the track, when the would-be overtaking car moves to the
left, move left. When the would-be overtaking car then goes to the
right, move right. I had to get on the brakes to avoid hitting the guy
during one of these maneuvers. This was on Saturday. Ironically, the
guy came over to my pit, introduced himself as "the guy who was in your
way" and told me what a great time he had. I was literally speechless.
(That is not my usual state.)
Several complaints were made by me and others, and the CSR Pres did have
a talk with the these guys. It didn't do much good, but they weren't my
problem in the Sunday race. These guys think they're dicing with
someone, but they're just holding up people that are faster, and the
only reason they're ahead of the people around them is those people are
playing by a different set of rules.
Let me get to the funny part. Quite a crew. One guy is there with his
wife. They're both in their early 40's I'd guess. She obviously tries
to take care of herself, but she's also not 19 anymore. She looks
really good for a non-movie star of her apparent age. She's out there
in the pits in her short shorts and very tight top, stretched over a
very ample blouse full of goodies. Her outfit is set off by a headset
and a belt containing the transmitter-receiver unit. In-car radio
communications--how useful in a vintage rece, not to mention authentic.
Since she was not also equipped with a stop watch, or any device other
than the radio, I don't get the point, other than appearing to be cool
and awash in disposable income.
My major disappointment was to have been put in a different group from
the one Sid Gage (he lurks here but doesn't post) is in. Sid is the
very capable driver of an Alfa with whom I have shared numerous
contests, the most recent of which occurred at the Pre-Historics where I
passed him three times, but he passed me four times, and not one of the
passes occurred at the same place. Even though I came out on the short
end, I can honestly say that race was the most fun I've ever had in a
race.
I had major luck. A radiator hose failed, but in the paddock after the
morning practice. It's a pre-shaped hose, but luckily Scott Rubin at
McGee Motorsports (Sears Point is a great place to have a mechanical
problem--numerous shops on site, open, and with all kinds of parts you
can't get at Kragen) had just exactly what I needed. I didn't even have
to miss lunch.
--
Tom M
Elva Courier #43
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