Well well, I guess it has to happen once in a while, but I can say, it was not
the first time I've ever been rained out at the races, not even at Infineon.
But one would really expect better weather in Sonoma in May or June, the
weather gods must have had the day off.
I went out Friday for the car caravan to Sonoma, we left the track at 10:30
with about 22 cars, it was overcast but warm, a really nice day actually, we
did some wine tasting and had a BBQ lunch at BR Cohn Winery. Lunch, supplied
by Infineon, was delicious, chicken, sliced Tri Tip, salad, garlic bread,
beans, and three different types of cookies for desert, an excellent meal. We
then went back to Infineon, and did our three laps, we had two Cobras, two
wannabee Cobras, one a mustang, and one a somewhat different Jag XK 120 with a
cobra motor in it in front of me, behind me were a very nice 68 Camaro,
Barracuda, and a 68 Mustang GT, plus a few other cool cars. For those who did
get on the track in their VW Westfalia or other supposedly in-appropriate car,
we even had a 56 Chevy Apache pick up, a 58 or 59 Cadillack limo, a 1909 Ford
race car, that weren't fast but joined in the fun, and were glad they did it.
It was all about the fun and participation folks.
I had sent out an email on Friday that our club would be moved to Turn 4 or 7
if it was raining, so I got out there at 9:30 Saturday AM to look for our
members. I found Wendell Bain there in a truck, Sarto in his beautiful Elan,
Larry Gardini showed up in his TR6, as did Greg Tatarian in his MIni, and I
believe two others in a BMW. Other than that, we had some Morgans, Mini's,
BMW's, and across from us were 20 some Datsun/Nissan Z cars, not a bad showing
at all. I know some stayed home, and some parked closer in, and hung out in
the wine tent, as those of us from turn 7 did, after heading down to the
paddock area. We hung in the turn 7 area for several hours, where we drank a
little wine to help stave off the cold sideways driving rain, soaking coats,
pants and shoes. I have a picture that one Mini owner took of us that included
myself, Wendell, Sarto, and Larry under one large 5' unbrella. Wendell held
the umbrella shaft with two hands, and I held the windward edge with one hand
to keep the umbrella from flying away, while waiting for other members who
might show up. We then went to the wine tent, where I think almost every
attendee at the track was waiting for us. I feel the same as several have
mentioned that the wine and food was sorta lacking in and not too interesting,
but hey, wadda ya gonna do. I left with my grandson and we went on found some
good chilli cheese dogs and some hot coffee from two of the independent
vendors, and headed to the cafe to EAT and warm up. Then it was out to look at
the cars in the paddock area, watch what little practice there was, then back
to turn 7, where we met up with Tim and a couple of others, then out for laps.
My grandson spent the afternoon counting off the time, he loved it. Then it
was Miller time, met with Tim, and John Thompson and examined his AC Aceca
with the 289 motor, (John, hope you got the oil leak fixed) then home to watch
Nascar racing.
I headed back out sunday morning, I called Mike D'Addario who said everyone
was again parked in turn 7, so off I went, hit a pretty good rain squall on
hwy116, but after that the weather was fine for the rest of the day. I found
Wendell and some of his Morgan friends, some Minis, Z cars, and some Porsches,
but no NOBBC members. I went to the wine tent, found Charlie Wehn and his
wife, looked for others with out success, watched some great racing, back to
turn 7 to find Dennis and Sheryl in their MGBs, John Kenner's card on my seat,
more Morgans, Porsches, Z cars etc, a glass or two of wine (stashed carefully
in the trunk of my car, then laps on the track. For those that were there, too
bad our laps were cut short, for those not there, some blithering idiot in an
expensive black Porsche with a big wing on it, actually managed to loop his
car backwards into the concrete barrier, just out of turn 11 and onto the
straightaway, causing a severe blemish to the rear end of the beautiful
Porsche, and a halt to laps for the rest of us. Disappointing, especially for
many of the first timers to the track, but all in all, for me it was a great
weekend. I had fun, a great time, enjoyed meeting and talking to a great many
people. It's too bad that we didn't get together as a group, but there are
always the club rides, the weather is supposed to get better, (it is June
ain't it) and we can always try the car corral at other events. I suggested to
Mike D'Addario, the way it's going, that they might get rained out for Nascar,
He told me to SHUT UP! Thanks to all those who came out, next time we'll do
better, I HOPE!
Michael Gianandrea
64 TR4
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