Just got back from the Moss Motors Buttonwillow British Extravaganza.
You should have been there if you weren't.
There were more British race cars than I thought there would have been,
but not as many street cars for display. There were probably less than 100
street cars on display.
I won one of the two funkanas and got a trophy and a $50 Moss gift
certificate.
Jon Paschke took first place for late model Triumph with his restored
1981 TR8.
The races and qualifying heats were fanatastic. There were about 10
races every day. They raced 3 wheeled Morgans, oceans of mini's and Sprites,
a Morris Minor 1000 on steroids, prewar Lagondas, and pre-war specials
powered by Offenhausers. There was even some fool out there with a TR3 that
was completely street legal. He did well.
Lots of the racers who like to show off their cars also had
"exhibition" wives that were showing off their talents. Sometimes it is hard
not to stare.
Both days at noon, they let the spectators drive on the track. They
said "no passing the pace car", but on Saturday, the pace car pulled off and
we all cut loose. Yeeeee-haaaa! They eventually made "slow down" gestures at
me and I had to cool it. On Sunday, they left the pace car on the track, but
some asshole in a Porsche 911 passed me on a curve and then pass the pace
car on the warm up and I am surprised that we all didn't get thrown off.
There was another asshole in a Suburban full of kids on the track being a
rolling road block.
You can only get going about 50 on the track on the curves in a street
car. I got up to about 80 in the straight. What a stitch.
The BBQ was great. Surprisingly good, considering all of the people.
The raffled of a 1960 Bugeye Sprite with 600 tickets at $25 each, the
proceeds going to the Tulare County Boys & Girls Club. I didn't win it.
Without admitting guilt, one of the most interesting races that weekend
at Buttonwillow was the V8 American iron. They had Vettes, Camaros, Mustangs
and Cobras. Most of these guys had more testosterone and money than brains
and put on quite a show. They had to straighten out the track a bit for them
(different layouts). In one heat, a big block Vette followed the first place
Mustang around until the last lap, then he passed him and then at the last
curve (a sharp and slow 90 degree) slowed down and waited for him and
dragged him and down the straight to the finish line, stomping on that poor
guys adrenaline/testosterone saturated aorta. Talk about ego and guts.
There was a wild purple Jaguar D-type, but it had brake problems and
didn't race. There was also that new Jag SS-100 replica there. Look pretty
good.
Lots of fun.
I can hardly wait till next year.
Bill Brewer
Tehachapi, CA
1960 TR-3A TS72747LO
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