[Fot] Sebring 12 Hour, part 2

[Henry Frye]

Our one goal is to finish on the front page of the 70 car field. Oh, the
other goal was for me to bring the car back to the pits as it left...

Friday morning comes, SVRA has 60 minutes on the schedule to complete 2
races. Our Vintage group goes first, the Historic guys run second. I put
on my still soaking wet drivers suit and down to the false grid Mike and
I go. Mike makes sure I am all set and starts walking back to the
paddock to watch the race. As he is walking he hears Burt Levy on the
P.A. system adding color commentary as the cars take the field. As Mike
explained to me, Burt's comments went something like this.

"And here is Mike Jackson in the #62 red TR3. All TR3's drive like
bricks, but you guys are in for a real treat because this is one of the
best TR3's in the country, and Mike sure is one of the best TR3 drivers
you are going to ever see."

I hope none of the 50,000 fans were disappointed. Hey, what they don't
know will not hurt them!

I take the green, and quickly find the rhythm of the track. As I get
some heat in the tires and get comfortable sliding the car around, I can
feel the many similarities between the TR3 and my TR4, but this is quite
different. It is hard to explain, but it is more real, much more
challenging. By the end of the session I conclude that TR4's are wimpy
in comparison. I imagine the learning curve in a TR3 has to be much
steeper than a TR4. My arms were flailing about keeping it pointed the
right way around the corners, while in my TR4 you turn in, the car takes
a set that's it. This is really, really cool.

While I am out there wearing myself out I keep waiting for some sign
from the tower that we are done. Lap after lap we pass under the man
with the checkered flag, nothing. Finally I see the one to go sign. I am
ready for this race to be over!

Meanwhile Mike and Glen are nervously looking at their watch wondering
why their driver is still out there holding the loud pedal wide open for
over 30 minutes when this was supposed to be a 20 minute or so race.

Apparently the starter kept missing the leader! Oh well. If they score
the race the way Carl Jensen says they are going to, we accomplished all
our goals. If not, we are the second car on the back page of the scoring
sheet. Not too shabby.

Mike, thanks for the opportunity, Glen thanks for all the great work.

Now I need to find me a TR3 racecar. That was serious fun!