SAAC-32 Trip Report

[computerworks]

...just in from four sunny days in Utah at SAAC-32.

It was a great event at a really nice location, the new Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, UT (pronounced "two-willa" as I was told by every local I spoke to, as I pronounced it like an AFB in Greenland).

Weather? ....uh, sunny and in the 100's.

Location, though, made up for it... The Convention hotel was in downtown Salt Lake City...which is laid out so nice, it is hard to call it a city...easy in, easy out. Downtown is 10 minutes from the airport.

...and with 75mph Interstates, the track was 20-25 minutes from the hotel.

I am sorry I couldn't post here daily during the weekend; the 'net connection at the hotel was...uhhh...poor...plus the days and nights were full of activities.

I will fill out the thread in two parts...rather than a day-by-day, I'll give you a feeling for the event over the three days, with highlights.
...and then I'll post a portfolio of the Cobras of SAAC-32.

[computerworks]

The Miller Motorsports Park is first-rate...what an enjoyable facility.

The open-track guys found the circuit tasty... they used the East track for racing and open track...while the West track was for instructional driving and parade laps.



As I mentioned, the track was about 20-25 minutes from the hotel. I decided that I needed something to cut the travel time down some...




I think I saw a Hertz thread last week...I'll post there later.

The ride out to the track passed right by the Great Salt Lake...which was an amazing sight.

[computerworks]

I am always awe struck by the vistas in this area.... the track was in a flat valley out in nowheresville....but was it ever pretty.

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The Shelby American Collection was there in force, with some nice cars from the Boulder facility



Larry Miller, as you know, has an awesome personal collection. They have set up a museum at the track's welcome center that rivals the Boulder museum in size and content.

A great photo op was the replication of the famous Cobra Caravan picture...with real cars.

[computerworks]

The paddock area quickly filled up early in the weekend and it was a treat to "garage-hop" to see who brought what..









Mr. and Mrs. Bill Malone chat it up with Pete Cala

[computerworks]

Two local companies, Kirkham Motorsports and Racedeck, have year-round garages at the facility...and they had open house all weekend. Thanks for the hospitality...you could always pop over to their garage for some shade and a cold drink.





I had a chance to run down to Provo and visit David Kirkham...who was hip deep in building the "assembly manual" car. He took some time to show me their tube bender.
...and we turned out a set of 427 headers that were one-piece tubes!





Back at the track, one of KM's customers had been side-swiped and had a pretty rough bash in the rear quarter. Saturday was "hammer-time" as the sheet metal was miraculously restored to a condition that you couldn't tell was hit. Magic, just magic.



The Kirkhams hosted a lunch in the Luxury Suites, which had a great vantage point for viewing the track, right over the pits. There's Rich Mason, the owner of the Flip Top guarding my camera gear as I took the picture.

[computerworks]

Saturday night is banquet night, and there were over 700 people in attendance. We met many original Shelby American employees....Lew Spencer and Chuck Cantwell spoke a bit.

Peter Brock was the keynote speaker and gave everyone interesting insight to life at Shelby American in the early days.

[computerworks]

On Sunday morning, we rounded up whatever original Cobra were there for a group photo



...and who comes strolling over while we were arranging the cars but Bob Bondurant.
We took a break and had Bob pose with some of the cars that he drove and won races with...what a moment.





I am going to follow this up with a portfolio of posts of the original Cobras in attendance, but I have to spotlight a gem or two right now.

CSX3011 was in attendance...this car has some powerful history.
If anyone wants to see what Rangoon Red should look like...keep this picture handy



As we were setting up for judging on Saturday, they told me one more car was coming....soon, the ground rattled...and what pulled up? A King Cobra under its own power playing some sweet music on those pipes...

[computerworks]

It was a really fun weekend...if you have never been to a national meet, you really should try it at least once... it's 3 days of pure escapism.

Now...let's take a look at the Cobras....

[computerworks]

CSX 2002, the first Cobra race car, made its debut at Riverside in October of 1962. This car is in the track's Museum.

It shows some great details that were only on the early cars






Note the license plate lamp that was used to illuminate the numbers..



They tried hood louvers to keep it cool. Note the early hood latch



This little gizmo was fail-safe to hold the hood down...

[computerworks]

Dragonsnake CSX2019




CSX2036, dressed up like a Dragonsnake... sitting on an original trailer that was used by Shelby American

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CSX2128, the "Hey, Little Cobra" car



When they were setting up early in the weekend, I pointed out that they had a $1.6 million tent peg there.

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CSX2175, a nice street roadster with a tan interior

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Rich Mason brought out the Flip Top, CSX2196.... that is always a rare treat.

The car is...well...magnificent.

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CSX2201

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CSX2299, one of the original coupes. They were not able to get all the Coupes there as planned...but we were treated to a few.

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CSX2324, Larry Miller's personal road racer.

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Here are two beautifully restored black small block cars that I could not tear myself away from.... they stayed tucked away in garages all weekend...but were still fun to see and explore.

CSX2461



and one of only a few dozen factory automatics, CSX2569

[computerworks]

Coupe....CSX2601... in the museum

[bnewell]

Great pics Ron.....thanks for sharing!!!