comment on the vintage races

sambrozy · #1 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 09:32 AM

Maybe I'm just getting older but I thought the event to be a scaled down verson of its past. At times I was bored and I guess this is where the Laguna event shines because there are other distractions.

My two cents.

Stan

Also I was just told that some races are scripted. They still give a good show but the winner is predetermined.

kevinR · #2 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 11:02 AM

while some may have a predetermination, some do not.
the brian redman races are Not, nor is the saac national.

sambrozy · #3 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 11:30 AM

I was just surprised since they seem to going at it. Again some of the races, even if they are scripted, are great to watch. I was also told that there are more vintage races on the east coast.

stan

Charlie · #4 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 12:35 PM

Say it isn't so. Scripted races!!!! What is this world coming to? Are you guys talking about the HRS historic racing series, or some other series. I was just getting hooked on the HRS. I have only been to one, at Daytona last year, and the Cobra kicked a$$ on the competition. I would hate to think that any part of that days action was scripted.

sambrozy · #5 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 12:42 PM

This same source lets call him Mr. Big stated that HRS is not doing the scripted\events. Again this is only an select races and I think seeing the lead changes makes for a good show. The Sunday Trans/Am the lead changed every lap.

Stan

427sharpe · #6 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 01:21 PM

Some of the events are 'scripted' so that guys that own the really expensive stuff will bring it out...like Daytona coupes. Others are done so that Walter Mitty doesn't let his ball$ get bigger than his brain and kill somebody. Remember that some of the cars have seen a half century of use and fatigue can be a silent killer! Still others scripts are written by guys behind the scenes....like F1 and NASCAR (Oh, can it already! Like Dale Jr REALLY won at Daytona after his dad died w/o help from NASCAR! ).

SCOBRAC · #7 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 02:58 PM

Yea.. It pretty much sucked. If I hadn't gotten in free I would really be irritated.. Hey at least a Cobra "won".. The Cobra / Ford parking area was pretty lame as well.. Where was everyone? Most of you must have had VIP whine and cheese passes..

Hey at least the $7 hot dogs were good.. Maybe it's the economy.

Tom T. · #8 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 04:01 PM

Michael,

Bite me! Errr, bite the hot dog! What was so bad about the SAAC corral? There were 50 or 60 cars there? Mine was, anyway.

TT

Tony Ripepi · #9 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 04:33 PM

I agree with Tom T.....

My car was there and I had a great time, the day before with the BACC Tour de Vin 50 cobras 104 people and then Sunday at the historics....drove my car over 300 miles over the weekend in great Sunny weather. One of the guys at the Tour had Giants tickets he could not use....Thank-You Don...... and he gave them to me, Giants beat the Rockies at Pacbell Saturday night

I noticed and Agree with Stan seemed like fewer people.......$25 bucks to pay homage to Infineon at the gate. I still call it Sears Point, the Good Guys show in P-town at the same time and maybe some influence from the economy.....Great car guys weekend.

Tony R.

SCOBRAC · #10 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 04:40 PM

The cars were awesome.. BUT WHERE WERE YOU? I didn't see any legal beagle types sitting in the cheap seats.. Lots of Cobra admiring 16 year olds.. a few guys wishing they could build one of their own. A few owners.. Seemed like a nice group..

The event was pretty low key.. I came expecting to find a few hundred dollars at least in Cobra accoutrement and related gear.. All I really got was a sunburn and a deep appreciation for not having bought a Corvette.. All in all a good time.. The fact that about half the cars running were slower than a fast ITS 280z was interesting.. I think they might want to start a split field.. Or better yet let replicas have the track before lunch..

I suspect with modern suspensions, 17" rubber and 500 hp we could cut 15 seconds off the 1:54:03 I saw as the fastest lap time a "real" Cobra ran..

Tom T. · #11 (**permalink**) 06-02-2003, 08:55 PM

Oops. I forgot I was only there on Saturday. Lawyers and numbers don't mix, except in prison. Anyway, there was a pretty good turn out on Sunday of all the usual Ford stuff in the corral. My favorite car was that monster from 1919 or whenever with what appeared to be 35 inch wheels, wooden spokes, a few things tacked on, and a mechanic (no doubt the brave driver's fearless wife). Did you see that thing. Once during a yellow it almost didn't make the rise to turn 2. I think its top speed was somewhere around 65 mph. Tony, I agree with you: The track will always be Sears Point to me, Infineon or no Infineon. It's weird, I'm becoming one of those guys I used to make fun of 30 years ago....

TT

SFfiredog · #12 (**permalink**) 06-03-2003, 01:02 PM

I was there Saturday and had a great time. I did the fuel system in the #37 Trans-Am Boss 302 Mustang owned by Forrest Straight. I was great to see it run and it sounded awesome. I went to the pits to say "hi" and immediatley got shanghied into fixing the shifter in the car! "Postman's holiday".Too Bad the GT-40 Mk IV didn't run. I would have loved to hear that 427 tunnel port go thru the gears coming out of turn eleven and heading up the hill to turn two.
You guys have to remember, these are HISTORIC race cars that are, for the most part driven by the lucky rich bastards that own them

They're not professional racers. They're most likely thinking, "how many thousands of dollars is it going to cost me if I stuff this thing into the gaurdrail at turn ten?" If you want to see real vintage racing, go to Goodwood in England. The racing there is freekin crazzy!!
I didn't see Brian Redman, Denny Hulme, or Parnelli Jones suiting up to drive any of these cars this weekend. You might see some of these guys at Laguna Seca this year though.
--Mike

Tinker51 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-04-2003, 12:09 AM

I agree with Mike, if you want to see some great vintage racing either go to Goodwood or catch it on Speedvision (or whatever they call the all NASCAR station these days) if they ever show it again. They are flinging these things around the track and they have a few spins and wrecks so you know they are trying. Great fun to watch.

ac andy · #14 (**permalink**) 06-08-2003, 06:13 AM

Goodwood is absolutely full on. Cobras, Ferrari 250 GTOs, lightweight e type jags etc giving it everything! That is real racing!

Andy.

Mulv · #15 (**permalink**) 06-08-2003, 07:21 AM

Michael...

Actually 1:54 is very quick for Sears in a real Cobra. The rules for vintage dictate that the cars are on original size tires of a very hard compound, so that was quite an acomplishment. It would be unlikely that you could get a replica or any Cobra to get around Sears under 1:49 I would think. I might be wrong, but I doubt it.

The fastest closed wheel car I know of is a Porsche that does incredible times at Thunderhill (like 1:46 something using the cyclone turn- not the cut through) and holds the SCCA closed wheel record at Sears - a seriously fast car of over 600 hp and wings to boot. Here is his record:
SP 1:37.981 92.589 Robert Stefanowicz Pleasant Hill 72 Porsche

That is about 15 seconds quicker.... The Cobras are quick street cars, but I can assure you that the guys in the Cobra group of three that were leading (two broke - sadly), were driving as hard as they could and I doubt that there was much more speed to be found.

I thougt the TA race was really great, one of the best races I've seen in years. A great day all around

mulv