Chris, I don't think we mean to "pick on 'ya", but you have gotten us into a
sore subject here. We're delved into it before (maybe last winter before we
all go too busy trying to get ready for the first spring event!)
>
> You're right. My Caterham isn't a true vintage racer. Caterham's do have
> a racing pedigree. Not only the campaigning Europe but also, events such
> as the Nelson Ledges race in 92(?) in which a Caterham won overall.
I know we all respect them as racecars but I'd guess we mostly think that
cars that are currently manufactured and raced are not appropriate for
racing with old cars. Even Porsche 911s are part of a very long production
run, but I never saw anybody trying to enter a '95 in a vintage race.
However, there should be a venue for racing these cars, any cars, in my
opinion. PCA has classes for all Porsches, BMWCCA also. THe fact that HSR
has a class for you means you can go racing with them, but you cannot
possible convince us "old farts" that it is vintage!
>
> Granted HSR may have it's problems (I was at Savannah and your dead
> right about the incredible number of incidents). The class I'll be
> driving in is "Sports Challenge" which is for essentially production
> cars. My reason for getting into racing is to enjoy myself, having been
> at lots of different sanctioned events I find overall HSR has the most
> appeal to me.
We used to say that nobody under 30 had a sense of their mortality....I'm
almost 51, have written off a car (mechanical failure) in a spectacular
fashion, and am very concerned that 1)I don't get hurt and 2)I don't have to
spend a fortune on bodywork.
It seems to me that any group with a record like that of HSR at Savannah has
some explaining to do. Did they think it was the "runoffs"?
Are we, like the late Dennis Jenkinson said, making racing too safe? Is that
what makes people take too many chances or drive so far over their heads???
Several years ago, I parted company with SVRA when I got run off the course
twice at Summit, (once by a member of the Drivers Committee! ) and then
watched the carnage the next year at Watkins Glen.
I have concluded that I do not want to participate in any "commercial"
vintage racing organization. The fact that they are "for profit" means that
they might accept cars (like the TR4 that broke in half and crashed (
because of frame rust overlooked at tech) in front of me at Watkins Glen
breaking the dirver's legs) or drivers that have no business being on the
track.
The one exception I make is the Jefferson 500, because Brian (Redman) and
Charlie (Gibson) police it well. And by the way, they will accept anything
too, up to IMSA GTP cars, for special class races. Why not? Come on up, I'll
buy you a beer and show you my toys!
As for 3 year old NASCAR cars, what is the controversy. NASCAR IS VINTAGE
RACING! Can't get much lower tech than those cars-straight out of the 60s!!!
(Sarcasm aside: I just discovered two restored 50s stock cars in a parking
garage not 5 miles from my house...one's an EDSEL! Hey, I could get into
that!)
Jim (down from soapbox to mix of cheers and boos....)
>
> Regards to vintage, how many vintage race cars out there can only boast
> the original data plate with everything else replaced?
>
> Chris Smith
>
jeh@fotec.com http://www.fotec.com/jim.htm
veni, vidi, veloce
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