Larry, I think you beat me by a couple of months.
Sunday, Sept. 5, was the 34th anniversary of my first event, the Virgo
Autocross, put on Sept. 5, 1965, by Team-X at Mitchell Field on Long Island,
N.Y. I drove my brother Buck's MGA in Class F against TR3s, Sunbeam Alpines,
two Turners and an Alfa Romeo. Yes, I still have the results. It was the
largest class at 21 cars cars, and I firmly established my practice of
finishing solidly mid-pack -- 11th. But Buck said I wouldn't beat anybody
and I had as many behind me as ahead of me. Well my first run WAS the
slowest of the day at 78.88 seconds, but the second was a slight improvement
to 67.37 (we only got two runs).
That event I remember like it was yesterday (and often I cannot even
remember what I ran yesterday). There were 86 cars representing several
NYC-area clubs, which was considered a big event. It was a course probably
faster than would be allowed by today's rules. Buck, who finished a trophy
5th at 64.14 seconds, used 4th gear. I only got topped in 3rd. FTD was a
Class A Corvette (Bob DuBois) at 56.43, almost a second ahead of a lightened
(modified class) XK-E.
Team-X, of which my brother was a member, was an exclusive
by-invitation-only club, so my "achievement" was beating a Team-X driver by
.02 of a second. By brother told me later of the conversation he had with
that fellow. (Understand that Buck was a pretty good driver then, and I'd
only SEEN my first autox two weeks earlier and this was my first drive).
"Sam, you let my brother beat you."
"Well, he's your brother so I figure he'd be pretty good."
"But Sam, he's never driven my car before."
"I know, but still..."
"But Sam, he's never driven an autocross before."
" " (envision jaw hitting floor)
Although it was a fast course, there was this one turn... A one-pylon 180
with a wall of outside cones. The technique was nothing I'd even want to
attempt today with our sticky tires.
We'd come steaming into the turn in third, downshift to second, dump the
clutch but do NOT give it any gas just as we approach the pylon and jerk the
wheel effectively locking the rear wheels because we were going faster than
2nd gear would permit, and as soon as we got turned 180 hammer the gas and
storm out of the corner. Worked great on tires with no traction!
After that event, I came home to Kansas (I was a KU student then) and before
the school year was out I was the owner of the Spitfire I am still driving
today.
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry R. Metz <lrmetz@home.com>
To: Team Net <autox@autox.team.net>
Date: Tuesday, September 07, 1999 10:32 AM
Subject: Who is the most senior Old F-word person?
>Hey gang, my first solo was Summer of 1965 in my '65 Spitfire....Muncie
>Dragway, Muncie, In. where we setup pylons for a solo...
>
>Anyone go back that far?
>
>Also, how many events have you driven in?? My data base is up to over
>450 events, most of which I have placing and times. Anyone beat that?
>
>I sort of like the idea of old F.. but I do not appreciate the name.
>Is there an organization for "nice" experienced soloist that do not use
>four letter vocabulary?
>
>Larry #66 solo vee
>
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