> From: Vintagemg@aol.com
> Date: Tue, 5 Sep 1995 21:20:34 -0400
> Cc: vintage-race@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Replicas?
> In response to Greg Petrola's comments.
>
> I race a vintage car. I don't really give a hoot about the people who pa
> money to come to the vintage events. I do it because I enjoy it. It is
> for everybody. We do it for the joy of taking the old iron out on the tra
> where it belongs. Not in a museum.
>
CLIP>
> I and others believe in the vintage adage that here, "the cars are the
> stars". Replicas are fine, for trips to the mall, the golf club to impres
> your buddies, etc. But Vintage Racing is for Vintage Cars. No exceptions
>
I believe we now have three forms of "vintage racing".
1) Show events : Monterrey, Chicago Historics, LR Fall Festival, etc.
(Typically the vision of one man) Where the gold chain crowds go to see and
be seen. Looks is all important. Bring the fancy cars and the young honey in
spandex on your arm.
2) Racing events: SVRA, HSR, VARA, etc. (mostly commercial operations) where
the idea is to race old cars for trophies. Car prep is the thing. Bring the
pro crew and run fast and hard. More transporters in the paddock than at a
pro race (at #1 events too.)
3) Fun events. Most VSCCA, smaller groups, mostly clubs, must be some in the
rest of the country, trying to keep it low-level on the competition scale.
Filled with the same cars we raced in SCCA 25-30 years ago.
Trick is to find an event or group that meets your needs.
> From: Gregory Petrolati <gpetrola@prairienet.org>
> Subject: Re: Replicas?
> If these cars are getting so rare or expensive, why not let the less
> expensive albeit carefully done replica vintage race? Isn't the real fear
> here that at some future time these "replicas" get passed off as the real
> thing? If everyone knows the car is a replica and there is no attempt
> to "defraud the public" who is harmed by allowing a wider variety in
> the racing ticket?
>
> Granted vintage racing is for you, the collector... But isn't it also
> for me the photographer, and the person who loves the sound, spectacle
> and history vintage racing represents?
I believe the problem relates to both these points. When I started going to
races, I saw old Ferraris and Maseratis, Astons, OSCAs, Jags, etc. Vintage
racing has lost many of the truly spectacular cars because of the fear of
damage. That is a problem caused by too many over-competitive drivers and
too many not-so-competent drivers. Unfortunately, vintage racing has become
a very popular, big-bucks activity. It is attracting too many drivers who
should stayed spectators or should have gone to SCCA or IMSA. There are too
many "bought rides" in vintage, too little driver training or management.
That's what's causing most incidents, not failure of our old cars which
worries pepole like Jay and me (remember, I wrote a car off because of a
failure of a 34 year old part!) When someone like Peter Sachs complains, we
should listen.
You won't solve the problem by letting in replicas. They're just another
"bought ride", by somebody who couldn't afford the real car of his "Walter
Mitty" dreams. If people want to race replicas, let them start their own
class or organization. Play to the crowds and set up a "Senior Tour" on
ESPN. Remember the carnage when they tried that with racing seniors in the
new Jags?!
Jim Hayes jeh@fotec.com tel:1-800-537-8254 fax:1-617-241-8616
Vintage racing '59 & '62 Alfa Spiders.
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