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Re: ESPN Palm Springs coverage

To: simon@LSIL.COM
Subject: Re: ESPN Palm Springs coverage
From: jeh@world.std.com (jim hayes)
Date: Thu, 4 Jan 1996 23:56:41 -0500
> Reply-To: simon@LSIL.COM (Simon Favre)
> Status: R
> 
> Somebody once said about Can-Am cars, "You step on the gas and shit
> happens." Somebody else said, "At one time these cars were capable of
> killing the finest drivers in the world, and today they are being
> driven by dentists." 
In 1968, I did development work on a McKee with a 333ci Traco Chevy small 
block. 1450 pounds and 500+ HP. We ran it with a 160mph gear set and 
estimated 4 sec to 100 (2nd - 3 rd shift). In fact I remember my brother 
coming in after a session at MAR in St. Louis, noting he had to BRAKE at the 
end of the pit lane to slow down for the corner coming up!
I was 22 at the time and doing aerobatics for relaxation; sure I was 
immortal! But I never got used to that car.
I spent a lot of time around the Can-Am ans USRRC, crewing for people (incl. 
Donohyue/Penske at Laguna in '67). One thing I remember - those cars were 
never praised as "handling cars". Remember, we're at the very beginnings of 
aerodynamic downforce. Everybody who drove them referred to them as vicious 
at the limit, and if you watched carefully you could see the drivers 
tiptoeing through the corners. I remember thinking Donohue, Gurney, McLaren 
and Hulme, and maybe Jim Hall looked like they knew what they were doing, 
but many of the drivers looked just plain scared!
Now how many dentists do you think can hop in one of these cars 2-3 times a 
year and be safe? 

Jim Hayes - Alfa nut    
jeh@fotec.com  tel:1-800-537-8254   fax:1-617-396-6395
Vintage racing '59 & '62 Alfa Spiders. Street ride: '57 Spider.
On the web: http://www.std.com/fotec/jim.htm
All generalizations, with the possible exception of this one, are false.

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