Hello,
This was posted to our SCCA northeast historic group and I thought
it would be good to distribute this. Bruce agreed :
I returned from my maiden race event as a driver at Monza a few hours ago. I
had a 5 hour tow back and it was plenty of time to 'reflect'. I wanted to
pen this open letter to all the other drivers like me who love everything
about the sport of historic sports car competition.
I just lived my nightmare.Let me qualify that, I am typing this and I walked
to the computer to do so. I drove the 5.5 hours home from Monza by myself. I
am A-Ok but this 51 year-old will be stiff, bruised and very achy for a few
weeks. I have been an enthusiast since my teens when I was my Dad's 'crew'
as he thrashed his Alfas around in club racing in the Northeast. I moved to
Italy 3 years ago and it was a dream realized to race the great tracks of
Europe. Anybody that knows me knows that my cars are prepared by the best to
the highest standards, My 1963 Alfa Romeo Ti Super yesterday at Monza was no
exception. I was entered in the Monza 300 Km (2 days of 150 km each) Coppa
Intereuropa for touring cars.
Now the nightmare:
Qualifying started during a total downpour; it didn't appear like it was
going to let up so out I went, let's get it done. I like the wet and being
sideways having learnt to drive in the hills of Vermont. The car was
behaving well considering the weather. The rain had stopped and the track
was still wet but the line was getting better, time for a hot lap. Down the
front straight 5th 7500 rpm everything ok, into the chicane out in second
and up 3rd, 4th to 5th again through the flat out slight right hand straight
again flat out 7500-8000 rpm as fast as she will go. Down the slight grade
200 meter mark touch the brakes down into 4th, severe vibration from rear,
car pulls hard left, both feet in, brake pedal goes to the floor, left rear
wheel stops then brakes loose then stops, brake pedal on the floor, car will
not respond or steer, heads for the Armco on left, rear wheel breaks loose,
car steers hard right then the wheel locks again and I'm in for the ride
through the chicane, miss a GTA, miss another GTA (my car seems to be
accelerating as I pass the cars that are braking) it catches it's left
front, spins and hits the wall solid right side, goes way up, the glass pops
and comes down. Full stop, all quite.
The rescue crew was incredible, they checked me first, I was OK, tractor
dragged the car behind the Armco, the medics gave me field tests, allowed me
to stand and walk, it was over. This was the hardest hit I have ever had in
a car or motorcycle and I consider myself very, very lucky.
The reason for this long winded note to my fellow historic racers,
My car is 41 years old. It is prepared to period schedule K, series F
(pre-1965) standards; I run Dunlop 500L period tires on 5.5 inch campys. The
car was designed for this level of stress BUT the metal is 41 years old. We
check, double check and replace everything, safety first etc. The culprit
was the left rear brake caliper mount. It fractured the caliper lodged
between the wheel and the axel housing and the piston and all brake system
pressure blew out instantly. We were under the car doing the check, inspect
and nut and bolt just 40 minutes earlier.
I will rebuild the car, luckily I will heal. I will never look at 41 year
old metal the same again. I am not sure what the answer is except when in
doubt replace with new and crack check, crack check, crack check.
Go fast, crack check, have fun and be safe. If anyone has any other
suggestions I am all ears.
Thanks for listening,
Bruce Fernie
Umbria, Italy
bjf@mezzeta.com
Regards, mike piera AnalogMike@aol.com '73 911RS Clone
my racing pages - http://www.analogman.com/911
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