Racing Fan Hosts

[BigJon]

According to the bios, Scott wants to be Michael Schumacher and Dan wants to be a racecar driver. Are we going to soon start having the race reports every Monday morning and a lively debate around the noon switchover on who the better driver was that weekend?

I can hope.

BigJon, racing fan and engineer

[barfle]

As a once and former race car driver (I won a little money and spent a LOT), I still enjoy a good bench race.

Most of my tales from the track deal with my first time in a situation, and whether or not my actions were successful, and some of the amazingly brave, stupid, skillful, clumsy, smart, or otherwise remarkable actions on the part of other drivers.

[ScottB]

I am a huge fan of performance cars and racing, basically Dan and I talk cars all morning until I go on the air and then even through the studio walls we still talk cars. What type of cars did you race?

[barfle]

Way back in my younger days (1973 and 1974), I raced a VW sedan. That may not sound all that interesting, but the engine put out about 140 HP, and put about 100 of them on the ground.

The racing was nominally desert racing, but the guys who raced in the desert typically raced for entry-fee funded purses, which meant that if you were lucky you got your entry fee back. They formed a couple of sanctioning bodies to race on dirt tracks around Los Angeles and charge admission, which is when I showed up.

Typically, there were two major classes, sedans and buggies, with divisions below them based on engine displacement, but not always. They did have safety requirements (pretty rudimentary these days) but when it came to running gear it was pretty much "run what you brung."

I eventually ended up with an engine that displaced 2180cc (about all you could fit in a standard VW 1600 case) and a beefed up transaxle with close ratio gears. I have a picture of it available to post (it's been in my profile before) but the site has been acting up lately so I don't have the url for it (and I've tried the things I think make sense ).

The best I ever did was come in second a couple of times, but I had a few moments of glory before I got distracted and passed.

I like to tell people that as a race driver, I put myself in the same category as the Unsers, A.J. Foyt, and Bobby Rahal, because I've been beaten by Rick Mears, too. I knew him before he started racing Indy cars, and he was clearly the class of the pack even then.

[BigJon]

Barf,

What was Mears like back then? I've had several chances to interact with him through racing and he seems like a genuine, down-to earth guy.

Scott,

Have you ever been on track?

BigJon

[DanM]

I have had the opportunity to drive my 74 BMW 2002 on the course at Lime Rock Race Park. This happened many years ago before the Bimmer was sold for an engagement ring!!!!

I have also taken my MINI to the driver's school at Lime Rock. It was a great way to learn about the car when I first purchased it.

I also drove a shifter cart on the oval at Daytona about 22 years ago. That was an amazing experience. 100 plus miles an hour 1 inch off the ground. I had an uncle who was a competitive cart racer for many years in both England and the US.

The faster the better!!!!

[barfle]

Originally posted by BigJon:
Barf,

What was Mears like back then? I've had several chances to interact with him through racing and he seems like a genuine, down-to earth guy.

BigJon

I wouldn't have been too surprised if he had a huge ego (because he certainly had the skill to back one up), but he was a great guy off the track - helpful, friendly, and not at all impressed with himself. While I wouldn't say he was particularly nasty ON the track, you knew he meant business and wasn't afraid to push you out of his way if that's what he needed to do (that certainly WAS part of the on-track activity - I've done it and had it done to me - dirt track racing is a contact sport, no doubt about it).

[ScottB]

Once again Dan and I talked cars all morning.

[mmichaelson]

and what's wrong with that?

[ScottB]

Nothing is wrong with it at all...we are one track minds

[mmichaelson]

[BigJon]

So Scott, have you been on track?

BigJon

[mmichaelson]

I like formula racing. . .and I love to look at concept cars. .

[barfle]

Being a VW buff (although I like saxes, too), if I won the lottery, I would try to build and drive the world's fastest VW powered car. Four engines, two transaxles, and a flying mile! I wonder what it would do...


I think formula Fords are beautiful cars - they look a lot like the F1 cars did back in the 1960s when they didn't have all the fins and foils, just a sleek body with four tires. Driving one of those would be a real kick!

[ScottB]

I have never been able to drive a track....hopefully when i find a reasonably priced 4th generation toyota supra twin turbo to purchase i will finally be able to drive a track....

[BigJon]

Why wait? Pick yourself up a used Mazda Miata or Toyota MR2 and go have a cheap blast now.

BigJon

[BigJon]

Originally posted by barfle:
I think formula Fords are beautiful cars - they look a lot like the F1 cars did back in the 1960s when they didn't have all the fins and foils, just a sleek body with four tires. Driving one of those would be a real kick!

My old buddy helps run a racing school at Pocono Raceway. That's not too far from you. They have formula fords for the school program that fit me, so you know they are roomy. Last I checked it was $300 for a half day instruction in the car.

Try it before you are too old to enjoy it!

BigJon

[ScottB]

I love the ability to modify that car, the stock internals can handle over 700 whp...with the proper fuel system, turbo and clutch. The reason I love the car so much is due to the fact that back in high school my freind and I went to a dealership and pretended to be brothers and told the salesman that we were going to school in Cali and our father told us to go look at mid priced sports cars. 3000 GT and 300 zx and the Supra. Well the salesman bought the story and the next we know we are cruising with a brand new twin turbo 6 speed supra doing well over the speed limit with the salesman in the car. From then on I have wanted one and that was in 1993.

I have just recently started looking for one again and almost had one in NY state but a guy from Georgia bought the car sight unseen within and hour of him posting it on the internet. That car is a hot automobile right now. Blue book value has gone up for the turbo six speed models. The sticker price was 50,000 and they still sell for 30,000 in some cases.

<small>[ 12-09-2004, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: ScottB ]</small>

[OperaTenor]

[whisper] Real racing's done on motorcycles. [/whisper]

[ScottB]

LOL, I am not a fan of riding. I have tried it, I just didnt feel comfortable. But I was riding a motorcross bike in the sand which is probably not the best place to try it for the first time.