New Member in Virginia | FerrariChat

New Member in Virginia

Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by Eric Cruz, Aug 23, 2009.

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  1. Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz Rookie

    Aug 21, 2009
    30
    Barhamsville, VA
    Full Name:
    Eric Cruz
    I just want to introduce myself and say that I am looking forward to getting to know the good folks that are on this forum. I live in Eastern Virginia out in the sticks, and I just purchased a 1999 550 Maranello from South Florida - it's due to be delivered this week! It's red over tan, but since I'm a virgin Ferrari owner, I'm sure you guys know the drill!

    I am sure that I will be asking for far more help at first than I will be able to reciprocate for, but I will do my best. As a formula car racer with SCCA for almost 20 years, I spend a lot of time on ApexSpeed.com, the main forum for open wheel road racers in the USA. I know just how incredibly valuable this kind of resource can be, from both technical and social aspects. Can't tell you how many people I've gotten to know on the forum well before I ever actually met them at a track halfway across the country. I look forward to to the opportunity to buy beers if and when we meet, just like I do with my formula car buddies.

    I don't intend to take this car to the track, other than for the odd lunchtime drive around. I saw the thread today on driving ability, so I'll include a link to an example of one of my less stellar moments! LOL It happened this past April, and yes, it went over 4 times, but I will have it back on the track in September.

    Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M7gY-I8xjM

    I look forward to spending time here, hopefully not trying to reslove REALLY bad problems.

    Best regards,
    Eric
     
  2. carguy98

    carguy98 Formula 3

    Apr 27, 2009
    1,482
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Grant
    Welcome to FerrariChat! :)

    --Grant
     
  3. mseals

    mseals Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 9, 2007
    24,468
    Kuwait
    Full Name:
    Mike Seals
    Eric,

    Welcome!

    What an amazing video....glad you were ok....

    Did you ever race in Ponca City, OK, with the SCCA? They stopped having races some time ago, but it used to be a popular venue...

    Enjoy the site... lots of great folks here.

    Mike in Kuwait
     
  4. fou

    fou Formula 3

    Feb 1, 2007
    2,232
    Central Virginia
    Full Name:
    Call me the breeze
    Perfect, now I can tell the Sheriff it wasn't me when i blow down rt 249 to see clients at the New Kent Regional Jail. I can blame it on you.
     
  5. Ferranki

    Ferranki Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2007
    773
    Buffalo NY
    Full Name:
    Ken
    Welcome and congrats on the 550. Please post some pics. Great video and first post.
     
  6. Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz Rookie

    Aug 21, 2009
    30
    Barhamsville, VA
    Full Name:
    Eric Cruz
    #6 Eric Cruz, Aug 23, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Thanks, guys. I think I'll like it here.

    Let's see...never ran Ponca City...actually hadn't even heard of it out here on the right coast, but that doesn't mean anything. From here our closest favorites are VIR (go there if you EVER get a chance - P.L. Newman was spot-on when he called it "Heaven on Earth")and Road Atlanta. I have thousands of laps at Summit Point - great track, still lousy facilities even if they are lots better than they used to be. (Saw a Maranello for the first time in the paddock at Summit in the late 90's. Remember thinking "Wow! It's like a modern-day Daytona. I'll never be able to have one. Then this Spring on a trip to San Diego, I did a little window shopping in La Jolla, and realized, well....maybe....!!) Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Daytona, Sebring and Roebling all occur with some frequency. Like I mentioned in my "other post", I can go to any of those and many more and meet someone I already know from an online community. One of the best benefits of the Internet. Thanks Al Gore. LOL

    Well, fou, maybe we can blame each other! I live about 5 miles from the jail as the crow flies - couple miles off Rt. 30 - what Rt 249 turns into right there at the jail. Local gendarmes mostly know me for getting ATF forms signed off for my NFA weapons, but they did pop me the second night after we brought home my wife's 556-hp Caddy CTS-V. Apparently 77 in a 40 wasn't enough to get written for! Good thing he didn't come along 15 seconds later after I'd exited the esses - he'd have probably gotten me at about a buck-30 going down the straight...bought a Valentine 1 the next day....

    Thanks for the kind words, Ferranki. I'll do my best with some photos here - I only have the ones the former owner provided (forgot to take any on my test drive - guess I had other priorities!):

    OK - just looked and the ones he sent are just close-up detail shots. Here's the link to the pics of the car on DuPont Registry:

    http://www.dupontregistry.com/autos/Search/DRauSearchAdditionalPhotos.aspx?itemid=564901

    I promise I'll shoot and post some soon as it gets here. I'll see if I can post some of the racecar now, though - can't guess who I'm knocking-off can you? LMAO

    The first two are from a day or two before the crash. The others are some of my "favorites" from a series of 32 a professional photog shot during that video I posted...really hi-res, but I shrunk them down to the best of my ability to be able to post. Looking forward to posting pics of a real Ferrari later this week.

    Best regards,
    Eric
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  7. agup48

    agup48 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 15, 2006
    28,633
    Phoenix
    Full Name:
    AG
    Welcome Eric, great story and nice video. :)
     
  8. Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz Rookie

    Aug 21, 2009
    30
    Barhamsville, VA
    Full Name:
    Eric Cruz
    Street car is supposed to arrive home tonight or in the morning. I'll try to get some pics on Sunday and post them.

    Best regards,
    Eric
     
  9. Monteman

    Monteman Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 9, 2006
    2,323
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    Monte
    #9 Monteman, Aug 28, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Welcome aboard Eric! I'm an old open wheeler myself, mostly in FC (F2000 when I was feeling bold or wanted to be humbled by some kids). Do you think you'll make it to the Classics on the James? Be great to meet in person. One word of advice though....rubber side down, shiny side up ;) Glad to see you were OK.
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  10. Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz Rookie

    Aug 21, 2009
    30
    Barhamsville, VA
    Full Name:
    Eric Cruz
    #10 Eric Cruz, Aug 31, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hi Monteman,
    I've heard of the Classic on the James thing....is that the one on Brown's Island in Richmond? I don't know when it is, or what the whole deal is there. I'm not so much of a "car show" guy, but if it's an opportunity to meet folks and I am not otherwise committed, I'm sure my wife and I would love to be there. Where do I go to find out about it?

    The car did actually arrive. No good photo ops yet, but my wife took a couple at zero-six-thirty Saturday when the truck brought it. Yes, I live in the beans and corn, but we have the distinction of having the only Ferrari in this end of Greater Metropolitan Barhamsville. I put in a couple from the driveway, and one I just now took in the shop. Its new home!! I'm sitting out here in the shop working on screwing the racecar back together (you can see what's left of the rolled chassis in the foreground), so when I consolidate the parts, I'll put the 550 over here in the "race shop" side and put the dually back under the lift.

    Look forward to meeting you in Richmond if we can make that work - going to be at VIR for a shakedown on the racecar 26-27 Sep, then a couple races in October at Summit and VIR - assuming I get off the computer and get back to work on the car!! LOL

    Best regards,
    Eric
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  11. Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz Rookie

    Aug 21, 2009
    30
    Barhamsville, VA
    Full Name:
    Eric Cruz
    Hi Monte,
    Sorry - meant to post on your racecar. Late model Van Diemen - '95 or later anyway, judging from the mustache wing and other bodywork? Cool - my buddy has a 99/00 that he converted to Zetec motor - he was one of the prime movers in getting that rule approved. He converted it to a Formula 1000 with a GSXR motor and he was the mule for the Jay Novak conversion that won the June Sprints this year with Coop in the cockpit. I went to Road America with him to crew - no racing for me there this year since I still had a pile of parts!

    Do you still race at all? I see you are from NOVA...will we cross paths (figuratively, I hope) at the track?

    Best regards,
    Eric
    p.s. Moderators - sorry to deviate discussion from Ferraris to purpose built race cars, but I can't help myself sometimes...hey - I did post pics of a Ferrari!!
     
  12. Monteman

    Monteman Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 9, 2006
    2,323
    Santa Barbara, CA
    Full Name:
    Monte
    Go to the Mid Atlantic section and there's a whole thread on the Classics on the James event. It's my first trip there as well. We're heading down Saturday night and then attending the event on Sunday. Hope you can make it.

     

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