Road America 7/16-18 | FerrariChat

Road America 7/16-18

Discussion in 'Chicago' started by Gilles27, Jul 9, 2004.

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  1. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
    Full Name:
    Jack
    Who's planning on heading to RA for the vintage festival? I'm thinking about taking Friday off and doing it. Anyone else going?
     
  2. spike308

    spike308 F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 8, 2003
    4,461
    Austin TX!
    Full Name:
    Mike Z
    I'm going up thursday night... there through monday!
     
  3. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Just in case you didn't know, the FCA hospitality area is at corner 5.

    We will be going up Saturday morning, we'll be riding the loud and orange Rickman Enfield.
    Bill
     
  4. Dave330gtc

    Dave330gtc Formula Junior

    Mar 12, 2002
    601
    NW Indiana
    Full Name:
    David Smith
    Heading up Friday afternoon. Hoping for good weather all weekend.
     
  5. Cooly0

    Cooly0 Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
    129
    Milford
    Full Name:
    Jozy
    Me and a bunch of other Fcar's are heading up Friday morning at 9:00, will be a cool caravan. We are meeting in brookfield,WI
     
  6. Dave330gtc

    Dave330gtc Formula Junior

    Mar 12, 2002
    601
    NW Indiana
    Full Name:
    David Smith
    I had an enjoyable weekend but was a little disappointed in the low turnout of Ferrari racing cars. Would have liked to have seen some GTOs and SWBs and maybe a Testa Rossa or two. Downtown Elkhart Lake on Friday and Saturday nights was a lot of fun. I never get tired of that town. I think I could retire up there someday. Even my wife acted like she had a good time.
     
  7. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Hey Dave,
    Sorry I didn't meet you there, we parked by the Continental/LFSC hospitality area, and did hang there a bit, but we did get around the track a lot with the aid of the bike.

    "Would have liked to have seen some GTOs and SWBs and maybe a Testa Rossa or two."
    Yes, there seemed to be a conspicuous absence of the usual numbers of Ferrari race cars, (166mm, 212mm, 250 all variants, P3/4, 512BBLM, 6 and 712 CanAM), besides the few formula cars that showed.
    There was also a smaller number of CanAm cars present, I heard that there was a big CanAm reunion in Cal over the weekend.


    "I never get tired of that town. I think I could retire up there someday."
    I agree, there are many areas around Elkhart that are just beautiful, small towns.


    "Even my wife acted like she had a good time." (8->}
    When I first took Bonnie up there, she was quite resistant to the idea, "CAR RACES?", now she really has a good time. She even thanked me for a great weekend!

    How did you like the '49 Caddy?

    Regards,
    Bill
     
  8. Dave330gtc

    Dave330gtc Formula Junior

    Mar 12, 2002
    601
    NW Indiana
    Full Name:
    David Smith
    Bill, The Caddy and Tom Mittler's Mini pick-up were my wife's favorite cars. We stayed in Plymouth and went to their downtown festival Saturday afternoon. Every year I comment on how friendly the people are up there and this year was no different. I'm sure we will eventually run into each other at one of these meets.
     
  9. Erik330

    Erik330 Formula Junior

    May 8, 2004
    711
    Ohio
    I will have to find my pictures of, get this: Augie Pabst and I think Bob Bodin in GTOs (Augie in a 63, Bodin in a 64), BANGING FENDERS in turn 5 fighting for position during the 1982 Chicago Historic Races. Leo Keating letting Jerry Hansen take Leo's 250 SWB alloy competition car out and Hanson turned a 2:46 in it.

    How times change.
     
  10. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Dave,
    Bonnie and I, like your wife were, entertained by the mini PU and the Cad, that caddy had a semi-modern NASCAR motor in it, which explains it's ability to compete in such a fashion. I think it was two years ago there was a '54 Lincoln that had a full NASCAR chassis and drive train in it. Both cars were prepared for the Carrera PanAmerica re-creation races.

    I was also quite surprised to see not one but two of Bill Thomas's Cheetas, now that was a positively sinister handling car.. almost as bad as a older P-cars, by the time you feel it going it was already too late. I have to believe that a number of mods have been carried out on the chassis/suspension on them.

    Are you planning to go to the Monroe St. gathering? Maybe there.......

    Erik,
    I always loved to see Augie and Joe Orosco in their respective Scarabs (both were the original and present owners/racers, at the time) going through corner 14 side by side in four wheel drifts with the hammer down. Since then, I believe that Orosco sold his.

    Regards,
    Bill
     
  11. Michael RPM

    Michael RPM Formula Junior

    Apr 10, 2002
    827
    Oak Brook, IL
    Full Name:
    Michael Wogronic
    Bill, Don Orosco sold his Scarab to Rob Walton; he usually brings up a few of his toys to the BRIC, but I didn't see him up there this year.
     
  12. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Michael,

    I heard that Rob W. is planning a mass assault on the Monterey pre-historics/historics (could be up to ten cars) so he is probably busy getting the ducks all lined up.

    Regards,
    Bill
     
  13. Erik330

    Erik330 Formula Junior

    May 8, 2004
    711
    Ohio
    Bill,

    Did anyone take any pictures last weekend that could be posted? Even sans a lot of Ferraris, sounds like there were some neat cars there this weekend.
     
  14. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Hi Erik,
    Sorry, I didn't take any, I never seem to carry a camera. If I had been one to carry them.... when I think of all of the sports racers, CanAm's, questionably legal TransAm cars, F5000, Ferraris, Shadows, Scarabs, Lolas, Elvas, Chevrons, Chaparrals, McLarens and on 'til my little head explodes.

    I am sure that someone will be posting pic's somewhere, any help?

    You really should have come up to the show, there will be another vintage event 9/17 - 19, but the BRIC is one of the largest vintage events anywhere.

    Regards,
    Bill
     
  15. Erik330

    Erik330 Formula Junior

    May 8, 2004
    711
    Ohio
    Bill,

    I spent a lot of time at the Chicago Historic Races (predecessor to the BRIC run by Joe Marchetti) in the early 80's. The September event is a VSCDA event which is a spin off of the Vintage Sports Car Club of America, the original vintage racing group in the US who held their first vintage race at Elkhart in 1976 I think. My little avatar is a Randy Leffingwell photo of me in a Cooper-Norton Mk4 going through turn 5 at RA in 1979 during the CHR and which appeared on the entry form and in the race program.

    You sure have it right about the dubious Trans Am cars. RA is the best racetrack in America.
     
  16. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    Erik,
    I started going to RA in 68, the TransAm and CanAM were really heating up. The paper thin, acid dipped Penske/Sunoco Camaro's, the metal on them was softer than Cobra's. Denny Hulme and Bruce McLaren going down the backstraight at 195 mph!, then downshifting and standing on the brakes for turn 5, with discs glowing orange. Bob Tullius in '71 racing a '64 GTO (Pontiac) in Trans AM before the he started with the Jag V12's.

    I do agree, RA is the best track in the US in a number of ways, it is a beautiful place, a challenging track (cars and drivers) and the fact that they let the local charitable orgs operate the concession stands is fantastic. A good locally made brat and a beer for $6.00, most tracks you pay $6 for a shi**y hot dog alone.

    And you gotta love the locals, they support the track and warmly welcome the visitors, instead of attempting to legislate it out of existance.

    Regards,
    Bill

    "Racing runs by rules sometimes so restrictive that it's sometimes hard to tell where the book ends and the sport begins. Can-Am racing is a relief from the iron band of the rule book." — Mark Donohue
     
  17. Erik330

    Erik330 Formula Junior

    May 8, 2004
    711
    Ohio
    Bill,

    Thanks for those memories, we were both there. I think my dad and I went the first time in 1966 for the USRRC. Dad and I used to watch the start of the Can Am races in the woods south of the pagoda. The noise of a Can Am start was truly thunderous.

    I have photos of Chris Amon in the pits with the Ferrari 612.

    I remember Sports Car Graphic running an article about a CanAm entitled "The roar of the Bratwurst, the smell of the crowd". I think we'll have brats for dinner tonight to celebrate good memories.

    Erik
     
  18. bill365

    bill365 F1 Rookie

    Nov 3, 2003
    3,319
    Chicago area
    Full Name:
    Bill
    I should be drawn and quartered.....

    How could I forget to mention the 6 and 712's again.

    I also forgot to mention that, this weekend, I was wearing a Ferrari Fantasia button, from one of Joe Marchetti's events.

    And yes, the start of a series one CanAM race, is still unmatched for roar/thunder factor.

    Bill
     

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