Ferrari Challenge held in Toronto for July 2011

Check this out

http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/CAN/ONT/TorontoGP.html#TrackMap

http://www.hondaindytoronto.com/track-map

 

Finally a reason to go to the Indy!

This is good stuff

 

[bites tongue, turns attention back to planning a legitimate race...]

 

Excellent

 

+100

What....Kim Mitchell playing in the Molson Beer Tent wasn't good enough for you ? LOLL

 

I may have to go to my first INDY now.

 

really Brian? So Scott Tucker - a champion at FC, winner at ALMS and SCCA is just a guy that plays with hot wheels? Or Doug Petersen who won Formula Mazda is just some crash derby guy? Sure there are some rookies and rookie mistakes ( name one series THAT doesn't happen in) but the racing is fabulous - remember the fight for 4-5th this year in Montreal??? It was fantastic and no paint was exchanged. Hang on... have you raced Montreal? Laguna Seca, VIR, Road America/Atlanta, Homestead, Sears Point, Mt Tremblant Imola, Mugello, Pergusa Monza or Valencia just to name a few?

When was the last FC race you were at Brian, my former "racing" instructor?

tsk tsk - is this just because no one took you up on your offer to "coach" because real racers like Spenard, Doumillan, and Bourbanais already took the jobs? You remember these guys right?

Saying FC racing is not legitimate is petty and while you don't have respect for the drivers - those that know them, have watched them or have driven with them ( right Lucas?) know they have talent and the guts to go out and drive their cars to their limits ... and lets not forget, an incredible passion for Ferrari and racing. Their paddocks are always open to friends and fellow enthusiasts.....but you are neither

 

Sorry Brian but Nika is spot on this time. I am not sure of the history you guys may have but, that aside, the Ferrari Challenge at the sharp end of the grid is quite well raced. For sure there are some hopelessly slow people out there but some take it very seriously and do quite well by any metric. The championship has the stigma of 'rich guy racing' which keeps some people from taking it seriously but once you hang around racing long enough it becomes clear that 99% of racing is funded by wealthy individuals pursuing their passions. The Ferrari Challenge is no different with the only variance being that the personal funding involved is more obvious than in other forms of motorsport.

 

I've been lucky enough to attend a few of the Ferrari Challenge races over the years and I have to agree with Nika and Rob. Sure all the owners are very successful in the business world but they all have one thing in common, the passion for the cars. Riding shotgun around Mosport in a 430 challenge car driven by a FC veteran is an experience I will never forget. Most of the participants take the series very seriously and aren't afraid to push the cars to the limit. I'm also not sure of the history between you guys but every experience I have had with the series and it's drivers has been great.

Looking forward to having the race in Toronto!

 

Wow, Anitka, I seem to have inadvertently hit a nerve with you. I won't stoop to your level, hurling weak attempts at personal insults. If you feel a need to discuss this further, you know how to reach me. Please note that I'm away this week, so I apologize in advance if I'm not able to get back to you right away.

Rob, I don't know about that. To be perfectly clear, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to race as much I've wanted in the last few years and recognize that very few people get that opportunity. Sure, I could have bought back and restored the old 308 with that money, but I choose my priorities.

Yes, Rob, racing is all about cash, but I struggle with the notion of FC when, for the same budget, you can go to ALMS or Rolex in a very competitive situation, yet few drivers undertake that challenge. Why is that? And when a series that makes personal coaches de rigueur, what does that say about its legitimacy?

 

Brian for sure I do not want to enter into some big public brawl however I really think that you proved the point with your own reply. FC fills its own niche within the racing world. Yes the budgets are similar to those in Rolex or ALMS however they offer different services to the racers each of which has its own value. I have spoken to a number of FC drivers and many of them like the way the races are scheduled along with the much lower time commitment the season demands. Most of these guys have really pressing schedules and to properly race an ALMS or Rolex race at least requires an additional day per event. Over the season that can equal 8-10 days which is a TON for some of these guys. It is all about their priorities.

Also the FC offers itself as a one stop shop for the person who has the money (THE most important variable in racing) but no experience. As such things like full track service, hospitality, driver coaches, and help getting race licences are all useful services that I could only dream of when I started racing and would have greatly accelerated my learning curve. These guys are paying for a specialized service that most racers would love to have a piece of. That said FC may not meet the criteria that you and I may aspire to but then again, many of the guys participating in FC do not have pro aspirations however they do want to make the most of their time and do the best job they can while they are at it. Most of these guys are successful in business by being really competitive and this flows over on the track. Some of them are good and some not so good but that is the same in all fields of life.

Lastly, we need to understand that racing is always to be taken realative to the REAL WORLD and not realative to itself. I'm sure that over the years you have managed to spend well into the tens of thousands on your racing. For 99% of the population, or for the average guy making $40K/year being able to direct that kind of money to an activity that yields no tangible results (other than a trophy now and then) is seen as hugely wasteful and irresponsible. For a lot of FC guys the $ they spend is relatively less to them than you spend on racing your Civic given their earnings and net worth; it is all relative.

 

It's not a nerve you've hit Brian - nor have I stooped to any level. You know my involvement with FC.

This isn't the first time you have insulted this racing series and someone dear to me's racing even though you have never watched him race or even lap.

It's like me, a person that has enjoyed some excellent wines and knows somewhat something about them imply your wife ( whom I love dearly) as a sommalier, is good at choosing a Pinot Grigio but knows nothing about Amarone....and because I have some experience drinking it...maybe not the finest of it, makes me the expert....hence I can say she is useless at choosing Amarone. Makes sense? NOT! She has experience and know how....on a different level than I do when it comes to wine.

I respect that. This why I take offense to you trashing FC and the people involved.....You have never driven a challenge car or been to a FC race - so before you call it illegitimate - please be better informed.

On that note - price a good ride in ALMS and you'll see it's much more $$. As Rob hit the nail on the head - a 6-7 race schedule fits many of these driver's schedules as this is not a job but a hobby. ALMS, NASCAR, Indy etc - chances are the racing is the drivers one and only job/business. If we all spent less money on cars and racing we'd be much wealthier....knitting is a cheaper hobby!!! But we all know that's not in a car/motorsport lover's DNA.

All the best with your club racing - My love to L & D

 

There's clearly a difference of opinion here.

Rob, I agree with many of these points, but it's the high level hand-holding that makes the difference. It's much like Skippy, et al., but with a shift of the decimal point by a couple of spots.

Anitka, backhanded compliments, among other things, are about as low as you can go.

 

So now it comes out. What you are really saying is that you are jealous of racing drivers who have the resources to get thing done for them. But does this make them less of racing drivers.

If that was the case then what do you say to the other “real racing drivers” that race in all the professional series such as Nascar, ALMS, Rolex and F1. Are all these drivers less professional because what they do is RACE. Is the fact that do not fix or work on their own cars or transporting them to races or having race engineers make them less professionals?

You are making comments and rebuttals that are getting more and more idiotical.

Skip Barber Racing schools are for the young up and coming wanna-be racers to get their foot in the door. FC isn't.

"Arrive & Drive"s are not hand-holding ventures.....they are actually becoming very popular with other series I can name you at least 6 drivers from this year that have raced other series from ALMS, F3000, Vintage, Cdn Tire. Oh and how about some of the guest drivers: Paul Newman, , Patrice Brisbois Jesse James etc. Newman finished in the top ten, 8th I think - Patrice, who spent many weekends testing did very well including at least one podium and James.....he was fighting hard to be 2nd last.


If your last name was Villleneuve, Spenard or Schumacher I would give credence to any racing know-how you have Brian.

Remember - just because I'ver rallied the dunes of Morocco or the streets of Newfoundland - I am in no way an international rally driver. Just as you have regional raced or raced in a feeder series - it does not make you an international racing and driving expert - certainly not enough to insult the FC drivers that have more experience and talent on a higher racing plateau than you have ever achieved.

That is not an insult BTW - many "good" drivers have not achieved F1, INDY, ALMS etc either due to circumstance, money and yes even: talent. Good drivers are not great drivers.

One thing for sure I can't comment if you are either good or great on a track - In the last 10 yrs+ I've known you, I have never seen you race

But one thing for sure, I haven't complimented you - so your last comment confuses me.

 

If you really knew me, Anitka, you'd know I'm not the jealous type. Never have been. Perhaps that's what you want to think and perhaps that makes you feel better.

This simple explanation (http://tinyurl.com/fuite) might help you better understand some of the subtleties of the English language.

 

I guess drivers such as Bill Brack weren't really racing either since they sometimes borrowed or 'bought' a ride in such minor races as F1: http://www.asag.sk/ine/Bill_Brac_Formula_Bio.pdf

Photo (C) Gerrit Visser, 1969 Sep @ Mosport
Bill Brack, BRM
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That is a cool link G! Mr. Brack still owns that Lotus "STP" 59/69. You can now find Bill hangin around Lotus of Ontario. I used to work for his Chrysler store just over 10 years ago! Always a gentleman.