Italian Automobile Festival of Speed, Feb 27-29 at TWS

When we went on our backroads cruise after the car show Saturday, I and a few others got seperated from the group. I saw one Pantera behind me disappear with a cop at one point, so I slowed way down realizing what had happened--area residents had reported us all to the police. So the group ahead of me keeps on zooming along, and I end up slowing down enough that I get left behind. About 10mins later I round the corner coming to an intersection and there is the 250, a a couple of more Panteras all pulled over together. Cop sees me, points at me, and then points for me to pull in behind with the rest. Sure enough, they said that they had had reports of "Sports cars driving recklessly". Then get this, he says, "Are you a part of any group of cars?" Now here I am in my Pantera, sitting behind another Pantera, with the Ferrari 250 in front of that, and another behind they tagged. I wanted to be a smartass and say, "No officer, we just all happened to meet up here by accident." Sheesh. Well, anyway, got a ticket because I didn't have my insurance with me, and actually someone else got the same ticket. No speeding tickets, so all was good.

There were actually two Pantera incidents involving damage this weekend. The worst one happend to a guy who has had his Pantera in Colorado at Pantera Performance for the past year getting I don't know what all work done. He took delivery Saturday, and proceeded to take it right out on the track. I've yet to find out exactly what happened, but I do know he ended up in the wall. I saw the car briefly and the front left was smashed pretty good, so I think he spun it. It may have been the car had way more power than he was used to, not sure. The second incident happened to a guy who was thankfully going about 15mhp when his back left wheel came flying off! Jury is still out on the reasons this happened, but at least no one was hurt.

That 250 is a 1961 250SWB, one of 200 made I think I was told. It belongs to Gray Gregory down in Houston. It won at least two awards--Most Desirable Ferrari, and I forget the other. Really unique car, and like I mentioned above, he isn't scared to drive it, as that's what he drove on the cruise.

Here are some pictures:

 

More:

 

I found out more information on the wrecked blue Pantera. Dennis Quella of Pantera Performance had built a brand new engine (600 + HP), and installed a new radiator, new wheels and track tires. The owner came onto the track for his first session slightly late so the yellow was already down and the track was hot. With cold tires and about twice the HP of his old engine, he got loose in Turn 2, then the car shot back across the track and into the barrier. The damage appears to be mostly limited to sheetmetal (fenders, hood, lower valence) and hopefully didn't get into the chassis - though apparently the drivers door was pushed back very slightly.