DEREK BELL: 66 Yrs Old And Racing At Daytona 24

Ok, that get's me right off the fence, ordering tickets today. I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Bell at the Milestones Club at the Daytona 24 a few years ago, where he spoke before the group. After the meeting I ran next door and purchased a vintage photo of the long tail 917 he won with at LeMans. He looked at the Photo and said that's my car, and signed it "247mph" and said that's the speed on the Mulsanne Straight. His wife looked at him and said are there more next door, can we get some? To which he replied Honey we've got lots of those at home. Now that was was cute....If you go, do the Milestones Club if tickets are avaliable.

Below is Copied from an earlier post...


http://www.daytonainternationalspeed...24_at_daytona/


https://secure.racetickets.com/Dayto...=3&showCart=no

It's here again....it's very real...and if you have not seen it, been inches from the cars as they pass on the banking at the Start Finish Line...then you have no idea and need to expereince this event. What I like about this event as you can get up close to the action, and the drivers as well as the cars. You walk the paddock anytime, and pitt lane before the race, standing next the drivers and their machines. It is also insane that they run for 24 hours, just amazing. The action at night, with the fire from the exhaust and glowing roters, and wrecks being bought in for repair as you again, watch up close, is a sight you must see at least once if you are a true race fan.

My Suggestions are as follows:

1-The Milestones weekend-You will drive two laps on the track on Friday, and then have lunch with some of racings greatest. A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet Bennie Parsons, David Hobbs, Brian Redman, and Derik Bell. As you know, you will never have the opertunity to speak with Bennie Pasrons again, so I really treasue that breif converson I had with him after the event. I find these people to appreaciate their fan base, and they are willing to share with us ordinarny folk.

2-Two Day Champions Club-This gets you into the Dayton Club in the infield. This 4 or 5 floor club has all the amenities you could want. Large glass windowed bar with TVs, cattered meals, as well as roof top viewing for a limited number of ticketholders.

Below is an outline of the tickets:

2008 Rolex 24 at Daytona
Saturday, January 26, 2008

Each January racing's greatest stars pack their bags and head to Daytona for their chance to tackle North America's most prestigious sports car race - the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2007, more than 100 championships were represented, making the Rolex 24 at Daytona the ultimate gathering of racing's who's who.


4-Day CHAMPIONS CLUB - $495
Enjoy four days of sports car action in Daytona's historic infield, including four days inside the DAYTONA 500 Club, as a member of the Champions Club. This exclusive package also includes delicious food and beverage all weekend, 10 beer/wine tickets, garage access, souvenir program and gift.

2-Day CHAMPIONS CLUB - $350
Enjoy four days of sports car action in Daytona's historic infield, including two days inside the DAYTONA 500 Club on January 26th and 27th, as a member of the Champions Club. This package includes delicious food and beverage all weekend, 6 beer/wine tickets, garage access, souvenir program and gift

EXECUTIVE SUITE - $515
Frontstetch Sprint Tower suite access on Saturday and Sunday. Includes garage, paddock and infield access Thurs - Sun. Preferred first come first serve parking. Continental breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, champagne brunch on Sunday, unlimited soda and water, (6) beer/wine tickets, event program, and souvenir gift.

MILESTONES CLUB - $165
Milestones Club access which includes: 4-Day Super ticket, Sprint FANZONE access, light breakfast and lunch (Friday only), Reserved infield parking, souvenir program, drive in own car for Pre-Event parade lap on 3.56 mile road course.

ADVANCE SUPER 4-DAY TICKET - $85
This all-inclusive pass allows daily access to the infield and grandstands to enjoy all four days of action. Also includes Garage Access, Sprint FANZONE and daily infield parking. Overnight parking begins 1/26.

ADVANCE 2-DAY INFIELD/GRANDSTAND - $40
Saturday/Sunday admission allows access to both the infield and grandstands along with Sprint FANZONE

UNRESERVED 2-DAY GRANDSTAND - $30
Saturday/Sunday admission for the unreserved grandstand.

Let's go!

A Dopo:

David
www.fca-sc.org


Juan-Manuel Fantango
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#2 01-09-2008, 08:34 PM

 

A three-time Daytona 24-hour winner?

That's *almost* as impressive as someone else's record I know of!

 

This is excellent news although at 66 I'm not sure how much race time will he be able to do. It's amazing that a guy that raced F1 in the late 60's can still participate in such a race.

Derek Bell's Rothmans Porsche is a timeless classic of sport prototype racing.

 

Derek is a good personality. Old and slow, but a good guy.

I used to LOVE his in-car commentary during the touring car races.

"And I'm going to squeeze on the throttle in this turn and.... OH GOD what is he doing? You stupid A$@#OLE! Oh, sorry Bob well anyway it looks like I've spun out and I'll have to continue my commentary later"

That stuff was priceless

 

Derek Bell is a rocket, I always enjoyed watching him. Who here got to watch him drive the MC12 at the Ferrari sebring event!

 

Derek is a class act, a genuinely nice person whom I had the pleasure to ghostwrite for during a 5 year period and it was truly enjoyable and an honor, if you haven't see the in car 956 video of him get one. Realize that if Ferrari had been on the crest of a wave when he drove for them in F1 his career might have taken a very different turn.

I just hope he has a fun and safe race!

 

Mr. Bell was my instructor at the FCA Nat'l meet in Colorado Springs (2000). He was fast and sooooo smooth.

Told me not to worry that the car (my F355 F1 GTS) was capable of doing much more than I could, so don't worry about it! LOL

Very nice guy and a great instructor.

Note also that he won the Race of Legends at Monterey Historics last August against Rahal, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Fittipaldi, et al by several car lengths. started 4th of 5th, outbraked the field in the first few turns and won easily. (This was recently replayed on Speed TV).

My best wishes to him.

Forza Derek Bell. May the horse be with you!

 

one of the few internationals to do well straight out of the box at bathurst.

 

I read it somewhere that either he used Nick Masons name or Nick Mason used his name when they checked into hotels.

 

Yes Mason used his name which is why Derek's first wife was once very distressed to hear that "Derek Bell" and his musician friends had trashed a hotel room if I recall correctly! Nick Mason wrote that in a column just a few months ago.

 

i'll be there all four days, PM me for contact info and let's all hookup!

 

good one

 

That's ok, Mike. He's quicker than you! <grin>

In Car 956 is really awesome. I used the 'Ring footage to help me learned the sim version and his Silverstone lap is incredible...

 

I don't think he is. Well... not him today at least! I'm sure "back in the day" he was!