Johnny Ferrari (& Roland) at Gateway Int'l

I went and saw your guy's cars today at Buxton. I was in awe, Steve Chancellor also brought along his F40 and his Saleen S7 so 3 F40s and a S7 made my year!

 

How should I start this story?

There are so many great stories, I think I will start with when Roland got sick and gave me the "win one for the gipper!" speech. I then suited up and put old John down by 2 two laps in the last group 5 20-minute session! That was a good memory but then I hit the snooze button and realized it was about 9 O’clock and I had to get to the airport to pick up Mr. Johnny Ferrari!
I arrived at an empty airport and pick up Johnny, and the fun began. When we got to the car I opened my trunk and he got to see his present. The 1/18 scale model of his car that I made from pictures taken on the Players Run. "I would say he liked it, but the real joy was on my end. Here is a guy looking over every little detail of a model of his car. Only to watch me the next day looking over every little detail of his car after making that model.
We checked into the Drury Plaza Hotel and promptly headed out to Calico's Bar and Grill (although we were given driving directions around the one way streets). We had a few drinks before heading back to the hotel around midnight to set our alarms for 6am. (Here is a tip of advice if you get room at the Drury Plaza ask them how many windows you get because even though I had a penthouse room Rockstar Johnny Ferrari's room was way cooler!)
6am came WAY to quickly. After breakfast we headed to the track around 7:30 and you would not believe all the people that were there at 7:30! We showed up just in time for the drivers meeting, and held our schedule for the "arrive and drive" weekend! (I do have to say that John gets alot of crap for this and I have to defend him. Every time Roland was out signing an autograph John was working on his car or working on getting someone in it!) LOL Anyway the weekend started off by tons of people hanging around asking us questions about the cars, and I thought it was pretty cool that people were asking me questions.
The conditions were fair but overcast, about 63 degrees for the first session but it warmed up over time. However the sun just peeked out toward the end of the day.
Group 5 was the first out on the track and it soon became abundantly clear that John was not happy with the performance of his car. I could not really judge since this was my first F40 ride, but the turbo was overboosting and would shut down. That in turn would snap your head forward like we just hit a wall. After we finished the session we adjusted the wastegate and hoped that fixed the problem. All day Saturday was trying to dial in and dial out the wastegate, but we still had some small problems. Although Saturday wasn't a bust by any means I could tell that John was comfortable with the track but just couldn't open it up all the way. I really wish I could remember more from the first day but I didn't really see all that much, because of the overcast skies and the ear to ear smile on my face.
The day ended on the racetrack and it was time to see what St. Louis had for us. We went to Leclede's Landing in downtown St. Louis, WOW. Everybody in the hotel said that was the place to go as well as one of my friends back home, but boy was it bad. I wanted to go to a sports bar and see the Gator game but the Cardinals were playing so we only saw the end of the game. (You know when they lost in the last 25 seconds) We were then off to the BIG BANG a twin piano bar that had a "huge" crowd inside. This is the part of the story where I intervene and ask everyone to fire up his or her copy of TOP GUN.

Glad to see that you are all back from the TOP GUN interlude. Did you notice that Maverick never lost his wingman again? Everyone John has been made aware of this rule and if a girl doubles you is size, and cannot keep her hands off of you John should be right next to you throwing excuses out there like "We need to get back to the hotel so you can take your herpes medicine” ANY EXCUSE WOULD HAVE WORKED!!!!!!!!
I cannot be mad at the guy I did get her number and plan on hittin' it when I am back in St. Louis. Maybe she even likes Akaneli. LOL
We even saw a lady that looked just like Roland! Except her beard was a bit thicker.

I just realized that most people will not understand most of this story but I guarantee that there are smiles and chuckles coming from John and his friends that the called or text messaged from the bars.

Day Two started with a 6:20 alarm and a handful of aspirin. I called John but he was on the phone with Dave Helms out in Colorado. For all of us that have never met Dave, I must say that he must be a great guy to be calling John about the F40 at 5am Colorado time to work out the problem and give us some instructions on how to fix it. We arrived at the track and adjusted the wastegate while hitting it with a hammer! OK it was a rubber mallet but if that didn't work we had a 4-pound sledge standing by! We also disconnected the oil line that runs through the oil cooler and drained out about a quart of oil. Problem Solved? Not quite but much better. The change in altitude was really giving us a pain in the neck, but now double time because the turbo was really starting to throw your head back into the seat now! The rest of the day was a blur from inside the car, however outside the car everybody accepted me as one of their own.
People with Porsches actually get along with Ferrari Drivers and Subaru drivers are the bomb. Everybody got along at the event and we all had a great time. I know there are parts of the story that I may have forgot, but those may come back up in later posts. This was just a general overview of the weekend and for those of you who look at this post as too long, but I will make an abbreviated version to post right after this.
I would like to thank all the people that I met over the weekend showing me a good time, especially John, and Roland as well as Jeff Snyder of Snyder motorsports, Joe Grasso for just being there (I don’t think he will ever forget us) and the Parktown imports crew as well as the PCA St Louis Region (Jim Fiss) and I hope that we can do it again next year.

-Matt

PS
Attached are pictures of wingmen staying together and some of the ladies that we met!
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we had drinks
we had fun
we had sleep
We had breakfast
we worked on cars
we went fast
we had fun
we scammed chicks
we had fun
we had drinks
we had fun
Gators Lost
John had fun
Matt got sexually assaulted by Quasimodo
John had fun
we had sleep
we had breakfast
we worked on cars
we had fun
we scammed chicks
(is there a pattern here)
we went fast
we had Lunch
we had more fun
We went home and began planning our next adventure together.

Thanks everybody!!

 

Yup, thats about how it goes. There seems to be an omission in the short version. The "cord is now showing, you might want to dial it down a little" factor is missing. Did John ever use the "confession" button?
Dave

 

No but while he was driving I was praying!! LOL

 

Here are some more pics of the 1/18th I made for John!
we thought these shots were pretty cool looking.

-Matt

P.S. Only a Ferrari owner color coodinates with their car cover and still looks somewhat cool!
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Well well well, thanks to Matt's confession, I know what happened that night !!! Super thanks to Matt who was always ready to get dirty to keep the 2 F40 in order.It's now Wednesday and I'm just done unloading the cars. What a FUN trip. Glad that Johnny came with me, we had some great battles out there and did a "show" to all the P. twin turbo on the track...We can honestly say that we owned the track at any time out ..We had an old P car friend who just got a 360 and he was hell on wheels...Steve Clements is always fast and we had to step on it to keep him behind.The LM ran well and did 225 miles !!!!
My trip to Indiana was ver nice and Brian at Buxton Motorsport did a great job for my presentation. Just check what Chris saw in the show room.
In two days, I'm flying to Canada to drive back my friend's F40 to get it ready for the New Orleans event. That will be a nice trip of over 1000 miles.
Thanks to all who made that trip so great, especially my friend Jeff Snyder who took care of the transportation.

 

roland I'm so jealous, I have to come to the next event, maybe in louisiana? when is that one?

 

Well, I have to say it was too cool to meet the two F40 legends in person - Roland and Linder. There was some other guy there, but he never got dirty or helped prep the cars.....must have been a fly in and drive client.....hmmmm...I think his name was John somebody... ;0)

I wish more F-cars had shown up. I don't think I scared anyone with my 308! I just thought it was a riot that with all the Porch iron there, the draw was always the F40's - har! Glad you guys had fun in our fair town, although you would have had more fun if you had just stayed on the East Side....pm me for more details (Matt already has!) The parade on Sunday on "The Hill" went great. We had about 10 Ferraris show up. Afterwards we went to see Jim Weddle's colection. BTW Roland, Jim says "Hi!" What a great weekend! Hope to see you guys again soon!

Roland, all the pics I took were on slide film. If there is something interesting I will print it and send it off to you. I will also be in contact with you for more details to use in my article. Take care!
Jim

 

Thanks Jim, yes, please send me some pics if your were able to take a few good one !! You're still in shock, so I wonder how the pics will be hehehe!!!
Yes that guy Johnny was there but Matt got him to help to wash the car before I loaded them to Evansville. I saw him helping with fuel too.he needs more training for sure !!!!!
Glad that you had a great time, Matt is on the pit crew list for next year, his help was just great to both of us.
Brigitte, New Orleans is on Nov.11th to 14th, and right after that I'll go to Laguna for a NASA event. I'll try to get the "arrive and drive" to join.
Take care
Roland
F40LM

 

ck your pm

I might fly out but I'll need to have your recommend a place to stay.

 

Windsor Court is the host hotel for New Orleans, B.

Although the La Quinta has been rec'd. as a cost saving alternative.......by some of the locals. Are you going, really???

 

Hey Johnny is that for the Skip Barber School? I see that is what they have going on in Dec. How many days are you going to be there?

 

It's a NASA event and since I'm a NASA instructor, I will be there with a STRADALE !!! and alas a Cooper S. The LM will be in piece by that time to be ready for the next season. At this stage, I'm still checking =is my partner in crime will come to Laguna. Would that be a fine way to end the super season we had ???
I'm leaving for Canada to get the other F40 and I hope that at my return, Johnny would have his mind made up.
Take care
Roland
F40LM

 

Just flying out to get that F40, I found the time topost some pics from last week end. First, our truck driver and helper Jeff Snyder, with Matt, they did such a great job.
I told you that I got our arrive and drive to "work"
Than, I went to the "ennemy" but I change suit to be incognito..
After all that work, I got the reward and went on TV during the Buxton Mortorsport show in Indiana.
Enjoy,
Roland
F40LM
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Sorry Johnny boy, but by Laguna time, the LM will be already in pieces. I'll be there with a Stradale and that could be very hot to follow !!!!
I'll be teaching during the NASA event but we sure will have time to battle each other.
I'll call you during my trip back, ast least in that F40, I can hear the phone, I might even have a heater, I'll be spoil for once.
See you soon
Roland
F40LM

 

Hey Johnny I need a copy of all the pics that were taken on your camera on Sunday! Especially the Arch!! That was pretty cool (I even saw a hunk of it when I crawled to the edge of my window in the hotel room). As for Laguna, I will need to know when you are going and when you are leaving. I may be able to join you. Send me an email and I will look into it!

-Matt

 

Hello Boys, I'm back without the F40, snow was the reason. I'm leaving Friday with johnny's 360 and will do a swap in Calgary to drive back that F40.
ZR auto were my host and some host he was!!! Some showroom and he make his place ready for a first class Ferrari service with Dave Helm's help. that will be great for our F friends up North.
For Laguna, I'm going with the Stradale, the LM will be taken part for the annual check up !!!
Johhny, get the 360 clean up so I 'll have a nice trip North, see you in a few days
Roland
F40LM