Big Boys and Big Toys
the adventures of Sam Smith and 'Luigi'
April 2003
VSCCA drivers school April 11-12 Lime Rock & 19 Pocono
OMMDBROGRE Scuderia principal Sam Smith, (me) attended the VSCCA
required race drivers school the last two weekends. The process was fun
and successful. With great support from my friends: Mark Palmer, Hutch,
Sue & Kieth Goring and Dave Kisthardt, I am now an official VSCCA
rookie vintage racer. And, more importantly, our steed “Luigi” aka
the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce is now signed off as a VSCCA eligible
racer. Long time Alfa maven Henry Wessels, a member of the VSCCA car classification
committee looked over “Luigi” and deemed him APPROPRIATE!! Big load off my
mind. Tech inspection liked our car save for the shoulder belt attachment
points. They would like to see a bar directly behind the drivers seat.
But I’m getting ahead of myself…..
Wifey Joan and I headed up to Lime Rock Thursday afternoon Apr. 10th without
the Alfa. Our trailer was stuck in farmer Kehres’s field. So
the Contour SVT was doing dual duty as racer and transport. We stayed
in Torrington, Conn. at the Days Inn. (Good Beds) Friday was class
room and we were lucky to be inside as there was a noreaster howling outside
at Lime Rock. Friends Jim and Missy McCarthy of Avon, Conn. led us to a great
ex. train station pub for dinner. Saturday morning the rain stopped
and our turn to drive was at lunchtime doing follow the leader – and drying
the track out for the afternoon real races. There were about 25 of us in
the class, young and old boys and girls. Weather turned perfect by time we
were done for the day. Joan and I enjoyed a nice trip home Saturday
night.
Jim Kehres’s field had dried up enough that I could retrieve the trailer
without the aid of Jim’s tractor. I loaded up and was ready to go by noon
this past Friday 4/18. I took off for my Friends the Kisthardts- Scuderia
Cord- their eight year old son entered 77 quarter midget races last year
won 35 and podiumed 96% on the time.!! Dad Dave gave me a thorough review
of the new Scuderia racer that gets shaken down this coming weekend at Hagerstown
USAC Qtr. Midget race track. Forza Cord!! Anyway we hit the local
diner for good Friday mac and cheese and after watched the latest Harry
Potter DVD Cord explained the “BASKILUS” to me. Kisthardt’s agreed to come
up and provide OMMDBROGRE support latter on Sat.morning.
Left Kisthardt’s a little after five am Saturday for Pocono. Got
to the huge track at 7:30 found Grand Touring folks Kendall Matt and
Chuck there in support of Lamott DuPont and his 34 DuPont Indy racer. Lamott
was a fellow VSCCA school classmate. Like me wearing big grin all the time.
As mentioned VSCCA racers were only one of five groups using three different
track’s carved out of this huge complex. Wow. VSCCA Competition Director
and Driver’s School Director Don Nattrass was also event chair man for this
weekend’s events. We shared our part of the track – the North Course
with club formula ford racers. You would enter the racing pit area
and get lost this place is so huge. Tech was straightforward—we need
to do a better job affixing the shoulder straps. Add a bar behind the drivers
seat for the strap. Henry Wessels approved our Alfa as VSCCA proper
with a nice smile of approval for our car. He was racing his 1930 Alfa 6C-1750
Zagato Gran Sport fifth series roadster with a freshly rebuilt engine.
There was a nice assortment of racers in the VSCCA paddock: MGTDs,
TCs, As, TR-3, various Austin Healey 100-4s and 3000s, Elvas a Bugatti Jag
XK120 Porsche 356s a wonderful beautifully restored yellow Kurtis 500 sports
roadster an Allard Morgan Turners and several Alfas. The most tasty Alfa
there was a very rare 750 Sprint Zagato There were several formula juniors
including a Lotus 18 and one of our instructors in an Elva junior that had
it’s left front upright break just at pit in- convenient I’d say.
A neat side feature was seeing Bob Dusek shaking the cob webs from his
1970 Ferrari 612 CanAm car in preparation to taking it to Lord Marches Goodwood
Festival of Speed latter this year. Bob drove very well and the car sounded
great.
We played follow the leader in the morning to see the racing line around
Pocono north course. At noon with no instructors we were told find our own
reasonable pace and learn the line for about ten laps. Great fun.
At four pm we went out again and practiced two racing starts each with a
five-lap race I had a great dice with the Kurtis 500 and the Alfa Sprint
Zagato and then called it a wrap. Most of my class mates had smiles. We
thanked Don and his team of instructors with our applause. My backside was
real sore by the time I got home Saturday night. And I cooked up a good Easter
dinner for my family Sunday.. Thanks sam.
May 2003
OMMDBROGRE at the VIR Governor’s Cup, Danville, VA
Our Scuderia’s mount Alfa ‘Luigi’ stood up to heavy use this past weekend
at the VSCCA Governor’s Cup races at VIRaceway, Daville VA. I started
out the weekend going to Norfolk Thursday afternoon to the Ferrari Exhibit
at the Walter P Chrysler Museum. Friends David Seibert who put this fabulous
display of Ferraris together and Luigi Chinetti, Jr displaying his “three
posti special” would be there. Long drive but well worth it. First serious
museum display of Ferraris in the US – A dozen cars guided to creation at
or by Ferrari, the company, the man. Wade Fuller and his son Terry stopped
by to see their 250GT PF Coupe on display and to show off their most recent
acquisition….a 59 Chrysler powered Dual Ghia. David and Luigi talked about
the cars to the major donors of the WPCM. Nice nibbles and drinkies.
Friday, Joan helped me load up and head out for VIR in south central Virginia.
Nice long trip. Five and a half hours with stops for gas and a late lunch.
I visited VIR first time almost thirty years ago. Grand VIR Event
director and weekend host and great old friend, Peter Krause let me take
his room at the Yancyville Days Inn which was clean and tidy. We were
sharing the track with the Mid Atlantic Alfa Club- Like our local Ferrari
track events, some Alfas and lots of everything else. Bentley was
the featured marque for this years VIR VSCCA Governor’s Cup. I was
in their group for the races (Group. 2-VSCCA Slow) …Most of these guys drive
very well and we get along reasonably- passing them safely on wave byes.
But there was George Holman driving a black supercharged 30 something Stutz
that I will call “King Cong” from now on. He could run with the fastest of
the small sports cars in our group. His Stutz was an honorary Bentley for
the weekend to level the playing field. I set up near Peter Krause’s paddock
group. There were 55 VSCCA cars entered.
Lammot duPont was there with Grand Touring friends Matt and Maryann Dylan
and Chuck Wray tending to Lammot’s BIG Yellow 1930 duPont Indy Racer. Lammot
had great sessions racing with the Bentley Boys especially Ian Landy in
I think a “29 Speed Six”
Tony Wang brought a 57 300S Maserati, high body 500TR and 250 GT Interim
Berlinetta (one of four LWB TDF Berlinettas made and raced in 1959) Ferraris.
Tony ran all three cars: I know, I was passed by all three at one time or
another out there. Tony is a very good racer.
Let me say right off, it didn’t rain while we raced or practiced. VSCCA
Tech guy Tivy Shinton checked the Alfa over and added another tech sticker
to the windscreen Saturday morning. Peter waited until we had all been out
on track before having a driver’s meeting. It’s fun getting to learn
a new track when things are not hurried and under the VSCCA philosophy requiring
the best drivers and cars to respect even the newbies and slow guys with
no clue like myself. VIR is very complex and I suspect I will be a long time
figuring it out. We used the 2.25-mile North Course which includes
the permanent paddock food concession and showers. And, VIR’s unique features
are “Track Ducks” - a pet that will eat your lunch leftovers. Though
be careful, you don’t want to be guilty of “Track Duckacide”.
Wendy and Bill Djang ran a SE Region Ferrari Club track event down at the
VIR south course. I stopped by and visited with many good friends there
during the weekend. Bob Rapp wowed the crowd with his fly yellow F-60 Enzo.
Gordon and Andi Edwards toured in their pretty 57 250GT Ellaina Coupe.
I was lazy and learning – so I stuck with Third and fourth gears for each
lap. I don’t think I got very good at any of it but I had a great time,
didn’t put any wheels off the pavement, or spin or hurt “Luigi”. Each session
I felt more confident and I spent time thinking about the previous laps trying
to figure where I could do better. Hope to get some laps with a VIR instructor
next time now that I have an idea where the track is going. I only
felt bad about one pass of our honored guests the Bentleys- going up the
hill I crowded past one of the fellows as I was afraid if I lost momentum.
I roll back the other way! “King Cong” Stutz passed me on the front straight
like I was rowing backwards- and out braked me into turn one!!
Peter and Lynne Krause hosted a very nice dinner at the track Saturday
night. We enjoyed salmon, roast pork, and peach cobbler with ice cream.
No long speeches- just a nice evening with friends.
Sunday rain threatened. We had a nice day anyway and by the time
I left for home, the sky was clear blue. Me and the Alfa started our Sunday
morning practice session first and we were still first at the end of the
session. The faster guys got stuck behind the Bentley Boys. One of the guys
from my VSCCA school lost a left front wheel on his 56 Turner just in front
of me. He did a nice job slowing it down Hope to see him at Pittsburgh where
he lives.…Peter put all the “ankle bitters” ahead of the Bentleys for the
‘one o’clock race’ I started on the pole. … two Elva Couriers,
a Morgan, and a well driven Abarth 813cc Double Bubble Zagato pressed past
me at the start. The Zagato couldn’t keep up with the really fast guys so
he hung back and played with me – we both nearly lost it at turn 4 –‘left
hook’ and provided the corner worker a little entertainment - we pressed
on. I finished fifth feeling pretty racy!
A few notes: the new springs and shocks suggested by Peter Krause and provided
by Dave Rugh and the use of the Dunlop Racing Tyres are great upgrades for
the Alfa. Handles very well now. The Alfa has only required a couple
cups of water and a half a quart of oil in two weekends. The “new”
87 ex Hugh Tompkins Suburban is terrific. Tows great… and Hugh(Tompkins)
“Petah had his way with your GTA… light under two wheels, rev limiter chattering-valves
floating…NOT! Hehe Peter drove the GTA superbly. Left lots of cars
unpassed. Great safe weekend.
Had a nice trip home on a beautiful spring Sunday. Worst part of
the weekend is loading and unloading and changing out of a sweat soaked drivers
suit…Anyway, making new car friends all the time now. Love playing with
kids my own age with big toys. Can’t wait till next time. Sam- OMMDBROGRE.
VIR Gold Cup June 6 to 8, 2003
I could write a book on last weekend where the OMMDBROGRE Alfa and me experienced
the majesty of a VIR Gold Cup weekend. Overwhelmed is a gross understatement.
Never thought any track would excite me like Watkins Glen or Elkhart Lake….Virginia
International Raceway is the real deal in just about every aspect. (Track
food still the best at Road America, Summit Point has benches and clothes
hooks in the men’s room.). But by every and any measure I had a great weekend
at VIR.
I did all the prep work I should have done last winter over the two weeks
leading up to Gold Cup. Previously unused back muscles were screaming and
that was before strapping ‘Luigi’ on the trailer or strapping myself into
the car! Wifey Joan sent me on my way to VIR, Danville, VA at 3:45am
Friday morning. She headed for our daughter Barb’s new house near Annapolis
for the weekend. The SUN came up driving down the road- to be enjoyed Friday
ONLY – but no more for the rest of the weekend. The VIR Gold Cup is a private
event sponsored by the track and Harvey Seigel the wonderful vintage racing
person behind the the resurgence of VIR. Julie Allen, VIR track manager and
Peter Krause- sports car restorer/race prep guru/great driver/instructor/event
organizer and a long time great friend staged a world class vintage event.
Many fine friendly folks helped.
American V-8 specials like those made by event special guest Bill Sadler
of Canada(who showed up with one of his front engined roadsters that was
very quick) Listers, Bocars, and Devins. All the fields were full but the
biggest contingent by far was the other feature…MG’s of every vintage and
type, 77 of them were entered. They were my main competition for the
weekend. Some of them were VERY fast. I can talk to the MGTCs, TDs, As, and
Midgets that I ran with. VSCCA Turkey Bowlist Mark Palmer is one of
my mentors. And he is about the quickest MGA guy I know. Bob (BEAT)Schepolien
runs a yellow MGA called “Honeybee”. Bob was in my race group..C-4. More
on Bob latter. Mark was host of the MG doings and his folks seemed to be
having a great time.
I settled in close to the Krause & England paddock compound…They are
very Italian car friendly. They kindly kept me in water advice and tech assistance.
All the K&E folks were very nice to me – but a special thanks to Peter
and his wife Lynne and to Caesar Cone. They went out of their way to help
me throughout the weekend. . Caesar bought a 67 Alfa Duetto Tuesday of last
week and raced it all weekend. An example of sportsmanship- Dick Davenport
loaned Caesar his spare Alfa trans when Caesar’s locked up- good stuff.
Les Smith who was down to help Hugh “fast GTA Jr” Tompkins, was great helping
me before each session get belted in and checking last minute things like
tire pressures and wheel nut tightness. The weekend was so much better for
their kindness
Friday was hot and sunny as mentioned earlier. I had to learn the full track
having only ever experienced the North portion back in May. WOW what a track.
Every one tells me this is a thinking person’s track and I truly agree. While
I don’t agree with timing in vintage racing, it was nice to know I picked
up six seconds from Friday to Sunday and that I was clearly in the middle
of the pack in the rain. One guy in my group blew his motor at the
end of the front straight and I learned not to track through his oil- got
away with the lesson this time. I drank allot of water. Had to – it
was hot. Very nice party hosted by VIR & Moss Motors Friday night.
Stayed at the Yancyville Days Inn again. Keep this secret as it is very good
.
Saturday it rained – all day – I went out for my practice at about 10:30
and the tap opened… it was a ‘frog strangler’ Everything was a gray shadow
outside the helmet. Only about a third of my group went out. Peter and the
other experienced K&E guys told me where to be concerned. Where the rivers
were running across the track… I liked driving in the rain. Did ok too.
I saw one Midget come in on the flat bed with body damage but other wise
most of the problems were mechanical. The big all MG race of over seventy
cars happened after lunch in the sort of dry. Some of those MGB’s sounded
like Robert(Yates), Richard(Childress), or Jack (Roush) had built the motors.
And there was an MGBGT V-8! That was excessively quick. My favorite
cars of the weekend were two American coupes. A Bud Moore 67 Mercury Cougar
that I may have seen race at Marlboro in 67 and a writer for the English
magazine ‘Classic & Sportscar’ is touring US vintage events and writing
stories around his 65 Ford Falcon Sprint GT, neat car. – Sadly
no Ferraris or Maseratis – none. Did run into old friends Andy Green
who has a shop in Savanah and Bob and Dan Baker from out west who were running
very fast formula cars.
I started my Sat. qualifying race toward the back of the grid- got passed
by a couple fast guys placed back there and had a good race with George Pardee
in his MGTF. George looped it in front of me at turn three and I was happy
he didn’t hit me. He caught back up but finished behind me.
Best happening of the weekend were the great compliments the OMMDBROGRE Alfa
received from fellow racers, race officials and Gold Cup spectators. But,
the best feel good came from Peter Krause- Peter took our car out for corner
worker rides. And he was very pleased with our racer. Excellent handling
good power and he especially liked the way the brakes worked. I felt great
after Peter critiqued our Alfa… Made my weekend. Hard work and $s paid off.
Saturday night, I was a stand in for Mrs. Jane “Beat” Schepolien at the wonderful
MG vintage racers dinner. These folks have fun. Even get a little good naturedly
rowdy. The meal again, provided by the VIR catering staff, was excellent.
Especially the peach cobbler and ice cream…by itself worth the trip back.
Sunday was supposed to be nice. But, it was drizzley Sunday morning.
I started thinking I knew something and sort of over drove the car in the
morning warm up session. Nearly looped it a couple times. Got mostly over
this by race time at 1pm. Every one had paid their money- they ALL showed
up- so Group C was about seventy strong. The same fast guys passed me again
in this race. I kept Schepolien in site… Mark Palmer and the fast guys lapped
me at the end. I loaded up and headed home with a stop for a little comfort
at the Ashland Cracker Barrel.
Partner Hutch is working on vintage racing licenses. Next OMMDBROGRE Alfa
outing is Pittsburgh VGP in July.
Be safe - have fun…& keep ;^) n, sam.
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Talk to jack if you have comments
2003