| February 19th found us all in a revelarious mood at Richard and Jane Kresch’s NYC apartment. The annual VRS prize giving and racers celebratory toast….. or is it a roast of last season’s “accomplishments”? Just in time to remind each of us what not to do in the coming season! Some stayed wise, silent, and out of the limelight, while others were celebratoriously sucked in! At the evening’s end, “trophies” were duly awarded with size obviously having some relationship to invoice magnitude, and those unrewarded delighted at their turn economically advantageous of fate. |
Brian and Kent demonstrate Jim Freeman's race radios
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Jack Cowell acknowledges the obvious . . . gracefully
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Richard, the Bakers enjoy at someone else's agony
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2005 was to start out with two Aston Martin AMR-1 Le Mans prototypes in the VRS stable. Paul Whight’s # 18 car (chassis # 05) arrived in early March to join Jim Freeman’s number AMR 1-04. With little time to spare, the Whight Aston found it’s way from Port Elizabeth then onto our truck for the trip to Sebring and it’s US debut.
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OOPS...Two Number 18s will just not do
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| Though AMR1-05 was slated for Sebring, our on track season kicked off with Brian Redman’s Targa test and tune meeting in late February. The event turned out a bit wet, but all had a good time taking full of advantage this pre-season chance to sort driver and car. |
Andrew Baker, enjoying the English weather
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Soggy Sunday @ Moroso
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| We got the VRS Mazda sorted ….at last!!, while drivers Shanahan, Machinist, Mundy, Ellers and Baker tore up the tarmac without incident. Brian, Marion and James Redman served lunch, threw a great party, negotiated with the weather Gods then we were off and up the road for the HSR Sebring Endurance Challenge. Though we had 3 days to go 120 miles, it turned out to be |
a thrash to make ready the 3 cars V.R.S. was to run. We noted a raw fuel smell from Paul Whight’s AMR-1 after we loaded a bit of race fuel in it at Moroso. This and a number of other small discoveries made for a busy week of field work. Come event day, Paul’s’ AMR- 1 is running, albeit with a few questions that are sure to erode the confidence of anyone behind the wheel…a point brought home when Paul’s exceptionally capable co driver Bob Berridge came into the pits with the door off and in hand, his posterior swimming in a pool of errant pertrol. Somehow it had managed to elude the tanks’ confines.
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VRS pits, HSR Sebring
Nigel, John, Harvery & Paul watch Bob scorch the track
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Whight out and Berridge in @ Sebring
Paul Whight cued up and ready
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| By race day this latest leak is under control, well; maybe not; but understood is fair to say and Mr. Berridge’s fuel rash has subsided. Ready for the 3-hour race, Paul sets out from the flag and does a good job bringing the car in well up in the pack for it’s first pit stop. Bob jumps in and clicks off several blistering laps.
All is going well till near the end of the 2nd hour when the big AMR’s engine goes flat and we are out of the running.
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Murray prepares to take to the track for the 1st round of the Rolex
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VRS pits @ the Mitty . . . soon to be thinned!
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| The next round in the HSR Rolex Series came along in early April at the beautiful new Barber Motorsports facility in Birmingham, Alabama. A tight, twisty circuit, it featured the small bore challenge and our Spitfire was in its element. Smith and Shanahan drove well but ended up second in class after the hour was over. Not bad, but any race without a win adds an element of doubt to the outcome. |
Bob Machinist defies danger and climbs aboard
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Jeff Pitt and car . . . Talk about coordinated!
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Mark Simpson and Bill Shanahan , . .
WHERE'S LUNCH
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| Mid-April, and the always exciting HSR Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta finds the VRS racers and crew out in force. Thursday turns out to be the pinnacle of disaster. There always seems to be one day like this, and for 05, it was practice Thursday at the Mitty. “Our Bob” has a totally unglued Thursday morning; a crash in both his Chevron and Datsun 240Z before lunch!! The Chevron will need to await its trip to the shop for repair, but we spend Thursday afternoon on the Z and he is back out Friday morning. Both the Whight and Freeman AMR-1 Aston Martons are on the track for Thursday testing. Walt Boren is helping Jim and the VRS crew sort out the AMR-1/04 and the morning session points out the need for brake work and other adjustments. He is out for round 2 and going nicely for several laps when he comes down the hill onto pit straight in a cloud of smoke then spins at the bottom, the car very much ON FIRE!!!. Our hearts are all in our throats, but Walt manages to keep the car off the walls and scampers from the car unscathed. The fire is put out, but significant damage has been done. |
| This was one of those racing moments not to remember fondly. A failed oil housing seal created the perfect oil stream onto the hot exhaust header with blowtorch like results. Fast fire extinguisher action by some nearby racers saved the day, but the car is done for the weekend. Meanwhile, Paul Whight’s AMR-1/05 engine is deteriorating with each lap; subsequent investigation finds a broken camshaft on the left bank. Thursday night and 3 of the 9 cars we have to run are out; we are not happy. |
Please don't come in till we tell you!
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| There is only one thing to do, press on and get the rest of our group to the finish line on Sunday. Our luck changes and the reminder of the weekend works perfectly without DNF’s or another incident. Bill and Murray win their enduro once again and add a full 30 points to the all-important Rolex series total. Everyone else finishes and a few end up with class wins and podiums to brag about. Early May finds us at Lime Rock Park for some uneventful testing. Meanwhile the crew at the shop gets cars ready For Brian Redman’s upcoming Targa 66 event followed immediately by The Jefferson 500 at Summit Point Raceway. This year Chris Vandergriff and the HMSA have taken Brian under their wing…or is it the reverse??? Whichever, it is a good thing as the event has it’s usual welcoming ambience with the always amicable Brian Redman a bit more relaxed and less hurried. We wish this new union all the best and continued success. |
Harvey straps Joe Tierno into his MGA
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Bain climbs into the Simpson 914/6...
Great fun, thanks, Ma
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So Jeff comes in at the same time jsut to keep us busy
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Bill powers into turn 1 @ Road Atlanta
(Photo courtesy of Gordon Jolley)
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Bill and Murray with Spitifre in victory lane
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Another round in the books
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| John Mundy, Ed Ellers and Roger Werner’s cars have arrived Tuesday; all there to take advantage of Brian’s test and tune format and re-awaken their race muscle memory. Wednesday evening this group is joined by Larry Neviaser with Lola 312 F-5000 and Ginetta/BMW G-16, Prescott Kelly in his rapid 911, Bain with Spitfire, Brown with the inimitable “toaster” (his Datsun 510) and Larry Kessler in his Elva Mk8s for it’s farewell ride. |
| After over a decade with this terrific car, Larry has sold the Elva and has the new owner’s permission to use it this one last time while we prepare his new Chevron B-19. Practice day on Thursday is sunny then gray but dry. Roger goes round and round and round as we sort his lovely little 2 liter 911.
This is our first season with this car. It has proved awfully unreliable for a Porsche in season’s past. Jim Newman and Vintage Racing Services have spent the winter co-conspiring to end the problematical legacy we both inherited and our efforts show every sign of having paid off.
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VRS pits, Jefferson 500
(Photo courtesy of Robert Harrington)
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Larry Neviaser in Ginetta G-16
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Larry Neviaser and Ginetta on the pole (Photo courtesy of Robert Harrington)
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Roger Werner tells Harvey just how the Zing thing happened
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| The car runs all weekend…… well almost! Not only does Roger have to do his all to frequent, business driven pre race day vanishing act, but he “zings” the motor on Saturday (a primarily Porsche euphemism we are coming to know all to well for an over-rev). The possibility or a bent a valve finishes his weekend one session early. |
Larry Kessler in the pits on the last ride
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Prescott on podium
(Photo courtesy of Robert Harrington)
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Bain with Spitfire, good for 2nd spot on the podium
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| Larry is getting along well on his last Elva weekend but knows the old adage…”never race a car after it’s sold”. He’s nervous, we’re nervous, and when he has a close call on track he pulls in and decides that this is a clear sign, he’ll miss his old Elva but his next ride will be in the new Chevron. Though the Targa was DNF free, The Jefferson is turning out to be just the opposite. Not to swim against the tide, Tom Brown does his part to revel in this DNF festival as the always reliable “toaster” rolls in with a nasty engine noise. Its weekend is over and our spirits, not to mention self respect are taking a thrashing. |
VRS pit left, HSR Watkins Glen, 6-05
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| Such luck runs in threes . . . or so they say, and the Jefferson proves no exception. Everyone else has a great weekend with both 2nd place podiums for Bain (Spitfire) and Kelly, Porsche 911, while Neviaser in the G-16 takes a good look at a “triple header” with a near podium finish. Ah well, that’s racing, if it were more predictable, if fate did not play at least some part…would it be as much fun? |
VRS pit right, HSR Watkins Glen, 6-05
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| With the Jefferson in full swing, Brad Capshaw is at Lime Rock for the Aston Martin Owners Club annual track meet with John Romano’s superb DB3S and Bob Machinists DB-4. He returns with Jim Freeman’s DB-4GT bound for Mt. Tremblant in July. We only wish we could have had Jim’s AMR-1 Lemans Prototype ready, but the damage from the Mitty was proving a bit testy to iradicate. A couple of days later, we are back at “The Rock” with Bob Newman and Shelby GT-350, and Ken Walker testing a Mazda RX-7. |
| Thursday in early June at Watkins Glen dawns cold wet, and ugly. The annual HSR Watkins Glen event is not off to a great start. We are there with the ex Jim Downing, now Larry Kessler, Chevron B-19, Bob Machinists B-21 and B-39, making a nice trio of Chevrons. The Shanahan Spitfire is back for another Rolex round, along with his La Carrera 67 Corvette for testing. Richard Kresch’s RK racing Porsche 914-6, Joe Tiernos’s always front running MGA and Archie Urciuoli’s absolutely beautiful Ford GT-40 completes the picture. |
Bob Machinist gets the word
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Scottie, left, with Archie (up to his usual antics)
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Brian and me, in pit row...waiting
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Bob eases by a GT-40
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We are all just a little concerned about Larry of late
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Archie tries to help Larry with ths little problem
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Shanahan WAY on time ready to rock
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| Thursday is a weather wash out, but the event is a great success. NO DNFs, and I find myself (as substitute Spitfire co-driver for Murray “the Legend” Smith) alongside Bill Shanahan on the podium with yet another 1st in Class for his Spitfire and a bunch more Rolex Endurance points. Nevaiser, Machinist & Kresch All run well head home raced and relaxed. |
Bill and I on the Rolex endurance podium, thanks Bill
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John has a look at the disassembly notes as he sets up
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Engine in and we are underway, on the ex-McQueen 908
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| At last, a bit of a breather before we load up a dually and 5th wheel trailer bound for SVRA’s Mid-Ohio event with John Ralsten’s Spitfire, Mark Simpson’s Brabham BT-8 and his Porsche 914-6. John Koch manages the VRS effort and pit with his usual aplomb to insure that everyone enjoyed their weekend. |
Fireworks and July 4th celebrations conclude as we load two trailers for one of summer’s favorite “double headers” Murray Smith’s superb Legends event @ Mont Tremblant, in Quebec, Canada and Road America’s big and brash B.R.I.C; the Brian Redman International Challenge. “Shopside” we are also busy getting our teeth into the restoration of the ex Steve McQueen Porsche 908. This car is scheduled to be part of a Steve McQueen vehicular retrospective exhibit at The Petersen commencing in November and we are facing a restored and painted frame with body and assembly yet to be done. Time to get to work…..more to follow!
Thursday early AM; it is bright and sunny @ beautiful Mont Tremblant. The lake is still and calm but the track hot and challenging; sheer perfection. French Canada is a treat, welcoming to all and full of Joi d’vive. |
Murray Smith, event chairman extrodinaire! |
Roger, Saturday AM. . . Is this guy having some fun... |
Jim Freeman and Aston DB-4GT in for a splach of petrol |
VRS pits, Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada, 2005 |
VRS semis on the side, VRS pits @ The BRIC, front |
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Le Circuit des Legends is truly one of North America’s best. Mr. Smith does a superb job as master of ceremonies offering up a great weekend, great racing, and great fun. “Tres bien and merci beaucoup…” is on everyone’s mind as the weekend comes to a close.
It is Monday early AM when the VRS Semi leaves Tremblant headed for Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin via the Michigan Peninsula. Truck master Kenny Benoit drove south to join hard drivin, Harvey Thompson somewhere on route 80 south of the Michigan state line. Both VRS semis arrive on time at Road America for the Brian Redman International Challenge.
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VRS pit @ The BRIC, rear
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| The VRS crew motored up from Milwaukee Airport and the pits were soon a beehive of activity. Thursday morning saw everyone out for practice. |
Mark enjoys cocktails with a pal, his Brabham |
Machinist Chevron in the draft |
| This trip saw 9 cars under our roof including Joe Nastasi’s beautiful and Historic Alfa Romeo T33 car, Nello Tizzano’s Mclaren M8, Mark Simpson and nephew Sam in Brabham BT-8 and Porsche 914/6 respectively, the good doctor, Richard Kresch piloting his Beach/Lotus & 914/6, “Big Bad Bob Machinist” in Chevron B-21 and Aston Martin DB-4 with me in my reliable and very comfortable Porsche 914/6.
All went well though the Alfa had fuel delivery problems that finally abated by race day (after a gargantuan effort on Joe’s part).
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Richard Kresch on corners hard in his Beach Lotus |
| The massive torque of Nello’s big block Mclaren M8 snapped an axle early in the event, but all else worked perfectly all weekend. All we mechanics had to do was eat a bratwurst or two, keep the machinery topped up and shiny then do as one must in the land of the brewers…. drink a beer at days end. |
Richard radiates racing's rewards |
The Tizzano stub axle . . .
Trophy Material at best! |
| The real star of the weekend was Mark Simpson’s nephew, Sam Kriske…. who continually dropped his times exhibiting skill and an impressive learning curve in the Porsche 914/6. Sunday@ the B.R.I.C. was another story indeed.
This was the event that hosted the vintage season’s biggest pileup. The “ground pounders” went awry at the green flag with the result a stack of vehicles piled 3 high just past the starter’s podium. This is not what any of us like to see in vintage racing. The bright spot was injuries, nothing life threatening. The whole thing need not have happened. Our take on this is very simple; this is a “blind start” problem. Drivers crest a steep hill to reach start finish with no sight line down the track…. until it is too late to stop.
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Nello soaks up th ambience despite axial annoyances
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Bob thunders past in the mighty DB-4 |
| The green flag was still waving as the pile started to form. It was caused by contact, but it would not have come to much if start finish were not questionably sited on the track. Mont Tremblant has a similar, though not as severe problem. They know it and use a line well down the straightaway as the start line to which all drivers have a good sight line when the flag drops. It seems a smart and easy fix for Road America to us.
July 24th finds us back @ Lime Rock for a practice day with Ken Walker and Bob Newman Jr. Though Jeff Pitt’s historic Renault Alpine was finished and ready, Jeff wasn’t and stayed home in New Orleans.
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Nastasi heads put to blister the asphalt on race day |
Yours truly, yabbering on about the group 6 mess |
| Did he know something was coming even then? As we drive home from the rock we can hear early August‘s refrain: “Head west V.R.S….there to make your fortune.” Days later, we do just that and follow this vintage racer’s refrain to Mecca, in the form of Laguna Seca and the Monterey Historics. On board we have Roger and his 2 Liter 911, Bob with Chevron B-21, and John Brice who did a great job moving his Ford GT-40 around the twisty Laguna Seca circuit quickly. Richard Smith and the very entertaining Andy Prill with their trusty 356 soon join us under the tent, where we have Murray’s very pretty ex- team Gunniston Chevron B-26, another of Joe Nastasi’s beautiful Alfa Tipo 33s and Lamborghini Muira for Concours Italiano, plus a pair of motorcycles that somehow found there way onto the upper deck for Bob and John to do some mid-week California cruisin…..
Great back-to-back weekends, superlative field and all the usual Monterey weekend fun. What more can we say save thanks to Steve, Debbie, Chris and all who work so hard to make this event “just so”!!
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A cloudy and damp Monterey morning
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Nastasi in Tipo 33-T3
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It gets hot in that box . . .
John Brice hydrates happily |
Prill tells Smith....Speed it up Richard, you are embarrassing |
Werner on grid
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Roger Werner and 911, Turn 1, the attitude says it all! |
Chevron gathering, Machinist & Smith included, historics |
Machinist ready at Monterey historics 05
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Richard Smith gets he word of eoncouragement from Harvey |
A sanguine Richard Roth stops in |
| Lime Rock’s Fall Festival falls a short two weeks after the Historics. Harvey proves as reliable and hard driving as ever getting the truck back right on time. Perfect early fall weather blossomed as we set up @ Lime Rock, with 7 cars in our care. Bill Shanahan chose this event for the final pre-Carrera race with his 65 Corvette, Bob Newman Jr. had his nice new 1965 Shelby GT-350 out, “Bobby M” in that very same (and now well traveled) Monterey Chevron B-21 and venerable DB-4 Aston, Archie in his fast Ford GT40, Larry Kessler in the now bright yellow Chevron B-19 and me, Porsche 914/6 again. These Porsche just run and run and run, but who is complaining. Early on, Bill’s Corvette is bitten by the West Bend Armco after a pinion shaft failure. A bit later, someone (who shall remain nameless.. we do have some discretion you see?) hits Bob Newman’s Mustang in practice while attempting to pass him then proceeds to call him every name in the book! Simply not good form in vintage nor any other racing format. |
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A one-sided flare up, but it seems to me that if we can control a racecar we should control our tempers. I guess if we can’t accomplish “A” then the “B” in this equation is a bit much to expect. All others acquit themselves well, the stunt-flying exhibit was incredible and all have a great weekend.
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VRS pit, Lime Rock Festival |
Dos Machinista (Bob & James) cruise the LR pit
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Bob Newman, Smiling despite it all_ Lime Rock Festival 05
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Kelly and Newman plot Kent's demise...It worked!
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Prescott Kelly and tursty 911 just out of big bend
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A middling Machinist in Chevron
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| “Hustle” is the operative word as one week later we are at Watkins Glen with no fewer than all 3 semis and 15 cars! Do we sit back and rest on our laurels? No, we’re too busy to find them…. and there’s no time to rest. Talk about diversity; under the tent this weekend. |
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John Brice moving marvelously in Monterey |
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Archie Urciuoli in GT-40 heading into 3
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Archie @ The Rock
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Bob Newman and GT-350 out of big bend
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| Busy weekend, great weekend with lots of fun for all enhanced by good weather and no contact in our group on this superbly run SVRA Event. These folks do a great job … every time… and we are all most appreciative for the fun they foster. |
VRS pit, SVRA Watkins Glen 05
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Larry and his mighty Lola powering through the uphill ess
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Tom Brown having a blast, SVRA Watkins Glen 05
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Tom Brown hammers Datsun throttle through the esses
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Tom Brown talking transmission @ The Glen
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Trey Oliver in the Pitt 356
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| Dateline October: We load up trucks and trailers for the longest and hardest of all vintage events; La Carrera Pan Americana while this is underway, our very own John Koch loads “The Toaster” into our small box trailer, hooks up a pick up truck and heads south to meet Tom Brown at SVRA’s Virginia International Speedway event. Once on track, Tom manages to race around a “notchy”, failing gearbox and finish Friday’s Enduro only to loose a head gasket and D.N.S. on Saturday… ah well … Saturday afternoon internal engine repairs and the likelihood that there is more wrong than just a gasket cause Tom and John to pack it in….better luck next time Tom!! All the while, the pitch of work on the McQueen 908 is intensifying with the November debut looming. |
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Last minute, no, it’s worse . . . it is last second, mere hours before we are to leave!! Ralph Christensson’s shiny red 1964 Ford Falcon arrives from Sweden after a prolonged bout with U.S. customs. We give it a quick once over and find more needed than we can possibly do in time. We do all we can then load car and spares with resolve to finish the process on arrival in Tuxtla Gutierrez in very southern Mexico’s state of Chiappas.
Border crossings and trips of this length have the likelihood of delays inherent in their nature. Better to travel now and repair later, than chance the alternative. After all, it is not rocket science, it’s a Falcon; we will get it sorted! Kenneth Olaffsson arrives from Sweden camera in hand to drive one V.R.S. rig with Bill Shanahan’s Carrera Corvette while our own Nick Duve drives the other replete with “boxed” Falcon in tow.
The trip goes well (but for a dualie wheel bearing failure in Texas). Ken and Nick are in Tuxtla Monday for a Friday start with at least 2 good, solid working days before the event staging starts. Brian Rechtiene and John Koch fly down from Vintage Racing Services to meet the drivers and Sven Eric who flew in from Sweden with Ralf to help keep our Falcon on the road. Brian and John sort out the Corvette and get it ready, inspected and set while Sven and Nick thrash on the Falcon; and a good thrash it is!
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Trey Oliver and Porsche 356 up the hill.
(Photo courtesy)
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Jeff Pitt leads a pack of Alfas up the hill
(Photo courtesy)
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They replace the engine and tweak numerous other lesser things such that it is ready to go come race day… well almost as Ralf and co- piloto Steffan Annell start a bit behind. …..It’s 7 days… we know they’ll catch up. Bill and co-piloto Murray “ the legend” Smith start right on time and do their usual professional job of blistering Mexico’s asphalt for the next 7 days.
Kenneth, our earswhite truck driver, Euro journalist and photographer extrordinare’s thoughts follow!
Dubiie, dubeee, dubee, dube… Nick was tap-dancin to the latest Mexican tune in the port city of Vera Cruz….. Chakaron, man, this is as cool as it gets. Wow! He’s excited beyond and spurred by the event comendante’s son, Julio Tovar. We just had some exuberant coffee at the famous and posh “Gran Café de la Parroquta”, a place which opened long ago and became famous in the fifties. “It’s the place to been seen and to drink good coffee or a desensitizing umbrella drink”, says Julio.
As we were heading for Tuxtla Guitierrez on wheels, the rest of the toreadors sat in the air sipping mineral water in order to stay in shape for the big race. “We came a day ahead of the Falcon,” said Ralf, so we took a boat ride trying to avoid thinking of the car. Brian and John turned up a day later without any smiles. Their luggage was lost on the way and Brian had to beg for a free T-shirt to stay clean.. Wednesday and 24 hours ahead of the time trails, Bill & Murray turned up, both exhausted from frivolous traveling-all over the globe, as usual. “ This year, we’re going’ for the medal”, both full of joy and enthusiasm. Their Corvette needed little attendance save the traditional staging of the trip odometer. Otherwise, it was full blast from the start.
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Shanahan Vet trailer loaded 10-05
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Last minute engine swap . . .Nick and Sven work through the |
Christensson Falcon in the hunt |
| Mr. Jerk, solly “bjork” (Sven Eric) from Sweden, and Nick had their hands full of last minute work. “It turned out that the Falcon engine was pissing water, so an engine change was evident with 43 hours of straight work until the starting flag dropped”, said Sven, with an empty look greased all over after a tremendous effort. Dubee-dube Nick” agreed in a T-shirt that was ready for a Pebble Beach-auction. As always, Mexicanos Sarmiento, Anaya & gang blasted off from Tuxtla with sights on new record speeds leaving no mercy for the competitors. Leaving Tuxtla and getting serious, the mood was all systems are go and the Carerra spirit in top-notch form for the border-to border dash. The Burrito Cannonball is always a challenge, tried to go as fast as possible. |
Team Shanahan-Smtih, confident and poised
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Furious Falcon, on the roll
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Distractions, distractions, distractions, Christensson
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| There are new things happening alt no matter how many times you’ve been there and, though it sometimes seems too dangerous with speeds that are stupid on the Mexican roads, accidents happen: The Grauer’s from Windigo team managed to blow up their neat Cobra Daytona Coupe replica. The $ 250,000.00 dollar car caught fire and was impossible to save from the flames, as the chocked owners were bystanders, lucky to escape the maelstrom, but unhappy about the magnificent car. The happy dealer from Berlin managed once again to turn her Porsche upside down. Claudia Middeldorp also escaped without injuries, but must have some serious thoughts whether to go back again and ruin another car. Gerry Bledsoe had his sights on the class C win this year. His engine was tuned for success, but maybe a little overcooked for the occasion. Aerodynamics were not as hot as the power and he flew up in the air at over 100 mph making at least seven turns in the air before landing next to the road. Luckily, he got away with only a few broken bones, as did his co-pilot. |
| Instead it was a perfect year for Shanahan in the fast Corvette. “We had our moment on the 6th day when crashing the radiator in Zacatecas on the way to the start”, said a very nervous and upset Bill, “but thanks to our on the spot team we made it in time” - despite a shortage of water to fill the system. Apart from that little disaster, it was all a party up the cragged spine of Mexico. Bill and Murray took several class wins, taking 4th spot overall in the race. The best performance so far in the 14 years that Bill has tried to conquer the tequila race. Ralf ‘s co-pilot Stefann Annell had rookie problems reading the map. “What the hell does Ravine with an exclamation mark mean”, he asked. Somebody replied: “it means you will need a parachute if you happen to go off at the curve…”On the 4th day Ralf slid off the road and had to use the jack in order to straighten out the rear right fender to be able to continue. The penalty points for late arrival meant that he was out of the countings, but the Falcon kept on rollin’ and he finally made 4th spot in the C class. ”You have to drive like an Apache to win here, pale heads need not try for victory”, was his comment, “but I’ll be back next time, sun-tanned and ready!!!!” |
Shanahan carves through the mountains on another winning
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Arriving in soggy, sullen Nueva Laredo in pouring rain didn’t stop people from cheering for the winners. Sarmiento, El Chapulin (friedgrasshopper with chili powder), took his 2nd straight win in the Carrera beating Anaya in 2nd spot. Frenchman de Thoisy beat Shanahan to the podium, and on this 7th day everybody was happily-looking forward to next year’s race. Having sustained all the week’s hurricanes everybody’s eyelids were clogged from fatigue. One thing is sure: unanimously, all participants are glad there’s such a thing as this on with the transmission jammed into overdrive and devil may care ambience. Hasta lavista, compadre!
Brian and John saw it pretty much the same way: Ralf finished a very respectable 4th in class. Bill and Murray did a beautiful job to finish 1st in Class C and an incredible 4th overall. The Corvette is not one of the purpose built Carerra cars that usually dominate the front of the field. It runs on pump gas and is built to period rally specs. Their’s is an exceptional accomplishment of which drivers and crew are rightfully proud. At the awards ceremony, the VRS crew are honored with the “best mechanics” (taller mechanico) award… well deserved we feel and well done by Bill, Murray, Ralf, and Steffan and mechanics John, Brian, Sven, and Nick!!!
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| HSR’s Sebring comes off just prior to the La Carerra start. The event includes an Enduro in the Rolex Vintage Series and a 4-hour bonus Enduro with points applied to this season’s drama. Bill and Murray are leading the series in the amazing Triple S (Shanahan-Smith-Spitfire) Triumph Spitfire 1300 among a field other wise dominated by Porsches. |
Shanahan en route to another class win at Sebring
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The trusty BMW 1800tii
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