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Tire Rack removed the link. I checked with Andy Hollis who shared the link on a Facebook group and he said Tire Rack removed the link until they can get a better delivery date from Hankook.
I ran with these guys at Thompson and they put on a really great program for Int and Adv drivers. Very affordable for you thrifty drivers and plenty of track time for you track rats.
I ran with these guys at Thompson and they put on a really great program for Int and Adv drivers. Very affordable for you thrifty drivers and plenty of track time for you track rats.
Pocono North? I seem to remember once mentioning that sign.
"There is one truth in the world – and this is it: YOU DO NOT WANT ME ON YOUR TEAM! I’m too unreliable; the risk of failure is too great – your hopes of winning will be dashed!
So how is it that I’m running the first leg in a 15 lap Relay Race on Sunday morning? Don’t ask me - but I’m sure not telling my two teammates about that One Truth in the World!
What kind of race is this anyway? We’re lined up in single file and will have a standing start once the green flag falls. Am I in Australia?
I’m behind Ben Bragg’s Old Gray Mare, a 1935 Reuter V8 Special. He’s way faster than me and the two other cars running this leg. We’re sitting there and my brain is spinning trying to figure how I can even keep him in sight.
But the flag drops and we are off. My transmission is screaming as never before as we move up the gears.
The signs fly past in reverse order on the outer wall! “Pocono”, “Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint” - “What Turn 4?” “Turn 3 Pocono” “NASCAR” “Turn 3” “Pocono” “Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint”! You’re up through the gears and if you could put the foot through the floor, you couldn’t go faster!
Look up! You’re not that far behind! Now look for the signs behind the fence: ”Pepsi”….. “Pepsi”… Now look for the opening! Thread that needle when you see the edge of the grass! You’re picking up some of the gap so keep the foot to the floor!
The double transition to the infield throws the car wildly. But dive for Turn 2, hard brake and downshift. Hard turn right with tires Screaming through the apex. Unwinding but almost off at track out.
Full throttle in third at Redline to Turn 3. Hard brake and hard left. Tires screaming and fighting the car on the rough pavement.
Now switch sides for Turn 4. Brake and hard right on even rougher pavement! A mistake here means the wall! Use all of the rumble strip at track out.
Now a sweeping left for Turn 5: Bouncing through on rough pavement, still in third – surprisingly tires still complaining.
Here’s the trick! He’s still not that far ahead! Need momentum through the next turn. But turn in is big time bouncy and That Wall! Hard right, in third, almost full throttle: Tire screaming. Aim for the far right of “Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint/Sprint” and you're through. Whew! To redline in third and up-shifting at about 70 and he’s still is sight! What, maybe 4 or 5 seconds?
Take a breath, check the gauges, everything looks OK. He has to slow down for Turn 1 – You don’t!
So fly into the infield at just about full throttle. Car bottoms out on the transition and is thrown left! Hard brake and hard right at Turn 2 with tires screaming and just about off track at track out. Up-shift to 4th charging WOT to the Lefthander. Too hot to brake, downshift and make the hard left turn. You’re careening four off!
Second 1: Keep racing! So back to the throttle!
Second 2: OOPS! 270 degree spin and pointing the wrong way:
Seconds 3-5: Reverse S with tires spinning
Second 6: Jason coming into Turn 3 with his too beautiful ’35 MG P-Lester boat-tail to risk anything stupid.
Seconds 7-10: Wait for Jason and John in his Volvo PV544 sedan to pass.
But they’re past and we have our second standing start – only this time on the grass and gravel!
Back on track and thinking (stupidly?) “You can still come in second!” What lap are we on anyway?
Work hard and pick up Jason on lap 4; and then pick up John at the very beginning of lap 5: Our car is simply faster. But now we still have to drive fast with no mistakes through the difficult infield section.
Catch a glimpse of the Old Gray Mare and our mind is racing! Can we catch him on the final sprint?
Turning into Pit Lane and the Old Gray Mare is parked on the concrete. Ben Bragg about half way in his lumbering across the tarmac. See, we’re supposed to pull up, jump out and sprint about 70 yards to hand off our “baton” to the next driver. I don’t know what Ben is doing, but it ain’t sprinting!
So I’m out of the car like it’s on fire and then sprinting like a chain gang prisoner with my arm restraints towards the hand off. I slap the baton into Jim’s hand and he is off - at most just ten seconds behind!
My team mates Jim Juhas (’57 MGA) and young John Buckley (’55 Austin Healey 100A) acquit themselves well. Jim takes the lead on the track, but gives up a little in the final sprint. John pulls out about 4 seconds ahead of the Lotus 18. He’s driving the race of his life as he holds off the Lotus 18 for two laps! He’s going to be a few seconds behind as he comes into pit lane, but I’m positive his young legs can carry us to victory!
***
Well, somewhere in this favored land the sun was shining bright;
The band was playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts were light,
And somewhere men were laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But irregularities - lack of bribes - my Relay Team's nosed out! **
Last edited by blueosprey90; 01-10-2017 at 06:49 PM.
12-30-2016, 06:07 PM
