Monterey Historics

[Sundiego]

If you are going, stop by and say hello. I'll be driving this in the GTP race.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6067/March-83G/3-GTP.aspx

David

[ViperX]

David,

Looks like a wild ride!

Good luck,

Dan

[catwood]

Post a pic of what you are not driving!

I had planned on going up with a buddy that weekend but work has gotten in the way.  I'll wave as I fly over on Sunday.....

I'll see you at the DE in Coronado.  Hopefully I can get a harness installed soon.

Carl

[SoCal Rebell]

If you are going, stop by and say hello. I'll be driving this in the GTP race.

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6067/March-83G/3-GTP.aspx

David

Ya taking out the Nissan David?

[Sundiego]

I ran my March 83g Red Lobster car. I'm still feeling out the car, and a ways from using it at it's limits. I looked at the registration list, and out of about 30 cars mine should be the 3rd slowest. David Donahue was in one of the slower cars and that's a good reason for him only finishing two places up on me. He would have stomped me by far more in equal cars. Many of the pros hold back when they have been lent irreplaceable cars. I mentally preran the track more times than I ever have.

I looked again at the registration list, and more than half the drivers had run Indy Lights, Rolex prototypes, etc., so I had low expectations. On qualifying day I ran a 7000 rev limit, on a 7800 limit engine and tires from a previous weekend. I want to take it easy on the engine and focus on smooth. I got to the grid towards the back so I wouldn't get in too many people's way. I passed far more than passed me and steadily built up my speed. I lapped a few cars. I got t-boned mildly on turn 11, but it was in a vent that bent back and polished out. I was surprised to grid 10th. Some of the drivers were new to the track so I figured they would speed up, because I know the track pretty well. A DNS (did not start) or DNF(finish) can happen, you just don't want a DFL.(dead f'in Last)

In the pits the Nissan GTP I was buying was on display next to me. The seller hadn't got the car running and has agreed to refund my money, which is nice. He was pitted next to me, with a couple Can-Ams, including one that is drawn as one of the leads in the movie Cars 2.

In the race I stayed on the old tires because the weak link wasn't the tires. The car runs bias ply slicks. They don't have the absolute grip of radials, but allow it to be thrown around and give good warning of letting go. On race day I chatted with the guy gridded behind me in a 9 year newer 4 rotor Mazda, Patrick Dempsey. I knew his name as a pro driver in the Daytona prototype series when I drove a support race in a vintage class. I found out later that he is a movie actor and is an actor in "Grey's Anatomy". Nice guy, real pro level driver.


At the start I passed no-one and Dempsey and David Donahue shot past me. I picked up my speed throughout the race, passed a few, lapped a few and got passed by one. The car ran way stronger with the extra revs, and I started to get deeper into the downforce. With the added power I dropped 3 seconds! to a 1:29.0. I finished 10 th out of 21 finishers with a number of drivers with pro experience and faster cars behind me. There were no Oh shoot! moments for me, no wheels in the dirt. It was a very fast drive for me. The announcer apparently talked more about my car than any other, because of the paint. My 16 year old son was with me for the Monterey weekend, which was great.


Here's between turn one and two just after the start:


http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2009...bile-races/#58

Here's some pics of the cars in the race. You have to click on scroll to see them all.

http://www.grandtouringprototype.com...de-action-607/

If you scroll down to 8a you'll see the race results.

http://www.montereyhistoric.com/event-info/results#Group%208A

It looks like I have twice the engine, but all those 3 liters are Porsche turbos, and are way faster on the straights.


The original mechanic for the car for 25 years was there, looking after a Can Am McLaren. He didn't really trust me with his baby when I bought the car from the original driver, but was all smiles when it finished strongly and safely. There were 40,000 people there watching, and I was glad not to embarass the car.

Here it is parked in the pits:


http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2865...96101482SRrGQa

So let's go on the track. Scroll down and play the video from the winner's helmet cam. You'll think it's bouncy and cut off by the top of the frame. Well, that's the view in the car. Fortuneately you don't see me in the video as he didn't lap me.

http://www.grandtouringprototype.com...guna-seca-540/

He, too, ran old tires. Their race team had a complete spare engine and trans on a stand.

Great track weekend.