Speaking About Paradise Mesa

Another cool old photo of San Diego's first "Drag Strip". You can see the spectators lining the strip as the starter waves a flag launching the old Ford.

Why he was using a "Red" flag and not a "Green" flag...one only wonders.

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Hybrid Report

I found this report from Fox News...pretty interesting.

What's it like driving the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, the world's fastest hybrid vehicle?

The GT3 R in action.

Ask driver Patrick Long, and he'll tell you he's "still pretty charged up (forgive the pun)" after returning to the States following two weeks of testing the car on the Lausitzring circuit outside Berlin.We had a chance to chat with Long next to one of the world's only two 911 GT3 R Hybrid models, incongruously parked outside a swanky restaurant in midtown Manhattan. He was there to announce that the groundbreaking hybrid would make its first appearance in U.S.competition in the Petit Le Mans race, the last event of this year's American Le Mans Series, to be held October 3 at the Road Atlanta racetrack."It's an exciting platform," said the boyish-looking Long, whose normal ride in the series is a Porsche GT3 RSR which he drives for the Flying Lizard Motorsports team.

I got this shot at the Parade...awesome looking ride!!!

Compared to the RSR, he said, he could brake later into turns and accelerate earlier, knowing he had up to 160 horsepower available to power the front wheels for added thrust out of corners.The R Hybrid provides that front-wheel power for 5 to 7 seconds after the driver initiates it via a small gold paddle behind the steering wheel.A row of LEDs shows the driver its state of charge at any given point; once the driver triggers it, Hybrid Manager software determines how much torque can be delivered to the front wheels, based on speed, steering angle, cornering force, wheel slip, and a host of other sensor data.

This is a shot I got of the "KERS"....kinda' looks like a nuclear reactor.

That power is generated by energy stored in the form of a flywheel rotating at high speed inside in the Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS. The drum-shaped unit sits on the passenger-side floor of the racer, along with its power electronics, orange high-voltage cables, and pipes carrying an oil-based coolant to and from side radiators behind vents just behind the doors.
When the driver asks for power, a clutch connects the flywheel to a motor-generator that flows power through cables to a pair of electric motors below the front axle, each connected through a reduction gear to a front wheel.

The system adds about 140 pounds on the front axle, roughly 100 pounds for the flywheel-generator package, and another 60 pounds for power electronics, cooling systems, and cables. To offset this, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid replaces the RSR's steel roof with one made from magnesium. That the system works as well, and as powerfully, as it does is "a testament to the guys at Weissach," Long said. But like many, he was a skeptic at first. "I saw it as a project" or a technology test, he admitted, "until I got in, and saw how refined it was." That was when "I knew we were onto something," said a grinning Long. "I just kept asking myself, why hasn't Bergmeister been talking more about this? It's amazing."

The results of improving the 911's efficiency by recapturing wasted brake energy? The standard 911 GT3 RSR can do 10 laps of the Nurburgring circuit on a tank of gas; the hybrid saves enough fuel to do an entire extra lap before having to pit. And in endurance racing, a 10 percent improvement in fuel efficiency can win you races just through time saved. Just ask the Le Mans victims of the Peugeot and Audi diesel endurance racers.

Via: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/07/22/testing-worlds-fastest-hybrid/

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Cut!...It's A Take!

In 1965, Delon and MacLaine costar in "The Yellow Rolls-Royce," a film about a 1930 Phantom II Sedanca de Ville -- so what are they doing in a Ferrari in this scene? It's a film of three stories about the lives and loves of those who own a certain yellow Rolls-Royce. Give me the Ferrari over the Rolls...any day!

Photo: Denis Cameron/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images Jan 01, 1965.

I'm not a Ferrari aficionado...but this looks like a Ferrari 250 California Spider. This is how this legendary car came about.

Thanks to Ferrari's reputation in motor sports, and the work of importer Luigi Chinetti, the United States became an important market. John Von Neumann, the west coast representative, thought that there was potential for an open Spider suited to the Californian sun, a sort of open 250 GT Berlinetta. Chinetti welcomed the proposal and convinced Enzo Ferrari that it was a good idea. Scaglietti was therefore given the opportunity to create this beautiful car, building 106 of them, nine with aluminium bodies. Today, these babies are worth well over several million apiece.

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Carmel Concours On The Street

I just received this from Doug and Genie Freedman, the founders of the "Carmel-By-The-Sea-Concours On The Avenue." This Concours was a super event to start off that car week.

"As most of you know CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA CONCOURS ON THE AVENUE has been rescheduled for 2011. We have decided to step back, find solid footing for the future and present a full scale event in August of 2011."

"However, there is good news! A Limited Edition event for 2010 including thirty five vehicles on Ocean Avenue in the heart of Carmel will present this years motorized fun. Tuesday, August 10 is the date and 12:00 noon until 1:30 pm is the time. The very popular television series Chasing Classic Cars with Wayne Carini will be filming an episode to air this fall on Discovery HD Theater and the Discovery Channel, so join in on the fun."

"We hope you will visit Carmel, view the automobiles, motorcycles and trucks plus have some lunch and enjoy the village! Thank you for your continued interest and support!"

All the best, Doug and Genie Freedman, The Founders

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Just A Day At Pikes Peak

In 1916, the first Pikes Peak Hill Climb race was held August 10 - 12 to commemorate the opening of the Pikes Peak Highway. It is the second oldest auto race in the United States (the Indy 500 being the oldest). There are 156 treacherous curves on the 12.5 mile course.

I grabbed these shots at the recent Porsche Parade...it's the car that Jeff Zwart drove at this years hill climb. The Porsche was entered in the "2WD Time Attack" class and he posted a time of 11:31.1...Blisteringly fast!

It's a 2007 GT3 Cup Car with modified suspension and under body shielding.

It has a 2010 Grand-Am 3.8l engine, rated at 450 hp.

Jeff placed sixth fastest overall and set a new record for the class, not bad for a "Old Guy". We meet in the early '80s and raced "Formula Fords" against each other in some challenge races for PR people.

Here is a video of him in a qualifying run up the hill...check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5djWO2oCSo

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A Day With The Midgets

A cool old photo...it's summertime at the old race track in the Midwest. Sitting in the shade with a warm breeze blowing, you can hear the roar, see the dirt fly, taste the dust, feel the humidity and smell the cold beer in the can.

What a way to spend an afternoon!

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Speaking About a Little Bean Bandit

In the Paradise Mesa Post about "San Diego's first Drag Strip" I mentioned the "Bean Bandits" and their dragster.

Here are some of the Club members about 1953, check out all the hardware!!!

This is the same dragster today, restored, with their club logo.

They still have the Ford "Flathead V-8" with four Stromberg 97 Carbs in the car. These photos were taken at the Coronado Street Rod show this year where the car was being displayed.

Just about a week ago I got to see this car run again at a strip for the first time in 50+ years!!

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San Diego's First Drag Strip...Paradise Mesa

Paradise Mesa Drag Strip was really the old Sweetwater Airfield used during World War II for aircraft landing practice. It was located east of National City.

There are many stories of how the cars would line up with 8 cars & race. The fastest 4 would turn around & race back followed by the slower 4. Eventually this would continue until 4 were going one way & 4 were coming the other way. If everyone observed 'the imaginary center line' there wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, accidents did happened. Later, after the strip became recognized, they would run two cars at a time.
The guys that were serious about racing (the club called "The Bean Bandits", Monique's mom was a member of the club) grew tired of being chased off by the police, so they organized to get use of the field and with the beginnings of the NHRA to help, events were held on weekends from 1951-59. Even so, the police would try to run the street racers off the strip or catch them, but their under-powered police cars were no match. So San Diego had it's first drag strip.

It's said there was a family that owned the huge chunk of land east of National City. They lived in a Spanish mansion at the west end of Paradise Valley Road. Every 5 to 10 years, they would sell off sections of land to developers or they would lease large areas to cattle owners. There is a DVD which described drag racing at the (Sweetwater) Paradise Mesa airfield: One of the interviews talks about how they had to get permission from 'the woman that owned the land' in order to have sanctioned racing. They also had to pay her an annual fee of a dollar.

The little "Dragster" looking car was one of the "Bean Bandits" early dragsters.

Sweetwater was still listed among active airfields in the Aerodromes table on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart. It described the field as having a single 3,000' bituminous runway, and included the remark, "Auto racing on field. Closed to flying on weekends." The Sweetwater Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1955-58.

According to auto racing historian Bret Kepner, the Sweetwater runway was used as a commercial drag strip until 1959.

Related posts: More on Paradise

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# 3 Wins It

Fellow blog contributor Marty sent me this cool old photo of himself flagging at a 1959 race. He says, "I never noticed the wind as the cars went by, but I was much younger, the race was a "California Sports Car Club" event and it looks like it was held at Pomona, or Santa Barbara." My guess would be Pomona.

I love to look at these old photos of a time long past. Check out the "7up" truck, '57 Ford Ranchero, '57 T-Bird and several '58 Corvettes. Number 3 looks like it may be a Lotus 11, but I may be off on that...anyone know for sure?

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The Second Time Around...Road Trip, The Final Story

Well the dust has settled...George was totally jazzed. The show turned out with a great outcome. George came away with a 3rd in a class of 9 beautiful early 356 cars. Plus a Gmund Award with a point total of 298.1 out of 300.

This is no small accomplishment...the first show ever for George and his Speedster.

Another great "Road Trip" done, next a flight home and then...onto the next adventure.

Second Time Around...Road Trip Day Four

Heading out of Springfield...we're down to our last 200 miles before St. Charles, IL. This part of Illinois is the land of farms and corn fields.

We're here!

It's been a great adventure with a good friend...we've hit just about every BBQ joint we could find. I think today I'm eating lite...maybe some BBQ on a salad. I've also become good friends with the "Cracker Barrel" restaurants, one of Georges favorites.

The Concours Prep area at the hotel.

This is my last post until Concours Day. Thanks for joining me for the "Road Trip."

George's car, finally here and ready for the big show!

Second Time Around...Road Trip Day Three

Up bright and early to get out of Oklahoma City, turning north on I-44, just like the Eddie Kendricks song "Keep on Truckin." We're heading for the Land of Lincoln. As we left, we passed under the golden arches.

Then it was into the state of Missouri, which is dotted with old barns. This is a typical Missouri roadside.

Then we came upon Meramec Caverns, which opened for tourist business in 1935! These old Route 66 caverns were the alleged hide out of Jesse James and his gang (before Sandra Bullock).

Finally entering Illinois, we crossed over the Mississippi River. Now to find a log cabin to spend the night in at Springfield. Tomorrow will be our final day on the road.