Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Drivin' in a Fast Parade... Daytona 2013, 24 Hours

Daytona 1968 with three Porsche 907 Long-tails logging a 1,2,3 finish. Photo via Porsche AG Archives.
The past hangs in the air like a mist, it's the history of Daytona. Forty-five years almost to the day, a Porsche had its first overall victory in 24 hour racing with the 907 LH(long-tail) at Daytona. No less, with the winning car sporting 5 drivers. How did this happen? After Gerhard Mitter had a big crash with the #53 car caused by tire failure on the banking, his teammate Rolf Stommelen supported the nearly identical car #54 driven by Vic Elford/Jochen Neerpasch. When the #52 car of the longtime leaders Jo Siffert/Hans Herrmann dropped to second due to a technical problem, these two also drove car #54 in case there car broke down. Due to this, five drivers won the race, and two of them scored also second. Jo Schlesser/Joe Buzzetta with car #51 in third place were there to make Porsche's first 24 hours overall victory ever, an 1-2-3 victory with headlites blasin'!

The 907 cars were fitted with a 2195cc eight-cylinder air-cooled engines which developed 270bhp and it was reported along with drivers fitted with cooling vests to withstand the heat in the closed cockpits. Shorty after a 907 went on to win the 12 Hours at Sebring in short-tailed form with another eight-cylinder engine. But, this story is not about 1968. It's about the 2013 Daytona 24.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

On Any Main Street #2... Burger Run

Rocketing up the road with a windshield sunrise, do I meet up with some of my Shafters Car Club buddies for a morning bite, or head straight for the Burger Run Car Show? Not much of a decision...the show can wait, as you know, golden time spent with friends is never time lost.

The Burger Run at the Pepper Tree Frosty is the first show of the year in SoCal, and is touted as the largest one-day show, with an excess of 600 intoxicating rides. The camera started clicking with euphoria the moment of arrival. Enjoy the pics...


Pepper Tree Frosty at its best...

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Gather Around...


Image via Mickey Pleasant
A remarkable ol' black and white shows a group of friends enjoying themselves spending a day at the races. You wonder, why remarkable?

We never really notice time slipping away, and how many images such as this have been lost. It documents a richness in a day when you could drive your street car to the track (notice the front license plate), strip the windshield off, tape a few numbers on, throw on some overalls and hit the asphalt, tires screamin'.

The shot was taken at an SCCA Drivers School held in the parking lot of the Del Mar Fairgrounds, circa 1963.

You have to wonder, is it as fun today as it was back then. What do you think?

Related post: Del Mar Road Races

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

There's a Reason...



My breaker bar was on the work bench for a reason, but I just can't remember what the reason was. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't do anything without some reason, even if it's a stupid reason.

Anyway, I've always been fond of breaker bars. Maybe it's the name...a lung nut knows you mean business when you slide it on. Don't screw with me, it says! Every time we pick one up, we reinstate our membership in a great brotherhood of wrenchers willing to get to work.

But, the question still begs to be asked, why was it there. Maybe it's because it looks tough. That's a better reason than most.


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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Brisket Grease and Burn-Outs...

It was a wide open, full throttle, sweetheart kinda' New Years Day for the So-Cal Fallbrook car club, the "Shafters." As a club, they always like to start the year off with a bang, and what better way to do it than having a "Burn-out" party, the 5th of its kind for the locals. Professional drag racer, car builder, and all around good guy Mike Hayden donated his home, shop, and private burn-out strip for his fellow club members to fill the air with tire smoke.

You could say, that's wicked enough. However, there was more to the celebration, including a bitchin belly busting BBQ with all the fixins' prepared by fellow racer, George Sevelle during the lunch break. It was just a year ago when this gathering became so popular, the club decided to put it over the top by collecting donations for the "Wounded Warrior" project, and again that was repeated, as the donation can was stuffed full, to say "Thank You" to those that have given for their Country.

Tom Sceberras starts the day off with smokin' some massive meats.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Signatures...

Put two or more guys with cars together and one if not both things will happen...a race and/or a club. In the latter, it's a chiseled out signature that you belong. With that signature comes a brotherhood, one with pride, standing tough and tall. The cars may wear a decal or a plaque, but there also needs to be a visible testament for ones body. Enter the club jacket or shirt.