How did you fall in love with sportscar racing? - Page 2

dj choc ice · 27 Oct 2006, 18:57 (Ref:1751394)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

My first experiance of Sportscar racing was the Brands Hatch 1000kms in 1986. It was just amazing , Brun Jagermeister-Gaggia-Torno , Joest , Fitzpatrick-Danone and Obermaier-Babicressi with Silk Cut (the white one) Jaguar and of course RLR with 956-106B . Yep , the old Group C days were hard to beat and especially at a beuatiful track like Brands . I would like to see LMS there again someday .

Brilliant Bob and Baldi won the race with old 956-117 in 2nd place and Brun Jagermeister in 3rd with a lovely wild sounding Lancia LC2 screaming about with Giacomelli and co .

I didnt see another sportscar race until 1988 , again at Brands where Jag won .

Then i decided to give Le mans a go and have now been there 16 times . I didnt have a choice but to miss LM this year for the first time .... gutted is an understatement but I did manage to watch 22.5 hours on Motors TV and my trusty laptop tuned to Radoi Le Mans . Thank you to all involved there .

I couldnt make 1990 cuz i was away working in the Middle East and 1992 was a crap entry , and found a hotel where i got plastered and watched their TV for as long as i could drink pints !!!

But im already planning my little pilgrimage to France for next year ..... and I can hardly wait !!!

Id like my ashes to be scattered at Tetre Rouge , so i will never miss another one .

my ashes are being scattered on the mulsanne straight but that is atleast another 70 years away because im 17 and i havent been to lemans yet lol

The Badger · 27 Oct 2006, 19:14 (Ref:1751407)

The noise on the Mulsanne Straight would wake up the dead .... ive been down there a few times and a half hour is long enough . God only how those marshalls stay there for so long , but the real people that the i have pity for are the cops , most of them probably dont even like sportscar racing , just doing their job !!!

And I can run quicker than them anyway .... so far !

dj choc ice · 27 Oct 2006, 19:18 (Ref:1751410)

all the better the louder the better i say especially the zytek V8 and the judd V10's man i may have a trouser accident when im there lol

prototype · 27 Oct 2006, 19:22 (Ref:1751412)

I really started following sportscar racing in 1998. I really like the different classes and some of the prototypes were really beautiful (Toyota GT1, Porsche GT1).

It wasn't until watching Le Mans 2001 at 7 am eastern (2-3 pm Le Mans) time. The Bentley EXP Speed 8 had a 4 minute stop in the penalty box (I forget why). After the penalty time was served and 3 stalls later, the car finally started and the British fans erupted in cheers!! The car continued on to a 3rd place finish.

For some reason that has me hooked.

**Woolley** · 27 Oct 2006, 21:48 (Ref:1751538)

The second ever motor race I saw live was the Silverstone 1000kms in May 1985, and I was hooked by the sight and sound of the Porsche 962, and the fact that they could be so fast for so long.

**PascaLM** · 28 Oct 2006, 08:16 (Ref:1751755)

I simply discovered prototypes and GT on the TV as I was 10 years old. It was in 1973, the big Matra-Simca vs Ferrari battle at LM.
Then, during all the night in my bed I listened the race of Ickx, Redman, Pescarolo and Larousse on the radio. Yes, that night I caught the virus of endurance.

mikmx · 28 Oct 2006, 16:40 (Ref:1752026)

Wow Pascal that's a short but catching story..

Started with going to Zandvoort with my father in the 80'ies, getting me the enduro virus by taking me to the 24hrs touring car at Spa 82/83 and then seeing the Rothmans Porsches on tv.. Then Jan Lammers and RFH got me going to Le Mans.
Thanks dad!

RADICALsolution · 29 Oct 2006, 06:34 (Ref:1752390)

I am just beginning to discover the intricacies and beauties of Sports Car Racing. The beauty of power, the power of beauty. And these are definitely powerful and beautiful works of art and the art of precision engineering at all levels – designer, aerodynamicist, sculptor, fabricators, engine-builders and their machinists – all are artists in their own discipline. All contribute to the Art of Beauty with Speed…Power and Beauty – The fusion of the teamwork of each discipline involved in its creation - the Art of Beauty with Speed…

bonedome · 29 Oct 2006, 13:07 (Ref:1752705)

Like a lot of people on this post it all started with my dad, he went to LM in 70, and the first time the Steve McQueen film was on tv and my dad mentioned it I was hooked, that Gulf livery still looks amazing now.
After that attention drifted into F1, only motorsport on TV at one point, until I happened upon GT's on tv in 97. Since then I planned to go to LM myself and finally managed in 03 and 05, getting a job paying off student debts took a while.
As per other comments the reason why I'm in love with sportcars, sights, sounds, the mix of cars and the overall concept of racing a car thorugh the night and all next day. True machines of excellence not like the human body, where too much beer and not enough sleep tend to get in the way of optimum performance.
Since discovering the online community and especially tt I'm happy to know there are lots of people out there who share our passion. Just to like to add a big thanks to all the posters for there technical knowledge, it makes it easier explaining enduro racing to newcomers.

racerkeke · 29 Oct 2006, 17:11 (Ref:1752845)

Hey, Badger, my poste is on the Mulsanne (61) and trust me, after a shift of waving those humungous flags or chasing cars thru gravel traps you sleep just fine. It's when the noise stops... you sit straight up in the sleeping bag and start fumbling for your boots, 'cause that means a safety car and you don't know if the incident's at your station or not.

It's all the Racegypsy's fault. After just one trip I was hooked on Le Mans. It ain't chicken soup, but more like crystal meth for the racer's soul.

keke

KA · 29 Oct 2006, 17:19 (Ref:1752848)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woolley

The second ever motor race I saw live was the Silverstone 1000kms in May 1985, and I was hooked by the sight and sound of the Porsche 962, and the fact that they could be so fast for so long.

it's a small world- the second ever race I saw live was the 1985 Silverstone 1000km as well....

I'd been car-mad since I was a kid, I'd watched F1, Le Mans, rallying etc on TV, and I'd recently been to my first 'live' race meeting (ETCC at Donington).
I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to the Silverstone meeting in a competition in the local paper.
The sight and sound of the Porsches and Lancias had me hooked immediately- 20-odd years later, Richard Lloyd's Canon 956 is still one of my all-time favourite cars...

GTfour · 1 Nov 2006, 21:54 (Ref:1755678)

On the news somewhere in the midle of '88 I saw Jan Lammers blasting thrue the dunlop chicane and then take the car to victory. I started to watch all Le Mans live footage as of then(when possible) and had the good fortune to see the '91 race with the Mazda victory.

Then came the Mclaren F1 road car which awed me and had dreams about,and what do you know,they win their first attempt at Le Mans!
So the next year I HAD to be there. 1996 was my first year and I haven't missed one since.

Nowadays,our regular agenda is: Spa 1000km's, Le Mans 24hrs and the Spa 24hrs. And anything I can afford in between. (Goodwood festival of speed,VLN races at the Nordschleiffe,Porsche days at Spa with a friend of mine who has a Ruf BTR,doing laps on the Nordschleiffe with my own Celica GTfour)

I guess you could say I'm an endurance addict...

The Badger · 2 Nov 2006, 06:21 (Ref:1755902)

Quote:

Originally Posted by racerkeke

Hey, Badger, my poste is on the Mulsanne (61) and trust me, after a shift of waving those humungous flags or chasing cars thru gravel traps you sleep just fine. It's when the noise stops... you sit straight up in the sleeping bag and start fumbling for your boots, 'cause that means a safety car and you don't know if the incident's at your station or not.

It's all the Racegypsy's fault. After just one trip I was hooked on Le Mans. It ain't chicken soup, but more like crystal meth for the racer's soul.

keke

Where exactly is post 61 on the Mulsanne ..... I cant promise a visit though !!!

HORNDAWG · 2 Nov 2006, 08:15 (Ref:1755956)

As a youth in the late 60's I was lucky enough to go to Laguna Seca to watch Sports Car racing. And of course my favorites were Can-Am(group7). With the likes of Peter Revson,Mario Andretti,Dan Gurney,Jack Brabham,Bruce McLaren,Denny Hulme,David Hobbs,Chuck Parsons,Jim Hall and so many other legends in sports car and other forms of racing. Driving at that time the BADDEST cars on the planet !!!! Even F-1 was not as fast and a lot of F-1 drivers drove in the Can-Am races. Chaparral,McLaren,Lola,Porsche 908's,Gurney McLaren Eagle the sound and pulse(feel) of these monsters burned into my soul!! I can still remember the feeling of excitement of the Monterey GP's of my youth!

L.P.

rcarr · 2 Nov 2006, 09:04 (Ref:1755994)

Ever since I was born!

My Dad went to Le Mans in 72' and saw Graham Hill and Henri Pescarolo winning. In 1992, he went back as a 20th anniversary and took me and the rest of our race team as a thank you for the hard work over the seasons.

We went back in 93' 94' and 95' as a team then my brother and I went on our own in 99' supporting Mercedes, the rest is history!

My Dad was offered a drive in 94' I think it was in a Tiga LMP2 for £70k. Not bad, he should have taken it! My Mum would never have forgiven him though!

The Badger · 2 Nov 2006, 09:23 (Ref:1756007)

Do you mind me asking ..... who is your dad ? And what team in 1992 ?

Just curious is all

rcarr · 2 Nov 2006, 15:36 (Ref:1756330)

It was the french/canadian run Tiga in 95 which blew up 2 buick engines during pre-qualifying, not the "stingbrace" car that ran in 92'

this one:
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n..._carr/tiga.jpg
By the way thats me sitting in it when I was younger at Le Mans during the race, it was sitting in a tent round the back of the pits.

Sylvain Boulay was meant to race it in 95'

It could actually be the chassis that Stingbrace drove in 92' I think I read that somewhere.

My Dad is no-one of note. He has won a few championships in Scotland but nothing major.

racerkeke · 3 Nov 2006, 02:01 (Ref:1756735)

Badger, poste 61 is driver's right, the second chicane.

keke

GTfour · 3 Nov 2006, 19:30 (Ref:1757320)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

As a youth in the late 60's I was lucky enough to go to Laguna Seca to watch Sports Car racing. And of course my favorites were Can-Am(group7). With the likes of Peter Revson,Mario Andretti,Dan Gurney,Jack Brabham,Bruce McLaren,Denny Hulme,David Hobbs,Chuck Parsons,Jim Hall and so many other legends in sports car and other forms of racing. Driving at that time the BADDEST cars on the planet !!!! Even F-1 was not as fast and a lot of F-1 drivers drove in the Can-Am races. Chaparral,McLaren,Lola,Porsche 908's,Gurney McLaren Eagle the sound and pulse(feel) of these monsters burned into my soul!! I can still remember the feeling of excitement of the Monterey GP's of my youth!

L.P.

Wooowwww,how I envy you!,how I whish to be able to plug in to your memory and see/feel al this....
As a matter of fact,the first live race I ever saw was a gathering of some 30 Can-am's in a classic sportscar race at Zandvoort in '95. The thundering sound and the massive speed together with some of the maddest and extremely styled cars,I'll never forget !

Alex Hodgkinson · 3 Nov 2006, 21:01 (Ref:1757376)

I visited Le Mans museum when I was 12 years old.
Upon seeing the Rondeau, Mazda 787B, Toyota TS010, Toyota 90C-V, etc etc that were there at the time I knew I was in love..

PorscheFanNo1 · 3 Nov 2006, 21:59 (Ref:1757410)

Dad brought me a video in the early 90s when I was only a kid and there they where, the Porsche 956, 962, C9, XJR9 and all those going down the Mulsanne straight and that noise! Got me hocked and since I've always been a huge fan of Sportscar racing, the GT1 years didnt exactly do it any better...
Nowdays I'm trying to collect as much Sportscar races I can get ahold of to try and catch up on the things I missed, managed to find quite a few old great races, both IMSA GTP, WSPC and GT1 races.

marcosgt · 5 Nov 2006, 12:28 (Ref:1758257)

I was sitting in an Economics class at school in 1979 and my friend and I got to chatting to how great it'd be to go to the Le Mans 24 hour race (All I actually knew about it was from the film and a poster in our school's French class).

I left school that spring, but found a coach trip going to the Le Mans 24 Hours from my local town.

That was the first ever motor race I saw live and I've only missed one Le Mans 24 hours since (the year the Aud-leys won

)

Cheers.

jimclark · 6 Nov 2006, 03:49 (Ref:1758664)

'Was already following racing here in the states (indycars, stock cars, and drag racing) at the ripe age of about about 7 (1961) on. 'Twas Ford's effort with the GT40 that hooked me on sportscar racing. ABC TV station's coverage of the first and last hours of LeMans in '65 opened the door for me. Later that summer, I read The Cobra Story (or was it the Carroll Shelby Story?) that cemented it.

the.cosmic.pope · 7 Nov 2006, 02:37 (Ref:1759613)

By being given a VIP pass to the Daytona 24hours. One of the best days ever.

PeterM · 7 Nov 2006, 08:15 (Ref:1759674)

Like PascaLM the first Le Mans I saw was in 1973. A friend and I packed a tent etc into an MG Midget and off we went. Superb week. Became a marshal in 1975 and pit marshalled at all the Silverstone 6hours and 1000k. Saw at close range the Porsche 935, 956/962 (still my favourite) Lancia LC1/2, Alain de Cadenet's self run team etc. Have been to Le Mans on and off for the last 30 years and still marshal at any long distance UK race including Donington this year. Now my son marshals with me and he is also a sportscar fan.
It's the dedication of the drivers and teams over such a long period that does it for me and the way that the mechanics work to repair the car so it will make it to the finish.
I still recall that first Le Mans though which got me into motor racing in general and sports cars in particular.
Just to move off the thread slightly, I can recommend the Britcar 24 hours and the Birkett 6 hour relay at Silverstone for 2007. Where else can you see two teams of Jaguar XK 120s racing for 6 hours. (See the Historic Racing Today and Marshals Forum threads for some pictures and comments)

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