First Sportscar Love

[gi_gav]

For many years I'd been aware of Le Mans, but I only really started following sportscars after the Donington ELMS in 2001, which was also my first international race.

I've never forgotten the sight of the three R8s blasting down the Craners on lap 1 at the head of a field of full-blooded race cars!
(Bear in mind that up until then, my trackside viewing ha been 9 years of BTCC at Knockhill)

2002, and my first trip to Le Mans was not only dominated by the R8, but it (or rather the crew of the lead car) made history too.

The result of all this is that I am very fond of the audi R8, my first real sportscar love!!

I know that many of you have been sportscar nuts a lot longer than I, and that several detest the audi...

What was the car that made you fall in love with this wonderful form of racing?

[racer69]

I recall watching the 1988 World Sportscar Championship round from Sandown.

Main interest for Aussie's in the race was the West End Veskanda-Chevrolet, driven by John Bowe/Dick Johnson.

It had dominated Australian Sportscar racing, but was outclassed by the likes of the Jaguar and Mercedes that day.

I was only 5 and would watch anything with an engine (still do ), but that is the first Sportscar race i recall watching.

[kdr]

my first race was the 1998 le mans. it was the panoz and the 333 ferraris that did it for me.

[Tim Northcutt]

Mine goes way back to the 1960s when I was just a kid...

I watched portions of the Le Mans race on ABC's "Wide World of Sports" the year that Dan Gurney & A.J. Foyt piloted the Ford GT40 to the victory....

Growing up in Indy, I followed the Champ Cars very closely and was a big fan of both drivers.....

THe Ford GT40 got me hooked, and those two legends opened the door to my access to an excellent form of racing...

[paul-collins]

The first sportscars I saw were sprint-racers - Can-Am. I remember the Porsche 917/10s and the 917/30, and the Shadows (especially the DN4).

My father always had an interest in endurance racing, so I was very aware of the GT40s, 917Ks, 512s, the P4, Matra 670, etc. In 1976 the WSC came to Mosport and I saw a 936 and A442 up close, so that was my first look at the cars in person. It was still a sprint, though.

I'd say that the car that really put endurance on the map for me was the Jaguar XJR5, which I saw Tullius and Adam pedal to a 6h win over a March 83G - winning by about a minute. That Group 44 colour scheme was the cat's pyjamas.

[Nordic]

My first sportscar race I can recall was silverstone 79 I just loved the sight & sound of the 935's, flames leaping from the rear,massive power slides, great smell too.
just wish I had been able to see them race in the Grp 5 DTM of the day.
Still one of my favorites.

[LC2guy]

Martini Lancia LC2 . In 1982 i was taken by my 2 uncles to Silverstone, Nurburgring ( the last international race on the old 20+ mile circuit ) and Spa for the Group C races, and i have been a huge fan of Sportscar endurance racing ever since.

[Rcutler]

I think my first sportscar love would have to be the OLD Panoz GTR1 with the huge thundering V8 from 1998. As it was my first year watching sportscar racing the McLaren F1 also was a favorite.

[Fogelhund]

Originally posted by paul-collins
In 1976 the WSC came to Mosport and I saw a 936 and A442 up close, so that was my first look at the cars in person. It was still a sprint, though.

That was a heck of a race if you remember. Do you remember who won that race? The Renaults almost didn't run in that race if I remember correctly though, and they missed much of the practise sessions.

[dretceterini]

My dad took me to Le Mans 1953, when I was 6 years old.

[Fab]

My first : Le Mans 1972...

[SALEEN S7R]

I started watching sportscars from Le Mans 1999, those Oreca Vipers were beautiful...

[Fab]

Originally posted by SALEEN S7R
I started watching sportscars from Le Mans 1999, those Oreca Vipers were beautiful...

Those ones ?

[Ken May]

1985 - Ford Mustang GTP Probe driven by Pete H. and Lynn St. James.....The Tom M. Probes (NTW)were also right up there....too bad they could never really take it to the 962's of Al Holbert!

[KA]

Richard Lloyd's Canon-sponsored 956- driven by Palmer and Lammers at the second race meeting I ever went to- Group C at Silverstone in 1985, it's still one of my alltime favourite sportscars.

The other cars I remember particularly from that meeting are the Lancias and Steve O'Rourke's EMKA-Aston Martin- Silverstone of course was the race before their moment of glory when Tiff Needell briefly led at Le Mans.

[SALEEN S7R]

No no, that was the 2000 livery. I cant find a photo of the car Im talking about. But its the Blue and whit colour scheme. Thanks anyway

[KA]

This one? (think they carried this 1998 livery over to 99?)

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...tt/vipspe1.jpg

[Speedworx]

The car that got me into sportscar racing is the 1997 Mercedes CLK GTR.

[danhx]

I'd have to say the '99 Mercedes CLR grabbed me first. It was breathtakingly beautiful and oozed speed even as it sat in the pitlane (or in the trees!). But the car that sealed the deal was the Corvette C5-R.

The Corvette is my dream car, so when they announced a full race program i followed it intensely. I didn't actually get to an ALMS race until Sebring '01, but it was amazing to see the Vettes pouding around the old airfield in person instead of on TV like i'd had to see them over the previous two years. Of course, once i was there the elegnat Audis (Johannsen's Gulf R8 in particular) and the howling (but sluggardly) LMP07s sucked me in further. There was no turning back at that point so now i spend more time than i should hopping from site to site trying to become further immersed in the world of sportscars.

[Aysedasi]

My first "proper" sports car race was the 1000kms at Brands in 1985, when the TWR Jaguar was run - still in its lovely BRG livery. It was the TWR Jags that induced me to go Le Mans for the first time in 1986. So, rather than turn this into another "favourite" sports car thread, I'd have to go for the Jag.

[paul-collins]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
That was a heck of a race if you remember. Do you remember who won that race? The Renaults almost didn't run in that race if I remember correctly though, and they missed much of the practise sessions.

Of course I do. It was a point of pride for us that the two Can-Am beasties came home ahead of the Porsche and Renault.

http://www.classicscars.com/wspr/res...ms1976.html#15

[SALEEN S7R]

Originally posted by KA
This one? (think they carried this 1998 livery over to 99?)

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...tt/vipspe1.jpg

Yep thats the one!

[Fogelhund]

I cheered for the CanAm cars that day too. I think it might be the only time I've ever been cheering against something Porsche.

That was quite the weekend. Great TransAm race, and a good Formula Atlantic event as well (won by Rahal, GV had to sit out of that one with budget issues).

Did you go to the IMSA race in 75'? That was one of the best races in my memory.

[TimD]

First film my father ever took me to see at the cinema was "Le Mans". I was three - and utterly seduced by the blue and orange Porsche 917s. And I shall never, ever be able to watch the film without the thought of the kid in the row behind me screeching with excitement when the fake Ferrari 512 pancakes down, shedding its bodywork as it goes. "He's chuckin' it about like confetti", came the shout in the auditorium, and I've heard it in my head every time I've seen the film since then.

Long-winded way of saying it, but there you go - Porsche 917 for me.

[rdjones]

I think for me it was buying the 1993 Le Mans review video, that's what really did it for me.

I had always been interested in the race and can remember getting up at silly 'o' clock to check the positions on teletext when I was about 10.

But snice '93 I have hooked watching it on TV and last year went to Le Mans for the first time last year and I will be back there in 6 weeks time and I can not wait. For me now Le Mans is not just a race it's an addiction.