Monday, August 20, 2018

RETRO: Why Sports Cars are an Integral part of My Motorsports yearnings



Some very clever Chaps have created their own rendition of a modern day Porsche 911 GT2 RS honouring the original Moby dick racecar. (Image source: caranddriver.com)
Since although Thar Not thee Pinnacle 'O Motorsports. Nonetheless, how many countless Formula 1 Drivers have raced in them? And IndyCar Drivers too...

Typically this time of year, I'd just be wrapping up my yearly nod towards the Crème de la Crème 'O Stateside Historic Motoring events, which for Mwah, will always be fondly remembered as the Monterey Historics', or as Cammee named them, Hystericals!

As it's somewhat hard to believe it's almost a quarter of A century now, since I attended the first of my four Treks to the just then plain 'Ol Laguna Seca Raceways, Wayback in 1994. Which I've previously regaled Y'all here on No Fenders about.


Since although I'd attended my first two Formula 1 events in The Valley of The Sun, with the title sponsor so aptly being named Iceberg! Which was perfect for that June 4, 1989 event; but I digress...

Unfortunately Formula 1 ran away 'N Hid from the United States for a desultory nine years, before returning at Indianapolis.

While I've already lamented Roy giving me that Bayside Racing Porsche 962 poster with its "Foxy Lady," who was a Porsche owner who informed me 'bout that yearly 'lil G.I. Joes 200 IndyCar race at Portland.

Yet it was Roberto, Cammee's father who introduced Mwah to the world of the Ford Motor Company and its long forgotten Total Performance years, when some top FoMoCo Mucky-Muck known simply as the "Deuce," aka Henry Ford II became so enraged at "Il Commendatore" (Enzo Ferrari) for Jilting Him at the Altar... Over Ford's purchase of Ferrari. That Ford set out to conquer la Scuderia at Circuit de la Sarthe!

Alas, I've since long been fascinated by le 24 Heurs du Mans, where ironically neither Ford or Ferrari are the Top Dog! Instead that honour goes to Porsche, who've won the race outright countless times, 19 Overall Me Thinks.

With the 'lil Stuttgart concern capturing it's Debutante Victory at Le Mans in 1970 with its legendous Porsche 917, for which has run in several variants and guises during its brief career before the ACO effectively Banned them.

As one of these legendous' 917's was the "Pink Pig," for which Porsche just honoured at Le Mans this year with a Throwback livery, most appropriately adorning the winning GTE Pro Class #91 entry.


And I've also reveled over seeing "booby ruble," aka Bobby Rahal not only Headline our yearly SOVREN 4th 'O July Hystericals', as the event's featured guest. But Bobby ran one of the mighty Porsche 917's in the revered Gulf Oil livery that year at SIR!

As I'm fairly certain that iconic Porsche 917 was owned by Bruce McCaw, the owner of the long defunct PacWest Racing team...

Along with having driven Bruce Leven's Bayside Disposal Porsche 962, which possibly in some weird contorted way? Is why I once elected to move to Kent, Warshington' and ended up just some five miles from Seattle International Raceway! (SIR) Where the majority of the vintage machinery competing was of either Tintops, i.e.; Shelby GT-350 Mustangs, Corvettes and Camaro's, or Sports Cars.

Yet I'll admit I'm definitely Not a Porschephyle', since even though I wrote that Weissach was celebrating its 70th Birthday, I really wasn't sure what that was all about, Eh?

Cause I was Cornfuzed, only knowing that it couldn't be for the 911, which has just turned 55 I believe? Hence I had ZERO Clue that it signified the debut of Porsche's first road car, the 356.


As it seems to me that the legendary Steve McQueen in his epic Le Mans movie begins by putterin' about France in a 911? While I could totally see him blastin' round the French countryside in this latest 911 spec Speedster, produced to honour the 70th Anniversary of their building road cars.

Yet lost in all of this giddiness over Porsche turning 70, is another long, lost and probably forgotten racecar. One that I've only read about afterwards and never seen in anger. Especially since I hadn't even began sniffing petrol; Err attending motor races when it competed. But it's gotta be right up Thar with its Pink Pig cousin, Righto?


Thus, if Fernando can have his mythical Triple Crown to chase. Then I bloody Whale' can continue enjoying my Three Ringed Circus of Formula 1, IndyCar and Sorts Cars, Wee-Wee!