|
|
Post by René on Sept 25, 2018 10:33:32 GMT
Yes, I agree also. Love to go to smaller race festivals at Zolder or Spa. I've also been spoiled by having those tracks so nearby. Still very much enjoy going to the high profile events (F1, WEC) but the smaller festivals are so much more accessible and relaxed. Close racing, you can see everything upclose if you want and no stress of finding parking space or good seats. Just enjoy a day at the races! The SCCA events must have been wonderful Carl. Heaven as you say! Rob, those are some very cool F1 cars you've seen in action. Doesn't matter if they were not the latest versions, they're still cool! Bought myself a Lotus 72 slot car recently of Dave Charlton in Lucky Strike livery. Looks almost as good as the JPS version!  |
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Sept 25, 2018 10:47:50 GMT
I agree Carl. We were so spoilt for choice in the old days we probably squandered opportunities. I used to enjoy the race meetings at our local track in Harare. The cream of the crop was when the South African drivers came up for the Rhodesian Grand Prix or the Mashonaland 100 and we got to see about a dozen F1 and Formula 5000 cars driven by some pretty good folks. The f1 cars were normally at least a year old but consisted of such greats as Lotus 49 and 72, McLaren M7 and M23, Brabham BT 33 and Tyrrell 007 to name the faster ones. Rob, Those South African/Rhodesian drivers were all pretty useful, especially John Love and Dave Charlton. John Love was probably the pick of the crop and drove well into his late 40's and was unlucky to not win the 1967 SA Gp in the ex-Bruce McLaren Tasman Cooper Climax. He also did a season or two in Europe in the early 1960's, in which I am sure he drove a Ken Tyrrell F3 Cooper BMC. With regard to Nelson Piquet's limp; he was very fortunate to not loose part of the leg after that Indy accident, as it was horrendous. Thinking back it makes one shudder to imagine car designers putting the drivers legs out in front of the axle line as they were in the 1980's and early 90's. JC |
|
|
|
Post by chrisb on Sept 26, 2018 11:15:07 GMT
Carl, Rob et al, so right, we were so spoiled for choice with a great variety of interesting series and so many great races, stars, cars, and fans I really could have camped at Brands every weekend, but these other things get in the way -
John, totally agree re John Love, he really was good, and seem to remember something about a GT40 but cannot remember what about it without checking, and that was my point, so many people could buy customer cars, this is why the Group C era had it right for a time, how many 956/962's were sold to customers? so many and some of them, the Richard Lloyd one, for instance, was worked on and were brilliant, sadly not the case today.
|
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Sept 26, 2018 12:11:47 GMT
Carl, Rob et al, so right, we were so spoiled for choice with a great variety of interesting series and so many great races, stars, cars, and fans I really could have camped at Brands every weekend, but these other things get in the way - John, totally agree re John Love, he really was good, and seem to remember something about a GT40 but cannot remember what about it without checking, and that was my point, so many people could buy customer cars, this is why the Group C era had it right for a time, how many 956/962's were sold to customers? so many and some of them, the Richard Lloyd one, for instance, was worked on and were brilliant, sadly not the case today. Brilliant Chris, You are correct there was a huge amount of interesting and often exciting series every weekend. Back in the 70's/80's the Club racing scene was terrific; from the one make saloon series i.e Renault 5 Turbo; Metro and Civic's to the outrageous Super Saloons. Who will ever forget Gerry Marshall and his various Vauxhall "Bertha's", or the incredible Escorts like Dave Brodies "Run Baby Run" all black and pin stripes, and then those fantastic Skoda's which often were Can Am chassis' with wide arched saloon bodies. Group C with the Porsche 956/962 customer cars was the way it should be, and as you so correctly mention the Richard Lloyd car driven by Jonathan Palmer and Jan Lammers along with Erwin Kremer's and Walter Brun's could often match the factory cars. That is how it should be, and something the over complex LMP1 series lacks. Even the British Aurora F1 series was good to attend, and probably was very similar to what they did in South Africa in earlier years. can't see that ever happening with these current trucks. As René commented earlier it is the ability to walk around without restriction or pressure and be able to get up close to the cars and drivers etc, I believe it is what is referred to as fan engagement. JC |
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Oct 25, 2018 18:42:03 GMT
I am always on the lookout for some good coverage of Formula Two in the old days and came across this excellent film from the 1968 Temporada winter series. The original upload was of poor quality if I remember correctly, however the attached version is stunning for its crispness in monochrome.
It is the year that Ferrari's beautiful type 166 models suddenly produced some strong performance and Andrea de Adamich won the series. The entry of the race featured was star studded and it appears that half the grid were driving the fabulous little stubby Tecno cars. The highlight being the excellent paddock scenes with a young Regga looking very cool.
The circuit was also fabulous with a mountainous backdrop that was truly stunning; it makes the current Tilkedromes look what they are.
However the soundtrack is appalling with dubbed on sound that has nothing to do with the action what so ever, but do not let that spoil watching, for the film is brilliant.
|
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Oct 26, 2018 0:40:40 GMT
I am always on the lookout for some good coverage of Formula Two in the old days and came across this excellent film from the 1968 Temporada winter series. The original upload was of poor quality if I remember correctly, however the attached version is stunning for its crispness in monochrome. It is the year that Ferrari's beautiful type 166 models suddenly produced some strong performance and Andrea de Adamich won the series. The entry of the race featured was star studded and it appears that half the grid were driving the fabulous little stubby Tecno cars. The highlight being the excellent paddock scenes with a young Regga looking very cool. The circuit was also fabulous with a mountainous backdrop that was truly stunning; it makes the current Tilkedromes look what they are. However the soundtrack is appalling with dubbed on sound that has nothing to do with the action what so ever, but do not let that spoil watching, for the film is brilliant. John Charles, That is a beautiful film and the musical soundtrack, while not relevant, is still very pleasant. The track was fabulous, as you say, in San Juan and called Autodromo Eduardo Copello, 2 miles in length with a crossover similar to Suzuka. Super cool that Juan Manuel Fangio waved the start and finish!
|
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Oct 26, 2018 3:49:26 GMT
The Temporada film caused me to wonder where Argentinian Carlos Reutemann was in 1968. Here he is, shy of midfield, in the second event at the Ciudad de Cordoba circuit.
The great man once again waves the flags and at one point abruptly moves his foot from the apex of a fast right-hand curve as one of the cars is 8 inches offline. Despite being 57 and single seat race cars so dramatically changed, there's no doubt that Fangio would have done well. |
|
|
|
Post by charleselan on Oct 27, 2018 14:04:53 GMT
The Temporada film caused me to wonder where Argentinian Carlos Reutemann was in 1968. Here he is, shy of midfield, in the second event at the Ciudad de Cordoba circuit.
The great man once again waves the flags and at one point abruptly moves his foot from the apex of a fast right-hand curve as one of the cars is 8 inches offline. Despite being 57 and single seat race cars so dramatically changed, there's no doubt that Fangio would have done well. Really pleased to hear that you liked the film Carl, and your additional notes on the circuit are superb, many thanks for that. I too noticed The Maestro waving the flag, he looked sharp. I wonder if he ever drove a rear engined single seater in retirement, just for the hell of it. Wouldn't it be good to hear if he did, and how he got on with such a vehicle. Carlos Reutemann would have been in his formative years of racing single seaters in that series, a little later he would come to Europe with the YPF sponsored F2 team that ran the white and yellow Brabham BT30/36's. I had not realised that the circuit was a figure of eight until you pointed that out, what a circuit it was too and that backdrop is something else. John Charles |
|
|
|
Post by chrisb on Oct 28, 2018 10:16:54 GMT
I saw El Maestro in 1979 at Donington at the Gunnar Nillson memorial day, a day wreathed in tragedy as we had lost both Ronnie and Gunnar but what a way to pay tribute to these two greats, Fangio was in his late 70's and drove the Mercedes W125 with such gusto and seesawing - I was at the bottom of the Craner curves and even nearly 40 years on, it was mesmerising, wonder if there are any clips....but it was just mindblowing - tragic that such a day was to pay tribute to two wonderful drivers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Oct 28, 2018 17:04:36 GMT
I saw El Maestro in 1979 at Donington at the Gunnar Nillson memorial day, a day wreathed in tragedy as we had lost both Ronnie and Gunnar but what a way to pay tribute to these two greats, Fangio was in his late 70's and drove the Mercedes W125 with such gusto and seesawing - I was at the bottom of the Craner curves and even nearly 40 years on, it was mesmerising, wonder if there are any clips....but it was just mindblowing - tragic that such a day was to pay tribute to two wonderful drivers. Chris, I had a chance to see JM Fangio drive his W196 at Long Beach at reduced speed in a demonstration "race" that also featured Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney, Jack Brabham, Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill, everyone in vintage machines, including Rene Dreyfus and Richie Ginther in Bugattis Tipo 51 and 37A. I'd rather have seen Fangio at speed, as you did, but still remember how magical it was to look down directly behind our grandstand to where Fangio climbed into the Mercedes and adjusted his goggles.
Here's a wonderful film of two drivers with eight world championships between them having at it in 1978
Cheers, Carl
|
|
