Lost "Race" to ex-Job 993 3.8 RSR

[Carrera3.5L]

Well, I was at Cal Speedway yesterday in Fontana with the Bernheim/Vision boys for the POC Tribute to LeMans 4 hour enduro that started at 4 pm. Watch for it on t.v. in the coming weeks, Speed Channel was there filming the event and I know I am on tv a couple of times in the background, after the pole-sitting Bernheim/Vision car got tangled with a backmarker and broke the l/f suspension and ruptured the brake line after only 45 minutes in.

The lunch break for the day came and I signed up for the traditional "lead and follow" parade laps that they hold. During the "drivers meeting", it was told that speeds on the banking would be held to 75 mph and 60 mph in the infield with no passing allowed. And please...no dropping way back to create a gap and playing catch up. Yeah right!

Anyway, never been on the Cal Speedway track before and thought it might be fun, even though the speeds were/are for our safety. No helmets or safety equipment obviously. Just go fast enough to have some fun but not at speeds where you endanger yourself or others, in theory at least. A slew of Boxsters, couple of SC's and Carrera's, couple of 964's and 993's and a new 997 pretty much made up the Porsche contingent. An SUV and a Toyota Celica rounded it out.

At the last second, one of the ex-Alex Job 993 RSR 3.8's that was competing joined in, driven by the car owner's buddy just so he had an idea what it was like I guess. He was all decked out with firesuit, helmet, gloves, etc. 3 groups of 5 cars were made with a POC driver leading the group. Well, I was the last car in my "group" and right in front of me was the RSR. Oh oh!

Sure enough, the tame speeds that we were doing was not going to impress him being him in that car. He dropped way, way back from the front 3 cars (almost the entire distance from entering the banking through turn 1) to get a nice run and see how fast he can go. Me, being behind him, had no choice but to try and keep up.

Hard on the gas in 2nd gear but he is easily pulling away, the 380 horsepower he has in a fully prepped chassis quickly leaving me behind and throwing bits of rubber from his slicks all over the front of my car. His open exhaust is so loud I don't even hear my own engine, which with headers isn't quiet in its own right. In my desperate bid to keep up, I manage all the way to 125 mph on the banking heading into the hard braking zone that is turn 3 where the RSR has caught the pack and slowed back down. I could have gone a wee bit faster, but with no helmet, roll cage, etc that was where I was comfortable. I feel sorry for the guy in the Boxster in front of him, he must have been !@#$$%^& himself watching the RSR rapidly filling his mirrors.

Same thing happens in portions of the infield. He drops back and then nails the car at full speed through the first chicane, around the hairpin and through the 2nd chicane before slowing back down. Naturally, I replicate, albeit quite a bit slower with less power, more weight, street suspension, pads and tires. We repeat the same scenario for 5-6 laps. What fun! We were the only two to do this, all the other groups are together and adhering to the docile pace of their "instructor".

When we were done, a couple of the Bernheim/Vision guys said I go faster on the banking then some of the race prepped 911, 914 and 944 guys out there that are competing. I stayed fairly low on the banking for the most part, allowing me plenty of room if the car showed signs of wanting to drift up.

The $20 charge to do this probably wouldn't have been worth it to me if the regs were strictly adhered to, but in my instance it was the best $20 I ever spent!

Ralph

P.S. - The infamous Loren stopped by the Bernheim/Vision paddock and introduced himself to me and we chatted a bit about my car and a few other things. Real nice guy in person, much different then the one behind the keyboard.

Now having met both Steve Wong and Loren, I can unequivocally confirm that they are not the same person.

[DustinTarditi]

Sounds like a lot of fun - did anyone get bent out of shape with the RSR bending the rules?

[JeremyD]

Originally posted by Carrera3.5L
Now having met both Steve Wong and Loren, I can unequivocally confirm that they are not the same person.

Very cool Ralph (about the track ride) and are you sure on the other??? I could have sworn that was the superintelligent Steve Wong outmarketing the marketers...HAHA

[motion]

Great write-up, Ralph. Sounds like a blast! Any in-car pics of the banking at speed?

[Carrera3.5L]

Originally posted by DustinTarditi
Sounds like a lot of fun - did anyone get bent out of shape with the RSR bending the rules?

No, apparently not. The POC guy in charge of the parade laps winked in the "Drivers Meeting" when he said no lagging behind and then going full bore. He knew full well from past experience that this happens. He also said a couple of people got killed out at Willow Springs a few years ago after screwing around during the parade laps.

I can't blame the guy in the RSR, certainly wouldn't be worth it driving around at 75 mph. I think the POC guy was just happy that I didn't lose it on the banking.

The Bernheim/Vision guys playfully asked me why I didn't stay in the RSR's draft on the banking and get a tow. I told them I have to get in the draft first!

I'm just glad he was shooting up bits of rubber rather then rocks to protect the H4's I just installed. Cracking a lens would have been a real bummer!

Jeremy, I have certain impressions in my mind what I think people look like based on the response that I read on Pelican. I pictured Loren as a crotchety old man with a chip on his shoulder, but he is far from it. I would guess in his mid-40's. I was just dumbstruck when he found me and introduced himself. He caught me completely off-guard. Nice guy. BTW, he told me my motor didn't look like it was made by a high school auto shop.

Richard, no pics at all. Left the camera at home. I do have some pics that I bought (11x16.5) from a guy taking pictures of us at the hairpin, but I don't have a scanner. Besides, I wouldn't be taking pics at those speeds anyway. All you would have seen are my "white knuckles" on the steering wheel. How did the bike go at Willow this weekend?

Ralph