+1.
This is the most GRM thing I've ever seen on a professional motorsports stage.
+1.
This is the most GRM thing I've ever seen on a professional motorsports stage.
And I thought I pulled some hair brained ideas. WAY TO GO!!!!
Absolutely f-in amazing!
This guy is my new hero.
This is what motorsport -should- be like.
Shawn
I imagine that the organizers are going "oh E36 M3! Now we're going to get a bunch of yahoos living out their fantasys every year!"
It's worth mentioning that the driver must be really good.
kreb wrote: It's worth mentioning that the driver must be really good.
I don't think this can be underlined enough. You can't just throw together a $500 E30 and be on the podium at the WRC. The driver AND copilot must be very good. Hopefully this is their big break as I don't think either of them are getting paid for racing yet.
miatame2 wrote:kreb wrote: It's worth mentioning that the driver must be really good.I don't think this can be underlined enough. You can't just throw together a $500 E30 and be on the podium at the WRC. The driver AND copilot must be very good. Hopefully this is their big break as I don't think either of them are getting paid for racing yet.
This sentiment was pretty strong over on Jalop, seems that if a 2 man crew (really only 1 working on the car) can go be competitive at such a high level on a shoestring budget (by comparison to a fully backed sponsored team) with a 20 year old RWD car, for the love of God, someone offer this guy a ride!
This sentiment was pretty strong over on Jalop, seems that if a 2 man crew (really only 1 working on the car) can go be competitive at such a high level on a shoestring budget (by comparison to a fully backed sponsored team) with a 20 year old RWD car, for the love of God, someone offer this guy a ride!
I say we chip in and get them an official GRM sponsorship, complete with something more current, like a 12YO E36 M3!
Seriously, You've got an instant fan favorite here. One of the big manufacturers would be very well served by jumping on this later-day Cinderella story's bandwagon.
You know, this is the sort of stuff that makes Legends out of Men.
Like the crazed men building racers out of scraps in their garage to challenge the "establishment" in like early F1.
I only want to see these guys go farther, harder, and win.
Caswell is cut from the same mold as Ak Miller. The guy who build his own hot rod roadster and took on the big teams.
In 1953, legendary hot rodder and NHRA's first Vice President, Ak Miller, decided to challenge the high priced European sports cars with an all-American hot rod. Ak entered 'The Iron horse' in the Carrera Panamerica Mexican (Mexican Road Race). He drove 3,300 miles from Whittier, CA, to Mexico, and finished eight in the large sports car class and fourteenth overall. The following year the team was fifth in class and seventh overall behind some very expensive Ferraris. They average 94.1 mph for the 1,921 mile race.
I just discovered this, absolutely incredible:
"Dude," he said, "I don't care if it costs me a couple of tenths. It makes the fans go nuts."
crap appleseed beat me to it, I second 'pulling a caswell' or 'caswell worthy' being annexed into our vocabulary.
The article is making its rounds it seems, hackaday just posted it up on their site.
Amazing.
Yep, legend in the making. Inspiring me to greater heights of getting my damn car ready for the next rally.
Appleseed wrote:
"Know your roots." 
Totally awesome, and a great read, too. +1 more for magazine feature.
As an aside, you might be interested to know that Ak Miller's 'Iron Horse' was restored sometime in the '90s. I have the article in an old issue of 'Classic Cars'.
Back from the dead, I just caught the end of an interview on The Story on NPR. I may have to download the podcast to hear the full interview. I guess he will be running in the Olympus Rally this weekend.
Griffin, I enjoyed that. Thanks for posting. Interesting story about having the time or having the money and the rare time when the two come together.
To his credit, at no time was he really concerned that he did not have the skill. He self taught himself.
Just finished reading the latest issue of GRM. It about knocked my socks off to see on the last page that Caswell's romp through Mexico will be in the next issue. I had no doubt that you guys would do a story on him, but so quickly? Mad props!
klipless wrote: Just finished reading the latest issue of GRM. It about knocked my socks off to see on the last page that Caswell's romp through Mexico will be in the next issue. I had no doubt that you guys would do a story on him, but so quickly? Mad props!
Scott R. Lear is THE MAN. I peeked over his shoulder at what he's working on and it answers all the questions I had about the adventure.
Looking forward to the story. I'll check out the NPR show too - that guys story should be a movie. Sorta like "The Last Indian" just with rally instead of land speed records.
World Fastest Indian? 
Appleseed wrote: World Fastest Indian?
Yep, that's what I was thinking....good thing I put it in quotes and all since I totally butchered the name of the movie.
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