Greatest Motorsports Experiences

I ran one of the early 24 Hours of Lemons races at Altamont. I think it was the 3rd or 4th race- early enough where the participants were a bit ahead of the organizers, many had figured out what wasn’t in the rules. Many cars showed up looking like extras from Mad Max, with cages on the outside. Cars playing chicken, going four wide into a turn where only 2 fit. 4 wheels off was just an alternate line. Grand Turismo turns actually work in real life, at least for the guy on the inside. More PIT maneuvers than at a police academy. It was pure chaos, and I loved It. And it will never likely be like that again. Not a lot of in car video back then, but here is a real good one from the race. Not my car, but mirrors my experience...

24 Hours of Lemons Altamont Oct. 2007

Tyler H said:

One time I ran a Lemons race weekend with no mechanical failures.

I think we're looking for true stories, not "Dear Penthouse" bullE36 M3 fantasies...

My greatest moments without a shadow of a doubt are also LeMons related.  I am amazingly lucky to be hooked in with a phenomenal team.  Over the years I've gotten to drive not only some really fast and competitive cars, win all kinds of awards, but also some wild and crazy things which are truly unique experiences. I don't know many people on planet earth who can say they've driven all of the following on a race track: Honda Civic Wagovan, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, Citroen SM, Chevy S10 with a 17' Sea Sprite boat body

Years ago, there was a driving experience at LVMS called Indy 101.  They ran Indy cars fitted with a Chevy V8 and 2-speed transmission.  There was a classroom session in the morning, then you got fitted with a race suit and helmet.  You squeezed into the car and got familiar with the controls and safety gear.  You got pushed out of the pits with an ATV, shifted into second, and were on your way. You followed an instructor in another Indy car, and as long as you maintained an exact following distance and kept to the same line, they would gradually increase your speed.  After the morning session, there was a debrief and then the afternoon session. 

I did well in the morning and told the instructor that I was about to pass him if he didn't get moving.  He thought that was funny and for the afternoon we took it up to 185 mph. At that speed, you get little impression of forward speed, you are concentrating so hard on following the leader. However, you really feel the lateral G-forces, your neck gets a real workout! This was before digital cameras and GoPros were everywhere, so I don't have any photos or videos.  They gave me a nice packet with pictures of me with the car and a certificate with my speed and some other great stuff, which I promptly forgot in my hotel room.  I called and called their lost and found and the room service team, but it never turned up.

It sounds like the program was bought by Mario Andretti and is now available on tracks across the country. No lead/follow so I am not sure what the speeds are, but I never would have pushed it to over 180 had I not been following someone. 

Monterey car week in 2016

Was there for work, buying a couple cars for a customer.

We came home with a Mercedes 540K and a 289 Cobra (real).

Met a couple guys from the magazine, met Adam Carolla, sat in on a seminar with Jay Leno.

Did the Pebble Beach car show the nex morning, managed to get into the paddock before the tour so we got to get up close and personal with a bunch of the cars and the owners. The Lamborghini Miura and the Ford GT40 were the featured cars that year so I got to get a good look at a whole bunch of them.

Best week ever.

Past:  Vintage events around the northeast - Lime Rock 1991...   David E Davis was cool... Sam Posey a real jerk

Future:  I rented Oregon Raceway Park for my 60th (Sept 2019)... Hoping it's memorable..... 

I have two: when I raced short course off road there was a big race weekend every Memorial Day Weekend. My dad was the first race director and racer in the 70's. I finally got to run the weekend races in 89 or 90. In my class there were 33 cars. In the feature, I finished 13 out of 33 and felt like I won. There were a lot of great racers in my class back then. 

My second was Bondourant used to do Lap the Oval classes around the country. ( don't know if they still do) Dad and I went down to Indianapolis Raceway Park and did a half day class. Never drove a Formula Ford before but what a blast. 5/8 mile oval and there were only 4 of us on track. This was May of 92 and it was the last time I drove anything remotely like a racecar. 

A few years ago I was doing a TNIA at NCM.  I finished my session and was standing there beside the Miata drinking water when this kid comes up to me.  There was a car show going on at the same time at the other end of the lot and he had wandered down to see the race cars.  Kid is maybe 12 and has the patchy hair and sallow color of someone fighting cancer.  He starts going on and on about how an NA Miata is his favorite car and he dreams of owning one someday.

Well, I'm a sucker for an enthusiast like that so after getting permission from his dad I took the kid out for a few parade laps around the track.  You'd think he was celebrating winning LeMans the way he smiled and laughed the whole time.

So I didn't win anything at that HPDE but I like to think that young man remembers the old guy with the cool Miata somewhat fondly.

Winning Rookie of the Year and Track Champion at the same time at my local dirt track.

Yep - Neon, on 3 wheels!