Growing up in the military in the 60's meant you moved around, a lot. Every two, or if you were lucky, three years your world ended up in boxes and on to a new duty station. My dad spent 26 years flying jets for the Navy. He had five tours in the Vietnam. He had two tours flying A4's, two tours flying A6's and his first was a staff position in country.
My dad did not miss much of that conflict. When not in country he did go to school, in some of the nicest places. That lead our family to the Monterey Peninsula, three times over the course of my dad's career. Our second stint coincided with my last three years of high school, ending in 1977. My world has always been influenced by cars. Growing up with Laguna Seca as our local track only fulled the desire and reality of seeing events from the infield. Having been at many events and watching the activity, I could only dream what it was like to drive off the top of the cork screw and aim for that old oak tree.
I was at the last NASCAR event held at the site. Something about iceplant and wire fences on the infield just past the old turn two combined for an up close with a car and driver after to opening lap of the feature race. He was so far into the green stuff that after his car had come to a halt, next to the "fence" you could hear that souther drawl and not repeat a word of it. Just a bit, salty. But the indy cars of the day Dayle Coin offered hope to low buck, run what you got, racing. I could swear he was using saw horses to prop up his cars as he worked on them. That and they were stock block motors, not the normal Cosworth.
Returning to the Peninsula after finishing college and meeting the women that would ultimately say "yes", we lived our first three years as a couple, in the fog that is life around Monterey. We could volunteer our time with the groups that supported the race activities, in exchange for access to track events, but again that desire to drive was not going to be satisfied. But I am persistent and lucky.
My first drive on the track came about with a combination of an extended family gathering and BMW event after the Historic's a number of years ago. I have a 1994 325is M-Tech, looks like a M3 and goes like the stock coupe it is built on. But, it got me on and around the track. For two days and back home to Southern California. Now Mary wants to join some friends at an event in September at Laguna. To watch an event.
Only, to watch. At Laguna Seca. But she wants to go.....
