| For the thirtieth consecutive year my Le Mans campaign has remained unfunded and I find myself chained to yet another season of the daily 8-to-5. This week was shaping up with waves of interminable meetings where others passionately discuss the expedience of circumventing the Fourteenth Amendment or why we should legalize assault and theft (if it’s good enough for the government…). Suddenly my mobile started its jaunty little Japanese jazz riff. “Hey, it’s Kerry Morse. Dominic Dobson’s rented Laguna Seca for a couple of days and I hear |
Rancho Deluxe What was the Jordan Playboy tagline? “Somewhere west of Laramie?” Even with the dollar in free-fall there are still a few guys out there who made it and can rent the big sandbox for their toys. I begged off my afternoon and drove down to poke around the old paddock. I wasn’t disappointed. As soon as I drove in the gate I heard the sound of the recently restored 1980 Porsche 935 K3 that finished fifth that year at Le Mans circulating the track along with a Maserati 450S. Lined up in the paddock were three Listers: two Jags and a Chevy, was this a photo spread from a 50's Road & Track ? One of the Jags was beautifully restored and lettered with “W. Hansgen/W. A. Scott-Brown.” Small-bore sports-racers were there, an Elva from the sixties and a Chevron from the seventies. There was a lovely Aston Martin DB4 GT and down at the other end a NART Ferrari Daytona Competition. Behind the garages was a sad Porsche RS-60, its track day over with the Spyder's perfect aluminum skin streaked by oil and its plain-bearing case pierced by a connecting rod. Inside, a perfect 1973 Porsche Carrera RS 2.7 was having its new Jerry Woods motor fettled. The open-wheel contingent was represented by a Scuderia Ferrari-crested Alfa Monza and a newly-restored Cooper-Norton. Parked under an awning was a perfect 1968 Jerry Titus Mustang Trans Am notchback. You could take your pick of a Ford GT40 or the new Ford GT (I’ll take the old one). Loosen Up Naturally The best of the bunch wasn’t taking the track today. I ran into Bruce Canepa along the pit wall. He excitedly dragged me into the garage to see the car he had brought along for display: Rothmans Porsche 962-002, which had just been completed. It is rare enough to see a good 962, here was one of the actual ten cars as used by the factory. Bruce is happy to report that Steve Earle has finally decided to include a historic IMSA class for the 2005 Monterey Historics. I hope that some Group C cars like Bruce’s 962 are included. These cars are exciting to watch, and I wonder as to how many paying spectators are left today who actually saw a Ferrari GTO or Bugatti 35 in competition? It’s gratifying to know that on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon in December there are still great cars still out there being enjoyed by people who really appreciate them. The Peter Principal may still rule most of our daily lives, but somewhere West of Laramie they’re still really living… Thanks for the call, Kerry. |
David Soares |
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| that there are going to be some cool cars. Why don’t you grab a camera and head down?” Sure I thought, don't fight it, do it. |