Shapes of Things The trouble with sports car prototype racing according to my friend Tom Davey is that all the cars look alike. As Davey puts it, “I can’t tell one from another, and I don’t have a clue as to who the drivers are, I really don’t care. It just doesn’t have any interest for me.” Davey, a multi-time National Champion, and one of the best Formula Ford drivers anywhere, can be opinionated. But, he has a point. Somehow, in previous times there was grandeur to the sport that is missing. True for the better of the nearly six decades when they restarted motorsport after the Second World War, drivers were what the British call “all arounders,” meaning that they drove everything from production sedans to Formula One, with stops for prototypes and, even rallying in between. Given the unfortunate era of “specialization” in which we currently find ourselves, we clearly aren’t going to experience Michael Schumacher, or his pals returning anytime soon to the ranks of sports car competition. Lost in the stars Nor, does there appear much hope that present day designers and engineers are going to abandon the high efficient and successful aerodynamic formulae not only keep their creations tied to Mother Earth, but tied to her while traveling at speeds far beyond those at which most aircraft can fly. So, if we can’t have F-1 stars, and if we can’t have artistry and differentiation in the body shapes of today’s sports racer, what are we to do? The answer is simple: hang a U-turn, and march as quickly as possible back to the past where efficiency was deemed less important than beauty and panache. Before the more astute point out that those two latter qualities did, in fact fade in importance as the aero lessons were further absorbed and employed during the 1970’s and ‘80’s, producing in the end vehicles that were efficient if not always beautiful, I willingly concede the point. Yet, even in the heyday of the Group C and IMSA prototypes, one could hardly mistake a Porsche for a Jaguar, or even a Mercedes. Fly Trans Love Airways, get you there on time… All of which explains the plausible theory of why vintage and historic racing has become so popular. Last spring I attended one of the largest gathering of old racing Porsches ever held, Rennsport Reunion II at Daytona, where one could see and enjoy all the individuality one wanted. Within the last week the Monterey Historics were held at Laguna (Sorry, Mazda Raceway in modern speak), and this September lovers of the past will turn their attention to Goodwood in England for the Goodwood Revival on that famous British circuit. And, while we’re at it, lets not forget the Le Mans Historics in July, or the earlier Goodwood Hillclimb, both of which sparked huge interest from competitors and fans alike. Killer. not filler There are many things to excite us in modern motorsport; things like the high revving engines of F-1 with their 17,000 plus RPM redlines. Yet, one senses that a good part of us want to go back to the days when we could see drivers wrestling with their cars, over coming their flaws and making them perform far beyond what their creators though possible. Even someone as great as Michael Schumacher is limited by the bounds of his equipment. It is as if today’s racers say, “You can go this far, and no farther, no matter what your abilities.” Compare that with Juan Fangio flinging his Maserati 250F around the old Nurburgring in 1957, setting five consecutive lap records as he made up more than a minute and a half to pass his Ferrari rivals and win the German Grand Prix – all in a car whose broken seat kept slamming him into the sides of the cockpit, and this at the age of 47. I think that maybe I’m dreamin… Monterey was dedicated to Ferrari, a marque with more than its share of beautiful race and street cars. Still, if one wants to see how far down the path we’ve come towards sameness and efficiency, just compare the mid 1960’s P3/P4 design with the last of the Italian sports racers, the 333SP.It’s like comparing Chopin to Hip Hop. My business in racing, and I accept its changed form. Yet, in my heart of hearts, I want to return to an earlier time when racing was not nearly so sterile; when it was it was about spirit rather than mechanical genius. Fortunately, I can do so with others who see things as I do in a love of things past. They may not be better, but they sure have character. And, that not only gets my attention, but keeps it. |
- |
|
Bill Oursler |
