[DeTomaso] Fwd: WILLOW SPRINGS REPORT
Asa Jay Laughton
asajay at asajay.com
Sun Mar 4 22:57:16 EST 2012
>From the Mad Dog himself (who's not currently receiving email from the
forum):
Jim & Shari Saxton's West Coast Racing Event (previously known as the
Ferrari/Pantera Clubs joint event) was a blast yesterday.
A real bargain for $145 for one day or $215 for two days. I could hardly
believe there is a photo of 20 Pantera's and their owners on the wall in
the cafeteria....in the photo the Pantera's are all lined up on the
track from 20 years ago....I don't know who the drivers were because all
of them were young skinny guys with hair....someone told me the guy
standing next to the black Pantera was me and that the black Pantera
next to me was mine but that could not of been me because that guy in
the photo had hair....lots of hair! ;-]>
Okay, Willow, if you haven't been there before has a great 2.5 mile
9-turn course with elevation changes and two long front and rear
straights...a great track for a Pantera. Yea, for that little money Jim
& Sheri'strack event is a allota bang for the buck.
It was the first track event that I ran in Socal in 1992 after I moved
to Huntington Beach from SF. Sheri always puts on a big lunch at no
additional cost and she spent allot of time just wondering around
checking with drivers all day if they needed anything or had any
problems....They offered me their garage....they asked me several times
if I needed anything.....Yea I know I look like I need help.....and
do.....but seriously Sheri is the Track Mom of all track moms.....and it
was her chocolate chip cookies that helped. ;-]>
Bill Nelson is still the same kick ass Race/Safety Director for Jim and
Sheri ....and Bill is a major asset to that event....He is pro-active on
everything without being in the way....but if you need him he will not
ever hesitate to do his job. And he does his job well... They have the
same driving instructor's available at no additional cost and most of
them have been up there at Willow Springs for 20+ years. And most of the
Ferrari club guys are still going except now most of them are all
driving something else....okay there were about a half a dozen Ferrari's
but nothing vintage. All great enthusiasts and very loyal to Jim's event.
There are the usual race groups (Green/Novice - or those with limited
open track experience, then yellow and blue for those with varying
experience.... and red being the full race group. On Saturday there
looked to be about 50-60+ cars which worked out to 5 separate 20 minute
run sessions....all runs went off without a hitch yesterday.
A couple cars broke but no Pantera's, accidents, or fires! And when
someone did break they quickly cleared the track and cleaned up any oil
or debris... and then got the cars running again quickly. All the
course workers were experienced and did their jobs...... Lots of new
young drivers (yea everyone younger then 64 is young to me) with the
usual late model fast production cars.
Lots of emphasis on everyone just being safe first and having a good
time second....and that hasn't changed in 20 years.... no trophy's or
prize money......just go have fun....The Shelby Club was well
represented with vintage Shelby's and we had two Pantera's running
yesterday. A Pantera owner from San Diego named Scott Bill who also
brought his son who also raced the same Pantera....I got my yaya's out
running my Pantera and nothing broke all day so after 4 runs I was happy
to put it on the trailer at the end of the day. Engine oil and water
temps never were a problem. And the only thing that broke was the hand
winch on my trailer...again thanks again to Russ Fulps and Dick Drenske
who set the engine and Pantera up. I need to adapt a kid to drive the
Pantera faster. ;-]>
Dave & Linda Adler brought up a cup car as did Jeff Maxwell and Dale
Ericksen....we had several Pantera owners with out Pantera's who just
came up to hang out and watch the cars run or help Jim & Sheri with
registration....and it was great seeing all of them too....I know I am
leaving someone out here but Portagese Rod Kunishe, Art "Firefigher"
Stephens, Bill "B-52" Harris were all there Saturday....and it was great
to hang with them....but it would have been allot more fun if we had
seen more Panteras run. . .At lest half a dozen other guys came up and
introduced themselves to me whispering they also had Pantera's but they
were in the garage! ;-]> HAH! Okay there is a lot of other stuff to do
in Southern California when its 72F outside so I get it....okay maybe I
don't! Anyway we all had fun....As Dale said, the Pantera racers always
seemed to just have MORE fun! I can't remember that far back so I don't
know ;-]>
Still, Scott's Pantera ran like a scalded monkey all day Saturday. He
and his son are great enthusiasts and he takes some (okay allot) of
ribbing for his LS1 Vette engine....and does it all with a big
smile....but there is no argument for success as Scott's bow tie powered
Pantera ran great and he and his son both had a smile on their faces the
entire day. . .someone is gonna copy me (again) on what a sin it is that
someone has put a Mopar or Chevy engine in a Pantera but frankly I don't
care. Long as you don't put a Windsor in the Pantera everything is good
;-]> All I know for sure was I saw Scott driving his Pantera around the
course blowing the doors off everything it passed and trust me the other
drivers did not care what that Pantera was running for power.
Jim and Sheri's events are always in November and May (?) but if you are
in SoCal, Nevada or Arizona you really (before you are dead or forget
you have a Pantera in the garage need to come out and stretch its and
your legs instead of driving your Toyota or Mustang not that I have
anything against Toyota's or Mustangs....... or Mike's Sirraco II ;-]>
Okay I should be ready for Phoenix in April and Silverstate in
September. Off to Australia in May for work but I should be back in
Sept for the 25th Anniversary of the Silver State.
Good Times!
Mad Dawg Antenucci
Team Pantera Racing
"No One Gets Out Alive"
<www.teamPanteraRacing.com>
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