Auto Racing?

[Barn Owl Lover]

Anyone watch or follow, and if so, what do you watch/follow?

Used to be a big NASCAR fan until the gimmicks took over years ago. But I've always been a big endurance racing fan, races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I really followed the Audi era intently and I still follow that even after they and Porsche pulled out in 2016-17.

So is anyone interested in motorsports?

 

[ORL-LLC]

Just a 1/4 mile at a time

 

[Mitchell]

I've been known to go to a race or two. Finished 3rd at the Daytona 24 Hour this year (we won it last year). Last weekend at Sebring 12 Hour we were running 2nd when the gearbox let go at hour 10 (of 12). Won the North American Endurance Championship last season. From drag racing blown injected door slammers to running The 24 Hours of LeMans, It's my life outside of guns.

 

[ENDER]

..........................

So is anyone interested in motorsports?

More than a few here. I miss the good old days. Cale, Neil, Richard, Harry and the Allison bros

 

[AGG]

Anyone watch or follow, and if so, what do you watch/follow?

Used to be a big NASCAR fan until the gimmicks took over years ago. But I've always been a big endurance racing fan, races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I really followed the Audi era intently and I still follow that even after they and Porsche pulled out in 2016-17.

So is anyone interested in motorsports?

Stopped watching NASCAR in the mid-2000's.

Tony

 

[AGG]

Just a 1/4 mile at a time

Is that a Rebel Flag in Oregon?

Tony

 

[AGG]

I've been known to go to a race or two. Finished 3rd at the Daytona 24 Hour this year (we won it last year). Last weekend at Sebring 12 Hour we were running 2nd when the gearbox let go at hour 10 (of 12). Won the North American Endurance Championship last season. From drag racing blown injected door slammers to running The 24 Hours of LeMans, It's my life outside of guns.

Tell us more--- what division is this?

Tony

 

[AGG]

More than a few here. I miss the good old days. Cale, Neil, Richard, Harry and the Allison bros

Don't forget Davey--- and the Earnhardts.

Tony

 

[ORL-LLC]

Is that a Rebel Flag in Oregon?

Tony

Yep.
They finally made me remove the one from the back window in my truck.
But I did install a sunscreen in the IN-SIDE of the Sunroof in the Challenger.
Problem is you can't see it from the outside
and can't even see it IN-SIDE unless it is dark out side

 

[AGG]

Yep.
They finally made me remove the one from the back window in my truck.
But I did install a sunscreen in the IN-SIDE of the Sunroof in the Challenger.
Problem is you can't see it from the outside
and can't even see it IN-SIDE unless it is dark out side

Who the hell is they?
CDB, brudda.

Tony

 

[Mitchell]

Tell us more--- what division is this?

Tony

IMSA GTD Class. I’m currently contracted by Lamborghini.

IMSA is owned by NASCAR. It’s the sports car equivalent but we also make right turns and we race in the rain.

Next race is in a month in Mansfield, OH. It’s our first sprint race of the season so these are easy. It’s a 2 hour 40 minute race at Mid Ohio circuit. Any members who want to go PM me for tickets. Before COVID Lamborghini had amazing hospitality with free drinks, free food, and meats and cheeses flown in from Italy. Now all I can offer are tickets.

 

[AGG]

IMSA GTD Class. I’m currently contracted by Lamborghini.

IMSA is owned by NASCAR. It’s the sports car equivalent but we also make right turns and we race in the rain.

Next race is in a month in Mansfield, OH. It’s our first sprint race of the season so these are easy. It’s a 2 hour 40 minute race at Mid Ohio circuit. Any members who want to go PM me for tickets. Before COVID Lamborghini had amazing hospitality with free drinks, free food, and meats and cheeses flown in from Italy. Now all I can offer are tickets.

That is so cool.
What is your designation?

Tony

 

[Mitchell]

I’m the team manager. I‘m 50, 6ft and 235. It’s been a long time since I fit in a race car. To be fair the crew are pretty much self managing. We have 6 full time guys and they can finish each other’s sentences. Most of us have been together for about 7 years so it’s an orchestra at the shop.

Financing, rules, BoP (Balance of Performance), and strategy are my main focus. And of course drivers, drivers can cause headaches from time to time but I’ve been blessed with some really great guys now.

And I enjoy Thai food during the Daytona 24.

 

[AGG]

I’m the team manager. I‘m 50, 6ft and 235. It’s been a long time since I fit in a race car. To be fair the crew are pretty much self managing. We have 6 full time guys and they can finish each other’s sentences. Most of us have been together for about 7 years so it’s an orchestra at the shop.

Financing, rules, BoP (Balance of Performance), and strategy are my main focus. And of course drivers, drivers can cause headaches from time to time but I’ve been blessed with some really great guys now.

And I enjoy Thai food during the Daytona 24.

That is awesome--- we have a real racing team manager as a member here.

Tony

 

[Barn Owl Lover]

I live pretty much down the road from Mid Ohio, though I don't go to races often. Cheaper to follow them on TV or online and you sometimes get info sooner. I did go to an American Le Mans Series promo event in 2008 though and took lots of photos of the Audi R10s.

 

[Mitchell]

Audi is my favorite brand. As an engineer it’s refreshing to have the logical approach the German manufacturers have, in firearms and cars.

I ran the Audi R8 (road car, not the prototype) for 4 years. The reason I am with Lamborghini now is because the Lamborghini Huracan is a Audi R8 with different body panels. The R8 is approaching the end of its life cycle and Audi saw no reason to keep promoting it heavily. Teams still run them, but they are the teams that pay to go racing, not the teams that get paid.

VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) own Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, and a few more. I’ve worked with them for about 15 years and they pay us to elevate a brand in motorsports and for the past few years it has been Lambo. It may have the same components as the Audi, but it’s not built like one. People who have worked for Audi Sport all agree there is something special there.

The best racing quote of all time was from Michele Mouton who was a female Group B Rally driver in the 80’s for Audi.

She was competing in the Pikes Peak race in Colorado (before it was boring, when it still was gravel and no barriers) a few of the American male drivers were trying to get under her skin asking her why she was there because you needed balls to run Pikes Peak.

She replied:

”If you guys had any real balls we would be racing DOWN this mountain!”

She won - The argument and the event.

 

[MMissile]

This is the last car that was built in Don Carlton's [Motown/MOPAR-Missile] N.C. shop. Chrysler also had a Detroit shop for the team. The roller was finished in March of 77, and Don died in July 77...on the same track these pics were taken in 2012. I restored the car in their livery, with permission from the family. I couldn't use Motown or MOPAR, without being sued. The original team, are great friends of mine.

 

[Barn Owl Lover]

Sorry I haven't been as active on here between power outages and jank internet (both are hopefully fixed as of today). Really followed Audi and Le Mans since 2000 and became a huge fan between the sub 4 minute rear end changes at Le Mans and when Champion Racing (customer Audi team, became the IMSA factory team when the R10 came out) started winning races with the R8. That showed everyone how to build a race car, and even the R10 to a degree did, both in terms of modularity.

And I do have a contact at Audi in Germany who's trying to find a few photos for me. I should check back in with him in a day or two.

 

[Mitchell]

That‘s great! Brad Kettler was technical director at Champion. He and I are good friends. He has some really great stuff at his shop in Ohio. If you really want to get him going don’t talk about Audi right away, talk about his station wagon drag car. He loves that thing. He has millions of dollars of race cars at his shop and he wants to talk about his station wagon... that’s BK.

He has some great stories about that time frame and I never get tired of hearing them. He’s pretty much just doing his own thing now, he’s left Audi Sport. I miss seeing him around the paddock. I was lucky enough to have lunch with him and Dr. Ullrich one afternoon in Germany. It was an amazing conversation. Dr. Ullrich left shortly after and I was humbled to have that one interaction with him. He is why I am here today. He did more for Audi than anyone, and perhaps more for racing than anyone.

 

[MMissile]

My "body-in-white" 74 `cuda. It was given to factory-racer Dave Wren, when Chrysler boycotted the NHRA factoring against the hemi-powered cars. All the big names were given an E or A body to race with small block power, instead of hemi prostock and superstock racing. It has an updated chassis, and is currently legal in superstock J or K automatic. It's a 360 4bbl/auto car.