<VV> Relics--cars and drivers

[levair at aol.com]

We just returned from the Walter Mitty  Vintage Road Race at Atlanta 
Raceway.
     This is not just a road race for us, it is an extraganza for old 
cars and drivers to get together as a racing family and enjoy the 
ambience. There were almost 400 cars entered and probably 5 times as 
many drivers and crew.
      The cars entered are absolutely fabulous: famous Indy racers, Can 
Ams, TransAms, prototypes, GT40s, Stock cars, motorcycles, clubs 
racers, everything. We were fed and entertained nearly every evening 
also.
     Classic Motor Sports were a major sponsor and stopped by to see us 
(Corvair racers). Our crew--Michael, Tracy, Michelle, Chad, Sharon, and 
I were interviewed for a vintage magazine. Michael's girlfriend, Tracy, 
had secerelty arranged for our daughter and son in law to fly in from 
Houston to surprize us.Job well done!  The premise was that this was 
Daddy's last big race---most likely true.
     The occasion for us personally was that our son Michael had built 
an exact replica of the Corvair Yenko Stinger YS160 that I had raced in 
the 70s. So this was the cars debut. Michael is going to driver;s 
school in it the next week end.
       There were many other Corvair racers and cars there, Rick Norris, 
Spence Shepherd, Mike Levine, and James Reeve who was the fastest 
Corvair racer of the day and one whom I never had beaten.  James was 
driving a Stinger prepared by Jeff Moore. Every car at the Mitty has an 
interesting historic story, which of course is impossible to cover 
adequately cover here.
      It seem that every one with a Corvair performance  interest was 
there to visit. Even more amazing was the the number of non Corvair 
owners who stopped by to get acquainted with us and our cars.
       Michael was using his  new VERY highly tuned autocross engine and 
our autocross tires, because it was all that  we racing paupers had.
     Most of the entrants had entered a day early  on Thursday to get 
some additional expensive practice: not us; remember  previous pauper 
statement.   So my goal on the first Friday practice was to follow the 
more experienced drivers around; this being Rick and James. I would 
like to have thought that I could have passed the James ---still 
unproven of course--but realize that I could only learn from behind. 
Everything went well and the engine ran perfectly except for the new 
fuel pump that we had to purchase between practive sessions.
     For my fellow autocrossers, envision the famous esses at Road 
Atlana as an up and down hill, no visiblility slalom with speed bumps 
as pylons; then visualize drivng this at 80 to 90 mph with another car 
trying to pass you in the slalom. I loved every moment of it, for a 
short time I believed that I was 30 years old again---until I had to be 
helped out of the car.
      I was fairly quickly able to bring back old racing skills without 
peeing in my 43 year old racing uniform.
      Speaking of safety equipment, I am having a lot of trouble 
adapting to the limited movement HANS device. Someone always had to 
help me into  and out of it.
     On the last practice session the new engine blew. Michael and the 
volunteer crew led by Barry Ellison switched the engines and had it 
back running in about 1 hr and 45 min. The spare engine was 10 years 
old but had proven reliable and was less radical.  The new engine had 
thrown the only new, to us, part, one of  the Rabbit rods modified for 
Corvair use.
      In the qualifying the older engine was more than 1000 rpm down. 
For the next race we changed nearly everything and the problem was even 
worse in the final race. We're surmising that it was the electronic 
module  failing in the distuributor; and we had a points distributer 
with us of course.
      Michael's car handled beautifully and made the day worth while 
even with all of the troubles. All of the Corvairs finished the races.
      Every Corvair engined car there had 3.55 gears and double close 
gear boxes; ours had an open 4 spyder differential, which I liked very 
well and may be reason that it didn't push in the corners.
      Now, another reason for the for the Corvair interst was Mike 
Levines V8 Corvair which he ran in the prototype class against 
everything that you could imagine, even a couple of GT-40s.
    Mike had arranged a co drive/CHALLENGE  in the 1 hour enduro between 
himself, James Reeve and I. Five minute pits stops, driver change and 
refueling were mandatory. Did I mention that Mike's car car has a 406 
CID mid engined Chevy V8 with 540 Horsepower and the same size tires 
and the Corvair engined cars?
    Mike and James can write their own stories, but here is my 
admittedly slanted point of view:
      James had previously driven the car at Roebling road . I had 
driven it one circuit around the paddock.
     I was about ready  to hyper ventilate when Mike handed the car off 
to me. My only instruction was not to excede 6000 rpm and to be careful 
with throttle application. 6000 in 3rd was great in the esses. The car 
turns in slower than Michael's , probalbly due to the 700 pound weight 
difference, but I adapted quickly.
    When I left the esses I tried what I thought was easy throttle 
application and looked like a Pinto on ice.
     I hit the 6000 rpm (3.27 diff 25 " tires) in 4th gear about 1/3 of 
the way onto the back straight, then just waited for the next turn. NO 
car was faster onto the straights than the V8 Corvair.  On the 5th lap 
I was waved in and James took over.  I think that James had about 10 
laps. However, I was the fastest driver, in ths car in this in this 
race. It was only a .2 sec. victory , but I'll take it. Thanks for the 
great and somewhat  scary ride MIke!
     We had wonderful suport from out Corvair buddies and  ladies this 
week end, and expecially by the Angels, Pat and Mary Anne who fed us.
    Now back to real life.

Warren