(I wrote this about a year ago when I first got your Can Am Thunder DVD. It still applies.)
Pete,
I just watched the DVD. It was fantastic. It’s a great video to exercise by!!! I missed the Can-Am heyday when I was transferred to Germany but over there I got to see a couple of Interseries races at Hockenheim (with the 917/10) as well as Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert in the Terrell’s running like a train at the Nurburgring. Good times. Unfortunately, I think you’re right–we’ll never see those machines or any like them again.
I was also fortunate enough to go to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in ’74. Nothing like staying up for about 22 hours straight and sneaking up to the Mulsanne guardrail at about 3am and listening to the Matra’s wind up. We were right at the point on the Mulsanne where the big cars were hitting fifth gear and never heard them downshift for the turn at the end. The other thing I’ll never forget was the Corvette driven by 3 women as it rumbled past us while everybody else screamed by. I believe that was also the first 24 hour race for the turbo RSR. The turbo literally glowed in the dark. It was a great time and someday I’ll go back to see another.
I enjoy your articles in AutoWeek which I have subscribed to since the early ’80′s. I was sorry to see it go to bi-weekly as the racing news gets stale but I understand the economics of the times. Maybe when things get better it can go back to a weekly format.
Any thoughts to doing a similar movie about the IMSA GTP/GTO/GTU series. That’s the series I really got into and saw a lot of races on both coasts.
Anyway, best of luck to you and don’t retire too soon—I enjoy your articles too much.
Retire? RETIRE??? Why on earth would I do that?
Actually, I like to say I quit real work 40 years ago.
I really appreciate your generous comment on “Can-Am Thunder,” John. Being invited to participate was an honor, and (somewhat to my surprise) it turned out to be fun.
Regarding one on IMSA, great idea, but I’m not a guy to become involved in that. I wasn’t really on that scene, having gone to only half a dozen or so GTP races. But those sure were stonkin’ machines!
Re. “sneaking up to the Mulsanne guardrail,” I did that too! One of my pinnacle experiences.
Do you know the Audi movie about Le Mans, “Truth in 24?” It’s a beautifully done documentary about Audi’s underdog win over Peugeot in 2008. You can download it for free at http://www.truthin24.com
(I have no stake in this film, I’m simply an admirer of it and have written two gushing reviews.)
(I wrote this about a year ago when I first got your Can Am Thunder DVD. It still applies.)
Pete,
I just watched the DVD. It was fantastic. It’s a great video to exercise by!!! I missed the Can-Am heyday when I was transferred to Germany but over there I got to see a couple of Interseries races at Hockenheim (with the 917/10) as well as Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert in the Terrell’s running like a train at the Nurburgring. Good times. Unfortunately, I think you’re right–we’ll never see those machines or any like them again.
I was also fortunate enough to go to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in ’74. Nothing like staying up for about 22 hours straight and sneaking up to the Mulsanne guardrail at about 3am and listening to the Matra’s wind up. We were right at the point on the Mulsanne where the big cars were hitting fifth gear and never heard them downshift for the turn at the end. The other thing I’ll never forget was the Corvette driven by 3 women as it rumbled past us while everybody else screamed by. I believe that was also the first 24 hour race for the turbo RSR. The turbo literally glowed in the dark. It was a great time and someday I’ll go back to see another.
I enjoy your articles in AutoWeek which I have subscribed to since the early ’80′s. I was sorry to see it go to bi-weekly as the racing news gets stale but I understand the economics of the times. Maybe when things get better it can go back to a weekly format.
Any thoughts to doing a similar movie about the IMSA GTP/GTO/GTU series. That’s the series I really got into and saw a lot of races on both coasts.
Anyway, best of luck to you and don’t retire too soon—I enjoy your articles too much.
Thanks,
John
Retire? RETIRE??? Why on earth would I do that?
Actually, I like to say I quit real work 40 years ago.
I really appreciate your generous comment on “Can-Am Thunder,” John. Being invited to participate was an honor, and (somewhat to my surprise) it turned out to be fun.
Regarding one on IMSA, great idea, but I’m not a guy to become involved in that. I wasn’t really on that scene, having gone to only half a dozen or so GTP races. But those sure were stonkin’ machines!
Re. “sneaking up to the Mulsanne guardrail,” I did that too! One of my pinnacle experiences.
Do you know the Audi movie about Le Mans, “Truth in 24?” It’s a beautifully done documentary about Audi’s underdog win over Peugeot in 2008. You can download it for free at http://www.truthin24.com
(I have no stake in this film, I’m simply an admirer of it and have written two gushing reviews.)
Now get back to that exercising!