July 31, 2002
Magnaflow Vintage 2.5 Challenge
Laguna Seca is still almost two months off but it does require more advance planning than we are accustomed to. As many of you will recall, the Laguna Seca pits are not generally open to spectators and a special pass is required to gain access to the pit area. These passes are not given out at the gate and we will need to make arrangements ahead of time for anyone that would like to attend as a spectator. As we found last year, we should not have any problem obtaining passes but we need a good idea of how many to ask for so let us know if you need a pass or a few extra, remember as a driver you will get 3 passes in your entry packet.
Since HMSA has removed last year’s limit of 25 VSRG entries we expect another large turnout. Last year’s race was probably the most exciting race of our series and with a larger turnout of cars, this year should be even better. We anticipate that entry forms will be in the mail very soon.
All indications are that we will be racing at Laguna Seca every year and we have decided that this venue affords us the best opportunity for a number of VSRG “annual” activities. We have set this weekend aside to hold our annual dinner and also plan to hold a general meeting for the purpose of discussing with the membership any pending changes to our rules or procedures.
After our last race on Saturday afternoon we will gather in the pits for a special member meeting. As of this date, the meeting has two topics on the agenda; (1) discuss the pros and cons of the use of a spec tire in the series and (2) limit drivers to a single set of tires for a race weekend. These topics are directed at reducing the cost of racing in the series and to put all drivers on an equal footing regarding tires.
The idea behind the use of a spec tire is to level the field with regards to tires and to hopefully reduce the cost of tires for all of us. To go forward with this proposal we would first need to get a promise of a reasonable supply of tires (in every required size) and enjoy a reduced price from a designated supplier. If such a rule were developed it would not be implemented until 2003.
With regard to limiting a driver to a single set of tires for a weekend, we have noted that it has become common for the top finishers to go through a set of tires before Sunday’s last race and then switch to fresh tires for the last race. It is our position that this practice will have a negative effect on the long-term health of the series as well as the negative impact on an individual’s finances. We believe the impact of the implementation of this “single set” rule would be to slow the front of the pack (and save them some money) and have little or no impact elsewhere (other than the mid-pack should now run closer to the leaders). If this rule were to be adopted, it could take effect after Laguna Seca.
Since we are planning for another big gathering at Laguna Seca and it seems like the ideal time to hold our big dinner event of the year. Everyone enjoyed last year’s fest and we are already working on a different location for this year that will provide for indoor seating. This is not just for drivers, crew and family, any VSRG member along with their guest(s) will be welcomed.
Unlike last year, VSRG will not be able to pay for each racers dinner. During the course of the year our fundraising efforts for the Children’s Hospital and our expenditures to expand our clothing line has left our bank account pretty low. If you want to attend this year’s dinner you will need to purchase ticket(s) before arriving at the track so that we determine the size of the room required. Please note that we will only reserve a few extra spots for any last minute guests that might show so must plan ahead for this one. We plan on showing some rare film footage of 2.5 and other races as well as hold a drawing for an array of great door prizes. We hope to keep the tickets priced around $25-30 per person and you may purchase as many as you desire. We will send out details in a future e-mail to everyone.
And don't forget the sound limit at Laguna is very low, street car low. If you are planning on racing this event we highly recommend that you be prepared in advance to add a muffler or change the direction of your exhaust. As a few drivers found out last year, they are not kidding about this. Drivers are given an opportunity to take corrective actions but if the sound level cannot be brought down your only option will be to "soft pedal" going up the hill or not race, neither seems to inviting.
VSRG Member Cars on TV ! We were notified just minutes before this was to be sent out that a new series of Nissan commercials will feature some of the Datsun 510's from the Southern California Historics. We don't have the full details but from what we were told the cars of Paul Davis, Bill Johnston and Jim McAdory will likely be included in the ad series. We had been notified ahead of time that there would be a film crew in attendance and spoke with them briefly but we were led to believe there was little chance that the footage would be used. From what we know, there will be brief highlights of VSRG racing action included in the new worldwide TV ad series.
We are still reminiscing about the Pacific Northwest Historics and what a great weekend we had there. SOVREN sets a high mark for others to follow.
While at Seattle we had an opportunity to speak with Ed Swart of HSR-West who confirmed, just as we reported last month, that there will be a second Southern California Historics next year at Fontana and that he wants the 2.5 to be a part of that event as well.
Not long after Seattle one VSRG 2.5 driver remarked to us that the "2.5 has spoiled me" he went on to relate at how he raced soon after Seattle in the common setting for most Sedans, mixed with all types of cars, and subsequent protests, complaints and arguments between the competitors and officials was "too much". "The 2.5 group is such a great group to race with, everything is fair and everyone gets along so well, I don't think I will ever race anywhere else again". If you have not raced with us yet, Laguna Seca is a great place to start and find out what this member was talking about !
New VSRG clothing coming soon While at Seattle we met with our new supplier for clothing items and have placed an order for VSRG 2.5 logo caps and golf shirts. We should have the prototypes soon for our approval and barring any unforeseen circumstances we should have this new merchandise available by Laguna Seca.
The T-Shirts of the 510, Alfa and BMW were very popular items at the Pacific Northwest Historics, in fact we sold out of the 510 shirts more than once and had to make a few “quick runs” to get more! We have now re-supplied and these are available on the web site and we will have them with us at Laguna as well. Remember that 100% of the purchase price of everything we sell will be donated to the Children’s Hospital for the remainder of the year even though we are fast approaching our original target of $20,000.
Magnaflow has added a new feature to their website that will allow you to load photos of your car to be displayed in a new “customer car” section. Visit their web site (www.magnaflow.com) and click on the Project Vehicles and then Race Cars to view current cars. You can add your car with the Submit your Ride link under Project Vehicles, what's say we load them up with 2.5 cars!
Looking for Info On… We have been contacted by a former racer that is looking for information on a 1972 Datsun 510 that he raced out of Arizona during the 70’s. The car was last seen in a bright yellow paint with the number 7 however it was originally in one of the BRE paint schemes. If you think you might know something regarding the car, please drop Ralph a line at ralph.rogers@philips.com .
Return of the message board ? We have had quite a number of requests to restore the message board to the web site since we took it down over a year ago. Message boards can be a useful means for members to discuss topics of interest and exchange information however they can quickly turn into a “flame” board which serves no sensible purpose. We are considering putting the board back on-line soon however access to posting will be limited to members only. Once we have all of the details worked out and the board up and running, we will e-mail you a UserID and Password that will be required for access.
See you at the races soon!