lfarr@daemon.UUCP (Larry Farr) (04/30/85)
I attended the Cascade Championship Cup sports car race this weekend at
Portland International Raceway (with a pit pass thru a friend). Having never
been to any kind of race before I was very entertained. From what I can gather
the race was sponsered or arranged or whatever by the Casade Sports Car Club.
There was a WIDE variety of cars there - lots of production cars, formula fords,
formula vees, open bodied, close bodied, etc. From a novice obsever's view, the
classifications are confusing - where do I find out what the various markings
like GP1, and EP, etc. mean and what rules these different classes abide by.
I noticed that during any one event there were many different classes on the
track and that the speed differences were sizable.
While in the pits I talked with a few drivers/mechanics and discovered that
one can get into racing without mortgaging their homes and selling their kids.
One guy was running a late 70's Chevy Monza (305 V8) in the E production class.
All he had done to it was rip off the smog gear, lighten the body (remove door
beams, etc), install the safety stuff (rollcage, fire extinguisher, etc) and
slap on a set of USED slicks. Granted, it still costs a lot more than many
people can justify but not a heck of lot more than, say, golf or skiing.
Also, one does NOT have to have a FORIEGN car to go FAST. That Monza came
in 2nd place ahead of a late 60's 911 (1st went to an AMX!). Pitted next to
the Monza was a sorry looking 68 Firebird. That guy bought his car for 150
bucks and probably put ~5K into it:
engine work = heads/manifold/carb modified - original equipment bottom end.
brakes = disk all around - dual caliper on the front.
rear end = ford (gm's broke).
front suspension = solid bushings & 9 pass. station wagon rear springs.
tires = big slicks.
That car went 150 mph and came in 2nd in his class AHEAD of a 914/6. It
wasn't just brute HP that got him ahead of the Porsche - they were VERY
closely matched in speed on the long straight that passes in front of the
spectator's area. Being a german car nut this was quite a shock.
Lastly, I noticed a pile of datsuns (1200s thru Zs) and VWs (wabbits) but only
one (1) toyota and zero (0) hondas were racing. Anyone care to expound on this?
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