Justin Bell to Attend Crescent Classic 2012! | FerrariChat

Justin Bell to Attend Crescent Classic 2012!

Discussion in 'Events Discussion' started by cmparrenzo, Mar 26, 2012.

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  1. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Chris Parr
    We are proud to announce Justin Bell will be our featured driver for 2012.

    Justin Bell is the son of Derek Bell, our 2010 Crescent Classic Featured driver...

    A little history on Justin Bell...

    When people ask how I got into racing, I initially avoid telling people my Dad was a racing driver. Not because I am not proud of him (no son could be prouder than me) but I tend to see a shift in their attitude; sort of a “oh so it was easy then” tone to things followed by that look, the one people give someone that apparently had a silver spoon lodged sideways in their mouth from birth.

    Well as anyone that knows the Bell family can tell you, my father was a racing driver all right. But he was also a farmer by trade and a firm disciplinarian, a man that stood by the mantra ‘manners maketh a man’ and who gave my sister and I as much love as a man can give without spoiling us. What this meant for my career was that he would help me as long as I helped myself along the way. Bit of a bummer really…..(joking).

    My dad and I were extremely lucky in that we loved spending time together, shared a passion for sports, and couldn’t wait to take off across the farm on our motorbikes. So some of my best childhood memories were of Dad and I covered in mud grinning like mad-men to the sound track of 2-stroke engines!

    This soon led to schoolboy motocross and many weekends all over the South of England, where I would try to match whatever talent I had to what I know my Dad believed I could do on a bike! God those were great times. I can still hear him yelling “GO JB’ and feel his unbridled pride and passion from the sidelines. And also, his barely concealed disappointment when I rode like a wanker!

    So why no karting? I get asked that a lot and to be honest it wasn’t a big thing in my area of the country growing up, none of my friends did it, and of course my own father (who would have been the one to encourage and transport me around to the tracks) was pretty busy with his own racing career. I do regret it in one way; for example, at my first Vauxhall Lotus race at Thruxton. a wee Scott named Alan McNish was on the grid who had already probably done a billion races behind the wheel of a kart! Consequently I got my rookie ass well spanked, as Karting is undeniably the best preparation for a race driver. But I think motocross gave me a great feel for traction in adverse conditions and I was always bloody good at standing starts. Nothing makes you fast out of the gate than 30 nutty teenagers racing side for a four-foot gap at the end of a field!

    So there I was, the son of a racing World Champion, and no real ambition to follow in his footsteps. I loved my motorbike racing, crazy about driving anything I could get my hands on around the farm but to be honest, I had no idea how to get started in car racing. All I saw was the grand side of International Sports Cars with all those top drivers – and it seemed so far removed from what I might be able to do it just never caught hold in my mind.

    Until one day my mate James and I went to Brands Hatch to watch the Formula Ford Festival – and suddenly, bam, like a 2x4 across the forehead I realized I really wanted to do this. I could see for the first time how you became a racing driver and get started. So I went home full of excitement, cornered Dad and boldly said that I wanted to do FF1600.

    To which he profoundly said “ Great, how the f - - k do we tell your mother?”

    I have many other stories of how I actually got behind the wheel of my first racing car, and the trials and tribulations therein, but I will save those for another time when some more self-absorbed, indulgent blogs are called for.

    While I have not officially retired from behind the wheel, as I still have ambitions to race long into the future, I am as dedicated to developing my television broadcasting and hosting career as I was to racing twenty years ago! I now live in Los Angeles and am busy writing new shows, hosting for various clients and working out how to become rich and famous……

    Note: Since beginning his career in 1988, Justin has achieved many significant racing accomplishments, including the 1997 FIA GT2 World Championship, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998 and second-place finishes in Le Mans and Daytona, and a pair of SCCA Trans-Am wins.

    Early in his career, Justin made consistent progress through a variety of racing categories, while appearing in various television programs. In 1993, he was co-host of the motor sports television program 555 Performance World, which ran on Asia's largest satellite network Star TV and was seen by over 80 million viewers. This led to him hosting a six part series, The International Young Driver of the Year on BBC television. Currently Justin is working with the racing network Speed Channel as on-air talent for the American Le Mans Series.

    Along the way he raced for major car manufacturers including Saab, Peugeot, Porsche, BMW, Dodge and General Motors. For Dodge Viper, he won the 1997 FIA GT2 world championship and the GT2 class at Le Mans in 1998. In 2000 Justin signed with General Motors as a driver for the factory Corvette Racing team, finishing second in the Daytona 24 Hours, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans
     
  2. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    Great! Will Derek be coming also?
     
  3. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Chris Parr
    Nope just one Bell at a time, Bentley has a meeting in London the same week as Crescent...

    We had planned on having Justin come to Crescent in 2013, we just swapped places with his dad. I am really excited to have Justin attend Crescent Classic!
     
  4. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    Chris,

    Please check your CC email address.
     
  5. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    Chris,

    Do you need my business?. I have not had a response from you.
    Now that only one Bell is attending I should be able to rent one of the condos/apartments for the weekend?.
     
  6. dcrews85tr

    dcrews85tr Karting

    Aug 1, 2005
    72
    Kansas City
    Full Name:
    Doug
    Congratulation to Chris Parr on the article featuring the Crescent Classic Rally in the most recent Cavallino Magazine (April/May edition). With this type of positive exposure in the most prestigious Ferrari magazine, the event will be a sell out in record time! For all the regular attendee's... be sure to register very soon. This will be a sell out soon!! Thanks Chris for all your efforts to make this a exclusive car event that is like no other in the country. You are awesome!
     
  7. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Chris Parr
    #7 cmparrenzo, Apr 11, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2012
    Deon,

    I am glad to see you want to return to Crescent Classic.

    Last year you removed your name from our mailing list and earlier this year you said you would be unable to attend so we have not reserved alumni status for you as we have in the past. With the recent article in Cavallino and the Ferrari Market Letter, registations are significantly ahead of last year and, as always, we do expect to sell out long before our August 1st cut off date. If you wish to attend, I suggest getting registered as soon as possible.

    While I am glad your schedule now allows you to attend, the Villa's have been reserved for since last September. (I know you have tried to reserve them years into the future, but our contract with the Hotel gives us exclusive use of the Villa's during Crescent Classic)

    The Villa's are reserved every year for use by our sponsors, guest drivers and the Rally Masters, unless you become a sponsor, the Villa's will never be available during Crescent Classic.

    We have 64 rooms reserved for Crescent Classic at the Crescent Hotel, while a large percentage of those rooms are already reserved, you may contact the Crescent Hotel to make your room arrangements. (FYI, I don't even get to stay in the Villa's)

    We look forward to seeing you in September.
     
  8. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
     
  9. NSXER

    NSXER Formula 3

    Jan 4, 2004
    1,307
    Kansas
    This event is not about the rooms...good gosh...it is about the people...and the cars of course. If this event was set in the middle of an open field with no hotel I would attend. Deon...take a look at some of the other hotels in the area if you need a nicer place to stay. Will certainly miss our 1am conversations in the parking lot if you cannot attend:)

    Brian
     
  10. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    Here we go again...

    ...
     
  11. cmparrenzo

    cmparrenzo F1 Rookie

    Mar 3, 2002
    2,686
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Chris Parr
    Deon,

    A little known secret...

    The Tower Suites at the Crescent are incredible, extremely nice and newly remodeled. The Tower Suites are where Derek Bell, Alain deCadenet and John and Alicia Barnes of Cavallino elected to stay and they could have stayed in any suite or Villa.

    I stay in the Tower Suites when I stay at the Crescent.

    The Tower Suites are my favorite... FYI, there are only 6 Tower suites available.
     
  12. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    #12 deon.smith, Apr 12, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2012
    Chris,
    Thanks for the info. They have nothing on their website, do you perhaps have a link to show these Suites. We need space is the key. The older rooms I could not turn around in the bathroom to shave and Linda hated the limited space and oldness which some people think is quaint. Keep in mind our spouses are not in the parking lot at 1 am. If this is an improvement in size we can sure look at it and maybe make it.

    Yep Doc Meyer I was waiting for you to chime in with some arrogant comment. (Guess where you have stayed over the past three years). Please enlighten us. Why are you not staying in the main Hotel?.
     
  13. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    #13 deon.smith, Apr 12, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2012
    Countach
    Brian,

    You never have your other half down at Eureka. It does determine where we stay. Last time we did our own trip I did stay in a small downtown room. Remember your green Hot Dogs.
    It is imperative that I make the weekend enjoyable for Linda. If not I will have no support vehicle to carry my clothing. Unlike Ferraries, Lamborginis have no luggage space as they are true sports cars (and many of what else you have in your stable).

    If we do get a decent place to stay we will also have the Countach at CC. Vince promised me it will be ready. (White on White on White).
     
  14. deon.smith

    deon.smith Formula Junior

    Jan 23, 2009
    548
    Oklahoma
    Steve and I communicated. I did unfortunately read something in his comment that did not exist.

    I do apologize!.

    Sorry Steve.
     
  15. slm

    slm F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2004
    3,759
    Near Lambeau field
    Full Name:
    Steve M
    No worries. All is good. :)
     
  16. sws4re

    sws4re Formula Junior

    Jan 28, 2006
    281
    Olathe Ks
    Full Name:
    Scott Sweat
    EXACTLY! Well said. Even though I have not been a part of your 1am parking lot conversations maybe I could butt in this year!

    I have stayed at other places and there are sow more modern rooms if that helps.
     

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