Ferrari Challenge Race at VIR: 18-20 May 2007

Yes. With the baby seat in it. Thank God (or Tom Jones @ Sport Auto) for strong A/C -- Luca was absolutely wiped out and slept the whole way home.

 

Beautiful car. Like I have said in my first post, I have been into BMW's for a few years now. Quite a few 3 series cars, a few M cars, and we currently have the Z4 and the 5. When I first graduated from college, I sold BMW's for roughly 3 and 1/2 years in Winston. For some reason about 6 months ago, and I do not know from where I got the ferrari bug. My wife and I have been married going on 3 years and are doing very well, but she is scared about me coming home one day in the near future. If I do, she already has promised to kill me! I think it is worth the risk. Now if I can only find the perfect 328 or 348........

 

Went down on Saturday, stayed nearly the whole day through the drum brake races. It was my first Ferrari-sponsored event, and hopefully will be the first of many. It was a great time with nice people and some truly incredible cars.

Faves: the 288 GTO with nearly straight pipes, the 599 GTBs, the F50, the 250 GTO, the Maser 250F GP car, the 250GT SWB, and the incredible 512 BBLMs.

It was my first 599 sighting IRL and I must say that pics do not do this car justice. I thought it was kinda ugly when the press pics came out (Ferrari must do the worst press photos on the planet), subsequent pics were a whole lot better, but the car must be seen IRL to be truly appreciated. It's a work of art, and sounds just as good as it looks. I was standing by pit row waiting for the drum brake race to start and heard a very loud barking sound. I thought it was one of the racers, then realized that it was coming from the 599 GTB pace car!

Those 512 BBLMs are monsters, and this was my first 250 GTO sighting. The Challenge race was a lot messier than I thought it would be - numerous cars were dented up, several were retired. The winner lost his rear bumper and diffuser, it was actually dragging on the track for most of the race before it fell off. All in all, an incredible day.

 

I was surprised to see that thing dragged so precariously lap after lap. I would have expected somebody to flag the car into the pits. It seemed to me, an impending disaster. Is that the responsibility of the corner workers, or is it related to Grand Am regulations? If we did that during an HPDE day at VIR, we'd make it exactly 12 yards before being shown a flag.

 

I'm curious as what lap times the drum-brake cars were getting?

 

Fastest drum was a 2:23. Maser 250

Fastest disc was a 2:01. BBLM

CW

 

I watched Challenge race #2 from the bridge yesterday and observed a dangling piece of body work flapping around on the back of one of the cars in the middle of the pack. The car went around for about three laps with that panel bouncing around in the breeze and I know the driver behind him must've been rather nervous about it, hoping when the time came it wouldn't slam into his car. Sure enough, the next time the group zoomed past the bridge the panel separated, flew high into the air and safely landed in the grass on the left side of the uphill esses. Whew!

The three days I spent at the Challenge were nothing short of fantastic! Saw many models of Ferrari for the first time, and some of the cars that showed up in the various parking lots weren't anything to sneeze at either (Lotus Exige, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Pantera, Ferrari Daytona, etc.). Of the vintage Ferraris the one I fell in love with was the 250 GT SWB. A beautiful little car that sounded great on the track. The 250 GTOs were astounding, and now I know first hand what you guys refer to as the "ripping curtain" exhaust sound. I didn't know how perfect a description that was until I heard it in person!

I had one disappointment, and it involved the sound of the 599GTB. The car looks much better in person, and it's performance appears to be first class. The car was suprisingly quiet, in fact a bit too quiet for my taste. Perhaps because the drivers of the few that made it onto the track didn't really open them up, but they didn't have the V12 noise I was looking for. To be honest I like the way an Aston Martin DB9 or Vanquish sounds better than the 599GTB. Just my opinion...........

Looking forward to the June 2nd Bermuda Run get together and the historic races at VIR the following weekend!

Gary

 

Here are a couple of shots from Friday. Will post some more as I get time.
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Wow-those are great shots!

 

One of the newer cars.
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FYI, fastest lap in the 430C was 1:59, I believe.

CW

 

Few more before the end of the day.
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Photos of one of the 512 BBLM monsters.
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Now THIS is my idea of a Motorola flip top! I love graphic design on this car.

Gary
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430 Challenge Race #2 on Sunday podium cars.
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It felt like a demo derby too.... I was driving the Black #43 Clear Capital car. I made it all the way to the last 10 minutes of the second race without anyone hitting me or driving into the tires... then someone felt I was needing to get hit so they smacked my bumper mid corner and spun me at the oak tree. I dropped from 7th to 15th.... bummer. Its super fun racing.... just have to be careful around some of the drivers.

Thanks to everyone that came out and said hello!

 

Glad to see Tom out in the 288.

 

I remember seeing your car several times towards the front of the pack. In fact here's a photo I took of your car in the garage area on Saturday. Good job, and thanks to you and all the other drivers and crew members in the Ferrari Challenge for making this 3 day event very special indeed!

Gary
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Don't get me wrong, the 599 is a great looking car. Plus, when your sitting in a field of low slung exotics, it's hard to stand out. But personally, your car is more exciting visually and aurally than the 599. Of course, yours is not the average 348!

Luca will have a childhood second to none!

 

Finished up the first bit of my pictures.

http://www.maximum-cars.com/fvir/challenge/

Includes a few random paddock shots. As well as some of the random cars on course during lunch and the challenge race itself.

 

From Friday
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And another
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Thanks guys! I appreciate the pics! Once I get home sort out the in car video, I'll post some youtube links of any interesting laps (interesting generally meaning that some one in the frame has a big repair bill).

Thanks!

Kevin

 

Hundreds of pictures now up here:

http://www.fandsenterprises.com/vircar.htm

 

From Sunday...

http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s187/trevorely/Ferrari%20Challenge/2007%20VIR/