Just got back from the Mitty Lots of fun We took 6th in the enduro Sunday rained out Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Super fast Nissan GTP & Chevy Intrepid GTP Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That thing is crazy stupid fast. The only place I had a chance against it was in the braking zone. He'd just run away from me in a straight line.
I was there on Saturday- and the Nissan was about 3-5 seconds ahead of the fastest of the other cars on the first lap. there was a large gap to the next group then some stragglers. by the end of the 8 lap race he was gone. had it been any longer he would have lapped the field easily. I have a piece of John Mortons Nissan that crashed up at Limerock... in 86 or 87 ... that is a fast car... & a switched on driver.
I had a good time there on Saturday, but the only Ferrari on the track was a 308. The P4 replica was gorgeous but never left that spot. Ironically, its competition was present in the form of a Ford Mark IV replica that did go out but wasn't running very well and pulled right back in.
From watching the youtube clip above I hand timed a 1:16.98 and a 1:16.74. My favorite part was watching the boost gauge. That thing spools up to max boost FAST! Just brutal!
'Could be mistaken, but, weren't there seven Mk IVs built? Awful coincidental number.... Maybe he meant never raced original? 'Just a thought... :shrug: edit: Chassis J1 and J3-8 were Mk IVs, J10 was the Can Am car. 2, 9, 11, 12 were either not built or completed. (I don't recollect if the J Car that Ken Miles was killed in was one of those 4 numbers or if it had it's own nomenclature...'checking on that) J4 ran at Sebring. 1 & 3 went to the Le Mans trials. 5,6,7,8 were the Le Mans race cars. Anybody check the plate?
They were saying on the commentary that the Nissan was doing 1:15's.... so you compare that to the outright record of 1:08. ish.. not to far off... considering a 20 Year + car. The Hubble car was way, way at the back, had the race gone for 3-4 more laps the Nissan would have lapped the last 2-3 cars - easily. The Nissan if I remember has ground effects of sorts and is a monster to drive! well done to the driver he was not doing a Sunday drive.
Driver was one of Toby Bean's sons; Patrick, I believe. He's racing LMP 3 in Europe. BTW, that Nissan is an '88, so it's almost 30 years old! Damn well driven car.
'Just perused qual. times for the Nissans (Geoff Brabham) from '89, 90, & '91 (times not available for '88) and all three years they were just over ('89) and just under ('90 & 91) 1:11; so not bad at all.
Dern John Morton attended Clemson back in the day, our hometown, and if I new William H was going run we'd been over to see that, just a hop down 85. Glad everyone but the pace car ran well.
I think he said it was J9, but don't quote me on that. He also said that there were two Can Am cars, but that one was converted back to Le Mans configuration.
I only knew/know of one, but, I was a youngster, and was in no way affiliated with the "Honker" team so I don't know fer sure either...
For the first time since 1988 I missed the Mitty. I was terribly disappointed. Had to work Saturday and it rained all day Sunday.
The rain on Sunday was in no way as bad as predicted. There was no flooding at all, no BS multi-pace laps, etc. After lunch, it rained twice for about 8 minutes each time, and it misted quite a bit, but it was OK. Aside from a Mustang driver, no high torque/high HP cars ventured out. That Mustang driver was very skilled, as were most others.
Cool. not sure who the driver is of the Nissan, but he was ON IT into Turn 6, flat out.... impressive. most of the other guys were lifting & breaking he was just barely lifting and then back on it.
Road Atlanta is not a place where you want to make mistakes in the rain or on a wet track. there is a LOT of oil and rubber down so that all gets really slippery... Road Atlanta is a fun track, but you can also get killed there easily.
