Pro-Touring. Japanese Style!!!!

[Bill Howell]

I just got off the phone with Mike. I told him he sux...lol
He is at Road Atlanta this weekend sorting out the Datsun.
He says things are going well and he is having a ball.
Therefore, since we can not be there too, let him know he sux.
BTW, he is shooting some video, so maybe we can "enjoy" it that way.

[Damn True]

He's out driving at the track....I'm on my way to a church pre-marital counseling weekend.

Glad to be getting married, but yer right Billy, he sux!

[Bill Howell]

He's out driving at the track....I'm on my way to a church pre-marital counseling weekend.

Glad to be getting married, but yer right Billy, he sux!

Uhmm, cogratulations.....I think......LOL

[Steve Chryssos]

Looks like it's a ball to drive. Congrats. Don't scuff it!

[Rick Dorion]

I went to Bob Sharp Motors in 1973 to buy a 510 and left with a 240Z. All through college I road rallied in a 510 - I love them.

Very nice car. There was a fellow who would show up at Lime Rock in a 510 and be very competitive in time trials.

[kmcanally]

Love that car, must be a blast to drive...Heres another nice 510...

[vintageracer]

Just returned from Hotlanta and the HSR Walter Mitty Challenge. I had a great time, the car ran good all weekend and I drove it on the trailer after the feature race late Sunday afternoon.

There were 8 510's at this race including a tube frame 510 with a BIG wing, BIG flares and a Mazda rotary engine. This car really hauled the groceries!!!!

The fastest 510 in group 3B was a car from NC that is or was painted like a BRE 510. I ran all 4 practice sessions on Thursday, the practice sessions on Friday, the 2 qualifying races on Saturday and the "All Japanese Car" Feature on Sunday and the final group 3B feature late Sunday afternoon.

I finished the "All Japanese Car" feature race in 15th place overall out of 25 total cars in the race and 2nd in class 3O. I finished the Group 3B feature race in 13th place overall out of 35 in class and 5th place in class 3O.

Group 3B included Porsche 911 and 914's, a fast as hell BMW 2002, one XKE, one 65 Mustang Coupe, Mazda's, a Pinto, Lotus Elans, Elva, 510's, Alfa's, 240A's and Datsun roadsters.

The Jag and the Mustang are now in this group if/when they meet the new FIA standards within HSR. Normally these cars run group 5 however HSR is "run what ya brung" so there were a lot of group 5 cars (my Shelby included) that still ran period parts/engines/brakes and were not competitive with the big boys with Brembo brakes, Jericho transmissions, Winston Cup dry sump motors, heavily modified suspensions etc. To run the FIA standards with a Mustang/Jag/Shelby etc you must have period brakes, period transmissions, 7 inch wheels, engine limit etc. This will make for better racing for those that have cars that want to run more than just HSR, remain period correct and be competitve.

The 510 is a ball to drive. Much different than the Shelby. Actually a much easier car to drive. The car has GOOD brakes, lots of power, no bump steer and turns in very good. Considering I ran all weekend (10 sessions) on the same OLD Hoosiers that came with the car I am very pleased. The car is completely different drive than the Shelby as you go MUCH deeper in the turns since the car will actually stop and turn. The power in the car is superb as it pulled several 240Z's on the back straight and those cars have 6 cylinders! I will continue to learn to go deeper and faster into the corners. New tires will certainly help my confidence. It is still a little un-nerving doing the tail out dirt track driving coming down the BIG hill after the bridge to the front straight since the big sweeper is downhill big time and off camber! I also need to drive must further and faster into turn 1as it still a great place to pass! I also like the turn 5 and the back straight for passing.

All in all a good weekend. Not very much stuff got tore up. A stock car lost it Sunday afternoon coming down the hill after the bridge and lost it under the start/finish tower spinning and hitting the wall. An 85 GTU Corvette backed it into a wall and there were a few "rubbing" incidents. Nobody was injured.

A funny thing DID happen during the last feature race I ran late Sunday afternoon. During the warm up lap following the pace car a 911 Porsche 2 cars in front of me was weaving to warm his tires and not paying attention and damn near ran into the car in front of him as we slowed for turn 5. He spun the car around and the car in front of me almost hit him head on! We were no going fast however you are not supposed to loop it on the pace lap!!!! Charley, the chief steward, did have a conversation with him after the race! He did rejoin the race and gridded in his proper position. I have not looked at the video yet however it should be on my video camera was in the car and on!

This was a lot of fun! Maybe the "ricer's" really are onto something? Can we say "Drifting" next????