2007 Wine Country Classic

[Damn True]

Had to pick between going to Buttonwillow and mooching rides off of Mary or going to the WCC this weekend. The 1.5hr vs. 4hr drive won and I went to Sears Pt.

The number of cars and spectators was a fraction of what one sees at the Monterey Historics event. Most of the cars are from the west coast where Monterey draws from all over the country. I suspect that the location and the fact that Monterey also has the Concourse has something to do with that. Much nicer hotels in Monterey/Carmel, though proximity to wine country...ahh who knows. IMO Sears Pt. is much better for spectators. The track is more compact, but about the same length and there are more places where you can see more of the track than at Laguana.

Anyway, the featured marque this year was historic Can-Am. It was mostly McLarens and Cheverons and very few Lola's (Any idea why that might be David?).

There was a good showing of the Historic Trans-Am cars as well. 30 or so. Including a couple of recently completed restorations. A really beautiful red/white '69 and a yellow '68. Vic & Camee were there with the Yunick car (droooooool) the Boss, and Vics newest toy, a beautiful old NASCAR Impala. The T/A race was the most fun to watch of the afternoon as Ken Epsman (in Sam Posey's old Cuda) and Terry Miller (in the Alan Green Chevrolet z/28) went at it like cats & dogs for the first 1/2 Scott Rubin (in one of the old Penske Javelins) got in the mix in the last half as well. Good fun.

The only downside to the T/A thing was that there were only three Penske cars there. The #6 '68 Camaro, and the #6 & #9 71 Javelin. I love looking at the evolution of the Penske cars through the 5 years and it was a bummer to not be able to see that.

Anyway, I took a mess of photos and a couple of lousy videos. Feel free to nab any of them that you like, post for discussion etc. As for the videos...they aren't that great, but the sound is cool. Save the bandwidth though and Right click - save as.

https://www.pro-touring.com/gallery/...g2_itemId=8183

enjoy

[buickfunnycar.com]

Living here on the Monterey Peninsula,I concur the Sonoma event is much more fun to view as a spectator than Monterey.Too much political BS goes on here whereas the Sonoma event is just good 'ol laidback country racing.
Kenny could have run & hid from either car but instead diced with the Alan Green '67 Camaro and then let Scott by for the win in the end.
Only real downside from an otherwise spectacular wknd was the demise of the '69 Sunoco Camaro driven by Jimmy Hague.Throttle stuck in 10 and once the wheels got off in the dirt,Jimmy was just along for the ride.I have close-up pics of the wrecked car (literally breaks your heart) but I won't post them out of respect for Kenny & Jimmy.

That car will be back but it's hurt guys...really hurt.

[Damn True]

I hadn't heard about that. Was that on Sunday morning or Saturday afternoon? God that is awful.

[buickfunnycar.com]

I hadn't heard about that. Was that on Sunday morning or Saturday afternoon? God that is awful.

Saturday afternoon in practice,one lap from the end.I'll post the distance photos which are not too clear...gives you the lowdown on what's happened.If you walked through the T/A pit on Sunday you might have noticed the rather somber mood.Jimmy Hague told me as he saw it coming,his only thoughts were..."Not this car,NOT this car!"


Sorry for the lack of focus here guys but you probably don't want to see this any closer...it ain't pretty.

Last shots I have...warming up for practice:





Aftermath:






Jimmy debriefing Vic Edelbrock afterwards:

[Damn True]

Hey, at least he wasn't hurt. I had a conversation with one of the Can-Am guys who broke a Hewland on Sunday during the race (he wasn't 100% sure it was the trans.) Anyway, he was bemoaning the fact that the car was running really well and it was gonna cost him a bunch to fix. I told him, "broke can be fixed, but wrecked is forever" and he said "Yeah, that happend yesterday." I didn't know at the time what he was talking about.

[buickfunnycar.com]

Hey, at least he wasn't hurt. I had a conversation with one of the Can-Am guys who broke a Hewland on Sunday during the race (he wasn't 100% sure it was the trans.) Anyway, he was bemoaning the fact that the car was running really well and it was gonna cost him a bunch to fix. I told him, "broke can be fixed, but wrecked is forever" and he said "Yeah, that happend yesterday." I didn't know at the time what he was talking about.

No Jimmy wasn't hurt,he had a small bruise on the left side of his face and one on his leg where it came in contact with the roll cage.Kenny sent the car out 2 years ago to have it restored by one of the original fabricators who worked the car in 1969.How much of the original car can be saved is the big question.The drivers footwell looks like a waded up piece of aluminum foil.Roof is creased in two spots,the car hit so hard on the drivers side it bent the frame and suspension...on the passenger side.A lot of trick fab on that car as we all know...most of that is all gone now.Good thing is Kenny Epsman owns the car and it'll get what it needs.That's all I'll say on that...

We missed Mary & Dave too...I hope she did well.

[Damn True]

Man, what a shame. Sears Pt. is and always was a tricky track and T10 is the toughest bit at least in a psychological sense.

On a brighter note:







Coolest car ever:


Vic's new toy:




Steve, think of your Torino in these terms:


Bitchin McLarens:

[Damn True]

Sexy Lola's (I prefer the lines of Davids T-70)






The following cars raced at the first road-race I ever saw and lit my fuse for this kind of thing
Talk about a voluptous shape:


Porsche RSR

Dig the Dekon:

Boxy but good:




One of the most dominant race cars ever. The FABULOUS Hudson Hornet:

Dig the bungee cord hood retention device. Genuine BTW:

We saw a stock Hudson Horent on Hwy 17 on the drive home. When was the last time you saw two Huddies in the same day?



I dated a girl in H.S. for the sole reason that she drove a Sunbeam Tiger. I know, I know, ill handling but still very cool:

[Damn True]

Another Yunick masterpiece:

Equally bitchin, but far more legal:

That's enough. There are track action photos (mostly bad) and more of the above linked gallery.

[buickfunnycar.com]

Nice pics man.That Greenwood Corvette is Tom Armstrong's latest aquisition...a true Greenwood car.



Check out how the roll cage is sculpted into the door:


Real horsepower...

[shortrack]

and just how bad dass is Smokey's chevelle!!!

[David Pozzi]

Wow! That Greenwood engine is really offset to one side!
David

[Damn True]

Just enough to match the weight of the driver. It's adjustable too.

[buickfunnycar.com]

Wow! That Greenwood engine is really offset to one side!
David

Damn straight Dave....here's another angle:





Here's more of the Yunick '66 Chevelle:


Dig that bumper fitment:

[buickfunnycar.com]

sign says it all...


Got tons more guys,will post 'em soon.

[Damn True]

The little tin covers just aft of the rear window? Jack-screw ports?

[buickfunnycar.com]

The little tin covers just aft of the rear window? Jack-screw ports?

I would think so...

[Damn True]

I would love to have the chance to get an up-close, extended examination of the #13 Camaro and that Chevelle. Like with the thing on a rack or jackstands so I can crawl all over it.

[Orngcrush69]

Those were great pictures!!! The '66 Chevelle look great! No Vintage '69' Chevelles there?

[Damn True]

Hey John. By any chance did you snap a photo of the beige Ford truck with the wedgeback that was carrying the yellow Bud Moore Mustang?