Saw an R8 today...

[Mark J. Besso]

Louis-Alain,

I'm not Brady, but I certainly remember the Turner.  When I started Solo II 
racing in New England (in the late 70s) there was a Father/Son duo that 
raced matching Turners.  Mark Kent -the Son- drove a 1500 and Dad drove an 
850.  Mark went on to be the first person hired to race for a newly formed 
company named Saturn.  Sadly, he would lose his life at Sebring a few years 
after that.  Last I knew his Turner 1500 was still being raced.

The first competition Porsche 911 would've been the late '63, short-geared 
version for hillclimbs.  I don't think they had a dedicated road-race 
version 'til '65.  Those early ones still used six individual Solex carbs 
and made a glorious noise!  It is one of the best sounding six-cylinder 
engines ever.

Are you sure the early Lotus was an Elan hardtop?  Might it have been a 
Lotus Elite?

The first time I heard an R8 was shocking.  I expected it to be much 
quieter....for some stupid reason.  It was at the Monterey Historic Races 
when Auto Union was the honored marque.  I was lucky (?) enough to be 
standing directly behind the R8 when they fired it up.  Like I said, I 
expected those turbochargers would work to partially silence the exhaust 
note.  Boy-Oh-Boy was I wrong.  I've never been so wrong in my life!  It was 
ear-splitting, pain-inducing, peg-all-the-decibel-meters, kind of loud and I 
absolutely LOVED IT!!!

Thanks for bringing back some fun memories,
Mark



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Louis-Alain Richard"
Subject: Saw an R8 today...


It was the "Sommet des Légendes" at Mont Tremblant this week-end, a
vintage race weekend. Since the track is the own personal playground of
some rich businessman, there was a lot of $$$ machinery, including some
60's and 70's Ferraris (250GT, 275GTB, 333SP, 250GTO, even a BB512i), a
genuine Aston-Martin DBR 1989 (with a 32V 6.1 Liter engine!), a bridcage
Maserati, a 250F, some prewar Alfas and Maserati, plus numerous little
guys like Elvas, Porsches, BMWs, Lotuses, Chevrons, even a Turner (you
remember these, Brady ?).

My personal podium of favorites:
1- 3.0 liter Ferrari, maybe a 250GT, with the traditionnal Ansa exhaust,
so smooth and quiet,  the sound was nothing less than magical.
2- The Lotus Elan (Type 26?) hardtop race car, probably with a
coventry-Climax engine, revving like 10 000 rpm during 1/2 an hour. It
was fast and noisy.
3- The early 911 (1963 or about), with the narrow Fuchs wheels, a 2.0L,
and the stock mufflers. The same car that McQueen drives at the
beginning of Lemans. This one also was real smooth and this must be the
most perfect sound for a flat-6. Like a turbine.

But then, a familiar logo struck my eye: a gorgeous, 2000 R8 under the
Champion livery. Beautiful car, but it had some issues (it sounds
familiar...). We only heard it for about 3 laps, all glorious turbo
sound we love, and then it retired. When we saw it under repair later,
we saw a mechanic investigating the engine for a leak of some kind. It
was hard, but I DIDN'T suggested him to look for Pentosin...

Now I know better why I drive an old car; ask me to choose between a
nasty fast, rock-hard and obnoxious full race car and one of these
oldies, you know which one I will choose. These old racers are so much
more alive, they lean, dive, squat, skid, they do move but without being
glued to the track. For the show, it's a lot better. I guess that
driving these is also a lot more a thing of precision than when the car
is so much better than your driving skills... I am hooked.

Louis-Alain