Tribune Review

[Scott Philiben <scottp@preciseflight.com>]

It is amazing how our allegiances change by ownership and knowledge.

I have had the opportunity to drive several vehicles at Road America and Black Hawk.   I was very familiar with the cottage Ferrari & Vintage restoration shops that inhabit the middle of Wisconsin and people trusted me - don't know why, they just did.

I have driven and had exciting rides in dozens of cars.  I remember taking a very poorly driven and suprised M5 driver after the kink at RA with my Elva Courier all 90hp (Like a Lotus Seven with a body)  during touring at a vintage event.  The Elva is a blast at Blackhawk, skinny tires and all, the grin stays on for weeks.  My Alfa driving buddies were just as enamoured of overtaking E-type Jaguars in their GTV's.  Given the choice I'd take the Jaguar - just cause I like the way it looks and for nothing else.  The best ride by far was a rebodied Ferrari GTO replica with the 330 motor, the sound the speed, the feel, plus everyone looked on with complete envy. Of course they might have been wondering how a very poor driver (relatively speaking) got his hands on one.

I have a 86 Audi 5000CS that provided lots of long distance comfortable travel to me and several friends and returned tremendous mileage.  It was also relatively reliable over its 200k life. I wouldn't go near the track with it, but I'm happy with it all the same.

I beat the living crap out of an modified Alfa Alfetta, and it kept on providing smiles and miles for the years I owned it both on and off the track.  Drive one once on an unimproved road at speed and you will be forever convinced of the value of unsprung weight, the feel on a gravel road is indescribable.

I got a 91 TQ recently cause I live in the mountains and travel and needed a car that I could play with, felt kinda like a sports car, could use for business purposes (transporting clients etc.) and get me to the mountain for fresh tracks in the morning safely.  I also would have been just as happy with an Alfa 164S, couldn't find one I liked.

When I moved to Bend, I drove the ex wife's MGB GT in the winter, a real blast.  Controllable power oversteer and light enough not to power through a snow bank and really get stuck.  Ice and snow brings a relatively underpowered RWD car into supercar proportions, without the god awful speed and it's impact on mistakes.

I like driving on the track to improve my driving and reaction.  The competitive urges are there, but by far the biggest difference outside of professional racing (BTCC) is the driver, machinery be damned.

Just my .02

Merry Christmas
Scott Philiben