16 replies to this topic

[RussMcB]

Very interesting seven minute video.

 

The link on Facebook says it was filmed by a group of corner workers when they were on a "break session".

 

Epic battle between Mike Galati and Randy Pobst in SSC Miatas.  It sounds like Greg Creamer announcing.

 

Watch it to the end to see the famous last lap incident.

 

[Tom Sager]

Great video, thanks for posting.   They still ran mufflers then.  

[MPR22]

The good ol days before everyone started cheating. Now you would only have 5-8 cars battling it out for the same finishing position.  Lets go back to stock as soon as possible. 

[FastEddie]

The good ol days before everyone started cheating. Now you would only have 5-8 cars battling it out for the same finishing position.  Lets go back to stock as soon as possible. 

Back then it wasn't 'cheating" as it was Mazda against all the other manufacturers. Adding Mazda part numbers for ground cams that didn't exist or special computers was all part of the game.   

[chris haldeman]

Ahh the real road Atlanta!! Gravity cavity ruled!!

[Tom Sager]

The good ol days before everyone started cheating. Now you would only have 5-8 cars battling it out for the same finishing position.  Lets go back to stock as soon as possible. 

Back in the late 70's a Vega GT was a hot SSC car.  Each car had a ride height spec measured from fender lip to wheel center.  One guy in a Vega was caught with quarter panel and fender wheel openings that had been cut and refinished to mask the lowered springs.  

[svvs]

Did I hear someone say "God gave them fenders for a reason"?

[Mike Collins]

Back then it wasn't 'cheating" as it was Mazda against all the other manufacturers. Adding Mazda part numbers for ground cams that didn't exist or special computers was all part of the game.   

And some of those parts are still available if you know the right part number to order

[Mike Collins]

Listen closely at about 1:04 someone calls it "Spec Miata"....

[Bench Racer]

Yup ^, heard that. What year did they change entry to the bridge?

[RussMcB]

Yup ^, heard that. What year did they change entry to the bridge?

1998 (within a year or two).

[LarryKing]

 

Listen closely at about 1:04 someone calls it "Spec Miata"....

Sounds more like they're saying "Jack Mehofer"

[zoomzoom22]

Great video, thanks for posting.   They still ran mufflers then.  

 

And stock seats.

 

Really.

[RussMcB]

Another YouTube video popped up recently of the 1980 SSC race.  Mostly boxy cars (Rabbits, Gremlins, etc.).  Talk about BODY ROLL ! ! !  Practically scraping chrome door handles on the track.  :-)

 

It's fun to think back on those days and all the creative ways people were making the cars faster.  Lots of competitors with manufacturers helping out with special parts and other assistance.  Those really were the days of competitors getting big boxes of stock parts and finding the best ones to use.

 

Another interesting rule they had back then (maybe still do today in Touring?) - No non-stock paint jobs.  Could only use vinyl to make stripes, etc.  I guess that was to help the "Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday" aspect. 

[Tom Sager]

Another YouTube video popped up recently of the 1980 SSC race.  Mostly boxy cars (Rabbits, Gremlins, etc.).  Talk about BODY ROLL ! ! !  Practically scraping chrome door handles on the track.  :-)

 

It's fun to think back on those days and all the creative ways people were making the cars faster.  Lots of competitors with manufacturers helping out with special parts and other assistance.  Those really were the days of competitors getting big boxes of stock parts and finding the best ones to use.

 

 

1980 was my first year of car racing and the race car was an SSC 1979 pinto leased through Ford Motor Credit.   Payment was $122 a month, I was in college and used student loan money for some of the race budget.  Drove the car to and from the track for 5 seasons and at times it was my daily driver.  Rated at 88 horsepower with the 2.3 liter engine.  Rabbits were lighter but only had 75HP and less torque than the powerful Pinto. At Summit Point we could hit 100 MPH on the long downhill front straight. We spent a lot of time on tires.  There were no "R" compound tires then and we tried all kinds of radials.  Tires nobody ever heard of.  Had them shaved but since the tire truing machines that were used to do that couldn't round the edges well, I used to jack up the rear of the car with one rear wheel on the ground and with the car running in first gear and use a surform shaver to get the edges of the tires just right.  Rear brakes were drums and while the shoes lasted forever, the drums would get out of round so we had to turn them frequently.  Sometimes at the local Kmart auto center during the race weekend.  I can remember not being able to drive the car home once due to a fight with a guard rail.  

[Ron Alan]

1980 was my first year of car racing and the race car was an SSC 1979 pinto leased through Ford Motor Credit.   Payment was $122 a month, I was in college and used student loan money for some of the race budget.  Drove the car to and from the track for 5 seasons and at times it was my daily driver.  Rated at 88 horsepower with the 2.3 liter engine.  Rabbits were lighter but only had 75HP and less torque than the powerful Pinto. At Summit Point we could hit 100 MPH on the long downhill front straight. We spent a lot of time on tires.  There were no "R" compound tires then and we tried all kinds of radials.  Tires nobody ever heard of.  Had them shaved but since the tire truing machines that were used to do that couldn't round the edges well, I used to jack up the rear of the car with one rear wheel on the ground and with the car running in first gear and use a surform shaver to get the edges of the tires just right.  Rear brakes were drums and while the shoes lasted forever, the drums would get out of round so we had to turn them frequently.  Sometimes at the local Kmart auto center during the race weekend.  I can remember not being able to drive the car home once due to a fight with a guard rail.  

I remember the first true street class I watched was stock VW Scirocco at Laguna Seca. It was late 70's early 80's...they would be on 2 wheels in the cork screw. The crowd would be Ohhhhhh.....ahhhhhhh! Every time they didn't flip!

[chris haldeman]

1998 (within a year or two).

Yep track change was 1998