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Chump Car Photos

October 31, 2009 / / One comment

RACE DAY!!!

Previous Chump Car Posts:

Chump Car!!!

I guess I was wrong about that…

First, lots of people are going to have fun.  The opportunity to race a car never comes to many people and there will be lots of first time drivers on the track today – that’s just cool.

But, this is going to be interesting for other reasons, too… I’ve read through the forums to get a feel for what teams expectations should have been regarding pre-race penalties (a la LeMons).  It is pretty clear that cars exceeding the $500 prep limit will receive lap penalties.  From an official on the forums – “The acid test is “Do you have a $500 car or not?””

My recollection is that LeMons “cheaters” have been docked one lap for every $10 over the $500 limit .  $600 car = minus 10 laps…  

The plot thickens – I watched a car role through the inspection process and observed the Chump Car official nodding approvingly at the documentation accompanying a car that massively exceeded the $500 limit (just in body parts).   As this is the first Chump Car event, we have no idea what penalties are in store, or how they will be meted out. 

So, as of now, I’m not sure how much like a 24 Hours of LeMons race this Chump Car thing is going to turn out to be, but I did get some photos of a few cars that meet what I’ve always thought was the spirit of this type event.

Chump 510

510 Wagon - that's some righteous chumpiness

Chump Camaro

Not so sure about this one - makes me feel nostalgic for the Rockford Pile

Chump Colt

Nicely Done!!! This is the kind of crap-can I expected

Chump Fiat

Finally found the front two thirds of the Fiat X 1/6 - see the "Fiatcage.com" banner? Bellissimo!!

Chump Subaru

If it rains this legit chump has a real chance

Chump Toyota

Recycled Chumps - I've seen this POS before. These guys get it.

Chump Wrestle

Andre the Giant would approve - as do I

Category: Auto Racing, CARS, Fun Stuff / Tags: ,

C’était un Rendez-vous

October 13, 2009 / / One comment

I’ve been meaning to write something about this video for some time – just because I think it’s so outrageously cool that I want people to see it. I thought about it again last Saturday morning when I received a message from my buddy Russ that he was on his way to “Cars and Coffee” in a Ferrari 275 GTB – Russ knows that I like old Ferraris and that I think the 275 GTB is one of the prettiest cars ever built.

Ferrari 275 GTB

Ferrari 275 GTB

The story behind this short film is that French director Claude Lelouch filmed the early morning run through Paris and that the car used was a 275 GTB driven by an un-named Formula One driver.

Lelouch later claimed that a large Mercedes carried the camera and that the sound of the Ferrari was dubbed over – I am somewhat skeptical, but I suppose an Oscar winning director should be able to accomplish a task like that.  I thought Star Wars was cool when I saw it, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t real… In any case, the film and sound are amazing.

The Route

The Route

The route that Lelouch chose also passes by and through many famous Parisian landmarks, including the finish line of The Tour de France (so there’s a bicycle racing connection), and places where my sister worked and lived in the time she spent there (so there’s a family connection).  The speed of the “Mercedes” has been calculated (and independently agreed upon) to have been 190 – 200 kph on the Champs-Élysées – and that will get you to church on time…

 

C’était un rendez vous- Claude Lelouch.flv

The film was removed from YouTube in 2012.  Here is another version.  Still the best!!!

Category: Auto Racing, Bicycle Racing, CARS, Fun Stuff, Supercars / Tags:
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