PERSONAL RACING

This section is a photo record of my limited personal racing experience.   Please bear (or is that bare - sorry, I'm into pun stuff) with me here while I bore (or boar) you with things that will only appeal to us old geezers that had an itch that had to be scratched in the hey-day of real sports car racing.   I simply offer the photographs that I have on hand (many of which are faded - like certain memories that I am now only vaguely aware of).   Enter and enjoy if you wish.

It all started when I went to the University of Virginia and wound up on the same hall as one Joel L. Smith from Mertztown, PA.   Joel arrived on the scene with a beautiful Alpa Romeo - blue I think (first year-men were not allowed to possess any motorized vehicle at that time so he made some "special" arrangement with an out-of town gas station owner to hide the above mentioned vehicle).   So on special occasions (like every other day) Joel and I would "hitch-hike" north on Rt 29 to get the Alpha. Being from southwest Virginia, I had never even seen, muchless ridden in such a machine.   From the first day I sat in that automobile I was hooked - and I still am today.   There is nothing in this world (maybe one exception) that can compare to the feeling of driving a 50's "sports car" with top down along winding back roads.   Thanks Joel, the ride has lasted a lifetime.

In the final month of my senior year I was able to purchase a beautiful/classic/gaga automobile from my mathematics professor (Prof Steed) for $1000.   Eat your heart out because it was a

  • '55 MG TF1500     (May 1961)


    • which I immediately had to run the Hayter's Gap road in the company of Jim Ted Ratliff and Tommy Colley in their

  • MGAs     (May 1961)


    • Of course that led to

  • autocrossing!!     (Kingsport & Knoxville, TN summer of '61)


    • The MG was so great - BUT - I had a need for more speed (and racing) so I bought a new

  • 1962 Austin Healey 3000 Mk2     (for $3332)


    • which lead to more autocrossing.   Even Healeys can do it

  • in the dirt!!      (Montvale, VA '62)


    • Then you get the fever and go to VIR (Virginia International Raceway) and spectate for a race weekend or two with

  • family and friends    (Spring '63)


    • That led to SCCA membership, driving school, and regional racing at VIR and Marlboro.

    Here are a few pictures from Driving school and novice races in 1962-65 (when you drove it to the track and hoped you could drive it home)