2012 Trans-Am Invitational: Ralf & The Phatt Man

2011 La Carrera Panamericana
I was too disheartened out to write my final thoughts on the 2011 La Carrera Panamericana because there was too much corruption and no, I'm not referring to the politics in Mexico, I'm referring to the race.  If you were there, you know that Doug Mockett & Angelica Fuentes were the overall winners, not the guy they named.  And they were not the only ones robbed of a podium spot.  More than once friends of ours stepped off the daily podium and walked by us with their trophy shaking their heads saying, "We didn't even run today" or "We know this isn't ours."


Bobby Unser Jr. and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb
My previous post spoke of Todd building a 1968 Mustang High Country Special for Bobby Unser Jr. to race in this summer's Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.  We met Bobby Jr. when he was commentating the 2011 PPIHC and he test drove the Phatt Man and loved it.  We spent a few days with Bobby Jr. at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale earlier this year but soon after realized we didn't have enough time to rally sponsors and build and test this special car to be ready for the Trans-Am and Pikes Peak practice in early June.  So we have hopes that this will all happen in 2013 instead, stay tuned.  

2012 Trans-Am Invitational
We are in Pueblo, CO competing this weekend at the 2012 Trans-Am Invitiational, put on by Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing. 

From the Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing website:
The track is a 2.2-mile course with challenging elevation change, long straights, and a mix of corners including a high-speed Turn One. Passing is possible most everywhere on the track, making it great for Trans-Am racing. The elevation is 4,900 feet and requires re-jetting for those coming from lower elevations.



This event features the Historic Trans-Am Sedans that ran in the Trans-Am series from 1966 through 1981. Included in this special run group will be the 5-liter Camaros, Mustangs, Barracudas, Javelins, and Firebirds and the 2-liter and 2.5-liter championship winning Porsche 911s, Datsun 510s, and BMW 2002s that raced wheel to wheel with the Alfa GTAs. The two-liter (U2) cars will be racing side by side with the five-liter (O2) cars.

This year we are also featuring the late model Trans-Am cars that ran in SCCA’s GT1 and GT2 categories. These fire-breathing cars tore up the tracks across the US in the 1970s and 1980s and are very exiting to watch. The pits are open to spectators who can meet the drivers and get a up close look at the race cars. Pueblo’s concession stand will be open for breakfast and lunch.


We are honored to have Ralf Christensson as our driver of the Phatt Man.  Yesterday at practice he and Todd took the car out on the track and the clutch pressure plate failed.  Todd is still baffled as to why it failed but he was able to run up to Colorado Springs and get the part.  As he was calling all the parts stores in Pueblo they would ask, "For what kind of car?"  Well, he couldn't really describe the Phatt Man, nor would its specs be relevant to the part he needed so he said, "1984 Corvette" which was the closest match.  He told me later I would be happy that it was a Chevy part and would probably last as he knows I'm a bit of a Corvette fan.

Stefan, Kristin & Ralf at the 2006 LCP in Aguascalientes.

Today the race officially begins and we are excited to see how Ralf does as he is an awesome driver, though the main purpose is for Ralf to get seat time and tweak the Phatt Man in preparation for next week's Pikes Peak practice days and ultimately, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on July 8, 2012.  Go Ralf!

Todd and Ralf watching Friday night drag racing at the Pueblo Motorsports Park after the Trans-Am practice day.

Drag racing at the Pueblo Motorsports Park

Also, joining Ralf at the PPIHC will be Gerhard Pegam from Germany, who we met at the 2011 LCP.  More about Gerhard later!

Gerhard Pegam back in the day!

PRESS RELEASE: Todd to Build 2012 Pikes Peak Race Car for Bobby Unser Jr.

http://www.gazette.com/articles/unser-132662-driving-sense.html


RAMSEY: Unser won't let injured hand stop his return to Hill Climb


January 31, 2012 10:55 AM     DAVID RAMSEY        THE GAZETTE


When Bobby Unser Jr. regained consciousness at the hospital, he immediately thought about driving. This makes sense. He’s a member of an Unser family that has triumphed 38 times at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb along with multiple Indy 500 victories.

 In 2009, Bobby Jr. was stricken with a flesh-eating disease that claimed the index and ring finger on his right hand. He refuses to complain; he’s just thrilled to be alive. Doctors told him he was hours away from death.

“It’s fine,” Bobby Jr. says, reporting on the condition of his right hand. “It’s really strong, good on a steering wheel and good on a shifter. That’s all I worried about, to be honest.”

He’s eager to test his hand, and there’s no better place for a challenge than Pikes Peak, the mountain of his youth. He’s been driving the curving road his entire life.

“My first time up there,” Bobby Jr. says, “I was in my mother’s stomach. I think a lot about my heritage and how much I love that mountain and love that race and love that road.”

He will return July 8 to compete in the vintage class of the Hill Climb. He’s part of a wave of returning Unser racers. His sister, Jeri Unser and brother, Robby, will return to compete in hybrid cars.

Bobby Jr., 56, calls Pikes Peak “Unser’s mountain.” Excuse his bravado because there’s substance behind it. In 1915, Bobby Jr.’s grandfather, Jerry, rode a motorcycle with a sidecar to the top of the peak alongside his brothers, Louis and Joe. This courageous ride was taken before the completion of Spencer Penrose’s Pikes Peak Highway.

Since 1926, an Unser has been at the start line of the Hill Climb 113 times. Bobby Unser, Bobby Jr.’s father, collected 13 Hill Climb titles.

Bobby Jr. made his name primarily as a stunt driver. He has not competed in the Hill Climb since 1985. He enjoyed his years of competition at Pikes Peak, even though he often struggled. He usually excelled in the days leading up to competition. On race day, his cars often failed him.

“I was told by a lot of people I was too hard on my equipment,” he says.

He hopes 2012 will be different. He will drive a 1968 Mustang High-Country Special Coupe. The High-Country, which was sold primarily in Colorado, features a special options package.

Todd Landon, a research scientist in Minneapolis, is preparing the Mustang for Unser. They met last summer at the Hill Climb, and started talking about the possibility of Unser returning for this summer’s race.

“He can still handle the steering wheel,” Landon says. “I think he’s quite a driver.”

For years, Bobby Jr. has yearned to return to The Hill Climb. Last summer, he worked at the summit as a broadcaster and watched as Nobuhiro “The Monster” Tajima ripped across the finish line with a course record.

Bobby Jr. knew he needed to again race up the mountain. His return became a virtual requirement.

“It’s an adrenalin kick like you can’t believe,” he says. “You’re huffing and puffing when you get to the finish line. I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Bobby Jr. declines to talk much about his right hand. He’s not focused on what happened at the hospital in 2009. He refuses to limit himself as he prepares for another battle with his – and his family’s - favorite mountain.

Twitter: @davidramz     Facebook: davidramsey13
Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/unser-132662-driving-sense.html#ixzz1lFJ6xqSl

2011 La Carrera Panamericana: More Photos and Stories Coming Soon

2011 La Carrera Panamericana: The Big Finish

Blogging from my dad's office in Zacatecas.  It was a banner year.  El Jefe and Team TBZ finished 3rd overall in class Turismo Producion! 

The Greenwoods brothers finished 19th overall!  Congratulations to everyone!

El Jefe's triumphant arrival in Zacatecas!

The Gypsy Wind at the finish arch!

Geezer, Uriel y Eloisa celebrate.

Uriel got to ride in El Jefe through the arch and got his own medal!

Greenwood Bros capture 19th overall!

 Ben & John Greenwood.



My brother had to leave the race a day early so he is missing from the team photos above but he contributed greatly to the success of the team.  Sadly his mother-in-law passed away after a long battle with cancer while we were racing.  Rest in Peace, Marlene.

Marlene J. (Cihla) Voracek, RIP 

Geezer and Stewie on the podium in Morelia.

The Stewarts: Vance Jr. Kristin Sr. and Vance III.

2011 La Carrera Panamericana: Day 6 Begins

We are in Guanajuato and preparing to begin the 6th day.  As usual we have very few official results.  The red squares denote results for that section; you can see there are many blanks.








2011 La Carrera Panamericana: Day 5 - Mil Cumbres and Into Guanajuato

Today a Mini Cooper rolled and though we didn't hear details, the guys were okay and we saw the car in the parking lot and it is pretty munched.



Good luck on Day 5. I say good luck because the guys were okay. Any day this happens and you are okay is a great day.

We swept the course today and enjoyed a very relaxing (believe it or not!) morning sitting on the mountainside of Mil Cumbres waiting for the race cars to pass by. It is such a beautiful place, neither words nor photos can do it justice.

It was fun to see the Gypsy Wind and El Jefe roar by on the speed stage, as well as all of the others, some going so fast, and some struggling. Later when we swept the course we saw Michel Jordain who had gone off the road, as well as Eric Werner's Studebaker, and a few other cars. Luckily Eric was able to quickly get back on the road, but Jordain looked to be out for the day.

Michel Jordain off the road in Mil Cumbres on Day 5.

Eric Werner (copilot) Studebaker off the road in Mil Cumbres on Day 5. Check out the long skid marks.

2011 La Carrera Panamericana: Day 4 - A Rough Day

I'm way behind; the hotel we stayed at last night was such a historic palace in the centro of Morelia that it did not have internet.  My dad says Morelia is the most beautiful town square in all of Mexico and though he's seen more of Mexico than me, I have driven about 25,000 miles through capitol cities and villages and I agree!

There was a very bad crash today where a Mustang built by Mats Hammerland and driven by two Swedes was on the wrong side of a country road and drove head on into a local's car containing 3 people.  We don't know the whole story and have very few facts, but we did come upon the scene maybe an hour later and saw the carnage and I do not believe the reports that all 5 people involved are okay.  The front end of both cars, on the passenger side, was pushed to the windshield.  What a mess.  The car was newly built and painted to look just like the Gypsy Wind so we hoped no one thought it was our car with the Greenwoods in it.  This accident did not happen in a speed stage which points to it being 100% unnecessary. I am sorry for the locals who were involved and injured, it is a shame.


This is not our Mustang.  It was a Mats Hammalund built Mustang owned and driven by two Swedes.

Unfortunately this racer involved a civilian car with 3 people in it.


Today started out a little nerve-wracking. We caught up to the lineup for the first speed stage and we got a text message from John Greenwood saying the speed stage was cancelled and "something bad happened."

Very shortly after that we got a text from Rene saying, "Call me." Rene was driving the service truck that day and his message really concerned me but we did not have good enough cell service to call them back.

I started to walk up the long line of service trucks and locals, trying not to worry, but thinking a lot about Geezer and Stewie in the car and hoping that they were okay, as well as everyone else. The more I thought in those first few seconds, the more I worried so I started to run up to the start line, asking a few trucks along the way if they knew anything.


To my relief, I spotted El Jefe on the side of the road ahead. Whew! I ran up to them and learned they had broken the throttle cable on the engine compartment side. Geezer handed me the set screw and I ran back to the truck to get an allen wrench from Todd. Todd grabbed it and ran ahead to help Geezer fix El Jefe. I learned some new Spanish...."cinchos plasticos" which means zip ties. I ran to the service truck in front of El Jefe and borrowed two of them and Todd was able to fix the throttle cable.

Todd has a faux-hawk and he's a damned good mechanic/car-builder.

It takes a village sometimes.

Stewie and Geezer got going in a hurry and hoped they wouldn't be too late for the next stage. I walked with Geezer for a while to turn in his timecard and we ended up walking at least a quarter mile uphill. He was quiet and Stewie told me that he was a little bit upset about the car breaking but there was nothing they could do about it now and we were all happy it was something simple. Since the actual start line for the cancelled speed stage was so far up, I hopped on the front of the car to get a ride. Geezer turned in his timecard very close to the scene of the terrible Mustang crash. No one was talking about what happened - the carnage of the two vehicles said it all.






 

Fashion first - Kristin and John.



Our suite in the historic Morelia hotel, overlooking the zocolo - amazing!






I love the Greenwood bros - shhhh, don't tell anyone.