More pictures from last weekend's Blackhawk Vintage Classic. Today's batch of photos features possibly my favorite thing from the event. The Shriners were there!
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| I only saw this Modus on its way to the grid for practice runs. I didn't find the car in its paddock. beautiful car. It looks like a mid-seventies Formula 1 car, but that's just a guess. |
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| Formula Vees fall into group B. They're monoposto (single seat) purpose-built race cars that use a Volkswagen Beetle engine and drive line. They represent the lowest barrier of entry into vintage racing, as you can find a good example with a trailer for about 10,000. However, you also need a truck to tow it, spare parts, tools, and the mechanical ability to maintain and repair the car. They are always present at the vintage races in robust numbers and every color. |
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| Yep. That's all you get. With this little protection, the front wheels in clear view, and your butt a few inches from the tarmac, Formula Vee is about as pure as racing can get. The cars only have about 50 horsepower, but with a total weight of about one thousand pounds, the owner insists it's a blast to drive. |
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| A HANS (Head And Neck Safety) device and a really cool helmet. |
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| A portable battery. Presumably, the car does have a starter on board somewhere, because there didn't seem to be one on the portable unit. A battery is about forty pounds of weight that the car only needs before the race is started. No point in dragging that around the track. |
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| A Jag E Type. I couldn't tell if it was a V-12 or not. |
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| The Shriners were there, promoting a charity circus taking place that evening. Humanitarian works benefiting children's hospitals, funny hats, and kooky little vehicles. What's not to like? |
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| I never had a go-kart as a kid. It's a miracle I didn't become a Shriner just out of spite. Check out the airplane behind the go-kart. There's a clearer shot of it down below. |
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| The younger guy wasn't even looking at anybody, but still wore the glued-on grin. I would too if I had a mini bike. His dad seems to have a better poker face. |
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| Tebala Birds are GO! |
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| This group of Formula Vee owners all share a tent. They are either a team, or are just friends. Probably both. I caught up with them just as they were pulling out for practice laps. |
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3 comments:
Thank you for your service. Giving up your Father's Day for us poor sinners!
What's not to like? Expensive toys that go fast and make lots of noise, friends and memories!
This time out, I brought my brother with me, who has a passing interest in cars, and had never been to any kind of motorsport event. He continually marveled at how small the cars were. There was a tiny Sunbeam Tiger there with a gigantically noisy V8 in it. It was like having our ears invaded by The Flatulent Trombone Regiment. It was majestic, that Tiger.
[-Mgmt.]
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