I wish I were going to the usgp on sunday.....but I cannot.

I would love to see young Hamilton run....and it could easily be the last gp at the speedway.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I went to a number of GPs when they were run at Watkins Glen. Back in those days the atitude was one of gentlemen having fun. The cars bore no sponsors names and the officials and competitors had none of the sniffing, pissy attitude we find today.
For $5 one could walk down a lane in the middle of the garage and actually converse with drivers and team members.

You're a lucky guy to have witness F1 at Watkins. As you know, they eventually outgrew it and couldn't afford Bernie and Max's price. The cost of upgrading the track was upwards of $100mil, which included 5 star motels and the purchase of an additional 1000 acres on both the east and west side. If you look at the track now, notice it doesn't really have a straight - it was "chickened" to give the route more distance.

Bob Varsha, a native of Atlanta, has been trying to get F1 to Road Atlanta. IMHO [and as I told him like he cared] I think RA is in the same boat as Watkins. Worse, it's in the middle of nowhere and has absolutely no facilities for this champagne sport. Bernie also wanted the little town of Brazleton [Ga] to toss in $5mil, which you may remember was purchased by Kim Basinger(sp?) in her failed moment of correctness to buy up 4000 rednecks and train them Hollywood style.

Just got back from YUL, headed to Ind on Wednesday to make the Speed interviews on Thursday AM. This aught to be great, McLaren gave me 4 tickets in the Penthouse/Pagoda thingie.

I'll make Spa in September - then I'm all F1'd out. Back to work all winter.

REALLY glad to see there's an F1 following here!

Road Atlanta is a very nice sports car track. I've been there many times as a crew member. I think a better F1 track would be Road America. Both of these tracks are way out of town, as is Spa in Belgium. Spa is a favorite amongst the drivers and fans. But I hear the latest mods to bring it up to standards have made it just another cookie cutter track. As long as big money drives F1, the spirit of competition is just along for the ride.

An excellent post with which I agree totally except for the spelling of ought.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Here's a coupla photos from the good ol'days.
Photo is quite poor 'cause I had no flash.

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