The thrill of speed......!
The John Foster Open Road Race was run yesterday and by all accounts was a big success. For out of towners, this is something relatively new for Midland and West Texas, an unlimited speed time trial event on the public roadways. If you've ever had the urge to take the old family station wagon and go as fast you can on the open road, this is the event for you.
Approximately 100 miles of remote, yet in good condtion, backroad highways are closed off for several hours while entrants race from St. Lawrence to Rankin to Midland. As you read if you perused the website, the vehicles are divided up by performance classes from your basic car, minimum speed 85 mph, to the unlimited cars with speeds in excess of 200 mph. There are some safety requirements, generally a little more stringent according to the speed of the vehicle class, but basically the event is open to all comers over age 21 and able to pay the somewhat hefty entry fee [most going to charity].
I have mixed feelings about the race, though in the main they are positive. It's a little known fact that I, in my earlier years, attended the Bob Bondurant Racing School in California. A great time and better learning experience concerning driving vehicles very quickly. We learned the basics in suped up production model cars and culminated our experience by driving Formula Ford 2000 machines. Thus I have some knowledge on the topic and even more hefty respect for driving at high speed. Many things not good can happen, and happen more rapidly than one thought possible. I'm not sure that some of the drivers in this event are prepared to cope with such emergencies.
I think that this type of race is a good concept and if I still had one of my Corvettes and it was in good shape, I'm sure I'd give a hard thought to participating in the John Foster. ......however. The however is that I really think that the organizers need to consider very strongly being more circumspect with whom they allow to drive in the event. As the old saying goes, this is an accident waiting to happen. There is a vast difference in having driving experience at somewhat above highway speeds like we do in W. Texas, say 85 mph, and driving the family car at 125 mph. Something will happen. A tire will go, hit a bump the wrong way with soft shocks, be hit with those sudden W. Texas wind gusts and tragedy strikes. It's only a matter of time.
Don't get me wrong I haven't given up on speed in my old age, I think the event should go on, but all it will take is one death with the inevitable lawsuits and the race will be history. Just take a look at the rules and the types of cars allowed in the race. Come to think of it, I really have been getting the urge to get another older model Corvette.
