Observations from the Mitty

Tim Suddard wrote: ...Mark your calendars now... first weekend in May is sacred. It's Mitty time!

Marking it off the band calendar right now! I mean, unless you want us to play there.

16vCorey wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: ...Mark your calendars now... first weekend in May is sacred. It's Mitty time!

Marking it off the band calendar right now! I mean, unless you want us to play there.

Whether he does or not, pack an acoustic.

Thanks to all that made it, this year's Mitty was a kickass time!

I saw Mr. Wes Cobb yesterday, and he wanted to thank everyone that came out. He had a blast rocking the tent on Friday, and Sat. Although the after-hours non-amplified session on late Saturday kinda kicked him in the voicebox, he still had a great time.

Things I observed:

1) Datsun 510 owners may be the friendliest group of guys I've met

2) The Hongs are Bob Costascats, and fantastic guys.......well, besides Wayne, he's more like a 300 lb jungle cat all jacked up on catnip. (they call em mind erasers for a reason!) Even so, no one got set on fire, or airlifted to the local hospital, so this = success!

3) Getting into a golfcart with Greg Voth is a life risking situation

4) The BRE team was full of really fun loving, cool guys.

5) Dave Hardy can flat out rock on the guitar! His ballad to herpes was touching......maybe wrong choice of words

6) I'm a big fan of go-go boots

7) Our readers are the most interesting, coolest car freaks on the planet!

Joe Gearin wrote: Although the after-hours non-amplified session on late Saturday kinda kicked him in the voicebox...

He's not the only one. I sounded like I'd been smoking Cigars for 40 years by the time I got home.

Joe Gearin wrote: 5) Dave Hardy can flat out rock on the guitar! His ballad to herpes was touching......maybe wrong choice of words

1. Eh - I just play those 3 chords with conviction.
2. That might be the greatest song I've ever written. I just wish I had been sober enough to remember more than tiny fragments of it.

Tim Suddard wrote: 7. Peter Brock is one of the nicest, most understated, kindest people I ever met. I don't know how such a mellow guy could run a race team and accomplish so much. He must have been a lot different back in the day.

Eh, maybe he's not so different after all. I finally got the chance to talk to him late on Sunday, when they were packing up. I mentioned that my childhood memories include BRE's Z-cars spanking Carroll Shelby's backside in C Production after Toyota dropped him in favor of CS..I've never seen a more contented smile (except for maybe Bob Tullius' smirk when he climbed into his old BP V12 E-Type last year.. ). Mr. Brock may be mellow, but he's still a racer. Of course, I didn't have the chance to talk to Mr. Morton..what did he say about those days?

Tim Suddard wrote: 11. And one more thing, my staff absolutely kicks ass.

Awww, yeah!

1) Datsun 510 owners are very cool people. I don't think I talked to any 510 owners this weekend who weren't smiling.

2) I make wise choices when drinking. (Don't drive a golf cart, stay away from open flames)

3) I'm hopelessly in love with a Datsun Roadster. At the risk of sounding sacrilegious, it feels way more fun and cool to me than an LBC. (runs, ducks for cover.)

4) It always rains at the Mitty, but never for very long.

5) I need a loudspeaker for directing touring / parade lap traffic. By Sunday, my voice was shot from yelling "Parade laps? Line up on the right" or "Touring laps? Line to the left" It was cool to sound like Wes Cobb when I talked, but it sucks to lose my voice at an event when it's loud out. Maybe I should HTFU. (Warning- HTFU is NSFW.)

6) The Friday and Saturday night parties are epic. Talking to readers, racers, Playboy bunnies, celebrity guests, vendors, and general enthusiasts is a great way to unwind. Free beer doesn't hurt. (Unless you're Wayne and you fall down from having too many.)

7) Next year I need to take more time to watch the races. I saw 2 laps of the F5000 practice and one session of the Cayman Interseries (Pretty cars, but the drivers could take notes from the Playboy MX-5 guys IMHO.)

I, some how, missed the Bunnies . . . No wonder Mrs. Zero kept me up on Spectator Hill.

Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Tim Suddard wrote: Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Recent drama or just a lifelong grudge?

friedgreencorrado wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: 7. Peter Brock is one of the nicest, most understated, kindest people I ever met. I don't know how such a mellow guy could run a race team and accomplish so much. He must have been a lot different back in the day.

Eh, maybe he's not so different after all. I finally got the chance to talk to him late on Sunday, when they were packing up. I mentioned that my childhood memories include BRE's Z-cars spanking Carroll Shelby's backside in C Production after Toyota dropped him in favor of CS..I've never seen a more contented smile (except for maybe Bob Tullius' smirk when he climbed into his old BP V12 E-Type last year.. ). Mr. Brock may be mellow, but he's still a racer. Of course, I didn't have the chance to talk to Mr. Morton..what did *he* say about those days?

Tim Suddard wrote: 11. And one more thing, my staff absolutely kicks ass.

Awww, yeah!

If I could talk to Morton, I would ask about Horst Quecht (and I know I should be able to spell that without thinking...). Based on the actual race at Laguna, you might think they were fierce rivals, which they were, but they were also pretty close friends.

Morton got a chance to drive some Alfas a few years ago, and did like them quite a lot. So I can't hold a grudge against him..

Once my racer gets done, I hope to make one of these Mitty's.

Eric

my mitty observations:

1. wes cobb rocks
2. so does DILYSI Dave
3. wayne knows no boundaries
4. a hongover is significantly worse than a hangover
5. motorsport marketing knows how to throw a party
6. mind eraser? i don't remember drinking any of those...

alfadriver wrote: I would ask about Horst Quecht (and I know I should be able to spell that without thinking...).

Horst Kwech, a favorite of mine when he was raging against the BRE-Machine in his GTV.

I still liked him after he jumped-ship, more so when I saw him debut this at Rd Atlanta in 1975:

Wow, how odd, the Alan Moffat named on the side of that car is an Aussie V8Supercar legend.

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Recent drama or just a lifelong grudge?

I'm curious about this too. I've heard Carroll's been doing some pretty lame stuff in the last few years, and wondering if the two of them are butting heads again..

EDIT: Or did Pete never get paid for the Cobra Coupe design?

Tom Heath wrote: 3) I'm hopelessly in love with a Datsun Roadster. At the risk of sounding sacrilegious, it feels way more fun and cool to me than an LBC. (runs, ducks for cover.)

I started in LBCs. And I endorse this message.

I'm absolutely green with envy... not only that you guys had such an unbelievably kick-ass good time... but that you got to meet Brian Johnson.

Damn that is really good Leslie

Thanks... I'm so happy to hear that he's as nice as he comes across in interviews. After watching him on Top Gear, I figgered he was the kind of guy you could sit at the pub with and yak cars for hours.

In reply to aussiesmg:

That pic was randomly chosen from a Google search - my bad.

Send me a digital scanner capable of converting b&w prints/negatives and I'll post some original photos of the Dekon Monza debut.

And, Allan Moffat is a legend in his own right, too!

oldsaw wrote: In reply to aussiesmg: That pic was randomly chosen from a Google search - my bad. Send me a digital scanner capable of converting b&w prints/negatives and I'll post some original photos of the Dekon Monza debut. And, Allan Moffat is a legend in his own right, too!

I wasn't correcting you, just surprised and interested in where he drove that car

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/bathurst_drivers_allan_moffat.htm

friedgreencorrado wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Recent drama or just a lifelong grudge?

I'm curious about this too. I've heard Carroll's been doing some pretty lame stuff in the last few years, and wondering if the two of them are butting heads again.. EDIT: Or did Pete never get paid for the Cobra Coupe design?

Add another to the list of the curious!

Like so many revered icons, Shelby reached that status with the contributions of a team. He never seems to make any great effort to share the glory.

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Recent drama or just a lifelong grudge?

IIRC part of the friction stems from the Toyota 2000 racing program. Brock wanted to campaign the cars, and was in talks with Toyota, but the program was awarded to Shelby American instead. I'm not sure what happened in the back rooms, but I believe it soured the relationship between Brock and Shelby.

Imagine what would have happened if BRE had been awarded the Toyota program. Would they have been able to make it win? Would they be known for Toyota products now? Would the Corolla have red white and blue liveries now, instead of the 510? Would the Celica have competed at Baja instead of the Z?

Joe Gearin wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Tim Suddard wrote: Pete Brock smiled about the Shelby comment because he is very mad at the guy.

Recent drama or just a lifelong grudge?

IIRC part of the friction stems from the Toyota 2000 racing program. Brock wanted to campaign the cars, and was in talks with Toyota, but the program was awarded to Shelby American instead. I'm not sure what happened in the back rooms, but I believe it soured the relationship between Brock and Shelby.

That's also the story I grew up with..I just figured that since Pete had absolutely kicked Carroll's ass back then, he'd be letting "bygones be bygones"...unless of course, Carroll hasn't let it go. And as much as it pains me to admit it, some of the "copyright" stuff Shelby's been doing in the last few years could lead me to think that Carroll's "that kind of guy"..

EDIT: Also, I can't help but notice that there were probably 10,000 Zs sent to the US for every individual Toyota GT sent here...

This sounds right up my alley.
1. Is this something my 7 year old son will get stomped to death in (like a heard of stampeding buffalo?), or can I reasonably expect that if I put him down around 9, and show up to the tent around 3, things will work out ok?
2. How does that "hongover" feel when the F5000 racers swing by at full throttle?
3. Is the campground near the racing? Can you park right next to your tent?