[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of Grassroots Motorsports.]
This is how we envisioned our Ford Fiesta project car series wrapping up: After first tasting speed at autocross and track events, we’d take it professional road racing–B-Spec racing, to be specific. How’d we choose a staff member to sample the limelight from behind the wheel? …
Did you sell it?
WOW, what a great article!
Im glad this popped back up
I once did a similar type of event..............I found being asked for my autograph just so weird.
In reply to Tom1200 :
I bet that is pretty strange.
On the flip side, I can't recall the number of times I've just shoved whatever card/picture/piece of paper I was given at the front of the line to every single driver in the autograph line. It's like a weird knee-jerk reaction or something.
In reply to Colin Wood :
I've only had one stranger; years ago my wife did a film short that was featured at CineVegas, naturally I was on of the actors. after it played I was in the bathroom, and as I was washing my hands a guy tells me great job (you're watching me take a wee?). It took a second for me to realize he was taking about the movie..............as JG noted, for a working shlep it's just odd to be thought of in any sort of celeb status.
It's too bad both IMSA and SCCA killed B-Spec with their stupid slick tire rules before it had a chance to take off. Had Pirelli and Continental not pushed for slicks, I bet B-Spec would be going strong on the Pro Racing front.
Also, when B Spec launched, the manufacturers were involved. We were there with them. Today, though, you can't buy a new Fiesta, Mazda2, Fit, etc.
racerfink said:It's too bad both IMSA and SCCA killed B-Spec with their stupid slick tire rules before it had a chance to take off. Had Pirelli and Continental not pushed for slicks, I bet B-Spec would be going strong on the Pro Racing front.
B-Spec had a 61 car field at SCCA run-offs this past year (2021). That seems pretty healthy. It saw a big decline but has had a significant resurgence over the past few years despite many manufactures no longer producing the cars used in the series.
In reply to fusion66 :
I love B-spec............mainly becuase I race a car with the same rate of unaccelleration.
In reply to trigun7469 :
The car currently resides in Detroit Michigan but the current owner has not had it on track for a number of years
In reply to racerfink :
Ummm, we are not dead. www.b-spec.org. 61 cars at the Indy Runoffs in 2021.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I would argue that the B-Spec community works together today and delivers a level of support beyond what the manufacturers provided back in the day. Did any of them lift a wrench to help a rookie at their first race repair his car when hit by a Miata? LOL
"If you race scared, you simply won’t succeed. The only thing that will help you succeed in this environment is exceptional situational awareness and the firm belief that you deserve the position you are trying to take."
I've never done any pro racing. But this quote very much applies to the local circle track racing I've done. You need to be very aggressive and deliberate to make a pass. Scared won't get you anywhere. Great read!
I ran a "pro" series once upon a time for a season, it pretty much bankrupted me and ended my racing for a while. The level of BS going on was spectacular, lawyers and accountants walking around like real race car drivers, wearing their fire suits 24/7, I'm sure some were sleeping in their suits. Talent was not the issue, money was always the issue.
There were maybe 3 guys out of 60 who were real pros, the rest of us were just paying the bills and filling the grid. And that was obvious from the start, we were largely ignored by officialdom and the racing press, it's like we weren't even there. There were 4 or 5 headline drivers and it was all about them. We did get to run at some big races as support series, the F1 grand prix at Montreal and some good stuff at Watkins. But largely it was an exercise in BS and ego stroking.
Truly some memorable experiences though, I got a couple of hard fought 3rd place finishes in class, so close to 2nd yet so far away, about $15K short of reaching first or second place in class. It was well worth doing at least once. If you're a club racer, it'll open your eyes big time when you go racing with the big boys.
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