Rolex 24 Hours... Open invitation

[scottgarrity07]

Very cool, Joe. I was hoping to see my friends on the Whelen Motorsports C7 Prototype Corvette Team, but they are skipping the event. The cost of running the 24 is astronomical for them, so I can understand. I'll get to see them when they come down to field a car for Dalton Zehr in the K&N event at NSS. Team owner Ted Marsh is a pretty unique guy in the world of motorsports. Started out fielding Tour Mods and the Busch North cars with a ton of success, then made the jump to Nationwide with so-so results, then did a complete 180 and moved to Rolex GT cars, steadily improved and with Sonny Whelen's blessing (and $) made the colossal jump to the Prototypes last year. They have become a road racing major player with a strictly short track oval background.

[scottgarrity07]

Let us know if you can make it Lurkin. We'll keep a SUDS on ice for ya!

[jacko241]

Scott, I can understand why Marsh isn't coming, they are not alone. The car count is down 14 from last year, the cost since the merger has skyrocketed. When we entered the 24 in '08 and '09, the entry fee was $8000. This year it is $27,000 and last year it was $36,000!! As you well know, as far as expenses go, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The Porsche we ran in GT cost $200,000 from the factory including delivery from Germany in 2008. The new 991 GT3 is over $400,000 now.

[Lurkin]

This is just one, out of about a million it seemed, celebrities I ran into. This is me and him hanging out after the drivers meeting... Just two men of similar ilk giving each other driving tips.

One of the many highlights was hanging in the Corvette VIP tent while Ron Fellows told of his time spent with Earnhardt Sr and of his 24 win. I ended up in the Ferrari VIP area "by accident" ...it was freakin great!!

I could go on and on about all the people and things I saw. I felt bad for the people who couldn't afford, or just decided not to buy the VIP pass, as they were peaking in the windows to the garage area where I was.

[Lurkin]

Ok that's not me talking to him, it's me creeping up snapping a photo of him and his grandson talking to some press guy, but you get the idea.

[OldSchool+]

You appear to have frightened the kid...

[OldSchool+]

"We ran the 24 in 2008 and 2009, they are memories I will always cherish."--Joe

Yep, yep, yep. Your memories and no one can take them away. I am Blessed to have a virtually empty bucket list, but back in the day I used to plan a 24 hours effort in my head, lol.

The plan was to take a Corvette C3 repop drag body and widen the entire thing & drop it on a late model chassis. Seemed like a cheap way out at the time, lolII.

About that time (1983) the Avanti effort with Dillon Enterprises pretty much did just that. With a motor built by Bo Laws out of Orlando (I too had several motors built by Bo around the same time).

Congratulations on your "win"!

[Bosco]

"We ran the 24 in 2008 and 2009, they are memories I will always cherish."--Joe

Yep, yep, yep. Your memories and no one can take them away. I am Blessed to have a virtually empty bucket list, but back in the day I used to plan a 24 hours effort in my head, lol.

The plan was to take a Corvette C3 repop drag body and widen the entire thing & drop it on a late model chassis. Seemed like a cheap way out at the time, lolII.

About that time (1983) the Avanti effort with Dillon Enterprises pretty much did just that. With a motor built by Bo Laws out of Orlando (I too had several motors built by Bo around the same time).

Congratulations on your "win"!

Woody at Bemco is building me 1969 C3 tube frame car right now, similar to your idea. Howe trans am 2 front clip, the rest is Woody. Byron Koury 23 degree Vintage type motor, Jerico, and nine inch GN floater. Penske shocks and Brembo brakes. 2500# with 525 hp. It will look similar to the old Owens Corning Corvette below



[IMG][/IMG]

Chassis as of 1/15

[IMG][/IMG]

[Phil Jacques]

Now, I see 54 cars have shown up for the Roar this weekend... But is that the FINAL official number? I have not seen an official entry list for the race as of yet. In 2014, there were only 60 cars the showed up for the Roar if memory serves me and 67 cars showed up. I am guessing we will see a 60 car field this year total. Still not terrible in comparison.

I know in 2012, 56 cars took the green flag and in 2010, only 44 took the green flag, yet in 2007, when I was there representing a sponsor for the #45 HLM Racing GT G35 team, there were 70 cars. It seems to fluctuate greatly from year to year. I am not terribly worried about the health of the series even with the increased cost with the merger, but only time will tell the truth.

Really looking forward to meeting a few of you guys there. Should be a great time!

[OldSchool+]

Bosco--waaaaaaaaaaaay cool.

For SCCA, or historic, perhaps?

[OldSchool+]

Let your heart not be troubled, Phil

"I am not terribly worried about the health of the series even with the increased cost with the merger, but only time will tell..."--PJ

There always has been a 24 hour event, and it will probably outlive us all--as long as Daytona & NASCAR are around.

Historically, they have had large fields and smaller fields--but it has always been a decent field--and lately the fields and the racing are better than ever.

To your point, after reading Joe's startling expense report, I commented to another long time attend-ee that it is always the same. Ditch a high dollar sanctioning body, create low dollar tube frame & stock block cars, get a decent field of privateers.

Build the field, bring in sponsorship (private and factory), up the expense to where it is rediculous, repeat.

NASCAR, er IMSA, er TUDOR (like it matters...) will take whatever $$ they can get, until they threaten the golden goose, then they will rachet back.

Nonetheless, there will always be a race, and always be a party!

[Bosco]

Bosco--waaaaaaaaaaaay cool.

For SCCA, or historic, perhaps?

SCCA regional GT-1 and HSR group 9. HSR said they would put in the class with the DEKON Monza and similar. That makes sense as the DEKON was among the first tube frame cars in IMSA Camel GT.

I will be at the Rolex in the west horseshoe by the fence hangin' with buddy Art Kowitz and his 1972 Mini Winnie motorhome with the Gator theme on one side and the road race motorcycle on the other.

[OldSchool+]

Well, the owens corning cars were cool, and minilites have always been cool, but if you can, consider staying true to your roots and putting wide-fives on there and exit the exhaust through the passenger door!

That ought to raise an eyebrow over the wine glass or two!

And don't forget the L-88 hood!

ps--doing a "live" rear axle for simplicity's sake?

[Bosco]

Well, the owens corning cars were cool, and minlites have always been cool, but if you can, consider staying true to your roots and putting wide-fives on there and exit the exhaust through the passenger door!

That ought to raise an eyebrow over the wine glass or two!

And don't forget the L-88 hood!

ps--doing a "live" rear axle for simplicity's sake?

Howe 5x5 hubs with a kinda vintage lookin 15x10 wheel with Hoosier 3045 stock car rubber

Crossover headers from Schoenfeld exiting on the right side door. Will have fake sidepipes though for the vintage look.

Already have the L88 hood in race weight and the L88 flares.

It is a live axle with three link with a Woody watts link.

Basically, a late model with a corvette body

[OldSchool+]

I dunno, would have a hard time bolting on the fake pipes, but ya do what ya gotta do.

Kind of like fake painted on exhaust pipe graphics on the rear bumper of cup cars--just hard to take...

What are you thinking regarding paint? The red white and blue thing?

Black and gold like Smokey's camaros? Black and chrome like Buddy Baker's LeMans?