My Roots in Racing: Part 4, the Porsche 944 Years.
To start a new racing season with a new car was a different experience. I had grown to really like the Golf with all of it little problems here and there, it was a pretty stable car to race, with the right wheels and tires. We went out to the first event and things just did not seem right. After practice I brought the car in and dad went to check the oil and found a problem. I big enough problem that we had to pack up and go home. First time ever, I went to and event and get a did not start.
We go home and get the problem fixed and go out to the next event. I go out and shake down the car and everything seems fine. I go out to Qualifying and put the car the field in 8th. In the race I am starting on the outside role and as we come around the tower we get the green flag. As we started the outside lane was right up against the wall. The car in front of me did not get a good start and I could not move to my left. we made it back to the tower and it was a really tight pack of cars. I hit my brakes and made my turn when the car kept on turning. I had spun the car in the middle of a pack of cars and came out of it with out getting hit or hitting anything or anyone. I was now in last place. By the time the race ended I raced my way back up to 14th.
After the race, we found out that the car behind me had a camera on when we went into the tower turn. We looked at the tape and found out what had caused the spin. From looking at the tape I had started my turn while I was still braking. That is something that you can not do and will cause the car to spin. I was lucky I was not hit. And this would not be the first time that I spin out the 944.
Racing this car was really very uneventful. The car liked to overheat a lot after races. We did pick up one trophy drive this car and this was the only time we left the state to race. We raced in the middle of no where in Deming, New Mexico. They had small road course attached to a drag strip. There was 5 of use from Arizona that made it out there with our 944's. I had a lot of problems with the track and had a few off track excursions, kicking up a lot of sand and dirt. I raced hard and thought that I had just barely missed out on a third place trophy, but what I did not know and the other two guys that were in the 944's, was that Doug Neilson, had problems with his car and was two laps behind us. So we were all surprised with the trophies that we got.
I drove the Porsche for another two years, until my mother got sick. Dad did not want use taken the car out with out him. So my racing career ended in 2007.
We go home and get the problem fixed and go out to the next event. I go out and shake down the car and everything seems fine. I go out to Qualifying and put the car the field in 8th. In the race I am starting on the outside role and as we come around the tower we get the green flag. As we started the outside lane was right up against the wall. The car in front of me did not get a good start and I could not move to my left. we made it back to the tower and it was a really tight pack of cars. I hit my brakes and made my turn when the car kept on turning. I had spun the car in the middle of a pack of cars and came out of it with out getting hit or hitting anything or anyone. I was now in last place. By the time the race ended I raced my way back up to 14th.
After the race, we found out that the car behind me had a camera on when we went into the tower turn. We looked at the tape and found out what had caused the spin. From looking at the tape I had started my turn while I was still braking. That is something that you can not do and will cause the car to spin. I was lucky I was not hit. And this would not be the first time that I spin out the 944.
Racing this car was really very uneventful. The car liked to overheat a lot after races. We did pick up one trophy drive this car and this was the only time we left the state to race. We raced in the middle of no where in Deming, New Mexico. They had small road course attached to a drag strip. There was 5 of use from Arizona that made it out there with our 944's. I had a lot of problems with the track and had a few off track excursions, kicking up a lot of sand and dirt. I raced hard and thought that I had just barely missed out on a third place trophy, but what I did not know and the other two guys that were in the 944's, was that Doug Neilson, had problems with his car and was two laps behind us. So we were all surprised with the trophies that we got.
I drove the Porsche for another two years, until my mother got sick. Dad did not want use taken the car out with out him. So my racing career ended in 2007.
Too bad you're not stil racing the 944--very well balanced car overall. Eric
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