In case you needed more inspiration to load up the new Vaca Valley racing simulator track.
Categories
Author: Harlo
YES! Rudy Dingemans wrote in to point us to his build of a raceable version of the Vaca Valley raceway; ready for you to download and run in the rFactor and GTR2 racing simulators. The track itself may continue to crumble in the lowlands outside of Vacaville, but we can climb back into our digital Cobras for another spin on this great lost American racetrack.
Rudy credits our 2009 post on Vaca Valley as an inspiration: “It was this article that originally caught my eye. And gave me the idea me to bring back this track from the dead (well, at least virtually)”. The Chicane might have brought the track to his attention, but Rudy’s build of the track looks to have far exceeded our little show-and-tell of the venue. The stills look fantastic!
I’ve spoken before about what a marvelous idea it is to use racing simulator and video gaming tools to revive the lost palaces of motorsport, and I’m overjoyed to have played some small part in bringing back another track.
Head on over to the NoGrip Racing community to download the track: either the rFactor version (which has some additional details) or the version for GTR2.
Rudy says, “Hope it will help people enjoy racing this track again, or get to know it (to drive, it’s actually a bit trickier than it looks).” Thanks Rudy, for the service you’ve done in keeping Vaca alive.
Categories
A Kind of Passion
I like this approach of video-as-snapshot that this piece from Squadra Sutge: little moments, brief glimpses, peeks into the Jarama Classic Moto race weekend. I also like that it focuses on the pits. The temptation is always to capture the track, but time spent in the paddock is time well spent. The pleasure of just hanging out with the vintage racing community is the unexpected treat of camaraderie that every vintage racer discovers at their first race meeting.
Beautifully shot and assembled. The Johnny Cash doesn’t hurt either.
Hard work has its rewards 
Amazing shots from various runnings of the Detroit News Soap Box Derby throughout the 1940s. More at Rivet Head.
Categories
Congratulations, Eric.
Friend of the blog, Eric Dean sent me some video from last weekend’s VSCDA Spring Brake at Gingerman raceway; where he took his first-ever victory in the Formula Ford class at the wheel of his ’72 Merlyn 20A.
Even better: It was a ‘worst to first’ situation where he had to start from the back of the grid. Unfortunately, the rush to make the race meant that he didn’t start his video camera for the winning run. This footage, however, gives us the general equation—string a few good corners together, then a few good laps, then a race.
Congratulations again, Eric, on a well-deserved victory!
Got some onboard footage you’re particularly proud of? Send it along to tips@thechicane.com.
Categories
Have Dinner with Brian Redman this Weekend
The Simeone Foundation is hosting a dinner this Friday May 6 with Brian Redman as part of their Jaguar Racing Legends weekend. Redman is a marvelous storyteller in interviews I’ve seen with him, but have never had the pleasure of seeing him speak live. I always enjoy hearing the tales from drivers of Redman’s era, as much for their exploits off-track as on, and I’m sure Brian’s stories of his travels as well as his successes in sports car and Formula racing.
Even better, admission to the dinner includes your ticket for the following day’s demonstration day at the museum, with some very special Jaguars on display. The museum collection’s gorgeous ’53 C-Type and ’56 D-Type are sure to figure prominently and Jaguar Cars is bringing a special guest from Jaguar Heritage Museum to the party as well: the Group 44 “B” Production class E-Type that was so successful in SCCA events in ’74 and ’75.
I do hope that Simeone will be filming Brian’s presentation—and hopefully throwing it online for the rest of us to enjoy later. Either way, it sounds like it will be a fun weekend in Philadelphia. Be sure to send in some photos if you attend.
Tickets available at Simeone’s site.
Categories
Phil’s Ready
I think Phil is looking for a break in the traffic to enter the race after a LeMans start or reenter from the pit wall, but his expression here seems to say to me, “Hi, I’m Phil Hill; and I’m going to beat you to the finish line.”
The new Lotus +2S 130 is the most superb package a man ever had waiting at his door. Here is all the incomparable roadholding and cornering for which Lotus is the acknowledged world leader. All the style and luxury with which the +2 has always been endowed. And something extra—a new 130 bhp BIG-valve engine and detailed improvements to the suspension and transmission that mean a more outstanding performance than ever. If you want for yourself the most enjoyable driving the world can offer, you want the Lotus +2S 130. Recommended price £2,744. See your nearest dealer now, listed opposite.
Lotus Cars Limited, Norwich, Norfolk, NOR 92W Tel: Wymendham 3411
Dig those bellbottoms.
Just look at the smoke these things were kicking out! It’s like the smoke screen from a certain DB-5.