From: bob@ncube.com (Bob Kehoe)
Subject: IMSA Tidbits/Portland
Organization: nCUBE Computers, Beaverton, Oregon, U.S.A.
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 18:54:08 GMT

Things that come quickly to mind:

- Ran into Al Jr. and wife Shelly early Thursday morning.  We
talked awhile, then I asked where he was staying.  As it turned
out to be where we were doing the evening broadcast, I invited
him to stop by for a few minutes.  We started the show at 8pm,
and about 8:30 there he was!  So we had him on for about 10 minutes
and attracted quite a crowd.  Had to scramble the other scheduled
guests a bit.  Obviously, we had to talk awhile about his views on
going over to F1.  The most significant thing he had to say was that
any sort of deal would hinge on him continuing to run at Indy.  If
that were not possible, forget F1.

- A caller was trying to finagle some "freebie" tickets out of Parker
Johnstone.  Parker suggested the guy should show up at the main gate
Friday morning, dressed in a driver's suit and carrying something like
a fender, door or such and looking "official".  Johnstone/Marvin have
pretty much decided to soldier on with the old, reliable rear bodywork
and let Melgratti/Taylor continue with the development of the new stuff,
including the carbon fiber brakes.  The Comptech Team brought along, I
think, the entire city of Redmond, Oregon and got a rousing ovation at
the end of the interview.  The Acura teams finished 1-2 in Lights
yesterday - Johnstone/Marvin 1st and Melgratti/Taylor 2nd.  The Andy
Evans Buick/Spice went out on the 1st lap with an expired gearbox.   

- Speaking of the Lights cars, Charles Morgan did a bizarre roll into
the T10 tire wall on Saturday.  I didn't see it, but I guess he slid
backwards in the grass on the outside of T9, and as he barely touched
the wall, reverse aerodynamics caused the car to do a slow roll.  The
turn workers were right there, and manhandled the car up enough for
Morgan to scramble out.  Driver not injured and car wasn't hurt too
badly.

- As he had to do the Motorsports Hall of Fame deal Wednesday night, 
Hurley Haywood didn't make it to Portland in time Thursday to give me
the ride he had promised.  Saw him Friday and he went out of his way
to apologize.  I told him I understood, and took a rain check.

- Dorsey Schroeder was around all weekend (I believe to cover the
GTS/GTO/GTU activities mainly.  He drove awhile during the Firehawk
race Saturday (can't recall which team).  He was wearing a borrowed
driver's suit.  They taped over the driver's name, then printed on
the tape "Will Drive for Food". :-)

- Thank god I had headsets yesterday.  From my position Saturday, the
GTP Mazdas caused an earache (coming out of Festival).

- The Firehawk start was something to behold.  About 40 cars all getting
thru Festival at one time.  Dane Pitaressi started the Aase MR2, and was
the biggest "sandwich" I've ever seen.  Yesterday morning he told me it
was absolutely the most fun start he's ever had.  Couldn't have spun,
as his Toyota had cars on all 4 sides!  Remember the old bumper cars
where everyone would pack up and it was just one big clod going nowhere?
Everyone made it thru, and only a couple cars had to slog thru the
swamp.

- The Supercar start was pretty much the same thing, but about half the
field went thru the gravel at the start.  Those that didn't were on the
grass to the outside.  Hurley ended up coming out at the back of the
field, and spent the rest of the race playing catchup.  Hans looked
frustrated and spent the 30 minutes in third trying to run down the
first two Lotii (Bundy and Murray).  The checkered came out just as he
had gotten on their tail.  

- I guess Brassfield made the move of the day past Millen to grab the
lead in the closing laps of GTO.  It happened in T5, so I haven't seen
it.  Brassfield got the win.  Gentilozzi lost it in Festival in the next
to last lap while in 3rd.  Fergus/Walker finished 1-2 in GTU for the 2nd
consecutive week.

- The speed of the Toyota MkIII's is truly astounding.  Wasn't very long
before they were lapping the rest of the field, including the 4th and
5th place GTPs.  David Tennyson in the Chevy Spice had a most impressive
day, and his holding off Al Jr. in the early stages was worth the price
of admission.  Price Cobb in the Mazda joined the fight for awhile and
put on a good show.  The Mazdas need more horsepower, but are extremely
quick in the twisty bits.  Al's motor went south about lap 35 and the
Mazda's both went with a problem in the exhaust department.  Tennyson
went on to finish 4th.  Watch this kid -- another Canadian product.

That's some of the stuff.  Will add more later.

-c'ball-

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