Rolex 24 Hrs of Daytona This Weekend

[Tom Veale]

My good friend D. Simon Hinton (David) will be driving with Byron DeFoor, Jim Pace and Frank Beck this weekend at the 24 Hrs of Daytona. They are in Car #50, the Riley/BMW they raced with Brian Johnson (of AC/DC) a while ago. Their race team name is "Highway to Help."

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25561&d=1390422212

I've raced with David since 1990 in places like Freeport in the Bahamas, twice in Mexico for the La Carrera Panamericana, Mid-Ohio, Road America, Road Atlanta, Moroso Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Firebird International (Phonix, AZ), Gratten Speedway, Sebring and more. He's a very competent addition to the Highway To Help team. David and I have shared seat time in a variety of cars over the years in endurance racing.

Team VIRUS will be represented as I sent David some decals. They will be placed on the spoiler wing end plates of the car. That way if anyone runs into their Rear, they'll get a VIRUS from a Piece of Tail.

http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=25560&d=1390422211
(V.I.R.U.S. stands for "Very Immature Racers of the United States" and all members are afflicted with Racing Disease)

Here's the broadcast schedule for the Race:
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20140113/unitedsportscar/140119940

So, if you're watching the race, give these guys a cheer as they go along!

Best regards, Tom

[68GT500MAN]

I look forward to the start of the racing season each year with this race.
Doug

[Tom Veale]

Hi Doug,

This year's extra special for me in having a friend in the driver's seat of the Riley.

As "Privateers" if they have no serious mechanical issues, they should do quite well. DeFoor and Pace drove the car at lap times near the leaders when they raced it a year ago. It's a competitive car. Jim Pace is a former class winner at the 24 Hrs.

I have to set it up to record so I don't miss any of it.

Best regards, Tom

[MT-ED]

Looooooooooove Endurance Racing.............I've been counting the days down to Daytona. A new era for Sportscars in North America.

[kraftee]

Privateers can indeed do VERY well. Long before Alex Job Racing was a "factory-assisted" Porsche team, in about 1990, we finished second in GTU at the 24. In fact, we were in the lead by about 2 laps at 4am when fatigue (or something) caused me to fail to realize that the sparks coming from out of the front of the car on braking for turn one were caused by completely worn-out front brake pads. By the time (three laps later) that I figured it out and called the car in, the backing plates had welded themselves to the caliper pucks. Took us over 8 minutes to repair and caused us to drop to second - where we just couldn't make up the ground we had lost. We were still pretty happy about second since we were racing on a shoestring budget back then. I was crew chief, the drivers were: my brother Chris Kraft, Buz McCall (who had his own GTO Camaro team - and went on to form a Nascar team), Tommy Johnson, and Alex Job himself in his last full year of driving. This was the scene right after the race: That's me with headset, my brother in the red driving suit, and Alex kissing his wife Holly.
25569

[Greg G]

I worked it twice on the 01 Telmex car. 1st place on the 1st and 2nd on the 2nd (how ironic!). On the 2nd race, I watched Juan Montoya drive one of the single best races I have ever seen in my life. The Brumos Porsche that year destroyed all comers...but that didn't stop Juan. We elected to NOT replace the brakes and roll the dice to catch up to the Brumos car, it was our only hope. Juan drove through the brakes, completely. There was NOTHING left on the rears. The rotors were ground almost into the vents. It was truly epic.

I remember Juan saying over the radio that he could get them on the infield but it would be "ugly" and asked what we wanted him to do. Timmy (Team Manager) asked him if he could keep the lead if he did that. Juan actually laughed! He said that when they got to the speedway that they left him standing still, no chance. Timmy said to just do what you can and come home in 1 piece.

On a side note to that race, the Brumos car should have NEVER even finished, much less won it! I talked to the guys after the race (AWESOME crew, great people all of them) and we knew the car was blowing up. The water temps were pegged for the last 4-6 hours of the race. They were adding vast amounts of water on every pit stop. It was so bad, that it was eating the motor alive. Juan kept telling us that their car could not possibly finish the race as it was spraying oil every lap....lots. We could hear the Brumos team on their radios and they were frantic trying to keep it running. On the final stop, where we elected to not change brakes, we thought for certain we would get ahead of them as they had to take oil to get to the end. Their remote oil tank help something like 9 quarts of oil and we knew it would take 20+ seconds to fill it, even under a pressure filler. To our shock....and delight....they did NOT take oil. We knew they were all in, Checkers or Wreckers! At that point, we were all celebrating like we won the race, it just HAD to blow up now! We were in their heads and Juan was gonna win!

Well.....best laid plans of mice and men! Somehow, by the glory of the Racing Gods, that motor help together and they won. Their crew guys told me the last couple laps their crew guys were puking with stress, ALL of the warning lights were on, the water temp was pegged, oil temp pegged, oil pressure barely registering...you get the point. They too thought it would never make it to the end.

Fun times indeed...and I will NEVER work that race again. lol It is truly one of the most grueling 35 hours of your life...especially when ALL of the teams have to load up everything and leave the track...immediately after the race...as the NASCAR guys were loading in for practice.

[Tom Veale]

Kraftee and Greg, Thanks for the great stories! It always amazes me when I hear how some of these cars actually finish races.

TV

[MT-ED]

Great stories indeed. As a spectator you seem to see a Swan serenely gliding to victory. What you don't realize is that below the surface everyone on the team may be paddling like crazy to keep the car going.
All this drama is what keeps me hooked on endurance racing. Short sprint races don't hold a candle :)

I am in admiration and awe at all the people and teams involved in this kind of racing. Thanks for providing me with many years of entertainment.

[Greg G]

Winning the "24" was awesome, no doubt. A surreal experience.

THE best part though was about 2 hours after the Winner's Circle was over. Most of the stuff was off Pit Lane and another truckie and me were wrapping up the last of things out there. There was NOBODY out there....except one guy. He was just wandering around, casually looking at everything. He sees us and walks over. It was none other than "The King" himself, Richard Petty!

Now, I have never been much of a "Fan Boy" with any celebrity (clean up a smelly Driver's Lounge in the trailer after a July Daytona race, and you see they stink like the rest of us!). Richard Petty though....well, I didn't go Fan Boy...but not too far from it, I was speechless! He walks over, shakes our hands, and congratulates US on our win! Predictably as most would do in the presence of someone of his legend, I played everything down saying, "we are just Truckies and tire-guys, nobody special". The King was having none of that stuff. He went out of his way to tell us how without us, the race drivers have nothing. "We get the glory and the girls, but I wouldn't have had a car to drive without guys like you." He also went on to say that, in his opinion, the "Tire Guy" was the most important guy on the team.

Now, he could have just been "being nice", I am perfectly OK with that of course...but I don't think so. As I said, there was NOBODY around. He did NOT have to talk to us. He did NOT have to take the time to make sure that he said those things and made sure he, and more importantly we, appreciated our role. No cameras, no media, no fans, nothing...just him and us.

I was absurdly lucky and truly Blessed in my short career in racing to be part of lots of race wins, championships and records. I will never forget and will always be thankful for all of that. The respect and approval of one's peers is the highest praise of all. Now, I would NEVER consider myself a "peer" to The King, but those few minutes with him were Priceless....and by far the most cherished memory of all :)