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Saturday, September 04, 2004
Lime Rock, CT still. The Vintage Fall Festival Sponsored by BMW is an annual gala affair with old cars, old racers, and, of course the old track-Lime Rock Park. It's a spectacular race track with hills and trees, lots of spectators, and an incredibly rich array of vintage cars. Some of the cars are much like we'd see in Texas, but many are way, way beyond anything we see back home in the sticks. We just don't get five Bugatti racers at our local races! And there are BMWs here. With factory sponsorship, there are NUMEROUS racing CSLs and M1s, the odd factory 320 and 2002, and some of those McLarens---really great noise from those guys.
At mid-day we were allowed a couple of parade laps, something we enjoyed
immensely and I think the crowd liked too. Famous BMW CCA personality
Joe Chamberlain and his wife Diana rode with us on the track and kept
us laughing throughout. Later, BMW NA President Tom Purvis spoke to
us and we thanked him for his hospitality, Mobile Tradition Head Holger
Lopp and Larry Koch addedadditional good wishes, and BMW fed us a decent
supper before sending us to bed.
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Concord NH. Sunday
at Lime Rock is Concours day because there is no race noise allowed
on Sunday here. Beautiful cars of every kind line the track for viewing
and judging, almost all old, and some very unusual. Debbie and I visited
with several old friends showing their restored cars: Reinhard Hilkenbach's
with his Isetta and his beautiful golf colored 3.0CS, Charles Gould
had his Goggomobile panel truck and Dart on display, and Bruce Baker's
ever wonderful BMW 600 were all great to see. Gordon Medenica had his
M1 and his newly painted BMW formula car prominently displayed.
Lunch was again brought to us by BMW and then we readied ourselves to
hit the highway. Holger Lopp sent each of us off, one at a time, and
we drove north from CT through Mass, and finally up into NH. Alongside
the highway at one point we found what looked like a broken down e39
5-series on the side of the road with several people out sitting in
the grass beside the forest. Lo and behold, that's Michael Izor! He
just pulled off the road to watch the car show driving by him---Michael
always does things a bit different! What a great surprise.
In Concord we were welcomed by the local car club members, several of
whom joined us for supper. Debbie, Rhett, and I set up our photo store
for the first time, printing and selling photos from the last few days.
Nice to start getting caught up with the photo printing.
One of the Marathon entrants had some trouble today with his 2800CS
and IAIBMWSP members Grant Randall from Alexandria Bavarian and Mike
Cooney from here in Concord spent their evening trying to figure out
the problem. At midnight they were still working---hope they figure
it out.
Grant and Joan Randall are here driving their 1973 Chamonix 2002 tii.
This is Grant's dream vacation, and every minute seems to be the best
minute of his life. This is NOT Joan's dream vacation, but she has been
tolerating Grant's dreams for a long time. She might rather be at her
new home unpacking-they moved just a month ago--but she is looking forward
to her visit to Acadia National Park when we get to Bar Harbor.
(Rhett got a ticket, Rhett got a ticket….I told him not to speed,
I told him)