Even multi-million-dollar cars get to stretch their legs at Barber
Just how gingerly do you have to drive a race car around the track when it's a classic Ferrari valued conservatively at $9 million?
Roger Mandeville, 69-year-old former IMSA champion, thought about it for a few seconds.
You don't pass another driver in the center of a turn, he said, and "if you're not sure he's seen you, you don't go."
Mandeville has taken the Ferrari out for a spin this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park for the Legends of Motorsports event, as well as two other classic cars from the famous Collier Collection in Naples, Fla.
Of the three Collier cars brought to Barber, Mandeville will only be driving one in a race today - a 1971 Porsche 908/3. The Ferrari, which could have been bought back in 1964 for around $6,500, won't be competing since it's in a class with much newer and faster cars.
But the Collier crew isn't adverse to putting its pricey museum pieces on race tracks, said Scott George, president and CEO of CH Motorcars and the Collier Collection, which is owned by Miles Collier.
"You can't think about value when you're behind the wheel," George said. "Sure, we're concerned but the sad thing would be leaving them locked in a museum. To see and hear them go adds a lot."
In fact, he said, the Collier Collection looks for "opportunities to exercise our cars." That means all of them -- even the 1898 French wooden car that does about 9 mph.
And even if a $9 million car does get wrecked, it can be fixed.
"They're basically handmade," George said. "It's been done once. It can be done again."
But coming to a Legends event isn't about winning at all costs.
"Winning isn't what this is about," George said. "It's sort of a demonstration of the car for the public."
For instance, the Porsche 908/3 was second fastest during qualifying on Saturday, but it was using treaded tires. The car that was fastest was on racing slicks.
The Collier team could have put slicks on the Porsche and gone faster, George said, but that would have been historically inaccurate. The Porsche raced on treaded tires back in 1973.
In fact, there are a number of other changes that could be made to make the cars faster but, said George, "it's not about that."
The tires may be a disadvantage for the Porsche, but its construction is a distinct advantage. The hardware is titanium and the chassis and body together weigh a total of 74.5 pounds.
But mostly, racing in the legends series is about having fun, Mandeville said.
"The most fun you can have without having sex," he said with a smile. And racing at a track like Barber adds to the treat.
"Without a doubt it's the nicest one," he said, rating Barber against all the tracks he's ever raced at. "This is a fun track to drive. I think it's one of the most technical tracks there is."
With its elevation changes and blind turns, a driver has to commit to where he is going on the track before he can see what's ahead.
"A lot of tracks you know them in nine or 10 laps," Mandeville said. "That's not true here."
Roger Mandeville, 69-year-old former IMSA champion, thought about it for a few seconds.
You don't pass another driver in the center of a turn, he said, and "if you're not sure he's seen you, you don't go."
Mandeville has taken the Ferrari out for a spin this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park for the Legends of Motorsports event, as well as two other classic cars from the famous Collier Collection in Naples, Fla.
Of the three Collier cars brought to Barber, Mandeville will only be driving one in a race today - a 1971 Porsche 908/3. The Ferrari, which could have been bought back in 1964 for around $6,500, won't be competing since it's in a class with much newer and faster cars.
But the Collier crew isn't adverse to putting its pricey museum pieces on race tracks, said Scott George, president and CEO of CH Motorcars and the Collier Collection, which is owned by Miles Collier.
"You can't think about value when you're behind the wheel," George said. "Sure, we're concerned but the sad thing would be leaving them locked in a museum. To see and hear them go adds a lot."
In fact, he said, the Collier Collection looks for "opportunities to exercise our cars." That means all of them -- even the 1898 French wooden car that does about 9 mph.
And even if a $9 million car does get wrecked, it can be fixed.
"They're basically handmade," George said. "It's been done once. It can be done again."
But coming to a Legends event isn't about winning at all costs.
"Winning isn't what this is about," George said. "It's sort of a demonstration of the car for the public."
For instance, the Porsche 908/3 was second fastest during qualifying on Saturday, but it was using treaded tires. The car that was fastest was on racing slicks.
The Collier team could have put slicks on the Porsche and gone faster, George said, but that would have been historically inaccurate. The Porsche raced on treaded tires back in 1973.
In fact, there are a number of other changes that could be made to make the cars faster but, said George, "it's not about that."
The tires may be a disadvantage for the Porsche, but its construction is a distinct advantage. The hardware is titanium and the chassis and body together weigh a total of 74.5 pounds.
But mostly, racing in the legends series is about having fun, Mandeville said.
"The most fun you can have without having sex," he said with a smile. And racing at a track like Barber adds to the treat.
"Without a doubt it's the nicest one," he said, rating Barber against all the tracks he's ever raced at. "This is a fun track to drive. I think it's one of the most technical tracks there is."
With its elevation changes and blind turns, a driver has to commit to where he is going on the track before he can see what's ahead.
"A lot of tracks you know them in nine or 10 laps," Mandeville said. "That's not true here."
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