Driver's TourONE-LAP
AROUND THE MINIMAX
Get into your Nomex suit and take a one-lap tour of the Minimax FASCAR
500 road course behind four antique Aurora Thunderjet
cars – a Corvette Stingray, Jaguar XK-140, a Chevy-powered Cheetah
GT racer, and a DeTomaso Mangusta.
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It's the early 1970s, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The first cars come up to the line as late spectators hurry to get into the stands before the green flag falls. The driver of the blue Sunbeam Tiger must have been one of the late ones - he didn't take the time to put on the tonneau cover. It's a sunny day, and that black seat-vinyl is going to be mighty hot when he returns. |
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Here is the track from the west end. The course was designed to get the maximum variety of racing challenges in the minimal space available for it. I nicknamed it the Minimax. In order from the start-finish line at left, is a sharp (6"/9") hairpin, a bump, then an elevated sharp left-hand curve with a medium (12"/8") lead-in; then a long downhill straight followed by a broad (15"/12") curve that winds into a medium with a sharp apex, then reverses itself, a straight along the wall which curves sharply right into the tunnel, then winds around Memorial curve (medium to sharp) into a broad reverse with a sharp chicane before reaching the straight at the start-finish line. |
| To follow the action, you can bring this photo up in a separate window or follow the race on the map. |
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The air is blue with exhaust and you can cut the tension with a sparkplug gauge as the high-performance racers rev their engines at the starting line. Emergency vehicles at the Officials' Booth provide an ominous reminder of the dangers of high-stakes auto racing. (Fortunately, we're on a comfortable couch with remote controllers in our hands and beer and ice cream in easy reach.) |
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Into the first turn, a tough hairpin, as business comes to a halt at the Officials' Stand, and Taruffi, the course mascot, howls along with the screeching of the tires. |
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Over the hump, and onto the short straight leading to the hill. The aqua Corvette seems to be running rough (well, it IS the slowest car in the collection). |
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Around the high curve at the top of the downhill straight, the Corvette gets the inside track and springs almost into the lead. |
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At the end of the downhill straight, the cars brake before entering the sweeping curve that winds down to a tight apex past the Sinclair "Dino Gasoline" oil tank. |
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CONTINUE your 1-lap
circuit of the
FASCAR 500 Minimax course on the NEXT
PAGE
