IROC TV Viewers Guide

[Dmill]

Thought folks would enjoy this trip down memory lane

[Dmill]

from a time when a race would draw 300k people

[Gburner]

the ABC coverage and the driver's interviews were priceless.
Back when drivers spoke their minds.
http://youtu.be/AIMEYv5-kgg?t=4m36s

[Chuck Miller]

Thanks Mikey!!!!!

I just 'timed' them for the first time (not sure why I haven't done it before... AND, I was there.... )

So, here's the deal:

They were running Riverside's 'short'/'club course' (not the CanAm 'Gorilla' course)
It turns out, even though they are COMPLETELY different configurations, Riverside's club course and Willow Springs were within a few 10ths (no more then 1 second) difference in comparative times (with Riverside being slightly faster)

So, I just just timed the leaders for 3 laps and they were turning pretty consistent 1:30.00 flat !!!!

A lot of us know relative times at Willow........

Consider five years before the fastest 2 lt. C/P Porsche's in the day were turning 1:36's.
Two years before the fastest 2.5 TransAm (John Morton's BRE Datsun 510) was do'n 1:35's.
And most of the big TransAm 'pony cars' were do'n just about the same as the IROC (Parnelli and Donohue were do'n high 1:20's.)

I think maybe interesting to some ..........

[Mr9146]

We talking Big Willow, Chuck?

If that's the case, I'm proud of my little 1970 911E.

[Chuck Miller]

We talking Big Willow, Chuck?

You'bet'cha Macro... I think the first iteration of the 'Streets of Willow' ran 12 years later... about '86 or '87... I ran it first in '89.

And YES you should be proud of you and your little E.....

Another way to think of the times they were running is; The IROC's were running just a little faster than Formula Ford National times for '73......... That says a lot for our old F/F brothers out there......

I was pitting for my buddy Hector's F/F and he qualified 1:29.9 and finally won the '76 Regional (not National) Championship with low 1:30's... again, both on Riverside and Willow.

[Gburner]

Chuck interesting comparison, did not know they were within a second of a lap to each other.
Now we know how our Big Willow lap times would comapre to an IROC 911.
I watched a couple Trans Am races (69/70) at Riverside but never got on track.
Riverside in my distant memory just seemed like a longer and more technical track than Big Willow.

Funny some of the drivers interviews during the show, the 915 trans was not liked by all.
10 years ago DVD copies of the Riverside and Daytona 911 IROC races as shown on ABC were available.

[Gburner]

What size torsion bars were in the IROC 911s?
The yellow #10 shows a lot of weight transfer trying to get back up to speed.
Looks a little soft to me.
http://youtu.be/AIMEYv5-kgg?t=9m42s

[Dmill]

I noticed that as well....I assumed something was damaged during the off, the passenger side door was sure caved in....there are other aspects of the handling of the car that look suspect.

My favorite part of this advertisement is the "This is your scorecard" section and the disclaimer of sort regarding betting on the races in the bottom right.

[Chuck Miller]

They were soft guys... We run some of our 'street cars' harder than the old RSR factory setups...

In the 'Conversion Order 491' it states:

Front Axle:
1. Torsion bars - 22mm
2. Stabilizer bars - 20mm - adjustable
3. Blistein shock absorbers
4. Reiforced wishbone bearings

Rear Axle:
1. Torsion bars - 26mm
2. Stabilizer bars - 18mm
3. Reinforced steel trailing arms with 80mm wheel bearings.
4 Bilstien shock absorbers.

I suppose Penske could have changed the factory stuff.... Maybe Harvey W. would know?....
.........but just say'n



cm