"RacinBob" (racinbob)
01/21/2020 at 00:15 • Filed to: None
7
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"RacinBob" (racinbob)
01/21/2020 at 00:15 • Filed to: None | 7
| 4 |
Per Wiki ..... see the video
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Heck of a story ——
In October 1979, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! tire company sponsored a pair of AMXs in the annual FIA Group One 24-hour race (for mildly modified production cars) held at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’s legendary !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! track. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! The 1979 304 cu in (5.0 L) V8-powered Spirit AMX was already !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for European FIA !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Touring Car races. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
The cars were the first-ever American entries in this grueling race (the Nürburgring is a 14.1-mile (22.7 km) circuit with 176 turns). They would compete against smaller-engined, but more agile competitors from BMW, Ford, Opel, VW, Renault, and Audi. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Drivers Amos Johnson and his partner Dennis Shaw were the team principals in the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! -based “Team Highball.” Supporting drivers were factory Mazda driver !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (who would later co-develop the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ), actor !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and automotive journalist Gary Witzenburg. Two street-stock cars (both with AMC 5.0 L V8 and four-speed transmission) were supplied to “Team Highball” for Group One race modifications less than three weeks before a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! would sail to Europe. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
With almost no prior driving time on the race course, and with the race practice cut short by fog, the team qualified the cars in 20th and 21st overall. The #1 Johnson/Shaw/Brolin car was given the faster set-up, with the objective of winning the race. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
In the race, the #1 car suffered broken front shock-absorbers and a slipping clutch, and the engine burned oil. Witzenburg reported the brakes and both front shocks “all but gone” in #2 — pumping the brakes dragged the front spoiler, but had little effect on speed. Moreover, since the AMXs were “rather crude” compared with the smaller, lighter cars they were racing against, they lost time in the turns. Nevertheless, Witzenburg said the cars “ran great,” especially on the straights where they reached about 140 mph (230 km/h). !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
After driving almost 2,000 miles (3,219 km), they finished first and second in class, 25th and 43rd overall out of a field of 120. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! They were also the fastest entrants using street tires - BFG T/A !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and had no tire failures. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
The preparation of the cars and the team’s experience of the race itself were covered by a period !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , The Ultimate Challenge . !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
The #1 AMX Nürburgring race car “served as a showcar for a few months after the race, then went into storage for about 25 years” and has only about4,000 miles (6,400 km) on its odometer. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! The #2 race car returned to the racing circuit for several years, but has been located and reunited with the original drivers after over 25 years. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Tristan
> RacinBob
01/21/2020 at 00:38 |
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I friggin love these little weirdos. Even more now that I know they have racing pedigree! Thanks for sharing!
slipperysallylikespenguins
> RacinBob
01/21/2020 at 01:38 |
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AMC racing history is really interesting. For such a small company on a limited budget, they were pretty competitive in numerous disciplines.
shop-teacher
> RacinBob
01/21/2020 at 07:05 |
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Whoa! Those are super cool!
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RacinBob
> RacinBob
01/21/2020 at 08:12 |
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Your driving instructor today is Heinz the one armed Panzer pilot..... I am not kidding.
