Caterhams doing what they do best

[BruceBe]

I thought this crowd would appreciate 11-minutes of a Caterham R500 and CSR260 mixing it up at a vintage race. The venue was Spokane Raceway Park, in Airway Heights, WA. The event was a SOVREN (vintage) event. We were invited to participate this year, as they've loosened their age-eligibility requirements, and allow forward-dating of a chassis.

 

It is not often that we get professional TV production at an amateur event - the excerpt is part of a 55-minute program that aired on regional cable TV. It was a special treat to be filmed by multiple cameras, and continuous commentating.

 

Enjoy!

-Bruce

 

[Croc]

ohhhhkaaaaay....

 

So let me check my facts...you were both driving "Caterman 7"s? Was that a typo in the video and really you were driving a couple of catering vans?

 

And then both of you struggled to pass a BMW 2002? And this was before she surprised you under braking by getting the inside line and making a move on you? I know you are 3 hours behind my time zone but a Caterham is not that slow?

 

Can I come out there and drive in a race? How much do you have to pay to win?

 

:jester:

 

 

All jokes aside - I was a little surprised they accepted the standard Caterham roll bar? I would have thought they wanted several miles of bubble wrap and battleship steel a la SCCA style?

[Kitcat]

I went to a vintage race in Pittsburgh a few years back. For whatever reason the race I watched had a new Porsche GT3, along with the vintage cars including a BMW 2002. The Porsche got killed by the BMW, as did the vintage 'Vettes, etc. So I suspect the BMW's are hardly stock. Still it was interesting here to see the Cats win on the straights and lose on braking/cornering. All in good fun I suspect.

[yellowss7]

Nice video, but I'm going to guess that Bruce and Mark were sandbagging a bit, hoping not to walk away from the field to get invited back.:blush::blush::blush:

 

Just a bit curious that the heavier BMW would catch up in the braking zones, and after pulling away, somehow the BMW just happens to close up the gap. R500's don't get caught very easily, Nice Job Bruce! Tom

[BruceBe]

Nice video, but I'm going to guess that Bruce and Mark were sandbagging a bit, hoping not to walk away from the field to get invited back.:blush::blush::blush:

 

Just a bit curious that the heavier BMW would catch up in the braking zones, and after pulling away, somehow the BMW just happens to close up the gap. R500's don't get caught very easily, Nice Job Bruce! Tom

 

Thanks Tom - when you're invited over for the first time, you don't drink all the beer :-)

 

-Bruce

[Nick OTeen]

I know you are 3 hours behind my time zone but a Caterham is not that slow?

Are you telling, or asking?

 

All jokes aside - I was a little surprised they accepted the standard Caterham roll bar?

How is that a question?

 

I would have thought they wanted several miles of bubble wrap and battleship steel a la SCCA style?

Or that one?

[Croc]

Ah well, I guess someone is having a bad week. Why don't you fix up my grammar since it is so important. In the meantime I am going to knock off work and dive into a beer or two. No question marks for me there. :cheers:

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

All jokes aside - I was a little surprised they accepted the standard Caterham roll bar? I would have thought they wanted several miles of bubble wrap and battleship steel a la SCCA style?

 

SOVREN is a bit different than SCCA. Rules are pretty relaxed when it comes to most vintage race organizations. For example:

 

http://i.imgur.com/T0QjJ4v.jpg

 

Nice work Bruce. If I ever get my Series 2 on track it would be fun to race with you. 260 Hp from your duratec (on pump gas) vs. my 160 hp full race pre-crossflow (on race gas) would be interesting...

[Nick OTeen]

Ah well, I guess someone is having a bad week.

I don't know about yours but mine has been unquestionably terrific and is about to get even better.

[Kitcat]

Dingo: For some reason your car looks like an 8/10's scale version of a se7en. Even the wheels look tiny.

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

Not mine, but it is a friend. I agree though. There's something about his car that just makes it look small...

[BruceBe]

SOVREN is a bit different than SCCA. Rules are pretty relaxed when it comes to most vintage race organizations.

 

Nice work Bruce. If I ever get my Series 2 on track it would be fun to race with you. 260 Hp from your duratec (on pump gas) vs. my 160 hp full race pre-crossflow (on race gas) would be interesting...

 

Indeed - vintage race groups allow safety equipment much closer to what was offered at the time of manufacturer. It was strange to be out there wheel-to-wheel with nothing more than a track-day roll-bar and arm-restraints. That was a first for me.

 

SOVREN would like to see Caterham participation at their events, so I was solicited to round-up a few vehicles, and drivers with correct racing credentials. Myself and McClure have race licenses, but neither of the car owners did. So both of us were guest driving those cars. Peter Killefer also participated in his yellow CSR (he's featured for about 1.5 seconds, mid-pack). It was literally his first road-race, and I'm very proud of him for not being "that guy", and plugging-in to a race weekend with both grace and ability.

 

Here in the NW, I would like to see SOVREN as a primary sanctioning body for competition Sevens. Having raced up and down both the amateur and pro-racing ranks, I find SOVREN very approachable, especially for infrequent racers who want to run a bit less risk of vehicle damage, and who want to have as much fun in the paddock as out on track.

 

-Bruce