JACK'S JOURNAL
One of the reasons I’m so excited about Dream Garage is that it provides a place where auto enthusiasts like you and I can trade experiences and compare notes of the incredible events open to us in the world of auto racing, car collecting, concours d’elegance competitions and just a general love of these fine machines and their histories.
Every year I am fortunate enough to be able to participate in various car-related events. This column is dedicated to regularly bringing you a new event or race. For example, The 12 Hours of Sebring was held March 14-17 at what is now called Sebring International Raceway. Come ride along shotgun while I tell you about one of auto racing’s most well-known events.
Sebring was originally an old WWII airplane pilot training airport in Sebring, Florida. It still has a very hard surface, and is hard on the cars that race on it. There is a consistently high attrition rate, and typically only about half the cars that start, finish. Sebring happens during Spring Break, so combined with the sound of high revving engines and the smell of fuel, it is usually very hot, humid, and thousands of wild college students are partying constantly during races and practices. It isn’t Ascot.
One of the oldest sports car races in America, Sebring began in 1950. Many of the most famous names in racing have competed here, despite the fact that the track is not very well lit, resulting in low visibility during dusk hours, and it often rains sometime during race weekend, with no water run-off areas.
I personally raced at Sebring four times, and my last two years, we finished 3rd in our class. I am proud of that, and it sounds impressive, but let me tell you the real story behind my foray into auto racing. Over 20 years ago I attended the Daytona 24 hour race, merely as a pit visitor. Somehow during that weekend, I chanced upon the opportunity to be a race driver! I packed up and attended a 4-day “crash course” at the Bob Bondurant Racing School to obtain my licensing. Only one week later I was entered in the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring. I would be racing against A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Al Unser. Walter Mitty never had it so good!
The first day of practice at Sebring…rain. No practice. The second day of practice…you guessed it – rain. This time I was able to creep around the track for only 4 laps. Then, my co-driver fried our engine during his turn out on the track. On the third and final day of track practice our mechanics had to replace the engine. No practice.
So on race day, with a full four laps of stealth practice in the rain under my belt, we found ourselves on the last row of the starting grid due to no practice times being scored. My turn was the second shift because I really hadn’t developed any working knowledge of the track. After about 15 laps I started to get into the feel of the race – just then, a nasty turn leaped out and bit my car, and I obliterated a concrete barrier – race over.
I was unhurt, but had entered the school of hard knocks to begin my street education on how difficult this auto racing thing was going to be…as you can imagine, the disappointment I felt was apparent for not performing well in the race – plus the sizeable check I had to write for the car, etc. Race cars are not insured.
But that first race was an exhilarating motor sport experience all around, and became the springboard for a man-on-the-street to enter the world of auto racing at tracks all over the world. Don’t think I’m just a racer, though. My personal collection of vintage Porsches is waiting to take residence in my Dream Garage as soon as the Dallas location opens. If you have a car story you would like to share with me – and other enthusiasts – please drop me an email at jgriffin@dreamgarageusa.net.
Until next time,
Jack
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