Deja vu - GPL- an Old Fart's view

In the late 60's/early 70's I had an SCCA license and raced various cars in the small production classes. Once, at a special "practice only " day at an airport circuit, probably in '70, I uh-ed and aw-ed over a friends new Lotus F3 ( don't remember what motor) enough that he let me take it out for a few laps. After 2 laps I came in, scared silly ( even though I was SLOW), and said, " I can't even drive this thing in a straight line, it's twitchy beyond belief!" Then, seeing the look in my friends face, and not wanting to insult his "major purchase," I added, "But, it's really cool watchin' the wheels bounce all over." My buddy laughed, "Oh, that's your problem! Took me a while, too. If your watchin' the wheels no wonder you can't drive it, you don't watch the hood of your MG do you? Go back out there and force yourself to look past them -- WAY --- down the track just like in your car ...... go on." I did and, viola, the car was a joy to drive ( I was still SLOW ;-). I just had EXACTLY the same experience in my first GPL session. Frustrated beyond belief for the first while, trying to "follow the grey line," then I started looking down the track, ignoring the wheels, ignoring the "painted groove" and, damn, that impossible car began to handle well. Soon I was clipping those apexes, feathering the throttle, and drifting through my better turns with ease. You have to DRIVE this car like a real one, not "play the game" of follow the dots, ala N2. I'm 51 years old and grinning like a kid over GPL, it's FABULOUS. After I figure out how the multiplayer is going to work ( TEN like or what?) and get the PII 450 I ordered for it<G> I'll be forming an Old Fart's League for GPL to go along with the one I run on NROS. Larry Linthicum --RedCobra on NROS Old Fart's League -- http://www.retrievers.com/ofl.htm

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> In the late 60's/early 70's I had an SCCA license and raced various cars in > the small production classes. > Once, at a special "practice only " day at an airport circuit, probably in > '70, I uh-ed and aw-ed over a friends new Lotus F3 ( don't remember what > motor) enough that he let me take it out for a few laps. > After 2 laps I came in, scared silly ( even though I was SLOW), and said, " > I can't even drive this thing in a straight line, it's twitchy beyond > belief!" Then, seeing the look in my friends face, and not wanting to > insult his "major purchase," I added, "But, it's really cool watchin' the > wheels bounce all over." > My buddy laughed, "Oh, that's your problem! Took me a while, too. If your > watchin' the wheels no wonder you can't drive it, you don't watch the hood > of your MG do you? Go back out there and force yourself to look past > them -- WAY --- down the track just like in your car ...... go on." > I did and, viola, the car was a joy to drive ( I was still SLOW ;-). > I just had EXACTLY the same experience in my first GPL session. Frustrated > beyond belief for the first while, trying to "follow the grey line," then I > started looking down the track, ignoring the wheels, ignoring the "painted > groove" and, damn, that impossible car began to handle well. Soon I was > clipping those apexes, feathering the throttle, and drifting through my > better turns with ease. You have to DRIVE this car like a real one, not > "play the game" of follow the dots, ala N2. > I'm 51 years old and grinning like a kid over GPL, it's FABULOUS. After I > figure out how the multiplayer is going to work ( TEN like or what?) and get > the PII 450 I ordered for it<G> I'll be forming an Old Fart's League for GPL > to go along with the one I run on NROS. > Larry Linthicum --RedCobra on NROS > Old Fart's League -- http://www.retrievers.com/ofl.htm

Great post Larry, I still have fond memories of the first time I even _heard_ a Lotus start up. It was a 48 valve Cosworth 12 and the sound alone sent chills right up my spine. I would describe it as a banshee wail. Of course the mechanic was just goosing the heck out of it too. I later asked what kind of rev's the engine was turning to shriek like that, and he responded quite casually- "Oh, four*** grand or so. I wasn't really running it out." Holy sh**, that engine sound alone just blew my mind. Thanks for the memories, all the best. Mike -- Michael S. Davis Creative Media-Works Computer/Audio/Video Convergence "from Creative minds spring Creative solutions." http://www.creativemedia-works.com Member, International Webmasters Association http://iwanet.org

> Tell me, at 39 am I old enuf to qualify for the Old Fart's League? I wouldn't > mind dropping by & making a fool of myself if I'd be welcome :^) > Lee Well... what do you think guys? At 39, maybe Lee can be an "Honorary Old Fart"? ;-) Andre

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>Subject: Deja vu - GPL- an Old Fart's view >Date: 10/2/98 2:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time >In the late 60's/early 70's I had an SCCA license and raced various cars in >the small production classes. >Once, at a special "practice only " day at an airport circuit, probably in >'70, I uh-ed and aw-ed over a friends new Lotus F3 ( don't remember what >motor) enough that he let me take it out for a few laps. >After 2 laps I came in, scared silly ( even though I was SLOW), and said, " >I can't even drive this thing in a straight line, it's twitchy beyond >belief!" Then, seeing the look in my friends face, and not wanting to >insult his "major purchase," I added, "But, it's really cool watchin' the >wheels bounce all over." >My buddy laughed, "Oh, that's your problem! Took me a while, too. If your >watchin' the wheels no wonder you can't drive it, you don't watch the hood >of your MG do you? Go back out there and force yourself to look past >them -- WAY --- down the track just like in your car ...... go on." >I did and, viola, the car was a joy to drive ( I was still SLOW ;-). >I just had EXACTLY the same experience in my first GPL session. Frustrated >beyond belief for the first while, trying to "follow the grey line," then I >started looking down the track, ignoring the wheels, ignoring the "painted >groove" and, damn, that impossible car began to handle well. Soon I was >clipping those apexes, feathering the throttle, and drifting through my >better turns with ease. You have to DRIVE this car like a real one, not >"play the game" of follow the dots, ala N2. >I'm 51 years old and grinning like a kid over GPL, it's FABULOUS. After I >figure out how the multiplayer is going to work ( TEN like or what?) and get >the PII 450 I ordered for it<G> I'll be forming an Old Fart's League for GPL >to go along with the one I run on NROS. >Larry Linthicum --RedCobra on NROS >Old Fart's League -- http://www.retrievers.com/ofl.htm

Man, I really enjoyed your post... excellent!!! I never did any type of organized racing, but in my ***s in the mid-70's (I'm a junior dried-up old fart) I would spend 3-4 hours a day in the summer tearing up the back roads on my motorcycle, a '74 Honda CB-360. Rated top speed of 97, I pushed it to 110+ more than once. Crazy & irresponsible I know, everyone flame away if you like. But you reminded me of something I forgot... look way on down the road, not just at what's right in front of you. (In my dotage, I don't take chances on the street anymore... I *never* go more than 8-10 mph over the limit) Tell me, at 39 am I old enuf to qualify for the Old Fart's League? I wouldn't mind dropping by & making a fool of myself if I'd be welcome :^) Lee

Hey, you qualify for the "young fart's" league. I'll be 69 in 2 weeks. I also was/am a biker, BMW and a string of Brit bikes. Did the Isle of Man and the "Ring," fast laps but not races. Did a bit of Karting, also. Rode the BM all over England last summer. I just cut a 1:30.16 at Monza, default setups. Hope to improve on that. Sam

I loved your post. Being 46, guess that puts me in the OFL class too. <g> Having lived in south Florida during the 1960s-'70s, I got the opportunity to attend the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours during the "golden years". Your post got me thinking about another possible historic racing sim. Wouldn't it be great for us to now enjoy Ferrari P3s, P4s, Chaparral 2Ds (remember the spin on Daytona's front straight?), Porsche 904, 906s, Ford MkIVs (that yellow was bright!) and Gulf Mirage's. Of course we can't forget the Howmet Turbine (remember that?), Jim Garner's team of Lola's, or the Penske Lola T-70 Coupe. Hopefully the Trans-AM will be covered well with that new upcoming sim. BTW, how many remember poor Jerry Titus and "local yuks" controversy? <g> A comment on media coverage. Back then, unless you *saw* the race, you would dissect the Monday sports pages for a two-paragraph mention of Sunday's F1GP, CAN-AM, Trans-AM, or Sports Car World Championship race. ABC's Wide World of Sports televising an event was like a holiday. - guod

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|In the late 60's/early 70's I had an SCCA license and raced various cars in |the small production classes. | | <snip> | |I'm 51 years old and grinning like a kid over GPL, it's FABULOUS. After I |figure out how the multiplayer is going to work ( TEN like or what?) and

get |the PII 450 I ordered for it<G> I'll be forming an Old Fart's League for GPL |to go along with the one I run on NROS. | |Larry Linthicum --RedCobra on NROS | |Old Fart's League -- http://www.retrievers.com/ofl.htm |

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>I loved your post. Being 46, guess that puts me in the OFL class too. <g> >Having lived in south Florida during the 1960s-'70s, I got the opportunity >to attend the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours during the "golden >years". Your post got me thinking about another possible historic racing >sim. Wouldn't it be great for us to now enjoy Ferrari P3s, P4s, Chaparral >2Ds (remember the spin on Daytona's front straight?), Porsche 904, 906s, >Ford MkIVs (that yellow was bright!) and Gulf Mirage's. Of course we can't >forget the Howmet Turbine (remember that?), Jim Garner's team of Lola's, or >the Penske Lola T-70 Coupe.

And don't forget the Shelby Cobra! Larry Linthicum .. RedCobra on NROS