Meeting Randy Forbes

[Michael Oritt]

Some time back Randy Forbes and I made contact relative to his coming to the SVRA races in Sebring, FL which is not too far from his home near Sarasota.

I spent today with Randy and a car friend of his at the track. We chewed the car fat and it was a pleasure to meet Randy and put a face and person by his name.

BTW luckily the weather gods were smiling today as despite predictions the rain held off until after both of my sessions. I have one race tomorrow morning and then I load up and head back to the frozen north. Rain or not it was nice getting out of the cold for a couple of days.

 

[roscoe]

Judging by some of Randy's previous posts I expect we should see a series of well framed, informative and superbly labeled photos illustrating the day and showing the key details of how it progressed. No doubt it will include some shots of how we would all like to do things but for some reason, at least my projects, don't look as though they might have come from Randy's shop. I already regret that I haven't started an archive of his photos.

 

[aeronca65t]

Neat! (I recall when you and I met some years back.....the interweb can be great fun)

You may want to stay down South an extra day.......snowing pretty good here in the Frozen North.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Hi Michael, yes, that was great fun! After leaving, I felt I should've done a better job of conveying my gratitude for inviting us, and signing Derek and I on as your crew!

Unfortunately, my camera (in particular) and skills (in general) more readily lend themselves to closer and finer details. Much like how I've lived my life; always missing The Big Picture!!

I did get a fair amount of pictures walking through the paddock, but we never ventured far enough to see the action up close on the track. The album can be found here: https://spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/SVRA_at_Sebring_2-26-2015

One of the first cars we saw, pulling away from Registration, was Paul Tsikuris' BN6 (Paul did the bodywork, and contracted the painting on my own BN6).

My diminutive friend Derek, looking like a giant standing next to a Lotus 26R.

Aiming through a distant hole in the fence, with my camera's (Canon G6) digital zoom turned out to the max, I caught the pack heading into Turn One.

Shooting blindly, I was lucky to catch this shot (virtually impossible to see the digital screen, even on an overcast day__or maybe I'm just too used to taking pictures inside a dimly lit garage...?).

And at rest for the day, still in one piece!

And again, my thanks, it was a pleasure to meet you! I hope that you were as lucky with the weather today, as you were yesterday (we just got a brief sprinkle here a short while ago__not even sure it was on the forecast).

 

[Michael Oritt]

Randy--

Nice shots. Today's race went off with no rain and I was able to keep the red XKE pictured behind me--or at least until he passed me under a double yellow and was disqualified. I wound up coming in 6th in my group and 2nd in class to a fast Corvette.

Now in Fernandina Beach FL heading north into the frozen wastes tomorrow.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Way to go! You said 6th OA

Guess it's time for the E-Type driver to learn track etiquette, and how to wire brake-lights!

Fernandina Beach, in another month, it'll be crawling with some of the best cars in the country (World?) when the Amelia Island Concours comes to town!

I hope you and Miss Brenda enjoy a safe trip home, and I'll look forward to our paths crossing again some time.

 

[dougie]

You guys have all early fun in the southeast. If you ever want to come west, a rendezvous at Laguna Seca would be fun.....

 

[Michael Oritt]

Randy and Dougie--

I like both of your invites.

 

[Randy Forbes]

You guys have all early fun in the southeast. If you ever want to come west, a rendezvous at Laguna Seca would be fun.....

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Dougie, I'd love to!

The ONLY other vintage event I have been to was at Laguna Seca in 1978__therefore, my only basis for comparison__so this past Saturday, I didn't have to worry about losing count of how many Bugattis, Cricklewood Bentleys or Ferrari sports/GT racers I saw! In fact, there weren't any, save for a single 330 rebodied as a GTO (but yes, still gorgeous, and I wouldn't kick it out of my garage for leaking oil...).

That event in 1978, I was accompanied by (the late) Ray Caivano, whom I'd bought my Healey from only months before. It was during that trip that Ray introduced me to Stan Huntley, Henry Rasmussen, and dozens of other aficionados whose names I still see turn up from time to time.

Considering that GTOs were then changing hands for somewhere around $25,000.00 (according to Sid Colberg, lamenting on passing one up for $8k), you could've bought EVERYTHING in the paddock for the $38M that the most recent GTO was (publicly) sold at__likely several of the transporters and drivers too

Yes, I'd love to meet you and Michael at Laguna Seca...