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Thompson Speedway

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I'm at Thompson right now.

This is the kickoff event for the Thompson road racing circuit (closed since the 60s and the oldest dedicated road racing circuit in the US).

Track looks great....should be a great weekend of vintage racing with VRG and VSCCA.
 
Never got to Thompson. Now at least I can see it from a proper perspective. Thanks Nial!
 
Great video, Nial. What kind of car was that sedan that you were running with? He looked pretty zoomy on the straightaways, but the Spridgets could take the turns much better.
 
ALFA-Romeo Giulia S

1600cc and 5 speed. Nice car.

By the way, he drove that car to the track (4+ hours up I-95)......prefers not to bother with trailers.

A friend of the owner tells me he owns "dozens" of ALFAs. At the end of the event, I discovered he lives near me but he had already left. Hope to chat with him at next event.
 
Great video, too. I expanded it to full screen and shoved my face right up against the screen. Vintage racing looks like something I'd definitely enjoy getting into. The problem is I already don't have enough time for the hobbies I currently have, let alone adding another one!
 
A couple pals drove a later Berlina 1750cc in the second-to-last Cannonball... Second or third IIRC. They got caught up in Kansas with a State Trooper following 'em, so couldn't press on as they had been. Alfa sedans are real "Q Ships"!
 
Stunning array of old iron, steel, aluminum and 'glas there! Hard to believe there are that many Allards still able to navigate a circuit.

Was that diff in the close-up yours, Nial? If so, how th' heck did the crown wheel get chewed up like that?! Something come apart and get into the case?
 
You are correct..... the number of Allards is amazing. And these were all real ones too (there's a Quebec company that makes very good replicas).

Yes...that was my diff. Not really sure what happened but it shredded in first practice. We had a 3 hour break so I put in a spare.

I'd estimate that I got 95% of the shrapnel out of the diff housing. :friendly_wink:

Yesterday I drained and flushed the diff (with kero) and more bad stuff came out. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping all stays well, since our next event is back-to-back weekends at PVGP.

We'll be in Wampum PA for the first weekend in 10 days (I'm heading for the Jersey Shore on Friday for a week, so I only have two more days to prep the car).

I'm bringing two more diffs plus axles and other stuff to PVGP so I'll be ready if things go south.

Butch Leitzinger brought his Elan from P-burg. It's so fast we had to put it in the Mustang/Camaro/V8 class.

thompson-2014-static-130.jpg
 
Great photos Nial, I'd probably have a stroke if I got to spend the day around all those cars.
 
Thanks for the pics, Nial. Quite the amazing gathering of cars. Rare stuff too mixed in with the expected iron and fiberglass.

Sure wish I was closer to one of those tracks, just to go out and hear/see them driving in anger.
 
Nial said:
Butch Leitzinger brought his Elan from P-burg. It's so fast we had to put it in the Mustang/Camaro/V8 class.
Click to expand...

It was ever thus with Chapman's creations. They were too quick for the same-displacement competition, so were penalized by being "elevated" until they could be beaten. Leitzinger should still be able to put on a great run against the "Big Boring" cars, though. :thumbsup:

I'd already sniped copies of your pix of his car earlier this AM. ...and that red Topo Abarth under the tent/tarp. :grin:
 
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