Slipstream - April 2006

Neither Snow, Nor Rain...
by Phil Hallenbeck
Well, okay, we exaggerate a bit. Only rain greeted the
Mavericks upon their February 25th return to
MotorSport Ranch—but to many warm-blooded
Texans it felt cold enough for the white stuff. And it was a rain to
remember, as it was clear a Higher Authority had decided North
Texas needed rain more than the Mavericks needed a dry track. A
true deluge soaked early-arriving Porschephiles on Saturday,
accompanied by awe-inspiring lightning.
True to form, however, Porsche enthusiasts were not easily
deterred, as full run groups set out Saturday morning on a track
surface slippery enough to be described by many terms—
“slick,” “icy,” and “greasy” being among the printable ones
heard. It was obvious, however, that DE Chair Bill Dawson’s
briefing was taken to heart, as very few cars went off the track
despite a surface which sent over 50 cars off-track a year ago
during similar conditions in February 2005.
The drivers gained experience as the day wore on, and
Agricultural Excursions remained few in number even as the
rain continued to pour down. The newer drivers all found the
Rain Line—some as part of their goals for the weekend, most
because the “traditional” line was under several inches of water
on some turns. According to some, the body of water in Little
Bend became Lake Granbury, and Big Bend became home to
Lake LBJ—and indeed, by mid-afternoon both seemed only a
bit too small for boating and fishing.
The traditional charity laps at noon took on a heightened
importance, as proceeds went to May Clinic treatment for
young Abby Schultz, 3. Abby, the cousin of MotorSport Ranch’s
Curt Routson, suffers from Congenital Fiber Type
Disproportion, a very rare form of Muscular Dystrophy.
Although founder Alois Ruf was unable to attend the DE,
the Mavericks make a big tip o’ the hat to Ruf Auto Centre for
their invaluable sponsorship support to a wonderful event!
The “Personal Trainer for Porsches” showed us yet again why
the name Ruf is synonymous with extreme performance—
worldwide.
Unfortunately, the weather did delay the Mavericks’
experience of the new, 3.1-mile track, as the new “extension” to
the MSR track was virtually buried under mud and water by the
Saturday storm. Even the diligent efforts of the MotorSport
Ranch crew with bucket loader and sweeper were simply
overwhelmed.
Sunday
Sunday, however, was a different story. Sunday chapel
attendees witnessed a glorious sunrise under crystal-clear skies,
with crisp dry air. Only a few traces of dampness in Little Bend
served as a reminder of Saturday’s deluge. The long-suffering
corner workers under Joe McGlohen, drenched all day Saturday,
found their endurance rewarded by dry conditions and
sunshine on Sunday.
To nobody’s surprise, initial run groups found a cold track
and ran on cold tires, keeping speeds down for the first
session—only. Our instructors “proofed” the Long Course to
begin the second run session, which proved to be the harbinger
of a wonderful morning and afternoon.
As the Mavericks became the first group to run the Ranch’s
extension, they were again challenged by track conditions—this
time the dried remains of Saturday’s mudslides, which despite
the best sweeping efforts of the Ranch Hands completely coated
some sections of the Long Course. Fortunately, Bill’s morning
briefing which counseled early caution was heeded by almost
all, and only an unfortunate few coated their precious machines
in red Texas mud! The first few runs cleared the line, and speeds
and spirits rose wonderfully as the day wore on. Noon charity
laps again profited young Abby as the Mavericks took a break
from their ongoing (and now nearly completed) project to build
a shelter for abused women and children. Again, the Ruf team
led the way in the charity laps, showing the truly unforgettable
panorama of three RUF creations leading the parade!
David Gross of Hill Country Region warmed hearts by
giving us another great event to look forward to with the March
Club Race and DE at Texas World Speedway, and Lanean
reminded us that there is another great DE season ahead at the
Ranch, continuing April 8 and 9.
TO BE CONTINUED…BY ALL THE MAVERICKS AND
THEIR FAST FRIENDS! See you at the track!
Photo by Drew Campbell
Photo by Drew Campbell
Learning the track in whatever vehicle floats
Bill Campbell leading the charge
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