Slipstream - May 2011

The $30,000 Martini
By Pat Heptig, co-author Jeff Wiggins
Photos by www.Cafe-Pics.com & Wendy Shoffit
So here I am, early March, one week out from the
“Texas Two-Step” Club Race running a high race
fever. I’ve got the ‘87 Carrera suspended in air, drop
the oil plug, and BAM! -- a chunk of metal drops out --
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
I make an emergency visit to Jim Buckley at Buckley
Racing. It turns out the errant piece of metal is part of a valve
spring that cannot be fixed in time for the race. Just as I see
my race weekend slipping away, out of the corner of my eye
I see a pristine ‘83 911 SC euro race ready machine sporting
Martini racing stripes parked in Buckley’s garage. It didn’t
take long after Jim delivered the verdict on the Carrera for
him to begin his best “Vannah White” impression: “Or...
you could buy this Euro SC.” Ahh, the slippery slope of
racing… and my $30,000 Martini weekend journey begins.
Did I mention I’m still married?
On to College Station... The weather is absolutely perfect
at 75°F with scattered clouds. The race field is stuffed with
over 16 E Class cars and a dozen or more Spec Boxsters
and future National champions in the making. Great friends
and racing competition from all over Texas and surrounding
states gather for this annual race. This is going to be fun.
The car (E Class #714) handled like my Carrera, but lighter
and more nimble in the turns. The Euro SC vs. Carrera
power to weight debate is done (I shaved 4.5 secs). The car
felt great. During the first practice session Saturday morning
Jeff Wiggins (E Class #735) laid down a screaming 1:55.4
(the fastest lap in E Class so far). Jeff’s lap time is only
4/10 of a second off the track record of 1:55 flat – a record
coincidently held by Jim Buckley (E Class #711). Jeff’s
ear-to-ear grin does not go unnoticed by Jim.
In the very next qualifying session, Jim lays down a jawdropping
1:53.9 – a new TWS track record! Now that’s what
I’m talking about! Jim remains “King of the Hill.” To put
this in perspective, Jim’s lap time would have gridded him
4th in the cup cars in the other race group. I was pretty
happy with my qualifying time of 1:56.7, dropping me into
the 3rd grid slot behind Wiggins, while Niels Meissner
(driving yet another Buckley car) gridded 4th with a 1:57.6.
The stage was set for Sprint 1 -- “Battle of the Buckley cars
for E Class.” At the start, George Kopecky (in GT5S class)
got a lightning fast run (is that nitrous under that hood?) and
shot his tie-dyed 911 forward for an impressive kamikaze
dive bomb into Turn 1, squeezing between me and the 1st
and 2nd place runners. It didn’t take long before the leaders
checked out. Game over for the top slot. Leaving no room
for errors, Buckley finished 1st, Wiggins 2nd, Heptig 3rd,
and Meissner took 4th. Another glass boot for the trophy
case.
As the weekend progressed, Sprint 2 played out the same
except Wiggins got pinched by the tie-dyed 911 – leaving
him unable to close the gap with the leaders. Buckley
finished 1st, Heptig 2nd, Wiggins took 3rd, and Colin
Graidage 4th. (Unfortunately, Meissner bent a valve and
was done.) Yet another Buckley car sweep, and a glass boot
to go with it.
Now for those of you unaware of Buckley Race cars,
Jim Buckley has a rare combination of skills: master 911
mechanic, ridiculous driving skills, and fierce competitor --
all while lending a helping hand on and off the track. There
must be something about the Maverick Region since John
Gladwill at Boardwalk Porsche is another master mechanic
May 19