DeTomaso Mailing List: January 99, Message #193

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01/05/99                  PCNC Las Vegas Speed Trials         #6.2

Intro:
  Get ready for the Las Vegas Speed Trials at the annual POCA 
Las Vegas Fun Rally.   Race Day is Friday 4/23, Saturday is the 
Concours and Banquet.

Visit the track at http://www.bragg-smith.com

Visit Asa Jay's website for photos from last year!  
http://www.concentric.net/~Asajay/raceday.htm

Look for pages of info in the next POCA newsletter (Jan '99), with 
detailed tech requirements, event schedule, and more !

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PCNC Las Vegas Speed Trials 1998 (Story continues...)

The competitors in Pantera Modified were John Parsons, Larry Stock 
and John Weigel.

John Parsons qualified first in class with a 1:17.  Please note that 
this was faster than any of the Unlimited Panteras were able to qualify!  
All this was done on a stock suspension as well!  John did rebuild the 
motor to put out over 500hp, but the suspension is still the same as it 
left the factory.  However, the brakes have been upgraded.  John really 
knows how to drive that car.  This car first competed in the 1996 Speed 
Trials finishing 1st in class.  This car almost didn't make the event.  
The motor was still sitting on the garage floor 5 days prior to the race.  
He then drove the car from LA to the race to break in the motor.  In route, 
he punctured one of his race tires and had to find a new one.  He couldn't 
find the same brand in time so he ran one manufacturer on the rear and a 
different one on the front.  His next challenge was to find fuel.  The 
competitors were told where they could buy race fuel on Thursday, if 
required.  Since John arrived late, he didn't get the message, so he 
missed valuable track time while searching for race gas. 

John Weigel qualified with a 1:19.  I can't tell you much about his car 
because I was unable to contact him after the race for information.

Larry Stock failed to qualify because he was busy over at his Pantera 
Parts Connection truck supplying items that Pantera people needed.  In 
fact, Larry had not planned to even race.  He had brought his wife's car 
to the track just to get some practice time in.  His track car is still 
being built.

The Pantera Street class was made up of Gary Hall and Erik Belter.  They 
were both on their way to the Silver State Challenge.

Gary qualified with a 1:21.  This was Gary's 2nd Speed Trials.  Gary's 1996 
race was cut short when he spun and contacted Charlie Puckett, taking them 
both out of the race.  Gary's blue car still was missing paint where the 
two cars came together.    "Old Blue" as Gary likes to call his car, was 
once again driven to the event from LA.  This was the first Hall Super 
Pantera and has been used as a test bed for most of Hall's new products.  
It has over 220,000 miles on the chassis and produces more than 400hp.

Erik failed in his attempt to qualify due to brake vacuum problems.
However, 
Erik did drive his car all the way from Northern California where he is 
considered the fastest street Pantera around. He decided that with the low 
vacuum, it would be best if he didn't try to compete.

Dennis Quella was the only competitor in the Competition class.  This class 
was designed for competition only cars.  Even though this car was designed 
to resemble a Pantera, it's as much a Pantera as a NASCAR stock car is a 
Thunderbird.  But the fans love it!  This car just screams around the track.

He posted the best qualifying time of anyone with a 1:12.  Now that's
flying.  
The car weights 2,200 lbs and puts out 650hp.

Three people showed up for the Sports Car Class; POCA members Ed Kornegay 
and  David Briggs; as well as a friend of Dennis Quella in a Viper GTS.  

The Viper posted the fastest time in this class with a 1:19.  The owner 
then decided not to race because he needed to drive the Viper back to
Colorado.

Ed Kornegay in his 114hp Miata posted a 1:23.  The car is his daily driver, 
but the suspension has been set-up for occasional track duty.

David Briggs had a best lap of 1:28 in his completely stock Toyota MR2.

When time came for the race to begin, the 10 competitors line up in two 
rows behind the pace car driven by POCA president Joe Moore; or perhaps I 
should say almost everyone.  Bud Greene couldn't get his car started without

the help of a push from some willing fans.  By the time he caught up to the 
field, he had to take a position at the back behind both Charlie Puckett 
and Larry Stock.  Ed Kornegay gave his 7th starting position to Charlie and 
Larry so as to avoid the more powerful cars trying to get around the Miata 
and the MR2 prior to turn one.  Bud was also let by just prior to the Green 
flag.  

As the flag dropped you could hear the power come up on the Panteras.  The 
roar echoed across the desert.  The cars entered turn one in their grid 
positions.  Dennis and John Parsons went through turn one side by side.  
They then stayed pretty much nose to tail through the first lap.   Dennis 
was unable to open a gap on John Parsons until his slicks got up to 
temperature.  Then he just waved by to the entire field.

The second lap saw the battles begin to take shape.  Alan was chasing 
John Parsons, Bud was after Larry and Charlie was hunting Gary.

(Story continues...)
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Tech Issues:
More to follow.

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Cut-Off Dates:
There are only 15 weeks before the Las Vegas Fun Rally.  The last day 
to register for the Fun Rally is 3/22.
The last day to register for the Track Event and get a FREE limited 
edition event T-shirt and the "Early-Bird" discount of $165 is 3/1.

Don't wait !  Act NOW !  Be in Pantera Heaven, Las Vegas April 22nd -> 25th.

Contact Info:
To register for the Las Vegas Fun Rally package, contact Gary Roys (home) at

(248) 879-0835 6955 Vernmoor, Troy, MI 48098, or e-mail at GRR456@aol.com.

Link to information and photos from the previous POCA Rally: 
http://www.panteraclub.com/conventi.htm

To register for the PCNC Las Vegas Track Event, contact Ed Kornegay, 
ed_kornegay@hp.com or myself, Chuck Melton, charles.p.melton@lmco.com, 
(408) 739-4174.

Event Sponsor:
The PCNC Track Event is sponsored by:
  Qvale Automotive Group  (415) 776-7700.

Sustaining Sponsors are:
  Pantera Parts Connection (800) 338-6627, on the web at
www.panteraparts.com
  Pantera Performance of Colorado (303) 660-9897
		
Associate Sponsors are:
  Pantera East (727) 381-1151, e-mail at PanteraEast@hotmail.com 
  Pantera International Motorsports (714) 744-1398, www.pim.net and
    www.panteracars.com
  Panteras by Wilkinson (562) 804-4321, on the web at www.DETOMASOUSA.com

Please contact these vendors for all your Pantera needs.  They are 
supporting us, we should support them too !

Links: 	POCA  http://www.panteraclub.com/