DeTomaso Mailing List: July 99, Message #296

Hi all,

Well, we arrived home from the whirl wind-week visiting family in New 
Jersey and the Pocono event.

Let me start off my critique with this:  Why the heck isn't EVERYONE going 
to this event??!!

Pocono was an absolute 
mega-horsepower-pavement-romping-testosterone-high-coming-back-next-year  
-with-Pantera event!

Debi and I pulled into the Pocono Manor on Thursday afternoon and were 
promptly greeted by the whole EPA and PONE gang.  After checking into our 
"rustic" accommodations (the Manor is a beautiful place, but makes the 
Union Plaza look like a five-star hotel), we headed out to dinner with 
Mo-Jo, Warren, Mike "Pit Bull" O'Connor and John Bratta (with daughter, 
Catherine).

After dinner, we drove back to the Manor and headed to the hospitality room 
to check out the club stores and vendor booths.  Wow, what cool stuff! 
 Racing products, clothing of all types and a host of automobelia enticed 
the MasterCard out of my wallet.  With my melted platinum card tucked away, 
we slipped into the bar for some kareoke-free relaxing.

Friday morning started with slightly overcast skies, with the sun 
threatening to peek through.  After chowing down at the breakfast buffet, I 
grabbed my judges lab coat and met up with John Bratta and Les Gray to head 
to the concours.

Separated by marque, the concours hosted the best of Italy on the grass -- 
DeTomaso, Iso, Alpha Romeo, Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc.  Warren asked Les, 
John and I to judge the stock class -- probably the most difficult class 
due to the number of "time machines" present.

With judging scheduled to begin at Noon, it was delayed by a famous East 
coast rain "burst."  Check that.  It didn't rain.  It POURED.  An hour 
later, the rain stopped as quickly as it began.  Everyone brought out their 
chamois and terry towels, dried off the cars and we began to judge.

Out of all the great looking Panthers on the grass, one really stood out. 
 The name of the owner escapes me, but we judged a yellow '72 that looked 
like it just arrived from the Lincoln Mercury dealer...in 1972!  Without a 
doubt, this is the finest all-original, stock car I have ever seen.  All of 
the original equipment -- including heat riser, vacuum lines -- the whole 
enchilada.  Even the original window sticker is still in place.  We were 
awestruck to say the least.

At 3:00 PM, the judging was over, so I grabbed my cameras and burned off a 
few rolls of film before heading back to the Manor for a dip in the pool 
before the B-B-Q.

Ahhh...the B-B-Q...Steak, corn-on-the-cob, and all the fix'ns.  The 
highlight of the evening was the appearance of Mo-Jo "Captain America" 
Moore in a stars and stripes work-out suit with matching bandana!  Rumor 
around the camp fire was a potential bid for the Govenorship of New Jersey 
was in the works...??!!  With Concours awards presented, we retired back to 
the bar for more Black and Tans.

Saturday morning we headed out to the track, stocking up on bottled water 
after hearing of $3.50 sodas at the track.  Heading out of the entrance 
tunnel at Pocono Raceway, all I could say was WOW, as memories from the old 
Ontario Speedway days came back to my memory -- the high banking...the 
twisty infield course...the professional facilities.  Only, at Pocono, 
there were new state-of-the-art garages, fresh paving and excellent 
track-viewing facilities -- something Ontario never really had.

Saturday was a busy day with run groups being sent out like clock work. 
 Track people, listen up.  THIS is the way a track event should be run. 
 The track marshals and stewards worked their tails off to run a 
buttery-smooth event.  I graciously tip my hat to Joe Moore, Mike O'Connor 
and the rest for pulling off what has to be the best track event I have 
been to in years.  In fact I heard THREE people "complain" that there was 
TOO MUCH track time.  One individual -- at the end of the day -- noted that 
he had put over 240 miles of track time on his car.  That's a lot of laps, 
folks!

I yanked my monster lens out of the camera bag and headed out for some good 
shooting from turn nine.  Later in the day, I donned my Nomex and helmet 
for a ride with Charlie Seabrook in his GT-40 replica.  All was well  on 
our first lap, until Charlie downshifted before entering turn three.  There 
was a nasty "thunk," followed by some rather expensive "clunking" noises. 
 Charlie managed to find fourth (?) gear and we hobbled back to the pits. 
 Chock up one Renault gear box. :~(  I felt really bad learning that the 
same gearbox has failed Charlie last year.  Time for a ZF upgrade?

It was a blast to see the Panteras kicking some Maserati and Ferrari fanny. 
 James (??sorry, forgot your last name) in his arrest-me-red GT5-S was 
really hauling the mail that afternoon.  With the sun getting low in the 
sky, we bugged out and headed back to clean up for the banquet and much 
needed sleep.

Sunday morning was another drive to the track, and the Lambo guys FINALLY 
decided to come out to play!  Sunday was rather light in attendance, but by 
late morning, the pits began to fill up.  A couple of New Ferrari 550s came 
out to duel with the Alpha Romeo F-1 car and the Panteras were pretty much 
all over the 308 and 348 Ferraris.

Since there weren't as many cars as Saturday, the track marshal opened the 
lunch time touring event to non Italian vehicles, as long as they could 
muster speed (no station wagons or pickups).  Well, I paid my $35 and 
pulled the Mustangi (you know...an Italian wannabe Mustang) onto the track. 
 Granted, the V-6 didn't carry the power down the straight like the other 
"real" Italian cars did, but I was able to wax the fanny of the Ferrari in 
front of me (gotta love that lowered Tokico suspension).  Not like I was 
really trying to prove anything to the gent in the Ferrari...after all, it 
was a TOURING session.  :~)

Late in the day, I was treated to the ride of my life, courtesy of Joe 
Moore, who lit up Bad Red for a trip to the Twilight Zone.  Let me just say 
that I have never been in such a powerful Pantera in my life.  Hitting 
close to a buck-sixty on the front straight, Mo-Jo ran through the gears 
(quick shifting) like the ZF was an automatic.  If he hadn't been limited 
to the ZR-rated rubber, I have no doubt Joe's red beauty could have cooked 
any car in attendance.  It was the perfect way to cap off a great weekend.

Okay campers, if you've ever thought of going to Pocono, get off of your 
duffs and get back there next year.  IMHO, Pocono raises the level for club 
events and leaves Vegas in second place.  I'll definitely be back next 
year, and come hell or high water, I'm going to bring my car.

Granted, there are a lot of people who helped to put on the Pocono event, 
and many of whom I wasn't introduced to.  But I'd like to publicly thank 
you all who contributed to and participated, making this such a stellar and 
memorable event.  It truly was a class act.

Just my 1,000 Lira,

Scott

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Scott Mead
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