Eric Haga Lola 190 Interview from New Zealand

Eric update

Well....Eric and Seb's cars are still in New Zealand.  Eric reported that they just arrived there from Australia.  Now the guys in NZ need to build the inside of the container to support the cars and parts.   Then ship it back to LA.  The first US F5000 race is in early June.
The delay is really going to hurt Eric.  He still needs to replace the engine.  Fingers crossed.

Eric driving the1946 Maybach Special, Mk. 1, in the Shannons Historic Demonstration at the Australian GP earlier this year

F5000 advertisement 2012

Really haven't done anything to the race car lately.  We have another antique show coming up at the end of this month, so that has been keeping me busy. 

 

New advertisement for this year race dates. I like it.

Pittsburghs confirmed

Just got a email from the Pittsburgh race event confirming my race entry.  They already have the race schedule published.  My race group is 1, that means up at the crack of dawn.  Friday consist of 6-15 minute practice sessions, Saturday is 4 session of a mix of qualifying and racing.  Sunday will be 2 races.  A lot of track time, that's good.
Haven't heard from Lime Rock yet.

End of March report

Still looking at grooving tires for the rain.  I have 2 sets of old tires, that gives me a couple of tires to practice the art of grooving.   Been kicking around the idea of having a trailer hitch added to the truck.  I could then get a small enclosed trailer for tools, parts and other race support stuff.  This would stop the many trips inside the back of the truck.  Placing the car in back of the truck on it's own is simple and not to time consuming.  It's all the other stuff that turns packing up the truck into a 2 hour project.  We'll see.
The only other project is the gearbox.  Need to replace the dogs and come up with a gear ratio for the Pittsburgh track.

Rain tires

Talked to Goodyear this morning about rain tires.  It was a short conversation, they don't make rain tires for my car.  Avon, the other tire company do have rain tires, but you know how I feel about running Avons.
I do have a third choice, groove my own tires.  I wood need to purchase a tire grooving iron,  there not much money and I could use a old set of my Goodyears.  This just might work.

Lola spare rims

The weather is so nice I had to start working on the race car.  The spare tire rims I got from Eric are in need of a little work.  Besides cleaning I need to find bolts for 2 of the rims.  The early Lola rims didn't have the safety bead inside.  So I guess someone came up with the idea of placing a bolt through the rim to hold the tire on the rim in case of a flat.  Not sure if my other rims have a safety bead. 

One of 3 bolt holes.

The bolt would be placed in after the tire was mounted...I guess

Eric's Melbourne F1 GP

Eric's engine wows continued to follow him to the Melbourne F1 GP.  His demo laps would be 20 minutes Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  On Friday he either broke another head bolt or lost the head gasket.  He still had 2 demonstration runs left, Saturday & Sunday.  The problem was terminal.  He sat out Saturday's run, but was enlisted on Sunday to drive the "Maybach special" the very car that won the Australian GP in 1952.  Quite an honor to have driven such an important car in Australian history.

I think his plane is suppose to land in Seattle on Wednesday. But I'm sure it will be a couple of more days before his feet actually touch the ground.


Photo of the "Maybach special", but that's not Eric driving.



Pittsburgh Grand Prix added

Sent in my entry for the Pittsburgh event.  That's now Pittsburgh, Lime Rock and Watkins Glen.  I look forward to the challenge of a track I've never seen.  Guess I better go look for the mufflers soon.

The video below will be my study aid for the Pittsburgh event.  The track lap is 1.6 miles.

Eric heading to the F1 race in Melbourne

Exciting news from Eric, he's been invited to have his car on display at the Melbourne F1 GP this weekend, along with one or two other F5000 cars, maybe even a demonstration lap or two.  Living the high life for sure.  He's going to be very bored when he returns to the states and finds a grid of 10 or so F5000 cars at the Calif. event this summer.

As for the past race weekend, Eric was having engine problems and never really got up to speed. 

F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at Australia's Phillip Island

MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at Australia's Phillip Island circuit this weekend. Click here for Sunday's race report.

F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at Australia's Phillip Island

MSC F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series at Australia's Phillip Island circuit this weekend. Click here for Saturday's race report.

Eric's on his way

Eric is on his way to Melbourne, Australia.  Should arrive Wednesday morning Australia time.  One last race this weekend at Phillip Island.  This will probably be the biggest event of all of them.

Racing in 2012

Looking at running 3 events this year.  I've come to the decision that the California F5000 race isn't going to happen for us this year.   So that still leaves me 3 races.  Lime Rock is one, Watkins Glen is two and the third is...Pittsburgh, PA(July 13-15).  That's right, Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix   Ok, I'm 90% sure on this event.  The one small road block is they have a 100db limit on the race track.  I've gotten my car under 104db with mufflers, so 100db should not be to difficult to reach.  The Vintage Racing Group oversees the race weekend and has a 1972 or older race vehicle rule.  Again I just make it. 

Pittsburgh is a lot closer than Road America and the entry fee is much cheaper.  I can attend both Lime Rock and Pittsburgh for the same cost as RA.

I like to try different things and the Pittsburgh event looks like a lot of fun.  Nothing is written in stone and no decisions need to come before April.

Justice Bros. memorabilia

Here's just a few Justice Bros. items I received.

Neon clock. 
Not real old, but it's no longer available from Justice Bros.

This now makes a pair, I can replace these with the Champion Spark plug fender covers.

A good size banner.