Drive the race track of your dream - AUS

Drive the race track of your dream!
By Don Racine

Have you ever dreamed of driving a race track in Australia or Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca? 

As most of us are driven to race for the experience and thrill of it all with a little tinge of winning it is easy to know that almost everyone has dreams of racing various circuits around the US and even the world.  Perhaps my experience can help others fulfill their dreams. 

As the owner of Mini Mania I often have requests for help in any number of ways. Looking for parts for their classic Minis is the most common along with requests for technical assistance in everything from basic manitenance to race car set-up. 

Mini Mania has one of the most popular website in the world for community exchange of information with a very popular 'cars for sales' page.

The e-mail request that started it all was just one of many "off the grid" questions.  A guy that had done a little business with Mini Mania some 10 or 12 years ago was looking for some help in fullfilling his dreams of racing at Laguna Seca.  His request was simple "could I help him find someone that would be interested in Vintage racing at the famous Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit on Phillip Island, Australia in exchange for a vintage race drive at Laguna"? Now, I make it a rule to make to do my best to help eveyone no matter what the request and to not take personal advantage of the person or his situation- BUT This would be an exception.
I reasoned the best way to help him was to be sure it would work- I offered to do it myself! 

The guy (Peter) in Australia was extremely open and anxious to provide all the information one could want. But what do you ask for and how do you check out the information? Afterall you are about to either travel to a far away place and drive an unknow car or hand your pride and joy vinatge racer over to a complete stranger. 

Pictures of car and drivers are an easy first step.  History of the driver and the car is also a must have as well as a few personal references both on and off the race track. The Internet is a great tool for cross checking everything about everything!  It is simply a matter of spending the time and effort and almost any information can be found.

So in my case I also gave a lot of weight to the numerous exchanges of E-mails between Peter and myself.

I would be driving Peter's 1969 MG Midget that had been prepared by one of the primiere Vintage Car builders in Australia that only had one race on a fresh engine rebuild and I would provide to Peter one of my personal Mini Mania prepared Mini Cooper S. The resulting plan had me driving two different tracks in Australia and Peter would in exhange get to race both at Laguna and Sears Point.

Perhaps it is time to put together a worldwide Internet database of owners and their cars that would like to do the same?  If you are interested or just want to keep in touch with the progress perhaps you can drop me an e-mail at [email protected]. 

I wonder if I can find a Vintage racer for Goodwood next year? =)