2006
Brian Redman
Jefferson 500

  • Jol's 1973 Chevron B23 leads Bob Kullas in his B16
    Photo: Matt Benedict

New Season,
Old Friends
By: Jol Dantzig

Brian Redman's Jefferson 500 at Summit Point was something I'd been anxiously looking forward to. Last year, this event had been my first race experience in the Chevron B23, and I'd had a wonderful time. Although it had been eight months since I'd turned a lap in the car, I was sure that the guys at Lee Chapman Racing (who look after my car) had it ready to go, so it was really up to me to pick up from where I'd left off last fall at the Lime Rock Vintage Festival.

After checking in at the hotel I met up with Lee and his crew guys, Wayne and Chuck. As we were headed out to dinner Wayne noticed the door to James Redman's room was open, and his dog was darting across the courtyard. She had figured out how to open the door, and was now on the loose! A 45 minute chase ensued as we all split up and combed the neighborhood. Little did we know that she was back in the room, probably laughing at us.


"Positive Vibes" on Friday Morning

Friday's Practice

Friday's weather didn't look like it was going to cooperate much, and it was cool enough for jackets. Out on the track first was Ed Mettleman. Ed and Lee were racing a Lotus 47, and its new motor was making it go better than ever. Ed lapped several seconds faster than his previous times, so their chances for the race were looking extremely good.

When the time came for me to go out it wasn't raining but the clouds were threatening. No problem, the first session was really for getting reaquainted

with the car and picking out my visual cues on the track. My reaction when I put my foot down the first time on the back straight was "what the hell am I thinking" as the car was blindingly fast. Normally, each season starts out with a test day in my 914GT which I am quite familiar with. There are the usual reservations the first time out, but I get over them quickly and just get on with driving the car. This time, my first lap of the season was in the little blue monster and it was quite a shock! I wouldn't say I was terrified, but it was a breathtaking experience for sure. I did a handful of careful laps and then came in, really questioning my sanity.


Lee prepares the Lotus 47 he
drove with Ed Mettleman

As predicted, the next practice session was better and the car was feeling great. The fastest guys were still coming past me, so I employed the technique of watching and learning. I would follow another Chevron or a Lola into a corner watching the brake and turn in points to compare them to mine. It's one thing to know intellectually that the car is capable of something, and quite another to actually do it! The little brain in my foot was unconvinced when told to push harder in the corners! You really have to respect the guys who do this all the time and are quick from the first lap—it's where art, science and sport all collide.

Despite the argument between head and foot, the car was great fun to drive. I felt fortunate to be racing such an amazing car with this group of people. Everything about it—the sounds, the smells, the sights and the atmosphere, reminded me that since I was a kid this is what I've always wanted to do.

Qualifying

I wasn't too worried about qualifying, but I also didn't want to get left behind as it seemed like there would be a couple of cars in the field I could race with. After a few warm up laps Larry Kessler's yellow Chevron passed me so I turned it up a notch and did what felt like a solid lap behind him. I rolled into the paddock and parked it satisfied that I had done OK. Sure enough, I'd shaved nine secconds off my time from the day before and had actually qualified faster than Larry.

Saturday's Race

My race was the John Wyer Cup, which is a two-hour enduro, run in two, one-hour segments, the first on Saturday and the second on Sunday. Last year I could barely climb out of the car for the mandatory pit stops, but I'd been preparing all winter with my trainer Tim Calder, so I was anxious to see if things would go better.


The 47 went great Saturday...
until the head gasket blew

The start of the race had the field strung out quite a bit, and I lost touch with some of the cars in front of me, and Larry Kessler got by me as well. I just settled in, and tried to find a good rhythm because an hour is a long time. There was a small vibration in the front, but I wasn't sure if it was anything to worry about. As the laps went by, I got quicker and quicker, eventually catching Kessler. I followed close behind, enjoying the slow-motion effect that close racing and concentration creates. I felt that I could carry a little more speed through the last turn, but was too close to to Larry to do it, and I couldn't make a pass on the straight because we were

Continued here
©2005 Dantzig Design Shannon's Helmet Project.