Savannah Speed Classic, Part Deux

Yes, yes, I figured I would finally complete my post covering the 2012 Savannah Speed Classic. Well, Friday's practice, that is.

At this point in the day, I had finished my first walk-through of the pit area, so I decided to head further infield to the vendor's area. Immediately, I recognize the fascias of a couple of brand new Ferraris: a California and the -let's just say interesting- FF hatchback.

Behind this display, I spot a beautiful example of my favorite variation of 911: the Targa. And in purple, no less.

In keeping with the trend, I walked over to the Porsche of Hilton Head display, where they had a brand new black-on-red Carrera S convertible. I listened politely as one of the sales reps spewed off a bunch of facts I already knew about the car, then, once he was finished, proceeded to take a seat in the cockpit, imagining I was a wealthy Savannite.

Having seen all I desired to see in the vendor's area, I headed back to the pits in hopes of chatting it up with some more drivers. My intentions were good and soon my apparent curiosity of this Audi sparked some conversation. The man fueling up the car didn't seem too interested in talking, but his wife did, so I listened as she told of adrenaline-filled runs she's had, both as a passenger and a driver. After a while, I learned that the car used to belong to a famous American road-racer, who's name escapes me at the moment. Either way, the race-spec S4 sedan certainly looked the part of a winning machine, and I was sure to thank Dawn and her husband for letting me take some pictures of it.

Going into this event, I had the preconceived notion that all I was going to see were old MG Midgets, Autin Healeys, and Jaguars gracing the pits and subsequently the track as well. I am glad to say that this was not the case. Not that any of these cars are bad cars, far from it. It's just that I enjoy seeing a wide array of unique vehicles when at a racing event; and of course, Porsche 911s.

What I hope to have accomplished in this series of postings is to show that events like the Speed Classic are about so much more than the racing itself. Motor racing is undoubtedly an exciting culmination of sights, smells, and, most importantly, sounds. But at events like this, you can really see the passion, dedication, and camaraderie between drivers, family, and spectators by simply walking around the pits and vendor's areas. I hope these couple of posts have helped you see that if you stop and take a look behind the scenes, you'll find fascinating things and have an even better experience as a result.