On Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at 12:30 AM, Doug Odom wrote:
> The tires and wheel weigh about 60 pounds. Steel wheels with a inner
> linner, tire in a tire. A full gas can weighs about 88 pounds. Been
> there, done that, for a lot less than 100k. Doug Odom in big ditch
I never hefted a NASCAR wheel/tire, but way back in 1961 (you "old
timers" can debate whether 45 years ago qualifies as "way back"), when
I was in the garages at Indy 500 time trials -- I had the opportunity
to pick up a wheel/tire for one of those cars. Damn near threw the
thing in the air when I lifted it -- I expected 50#, it must have been
about 10#!
And that was 1961, when the little green Lola was the ONLY rear-engine
car, and the Novi was running.
The Novi was something to see, too -- Andy Granatelli would stand there
while the engine was fired up, he'd point at the oil filler, the
mechanics would scurry and dump in three or four cans of STP. They'd
run the engine for a minute and shut down -- Andy'd say: "New plugs!"
They'd swap out all 16 plugs, repeat the run-for-a-minute process and
shut off, Andy'd say: "Track Plugs!", and they'd toss 16 plugs with one
minute on 'em into the trash and put in 16 new plugs -- different heat
range.
The Novi was something to watch, though -- during the race most of the
cars would come out of Turn 4 and jockey for position and try to make a
pass on the front straight. The Novi would be in the pack (but you
could tell exactly where with your eyes closed, it was so much louder),
come through the turn all squirrely, the driver would get on the gas
and pass about 8 cars on the straight -- then hit the brakes hard
'cause the car wouldn't turn worth a damn, and at least seven of the
cars he'd just passed would get by in the corner/on the brakes.
Some other time maybe I'll remember about the time I saw the turbine
car running (and breaking), but that's another story.
Jon Wennerberg
Seldom Seen Slim Land Speed Racing
Marquette, Michigan
(that's 'way up north)
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