Fremont Baylands race pics

[oldskool61]

[pcarney8008]

I miss the ProTurbo days...
Lets make a new class... ProTurbo...
Anyone with me ?

[oldskool61]

man those pro turbo cars were fun to watch.

[Patrick_Nelsen]

I miss the ProTurbo days...
Lets make a new class... ProTurbo...
Anyone with me ?

I believe the class died due to the excessive cost to build cars that were competitive

When I started the class with the help of CB Performance, the rules were fairly simple an allowed nearly anyone to compete.  Floorpan cars, single carb, 1550 pounds with driver and that was pretty much it.

As the cars became more an more elaborate and expensive, more and more people dropped off.  About the time that I sold my car, there were $65k cars being built.  My car cost under $10k to build and paid for itself with winnings.

Eventually there were cars being built in $100k range and the rest of the class became non-competitive.  $50-100k race bugs are a complete waste of money in my opinion.  If you have to throw that much money to be competitive with a Volkswagen, you might have issues.

Would a pro turbo class work again?  Yes, if you keep the clowns with fat wallets out of it.  I predicted the class' demise and it died for th very reasons I've given.   It was a ton of fun while it lasted and I'm certain there are people who will disagree, but facts are facts - when it was a bunch of guys with floorpan cars having fun - the class flourished.  When the barney buck guys came in with their exotic crap that cost enough to build 2 super comp cars, the class died  

[Esky]

Too bad there is not a class of floor pan car's running times like those good old Pro Turbo day's. It's been almost 20 years since then and there still is not a class that fun to watch. If it came back I might build a car myself. Like Pat said, People cant be spending too much money or the class will die. Look how fast those cars were then. Dam it would be nice to see again.

[Kathy Lachance Post]

Bump!

[jimr]

man do i miss baylands and the shows at plesanton fairgrounds.

Me too. Both shows were where I caught the horespower bug.

[stealth67vw]

Me too. I remember Darrel McNulty pulling in to the Pleasanton Fairgrounds with his 1776 W130/IDA engine in his, now Magoo's 65 about 1990-91 and seeing Jim Ratto's fresh 67 parked with the Buggy House pink Ghia and the brown chop top oval with real 8 spokes. The R&R Machine pro stock and Gary Mole's blue Super Beetle pro stock were parked right next to them. Talk about sensory overload for a 15 year old. Jim's 67 was a breathe of fresh air to me and I am glad we have been friends ever since. Most cars of the era had baby Dell'd chrome 1641s, splatter painted wink mirrors, louvered neon firewalls/running boards, pro car seats, Formuling steering wheels and 8 spoke Empi's. Jim's car has remained as it was back then except subtle asthetic changes and obvious engine changes. A true classic look that remains timeless. It was the first true street car I had seen with IDAs and 2000cc+ engine. Most before were just poser show cars that did not drive or even run. Things just have not been the same since.

[snowtaz]

I have a bunch of photos to from baylands. Used to drive over from sac every year.  WOW that was a long time ago.


snotaz

[Patrick_Nelsen]

The funny thing is, the 100k tube chassis cars ended up going about a half a second faster.  I probably should have hung around and mopped up scraps.  I had no idea the tube chassis cars wouldn't even be able to bat the pan record by a second.  I just wasn't willing to put that kind of money into a VW for the size of the purses we were runnin for.

Oh well, sure was fun while it lasted.