Ciao! I am happy to write an article about this year’s first COMSCC event at NHIS (April 8 and 9). Since it will also appear in COMSCC’s Drift newsletter, I will equally educate some of our COMSCC friends about what Alfa has done for Miatas in more ways than one.

First a bit of history: In 1954, Alfa Romeo launched a model called the Giulietta, the design for which Pininfarina won the award, and it of course went on to become a very popular model. But another designer, named Bertone, also made a prototype of the Giulietta. The story goes that Mazda copied the Bertone-designed Giulietta to create the Miata (see the photo).

So every time COMSCC’s John Spain calls for a Miata Cup here, or prizes for Miata drivers there, I cringe. I am also happy that all those Miata drivers are actually driving “fake” Alfas (little did they know about this). I stay true to the marque, regardless of how old the car is. In addition, I stay true to Alfas designed by Bertone, which also created the GTV model.

The two-day event consisted of a practice/student session on Saturday, followed by a practice session on Sunday morning and the time trial race in the afternoon. The configuration was Chicane/Chicane, a safe option given that most of us had not raced since the last event in November 2005 at Lime Rock.

This year, I treated my GTV to new Koni sport shocks, realizing that there will still be body roll, but at least with the Konis I should have less fatigue form the shock absorbers. I noticed a considerable improvement in the handling and I was very consistent running in the 1:30 range, with a couple of laps on the 1:29s. These are good times for the SSB class (the record is 1:28.250 in 2001 by a fake Alfa!).

For the afternoon’s time trial race, my three fast laps were fairly consistent (same as I did all day long), with minor corrections in braking and the cornering of turn 6. I knew I did well (in the 1:30 range), given that I was consistent all day (that’s the name of the game: consistency). I also knew that my competitor friend Dennis Friedman (in a fake Alfa) was also good and we ran very close in times.

I often wonder if I should ask for a handicap, since I’m driving a car that is probably older than most COMSCC members (my 1973 Alfa), but Alfas are meant to be driven. Also, could the Alfa qualify as being part of the Miata Cup? After all, Miatas are fake Alfas, and I think mine should command a “Position d’Honneur”…

At the end of the day, the result came in: 1.30.428 for second place and 1:30.323 for first place—the little red Alfa. Great race for Dennis and me. That was close!

After the event, there was still time to drive on the track. Nate Hine and Carl Fossum each had asked if they could drive my car. They have always admired how that car runs, with its body roll, and wondered how it handled at the track. Now they got a chance to drive it. Their impressions:

This car took me back to my youth: my first sports car was a 1961 Alfa Giulietta Sprint, and I drove a few other Alfas while earning college money as a car mechanic. The body roll, the happy 4-cylinder, the wrap-your-arms-around-themselves-twice steering ratio, the long, raked shift lever - all those lovely Alfa qualities! And yet this car can really get around the corners, especially in the hands of a driver like Stephan who is more interested in its fun factor than its museum potential. Bounding, grinding, grumbling (can cars swear?) - and keeping right up there with the young upstarts!” - Nate Hine (COMSCC Chief Steward and co-owner of driversupply.com)

As I slid into the driver’s seat of the GTV 2000, I was welcomed with the same kind of comfort and familiarity as if I were visiting with an old friend. Although most of us are driving newer vehicles, there is a certain security in being reminded of the time when the mission of a sports coupe was clearer. The position of the driver in relation to the controls and the view outside were such that I could quickly become calibrated to the car. The body roll we experienced in the first chicane was pronounced, but not at all alarming. I learned to adapt to the lean with confidence. Once she settled into the corner, I was amazed at how I could put the power down, even in an off camber turn like NHIS’s turn 9. The accurate shift lever and smooth clutch just encouraged more usage, and it’s a good thing because we all got exercised in the six laps we took. As we pulled into the pits, the engine was still humming a happy tune even after a long day of work. Thank you, Stephan, for allowing me such a unique and enjoyable experience! - Carl Fossum (COMSCC Chief Instructor)

So to borrow the phrase from my friend Nicola who works at Segway in Parma, Italy, “Vinci per Noi”!

Special thanks for my lovely wife Wendy, who again let me race and took care of the boys all weekend long while I was working hard on the Alfa.

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