When The Fire System Fails

I could see the paint bubbling on the hood, the Lexan windshield melting, and the paint burning off the transmission tunnel

by Colin Comer

Although SCM isn’t a racing publication, a large number of SCMers are vintage racers, including yours truly. A recent racing “close call” has made me rethink a few things in my racing endeavors. I want to share what I discovered so others can learn from my mistakes. The worst that can happen is that you waste a few minutes reading this column; the best is that it may save your life.

I race a 1966 Shelby GT350 B/Production car in the “take no prisoners” Group 6 of Sportscar Vintage Racing Association and the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association. We have a lot of fun going way faster than we should in these over-developed remnants of vintage Trans Am racing. Strapping into a Group 6 car, you know there is a high probability you may bend some metal, swap some paint, or take an off-track excursion when you exceed the limits of drum brakes and bias ply tires,...