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FCA Annual Meet

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Pirro.com

8/13/2022, 9:15:44 AM cet

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Dallas, Texas, 30 May – 3 June

Lone Star State Hosts Annual Meet
In Texas they say everything is BIG, and first impressions upon arrival at Dallas Fort Worth airport confirmed this. The airport complex is vast, with two planes landing and others taking off at the same time, on different runways of course. The host hotel was the five star Omni Mandalay, a fifteen minute drive to the north east of the airport at Las Colinas in the suburb of Irving. Fittingly the Las Colinas symbol is a stallion’s head, and just around the corner from the hotel was the incredibly lifelike ”Mustangs” bronze sculpture featuring nine stallions, mares and foals running through a water feature imitating a river crossing. The flagpoles in the hotel driveway carried the flags of Las Colinas, the national meet flag, the stars and stripes and the tricolour of Italy.

Registration was held at the hotel on Wedneday 30 May, and the BIG theme continued with registrants staggering away from the registration table laden with event memorabilia. This included a folding chair, numbered event poster, a cool bag (very useful in the high 30Cs and low 40Cs temperatures that prevailed throughout), car polish, a beautifully crafted programme and various other items. Within the same room was the ”Trading Post” which had vendors offering a wide range of Ferrari related items from books, clothing, and accessories, to hand built scale models. This was also the venue for the silent auction with lots donated by members and sponsors, with the proceeds going to charity. In the room next to this was a splendid AFAS art exhibition, featuring works in a variety of styles by a number of well known automobile artists, including Ken Dallison, Jay Koka and Barry Rowe.

”Lone Star Guests”
The meet had three star guests, two home grown and one flown in from Italy. The home products were Denise McCluggage, noted race driver and journalist, together with America’s first F1 World Champion (already forty years ago!), the ever young Phil Hill. The Italian element was a real coup for the club, as they had enticed no less a person than Sergio Scaglietti, in his 81st year, to forsake his daily routine, and fly with his grandson Stefano from Modena. His attendance was greatly appreciated by all present and he took to the role with gusto, donning the obligatory ten gallon hat, which he wore with great pride. No doubt the brim also gave him some respite from the fierce sun. Also present later in the week was the President of Ferrari North America, Stuart Robinson, with his wife Ruth.

Cowboy Concours
The Thursday concours was held at the Circle R Ranch about a half hour drive from the hotel, and produced a magnificent and diverse array of Ferrari models both in the concours and display sections, as can be seen from the list of models of particular note. Ferrari of Houston had lassoed a F1 2000 for display, and this proved a tremendously popular attraction, perhaps a sign that F1 is regaining popularity in the United States. Although it bore chassis number 200, the slave steering wheel carried a chassis plate bearing the number 203, although they probably just picked up the nearest available wheel to replace the high tech and monstrously expensive original, which with its quick release mechanism would be easy prey for souvenir hunters. The major concours awards were presented on the field at the end of the afternoon, by the guests of honour, and the chief class judges, with chief judge Ed Gilbertson presiding. The Best of Show award went to the freshly restored 290 MM of Jon & Mary Shirley, with the car proclaimed by Sergio Scaglietti to be his favourite creation, the pontoon fender 250 Testa Rossa of Charles Betz and Fred Peters taking the Best Competition Car award. The 212 Export Vignale Spider of Jeff & Frances Fisher added to its impressive concours tally this year,  with the Classic Ferrari Award, whilst the Strada Automobili award for the car that is driven regularly went to the 250 GT Lusso of Bud Lyon. The day ended with a Texas wine tasting at the ”Trading Post” back at the hotel, where a fine selection of red, white and rose varieties could be imbibed, followed by a live auction with fast talking Texas style auctioneer and the results of the silent auction.

Track Time
The final three days of the event provided plenty of opportunity for participants to indulge in track activity at the Motorsports Ranch facility to the south west of Fort Worth. This private modern facility provides a demanding course for the drivers, but unfortunately doesn’t really cater for spectators, who could see little of the action from the paddock area, whilst there was no access to the perimeter. Art Zafiropoulo put in a large number of laps in his awesome F50 GT1, before handing it to Johnny Rutherford Jnr to get his impressions of the Ferrari racer that was stillborn as far as international competition was concerned. During his time out in the car a 308 GTS decided to blow a coolant hose in a fast turn, with the liquid quickly depositing itself on the rear tyres, resulting in a lurid gyration just in front of the flying Rutherford. From the marshalling area it looked frighteningly close, but he radioed back to say that it wasn’t as close as it looked, and continued for another lap to cool things down. For the ”other halves” who couldn’t face a day wandering around the paddock trying to escape the searing sun, tourist trips were arranged to Dallas on Friday, and Fort Worth on Saturday.

Western Evening
The finale to the Friday was a coach trip to ”Storybook” a cowboy theme town, where fancy dress was optional, and was a theme to which a surprising number of attendees got into the spirit, with some wild and colourful costumes worn by both the ”guys and the gals”. Dinner was a buffet taken in the dirt main street, whilst the authentic saloon served drinks. The gala dinner at the Omni Mandalay was in complete contrast, with place settings and more formal attire, but it was optional, the whole event being very casual. The evening ended with live music from a local band, which proved very popular with a hard core of ”boppers” who shall remain nameless, with the music long overrunning its scheduled midnight shutdown.
Congratulations to Bob & Beverly Smith and their hard working team for putting on a superb 2001 Annual Meet, with a real Texas flavour that will be remembered by participants for years to come.

Event banner
Ferrari 290 MM Scaglietti Spider s/n 0628
Ferrari 250 TR s/n 0666
Ferrari 212 Export Vignale spyder s/n 0090E
Ferrari F1-2000 s/n 200
Ferrari F50 GT1 s/n  001
Ferrari F40 Competizione Conversion s/n 85982
Ferrari 250 LM s/n 5907
Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder s/n 1699GT
Ferrari 212 Inter PF Coupe s/n 0263EU
Dino 206 S(P) s/n 008
Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta s/n 0006M
Ferrari 340 America Touring Berlinetta s/n 0126A
Ferrari 250 GT PF Cabriolets S2 s/n 2737GT and S1 s/n 0789GT, with 250 GT TdF s/n 0563GT
Ferrari 250 LM s/n 5907
Ferrari 330 GTS s/n 10999
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione s/n 14889
Dino 206 GT s/n 10523
Ferrari F333 SP s/n 020
Ferrari Models Of Particular Note In Attendance

Model

Colour Chassis #

166 MM Touring Barchetta

Dk Red 0006M

166 Inter Barchetta Rebody

White 049S/0070S

166 MM Touring Barchetta

Dk Red 0058M

212 Export Berlinetta Vignale

Red-Black 0080E

212 Export Spider Vignale

Black-Dk Green Met’ 0090E

212 Export Touring Barchetta

Dk Red 0100E

340 America Berlinetta Touring

Red 0126A

212 Inter Coupe

Blue Met’-Black 0263EU

250 GT LWB TdF Berlinetta

Pale Blue 0563GT

290 MM Spider

Dk Red 0628

250 TR Spider

Dk Red 0666TR

250 GT PF Cabriolet S1

Black 0789GT

250 GT Coupe Drogo

Red 0977GT

410 Superamerica

Blue 1311SA

250 GT LWB California Spider

Dk Red 1699GT

250 GT PF Cabriolet S2

White 2737GT

250 GTO

Red 3729GT

250 GT Lusso

Red 5433GT

250 LM

Red-Pale Blue 5907

250 LM

Red 6105

275 GTB

Pale Blue Met’ 07293*

275 GTB

Dark Red 07385*

330 GT 2+2

Black 7761

275 GTB

Red 08079

500 Superfast

Dk Blue 8083SF

275 GTS

Dk Red 08631

275 GTB

Red 08729

275 GTB/6C

Dk Blue Met’ 08891

275 GTB/4

Dk Green Met’ 09559

330 GTC

Black 9907

330 GTC

Yellow *

330 GTS

Dk Green 10999

365 GT 2+2

Red 13155

365 GTB/4

Red 14393

365 GTB/4C

Red-White/Blue stripes 14889

365 GTC/4

Silver 15815

365 GTB/4

Lt Red 16777

365 GTB/4

Yellow 16909

288 GTO

Red 57485

288 GTO

Red 57697

F40

Red 74049

F40

Red 85712

F40 Comp’ Conv’

Yellow 85982

F40

Red 92396

F 333 SP

Red-White 018

F 333 SP

Yellow 020

F50 GT1

Red 001

Dino 206 SP

Red 008

Dino 206 GT

Purple Met’ 10523

Dino 206 GT

Yellow 00126

Dino 246GT

Silver 03068

Dino 246 GT

Red 05242

Dino 246 GTS

White 07954

Dino 246 GTS

Dk Red 08292


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Keith Bluemel