Ferrari Mailing List: Phil and Ferrari Bubba

[Dick Petrick (rtpetrick]

I enjoy the List, at least when the submissions talk about actual Ferraris,
and not watches, computer programs, and women in Tubi tee-shirts. Here is my
contribution to the Ferrari lore that Phil is looking for. My memory is not
as good as it used to be, so I may miss some details.

I was a single parent child, born and raised in southern Wisconsin. My
mother set out to be both mother and father to me. Shortly after Road
America opened, my mother decided that we needed to see a sports car race.
So, in 1955, I was at Road America to see Phil Hill, in a 750 Monza, hold
off Sherwood Johnston in a D-Jag. At the start, there were 2 D-Jags in the
front row. The second row had another D-Jag and Phil's 750 Monza. They
dropped the flag and Phil squirted out between the two D-Jags in the first
row, out-dragged them, and probably out-braked them, into the first corner.
The race was hotly contested, but Phil won it, crossing the finish line just
ahead of Johnston. At the time, I was 11 years old, liked the MG TF, and had
never heard of Ferrari. I said to my mother "Someday, I am going to own one
of those Ferrari's." About 47 admiring years later, I bought a Testarossa. I
have no allegiance to any particular Ferrari model. I love them all and
would be happy with any one of them. I bought the TR at Clyde's prices, so
it was a good deal...shitbox notwithstanding.  So that is my story and I'm
stickin' to it. 

 

Regards