The Bear popped over to O’Conner’s Pub last week for an evening of memories, helicopters, personalities, software, hardware and two-time losers in motorsport. Murphy likes Irish pubs, of course, but some, like O’Conner’s, aren’t big on fine wine. Or even not-so-fine. The sweet young thing barkeep had little bottles with screw caps. Merlot. Cabernet? Nope, merlot. Pinot? Nope, merlot. Ok, I’ll have a merlot.
The same week, Murphy heard an Audi driver would be returning to the ALMS. A job swap after Le Mans? Since then, it’s become certain that there will be an old/new R10 driver – or two – after Le Mans. Though it’s one rumor, the Bear doesn’t believe that Audi will go to one North American entry. He thinks that a Scot will partner an Italian in the No. 1 Audi R10 at Lime Rock and for the remainder of the schedule. No job swap will be necessary, since there are no remaining conflicts in the LMS/ALMS schedules. Was this foreseen? Frank was only on a three race plus Le Mans contract.
O’Conner’s wasn’t the end of Murphy’s travels – he was off to Utah for the ALMS’ third visit to the desert track. Mercifully, this race is no longer in August. This was actually the best weather yet. Not beastly (did the bear really write that?) and no wind like last year. Friday after testing, Murphy was off to Tracks Brewing Company, less than ten minutes from Miller Motorsports Park, in Tooele. Tracks has been a favorite since Murphy’s first visit to Miller in 2006. It’s sports bar decor, with weekend entertainment, and race (mostly NASCAR) posters plastered everywhere. Murphy’s not a taxi racing fan, of course, but he likes Tracks. He has to like a place that has Nerve Gas, Germ Warfare, Nuclear Waste, and Beer! for a motto.
Anyway, the Bear had his friend Willy Wolf – just say Villy Voolf – along. Willy is the brew expert, y’all know Murphy’s more into the grape. Willy tells us that draught brewpub fare is limited to 3.2% alcohol by weight in Utah, certainly making the brewmaster’s job more difficult. The wolf started with a Skull Valley stout, a nitro ale, and found it quite good – rich and creamy, with a soft head and a rich chocolate flavor, and only slightly less smooth than a traditional English/Irish stout, a bit of a feat for a 3.2 brew.
He followed with the I.P.A., on the menu here as Incinerator Pale Ale (known more generically as India Pale Ale). It was a nice blend of dry and caramel roasted hops, not over-carbonated (not too fizzy for those of you with a less schooled beer palate), smooth and sharp on the tongue without a bitter after taste. Murphy had Light Rail Ale, the moniker doesn’t mean a Bud Light, but rather (according to Tracks’ own description) a lightly hopped, light bodied, American Light Lager with a nice malty finish, smooth going down. You might think of an even gentler and smoother Warsteiner. If you’re Joe Sixpack, this would be your Tracks brew.
On Saturday, Murphy, Willy, and Gus the Gator went with Walter the Walrus to his favorite, the Salt Lake City Brewing Company, aka Squatters. Murphy’s got to be honest, as much as he’s a bear-about-town, there’s real and there’s pretentious, and Squatters is the latter. Call its decor yuppie barn or trendy warehouse. It was packed with those trendy types of course. While waiting for a table, the bartender got our order wrong. Unfortunately the lousy start, it kept getting worse. The pint draughts were $4.85 (3 bucks at Tracks), the menu was ok, but as pretentious as the decor. Willy ordered the nitro stout. Despite its description as “smooth as silk, full of flavor with a big multi finish…” this one was harsh, over-carbonated, with a weak head and a non-descript flavor. Murphy had the Provo Girl, billed as a German style pilsner, it was drinkable, but undistinguished, not up to its St. Pauli Girl play on words moniker. Willy tried the I.P.A., claimed to have been voted the best English style India Pale Ale in America. It’s bottled, allowing it to be 6% alcohol – better, but still about 5% short of an I.P.A brewed anywhere but Utah, this one had a good flavor of hopiness, but it still didn’t deliver complete happiness.
Needless to say, after the race we were back at Tracks. Not everything was perfect of course, they couldn’t get Murphy’s Light Rail Ale to pour, so Murphy had the Hoghead Hefeweisen, which was good enough to re-order. Gus the Gator tried the Belgian style Apricot Ale, found it a little too fruity, and settled for Bud Light in the fancy new blue aluminum bottle the rest of the night.
The Bear wasn’t settled in for long when he heard, “Are you Murphy the Bear?” It was Tom from Washington, who came to Tracks with his friend Bob Saturday and Sunday, just to meet Murphy, who’d mentioned it in a previous column. Well, of course Tom and Bob joined Murphy, Gus, and Willy, and we all talked world class sports car racing – except when Track’s hostess came over and gave the Bear a big hug and kiss. Blue eyed brunette. Ol’ Murphy doesn’t mind admitting he’s a babe magnet.
There’s been a bit of buzz – much ado about nothing, actually – about an ALMS/Grand Am “merger.” Seems to come up about once a year, invariably from Daytona. Not effin likely, as they say. Two different series that co-exist amicably? Hardly that either. Murphy believes there have been at least six ALMS entries prevented by the direct intervention of the gang from Daytona.
Murphy’s been told that the de Ferran engine at Miller was a development, or “Evo” motor. That would mean that all four Acura entries will be closer to or at the new team’s pace at Lime Rock; and Porsche and Audi….
The American Le Mans Series stuck tightly to its rules in Utah. The message was clear, “If your driver goes off to drive somewhere else and doesn’t participate in a qualified session before the race, your car is going to the back of the grid. No slack.”
D.C. will be a headliner on a new radio show, “Road Racing in America.” The show will mostly cover one series and be carried on one 1,000 watt am station, WROD 1340. It’s good that station reaches 90% of that series’ fan base, isn’t it?
A “high series official” was heard speculating that there could be “six new entries after Le Mans…or four, or two. Murphy can come up with some of them, he thinks. There’s the alternate fuel entry that Tim mentioned at Long Beach. Another Ford GT. That’s two. The Bell Aston returns – maybe. Three, then. Throw in a couple of Petit entries the official expects and that would be five, wouldn’t it? Does that take the air out of the story?
The way things are now, a current Acura team won’t be back in 2009. It seems there’s some difference of opinion on expenditures. If that happens, will Acura replace it? An LMP2 team that hasn’t started a race has no testing restrictions. But there are no restrictions on testing an LMP1 at all – even if you’re a current LMP2 team. The Bear thinks it will be a good idea to keep an eye on remote road courses, perhaps in or near Southern California.
While it seems that one less Acura team is possible, Murphy heard in the paddock that Mazda plans a second car in 2009. Ya think they’ll get this one going first?
Personal to D: Real men do shed tears. Good luck in your upcoming debut. The Bear will send that photograph.
Tags: Acura, Audi drivers, brewpub, Gus the Gator, merger, merlot, Squatters, Tracks, Utah Grand Prix, Willy Wolf
There’s a place down near Lime Rock called The Woodlands… the bear should check it out. As well as Serevan, a quiet place in Amenia NY, about 20 minutes from the track. Great selections of wines as well as beers, and the food is unmatched in the area. I won’t bother the bear with the rest of my suggestions unless hes interested
Wow, your weekend was like ours, day at the track, evening at a brew pub. Friday we hit Red Rock (lots of tattoo’d employees, pretty good food and beer) and Squatters, agreed on this one. Tracks was Saturday evening, very good food and the IPA was tasty. Then Sunday evening (since we couldn’t get a convenient flight until Monday am), we went to Trolley Square downtown to Desert Edge brewery, where once again we were pleased by food, beer and service, and another cool motto “3.2 and proud of it.” Cheers.
“The way things are now, a current Acura team won’t be back in 2009. It seems there’s some difference of opinion on expenditures. ”
What does that mean in fluffy bear language…………the Team got the money and used it for other than racing purposes?………….or they didn’t get the money and couldn’t use it for other purposes!?
If the Bear wanted you to know more, he would have provided more. There is a line not to be crossed. Not everything is appropriate for publication.
Murphy actually spends some time on the language he uses, and even then occasionally doesn’t get it exactly right. But he does consider carefully what should be written and what should not.
Perhaps the problem will be resolved. If so, it will be a good thing that nothing more was said.
The bear should check out the Commerical Break in Tropical Neenah when he visits Road America this year – always a good time.