Dave Watling
July 28th, 2002, 03:42 AM
Just thought I'd share with you all how I came to have my first ride in a Stratos, happened only yesterday but will stay with me for life.
Well I amazed myself and managed to get out of bed at 3.30am to make the trip from Carlisle to Castle Combe for the Rallyday. I currently own a Scooby (Impreza Turbo) so the trip down was reasonably quick ;) met up with a few other Scoobies who showed me a shortcut to the circuit which was good since the M4 was at a standstill (how do you put up with all that traffic?) On arriving I even managed to get a free pass into the circuit, driving a Scooby does have its compensations. Once parked, I started to walk up towards to the competitor’s area.
Wow, having only every seen a stratos in pictures does not prepare you for how they look in the flesh. God you lot are so lucky. Short, squat and beautiful, Gandini certainly did a good job the day he penciled that shape.
Introduced myself to Ken and Chris (sorry didn't get your surnames), and Ken let me have a sit in his Rothman's car, which is very well prepared. Getting in wasn’t a problem although you have to open the door very wide, which may create problems getting out on my driveway. There is plenty of room inside, apart from the pedals so I've added a set of race boots to the list of bits required. Then I met Paul Hassal with his Alitalia GP4 car, who I must say is a top bloke, since he sorted out for me to sit in his car during the parade laps.
So we are queued up, sitting idling, waiting for the police Mitsubishi Evo VII (!) to guide us all round the track, people are taking photos, Paul is trying to fix a rear mirror to the windscreen since it fell off, and all I’m thinking is OH MY GOD I’M IN A STRATOS :D It was one of those life moments that will be with me forever (bit like the first time I put my foot down in my Scooby and my expression was a mixture of a smile and abject terror). Then we were off, slowly out onto the circuit, a wailing V6 in front and a tuned beta just behind my ears. The pace was quite quick at the front, but Paul was saving his hard to get rear tyres (345x35x15 you know the ones) so we both watched as the V6’s moved away and I sat back soaking up what being in a Stratos is really like. Too soon it was all over and as I clambered out I realised that the Scooby will have to go, yes it is a faster car and can carry 4 passengers. But its not a Stratos, its as simple as that.
So I’d just like to say thanks again to everyone I met especially Paul, who have made up my mind that what my garage needs is a small little 1970’s Italian number.
Well I amazed myself and managed to get out of bed at 3.30am to make the trip from Carlisle to Castle Combe for the Rallyday. I currently own a Scooby (Impreza Turbo) so the trip down was reasonably quick ;) met up with a few other Scoobies who showed me a shortcut to the circuit which was good since the M4 was at a standstill (how do you put up with all that traffic?) On arriving I even managed to get a free pass into the circuit, driving a Scooby does have its compensations. Once parked, I started to walk up towards to the competitor’s area.
Wow, having only every seen a stratos in pictures does not prepare you for how they look in the flesh. God you lot are so lucky. Short, squat and beautiful, Gandini certainly did a good job the day he penciled that shape.
Introduced myself to Ken and Chris (sorry didn't get your surnames), and Ken let me have a sit in his Rothman's car, which is very well prepared. Getting in wasn’t a problem although you have to open the door very wide, which may create problems getting out on my driveway. There is plenty of room inside, apart from the pedals so I've added a set of race boots to the list of bits required. Then I met Paul Hassal with his Alitalia GP4 car, who I must say is a top bloke, since he sorted out for me to sit in his car during the parade laps.
So we are queued up, sitting idling, waiting for the police Mitsubishi Evo VII (!) to guide us all round the track, people are taking photos, Paul is trying to fix a rear mirror to the windscreen since it fell off, and all I’m thinking is OH MY GOD I’M IN A STRATOS :D It was one of those life moments that will be with me forever (bit like the first time I put my foot down in my Scooby and my expression was a mixture of a smile and abject terror). Then we were off, slowly out onto the circuit, a wailing V6 in front and a tuned beta just behind my ears. The pace was quite quick at the front, but Paul was saving his hard to get rear tyres (345x35x15 you know the ones) so we both watched as the V6’s moved away and I sat back soaking up what being in a Stratos is really like. Too soon it was all over and as I clambered out I realised that the Scooby will have to go, yes it is a faster car and can carry 4 passengers. But its not a Stratos, its as simple as that.
So I’d just like to say thanks again to everyone I met especially Paul, who have made up my mind that what my garage needs is a small little 1970’s Italian number.