46 » OpenRoad Driver
love cruising around in that. However, the car currently sitting in the
garage is a 1993 Mazda RX-7. It has a single-turbo conversion and
countless other modifications, making it a beast to drive. My kind of
fun!
As we walk the track with Villeneuve and listen to his vision, I start
to understand the complexity and psychology of racing. Villeneuve
describes Area 27, “I’ve raced on a lot of tracks and I wanted this
track to be a combination of technical sections transitioning to
less technical sections that will ultimately challenge drivers of all
capabilities.” Villeneuve’s design intent is very deliberate and it’s
about the driver. There is very little talk about what cars can do what.
We arrive at the final corner just before the home straight. Our
co-host for the day and driving force behind Area 27, Bill Drossos,
stops to describe the turn to Scott and me. Looking up ahead to
the corner, Drossos says, “Before entering the home straight you’ll
approach this corner and some cars will be able to go flat out, and
others will want to slow down a little.” Just as he finishes, Villeneuve
chimes in with his interpretation, “Bill, or should we say some
drivers will be able to go flat out, some drivers will want to slow
down.” We walk down the home straight wondering what we’d do
on that corner when the track is built.
Photo by Ben Lovie
At the end of the walk we brush the sand from our eyes and it’s
clear for al l to see that the future of Area 27 looks one step closer to
reality. I leave Hargrove that evening as he gets up on stage at the
Members dinner for a Q&A with Villeneuve. In front of a room full
of race car fans, Hargrove settles into a series of inquisitive questions
for Villeneuve. I am sure when Hargrove left the stage that night,
he left hoping one day that a young driver might ask him the same
questions.