The TACH Report: Emmo quits, Classic Car Auction Action, More Fed Recalls.

02/05/97

The reason you saw a new name in last week's column on CART spring practice activity, the driver of the Hogan/Reynard/Mercedes, is that the former chauffeur, Emerson Fittapaldi has called it quits. He didn't look too chipper at the Venturi Cup test session at Las Vegas Speedway two weeks ago. However, he left the door slightly ajar, and I bet we see him in the Indy 500. He sure doesn't need the bread as he has a bunch of businesses plus a zillion orange trees in Argentina, which is where he is promoting a CART race for 1998.

The December Kruse Classic car auction in Newport Beach, Ca saw: an A.C. Bristol, which ordinarily is a very desirable sports car, NOT selling at $40,000 because it had a 289ci Ford stuffed under the hood; a 1955 Healey 100=S had an asking price of $145,000, but the bidding ended at 65 grand, no sale; a 1971 Jaguar XKE went out the door for $23,625, and the owner of a very nice '62 Porsche 356B coupe couldn't get $10,500. Pity. Of the 139 cars on the block 74 were sold for a gross of $695,000.

New Government recalls include:

1995-6 Dodge Neon
180,000 units
Fuel and rear brake line problems

1994-5 Lincoln Town Car
475,000 units
Drivers side air bag installation

1991 Chevrolet Suburban
32,596 units
Bucket seat recliner mechanism.

Rolls Royce has a new head man in Graham Morris recently with Audi.

Hyundai is keeping pace with the world and is developing a 4.5 liter V8 motor.

Fastest speeds at CART spring practice at Homestead, Fla. are:

Jimmy Vasser         188.655
Richie Hearn         187.303
Parker Johnstone     186.784
Raul Boessel         185.698

Still at the bottom are the Toyota powered cars of P.J. Jones and J.M. Fangio at 175 mph. Max Papis in another Toyota engined racer is slightly quicker.

At the NHRA drags qualifying in Pomona, Ca, Joe Amato leads top fuel with a 302.52 mph run.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel

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