The "Good Ole Days" were incredibly more so

Racing technology has progressed a long way over the past 100 years. It's hard to believe that in this day and age of HANS devices, carbon fiber monocoque and energy absorbing barriers that there was once a time when men drove without seat belts or helmets. As safety features have change so too has the attitude of racing drivers. Nothing illustrates this more than when former drivers from the "golden age of racing" set foot inside a modern racing machine.

Porsche 917c

The February 2007 Road and Track features an article on the Porsche RS Spyder in which sports car racing legend Brian Redman takes the car for a test drive. Redman won Targa Florio, the 12 Hours of Sebring twice, and was the last person to "drive the almighty Porsche 917-30 Can-Am car in anger". The drive took place at Porsche's Weissach test facility under the watchful eye of Porsche Motorsport boss Hartmut Kristen as well as ALMS series driver Sascha Maassen.

The state of the art car is slated to be sold as a customer car for competition in the ALMS, LMS and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Redman was quickly able to bring the car up to speed and remarked that it was "fast, safe with the traditional Porsche reliability.. an excellent customer race car."

Porsche RS Spyder

The 2007 version of the RS Spyder features a 470 HP V-8 engine and weighs a mere 1709 lbs. Though the car has less horsepower than the Porsche 917 Redman drove at Le Mans, the car is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph due to it's streamlined design. Also because of excessive aerodynamic grip and carbon brakes the RS Spyder can easily out corner its predecessors. However the major improvement is in the safety and reliability of the car. In a final closing thought Redman waxes philosophic about the nature of modern sports car racing and how things have changed since the days when cars broke in half, flew through the air and caught fire at the slightest opportunity. Though he's lost friends over the years, Redman reckons that he wouldn't trade places with the current crop of competitors.

It's obvious from Brian Redman's enthusiasm that the new Porsche RS Spyder is an easier, more forgiving and safer car to drive. But does that make the racing any better? Some would say that because these modern cars are easier to drive they likewise require less talent to pilot. While this may be true to a point it neglects the fact that in the ultra competitive environment of modern racing a skilled driver is still required to not only go fast, but to avoid trouble and think quickly and correctly.

The major advantage that modern racing has over the bygone era is obviously safety. In no way is it good for a sport when every year several competitors are killed at the track. While it's true that less apparent risk causes competitors to push a little further toward the edge, it also insulates the fans from the realization that racing is essentially a risky sport. This can be both a good thing and bad thing, especially when the tragic and unthinkable occurs. Still, I'd wager that because of all of these things modern racing is no less or no more interesting that in days gone by. It's just different.