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Daytona

Rolex

04/02/2001

Pumpelly Constant

Mid Field And Moving

©Andrew S. Hartwell

A 25 year old, spirited competitor, Spencer Pumpelly assembled his team of equally enthusiastic personnel – including the employment of his father, Tom Pumpelly to co-drive – and collected up the financing needed to go chasing a Rolex watch. Most sane folk would agree that, a trip to the jewelers to buy the watch would be the more economically viable alternative to thrashing around in a Florida rainstorm behind equally possessed – and bare-wristed – souls. But race drivers aren’t always sane, just talented. And Pumpelly’s talent is out on display right now, in the wet and cold dark of night.

But the trial to endure began early for the #34 GT Porsche.

“On lap 15, coming off Nascar turn two, there was a big bang when the left rear tire blew out. I nursed the car around but it took a long time to get back to the pits. We lost at least two laps right there. Then we worried about the next set of tires so we were cautious but we have kept the car moving around the racetrack. We have been on the track, except for scheduled stops, ever since the tire blew.”

The car suffered damage to the rear bodywork, taking a good portion of the below the belt line area. But the car hasn’t stopped putting in laps and that is the essential ingredient in any successful finish of an endurance contest.

And when you go for the gold, it isn’t helpful to have any obstacles beyond the fatigue inherent in a 24-hour event. “In my first stint, the speed limiter snapped on and off so violently it actually broke second gear. We have been running without 2nd gear almost the whole race. Speed wise where we lose it to some of the other cars is where we come off the horseshoe. The rest of the track I don’t think there is anybody out there who is running quicker than our car. And we are doing so well I almost forgot that we don’t have second!

Around the 15th hour, I asked Pumpelly what would constitute a good day in lieu of a Rolex on his wrist. He replied, "Well, it’s not too late to rule out the watch yet!”