a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Kevin · 10-06-2012

Those of us who have been around the zr-1 for some time will know the name Bill Cooper, those of us who are students of c4 history will know not only Bill's name but also Stu Hayner. I was fortunate enough to meet both of these corvette racing legends.

A bit of back story on how this happened. A friend of mine owns an LFA and lexus had rented Laguna Seca for some purpose, the rumor is that they were going to show off the prototype LFA's that have been pounding around the Ring but then decided to stuff them in storage. Either way they still had the track time so they decided to invite the owners out to Laguna and gave them the option of shipping their car out or using one of the corporate LFA's to go around in. My friend shipped her LFA out and she asked me to go along. What am I gona say, no?

We flew out wednesday for a cocktail party/dinner that lexus paid for where I met Scott Pruett, we chatted a bit about the track we'd be driving tomorrow and what a nice gentleman he is. Thursday was track day, my friend was so excited to see her baby that we got to the track before most of the lexus reps, however Scott beat us there and I think Stu did also.

The morning consisted of my taking pictures, breakfast, "drivers meeting" and sight in laps for the owners. After that they put the owners in IS-F's and sent them around with pro drivers and instructors, I was told to hop in by one of the lexus reps and jumped in a car with a pro driver and an owner of an LFA, I was in the back. As the driver was taking us around, showing us the line, braking points, where to turn in for the corkscrew, ect, the driver was asked if he was an instructor at the track and he responded that no, he was in fact a racing driver and that he started in corvette challenge, I asked his name....I was ridding with Stu Hayner! my response was something along the lines of "HOLY **** YOU'RE STU HAYNER?!" I proceeded to tell him that I had a zr-1, knew Jim, watched him in corvette challenge ect. He then told me that Bill Cooper was there too. We pulled into the pits, and he motioned bill cooper over and introduced me, we exchanged pleasantries and continued with the day.

After lunch I made sure to find Bill and introduce myself properly and tell him how I knew Jim and we talked zr-1 racing for a while before my asking for a lap around the track with and he said sure, grab a helmet and lets go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6wS...4&feature=plcp

I was able to do about 10 laps of the track with a lexus rep in an IS-F and I ended the day going around the track with Stu in a yellow LFA. It was fantastic

thanks for reading

tpr60 · 10-06-2012

Wish I had known, I only live 20 minutes form Laguna.

Kevin · 10-06-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tpr60

Wish I had known, I only live 20 minutes form Laguna.

this was last month. would have been nice to meet up with some other zr-1ers though.

WB9MCW · 10-06-2012

Great vid Kev thanks for the entertainment!

mgg · 10-07-2012

I probably should not post this but I feel obligated to do so. I was instructing for an AMG Mercedes event at Summit Point several years ago. Along with David Hobbs ( super nice guy) was a host of professional drivers featured at the event. Bill Cooper was there and I was so excited to get to meet him and talk with him. Since I had been racing a Corvette for a long time and had followed Pirate Racing very closely I could not wait to get to talk with Bill. Well let me tell you. I wish I had never met the guy. Two of my close friends who also race corvettes expressed the same thing. Not only was Mr. Cooper unapproachable, I personally saw him side swipe a Van in the parking lot right in front of us with a brand new aluminum trailer that he had asked an instructor who was there if he could use to move the Mercedes F1 car they had there for a promotion. Totally screwed up the trailer a van and a car and never said a word. I was absolutely disgusted. The guy was a complete jerk. It really bothered me that here was a guy that I had rooted for and respected for all of these years and then to see what type of person he really is made me sick. Bill Cooper, not any more. I don't care that he drove a C4 and was a very successful corvette racer, he truly showed what kind of person he was to myself and my friends who were instructing at that event that weekend.

Kevin · 10-07-2012

I found Bill to be a little...private when I fist started talking to him after lunch. Earlier in the day after I found out Bill was there I emailed Jim to see if there was anything that he wanted me to tell Bill. After he found out I knew Jim he was more friendly. It is a shame he acted like that, no call for it

10-06-2012	#1
Kevin Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 4,632	a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper Those of us who have been around the zr-1 for some time will know the name Bill Cooper, those of us who are students of c4 history will know not only Bill's name but also Stu Hayner. I was fortunate enough to meet both of these corvette racing legends. A bit of back story on how this happened. A friend of mine owns an LFA and lexus had rented Laguna Seca for some purpose, the rumor is that they were going to show off the prototype LFA's that have been pounding around the Ring but then decided to stuff them in storage. Either way they still had the track time so they decided to invite the owners out to Laguna and gave them the option of shipping their car out or using one of the corporate LFA's to go around in. My friend shipped her LFA out and she asked me to go along. What am I gona say, no? We flew out wednesday for a cocktail party/dinner that lexus paid for where I met Scott Pruett, we chatted a bit about the track we'd be driving tomorrow and what a nice gentleman he is. Thursday was track day, my friend was so excited to see her baby that we got to the track before most of the lexus reps, however Scott beat us there and I think Stu did also. The morning consisted of my taking pictures, breakfast, "drivers meeting" and sight in laps for the owners. After that they put the owners in IS-F's and sent them around with pro drivers and instructors, I was told to hop in by one of the lexus reps and jumped in a car with a pro driver and an owner of an LFA, I was in the back. As the driver was taking us around, showing us the line, braking points, where to turn in for the corkscrew, ect, the driver was asked if he was an instructor at the track and he responded that no, he was in fact a racing driver and that he started in corvette challenge, I asked his name....I was ridding with Stu Hayner! my response was something along the lines of "HOLY **** YOU'RE STU HAYNER?!" I proceeded to tell him that I had a zr-1, knew Jim, watched him in corvette challenge ect. He then told me that Bill Cooper was there too. We pulled into the pits, and he motioned bill cooper over and introduced me, we exchanged pleasantries and continued with the day. After lunch I made sure to find Bill and introduce myself properly and tell him how I knew Jim and we talked zr-1 racing for a while before my asking for a lap around the track with and he said sure, grab a helmet and lets go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6wS...4&feature=plcp I was able to do about 10 laps of the track with a lexus rep in an IS-F and I ended the day going around the track with Stu in a yellow LFA. It was fantastic thanks for reading __________________ It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B"

10-06-2012	#2
tpr60 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Salinas, Ca Posts: 160	Re: a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper Wish I had known, I only live 20 minutes form Laguna.

10-06-2012	#4
WB9MCW Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: McHenry, Il. Posts: 6,607	Re: a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper Great vid Kev thanks for the entertainment! __________________ http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...9mcw/SIG-2.jpg http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o128/wb9mcw/vcm.gif "The Budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome will become bankrupt. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance." - Cicero, 55 BC " We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." - Abraham Lincoln

10-07-2012	#5
mgg Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Hamilton, Va. Posts: 113	Re: a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper I probably should not post this but I feel obligated to do so. I was instructing for an AMG Mercedes event at Summit Point several years ago. Along with David Hobbs ( super nice guy) was a host of professional drivers featured at the event. Bill Cooper was there and I was so excited to get to meet him and talk with him. Since I had been racing a Corvette for a long time and had followed Pirate Racing very closely I could not wait to get to talk with Bill. Well let me tell you. I wish I had never met the guy. Two of my close friends who also race corvettes expressed the same thing. Not only was Mr. Cooper unapproachable, I personally saw him side swipe a Van in the parking lot right in front of us with a brand new aluminum trailer that he had asked an instructor who was there if he could use to move the Mercedes F1 car they had there for a promotion. Totally screwed up the trailer a van and a car and never said a word. I was absolutely disgusted. The guy was a complete jerk. It really bothered me that here was a guy that I had rooted for and respected for all of these years and then to see what type of person he really is made me sick. Bill Cooper, not any more. I don't care that he drove a C4 and was a very successful corvette racer, he truly showed what kind of person he was to myself and my friends who were instructing at that event that weekend.

10-07-2012	#6
Kevin Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: pittsburgh Posts: 4,632	Re: a lap of laguna seca with bill cooper I found Bill to be a little...private when I fist started talking to him after lunch. Earlier in the day after I found out Bill was there I emailed Jim to see if there was anything that he wanted me to tell Bill. After he found out I knew Jim he was more friendly. It is a shame he acted like that, no call for it __________________ It's not the car, it's the people - Doug Johnson 90 r/r "KEYS ON" nick named "T.L.B"