Podcast - Tim Ritchie
At La Carrera Panamericana 2007, the Volvo 444 before they crunched 3 of 4 corners and needed a mechanic miracle.
On the podcast this month I had the pleasure to sit down with auto technician extraordinaire Tim Ritchie. Tim heads up Vintage Racing Services in Stratford, CT. VRS is the racing side of Automotive Restorations Inc., one of America’s premier restorers of vintage and historic cars.
Tim has been building and preparing race and rally cars for nearly 30 years. He’s been involved with La Carrera Panamericana since VRS sent its first car to Mexico in 1992.
To say Tim’s knowledge of the Carrera runs deep is as great an understatement as saying an F1 car is merely quick. His knowledge of the rally, how to prepare the car, how to preserve the car over seven days of racing, and what it takes to win it goes deeper than deep.
He’s shepherded numerous cars through each kilometer of the Mexican classic. He’s kept their drivers and engines running fast and cool, and he’s put them back together with late-night mechanic miracles when luck runs out and the Carrera bites back.
Tim would tell you his job, his love, is to make sure the car carries on, no matter what. What driver wouldn’t want such a mench on his Carrera crew. I know I do.