F
or many of us, cars are just a means of transportation. We
drive them to work, the doctor’s office, the kids’ soccer
games and the grocery store. Others consider their cars to
be an expression of their personalities and lifestyles. Tom Fry is
altogether a different breed of car owner.
Tom really knows his way around cars, which is a good
thing. Why? Because Tom not only builds cars from the engine
up, but then he straps himself in and races around the tracks at
Laguna Seca, Sonoma and Thunder Hill at speeds of up to 140
miles per hour.
For The Love Of Racing
Tom Fry…
the Car Guy
Written By Robin Shepherd
60
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
“I’ve been building racing car engines since I was a teenager,” Tom
said. “It’s a rarity nowadays but for me it’s half the fun.”
“I tend to drive Fords. Basically, I’m driving the same car but
with a new engine after about every 60 hours of racing. Otherwise,
you risk blowing the engine.”
Tom said three years ago he made a “rooky mistake.” He had
just put a new engine in his car. With a new engine oil pressure
monitoring is key, a thought that occurred to him in the middle of
a race. A quick glance at the gauge was all it took and he slid off
the track onto slippery wet grass and narrowly missed a crash. He
gave the impression it wouldn’t be a mistake he’d make twice.
Before each race, Tom climbs into a suit made out of heavy-
weight fireproof NOMEX material, as well as fireproof gloves,
sock and shoes. Needless to say, it gets pretty hot by the end of a
race. Every ten years or so he has to buy a new helmet to keep up
with changing regulations.
“Race organizers put drivers into groups based on their average
speed, from beginners to the fast guys. Each session is about 20
minutes of pure intense concentration. You have to think about
MAY/JUNE 2016
gmhtoday.com