June Sprints Road America June 12-14

[problemchild]

Bob had something break in the suspension, independent of any incident, and Tim ran in to the back of Jackson and had suspension damage.

It was great to be back at the track. While the Covid attitude in Wisconsin was very lax, the organization of the event in general, was the best I have seen at an SCCA event in some time. I was dreading the load-in with 500 entries but it literally took only a few minutes. We never had any drama or attitude from any official. Racing was difficult with so many cars in so many classes, but generally was exceptional. The Vees, and 500s also had really good racing. The lead F500 was respectful of the FF race on Saturday, and slowed on the last lap to let some FFs finish their race ..... which is always appreciated.

Great job by SCCA and all involved! Thanks!

[B Reid]

I thought I would post this first lap clip of race 1. We had a less than stellar weekend with a variety of little things and sorting issues but still had a good time. As Greg says, the event was well organized and the weather perfect. SCCA did a fine job all around.


https://youtu.be/-cLc_FQyEHQ

[swiftdrivr]

nothing like the smell of burning fiberglass to give one an incentive to pass somebody!

Any idea what happened to the guy in the pyrotechnic Swift?

[problemchild]

Any idea what happened to the guy in the pyrotechnic Swift?

He ran out of fuel.

He parked it on the infield side of corner 13, and was extinguished. They were struggling with a misfire throughout the weekend. One would assume a fuel fitting broke or was not fastened correctly.

[bassracer]

I talked to Nic's dad and he said they had a rubber fuel line fail.... didn't notice it until poor throttle response. He's OK

[Joefisherff]

I talked to Nic's dad and he said they had a rubber fuel line fail.... didn't notice it until poor throttle response. He's OK

When people ask why I opt for all AN fittings and hose this is why, sure the cost is higher but I would rather spend it there versus repairing fiberglass or replacing my car.

[Joefisherff]

I thought I would post this first lap clip of race 1. We had a less than stellar weekend with a variety of little things and sorting issues but still had a good time. As Greg says, the event was well organized and the weather perfect. SCCA did a fine job all around.


https://youtu.be/-cLc_FQyEHQ

That's an eventful first lap thanks for posting!

[FVRacer21]

I thought I would post this first lap clip of race 1. We had a less than stellar weekend with a variety of little things and sorting issues but still had a good time. As Greg says, the event was well organized and the weather perfect. SCCA did a fine job all around.


https://youtu.be/-cLc_FQyEHQ

Bob,

At one point there was a Crossle 55 behind you - that should have brought back some flashbacks.......

ChrisZ

[B Reid]

Serious flashbacks. That was a pretty nicely turned out Crossle.

[T Brzezicki]

I’d love to read the recollections of Mr. Weitzenhof here (or anyone from the day), but my memory is that a competitive “Ford” time at RA was a mid-2:28... in 1976!

Anyone have such records? (mine are in storage)

In the 80-car June sprints (1979), I qualified 50th I look at that this way, I out qualified 29 other guys. I remember then the hot car was an ADF, no-one could afford those, they were twice the cost of a Lola. Crossle was a good car to have, Z-10 as well. The front runners on the front row as i recall were 2:30's , 2:31's

[T Brzezicki]

I’d love to read the recollections of Mr. Weitzenhof here (or anyone from the day), but my memory is that a competitive “Ford” time at RA was a mid-2:28... in 1976!

Anyone have such records? (mine are in storage)

First Sub-2:30 Ford lap was the late great Bertil Roos in a Lola 440, ran a 2:29 and change

[E1pix]

Love the small world stuff...

T, I seem to recall the Roos lap as I was a huge fan of his. Not sure where my memory of :28 comes from and now wonder if 1:28 was a good FF time at Road Atlanta, not 2:28 at RA... but may be wrong there, too.

By the way, I was Oconomowoc Class of ‘78! A lifelong best friend lives near Ski Slide and Lange — and knows you...

[fubar]

After seeing this thread I had to dig out some old programs and results. In 1980 Gary Hackbarth Lola 540 had the pole at 2:30.34 with Craig Taylor's Tiga next a second and a half back. I don't think times got below 2:30 for several more years.

[fletch]

OK, like FUBAR, i had to dig up my old records and see what i could add.

1982 June Sprints, 2:30.61, Danny Edwards, Lola 640
1982 August Nat'l, 2:25.352, Steve Ice, Lola 640 -this was the big timing kerfuffle! I was 7th in my Tiga at a 2:28! no way!
1983 August Nat'l, 2:28.93, Justin Revene, Reynard (unfortunately no sprints data that year)
1984 June Sprints, 2:29.03, John Decker, Swift
1985 June Sprints, 2:27.98, John Decker, Swift
1985 August Nat'l, 2:28.3, EJ Lenzi, Swift
1986 June Sprints,2:29.44, Dave Weitzenhof, Citation
1986 August Nat'l, 2:28.1, Ken Clark, Reynard
1987 June Sprints, 2:31.19, Lewis Copper, Swift (Dave W won the race with a 2:30.3 fastest lap)
1987 August Nat'l, 2:30.03, Craig Taylor, Swift
1988 June Sprints, 2:27.89, Jim Render, Swift (I was 4th at 2:28.7 in my Swift, tight field!)

regards,
Fletch

[E1pix]

Appreciate the efforts, Guys!

Fletch’s numbers really illustrate my threadswaying point about chassis development slowing since the ‘70s.

Aside, if anyone has a nice photo of any of Danny Edwards’ cars over the years, I’d pay to have them. I was his sign painter over the entirety of his career in FF, but never scanned my own photos and am on the road now.

Thanks for the dialog.

[fubar]

Thanks Fletch for your updates. Somewhere buried in a storage unit down the road I have records dating back to our Tiga '79-on era and even some Crossle results from the 70's. I happened to have the '80 grid sheet stuck in one of my old Sprints programs. I remember the famous "fast" clock from August '82 which recorded the Ice time that held up for many years. There was another fast clock later on crediting the first 2:24/ 100 mph lap to a seventies model Van Diemen. No disrespect to the driver as he even admitted it never happened. The only other results sheets I have at hand now date from when Render and I got our first DB-1 in '87 (still for sale by the way).

Obviously the onset of the Swift era saw a marked jump in FF lap times. This was followed by improvements in bias tire technology culminating in the soft Hoosier compounds. The spec radials resulted in slightly slower speeds but damper (shock) improvements now allow running over curbs and through bumps to a degree we never thought possible as I watch more recent in-car videos.

PS- I may somewhere have a shot of the Danny Edwards "Ping" Lola 640 but that's probably in storage also

[E1pix]

Appreciate the thought, Fubar, no pressure obviously.

I think the Ping sponsorship came through in ‘82, the ‘80 T540 was two-tone brown with oil sponsorship, same car in ‘81 was blue with red, then the Ping T640 cars in white.

Danny was a far-better driver than most drivers are golfers — and a genuinely nice guy. Had a temper though, most-famously pitching his entire bag into a pond at Pebble Beach once. But anyone who golfs seriously knows and relates to that temptation.

[T Brzezicki]

Love the small world stuff...

T, I seem to recall the Roos lap as I was a huge fan of his. Not sure where my memory of :28 comes from and now wonder if 1:28 was a good FF time at Road Atlanta, not 2:28 at RA... but may be wrong there, too.

By the way, I was Oconomowoc Class of ‘78! A lifelong best friend lives near Ski Slide and Lange — and knows you...

Ya I'm on Ski Slide, think thats a bud of mine from a while back

[T Brzezicki]

OK, like FUBAR, i had to dig up my old records and see what i could add.

1982 June Sprints, 2:30.61, Danny Edwards, Lola 640
1982 August Nat'l, 2:25.352, Steve Ice, Lola 640 -this was the big timing kerfuffle! I was 7th in my Tiga at a 2:28! no way!
1983 August Nat'l, 2:28.93, Justin Revene, Reynard (unfortunately no sprints data that year)
1984 June Sprints, 2:29.03, John Decker, Swift
1985 June Sprints, 2:27.98, John Decker, Swift
1985 August Nat'l, 2:28.3, EJ Lenzi, Swift
1986 June Sprints,2:29.44, Dave Weitzenhof, Citation
1986 August Nat'l, 2:28.1, Ken Clark, Reynard
1987 June Sprints, 2:31.19, Lewis Copper, Swift (Dave W won the race with a 2:30.3 fastest lap)
1987 August Nat'l, 2:30.03, Craig Taylor, Swift
1988 June Sprints, 2:27.89, Jim Render, Swift (I was 4th at 2:28.7 in my Swift, tight field!)

regards,
Fletch

Hey Fletcher,
Think that Steve Ice lap was done the weekend the clocks didn't work so they took Ice's own stopwatches (his dad I think) times (nod nod, wink wink) Ya , he did a .25 in a 640, ok sure.

Well that "apparently" was the record they followed for a while.
When I ran my first Sprints in 79 (or 80, can't remember), Bertl Roo's .29 record was in the program or the time sheets, as was the car brand and model. I was crewing for Dean Lundgreens B39 Chevron Formula-B (Atlantic) at the same time and I pointed that time out to him and asked who he was, he said "have you ever seen Bertil Roos drive?". When I finally did a few years later I guess I understood how he could have gotten that lap. Was told it was in some sort of Pro Ford race.

Anyway that's what I remember.

See you at the Vintage races
Tony Brzezicki

[E1pix]

Tony, Marc Harris says Hello. Just after Labor Day we’ll have been hanging out 50 years. Thanks.

I remember Dean and likely have photos of him... but alas, deep in storage and on a scanning sabbatical. If in touch, ask him if he remembers the Milwaukee Region reporter kid in mid-to-late ‘70s turned sign painter at the Sprints from ‘77 through ‘81 (and Runoffs 1979 through ‘85). All Region members and Runoffs competitors from ‘75 got my Eric’s Race Reports in the mail.

Thanks for shrinking the globe.


Apologies for the diversion to the rest o’ Yas.

[carpenterdesign]

OK, like FUBAR, i had to dig up my old records and see what i could add.

1982 June Sprints, 2:30.61, Danny Edwards, Lola 640
1982 August Nat'l, 2:25.352, Steve Ice, Lola 640 -this was the big timing kerfuffle! I was 7th in my Tiga at a 2:28! no way!
1983 August Nat'l, 2:28.93, Justin Revene, Reynard (unfortunately no sprints data that year)
1984 June Sprints, 2:29.03, John Decker, Swift
1985 June Sprints, 2:27.98, John Decker, Swift
1985 August Nat'l, 2:28.3, EJ Lenzi, Swift
1986 June Sprints,2:29.44, Dave Weitzenhof, Citation
1986 August Nat'l, 2:28.1, Ken Clark, Reynard
1987 June Sprints, 2:31.19, Lewis Copper, Swift (Dave W won the race with a 2:30.3 fastest lap)
1987 August Nat'l, 2:30.03, Craig Taylor, Swift
1988 June Sprints, 2:27.89, Jim Render, Swift (I was 4th at 2:28.7 in my Swift, tight field!)

regards,
Fletch

I am wondering if you would be so kind as to share the results sheets from those races. In particular, I am looking for the sheets that have the HP races. I am restoring the Ray Yergler car that won the June Sprints, August Nat'l, Runoffs...Thank you.

-icravecars.com

[Bob L.]

I am wondering if you would be so kind as to share the results sheets from those races. In particular, I am looking for the sheets that have the HP races. I am restoring the Ray Yergler car that won the June Sprints, August Nat'l, Runoffs...Thank you.



Did you post Yergler request over on prodracing.com? May have better "effect" than apex. Also could try to contact Ray, he may have a copy.

Okie

[M.Sauce]

Anyone have the 1992 June Sprints results for Formula Ford?

[fubar]

Anyone have the 1992 June Sprints results for Formula Ford?

Sorry but I only have grid: Top ten: Hancock, Wiedner, Kester, Sauce, May, Dalrymple (with one sec penalty), Hohnecker, Binetti, Madeson, Render. I think Dalrymple won but results delayed due to protest which was disallowed but delayed official results.

[M.Sauce]

Tony Kester won and I was second but I lowered the track record to 2:25:20. Don't remember any protest or disqualification Tony was 1st and I was second on track.

[fubar]

Sorry I must have been thinking of another Sprints. I do remember Dalrymple won a Sprints. Congrats and a great fast lap! Don't know why I just have the grid and not results

[M.Sauce]

Tom Dalrymple won in 1995 in my old DB1.I had moved to FA by then.He was torn down in impound and found legal. Ivey Motors fast and legal.

[hdsporty1988]

In 96 Jon Horgas lowered the track record. Mike I'm not sure if you still held it until then.