NEWS FLASH ............
BRIAN REDMAN INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC
ROAD AMERICA, ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN
JULY 16 - 19
The weather Gods smiled on this years running of the CHR/BRIC,
sanctioned by VSCDA and put on by Road America. Beautiful blue
skys, low humidity, a slight breeze and temperatures in the low
80's kept everyone smiling throughout the weekend. A record 600
cars were racing through the twists and turns and elevation
changes of this historic track in the Kettle Moraines of South
Eastern Wisconsin.
Jaguar E-types swept the field taking first, second and third
place in Race Group 2, comprising over 60 fabulous sports racing
cars from the 50's and 60's. Included in this group were a dozen
TR powered cars, doing their owners proud, all but one finishing
the Saturday feature race (with so many cars, not all groups
could run on Sunday.)
A strong turnout of FOTers in the South Paddock made for a couple
of great parties. The "Cheeseheads" provided the eats and West
Coast FOTer Mordy Dunst brought cases of some damn fine
California wine to wash down the cheese.
Mordy's meticulously prepared Red TR4 made the "dash" of the race
hounding Jeff Snook in his TR3A for the first half of the race
before backing off with a leaking water line. Jeff's white TR3A
was looking pretty at the race car concours Friday night and then
ended up the first TR powered car to take the checkered flag on
Saturday with Mordy just behind.
The race of the weekend went to Jack Drews and Joe Alexander.
Jack in his very, very pretty Blue TR4 hardtop and Joe in his Red
TR4 with a 3 year old motor. They raced to a photo finish at the
checkered flag, with the results showing Joe taking the win. But
Jack's qualifying time of under 3 minutes made him a winner and
gave him the "bragging rights" for the rest of the season!
Don Brick in his trusty white TR4 was not far behind the "Jack
and Joe Show" and was the first to finish among the "Beady Eye
Racing Team." John Hornbostle in the White, Mike Belfer TR3, was
close behind, getting the feel for racing his recent acquition.
John left the street TR3 he used to race for this "real" race car
and gradually improved his lap times the whole weekend.
"Old Blue" the most original TR3 racing this weekend of Bill
Dentinger (he calls it "old" because it's about the only thing
around that's older than him!) finished right behind the gorgeous
Tornado Thunderbolt owned by Bill and "Whirling" Bob Wismer. By
the way, it's worth the trip to R.A. just to see the "Memorial"
to Bob erected in the woods over looking the back straight, as a
tribute to amateur racing.
Still more TRs took the checkered flag on Saturday. Bob Miller
from Colorado in his White TR3 finished right in front of John
Houlton's pretty Red TR4. John was just glad he finished, as his
Lucas electrical system was being its usual uncooperative self.
Cary Perket of La Jolla, California, was also chasing some
gremlins in his Red TR3, but did manage to finish and even beat a
couple of Porsches.
The only casualty of the weekend was Kent Howard in the ex - Bill
Stevenson TR3, who failed to make the start for Saturday's race.
Many of these finely prepared TRs stayed around for the Sunday
afternoon enduro, but this roving reporter had to hi-tail-it back
to Ohio and left before that race. Maybe we can get an update
from someone who stayed.
That's all for now from you humble roving FOT reporter Jeff
Snook. Vroom, vroom, see you at a track real soon!
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