[Fot] Craziness at blackhawk farms

[BillDentin at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/22/2010 12:47:41 AM Central Daylight Time, 
jason at multivintage.com writes:


> This Saturday marks the end of the racing season with "The Looong Race" 
> for
> Midwestern Council at Blackhawk Farms. The vintage event has 45 cars 
> entered
> in the race. This will be a good one to watch.
> Spectating and Crew are FREE for this event. Anyone interested in seeing 
> me
> (in my GT6), Bill D. (in his TR3) and the Barr family Spitfire drowning in 
> a
> sea of Datsuns and Porches... Please come out. My cooler will be open to 
> any
> FOT'ers wanting to witness Triumph history as Scott Barr and Jerry Barr
> attempt to run their car in two groups in one day. That's 160 minutes of
> racing plus practice and qualifying. This will be a good FREE show!
> 

Amici...

Jason's choice of the word 'craziness' is almost less than descriptive.  
Horsepower, Performance, and Talent disparity in vintage race groups is not 
uncommon, but forty-five particularly eclectic cars in the Vintage/Historic 
race group on Blackhawk Farms' two mile circuit tomorrow strikes me as a 
potential CLUSTER F*CK, and caused me to pull my originally entered Tornado 
Talisman in favor of my trusty old TR3.  The Talisman is enclosed, slow, and 
lacks necessary rear view options.  At least in my TR3 I'll be able to see who 
hits me.  The V/H group is full of 911s and far more modern iron than I am 
used to.  Scott Barr's 'real race' group is full of Miatas (we all know how 
nice they play).  His race will clock 100 miles.  My racing partner, Bob 
Wismer, is racing his Lola T-598 S2 in another 100 miler.  The weather report 
adds another degree of difficulty to the mix:  Saturday Cool and Rain; Sunday 
Cool and Showers.  But let's face it, it could be worse.  This track lies on 
the boarder between Illinois and Wisconsin.  I remember LOOOONG RACE events 
were we had SNOW.

This is the 40th LOOOONG RACE event, and I have probably run 75% of them 
(since they started adding 'vintage' sessions.  This is a GREAT family event, 
with Trick or Treating for the kids (around the track to the corners) on 
Saturday, and the infamous Big Wheel races out on the front straight on Sunday. 
 After watching the adults race all week end, it is a joy to behold the 
kids race their bikes, trikes, and big wheels out on the track on Sunday.  This 
event is a great way to end the season here in the Midwest.

And, of course, Wine and Cheese Lite in the Beady Eye VINTAGE TRIUMPH 
Racing Team garages on Saturday night.

Bill Dentinger