Road America - Elkhart Lake - Spridget 60

Started by MiniDave, June 28, 2018, 09:11:23 AM

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MiniDave

Anyone going?

http://www.roadamerica.com/buy-tickets/vscda-elkhart-lake-vintage-festival.html

Sept 14-16 - 250 vintage race cars expected including some of the loudest ground pounder Can-Am cars and LOTS of Sprites and Midgets. Our boy Scott Schmidt and the Schmidtbox will have his hands full this weekend, I'm thinking.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Scargo

I'll be there with the Bugeye. Advance sale tickets are purchased and hotel reservation is made. I've also polled the Spridgetlist to see how many fellow "Listers" are attending.


MiniDave

Cool, I'll be there too with the Schmidtbox group.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Scargo

As it now turns out, and much to my displeasure, thanks to Hurricane Florence bearing down on the mid-Atlantic and southeast coast, I've decided to cancel my trip to Elkhart Lake for this fantastic event.

Next up for us Sprite owners is the Reunion & Sports Car Races at Put-In-Bay, Ohio in two weeks. This years event celebrates 60 years of Sprites and 70 years of Porsches. I'll be there. 

MiniDave

#4
Really, you have a chance to avoid a hurricane and go racing and you're gonna pass?   ;D

Nah, I understand...I won't be a Mid-Ohio tho, so have fun at that race! Sorry I'll miss seeing you on the track!

I wonder how many other racers aren't going because of the impending weather?
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Scargo

#5
The event I mentioned in Ohio is not at Mid Ohio, it's at the small island north of Sandusky, known as Put-In-Bay. Very old time style road racing, with no (modern day) vintage cars allowed. The real deal like to old days. Sprite and Porsche are the Featured Marques this year. Next year (2019) Mini's will be featured.

I've heard that perennial Runoffs front runner Ron Bartell has dropped out of the Road America/Elkhart Lake event, but for undisclosed reasons. Last I heard he was from New England so if he's still from that area, his decision is unlikely
due to the hurricane. Perhaps he's busy again prepping for the Runoffs.   

MiniDave

#6
Don and I drove up to Elkhart Lake on Thursday and were at the track by 8 am Fri to see the first practice session. It had been a real thrash for Clancy trying to get the car ready for the track - he had gearbox problems, couldn't get it to shift into first or second, finally late Thursday night they got it all back together and this was to be the first real shakedown run. The car started and they went up onto the grid, he made about 3 laps and came in - without the rear section of his exhaust which had fallen off on the track - but was recovered and returned to him. They spent he next few hours reinstalling that but there was no hope for the gearbox. He could get into gear OK but it popped back out unless he held it in, which meant driving most of the lap with one hand!

That afternoon was not much better, but at least nothing else fell off the car!

Sat morning was qually.....Scott was on pole and Clancy was 33rd out of his group of about 76 cars - not bad for a 73 year old man driving one handed!

Sat afternoon was a 20 min sprint race and Scott finished 2nd, Clancy made up 10 places in the first few laps and finished 22nd

We could not stay for the Sunday races as Don had to ne at work Mon at 8 sharp, but Scott posted the results - Scott finished second (to another Prather engine'd car) and Clancy finished 9th! Damn good I think!

The races this season are only meant to be a final shakedown for next year. Clancy will be 74 and has decided he will run 74 laps total next year - practice, qually and race - and hang up his driving gloves once and for all.

Don got some great shots and will post them later today I hope. Here are a few I took, I was videoing the first lap but my phone battery died! The last pic is of a competitor's engine....the #3 cylinder exhaust valve tightened up and the valve hit the piston and bent the pushrod. They were able to find a new valve and pushrod and he made all the races that weekend!

Scott's car is the 74 and Clancy's is the 47




Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad