April, 2003
Vintage 2.5 Challenge
Thunderhill is just a few weeks away and this race will kick off a very busy summer and fall for the 2.5 Challenge. Based on the feedback we have gotten in the past week this could well be the largest turnout ever for us at Thunderhill. For those that have not been to this track you are missing a long, fast track with a number of elevation changes. If you have never run this track before this is a great chance to try it out and warm up for the big Fontana race in late June as well as our trip to the Portland Historics in July. Once again HSR-West is offering a $50 "tow discount" for members that travel over 300 miles to the Thunderhill race.
HSR-West has the application on their website if you did not get one. You can find a link on our website to HSR-West as well as the Portland Historics site where you can download entry forms for our events.
How about a way to verify displacement without removing the head? Since the first race of the Vintage 2.5 there have been questions regarding the legality of some competitors cars. Thankfully this issue is pretty rare. As a vintage series we have resisted the notion of tearing down motors and formal protest procedures. Vintage racing has always operated on the honor systems and by in large we feel that most 2.5 drivers have followed both the letter and the spirit of the rules. This being said, there are still occasions where a simple verification of engine displacement would satisfy questions that have been raised. We have located a device that allows us to verify displacement without head removal and are willing to utilize this tool providing we can raise the funds necessary to purchase it. To that end we have begun a “tech tools” fund with the intent to purchase a displacement verification device. If you feel strongly that such checks are needed then we ask that you donate to the fund by sending your check made out to VSRG. Mail your donations to:
VSRG
1330 Barbara Drive
Vista, CA 92084
The series has a new father-son racing effort in John & Richard Beard who will be driving Alfas and will join the Steve and Floyd Link father-son effort along with our father-daughter team of Bill and Marissa Clay. We also have a new “cousin” effort with Gianfranco Masdea, the first Cousin of VSRG member Anthony Rimicci making his debut at Willow Springs.
As some of you are aware, the Beards are also responsible for the great 2.5 Challenge posters and the newly designed windshield sticker.
Kevin McKee goes pro! It’s official, Kevin signed with the Realtime team to campaign the Accura for the 2003 Speed Touring Car series. Kevin made a great showing in his first race at Sebring and will compete for the “Rookie of the Year” in the series. Kevin will continue to be involved heavily in the 2.5 series although he tells us that he will likely miss some of our races this year.
There is a new Vintage publication that will put it’s first issue in the mail soon. The new publication is named “Classic Motorsports” and is published by the same company that publishes the magazine “Grassroots Motorsports” (“GRM”). GRM has enjoyed phenomenal success. If “Classic Motorsports” does for the Vintage community what Grassroots has done for the Autocross enthusiast, we can expect to see lots of new faces in the coming years. Their website can be found at: www.classicmotorsports.net
Do you know this car? We have been contacted by a member looking for info on a Datsun 510 that was built for the 2.5 and began racing in late 1972. It is belived the car orginated in the Sacramento area and it was numbered "52". The car is thought to have competed in the Portland 2.5 however it is not known who the driver might have been. We realize this is a pretty slim start but if it rings a bell with anyone please drop us a line at jim@bsedan.com.