VRG at the Glen Watkins Glen International, N.Y. October 6-8, 2017 48 December 2017 Victory Lane
#127 Chris Cogswell, 1978 Crossle 32F. www.victorylane.com Victory Lane December 2017 49
#6 Ray Morgan, 1964 Merlyn Mk 6; #83 Tom Upshur, 1972 Lotus Europa; #74 Don Wannagat, 1972 Alfa Romeo GTV. story by Dan Saucer What a great time to be at The Glen. We watched a good turn out of vintage racing cars of every type arrive with enthusiastic drivers who were happy to talk about their cars to this reporter. Color fall foliage at peak leaf peeping season almost brighter in reds, oranges,, yellows, magentas than the car color splashed paddock. For vintage racers who treasure track time this is the best, with each race group on track three times Friday, two times on Saturday and two or three times on Sunday, including Sunday group features for each race group. Group 1-2-3 race and an All Comers Race to end the event. Most grids were very large which this long road racing circuit can easily handle. There was a big Royale Formula Ford Challenge Series feature on Friday. Each had a Friday Sprint Race group. Lotus racing cars were saluted with a Lotus theme event poster given to all entrants. The event schedule called for each of the four groups practice, qualifying and a 5 or 6 lap sprint race on Friday. On Saturday, each of four groups had two 5 to 10 lap sprint races, fewer laps for slower groups, more laps for faster groups. On Sunday for the group #48 Neil Young, 1971 Datsun 240Z; #199 Burton August, 1966 Ford Mustang. 50 December 2017 Victory Lane feature races that changed: Group 1 had 10 laps, Group 2 had 7 laps, Group 3 had 9 laps and Group 4 with 10 laps. The special features also had varying laps. The Friday ROYALE FORMULA FORD CHALLENGE feature was for 12 laps. The Sunday afternoon sprint race for combined Groups 1-3-4 had 8 laps. The Sunday All Comers race ended the event with an 18 lap race. GROUP 1 for Production Sports and GT cars under 1600cc plus FVee feature started at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Jesse Darrow #51, 1963 Triumph Spitfire sat on the pole and as the green flag fell held that position all through the race. #12 Arnold Carbaugh, Jr. 1969 Lynx FVee and Mac McCormack #109 Mini Cooper started in that order and immediately contested how they would finish overall. Carbaugh, Jr kept second ahead of McCormack for 2 laps but McCormack slipped past to take second by lap 3 and held it to the finish. Carbaugh, Jr kept place to finish third in this 10 lap sprint. Each of the top three won their class. Mike Jackson #69 Shadowfax FVee had a well driven race starting fourth and finishing fourth ahead of a well contested group of cars dicing in 5th through 11th. Charles Darrow #53, 1967 Spitfire had a good dice starting fifth was challenged on lap 1 by John Faulkner #228, 1959 MGA coming all #153 Jason Di Cesar, 1969 Volkswagen Beetle; #53 Charles Darrow, 1967 Triumph Spitfire. the way from a tenth starting spot. Darrow, however couldn t hold that 5th spot but for 2 laps and with problems held on to finish seventh. Another good drive was that of Betsy Wisbon #73, 1976 BMW 2002 starting eleventh and racing up to eighth. GROUP 2 with over 40 entries for the weekend Feature Sprint Race, six for the Royale Formula Ford Challenge took the green at 2:30 p.m.. Frank Dal Vecchio #13, 1981 Van Dieman Club Ford had the pole ahead of Michael Taradash #26, 1980 Crossle 40F Club Ford and Andres Stern #195, Merlyn Mk 11/17 HF class. At the green flag things changed quickly. Kevin Young #169, 1971 Crossle 20F, class HF had started fourth but put it all together immediately to take first by the end of lap 1. Dal Vecchio held second in the first few laps but by mid race was passed by D. Kristopher Vale charging up through the field from 12th at the start to grab the lead. Vale was contested all the way by 13th starter Oscar Pacheco #29, 1981 Van Diemen FF class who was second by lap 4 and contesting Vale for first for the last few laps. That ended
The Glen The first European style open road races in modern times began in 1948 and continued through 1952 in and around a small Western New York resort town was Watkins Glen. It was a glorious beginning on Oct. 2, 1948, an event taking place on 6.6 miles of true roads and streets starting on Franklin, the main street in Watkins Glen, climbing up nearly 700 feet, dashing through meadows and woods over a railroad crossing to a corner on an ancient stone bridge, down numerous curves, again over the railroad and in a huge sweeping bend back into town for the finish. Those vintage racers who now take their cars at touring speed marvel at the danger and challenge of this course. The first Watkins Glen Grand Prix event came together in 1948. A young enthusiast and lawyer, Cameron Argetsinger, had a vision for such an event after his Army discharge from WWII. He had been exposed to European style road racing before the war through magazine reports. The first Watkins Glen Grand Prix took place Sep. 2, 1948, and the feature was won by Frank Griswold, driving a prewar Alfa 2900. The event grew over the next four years, with bigger crowds, more and faster cars and more glamour. The original Watkins Glen Grand Prix There were incidents, even fatal driver ones, but the unfortunate event of a car clipping an apex and hitting spectators with a fatality and injuries finally brought open road racing through the town to a close in 1952. Racing had become such an important part of the town and surrounding area, but no longer possible on open roads. Fortunately, a 550-acre site about four miles south of the town was available for a permanent road racing circuit. Bill Milliken noted racer, engineer and enthusiast designed the circuit. It opened in 1956 with a 2.35 mile length. It hosted many early SCCA races, and the first United States World Championship Formula One Grand Prix was held there in 1961. The U.S. F1 event was WSKG held at the Glen through 1980 on different layouts. Many great series used that first course layout, including Can-Am, Trans-Am, IMSA and the F5000 Series. The circuit was changed in early 1971 to the so called short course, which is the course NASCAR now uses. Construction continued on a longer, F1 circuit with its planned boot corner, a new start/finish straight. The long course was finished in time for the October 1971 F1 race and measured 3.8 miles in length. The circuit has long been known as one of the best in the U.S. and one of the most legendary. Dan Davis at the checquer after a great race with Pacheco and Vale taking the chequer in that order. Another charger through the field was Joshua #275 Rob Brownlee-Tomasso, 1958 MGA; #14 Thomas Vail, 1960 Alfa Giulietta Sprint. Gordano #2, 1992 Euro Swift driving well from a tenth place start to fifth at mid race and third at the checquer. The GROUP 3 Sunday Feature for Production Sports Cars had over a half dozen classes in a very large field. It started late morning at 11:00 a.m.. It was entertaining but somewhat confusing to keep up with the action, especially fir first few laps. As it sorted out Todd Reid #7, 1992 Lotus Super Seven held a lead over John Coey #54. 1970 Porsche 911 throughout the 8 laps of the race www.victorylane.com to take the checquer in that overall order at the head of this very large field. The race for third appeared more heavily contested but Burton August #199, 1996 Ford Mustang prevailed at the end to take third. There was plenty of action up and down the order that was hard to track so your reporter concentrated on some favorite cars to watch. Tom Upshur #83, 1972 Lotus Europa was an unusual car well driven to finish tenth. Joshua Mitchel in #254, 1961 Lotus Super Seven S2 also had a good run at to top fifth finish. This was such a large, well contested grid that it would be impossible to name others. It was so much fun to watch that I think all in this class are winners. GROUP 4 had a very large weekend entry. It contained just under a dozen classes. The green flag to start the final sprint race of the weekend fell at 12:45 p.m.. At the start Ken Fitzgerald #14, 1991 Lotus Esprit 180R had the pole but didn t hold first for long. Mark S. Clark #15, 1985 Swift DB2 starting from second made a great start and first lap to lead by the start of lap 2. Gerald Bouchal #53, 1979 Datsun 240ZX started from third was immediately challenged for that spot by Adam Strelczuk #44, 1971 Datsun 240Z who not only quickly passed Bouchal but climbed all the way to second, past a faltering Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald however quickly returned the favor and was back in second by lap 3 but now behind leader Clark. Further back of the action at the front, Bouchal had dropped back several places. Fifth place starter Steve LeBrun #33, 1970 Datsun 510 gained a plce for fourth for two laps, but encountered problems and dropped #33 Steve LeBrun, 1970 Datsun 510; #62 Dave Miller, 1962 Triumph TR4. Victory Lane December 2017 51
#93 David Di Cesar, 1960 MGA; #53 Charles Darrow, 1967 Triumph. well back in the field. At the finish of 10 laps was Mark S. Clark, Ken Fitzgerald and Adam Strelczuk. Another exciting race to watch, laurel wreaths to all! The GROUP 1-3-4 special 8-lap race began at 2:00 p.m. in the Sunday afternoon with a large variety of cars on the grid. Pole sitter Joshua Mitchell #254, 1961 Lotus Seven S2 couldn t quite hold that position with apparent problems challenged first by Steve LeBrun #33, 1970 Datsun 510 who started second. Then Mark S. Clark #15, 1985 Swift DB2 came from way back to pass both about midway and take the lead which he held to the end. In similar fashion Todd Reid starting ninth was making a charge toward the front. That took Reid to fourth at mid race and on to the end. He couldn t catch eventual second place finisher LeBrun and third place finisher Michael. In other interesting action Vic Schuster 1962 Lotus Super Seven, who drove ambitiously from eleventh to seventh dropped back several places, gained fifth place but DNFed. That up and down was a battle with Adam Strelczuk #44, 1971 Datsun 240Z which resulted in their erratic result. One of the big gainers was Kenny Williamson #27, 1965 MGB who raced from 26th up to 13th place. The ALL COMERS SPECIAL RACE began Sunday at 3:30 p.m. for 18 laps. There was plenty of action and position changes but not at the front where Mark S. Clark #15, 1985 Swift DB2 led every lap from pole to take the win. There were many position changes throughout the field. Early on Theodore Goneos 1968 Porsche 911 starting second was passed by a handful of drivers before regaining ground for a fifth place finish. Likewise the eventual third place Adam Strelczuk #44, 1971 Datsun 240Z quickly raced to second, but was challenged by Josuah Mitchel #254, 1961 Lotus Super Seven S2 who held second until just past mid point and DNFed. Burton August #199, 1966 Mustang took over that second spot but held it only a couple of laps to drop to eighth. Strelczuk who had early on tasted the air at second but then fell back, recovered in the late laps to take a fine second. In the midst of all this charging and falling back, Rob Hurley #47, 1970 Porsche 911 had been passed by 3 or 4 chargers held a steady pace and with a late charge gained a fine third at the checquer. This was a very entertaining half hour or so race. LIST OF ENTRANTS GROUP 1 R. Brown/1960 Austin Healey Sprite R. Brownlee-Tomasso/1958 MGA A. Carbaugh/1969 Lynx Vintage FV C. Darrow/1967 Triumph Spitfire J. Darrow/1963 Triumph Spitfire C. De Minco/1959 Lotus 7 Series 1 J. Di Cesar/1969 Volkswagen Beetle M. Ennis/1969 Lynx B J. Faulkner/1959 MGA 1600 T. Glanville/1962 MG Midget M. Jackson/1969 Shadowfax FV R. Jefferson/1967 MG Midget #14 Ken Fitzgerald, 1991 Lotus Esprit X180R. A. Konopka/1963 Triumph Spitfire J. Leoutsacos/1968 MG Midget N. McCabe/1967 MG Midget P. McCarthy/1962 Austin Healey Ashley/ Sprite M. McCormack/1966 Morris Mini Cooper S R. Novrit/1967 MG Midget J. Ramage/1962 Morris Mini Cooper S B. Rampe/1966 Triumph Spitfire M. Sukey/1964 Triumph Spitfire T. Vail/1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint B. Whipple/Austin Mini Cooper S B. Wisbon/1976 BMW 2002 GROUP 2 R. Albert/Chevron B67-88 M. Bagby/1970 Lola T200 K. Becker/1986 Reynard 86FF D. Blandin/1981 Crossle 45F R. Bork/1983 Crossle 55F A. Buttrick/1971 Lola T202 A. Caracappa/1974 Zink Z10C N. Cass/1973 Lola T340 N. Clemo/1982 Van Diemen C. Cogswell/1978 Crossle 32F M. Daniele/1978 Crossle 32 F. Del Vecchio/1981 Van Dieman RF-81 S. Field/1976 Crossle 30F D. Finocchiaro/1983 Crossle 55F J. Giordano/1992 Euro Swift SC92F A. Graham/1986 Van Diemen 1600 J. Griffin/1981 Crossle 45F A. Hess/1970 Merlyn Mk 17 G. Kokolus/PRS RH-01 D. Kraus/1972 Elden FF T. LaCosta/1967 Titan Mk IV M. Madigan/1987 Crossle 65 M. Malley/1978 PRS RH-01 R. Miscovitch/1976 Royale RP21 F. Newton/1971 Ford Titan Mk 6 O. Pacheco/Van Diemen FF G. Peluso/1988 Van Diemen RF88 J. Rutherford/1975 Lola T342 FF J. Schliffka/1982 Legrand Mk 27 C. Shoemaker/1984 Royale RP-36 M. Spence/1972 Crossle 20F #10 James Acquilano, 1965 Ford Cobra. A. Stein/1970 Merlyn Mk 11/17 M. Stumbo/1972 Titan Mk 6 M. Taradash/Crossle 40F T. Taylor/1971 Royale RP-3A J. Van Deurzen/1969 Merlyn Mk 17 D. Vitale/1987 Van Diemen 1600 K. Vitale/1997 Van Diemen M. Wirrick/1972 Lola T204 K. Young/1971 Crossle 20F GROUP 3 R. Ball/1974 BMW 2002 W. Beck/1974 Porsche 914 R. Black/1971 Ford Pinto M. Clark/1985 Swift DB2 J. Coey/1970 Porsche 911 A. Costich/1968 MGB GT D. Cullen/1967 MGB GT #44 Vic Schuster, 1962 Lotus Super 7. C. De Minco/1971 Mallock 11B J. Fontanella/1964 MGB D. Giambra/1972 Alfa Romeo GTV T. Goneos/1968 Porsche 911 D. Hatch/1975 Ford Pinto G. Hess/1973 Porsche 914 S. Janzen/1968 Triumph GT6 M. Knittel/1970 Chinook F5000 K. Lay/1988 Alfa Romeo Spider D. LeBrun/1970 Datsun 510 E. Mettelman/1972 Porsche 914/4 K. Michael/1960 Elva Courier D. Miller/1962 Triumph TR4 J. Mitchell/Lotus 7 S2 R. Morgan/1964 Merlyn Mk 6 S. Moulton/1972 Ford Pinto 3-door B. O Connor/1966 MGB M. Patton/MGB P. Ragonetti/1966 Alfa Romeo Sprint GT T. Ragonetti/1956 Alfa Romeo Special T. Reid/1992 Lotus Super 7 A. Schirano/1973 Triumph TR6 B. Schirano/1969 Triumph GT6 V. Schuster/1962 Lotus Super 7 R. Scott/1983 Mazda RX-7 M. Spraggins/1970 Porsche 914 J. Styduhar/1962 Triumph TR3B J. Teplitz/1969 Datsun 510 W. Tobin/1970 Triumph TR-6 A. Tosler/1962 Lotus Super 7 T. Upshur/1972 Lotus Europa T. Vail/1974 Ferrari 308 GT4 B. Wagner/1974 Triumph TR6 D. Wannagat/1972 Alfa Romeo GTV R. Welling/Nissan 510 J. Wiley/1970 Datsun 510 K. Williamson/1965 MGB GROUP 4 J. Acquilano/1965 Ford Cobra B. August/1966 Ford Mustang P. Baselice/1970 Ford Boss 302 G. Bouchal/1979 Datsun 280ZX I. Clough/1970 Datsun 240Z B. Cooper/1963 Corvette D. Cross/1983 Camaro #53 Gerald Bouchal, 1979 Datsun 280ZX. M. Daley/1972 Datsun 240Z M. Dube/1999 Ford Taurus B. Erdman/1974 Nissan 260Z K. Fitzgerald/1991 Lotus Esprit X180R J. Glass/1971 Corvette R. Hurley/1970 Porsche 911 S. Kissinger/1971 Datsun 240Z M. Kuli/1972 Datsun 240Z C. Lampe/1968 Camaro D. LeBrun/1967 Alfa Romeo GTV S. LeBrun/1970 Datsun 240z S. LeBrun/1970 Datsun 510 A. Strelczuk/1971 Datsun 240Z GT2 N. Young/1971 Datsun 240Z 52 December 2017 Victory Lane
Royale FF Challenge Series Takes to The Glen story by Bernard Bradpiece photos by Anthony Bristol Fall in Upstate New York intense colors, rolling hills of green dotted with hay bales, glorious sunshine (and a little morning rain) and Watkins Glen Grand Prix circuit. It does not get better. VRG hosted the Royale Formula Ford Challenge Series at its October Glen meeting, the weekend of the USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen back in the day. 41 Formula Fords, 12 different makes built between 1967 and 1997, entered across all three classes Historic, Club and post 1981 tweeners made obsolete by the Swift DB1 (a remarkable car, still competitive over 30 years later). We were joined for the first time by the Formula Race Car Club of America founded in 1980 to create the Club Ford class to reduce the escalating costs of running a Formula Ford. That soon caught on in the rest of the USA. The program was packed practice and qualifying on Friday then, 6 races from 7 to 10 laps plus the 12-lap Royale Challenge #31 Alan Buttrick, 1971 Lola T202; #23 Joseph Griffin,1981 Crossle 45F. Series feature. The mixed forecast was for once correct - all morning sessions were wet in various degrees and afternoon sessions dry with sunshine. Friday morning s very wet practice saw 19 souls brave the elements for a looksee. 3 laps was enough for most, but the ever intrepid Storm Field managed 5. Later in the morning, still on a damp track, 22 ventured forth. Dan Kraus, having his first outing since 2001, put his rare 1972 Elden PH-10A Falconer on pole. The Falconerbodied Elden won the inaugural World Cup Formula Ford Festival in the hands of Johnny www.victorylane.com A large field of Formula Fords gathered for the Royale FF Challenge at Watkins Glen International. Gerber and the body was assumed to be the secret. Subsequently, Gerber s talent was determined to be the secret as the Falconer had the aerodynamics of a brick built gentleman s convenience. With a dry track for the Friday Sprint Race, Kraus led off from pole. Joe Griffin s 1981 Crossle 45F moved steadily from 9th to take over the point on lap 4 as Kraus faded to 8th with brakes stuck on, impeding progress down the straights. For race 2 on Saturday morning Kraus had the brakes fixed and came from 7th to 1st in one lap on a wet track, giving a lesson in wet weather precision for 8 laps. Griffin vainly gave chase as we will see later, his car getting more tired by the minute after a hard season, with the tread a mere suggestion on his Hoosiers after many heat cycles. Storm Field showed the benefit of running every wet session throughout the season and came home a fighting 3rd from a 5th place start. For Sprint Race 3, Griffin turned the tables on Kraus and powered from pole to take the checker 0.5 secs ahead, Field a distant 3rd. Race 4 was again wet and Kraus absolutely ran away from a fading Griffin who, besides no tire tread, was now suffering a 2nd exhaust break. Not too surprising the pipe looked like it was original to the car! For the Royale Challenge Series Feature Race, a number of people were concerned about fuel over 12 laps as some tanks were around 4 gallons, so much activity was taking place on the dummy grid, cramming in every last drop. Griffin had the exhaust welded again but the tires were almost devoid of any tread. Kevin Young and his dad had toiled mightily to replace a bent valve and made the grid. At the green, Griffin got the jump from pole, with Kraus in hot pursuit, having started third, passing Frank Del Vecchio s 1981 Van Diemen and taking over the lead on Lap 2 retiring before the lap was complete - leaving Griffin back on point with a good lead. Back in the pack positions were changing at a dizzying rate. By lap 4, Nigel Cass in his newly restored Lola T340 Club Ford was up to second from a fifth place start only to overcook things and fall to 22nd before retiring. Andrew Stein moved to 4th on a three-wide pass on Tomas LaCosta and Michael Taradash into the Bus Stop, but yielded later to a now-inspired LaCosta, who got by Del Vecchio as well, for a well-earned Historic Ford win and 3rd overall in a gorgeous 1967 Titan. Field did not put a foot wrong, moving steadily up from 8th and passing Del Vecchio on lap 7 for a 2nd place he would hold till the end. The other big mover was Chris Cogswell in his newly rebuilt 1978 Crossle 32F, climbing from 11th to 3rd only to be pipped by La Costa on the last lap. Meanwhile, all eyes were on Griffin as the tired car again broke a header at the manifold. Lesser mortals may have retired; Griffin soldiered on sounding like a tractor. Lap after lap Field closed in but at the checker Griffin just made it through. It was a feature race for the ages. Three more races followed on Sunday, including the Formula Ford Feature race reported in the previous article, giving over 200 miles of green-flag racing for the weekend, leaving all with weary smiles. Many thanks to VRG for the abundant track time at this spectacular track. Victory Lane December 2017 53