Vintage Perspective
by Jeff Ingebritson
President VSCRNo CBIR this year, bummer. It’s our home track. Most of us got our first taste of driving at speed there. Our kids saw their first road races there. We made friends there. It was a huge loss for us.
Thus, it has been a slow month for the vintage club. Our finale is fast approaching, the fall Vintage Festival at Road America with VSCDA. We will have our second to the last Test and Tune Day at St. Cloud on Sept. 15, and are hoping for a good turnout. Don’t forget, VSCR has the last Test and Tune Day at St. Cloud on October 6, and it is open to all drivers and performance type cars. Cost is still just 40 bucks for the opportunity to run the wheels off your car. Just show up by 8:30 am; we have had plenty of room for extra drivers.
I had developed a leaky head gasket on my FF at the last race in August, so I pulled the head for an inspection. That revealed a
badly scored cylinder in addition to the gasket problem. So I finally ponied up for a used Uprated Motor (or is that Upright Motor?). The motor that came with the car was a Cortina motor with a Dan Gurney history, and gave good service, but I was always a couple of seconds slower down the straight than the rest of the field. Now we shall see what the car can really do. These motor transplants are never easy, as it always takes an extra half a day to revise the throttle linkage (did you know there are 3 carb variations on the FF motor?). Then the lube oil plumbing had to be reorganized, and the block was just a tad wider. But she fired right up with no blue smoke and good oil pressure, so I am optimistic. At least I was until my buddy Roger says " I thought the reason he took that motor out of his car was that it was pretty tired". Well, motors are like race tracks, you just never know. That’s about all I have to report this month. Clubs go through cycles, flowing and ebbing, and it seems SCCA is ebbing at the present as far as road racing goes. I’m at the point in my life where job retirement is not too far off, but I’m not quite ready to give up the driver's seat yet. We got to keep on keepin’ on, So Keep Smilin’ and Keep the Faith. Jeff Ingebrigson
Lon Hake injured
Ed. note: Lon has worked F&C with us at CBIR several times, and also the Minneapolis Childrens' GP.
Lon was marshaling at Blackhawk Farms Raceway for the SCCA Milwaukee Region’s Mueller Memorial SCCA National, September 1 at Blackhawk Farms. He was assisting a Formula Ford by pushing him from the track back toward the paddock on the paddock road and it was bump started by the driver. The driver’s mother was also pushing but was unhurt. The driver was visibly shaken at what had happened and visited Lon. I talked to Lon Hake at home on Monday. His leg was broken as was the ankle socket. Apparently 7 screws were necessary to hold his bone and ankle socket in place. He is feeling ok, but it looks like he will be under care for up to 3 months. Lon was appreciative of the quick medical response, fellow marshals and the visitors to Rockford Hospital. Drivers and marshals sent best wishes. Despite my urgings, Lon does not have email, so if you wish to convey best wishes here is the information: Lon Hake P.O. Box 276 Maple Park IL 60151-0276 Phone 815/827-3364
He is disappointed he won’t be able to do the Runoffs, but was in good spirits considering his condition. He was very appreciative of all the concern and well wishes expressed by drivers and marshals.
Dick Coburn, Newsletter Editor Michigan Turn Marshals thecoburns@home.com
Tonneau On-Line October 2001
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Copyright 2001, Land O'Lakes Region Last revised: March 13, 2003
