Ewc 2001 - 2009

This is a difficult post to write and I have been putting it off for weeks so I might as well get right to the point: there will be no EWC in 2010 and beyond. Car counts have been steadily dwindling and its time to turn the lights off as the party is over.

Mike Rand and I are working on a new concept that will be somewhere in the spectrum between the EWC (a multi weekend series) and the FF40th (a single weekend mega event). Details to follow.

Thanks for the memories...

Steve Beeler, former EWC commissioner + FF40th co-chairman emeritus
Lola T-540 HU44
home: (734)416-8865 sbeeler@wowway.com
office: (313)331-4460 x1141 sbeeler@pmcorp.com

This surely is sad news Steve, hopefully this will allow you more time to run the car. Thanks for all you did for the CFF community.

Jason

Thanks Steve for all the work you put into the series. I had a blast running in '04 and '05. Big fields and great racing. It was not only great for the FF guys but spawned several copy cat series that many people have enjoyed. You set a high standard that will be tough to match. A combination of the 40th and the EWC sounds like another winner. Good luck, and again, thanks a lot!!

Jim Nash

Definitely sad to see. I know my dad was looking forward to running the full schedule in 2010. Thanks as well for putting everything together in the past. I am excited to see what you guys come up with though for the future.

I've really enjoyed running the EWC races. It's been a pleasure to have a gang to race against.

That said, I have been putting out feelers to try to find good fields for the 2010 season in this part of the country. One of the original problems the EWC tried to overcome was "Chicago-phobia" (the fear of Chicago traffic) and I know how tough that is. Unfortunately, in the last couple years less and less of us have been making the trek around the bottom of the lake, me included. Also, the GLDiv and CENDiv schedules have fallen (been pushed?) into a bad mesh. We lost the Grattan-Memorial Day double regional to a double national.

So here's what I am planning and I think Phil Kingham is too:

Bluegrass May 1,2 if it happens
Nelson June 12,13
Beaver Run July 31,1
MidOhio Sept 5,6
Watkins Glen Oct 10,11
The ARRC at Road Atlanta Nov 5,6,7

The idea is to race with the good bunch from NEDiv as much as possible. They have good fields and tough racers.

Understand, I have NOT contacted any regional administrators or race-chairs or asked for any special run group or organized any prizes. The idea is to find as big a fields as possible and have good racing. No "organization", this is my schedule and inviting all the FF/CFF drivers in the area to race against us. Phil is fast and consistent. I'm sometimes fast, i.e. not consistent.

Take it as an invitation, take it as a challenge. Come out and show us what you got.

Dave Harmison

Steve:

Thank you for all you have done, and continue to do, for the FF/CF community. I was really looking forward to running the EWC in 2010 having just moved to the midwest this past year.

Dave:

Count me in for this schedule after the first race listed. I plan to run the SARRC/MARRS double regional at VIR in May (great event). I already had many of these races circled on my tentative calendar. I'm an old guy with a nice Crossle (which is very fast when Andy drives it).

Kevin
CF#56

Steve,
As usual, I am late to the party, ill informed, and in the wrong place, so I never got to play in your series, but it sounds like you guys had a great thing going. Having suffered through the troll road / pig-trail-in-a-ditch that is Chicago 294, I am not surprised the series suffered. Congradulations on the series. I am sure it will be missed by many.
That said, the fortieth reminded me of how much fun it is to have full fields. I was thinking of suggesting a fortieth type event [National / Regional / vintage all in one weekend, where we can all get together somewhere we all want to run] that rotates every year or two [so the same guys don't have to do the long haul every time]. This would be a mid season shootout / social event / car show that would be THE Formula Ford event of the year. We could rotate between Miller motorsport pk / Road Atlanta/ Road America/ Mid-Ohio, etc. I think a lot of us would support an event like that. I understand that FF can now run in the ARRC if they use the harder tire, and this will be fun, but it would be more fun to have a weekend like the fortieth, where all types of FF can be a part of the show. I hope this lines up with what you guys had in mind. Best of luck with whatever you guys come up with, and let me know if I can help.
Jim

Steve:

Many thanks for creating and managing the EWC. I am sad to see it stop. The EWC was one of the primary reasons that I stayed with FF.

I am anxious to see your concept for a new program. I'm sure it will be first class.

Ralph Z

I too am sorry that all the work spent building, has become too much work for the outcome. We were looking forward to attending several of the races next year with another karter turned FFord driver for '10. The 40TH was an event that must have taken so much time for you and Mike, and I know there are at least a couple hundred very appreciative people of your efforts.

I speak for Jonathon and myself when I say that we finally got it together to venture to Mid-Ohio in October to run our first EWC race, and am sorry it has come to an end at the beginning for us.

Thank you for all you have done. It has not been for naught.

Jon Horgas

I have to say the highlight of my racing year was the FF 40th. I agree with swiftdrivr in that a 40th type of event that rotates among tracks and is planned a year in advance will work in my opinion too. I usually race 5 events a year and I am planning my 2010 year now. I think if people know where the "big" FF event is going to be and it is published early enough, it will get marked on their calender and they will make the haul.
I am excited to hear of what our 40th co-chairs are planning , I'm sure it will be fun.
Mike Winebrenner

Steve,

Thanks for all you did to make the EWC series such a great event. (And, of course, for the 40th.)

Sadly, looking at the EWC fields recently, your decision feels right. That said, the EWC was great while it lasted, and you are to be congratulated on your service as de facto commissioner.

I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with next. If it's national, my advice would be less often rather than more often, to keep it special.

Allen Wheatcroft
Formula Ford #9

It would be great to see the Lamont Cup stay out of retirement. For folks that knew Jake or simply knew of him through the FFU, that is a valuable piece of hardware.

Jonathan