Vintage FFs & CFs at VIR

[s800racer]

VDCA's Wild Hare event - April 12-14, 2013

VDCA will be hosting our Wild Hare vintage races at VIR. This event has been drawing a strong and growing field of vintage FFs and CFs. I am expecting a field of at least 15-20 cars. All pre-1972 vintage FFs and CFs through 1981 on treaded tires are welcome. Monoposto rules for CFs require iron head but if you are interested in trying "the vintage thing" I am willing to grant first time exemptions for non-compliant cars (contact me at s800racer@netzero.net).

VDCA events always provide lots of track time with 3 sessions on Friday & Sat., an optional all-comers handicap race on Friday (the Wild Hare race) and an optional one-hour enduro, all at no extra cost. Entrants will also be treated to a Saturday night dinner at the track.

VDCA shares this weekend with the pro-FF1600 and pro-FF2000 groups so you will also have the opportunity to watch some of the best and fastest current FFs in the country doing their thing.

If lots of track time, friendly, competitive racing with lots of FFs and great parties at an awesome track sounds like fun to you, here is the link to register for the event: http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...F#.UTNYNDCvAWI

[s800racer]

FF owners: The schedule is up for VDCA's Wild Hare event. Three track sessions on Friday, three more on Saturday including the feature race, Sunday morning warm-up session and the Sunday race. Optional, no-cost entry to the Wild Hare and Sunday's one hour enduro. That's a LOT of track time!

Also on the schedule is the Friday welcome party and Saturday's catered dinner for drivers, crew and registered guests.

It's a lot of bang for your buck and I am expecting a lot of FFs will be there to take advantage of a great event at a great track.

You can view the schedule at:
http://www.vintagedrive.com/VIR%20Ra...ule%202013.pdf

Register for the event at:
http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...6331759CB270EF

[DK540]

Just thought you might want feedback that the registration link does not appear to work at this time. Try this maybe:

http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...6331759CB270EF

[s800racer]

Chuck, Thanks for pointing that out. I edited the original post to correct it.

[scott fairchild]

this is a very fun and competitive event with clean racers. you also get to watch the F1600 series We will be bringing two Z-10Cs if it will help motivate someone

[DK540]

Scott, looking forward to seeing you guys again as well as Mike and all the good folks I met last Fall. I won't be driving yet but I'll be picking up the Lola and looking for answers ("What's this thing do?!") and advice from everyone who walks by. I'll look for you.

David

[scott fairchild]

Scott, looking forward to seeing you guys again as well as Mike and all the good folks I met last Fall. I won't be driving yet but I'll be picking up the Lola and looking for answers ("What's this thing do?!") and advice from everyone who walks by. I'll look for you.

David

Talk to Doug Meis... whatever he does: do it he's always making a move at the line for the win

[s800racer]

Talk to Doug Meis... whatever he does: do it he's always making a move at the line for the win

The hot tip: Latch onto that orange Crossle and try to slip past him at the end!

Doug Meis

[s800racer]

With almost 5 weeks to go, we already have 9 FFs registered. 6 CFs (two Zinks, three Crossles and a Lola) and 3 vintage FFs (Alexis, Winkleman & titan).

I know of several cars that will be there and haven't registered yet. I won't be surprised if we top 20 cars for this event. When you add in the Pro Formula 1600 group, this could well be one of the largest gatherings of Formula Fs in the country.

[s800racer]

With 4 weeks to go we now have 4 Vintage FFs and 7 CFs registered for the event including a 1980 Tiga under the name of one "M. Rand" that might be familiar to Apexspeed regulars.

This is shaping up to be a great FF event. Register today to get in on the fun!

Doug Meis
1974 Lola T340
VDCA Technical Director

[vintageracer81]

Doug,

We're restarting the Zink tonight after the engine refresh, so add another CF to mix.

Stirling

[s800racer]

We now have 8 CFs and 4 FFs registered with at least two more cars committed to the event.

Bruce, Bob 1980 Crossle 40F
Fairchild, Dave 1979 Zink Z-10
Fairchild, Scott 1978 Zink Z-10
Hollingsworth, William (Bill) 1978 Crossle 32F
Meis, Doug 1974 Lola T340
Nettleship, Scott 1981 Crossle 45F
Rand, Michael 1980 Tiga FF80
Salmon, John 1978 Lola T-440
Heath, Stirling Zink Z-10

Allison, David 1969 Alexis Mk 14
Byrd, Billy 1969 Winkelmann WDF1
Demarest, William 1972 Titan MK 6B
Thomas, Brian 1969 Lotus 51
Bowers, Les Hawke

[Michael Rand]

What a cool opportunity this poses for us all at VIR.
The above 14 old FF's, all first or second generation cars, combined with my current 26 cars entered for the F1600 Formula F seroes races gives the meet a total of approaching or even over 40 cars !
Pretty good these days all around.
Opportunities abound for neat side by sides with a new 2013 Mygale or Spectrum or Carbir alongside really early cars like a 1969 Lotus 51 or an Alexis Mk 14 or a Winkleman WDF1, all very early gen 1 cigar tube shape cars against the most modern side radiatored and flat side pod cars of the very lastest versions. With almost 25 years in between the differences are as interesting as the similarities !
This website should have a whole lot of photos from the weekend highlighting the history of the class.
The 40th at Road America was very cool for everyone involved as organizer or driver or crew or other participant or spectator but going through the results it seems the newest car there was probably a Piper DF5 from maybe 2005 or 6 ? Of course the 40th was held in 2009, so 4 years have passed.
And the 40th also was the unveiling of the first ever Fit powered FF car, Todd Bardwells DB1, fresh from HPD in California pointing the way to the future perhaps.
The F1600 Formula F series enry is overwhelmngly Fit powered but the best Kent engined car and driver in the country, Lew Cooper III and his VD/Kent, is entered to give the 20+ Fits fits.
Maybe this one weekend can be the East Coasts mini-45th Anniversary Unofficial Reunion ?
Someone should pick up this ball and run with it, I did enough along with Steve Beeler in 2009 for the 40th, but anyone wants to make something happen, have at it.
An unusual and significant gathering of great cars from every generation of the class from the very beginning to absolutely current and latest available. It could be very fun for all. No, it SHOULD be very fun for all !

[s800racer]

What a cool opportunity this poses for us all at VIR.
The above 14 old FF's, all first or second generation cars, combined with my current 26 cars entered for the F1600 Formula F seroes races gives the meet a total of approaching or even over 40 cars ! It could be very fun for all. No, it SHOULD be very fun for all !

No it WILL be very fun for all! I really expect to end up close to or over 20 of the old FFs by race weekend.

[Michael Rand]

Hey Doug, we need to set up a few photo ops with various of both groups cars.
Knowing my teams we are unlikely to ever get every one of them together except when they are on track but we can pick and choose, like a Spectrum and a Winklemen or a Mygale and an Alexis, a Crossle and a Piper, a Lola and a Carbir, you get the picture.
What might be possible is one of each make, whether there are 1 or 15 on site, fora group photo. We better try and do it early before attrition sets in though, like Friday at lunch, except that is when Mke Jackson has scheduled his VDCA mandatory drivers meeting for the historic/vintage drivers. Well, we'll figure something out.
Better idea, Friday at 4:00PM, Group 2 is done by 3:30 and my last F1600 session starts at 5:30, on the flase grid after the BMW Sprint Race has cleared off and before my F2000 guys take it over.
Think about it, I am sure there is a better solution.
At the very least close up shots of every competing FF regardless of age or race group.

[Michael Rand]

It gets better , just ran through both VDCA entry list from Doug Meis and my F1600entry list and amazingly each features 9 different makes for an incredible total of 18 manufacturers represented !
Really good for not just this event, but for any event these days !
Quite a turnout.
Yup, the Unoffical East Coast 45th Anniversary of North American FF racing.

[Roux]

What about a side by side of the 1st place (pole position) in the 'old car' race with the pro pole winner. Then second with second and so on.... Once you get to the 11th grid spot in each you just do a big cluster photo of the rest of the cars alternating old and new. ? the 11th onward guys are probably less stressed out about being seen with each other

[Michael Rand]

Good idea Steve, I only hope I can convince my teams that it will be worth their time and minor effort to comply, you know intense many of them are !
Probably easier to get VDCA runners to bring their cars to the respective paddock space of their modern counterpart.

[s800racer]

I like the pairing of the top qualifiers idea. That will mean doing the photos either late Saturday or Sunday morning. We certainly have plenty of time Sunday morning beginning with the VDCA enduro (although one or two FFs might elect to run it) and quiet hour from 11:00 to 12:00

[Michael Rand]

Doug, we'll all figure out something but I can tell you it is not unusual for half my field to be up on stands or on the setup pad right up until they have to button it all up to go to the grid !
Between us we can arrange the photo ops as much as possible on Sunday during the Enduro as you suggest bu a few other pairings might be purse chance !
While many in my Masters Class, 40 and up, understands and cares about the history of the class I am afraid many of the really fast talented kids don't care, it is a step on a ladder for them.
I am confident we can get some very interesting pairings and photos out of the event.

[s800racer]

Less than two weeks to VDCA's Wild Hare at VIR. We have an excellent field of vintage FFs and Club Fords entered for the event.

Mike Rand - Where should we try to do our New/Old FF photos? The vintage cars have a Sunday morning warm-up session at 8:50 so I think we could try to organize folks for pics anytime from about 9:30. Your guys race at 1:00 and we race at 2:00 so we have a good window from 9:30 to 1:30.

[fitfan]

look at all those Zink's!! i feel like an odd ball out here

[Michael Rand]

Doug,
How about in front of the podium area at the paddock end of the tech shed ? It won't be in use at that time. In fact we may be the only users of the podium that weekend, or does BMWCCA ?
But it has VIR signage for a backdrop.

[s800racer]

Mike, I was thinking that was the best option as long as it's not too crowded with parking/podium/tech stuff. I think we should have enough room on Sunday AM to use it.