Racer Phil Alspach

[Steve Demeter]

Phil was a long time racer and member of OVR. He raced a DSR Ocelot years ago. If you ever ran an OVR event you were most likely touched in some way by him. Phil never knew a stranger and was always an advocate for the racers.
A prime example: If you won a trophy at an OVR race but neglected to pick it up, Phil would collect it and get it to you at the next race. He will be missed.

[E1pix]

Sorry to hear, and Thanks for honoring him.

[bassracer]

Sorry to hear. He helped through comp license expirations/applications and made the process more pleasant.

[Craig71188]

Great guy who will be missed. I seem to recall when OVR still published a roster with membership numbers, Phil's was three digits!

[EricP]

Oh man. Sad. Quirky but incredibly nice guy. I lived up the road from him for many years as a kid/teen and he was always very nice and very helpful!

[Chris Robson]

Very sad to hear this. He was what I consider the epitome of a SCCA member. It was all about the experience, not about the result. He raced anything and anywhere he could with what he had, just to "experience" all the SCCA had to offer. His race cars were as uniques as he was and he would participate in both the Runoffs and the Solo Nationals. When he wasn't racing, he was involved in whatever was needed to ensure the event and region were running successfully. I remember he even started a tire changing business at his home just to help the local Autocross and race drivers. I think it was just another excuse to talk racing as it certainly was a labor of love and not a money maker.
He was always around to help and encourage. He will be missed God Bless and God Speed Phil

[rohartman]

I just heard this news today through my OVR Observers Stand news email. It saddens me deeply to hear this. I joined OVR in 1980 and one of the first friends I made was Racer Phil. Phil was a true racer and one of SCCA best spokesperson and members. People like Phil, are the back bone of SCCA. You will be missed Phil, God speed.

The obit below is out of the OVR Observers Stand written by Phil himself.



(OVR Observers Stand editors note- This obituary is a lightly edited version of one that was on the wall in Phils bathroom. I had forgotten all about it until it was posted on Facebook recently and I know Phil would love that everybody had a chance to see it and maybe have a chuckle. Written in a satirical slant after Phil was given a few years to live by a Doctor. Much of it remains true and sums up the side of Phil we used to see before his illness progressed. I will miss him immensely)

Philip Paul Alspach, kicked off Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at 3:10pm. Born November 7, 1937, he was the son of Paul and Mae Alspach, and pretty much lived in Columbus, Ohio (only because he didn't win the lottery), having
lived in Hollywood, Florida for 6months, and Lancaster, Ohio for approximately 22 years.

He leaves behind a beloved sister, Christine Mae Nixon, two sons, Steve of Buford, Georgia, and Jeff, with granddaughters, Jewel, and Jenna of Suwanee, Georgia; also remaining is his beloved *****, Zooey, And, Phil leaves behind his best friend, Jude Summers and her loved one, Chico. In addition, he also leaves behind two ex-wives and several lovers, all who will or will not miss his wonderful personality greatly.

He was a 50 year member of Ohio Valley Region, Sports Car Club of America, having raced in G Production, Improved Touring B, Grand Touring 4, Showroom Stock C, D Sports Racing, STL, IT7, H Production, & E Production. Winning the Great Lakes Regional Championship three times, he won many races and autocrosses, having finished 2nd in E Prepared in the 1974 National Solo Championships, having competed in all 46 National Solo Championships, and finished 15 SCCA Road Racing National Championships (the Runoffs), won the 2016 American Road Race of Champions in E Production, and won many local autocross titles (In E Prepared, and A Modified), including Driver of the Year. In addition, he held many offices in OVR and SCCA. including Member of the National Solo Events Board, Central Division Solo Steward, Regional Executive, Treasurer, Director, Solo Chairman, Membership Chairman, and Race Chairman.

Phil worked as a Project Development Engineer for twenty-five years at Anchor-Hocking Glass at Lancaster, before they downsized and went down the toilet, and held a series of three year jobs, including working for "Satan and "Satan II", having been downsized from all due to the rotten US economy and mismanagement of the various companies, and finally retired in 2009. He was happiest at Anchor hocking, and in his self-owned small business, TCR Group, a tire services company. He was a graduate of The Ohio State University (1960), where he partied too much, was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, and didn't learn enough, sometimes due to incomprehensible foreign Graduate Teaching Assistants from India.

He is to be cremated and his ashes to be spread at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio.

À message from Phil is "We are going to have fun, Good Racing".