ROAD AMERICA, ELKHART LAKE, WISCONSIN -- VINTAGE RACING - JULY 15-17, 2016

[Mopar Mitch]

Anyone planning to attend?   My good friend Brian Garcia will be racing his '67 BCuda fastback in the GT1-TransAm Vintage class (dark blue #48, Dan-Gurney-ized!!!).   Come and meet him in the pits... he'll also be racing a dark blue Cheetah (runs away from the 'Vettes!).    He commonly pits his race cars near the long staright just past the final turn (near the roof-covered parking pit area ... usually held for "show cars".    I'll be at the track only on Sunday... bring your bicycles.. best way to get around the 4-mile track inside the pits, etc!  Brian races Sunday at ~4:15 Bcuda and 5:15 Cheetah, but will also be running practice etc on Friday and Saturday.    He'll have other Mopar friends with him all wknd who are active road racers and HSAX/HPDE drivers.   MOPWER to ya!

[EB3-GranCoupe]

Nice!  I would love to come visit someday!  its on my bucket list!

[Chryco Psycho]

Love the Cuda !
 Do you have a picture of the Cheetah ?

[Mopar Mitch]

The weekend races were fantastic!  I only came up for SUNDAY.. But I met up with Jordan.. his '71 Cuda is awesome!!!

Brian Garcia's '67 BCuda (#48 tribute to Dan Gurney) car ran perfect! On Sunday he finished in 3rd place (award metal winner!) within his vintage class.

Brian's Cheetah had the pole position for the main "feature" race ending late afternoon on Sunday.  This was the best racing I've seen him in... best for the many thousands of spectators, as well.   He battled an older Lola-type CanAm type car (smaller displacement than the common big-bore/big block CanAm cars.. also awesome to watch those races!).  Brian held the lead by a few car lengths , then lost it ... gained it back... repeatedly back and forth... thriling to watch lap after lap of the 4-mile track, especially through the corners... neck-to-neck!!!  Half-way through the final lap, with Brian ahead by only a couple car lengths, something broke in the rear end.. suspension locating arm... he limped to a 2nd place finish just a little ahead of the nearing 3rd lace car which he was way ahead of!

Also, the UOP Shadow Formula 5000 and CanAm Dodge-engined cars were there... I know the 5000 car took 2nd in class behind the historic Brian Redman car; the CanAm car also finished high.

My ears are still ringing... the weekend was great!!!   Vintage racing at its best!!!!   I'll try to get and post some pics later...

CONGRATS to our Mopar track leader BRIAN GARCIA -- two "podium" finishes (2nd and 3rd)!!!.   

[jordan]

     Mitch is absolutely correct.  The races were awesome!!!!  Hanging out with Mitch and his buddies with the Cuda and Cheeta was the highlight of my day.  Those guys are so nice and extremely knowledgable about Mopars and cars and racing in general.  It gave me such a good feeling to sit and talk Mopar, and design, and engineering with the team.  Everyone was so cool to let me hang out and not treat me like a random spectator. 
     It was incredibly satisfying to have the team check out my car.  They went through everything!  Lots of questions about parts and performance.  Having real Mopar guys, that know their business, and race their stuff hard, giving me compliments on my car was a very special moment for me.  I get "cool car" by lots of people.  But it is totally different when it comes from a great group of guys that really know what their talking about. 
     The actual race cars were so incredible. Ultra wide slick tires, massive engines, all fuel injected, with massive displacement,  at full throttle and no mufflers was a sight and sound that needs to be experienced.  Shrieking indy cars flying by at insane speeds were sensory overload.  Just way too cool to describe, and still give it the justice it deserves.  You had to be there!!
     Thanks for hooking me up with the team Mitch.  I greatly appreciated it.  Too bad I can't make it to Belvedere this weekend too. 

     I have a bunch of photos of the Cuda and Cheeta.  I need a little time to get things downloaded and Ill put up a few photos.  That Cheeta was just beautiful.  Way cool car!!!


     

[jimynick]

Sounds fantastic! We used to go to The Glen for the vintage races and saw a lot of the cars you mentioned and you're are also right about having to be there- there's just no other way to experience it fully. That Cuda is a beauty and I'm looking forward to seeing the Cheetah! Used to race one as a slot car when I was a kid and still think they're gorgeous. 

[Mopar Mitch]

In addition to Brian Garcia racing his cars... he had "Team" support from the John Sandburg family -- sons Ryan and Sean... they are the best pit-crew anyone could ask for!   They each have Mopars setup for AX/HSAX/HPDE... John has his awesome AAR, Ryan has a '70 Duster, Sean has a '73 Challenger.   We occasionally meet at tracks for AX/HSAX/HPDE.  I'd really like to see more Mopars gathering together... its happening... and slowly building!

[JH27N0B]

Gosh darn it, for once this year the Road America vintage races were not the same weekend as the CMC Belvidere Mopar show weekend.  And I missed the memo until 2 weeks after the fact.   
Oh well, someday somehow I'll get up there for the event again.  I haven't been up to Road America for a vintage race since the Marchetti (? spell) days. 

[cudamadd]

What a great event .The 67  in that photo shot #48 looks so good . Go mopar go.

[jordan]

Finally got a few photos done up from the races.  Hope you like them. 

[jordan]

and the Cuda

[brads70]

Cool stuff, thanks for posting! 

[Mopar Mitch]

Brian Garcia will next be running his B'Cuda at Grattan raceway (south-western Michigan) wknd of August 21.

Then racing the Cheetah at the Elkhart Lake, WIS., Road America Vintage wknd (all Vintage cars again!), on wknd of Sept 17.

His season finale will be at Blackhawk Farms raceway (just west of Rockford, Illinois) wknd of Oct 22/23 (Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs... www.mcscc.com ) for the "Loooooong Race" wknd.   

I hope to be racing with him next season 2017 (my Challenger is all apart now)... he does W2W... I do HSAX/HPDE (he can do all if he wants!).

[EB3-GranCoupe]

Thanks Jordan! 

those pics are great!!

[jordan]

I have more photos of the race cars driving on the street, and at the track.  I will post a few up here when I get a little more time.  I am rebuilding a motorcycle right now and it is taking up all my time.  Im wasting summer away while I can't ride two wheels!!  GRRRR!!