And for those of you that haven't seen it elsewhere -- here's Dan's report from the Nov '15 EM event.
Impound Insights - November 14/15, 2015
Beautiful Southern California weather greeted the racers on Friday for tech inspection. The downside of the weekend was the cold temperatures experienced by the overnight campers, some reported night time temps as low as 19 deg., the air did make for great horsepower. By the end of Saturday over 195 entries had passed thru tech and made runs, I am told that it was the highest entry count ever for El Mirage. So many entries running on a top notch race course still could not complete round one before darkness began to fall and the course was moved for the following day's events. Highlight of Saturday was the ground pounding run of Dave Davidson in the Cummins Beck Davidson Thornsberry C/BFR at 277.657 mph. This is in a highboy roadster folks! The pits were still abuzz with the speed of the Ferguson Racing B/FS, Don Ferguson III driving, at 270 when Dave made his historic run.
Five new members joined the El Mirage 200 MPH club at this meet. Mike Fitzmorris took a turn at the wheel of the McLeish Bracket Racing Triumph GT6 coupe. Running in the H/BFMS class Mike set a record of 201 MPH. Dean Kennedy had his run in the Kennedy Racing C/GT Corvette. Dean's dad Bill, June meet, and brother Dave, Sept. meet, had made the club roster earlier this season. Dean's speed of 205.8 MPH lasted until the following day when Bill bumped the new record to 206.1. Dennis Mariani Jr. drove one of the many Mariani Farms cars this meet. This meet it was the B/GR '34 Ford roadster entry. Dennis knocked off a great run of 220 late Sunday afternoon just as the wind that shut the meet down came to visit. Chris Rivas was our motoercycle member this meet. Chris ran a fine 208 MPH lap on his Chris Rivas VTwin Harley in the 3000-APS-PBF class. All the way from Evansville, IN Steve Strupp handled the Jack Rogers Racing A/GC Camaro to a new record of 212 MPH. Speaking of Steve's trip, we had several entries from many far flung locations across the country for the two day meet. Thanks everyone for joining us.
In addition to the four car and one motorcycle 200 Club qualified records we had 18 car and 4 motorcycle records set. The previously mentioned B/FS record of Ferguson Racing, Don Ferguson III up, of 270.7 MPH made the list. Ed Fenn set the C/GS streamliner record with the Brissette & Fenn lakester with fenders at 239. Greg Martinez came from San Francisco the set the V4F/BGL class record in the Disturbing Da Peace entry at 158 MPH. Costella/Hoogerhyde driver Jim Hoogerhyde continued his great year at El Mirage. This time the team entered the H/GL class and set the mark to 198.6 MPH. White Goose Bar Racing set another record with Greg Waters driving the Waters/Manghelli/Romero entry in the F/BFMR class. The Toyota 2JZ powered high boy with belly pan set the class record at 219+. SCTA President Bill Lattin, using his alter ego name of William Lattin drove the V4/BFRMR entry of Aardema Braun Lattin to a class standard of 186 MPH. The Kraut Bros., Santa Barbara, CA, did well with Willie Boelcke in the seat setting the C/BGRMR record to 218 MPH. In the Blown Gas Roadster classes the team of Eyres and Son, Eric Eyres driving, set the E/BGR record to 213. The new roadster built and driven by Erik Hansson set the XF/BGR record to 164+. Vintage Hot Rod brought out the 2014 season championship C/AIR roadster with John Beck at the wheel. John bumped up the class record to 179 MPH. Bill Lattin drove a second entry at the meet. The Lattin & Stevens XXF/VGCC setting the record at 167. At the end of the day this entry walked off with a hard won Season Championship. Cohn Jucewic Monza returned to the impound with a C/CGC record of 205 driven by engine builder Bob Jucewic. The Notabusa I/FCC driving by Larry Foley Jr set a final season record of 135.3 MPH. Neil McAlister changed classes this meet and ran the BMR Ferguson Racing coupe in the XXF/BFAlt class with a record of 177+. Steve Hope brought the old H & H Motorsports coupe out of moth balls and set a G/BGC record with driver Jere Teepen at 176 MPH. At only his third meet ever Steve Tillack took the F/BGMS record in his bright red Datsun 240 type coupe using Toyota 2JZ power. Long time Bonneville racer Larry Lancaster came to visit with his '60s style Chevy pick up using GMC 302 power with a blower. The XO/BMP class entry Lilbit 'O Racing set the class record at 133, a well deserved reward at the end of a long road trip.
Motorcycle impound had four more records in addition to Chris Rivas' 200 club run. Motorcycle Season Championship winner Ralph LeClercq set another record on his Team McLeish RS entry in the 125-APS-BG class. Ralph ended the season with a 129.2 record in the class. A very impressive Alp Sungurtekin set a 175 record on his pre-unit Triumph in the 650-A-PF class. Top Speed of the Meet for the two wheel group was set by Ralph Hudson on his 1000-APS-PF entry at 237.5 MPH. Finally, McLeish Bracket Racing had the Silver Rod 1350-SCS-F with Derek McLeish driving and setting the class record at 175.1 MPH.
Top Speed of the Meet was the Vintage Hot Rod entry #911 driven by Dave Davidson on that fantastic run of 277.6 in the C/BFR class. This run also netted the team Top Speed of the Year. Top Speed of the Year for motorcycles is John 'Big Balls'(self named) Noonan at 250.514 in June. The Number one club for 2015 is the Milers.
The lineups for 2016 are set, the rule changes have been published and the date is carved in stone. All that is missing is you and your entry. Good luck to everyone in the upcoming season.
Merry Christmas/Happy New Year , Joanie and I wish everyone the safest of holidays and look forward to seeing you in May at El Mirage.
Dan Warner
Record Certification officer
