May 10th started our 2014 autocross season. We had 30 racers giving it their all on a nice Saturday morning, but the rains came and although we all got through one time dry, some had to endure the wet treatment.
Although this is a Porsche event, we allow others to race and compete with us. We always have an interesting group that comes out. This time we had Harry’s brand new C7 Stingray and Jonathan Newhall brought out a 1961 Bugeye Sprite with a Yamaha motorcycle engine in it. 11,000 RPM shifts and he got within 0.4 seconds of my 911. The car is neat.
Cam Abernethy had the surprise run of the day in his 2004 911 Turbo Cab, finishing 4th overall for the day. Beverly McNeill turned some fast laps in her 2013 Boxster, and Jim Condon ran very well with a 6th place finish in the Cayman S. Good to see that car returning to the top of the ranks in autocross. The day belonged to Engelbert though, with a Fastest Time of the Day finish at 64.18. He has the car set up very well and it will take some doing to catch him this summer, I’m afraid. Jeffrey Elmore finished a strong second place, just 1.5 seconds behind Engelbert’s 1971 911T, but in racing terms that is a lifetime. Good run to both of you.
The course was a little more technical than I had planned and a little slower due to no major straightaways, but it did flow well and it was something we had not done in the past. June 1st is our next race, this coming Sunday. The Southside Speedway is a great place for the event and everyone always has fun at the 3/8 mile banked oval in Richmond. Please plan on attending and we’ll see you there.
