Saturday dawned overcast with a threat of rain as a storm system pasted to the north of the area, but contrary to VIR's usual scenario, the weather held off leading the way to a beautiful south Virginia afternoon. Qualifying was the rule for Saturday morning with the first of the two Historic Stock Car races first up after lunch. But on Saturday morning HSR lost one of its remarkable members in the Group 5, Classic GT qualifying. NO, not a driver, but, John Clouds blinding fast White No. 29 1967 Camaro. John was ok, but he sported a bag of ice on his right knee for the rest of the day. After returning from the local Danville hospital with a clear bill of heath, our resident quick guy decided it was best to sit out the rest of the weekend, serving as grand marshal for Sundays Historic Stock Car race. After the lunch break the Historic Stock Cars took to the track for race one. Leading the 23 starters to the green flag, it was the "Not so Historic", No 37 '05 Dodger of Mark Furcini. But, its hard to change tradition. At the checker it was Dale Phelon aboard his 1994, No. 98 "Finger Hut" Ford Thunderbird, with Scott Murphy in the '93 Pennzoil Grand Prix, No 30 in second and Jack Finch in his "new favorite" stock car, the '06 Dodge Charger, No 49 in third. With Saturday's on track activities in the can, everyone retired to Saturday evenings social. With a great Virginia bar-b-que under our belts, it was time for the "Workers Choice" award. A checker flag signed by all the workers, presented to the driver "they" felt was most deserving from the weekend. They picked our "walking wounded" from Saturday morning, John Cloud. After the Lunch Break, first race on tap as Sundays feature event and the second Historic Stock Car race of the weekend, the "VIR 100". And it was the No. 49 of Jack Finch/Scott Murphy in the '06 Dodge Charger, No 49, in first by a lap. Boy Jack really likes this car, "it's the best handling Stock Car I'?ve ever driven", he said. Following Finch/Murphy in second was Mark Furcini in his '05 Dodge Charger, No. 37 a lap down, with Maurice Hull in the ex-Bill Hagan racing No. 44 Piedmont Airlines Olds Cutlass in third. Well folks with another HSR event in the books, next up, one of my favorite Vintage/Historic races, the 30th Anniversary Walter Mitty Challenge, at the beautiful Road Atlanta, race course, April 26-29, be there or be square! (From Race Review by, Greg Aleck)
It's been over five years since my last trip to Watkins Glen and that was covering a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and never the long course that were running for the HSR Watkins Glen Historic Races, so this weekend was one I have been looking forward to for a long time. With an entry list of over 225 cars, HSR's annual trip to the legendary upstate New York circuit was set to be a good one. As anyone that's ever been to the "Glen" knows, the weather there is almost as legendary as the circuit itself. It can range from hot summer like weather with serve thunderstorms to a snowstorm. Ya, it runs the gambit here. But we caught a break for the weekend with low's in the 50's and high in the 80's, with no rain. The Historic Stock Car group took to the track in mid-afternoon, with 15 stockers running the 3.4-mile course, unlike their "Nextel Cup" brothers that take to the 2.45 miles short course at their August event. Remember these names Phelon, Furcini and Cloud. These guys are the hard charges of the weekend in Historic Stock Cars. Dale Phelon was first across the line driving his always fast former Derek Cope, Fingerhut '94 Ford Thunderbird, No. 98, with Phoenix, Arizona's Mark Furcini, driving the ex-Jamie McMurray No. 42 '05 Dodge Charger second. John Cloud, returning to the drivers seat after his VIR crash, driving the ex- Rusty Wallace No. 2 '94 Ford Thunderbird, coming home in third, see you later guys! The last race before lunch was the Historic Stock Cars race No. 2. Remember those guys from Saturday? Well, there back with a little different order. The trio of Phelon, Furcini and Cloud fought hard to the checker with Mark Furcini taking his No. 42 '05 Dodge Charger to the win. Dale Phelon in the Fingerhut '94 Ford Thunderbird, No. 98 came in second and John Cloud in his No. 2 '94 MGD Ford Thunderbird in third. (From Race Review by, Greg Aleck)
When you visit a new race track, there is always one thing the stands out in your mind. With the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois, it had to be the weather. After being blessed with mostly great weather all season long, it's a rude awaking have to deal with 6+ inches of rain the week of the race. We were also hit by heavy weather on the regular Thursday test day, that included Tornado warnings and rain so heavy it ended the day's activities because of streams of water running across the track in several places. But with the negatives that the weather produced, both the HSR and Autobahn staff, made the necessary changes to the weekend schedule and track maintenance to produce an entertaining weekend for the facilities first ever spectator event. Friday morning dawned with something no one wanted to see ? rain. This limited much of the early practice sessions, with water still streaming across the track in many places. But by lunch, things began to dry out with most cars taking to the 3.56-mile Alan Wilson designed facility. All classes got some quality track time on Friday afternoon, with the exception of Group 8, Historic Stock Cars. Some drivers dared take to the track. With these guys not having any grooved tires available for there mounts, most chose not to risk running through still steaming water. With all the rain over the weekend, the Group 8 Historic Stocks Car saw little track time. Even when it wasn?t raining, the streams of water running across the track prevented the group from running competitive laps safely, since they were the only HSR group that ran on slicks entirely. The group voted to run both of their feature races on Sunday - one race before lunch one after. The small, 5-car field for race one, could be heard at the Chicagoland Speedway (just a short two-miles away). As the checker fell, it was Dale Phelon taking his new mount to its second win in a row, the ex-Robert Yates racing No. 90 '06 Ford Fusion, Nextel Cup car. Fellow Stock Car driver Don Soenen, in his ex-Rusty Wallace '98 No. 2 Ford Taurus, took second with mid-west driver Mike Mulcahy, diving his ex-Dale Earnhardt "Goodwrench", No. 3 '90 Lumina Busch series car, in third. The Group 8 Historic Stocks Car feature race two, took to the track next but no one could out run Dale Phelon this weekend, turning laps 0.5 sec a lap faster than the rest of the field was hard to beat. It was Phelon in the No. 90 '06 Ford Fusion, with Mike Keck also in a '06 Nextel Cup car, this one the No.10 ex-Scott Riggs Dodge, in second. Don Soenen drove his '98 No. 2 Ford Taurus to third. I feel a new car in Don's future. (From Race Review by, Greg Aleck)
When the HSR traveling circus rolled into Daytona, everyone thought it was just another weekend on the HSR calendar, little did we know it was the start of a "British Invasion" Just as America independence started with the "Boston Tea Party", the British came to the US to even the score at what I call, the "Daytona Beach Party" at the 2007 Daytona Continental Historic Races at Daytona International Speedway. A group of 29 British vintage/historic racers from the Classic Sports Car Club took the trip across the "pond" to take on some of HSR's best. Thursday's open test day gave everyone a chance to get their bearings of the 3.56 mile (5.7 km) road course, including the "Brits" which committed that the track time they got over the Daytona race weekend was almost equal to what they get at home in a whole season. As Friday dawned we were blessed with three beautiful, clear, cool and sunny days, the perfect race weekend. As usual, Friday was comprised mostly of practice with qualifying for Group 8's Historic Stock Cars in the afternoon. The Group 8 feature race number 1 for Historic Stock Cars runs no track better suited for them than Daytona and Dale Phelon in his Ex-Robert Yates Racing No 98 '06 Ford Fusion ran wild on the "Big D" taking home the win. Maurice Hull in his newly acquired ex-Petty Enterprises '05 Charger, No. 44 in second with Wayne Otto rounding out the top-3, also in and ex-Petty Enterprises mount the '06 Charger, No. 45. The last race before lunch saw the Group 8 Historic Stock Cars take to the track for their second and final feature race of the weekend. This time, Dale Phelon lead the field in his Ex-Robert Yates Racing No 98 '06 Ford Fusion for much of the race until spinning in the infield late in the race, dropping him to the end of the lead lap. This opened the door for the victory by Jack Finch aboard the No. 49 '06 Dodge Charger, followed closely by the always fast Don Soenen driving his ex-Rusty Wallace '96 Ford Taurus No. 12, with Jack Lewis, also driving a Taurus, but of the 2003 variety, the No.90 comming home in third. (From Race Review by, Greg Aleck)
The HSR Sebring Historic Fall Classic not only signals the end of a great 2007 season but gave both competitors and spectators the experience of a mini Spring classic. Qualifying got out of the way on Friday afternoon for most, with the stage set for a weekend of close racing, the Group 8, Historic Stock cars, got the race started. The Group 8, Historic Stock car race one was a battle of two "Good ol'Boys" and a "Yankee". With Scott Murphy (Good ol'Boy from NC) driving the ex-Michael Waltrip "Pennzoil" 93 Grand Prix, No. 30 to the win, while (Yankee from Michigan) Don Soenen, at the wheel of his ex-Rusty Wallace No. 2, '98 Taurus, lead Maurice Hull's (Good ol'Boy from NC) ex-Petty enterprises No. 44, 05 Charger, to third. After everyone cleaned up a bit, they gathered for the 2007 HSR Awards presentation on Saturday evening in the paddock, sponsored by our good friend, John Cloud and Team MGD. The final day of the Sebring Historic Fall Classic got off to an early start with 7-lap feature races for all classes. The Group 8 race for Historic Stock Cars (race No. 3) went to Maurice Hull in his ex- Petty enterprises No. 44, '05 Charger. (From Race Review by, Greg Aleck)
