We are still working on the Portland race report but wanted to get this out asap given many of you are manically prepping for this race. We already have 25 cars signed up so it will be a very big grid. Note there are 150 people on this list, we started with 25!
Below are key details and info, and at the bottom, very important messages about attitude and gratitude.
Details
- The race weekend of Sept 29-Oct 1 is coming up fast, register soon to get the early bird discount
- Thanks to the CSRG board, Formula Fords will have their own run group for this race. This is unprecedented and for those of you who have been around the Historic Racing scene for a while, you know this is a rare privilege.
- This is a very special event, learn more here www.charityracing.org
- As always, the host club's rules and governance are in effect and we are here at their pleasure. Any and all questions can be answered at www.csrgracing.org
- There will be Avons and a few Hoosiers available at the track... Dunlop did not come through again, so to our Canadian friends coming down, apologies, but we did our best
- Read the rules, in particular, get your weight right before you come down. 1100 for Historic Fords, 1125 for Club Fords. Rules are at https://www.norwestff.com/rules/
- If you have a 9:31 ring and pinion, these are the recommended gears
- 1 18/32
- 2 20/30
- 3 22/29
- 4 24/28
- If you have not been to Sonoma before, try to make the Friday practice day, we will have a coach to talk you through if you need it and we can arrange lead-follow sessions for you.
- As usual, we have Qualifying Saturday morning, and then the final Crossflow race Saturday afternoon... followed by the end of season podium ceremony and beer fest, you and your friends and family should come (you must be present to win a prize). The Sunday races are regular club races and we might invert the grid or some other fun option.
- Awards and Prizes (not the final list)
- The Crossflow Cup recipient to be chosen by a series panel
- Race medals and Championship Trophies
- Hunziker Design awards to the Championship Podium
- End of season gift for all entrants to this race (a Crossflow series gift and a CSRG gift)
- Long tow, hard charger, and other participant appreciation
- Awards for Best Ford and Driver of the season to be chosen by a panel
- Raffles - Set of Avons from Roger Kraus, Ivey Engines $2000 certificate, $250 John Anderson chassis hardware certificate and an HTC helmet from HJC motorsports.
- Supporting events.
- There is a very special viewing of the Bruce McLaren Documentary Friday night with wine and snacks, hosted by Hagerty. If you will be attending please send a note to CSRGvideo@gmail.com
- There is the traditional Saturday dinner and silent auction courtesy of Sonoma Raceway and the Speedway Children's Charities
- Race car rides start at $75 and all the proceeds are a tax deductible donation to the Speedway Children's charities.
- The paddock will be full of Mini Coopers and other vintage cars and there will be vintage aircraft flyovers and biplane rides at Schellville field.
- Note there will be a ton of children and families, please be your usual welcoming, charming selves.
Attitude
Racing historic cars is a test of skill, but more than that, a test of character.
At the Portland race, we struggled a bit with the second test. Skills can be remediated, character and judgment are harder to fix. We saw starting instructions ignored, some over-aggressive passes, but most concerning, we saw fast guys shaking their fists at backmarkers. They were so focused on their frustration at being held up, that they passed the backmarkers under double yellow flags while there was as car up against the wall on the track-out of the final turn. This is not acceptable and the drivers involved are not welcome at the Charity Challenge. Of the over 60 drivers that will have run with us by the end of the series, 2 have crossed the line we set. Let's keep it that.
We are a group of friends racing for fun, that is and always will be what is welcome and what makes what we all do so special.
So as we approach the final race of the series, be mindful.
1. It has been a long, amazing series... 99% of the on-track behavior has been stellar, friend ships have been forged, huge amounts of fun has been had. Let's keep it that way.
2. We have people coming from Canada, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Southern California, Colorado. Sending them home after all the effort and expense with a broken car or a sour feeling is not how we want to end this series.
3. We have some extraordinary opportunities to build on our success.. we will share more as it becomes final. But it will all go up in smoke if we screw up.
Gratitude
Many, many thanks... as we approach the final event, dear sponsors and supporters, know it would not be possible without you and we all send huge thanks.
- Ed Lauber of Auction City and Martin Lauber of York19 for the podium parties
- Roger Kraus Racing, Ivey Engines, Hunziker Design, HJC Motorsports, Sonoma View Winery, Joerger Financial, John Anderson Racing for the support and help that made this year amazing.
- Jim Cody for scoring, Eric Sidebotham for the scales of justice, Kurt Joerger for the patches and decals, Bob Pengraph and friends for the photos, Mike Wirrick for his help with the final weekend and the podium champagne. Geir Ramleth for all your support and for hauling the scales. And the Kitchen boys for sharing their amazing wine and enthusiasm for the series.
- Chris Vandergriff (HMSA), the CSRG board, the SOVREN board for letting us run at your events
- John Anderson, Jay Ivey, Jim Johnson, Ethan Shippert, Jeff Rogers, Bob Morrison and Dan Wise for all of your advice and help.
- Kim Madrid, Norm Marshall, Jeff Rogers, Tom LaCosta and the Royale Cup guys for working on the future!
So we are really looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it, with the right approach this will another epic weekend and an amazing transition to 2018.
The Crossflow Team.