Day 2, Road Course
After the previous day's rains, racers awoke Friday morning to a thick layer of fog blanketing the facility, prompting the track officials to postpone road-course testing and time trials until it lifted. Because of the fog, the first round of timed runs got off to a late start, but both classes were able to run (except one pro driver) before a five-minute deluge closed the track for an hour. Close to 11:00, racers decided to break for lunch, grab some grub, and again wait for the weather to change.
By noon the track had dried sufficiently, but another rain front was moving in. By the time the racers were able to assemble and warm up their engines, the fast-moving front descended and the skies opened up yet again. Gateway officials called another drivers' meeting to discuss what to do next. A watchful eye was kept on the local radar/weather station while racers talked about how to improve next year's event. Some of the ideas were two different types of cruises for non-racers who wanted to bring their own cars out to the event--one through downtown St. Louis, and the other allowing for a few low-speed laps through the road course or around Gateway's huge oval track.
Though a portion of the Run & Gun participants are serious pedal-to-the-metal ('glass?) racers, most are "regular" kit owners who want to have some fun with their rides--the kind of fun that would normally get you arrested and your car impounded if you did it on the open highway!
The Run & Gun event is a great way for the average kit owner to race their car against the clock on a road course, an autocross course, and a quarter-mile drag strip--where else can you do all those things in one three-day event? And you don't have to be a pro racer to get the chance to see what you and your car can do. The average kit owner is encouraged to give the event a try because, who knows, you may want to come back the following year with slicks and play on the porch with the big dogs!
The drivers' meeting was then interrupted by an intense thunder/rainstorm. The rain was so fierce, compounded by the bleak weather reports, that Gateway officials again called it an early day for racing (though two hours later the sun popped back out and dried the track). A vote was taken at the end of the meeting to move the evening's dinner up a few hours, and everyone was looking forward to better weather (as promised by the local weatherman, who the day before reported that St. Louis was experiencing its worst drought in 17 years) and drag racing on Saturday.
Rich Anderson's (right) day...
Rich Anderson's (right) day job is president of Shell Valley Companies--one of the kit industry's largest body manufacturers--but in his spare time he really likes to put his foot in it, on either asphalt or dirt. His driving skills allowed him to place First in the Pro/Big-Block class on the road course.
Doing some agricultural plowing...
Doing some agricultural plowing in his spare time, Wally Fasnacht was actually the fastest on the road course in his Street/Big-Block class, when he was able to keep it on the track.
Chuck Spera ran exceptionally...
Chuck Spera ran exceptionally well in his blue WCM roadster, missing First overall in the road course event by a measly 0.15 seconds...
...But when you need help...
...But when you need help drying off the wiring due to all the rain, it's nice to have Barbara Valik in your pits helping out with a hair dryer!
That's Oakbrook, IL's John...
That's Oakbrook, IL's John Meyers covering up his ride during one of the worst rainstorms of the event on Friday morning...
...When it let up, John went...
...When it let up, John went out and showed everybody else how to do it by beating everyone on the road course with a time of 1.08.79.
Hershel Byrd brought his well-traveled...
Hershel Byrd brought his well-traveled Roaring '40s coupe to the event and garnered a Fourth place finish in the Street/Small-Block class for the road course, before smoking the clutch the next day at the drags.
Scott Johnson and his Everett-Morrison...
Scott Johnson and his Everett-Morrison was the fastest Cobra-bodied car on the road course (1.09.20), and third-fastest overall! His nearest competitor was a full six seconds behind him--Scott was moving!
With his Road America driving...
With his Road America driving experience under his belt, Clois Harlan (left) was still able to smile, even though he had to replace a pair of head gaskets on his B&B roadster. He was the third-fastest Cobra-bodied vehicle on the road course with a time of 1.16.95.
Whaddaya do when the rains...
Whaddaya do when the rains come? Pull out the lawn chairs and do some serious bench racing. Whether veteran Run & Gun racers or newcomers, they were all welcome in the pits at Run & Gun.