Run And Gun 2002: Runnin', Gunnin', And Rain

Run And Gun 2002, the 15th Annual kit car triathlon, saw more than 50 cars and drivers take to the track at Gateway International Raceway, near St. Louis.

Run And Gun is the signature event of Kit Car's year, and is generally considered the largest kit car race in America. Each year, dozens of enthusiast driver/owners compete in a triathlon of autocross, CART/IRL road course and NHRA dragstrip to determine who has the best car and who is the best driver. Last year's event, the 15th Annual Run And Gun brought more than 50 cars and drivers to Gateway International Raceway, in the shadow of the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and even a bout with inclement weather couldn't dampen the excitement and enthusiasm of these individuals who make play value a genuine accessory to their cars.

If anything, last year's event was something other than "normal". In "normal" years, we see four days of sunshine, and a full dance card of autocrossing, road course practice, and racing, and three different segments on the dragstrip--practice, fastest time for race-points, and bracket racing for King of the Hill. Last year, precipitation in abundance, cut down the last day of racing, and for the first time, the event was run without the King of the Hill bracket racing showdown on the quarter-mile track. But even the wet weather couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the more than 50 drivers who turned out and competed in their favorite car show of the year.

And in "normal" years, we see 50-70 cars of which 80 percent are Cobra replicas, followed by a smattering of replica Daytonas, Corvettes, Mustangs, Maserattis, Listers, a hot rod or two, and a few original-design cars. Last year, surprisingly, not a single Daytona or Lister replica appeared, and only one Corvette made the show. But, three new play cars emerged ... the first Lola ever to grace the Run And Gun stage, a new C4 Corvette rebody design, and an exciting handful of Lotus-inspired cars took on the Snakes and did well against them.

The C4 rebody belongs to Jim Pass of Pass Enterprises. It was Pass' first R&G and his 300hp, 350ci Corvette LT1 powerplant served him well on the course. The Lola Spyder was the new entry of John Gyann, who thrilled the onlookers last year with his Chassis Shop Mustang GT350 replica. Gyann was wowing them again, with the fastest road course time in R&G history, when he discovered that the Chevy-powered 600hp car did not have enough castor, and he went sliding into the wall. Gyann then returned to his Mustang kit, and at 150mph, his hub sheered off and went flying 40 feet in the air, bouncing to rest near the pits. Undaunted, Gyann went to his streetable GT350, took its hub and in an hour, had installed it on his racing version... and he was back in the race.

The Cobras again dominated, but it was the Lotuses that kept things exciting, and several of them beat more than three-dozen Cobras in quickest times on the venues. Among the Lotus 7 types in attendance were Richard Price's Superformance--powered by a 140hp Mazda 1.3L engine; Brian Anderson's World Class Motorsports Ultralite S2K--using a 240hp Honda 1988cc engine; Stephen Brinkerhoff's Locost Lotus 7--with a 70hp Toyota engine; and the Superformance S1 of Doug Reed.

It kept the event from being a Snakes-only venue, and once again, the Snakes had all they could handle from the competition.

After the tech inspections, the drivers meetings and the fun, joking and friendship among drivers, and many last-minute garage tinkerings, the drivers took to the pro CART/IRL road course for practice, and to the autocross for timed runs.

Old R&G favorites Bill Belcher, Dave Childress, Allen Tork, Rick Lake, Dave Serchuk, Bill Bonadio, Rich Pickles, Wayne Turpin, Rich Anderson, Doug Reed, Bob Self, Lew Payne, Jim Schenk, and Steve Pass were among the returnees, and all competed well for trophies, which were awarded on the final day of competition.

For those who like results ... the Overall Top Dogs were: Pro: 1. Aaron Quine, 2. Lane Schranz; Prepared: 1. Rich Pickles, 2. a tie between Jim Schenk and Dave Salkowski; Street: 1. Bill Belcher, 2. John Chesnut. In the next issue, we'll cover the dragstrip showdowns and we'll find out if fast on the road course translates to fastest tire smokers down the quarter-mile.

John Gyann excited the crowd with his Chassis Shop Lola Spyder--the first Lola ever to take on R&G. His No. 23 is powered by a 430ci Chevy that pops out 600 hp. He was blazing down the road course in record time, when he hit a wall and went out of competition.	Rich Pickles is always roaring down the finish line in trophy competition. His Contemporary Cobra, No. 12, thunders down the track with a 575hp Ford 468 engine. Pickles won the Prepared Power Adder class on the road course and autocross.	The Lotus-inspired Superformance S1 of Richard Price, No. 28, uses a 140hp Mazda 1.3-liter engine for power. Price finished in third on the road course, and won his class' autocross.
The Mustang GT350 replica from The Chassis Shop is driven by John Gyann in its No. 47 form. As No. 147, pictured here, Cork Farkas drove the 600hp Ford 392-powered Pony to a Fourth-place road course and autocross finish.	Jim Schenk's red FFR roadster, No. 55, utilizes a 300hp Ford 331 engine for power. Schenk drove his beauty to Prepared Small Block victories on the road course and autocross.	Another of the Lotus-inspired contingent, No. 03, is the Superformance S1 of Doug Reed. Reed drove this car to Second-place finishes in the Prepared 4&6 Cylinder class.
In an exciting practice run, Cork Farkas in his Chassis Shop Mustang GT350, leads his partner John Gyann's Lola Spyder in the Esses on Gateway International's road course.	Rich Anderson drove his Shell Valley Cobra, No. 9, around the road course in fine fashion. Anderson finished third on the course and second in the autocross in Pro Big Block. He pieced this car together from several Shell Valley Cobra kits.	Frank Stone's No. 357 Cobra from Premier Motorsports is outfitted with a 500hp, MRE 428ci engine. In Stone's first appearance at R&G, he finished Second on the road course in the Street Big Block class.
Allen Tork gains a car number every year, to coincide with is age. This time, as car No. 68, Tork drove his 500hp Donavan 421-powered FFR to a Third-place finish on the road course.	David Salkowski's high-gloss black ERA Cobra (No. 88) is built for power with a 427 Ford engine bored out to 488 ci. It puts out 700 hp and 650 ft-lbs of torque, and got Dave a win on the autocross and second-place finish on the road course.	Phil Hoefler's No. 13 FFR roadster completed the road course in Third place in his class. Hoefler's silver-and-black Snake uses a 510hp Ford 347 engine.
In its, No. 150 configuration, the Grand Sport from GSR, was driven by Aaron Quine. Quine brought home victories in his class on the road course and the autocross.	Dan Wyatt, No. 24, drove his Platinum FFR to a pair of third-place finishes in Prepared Small Block. His car has a 300hp Ford 302 underhood.	Layne Schranz got the ride last year, in the Shell Valley No. 17 car. Traditionally a propane-powered vehicle, this time, it had an alcohol engine--a 368 Chevy that pumps out 600 hp. Schranz finished Fourth on the road course and First in his class in the autocross.
Dave Craig, No. 52, ran the road course well in his burgundy Contemporary. The car has a 425hp Ford 427 engine.	No. 188, Bob Self, drove his 427 Contemporary cobra to a Third-place finish on the road course and a fourth-place ending on the autocross. His 482 Shelby aluminum engine puts out 525 hp.	David Koepp's FFR, No. 77, runs a 250hp Ford 302 in the engine compartment, and it was enough to get Koepp a fourth-place finish on the road course and fifth spot on the auto-cross in his class.

The 16th Annual Run And Gun will be held at Gateway International Raceway, Thursday, October 16 through Sunday, October 19.

For information and registration for Run And Gun 2003, contact:
Gail Nungesser
Gateway International Raceway
(618) 875-7540
gnungesser@dovermotorsports.com

Wayne Turpin
Run And Gun Liaison
(812) 477-2355

Host Hotel:
Holiday Inn Collinsville
1000 Eastport Plaza Drive
Collinsville, IL 62234
(618) 345-2800
(Mention Run And Gun when making reservations)