 The 14th annual Run And Gun...  The 14th annual Run And Gun may look like a parade of Snakes, but nine non-Serpents competed and won in several events. |
 All in rows and under control,...  All in rows and under control, these same cars will reach the mid-triple digits on their timed runs. |
 Run And Gun is a triathlon...  Run And Gun is a triathlon of three eventsautocross, road course, and dragstrip. Here, Dennis Olthoff (No. 308) captures the autocross crown in his 480hp Superformance Cobra, outfitted by a 408ci Ford engine. |
 Randy Schranzs propane-powered...  Randy Schranzs propane-powered Shell Valley Cobra (No. 17) had the loudest engine on the track, a Rocky Mountain Machine 355ci Chevy engine that produces 650 horses. Schranz won the cross in his division. |
 Cork Farkas (No. 147) coaxes...  Cork Farkas (No. 147) coaxes his new The Chassis Shop Mustang GT350 along the esses on the road course. The Mustang has a 600hp Ford 392 under the hood. |
 John Chesnut takes his new-design...  John Chesnut takes his new-design Dragon (No. 14) along the autocross. Chesnuts car is powered by a Motown Motors 427ci crate engine that pumps out 500 hp. |
 The dragstrip was the scene...  The dragstrip was the scene of many shootouts. This one, between George Anderson (No. 50, MidStates) and Doug Reed (No. 8, Superformance), took place in the Quick 8 semifinals, which we will report on in the next issue of KC. |
 Cliff Cooskey (No. 15) won...  Cliff Cooskey (No. 15) won his class in his Superformance S1. He has a 1.8L Mazda engine as his powerplant, putting out 100 hp for his very light1,500-poundcar. |
 Charles Howard (No. 99) drove...  Charles Howard (No. 99) drove his MidStates Cobra to a Second Place finish. Howards car was set up with a 497hp Ford 428 engine. |
 Don Gibson (No. 64) was Fourth...  Don Gibson (No. 64) was Fourth in the Pro Small-Block category. His FFR Cobra has a Ford 392 engine that churns out 400 horses. |
 Rich Anderson cruises the...  Rich Anderson cruises the autocross in his Shell Valley 427. He has a huge 514ci Ford that churns out 635 hp. He came in Second in the autocross and Third on the dragstrip in his No. 39 car. |
 The Gateway International...  The Gateway International Raceway road course served as the main venue for the fourth consecutive year. |
 Rich Pickles is always in...  Rich Pickles is always in the hunt for Top Dog. In his Contemporary Cobra (No. 12), set up with a 550hp Ford 468, he came in Second in the autocross. |
 Bill Belcher blazes across...  Bill Belcher blazes across the finish line on the road course. His 375hp Ford 351powered Superformance Snake won the road course in his class. |
 Steve Pass (No. 5, FFR) and...  Steve Pass (No. 5, FFR) and Bill Bonadio (No. 61, CARS Dio) race across the finish line during a practice session. Pass won the Street Power Adder division with his 550hp Ford 347 powerplant, and Bonadio won two of the three venues in his class (Pro Power Adder), losing only the road course. Bonadio has his car set up with a 325hp Ford 302. |
 Bill Worden has a Boss 351...  Bill Worden has a Boss 351 Cleveland under his hood that pumps out 446 horses for his Specialty Motor Carriages Cobra 427 (No. 4). |
 Scott Richey guides his Contemporary/Autospeed...  Scott Richey guides his Contemporary/Autospeed Cobra 289 FIA (No. 26) along the road course, where he finished in Second Place. Scott set up his 289 with a Ford SVO 351 Windsor, which is good for 375 hp. |
 Greg LaPoint guides his Factory...  Greg LaPoint guides his Factory Five Cobra 427 (No. 63) down the cross. LaPoint won his class thanks to his driving skill and his 670hp Ford 347 powerplant. |
 Bill Bonadios CARS Dio...  Bill Bonadios CARS Dio (No. 61) won nearly everything in sight. He won the cross and was a favorite on the road course until starter and engine malfunctions took him out after he won the dragstrip competition. |
 Mike Millers D&D Corvette...  Mike Millers D&D Corvette (No. 150) competed well in all venues, winning the autocross and drags in his class. He has his car set up with a Chevy 434 that produces around 500 horses. |
 Aaron Quine drove one of three...  Aaron Quine drove one of three Corvette Grand Sports at the event. His Altair Grand Sport (No. 110) is primed with a GM crate motor that measures 350 ci and puts out in excess of 350 hp. He finished Third on the road course, after an official setup ruling dropped him from a group in which he had finished First. |
 Scott Gage brought his FFR...  Scott Gage brought his FFR Cobra (No. 16) out and won the drags in his class. Here, he is seen on the cross, where he came in Third. His Snake has a 400hp Ford 351 under the hood. |
 Jim Spencers Studio...  Jim Spencers Studio X Grand Sport (No. 1) finished in Second place on the autocross and the road course. A 550hp Chevy 383 provides the power. |
 Dave Bordens FFR (No....  Dave Bordens FFR (No. 94) has a Ford 302 and 400 horses to power it. Borden took that power and won the autocross and road course. |
 Bill Scholls FFR (No....  Bill Scholls FFR (No. 66) finished Fifth on the cross. His car is set up with a 280hp Ford 302 engine. |
 Mike Ciccotelli was competitive...  Mike Ciccotelli was competitive in all the venues in his Beck Lister (No. 20), winning the drags and road course. The 1,800-pound car is in tune with a Chevy 368 engine and more than 400 horses. |
 Robert Lightsey had the highest...  Robert Lightsey had the highest number in the event (No. 502). His Hunter Cobra has a massive 502 Chevy engine under the hood that pumps out 530 hp. Lightsey finished Fourth on the cross. Hunter, based in Ocala, Florida, uses the old Integrity molds. |
 Allan Tork was one of the...  Allan Tork was one of the senior contingent that did well. His FFR Cobra 427 (No. 67) was numbered for his age. Next year, he will be 68 and his car will be No. 68. His Cobra is powered by a 420.8ci Donavan aluminum engine that explodes at around 600 horses. Tork came in Second on the road course. |
 In line and waiting at the...  In line and waiting at the road course entrance, these kit cars are ready to hit the asphalt. |
 Dave Nemitz and his B&B Cobra...  Dave Nemitz and his B&B Cobra (No. 42) was in the hunt on all tracks. He has his car tuned with a 300hp Ford 351 Windsor engine. |
 Lew Payne drove his Classic...  Lew Payne drove his Classic Motor Carriages Cobra 427 (No. 10) with skill, and he had fun hitting the straights and the esses. His Ford Mustang 5.0L engine is good for 350 horses. |
 Bob Mustic had the only Buick...  Bob Mustic had the only Buick powerplant at the race. His Johnex Cobra (No. 6) is outfitted with a 274ci V-6 that pumps out about 300 horses. Mustic ran well and won his class. |
 Chuck Beck was another of...  Chuck Beck was another of the more experienced drivers who won. The former Can-Am racer drove his 400hp Chevy 368powered Beck Lister (No. 11) and got the fastest time of any driver on the road coursemore than two seconds faster than his nearest rival. |
 Dennis Olthoff is a competitor...  Dennis Olthoff is a competitor who wins trophies at every Run And Gun. His Superformance 427 (No. 308) is powered by a 500hp Ford 408. He won his class on the road courseas usual. |
 Wayne Turpin brought out his...  Wayne Turpin brought out his Contemporary Cobra and packed it with a 500hp Shelby 482 engine. Turpin won the drags in his class and ran well on all venues before he packed it in to help coordinate the event. |
 John Gyann received the Editors...  John Gyann received the Editors Choice for Car of the Show. His The Chassis Shop 67 Mustang GT350 (No. 47) is powered by a Ford SVO Victor 391 engine that produces 650 hp. Gyann was Second on the road course and Third on the autocross. |
Perhaps the largest and most anticipated kit car race in the nation is Run And Gun. Last years event, the 14th in the series, was held at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, and it attracted nearly four-dozen kits, from Cobras to Grand Sports to Listers to a new Mustang GT350. Kits all, these cars blazed around the three venuespro road course, autocross, and dragstripfor four days of asphalt-smoking speed and excitement.
The old-guard champions, including Dennis Olthoff, Bill Belcher, Bill Bonadio, Rich Pickles, Doug Reed, Wayne Turpin, George Anderson, Greg LaPoint, and Jim Spencer, dug in against quality drivers of the ascending rung, such as Lew Payne, Rick Lake, Clois Harlan, Clyde Bass, Rich Anderson, Randy Schranz, Jim Schenk, Bob Mustic, Steve Pass, David Serchuk, Todd Biermann, and John Gyann.
Added to the mix were the rising stars of the very near future: Mike Miller, Richard Oben, John Chesnut, Cliff Cooksey, Scott Richey, Charles Howard, Mike Ciccotelli, Dave Borden, Scott Gage, Cork Farkas, and James Harlan. The senior contingentthe 60s-and-up triumverate of Chuck Beck, Bob Self, and Allan Torkwas the group to watch and catch up to.
Even in the shadow of the events of last September 11 (Run And Gun was held a scant two weeks later), events that kept the turnout down, those in attendance were upbeat, friendly, competitive, and grateful to share the joy of their cars with other drivers who know exactly how they feel.
In terms of cars, Cobras once again led the way. Of the nearly 50 cars in attendance, 41 were Cobra replicas. But the non-Cobrasthree Corvette Grand Sports, one Superformance S1, one Dragon, one Dio, two Listers, and one Mustang GT350captured the attention of the Cobra cadre and provided the thrills and fastest times to wrest many of the top prizes from the Snakes.
In years past, the dragstrip was the final event, but due to NHRA scheduling at Gateway, the dragstrip became the second event, changing the strategies of many drivers who see the event as a potential car breaker. Since it is the Gateway pro (CART, IRL, NASCAR, Winston Cup) road course that makes Run And Gun special, drivers made sure they didnt over-drag so as to keep their cars in tune for the final runs on the course.
When Bill Bonadio bested Mike Miller in the King of the Hill final, drivers applauded and turned their sights to the road course. Bonadio flamed down the quarter-mile in 11.22 (dialed-in at 11.20) to Millers 10.67 (dialed-in at 10.50) and came home with the trophy.
The drivers cruised the road course several times to get a feel for the venue and to participate in parade laps. Parade laps are the quintessential peacockian trekdrivers and passengers take to the track to show off their beautiful toys and to ride in the company of others who make this hobby as exciting as it is.
As usual, the first event was the autocross. The quickest time was turned in by Dennis Olthoff in his Superformance Cobra 427 (408ci Ford engine). Olthoff won the Pro Big-Block category and led all drivers at 35.67 seconds. The second-fastest time (36.201) went to Prepared Power Added king David Borden in his Factory Five Snake (302 Ford engine). Bill Bonadio captured the third-best time and won the Pro Power Added division at 36.988 in his CARS Dio (Ford 302).
Randy Schranz captured the top spot in the Pro Small-Block group with his propane-powered, fluorescent-orange Shell Valley Cobra, besting Chuck Beck in his Beck Lister by a mere 0.205 second. Rich Pickles took top honors in the Prepared Power Added group, with his Ford-468engined Contemporary Cobra. Richard Oben received the quickest time among Prepared Small-Blocks in his FFR 427, and Cliff Cooksey triumphed among Street 4-6-cylinder foes in his Superformance S1. Bob Mustic won in the Prepared 4-6 class in his Buick-powered Johnex Cobra. Doug Reed won in the Prepared Big-Block class in his Ford-powered 392ci Superformance Snake.
John Chesnut, who seems to spend as much time in the garage as on the track in these events, brought his new Dragon out and won the Street Big-Block class. Street Small-Block honors went to Bill Belcher in his Superformance, and Steve Pass in his FFR came home with the Street Power Adder trophy.
Top Dog awards went to Dennis Olthoff, Dave Borden, and Cliff Cooksey. With the autocross out of the way, the group trekked to the dragstrip and then to the road course. During it all, they swapped stories and helped with each others carswhen one guy breaks a car, countless competitors rush in to offer spare parts, tech advice, and/or sympathy to help him back in the competition. The breaks in between the racingthe dinners, the drivers meetings, and the palling aroundbrings most of these car guys to Run And Gun. Friendships are gained, made, and cemented here, even while the rivalries create fierce shootouts.
The most fun these guys have is on the pro track, where speeds can reach 160 mph. A road course with a high-bank straightaway requires common sense, driving skill, and well-prepared cars, and this years group displayed all of the above. There were a few small wall-scrapes but no major accidents, and the track was never shut down for anything other than an occasional oil cleanup. On the track, in Pro Big-Block, Dennis Olthoff in his MidStates Cobra held off Charles Howard, winning top prize with a time of 1:09.73 (to Howards 1:10.81). Prepared Big-Block honors went to Doug Reed in his Contemporary Cobra, who slipped past Bob Self, making 1:11.36 to 1:18.28.
Chuck Beck took his Lister to victory in the Pro Small-Block class by posting the best time in the event. Beck sizzled down the course in 1:06.01, to top John Gyann in his new The Chassis Shop Mustang GT350. Gyann finished with the second-fastest time of the competition1:08.75. Dave Childress drove his all-new Dragon (one of three Dragon drivers) to victory in the Street Big-Block group, besting Allan Tork (FFR Cobra) 1:17.76 to 1:21.61.
Mike Ciccotelli drove Becks Lister to a Prepared Small-Block win over David Serchuk in his Shell Valley Cobra, 1:09.80 to 1:10.31.
Bill Belcher (Superformance) was the top Street Small-Blocker on the course, beating Scott Richeys Contemporary 289 by 1:14.13 to 1:18.69.
Greg LaPoint won the Pro Power Adder class, taking his FFR Snake to victory over Jim Spencers Studio X Corvette Grand Sport by 1:12.76 to 1:13.03.
Top Dogs in the road course went to Chuck Beck, Dave Borden, and Bill Belcher.
The cars thundered, the engines purred, and the smiles grew. It was a wonderful event. As in all such events, this one could not have been a success without the help of a myriad of people. Timing was completed by members of the Greater St. Louis, Missouri Valley, and Kansas Kit Car Clubs, with extra dragstrip work by George Anderson and Mike Cadell, and Rich Pickles and Wayne Turpin did all the behind-the-scenes work that made Run And Gun possible.
In a show of patriotism, the drivers go together and donated more than $600 to a disaster relief fund.
One non-racing bit of news was the new Mustang GT350 unveiled by John Gyann and Cork Farkas The Chassis Shop. This exciting new kit was given the Editors Choice award by KC editor Mike Blake for its innovativeness, beauty, speed, and style.
The overall Top Dogs for Run And Gun 2001 were Chuck Beck (Pro), Dave Borden (Prepared), and Bill Belcher (Street).
These drivers/car-builders are a fine lot with fine cars, and you can bet theyll be at Run And Gun 2002, September 16-19, at Gateway International. For information on the event, contact the sources from the list below.
For information regarding Run And Gun 2002, to be held September 16-19 at Gateway International, contact:
Gail Nungesser, Gateway International Raceway, 618/875-7540
Wayne Turpin, 812/477-2355
Holiday Inn Collinsville (host hotel), 1000 Eastport Plaza Dr., Collinsville, IL 62234; 618/345-2800