Run And Gun2001: Running For Home

Perhaps the largest and most anticipated kit car race in the nation is Run And Gun. Last year’s 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 venues—pro road course, autocross, and dragstrip—for 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 contingent—the 60s-and-up triumverate of Chuck Beck, Bob Self, and Allan Tork—was 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-Cobras—three Corvette Grand Sports, one Superformance S1, one Dragon, one Dio, two Listers, and one Mustang GT350—captured 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 didn’t 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 Miller’s 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 trek—drivers 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-468–engined 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’ cars—when 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 racing—the dinners, the drivers’ meetings, and the palling around—brings 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 year’s 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 Howard’s 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 competition—1:08.75. 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 Beck’s 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 Richey’s 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 Spencer’s 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 Editor’s 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 they’ll 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