In terms of engine-size supremacy, small-blocks led the way with 29 small-block engines. Sixteen cars were powered by big-blocks, with five four- or six-cylinder mills and six power-adder powerplants. A further breakdown of engine choices shows that ten of the plants were 302s, eight were 427s, seven were 351 Windsors, five were 350s, two were 289s, and two were 351 Clevelands. Twelve of the mills were stroked.
Now back to the cars and drivers. Run and Gun 16 saw many returnees-old friends who had missed the event for a year or two and some who had come back with new cars or new parts.
Charles Howard, who thought he had lost his car in a Denver blizzard and collapsed garage six months earlier, found that his MidStates Snake was only scratched and was driveable (to a Second Place finish on the road course and Third on the autocross). Greg Lapoint was back after a few missed events, but this time, he left his FFR Snake home and brought a Mustang. George Anderson brought both his MidStates Cobra and his big-block Mustang. Other returnees, after a few passed-on R&Gs, were old friends Jay Nordstrom (sharing an Excalibur Cobra with Bob Lightsey), Jack Rosen who parked his winged Factory Five Snake and brought his newly built Ultima CanAm, Scott Richey with his Contemporary 289, Hershal Byrd with his Roaring Forties GT40, and Rick Merz with his daily driver, a GTD GT40.
At the track, Run and Gun 16 included three days of racing, tech and safety inspection, driver's meetings, a dinner party, an awards presentation, and tons of fun, camaraderie, and friendship among drivers. That friendship extends to those who unselfishly offer their time, expertise, and assistance to fellow drivers and to the occasion itself. The event could not have run as smoothly without the help of Greater St. Louis Kit Car Club's Don Shank and the volunteer efforts of Bill Bonadio, George Anderson, and Bill Frimpter.
On the track we saw sights that were historic in their scope. At times, we were entertained by an Ultima CanAm taking on a Lola in a road course shootout. We were treated to replica Cobras passing hi-po Mustang Cobras and some Pony cars gaining a measure of revenge on some Snakes. On the dragstrip on the final day, we saw a duel for King of the Hill honors between the car of 69-year-old Run and Gun favorite Pete Tork and the first non-kit or component car ever to make the finals, the '01 Mustang Cobra of Jonathan Blevins.
Those who generally win the big trophies came through again, as Rich Pickles, Bill Bonadio, Wayne Turpin, Randy Schranz, Bill Belcher, and Pete Tork were among those who came away with post-race hardware. However, they were challenged by dozens of other seasoned and new drivers who competed hard and won many of the trophies awarded.
John Chesnut and his three-car Dragon contingent won plaques in several categories, and newcomers Daniel Mann, Dave Koepp, and Mike Winebrenner also came home winners.
John Gyann, who has won at Run and Gun in Cobras and Mustang GT350 replicas, brought two CanAm Exotics Lola T-70 replicas (driven by Gyann and his son Greg). Greg ran 1:11.98 on the road course, for First Place in the Street Small-Block section, while John won First Place in Prepared Small-Block at 1:09.88. On the autocross, Greg won his division at 37.585, while Papa John came in Second to Gary McDaniel's 36.335 (FFR Cobra) with a time of 38.449. In his other T-70, Gyann ran in the Pro class and finished in Second to Randy Schranz' Shell Valley Cobra-1:08.29 to 1:08.62 on the road course.
Rich Anderson made it a successful Shell Valley trio, joining Schranz (road course and dragstrip) and Dave Serchuk (autocross) with wins in the autocross and dragstrip in the Pro Class Big-Block.