Road America Race Track Reloaded

Springtime in Wisconsin can mean many different things for hot rodders. Some anxiously await opening day at their local quarter mile or that first big car show, while others are just happy to see the rain wash all the salt off the roads. For a select group or enthusiasts, the third weekend in April signals the opening event at Road America, the fabled 4-mile road course near Elkhart Lake.

Now in its fifth year, the Speed Seekers/Midwest F-Body Association track rental has become so popular that a second date was added in the fall of 2003 to help accommodate the mass of adrenaline junkies looking to get their fix on America's longest road course. Much of this success can be attributed to the simple, attractive format and thorough planning by event organizers John Gay, Dan Kuehn, Dave Dill and their spouses.

They saw increasing numbers of mainstream hot rodders getting turned onto the idea of flexing their car's muscle on a road course, but knew that gaining access to tracks could be problematic. The operating costs and manpower needed to open a road course are far greater than their straight line counterparts, so major venues like Road America can't just open their gates for "test 'n tune" and hope enough cars will show up to cover the expenses. That leaves the onus on clubs and sanctioning bodies to gather up enough interested parties to convince the track they can foot the bill.

Road America is one of the premier road courses in the world, so it should come as no surprise that wheel-to-wheel racing events and a throng of well-established sports car clubs have had the prime dates locked up for many years. As a result, when the Speed Seekers and their F-body cohorts approached Road America, the track accommodated them by beginning their normal operating season a week earlier. April weather can be volatile in Wisconsin, but as long as it's not raining (or snowing), the cool temperatures are generally much easier on cars than what one might find at a Porsche club event in mid-July.

Although Camaro and Firebird owners are behind this endeavor, they have opened the event to all makes, models and years, and do so without requiring membership in their club. Most of the 120 slots are filled with cars produced by the Big Three, but a few imports make their way in as well. The atmosphere is friendly and the format on the track is non-competitive with designated passing areas clearly marked on straightaways, greatly reducing the possibility of car-to-car contact. The cars are divided into four groups, based on a combination of driver experience and car preparation, ensuring that a first-timer in a four-banger Cavalier won't have Z06s buzzing by them at 150 mph.

The price of $350 may seem expensive compared to a night at the dragstrip, but it's actually a bargain for two days on a road course, especially at a facility like Road America. The Speed Seekers also offer a seminar the night before the event and make instructors available throughout the weekend to help drivers find the quickest way around the course, all at no additional cost.

If you've ever considered running your car in events like open road races, prior experience in high-performance driving situations isn't just a good idea, it's often a mandatory requirement. The Speed Seekers track rental is a great way to get your feet wet without soaking your bank account. The next event is just around the corner, so check out www.speedseekers.com for all the details.

Similar to what you'd find...        read full caption Similar to what you'd find at a dragstrip, all cars are put through tech inspection prior to heading out on the track. Wheels, tires and helmets that are at least SA95/M95 or newer are points of emphasis during this process, but cars are also checked for leaking fluids and anything that isn't securely attached to the vehicle.

Driver meetings are held twice...        read full caption Driver meetings are held twice each day to review the procedure for the upcoming sessions, address any concerns that might come up throughout the course of the event and answer any last-minute questions.

Dr. Fred Fetzer is a regular...        read full caption Dr. Fred Fetzer is a regular at Road America and brought his newest Mustang out for some fun on the track. He picked the car up last year and had it on the track at the Speed Seekers' fall event one week after purchasing it. Fetzer is using this one for daily transportation, so it won't see the level of modifications found on his '00 Cobra R, but he did add a few goodies, including R-compound tires, a new exhaust system and 3.90 gears.

After his first road course...        read full caption After his first road course experience at this event last year, Scott Shumard went on to win the street tire class in his rookie season in the SCCA's Great River Region SOLO II Competition. Scott made his second appearance at a Speed Seekers event in 2004 and brought his father, Rick, along to drive his '02 Firehawk in four of the 20-minute sessions.

Michael Trifilio originally...        read full caption Michael Trifilio originally intended to run his '98 Formula Firebird all weekend, but he couldn't resist the chance to take his '04 Cadillac CTS-V out for two of the nine sessions. Trifilio was amazed by his Caddy's performance and claims it outperformed his Formula in every aspect on the track and did so without even approaching the vehicle's limits.

Rodney Sizemore was one of...        read full caption Rodney Sizemore was one of several participants who used the Speed Seekers event as a final shakedown session prior to competing in the Cannonball One Lap of America (OLOA). His ATI-procharged '02 Z06 puts down 665 horsepower to the wheels and finished fifth in the SSGT1 class for big displacement cars in 2004. Rodney feels the Speed Seekers event is the perfect test session, especially considering Road America was one of the OLOA stops this year.

Josh Straub hitched a ride...        read full caption Josh Straub hitched a ride in a Cobra R at the Speed Seekers event last fall and immediately knew he had to bring his '91 Syclone to the spring event. Josh is a regular at the dragstrip, where his truck routinely runs 11.70s, but this was his first experience driving on a road course. Straub brought extra brake pads and turned the boost all the way down to help thwart mechanical failure and was ecstatic with the outcome. He ran in all but two of the sessions, logging over 200 incident-free miles on the track.

Michael Whitney brought his...        read full caption Michael Whitney brought his '03 Cobra up from Bettendorf, Iowa to run in his first open track event. Road America was certainly a learning experience for Michael, as he hit the rev limiter in fourth gear on a few occasions and found he could only run for about 40 minutes on the track before having to stop for gas. He also noticed the extreme heat generated during the 20-minute sessions would occasionally send some differential fluid out of the breather pipe, but a visual inspection showed no other issues.

The layout of Road America...        read full caption The layout of Road America features three high-speed sections where many cars will easily reach triple digit speeds, but the "Kink" leading into the "Kettle Bottoms" stretch is the most treacherous part of the track. The Kink has claimed many cars that came in too hot and lifted or braked at the wrong moment, but a skilled driver can power all the way through the fast right-hander. Most elect to play it safe and sacrifice some time in favor of safe passage, especially on this weekend.

We know how picky and protective...        read full caption We know how picky and protective some car owners can be with their vehicles, but the camaraderie and mutual trust we find at racetracks never ceases to amaze us. Keith Wagner had no qualms about letting Jeff Schwartz run his spotless '70 Chevelle (see elsewhere in this issue) for a session to see if he could top his 3:20 lap times. Jeff ran the supercharged 454 a little bit harder, clicking off a 3:12 on Keith's stopwatch before bringing the car back unscathed.

Patrick Schatz made the long...        read full caption Patrick Schatz made the long trek up from Tipp City, Ohio to run his '68 Camaro, but he tells us the trip was well worth it. Patrick has also run the car at Gingerman and Graton, but it's clear to him that Road America is at a different level. His 383-powered Camaro ran strong and his six-speed shifted smoothly, but Schatz is considering purchasing road race tires to take better advantage of his car's potential.

Awards are not given at this...        read full caption Awards are not given at this event, but if there were a category for best name, Cork Farkas would certainly be in the running. Cork loves letting it all hang out in his '97 Cobra and we snapped a shot of him doing just that in turn three, as Bruce Cameron followed close behind in his '00 Cobra R.

Matt Sexton's '80 Formula...        read full caption Matt Sexton's '80 Formula has about 140,000 miles on its clock, with the last 20,000 accumulated over 15 season's worth of track events. Sexton's Formula has gone through a series of engines during that time and currently runs with a 400 cubic-inch Poncho mill mated to a four-speed tranny. Matt manages to make his way around Road America in about 2:45, but says his factory 4-wheel disc brakes are probably keeping him from recording faster laps.

The long lines at the Gearbox...        read full caption The long lines at the Gearbox eatery were well worth the wait, as the trackside restaurant served up some of the best breakfast and lunches we've ever eaten at a racetrack and at a reasonable price too! The Gearbox is also an excellent place to spectate, as cars can be viewed going through turn five as well as turn 14.

The Mopar contingent at this...        read full caption The Mopar contingent at this event always seems to be lacking, but Peter Bothoff can't get enough of Road America. Apparently, his '97 Viper GTS can't get enough brake pads during the weekend either, but the expense and hassle of changing pads multiple times is well worth it for the rare opportunity to tickle the 150-mph mark on his speedometer. Peter also enjoys spending time with his son at the track and plans to send him out in an LS1-powered Firebird in the very near future.

Jeff Wilson's '67 Vette (also...        read full caption Jeff Wilson's '67 Vette (also seen elsewhere in this issue) had four years of work into it by the time he made it to Elkhart Lake from his home in Wadsworth, Illinois. Prior to that weekend, the only track time the car saw was a 10.90 pass at the dragstrip, but Jeff told us the car ran great, with lap times under 3:00 and top speeds above 160 mph. His experience on the track has convinced him to ditch the stock Muncie four-speed in favor of a Richmond five-speed and he's also likely to add bigger brakes to the mix.

Freak is the best way to describe...        read full caption Freak is the best way to describe Matt Dusek's 145,000-mile, daily-driven '92 Corvette. Dusek has driven the basically stock LT1-powered Vette through every Chicago winter since he bought it, in addition to running about a half dozen track events each year and the car still has both the original clutch and the original Opti-spark. Matt doesn't take it easy on the track either, as he can typically run laps in the sub-2:50 range.

Jeff Schwartz is living proof...        read full caption Jeff Schwartz is living proof that no matter how off-beat your car is, magazines will give you ink if you get out there and use it. We were surprised to see Schwartz's Ultima GTR roll into the track without its rear wing, but Jeff removed it in the hopes of gaining some mph on Road America's long straightaways. The car easily eclipsed 160, but proved to be a handful in the corners, prompting Jeff to reinstall the wing later in the day. As the weekend went on, Jeff found the car to be extremely sensitive to driver input and downright scary at times, but overall he really enjoyed himself.

Not everyone's weekend went...        read full caption Not everyone's weekend went according to plan and that was particularly the case for the owner of this BMW M3. The racing gods were not kind to Bavarian-powered machines this weekend, as another Beemer was taken out by the Kink, but we're happy to report both drivers walked away without injury.

Bruce Cameron's '00 Cobra...        read full caption Bruce Cameron's '00 Cobra R only has about 3,300 miles on the odometer, but about 2,200 of those miles have come at the track. Cameron runs in about 10 open track events per year for the pure enjoyment, but the occasional cracked rotor and lap times in the high 2:30s indicate he still hustles around the track pretty well, especially considering he usually has a passenger.

David Goodman is another OLOA...        read full caption David Goodman is another OLOA competitor who took advantage of the Speed Seekers event to get some seat time at an unfamiliar track. Goodman lives in Boston, but flew in to Chicago after getting some practice in at the Vegas track and caught a ride up to Elkhart Lake with 2003 OLOA overall winner Ron Adee and his crew. Ron was busy shaking down his own entry in the race, but was gracious enough to let David get on the track in his '95 Neon.

Mequon, Wisconsin resident...        read full caption Mequon, Wisconsin resident Randy Platz loves spending quality time at Road America in his '70 Corvette. Platz's C3 makes short work of the long straights, thanks to power supplied by a big-block 454. Randy paid close attention to the suspension as well and spent the previous winter going through the entire car, lowering it 1.5-inches. He tells us it now handles better than ever, which is a good thing since he runs in two or three events a month during the summer.

Franklin, Wisconsin resident...        read full caption Franklin, Wisconsin resident Jeff Van Buren made the short trip up to Road America with his newly-acquired '67 Camaro to see what it could handle. The 454-powered F-body was still sporting stock discs in the front and stock drums in the rear and the only changes Van Buren made prior to hitting the track was changing the pads and bleeding the brakes. The engine ran solid and the drums never locked up, but Jeff wondered if they were biased properly, as he found himself steering with the throttle throughout the weekend to compensate for a slight push.

Events like this just aren't...        read full caption Events like this just aren't possible without the help of dedicated volunteers, one of which is Jeremy Walker. Jeremy has been assisting the Speed Seekers for the last four years, doing everything from tech inspection to working the entrance grid to the track. The weekend isn't all work and no play for Walker, as he usually gets an opportunity on Sunday to take his Procharged '95 Camaro out for a session or two.

They only made 300 Cobra Rs...        read full caption They only made 300 Cobra Rs in 2000, but you wouldn't know they were rare by looking at the turnout at Road America. Cobra R owners seem to be a polarized group, where they either pamper their cars in the corner of the garage or put them on the track. Terry Moenich would certainly fit into the latter. Although the odometer reads just over 3,000 miles, half of those have come on a racetrack. Terry tells us his car is virtually bulletproof now that he is running rotors of his own design, which help carry the Medinah, Illinois resident to lap times in the mid-2:45 range.

Mark Schnell had no prior...        read full caption Mark Schnell had no prior experience on a road course, so he eased his way into the Speed Seekers event, first coming as a spectator last fall and then splitting his slot for the weekend with another driver. Schnell was understandably nervous at first, but his '00 Trans Am WS6 performed flawlessly and his lap times continued to improve throughout the day. Mark awoke Sunday morning regretting his decision to split his slot with another car, but he assures us he won't make that mistake again.

Mike Sexton has been running...        read full caption Mike Sexton has been running his '87 Formula in open track events for the last nine years and pretty much has it down to a science. At Road America, he averages about 90 mph and will use about five gallons of gas during each session at an average of about 6 miles per gallon. To avoid starving the fuel pump in the turns, Mike tops off the tank after each run.

James Lambert has been running...        read full caption James Lambert has been running autocross and road course events for about ten years with various clubs, including recent Speed Seekers events. This was his first time tracking his '03 Mustang, so Lambert elected to run in the B class, where he took a milder pace that translated into lap times hovering around the three minute mark.

Dwight Hochbaum has sampled...        read full caption Dwight Hochbaum has sampled a wide variety of motorsports over the last 17 years, including drag racing and hobby stocks at the local bull rings, but he sounds hooked on road courses. "It lasts a lot longer than drag racing, it's cheaper than hobby stocks because you can leave the car alone and drive it on the street if you want and it's a lot more fun because the acceleration lasts longer than the two-second spurts we get on the oval tracks," says Hochbaum. Dwight's 351-powered '85 Mustang would leave virtually everything in its dust on the straightaways as he often accelerated past 140 mph, but he found his suspension and 15-inch wheel/tire combination to be lacking in the turns, where most cars would reel him back in.

Menasha, Wisconsin's Mark...        read full caption Menasha, Wisconsin's Mark Repka is a regular at Road America, but he spends most of his time there as a corner worker for the SCCA. Repka's C4 is basically stock and he enjoys keeping it in pristine shape, but the appeal of Road America has lured him on to the track for a second consecutive year.

Michael Trifilio runs his...        read full caption Michael Trifilio runs his '98 Formula in the MCSCC high-speed autocross Stock A division, which limits his modifications to intake and exhaust tweaks. Even with those limited upgrades, he thoroughly enjoys the track time available at the Speed Seeker's event and finds it to be the perfect warm-up for his upcoming season.

Editor Hunkins was kind enough...        read full caption Editor Hunkins was kind enough to fly to Wisconsin and photograph the event, so author Jim McIlvaine could spend the weekend driving his '02 Camaro. Hunkins was able to juggle his photo duties while critiquing McIlvaine's lack of prowess on the track. The racing gods did not take kindly to Hunkins' good-natured ribbing of McIlvaine's anemic pace and cursed the power steering pump on his Vette to fail at Buttonwillow three weeks later.