36 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

The R4/2 has reached its full and glorious flower this morning.

The track opened at 8:00 AM and by 8:15, the parking lot was essentially full and fifty racers already in full thrash mode inside. A few minutes later, the line of racers waiting for lanes was curling around the doughnut!

Tom Thumb is crammed to the gills with racers, wth every square inch of horizontal surface being used for a pit in some way. There's a racer "hot-seating" it with another, sharing a single seat between the two of them. One almost cannot move without bumping into another racer, just in shifting around. Hope the fire marshall doesn't drop by...

"It's like the sixties all over again," another raced exclaimed and I think he's right. I've been to a lot of races, including numerous Nats and other big races. Nothing in my experience can compare to the R4/2, including the previous R4 and both Sanos. This is slot racing excitement at a level new to me.

[Cheater]

Can-Am tech is in progress, with Noose the Tech Nazi beavering away, ably assisted by Bill Fulmer (doing me and you a huge favor by taking the car pics at tech!), and Butch Dunaway.

I've been wandering around taking pit box pictures for a few minutes. If there's 70 racers here, I'd bet there are 69 unique pit boxes.

I've taken about 25 pictures of an astounding custom pit box/car carrier made by Daren Toman. The box will ultimately get its own thead, which ought to tell you something.



Chris Barnes has his huge video camera camera set up on a tripod at the tech table exit and is interviewing racers for a planned R4/2 DVD.



The thrashing and buzz has dropped off, as racers have passed their cars through tech and are now relaxing for a last few moments before the racing begins. The calm before the storm.

I stepped outside a few minutes ago and was backed up against the wall by a posse led by Mark Greene and Jack Beers. "You got your car in tech yet?", I was asked menacingly. I started to say no, that I wasn't gonna race, but looking at the scowling faces surrounding me, I decided discretion was the better part of valor and said I was just headed that way. Thinking fast, I looked around to see who would loan me an RTR Can-Am car.

First guy I saw was Noose, and he said he had a car, handing me a Samson chassis car wth a brown (?!?!) Lola body impeccably painted, as is usual wth his cars.

After easily passing through tech, I realized how lucky I had been. If the Tech Nazi had bounced his own RTR car, he would have had to fix it himself... Heh... heh... heh.

[Bill from NH]

I recall seeing that Daren Toman box in one of the slot car mags, probably SARN, about five years ago. If I remember correctly, it was filled with black and yellow cars at the time.

[Cheater]

Tech for Can-Am has closed, with a total of 60 entries!!! We'll be running a nice symmetrical format of six 10-racer round robins.





This probably isn't all sixty cars, but as can be seen it was a struggle to find enough horizontal space for 'em all!


Concours voting was held using a subset of the full field due to time considerations.


Here's Bill "Billibob" Newly pondering his vote

Before the racing started, Mike McMasters expressed his sincere appreciation to all attendees for coming. He was effusive in his praise for the retro racing community, saying that the R4 is the most enjoyable event he has ever held, with the most congenial group of racers anywhere.



Next, Ron Van Wagnen took the mike to say a few words about the late Chris Gallegos (and Lenore), terming them the finest supporters of slot racing (of all scales and disciplines) the hobby has ever seen, as well as the best ambassadors. He requested and received a minute of silence in rememberance of Chris Gallegos, as well as prayers for Lenore.



A voice from the crowd (later ID'd as Bill Fulmer's) suggested that the Can-Am final in 2009 be dedicated to Chris Gallegos and by acclamation, it was so decided. The Chris Gallego Memorial Retro Can-Am race it will be.


Yeah, there are only 58 cars visible here, but it's still a darn impressive bunch of retro Can-Am cars!

The first race is lining up, and with racers like Hershman, Guard, Radisich, Crutchfield, Thorne, Kurkowski, etc., it promises to be incredibly competitive.

Results as soon as I get 'em.

[Cheater]

L to R, Laura Schmitt, Ralph Thorne, Ron Hershman, Josh Crutchfield, Chris Barnes, Jay Guard, straightaway marshal Jerry Ward, Bill Gerhart, Vince Del Viscio.

Results from the first Can-Am semi:

1) Ron Hershman - 282 laps, best lap of 4.828 secs in blue
2) Josh Crutchfield - 278, 4.891 in purple
3) Bob Kurkowski - 274, 4.938 in orange
4) Bill Gerhart - 271, 4.992 in orange
5) Chris Radisich - 269, 4.941 in blue
6) Jay Guard - 268, 5.047 in purple
7) Ralph Thorne - 244, 5.332 in purple
8) Vince Del Viscio - 242, 5.378 in blue
9) Laura Schmitt - 221, 5.613 in blue
10) Chris Barnes - 123, 5.109 in red

[HarV Wallbanger III]

A voice from the crowd suggested that the Can-Am final be dedicated to Chris Gallegos and by acclamation, it was so decided. The Chris Gallego Memorial it will be.

Thank you all very much! Please send Lenore this.

I'm sure I speak for all the crowd at BPR in saying we thank you!

Have a great race!

[Cheater]

L to R, Rick Maynard, Chuck Gambo, Greg Wells, Mike Patterson, Jason Echelbarger, Jason Blackburn, straightaway marshal Hershman, Roger Schmitt, Matt Bruce.

Results of the second Can-Am semi:

1) Dustin Morris - 271, best lap of 4.999 in purple
2) Jason Blackburn - 269, 4.942 in blue
3) Matt Bruce - 268, 4.938 in yellow
4) Chuck Gambo -266, 4.938 in yellow
5) Gary Brammel - 259, 5.051 in green
6) Greg Wells - 258, 5.101 in yellow
7) Rick Maynard - 251, 5.050 in orange
8) Jason Echelbarger - 243, 5.328 in black
9) Mike Patterson - 231, 5.430 in white
10) Roger Schmitt -231, 5.218 in blue

[Cheater]

Thank you all very much! Please send Lenore this.

Will do when I can. They're making me marshall now, imagine that...

[Mark C.]

Great job so far, guys... and that custom pit box is awesome... I'm sure a LOT of people will be asking if we could buy one... myself included!!!

Great job, Hershman, Bruce, and Mr. Slotblogger himself: Greg!

[Cheater]

If I have a driver's panel shot for this Semi, I haven't found it yet. Anyone else take a shot of the drivers in Semi 3?

Results of the third Can-Am semi:

1) Mike Swiss - 273 laps, best lap of 4.937 in yellow
2) Paul Martin - 272, 4.941 in red
3) James Merriman - 272, 4.942 in orange
4) Howie Ursaner - 270, 5.000 in yellow
5) Dave Fiedler - 270, 4.937 in blue
6) Neil Easterday - 257, 5.000 in purple
7) Al Rutti - 257, 5.109 in yellow
8) Rick Bennardo - 249, 5.211 in purple
9) Ray Price - 244, 5.160 in white
10) Jason Vicars - 222, 5.332 in blue

[NJ Racer]

Way to go, Mr. Swiss.

[Tex]

Wow! Ron is on fire! Looks like he's going for the Triple Crown!

[Cheater]

L to R, Steve Smith Sr, Tom Lauterbach, Ken Swanson, Mark Greene, Rande Marshall, Gary Echelbarger, straightway marshall James Merriman, Ken Green, Steve Dieters.

Results of the fourth Can-Am semi:

1) Tom Lautherbach - 275 laps, best lap of 4.879 in orange
2) Jay Kisling - 273, 4.891 in purple
3) Rande Marshal - 266, 4.942 in purple
4) Ken Swanson - 266, 5.051 in green
5) Ken Green - 265, 4.999 in yellow
6) Mark Greene - 253, 5.050 in blue
7) Larry Mattingly - 248, 5.378 in orange
8) Gary Echelbarger - 237, 5.320 in yellow
9) Steve Smith, Sr - 226, 5.489 in orange
10) Steve Dieters - 155, 5.331 in purple

[Cheater]

L to R, "Jersey" John Molnar, Earl Graybill, Tony Jackson, Joe Neumeister, Ron Van Wagnen, Malcolm Lovelace, Garry Haworth, Dale Granger.

Results of the fifth Can-Am semi:

1) Malcolm Lovelace - 265 laps, best lap of 4.949 secs in blue
2) Joe Neumeister - 260, 5.051 in purple
3) Garry Haworth - 258, 4.999 in white
4) Dale Granger - 258, 4.989 in yellow
5) Ron Van Wagnen - 252, 5.048 in orange
6) Tony Jackson - 252, 5.047 in blue
7) Bob Young - 244, 5.097 in orange
8) Earl Graybill - 243, 5.269 in blue
9) Eric Balicki - 242, 5.383 in purple
10) John Molnar - 227, 5.379 in blue

[Cheater]

L to R, Brian McPerhson, Dan Myers, Bill Fulmer, Jerry Ward, Jeff Lauterbach, Daren Toman, straightaway marshall Earl Graybill, Jim Purdy, Gary Adams.

Results of the sixth Can-Am semi:

1) Jeff Lauterbach - 270 laps, best lap of 5.000 in purple
2) Daren Toman - 266, 5.046 in yellow
3) Thomas Calvert - 255, 5.101 in orange
4) Brian McPherson - 242, 5.046 in yellow
5) Jack Beers - 237, 5.281 in green
6) Jerry Ward - 231, 5.270 in yellow
7) Gary Adams - 229, 5.219 in yellow
8) Bill Fulmer - 227, 5.378 in orange
9) Dan Myers - 210, 5.820 in yellow
10) Jim Purdy - 202, 5.660 in purple

[Cheater]

Here are the combined results from the six 10-racer semis in Can-Am.

Please note that in the interest of time-saving, the racers agreed to allow the race director to not resolve ties between racers on the same laps below the first eight.

1) Ron Hershman
2) Josh Crutchfield
3) Tom Lauterbach
4) Bob Kurkowski
5) Mike Swiss
6) Jay Kisling
7) Paul Martin
8) James Merriman
9) Dustin Morris
10) Bill Gerhart
11) Howie Ursaner
12) Dave Fiedler
13) Jeff Lauterbach
14) Jason Blackburn
15) Chris Radisich
16) Matt Bruce
17) Jay Guard
18) Chuck Gambo
19) Rande Marshall
20) Ken Swanson
21) Daren Toman
22) Ken Green
23) Malcolm Lovelace
24) Joe Neumeister
25) Gary Brammell
26) Greg Wells
27) Garry Haworth
28) Dale Granger
29) Neil Easterday
30) Al Rutti
31) Thomas Calvert
32) Mark Greene
33) Ron Van Wagnen
34) Tony Jackson
35) Rick Maynard
36) Rick Bennardo
37) Larry Mattingly
38) Ray Price
39) Ralph Thorne
40) Bob Young
41) Jason Echelbarger
42) Earl Graybill
43) Vince Del Viscio
44) Eric Balicki
45) Brian McPherson
46) Gary Echelbarger
47) Jack Beers
48) Mike Patterson
49) Roger Schmitt
50) Jerry Ward
51) Gary Adams
52) John Molnar
53) Bill Fulmer
54) Steve Smith Sr
55) Jason Vicars
56) Laura Schmitt
57) Dan Myers
58) Jim Purdy
59) Steve Dieters
60) Chris Barnes

The Can-Am Feature, the first Chris Gallegos Memorial, will begin in a few minutes.

It will composed of the first eight "qualifiers" plus the three winners of semis who did not achieve a ranking in the first eight.

[Cheater]

When all the smoke and tire dust blew away, there were eleven racers still in contention for the win.


Here are the starters of the first heat. L to R, James Merriman, Paul Martin, Jay Kisling, Mike Swiss, Bob Kurkowski, Tom Lauterbach, Josh Crutchfield, and Ron Hershman, and it sure looks everyone's already put on their game faces. Sit-outs (not shown) are Jeff Lauterbach, Malcolm Lovelace, and Dustin Morris.

The Chris Gallegos Retro Can-Am begins:

Heat 1

1) Jay Kisling - 35 laps, best lap of 4.937 secs on yellow
2) Mike Swiss - 35, 4.988 on blue
3) Ron Hershman - 35, 4.937 on red
4) James Merriman - 34, 5.108 on black
5) Paul Martin - 34, 5.062 on purple
6) Tom Lauterbach - 34, 4.941 on green
7) Josh Crutchfield - 34, 5.059 on white
8) Bob Kurkowski - 33, 5.109 on orange

Heat 2

1) Jay Kisling - 70, 4.940 on orange
2) Mike Swiss - 69, 4.992 on purple
3) Tom Lauterbach - 69, 4.879 on blue
4) Ron Hershman - 69, 4.937 on green
5) James Merriman - 68, 4.940 on yellow
6) Paul Martin - 67, 5.047 on black
7) Bob Kurkowski - 65, 5.160 on white
8) Jeff Lauterbach - 32, 5.051 on red

Heat 3

1) Jay Kisling - 105, 4.962 on white
2) Ron Hershman - 104, 4.832 on blue
3) Mike Swiss - 103, 5.097 on black
4) Tom Lauterbach - 103, 4.937 on purple
5) James Merriman - 103, 5.000 on orange
6) Paul Martin - 101, 5.097 on yellow
7) Jeff Lauterbach - 67, 5.047 on green
8) Malcolm Lovelace - 33, 5.159 on red

Heat 4

1) Ron Hershman - 139, 4.831 on purple
2) Mike Swiss - 138, 4.937 on yellow
3) James Merriman - 138, 5.050 on white
4) Tom Lauterbach - 137, 5.047 on black
5) Paul Martin - 134, 5.050 on orange
6) Jeff Lauterbach - 99, 5.057 on blue
7) Malcolm Lovelace - 66, 5.050 on green
8) Dustin Morris - 34, 5.167 on red

Heat 5

1) Ron Hershman - 175, 4.890 on black
2) Mike Swiss - 174, 4.988 on orange
3) Tom Lauterbach - 173, 4.843 on yellow
4) Paul martin - 167, 5.097 on white
5) Jeff Lauterbach - 134, 5.000 on purple
6) Malcolm Lovelace - 101, 5.109 on blue
7) Dustin Morris - 69, 5.050 on green
8) Josh Crutchfield - 68, 5.050 on red

Heat 6

1) Ron Hershman - 211, 4.827 on yellow
2) Tom Lauterbach - 210, 4.839 on orange
3) Mike Swiss - 208, 4.999 on white
4) Jeff Lauterbach - 168, 5.051 on black
5) Malcolm Lovelace - 135, 5.101 on purple
6) Dustin Morris - 104, 4.999 on blue
7) Josh Crutchfield - 103, 5.000 on green
8) Bob Kurkowski - 97, 5.109

Heat 7

1) Ron Hershman - 247, 4.890 on orange
2) Tom Lauterbach - 245, 4.936 on white
3) Jeff Lauterbach - 203, 4.991 on yellow
4) Malcolm Lovelace - 167, 5.156 on black
5) Dustin Morris - 137, 5.046 in purple
6) Josh Crutchfield - 139, 4.937 on blue
7) Jay Kisling - 137, 4.999 on red
8) Bob Kurkowski - 128, 5.109 on green

Heat 8

1) Ron Hershman - 283, 4.999 on white
2) Jeff Lauterbach - 238, 4.999 on orange
3) Malcolm Lovelace - 202, 5.000 on yellow
4) Dustin Morris - 173, 5.102 on black
5) Josh Crutchfield - 173, 4.890 in purple
6) Jay Kisling - 171, 4.999 on green
7) James Merriman - 171, 5.101 on blue
8) Bob Kurkowski - 160, 5.108 on green

Heat 9

1) Jeff Lauterbach - 272, 5.046 on white
2) Malcolm Lovelace - 236, 5.046 on orange
3) Josh Crutchfield - 208, 4.999 in black
4) Dustin Morris - 208, 4.984 on yellow
5) Jay Kisling - 207, 4.944 on blue
6) James Merriman - 205, 5.093 on green
7) Paul Martin - 201, 5.046 on red
8) Bob Kurkowski - 193, 5.108 on purple

Heat 10

1) Malcolm Lovelace - 269, 5.063 on white
3) Josh Crutchfield - 244, 4.937 in yellow
3) Dustin Morris - 243, 4.984 on orange
4) Mike Swiss - 242, 4.999 on red
5) James Merriman - 240, 4.945 on blue
6) Jay Kisling - 238, 4.890 on purple
7) Paul Martin - 235, 5.046 on green
8) Bob Kurkowski - 226, 5.163 on black

Heat 11

1) Josh Crutchfield - 280, 4.938 in orange
2) Tom Lauterbach - 279, 4.999 on red
3) Mike Swiss - 277, 4.937 on green
3) Dustin Morris - 277, 5.046 on white
4) James Merriman - 274, 5.000 on purple
6) Jay Kisling - 273, 4.945 on black
7) Paul Martin - 268, 4.953 on blue
8) Bob Kurkowski - 249, 5.109 on yellow

The Final Results for the Chris Gallegos Memorial Retro Can-Am race:

1) Ron Hershman - 283 laps, best lap of 4.827 in yellow
2) Josh Crutchfield - 280, 4.891 in purple
3) Tom Lauterbach - 279, 4.840 in orange
4) Mike Swiss - 277, 4.938 in yellow
5) Dustin Morris - 277, 4.985 in orange
6) James Merriman - 274, 4.941 in yellow
7) Jay Kisling - 273, 4.890 in purple
8) Jeff Lauterbach - 272, 4.992 in yellow
9) Malcolm Lovelace - 269, 5.000 in yellow
10) Paul Martin - 268, 4.953 in blue
11) Bob Kurkowski - 249, 5.101 in purple.


L to R, Josh Crutchfield, Ron Hershman, Tom Lauterbach




Sweep the R4 they most assuredly did...

Thanks to Bill Fulmer, Brian McPherson, and Jay Guard for immense help during the on-site portion of this coverage.

Well, time to hit the road for our 11 hour drive back to Atlanta!

[Dave Reed]

What we have here is some of the best slot car racers in the world... They are racing on a real American blue King still owned and operated in the same building by the McMaster Family... If it can get any more Retro, I don't know how...

I did not race for many reasons but from what I got to witness it was worth it...

Congrats to Ron Hershman for some of the best racing I have seen in years...

Congrats to all the other racer that came up feet and inches short, you were racing against some of the best...

We as racers need to THANK the McMasters for putting on this great race!

All this great racing was surely tempered by the news of Chris Gallegos passing and all of us were so sorry and surely saddened by the news, but I am sure Chris would have been more than happy by the way this race turned out.

[NY Nick]

Thanks, Cheater, for posting.

[Tex]

BIG GRATS to Ron for what surely was an awesome display of driving, resulting in winning ALL THREE RACES!!! A truly dominating performance!! I wish I coulda seen it.

And, as expressed above, thanks to you, Greg, for keeping us posted with the results! Everyone get some rest and be careful going home.

[Dave Reed]

YES, YES, We should surely thank Greg W., Bill F., and all the others that have and will contribute to the race reports!...

THANKS MUCH!

[Dan Myers]

Have a safe drive home, Cheater. It was nice getting to put names with faces today and I had a blast racing with you all.

Thanks to Noose for ride.

And everyone else with a long haul home have a safe trip.

[TSR]

Congrats to Ron who had a clean sweep, and thanks to Greg for keeping us posted.

Sounds like everyone had a great time, which is what matters.

[Dominator]

Thanks, Greg, for the up-to-the minute coverage. Truly an unprecedented event!

[HarV Wallbanger III]

Wow, Ron, they are going ta have to tie your good hand behind your back to race just to give them a chance!
Congrats!

Hey say hello to Garry Haworth and Rande for me also!

Thank you, Greg, for the Ace Reporter stuff also!