As should be obvious, I've been going through the nearly 1,000 pics Bill Fulmer and I took at the Sano this morning. Some of the pics posted today are in new posts and thus will show up via "View New Posts". Others I have added to existing posts and thus those pics won't trigger the posts to appear as new, so a review of the threads with the heat-by-heat results might be in order.
I've added podium shots for most of the classes, as well as pictures of the concours awards being handed out.
Before ending the Sano II coverage, I need to mention the incredible number of goodies handed out to the racers.
JK Products, sponsor of the SK Spec class, brought a huge number of bodies, which were handed out to all the participants in that class.
K&S Engineering donated literally thousands of pieces of brass tubing and strip, and again all Sano participants were allowed to take advantage of K&S's largesse.
Dennis Samson, who as Samson Classics is one of retro's most prolific chassis builders, donated two Samson Classics chassis to be awarded to two drivers in the Sano chase, selected from among those who did NOT make it into the final Sano Shoot-Out. Before the event, Dennis selected two numbers larger than eight and the racers who occupied those finishing positions were the winners of the chassis.
Unfortunately, I cannot find my note revealing just who these two lucky racers were. Dennis, can you help?
The most coveted race prize may have been the Trinity I-Power power supply donated by Tony P of Trinity Products. Mike Swiss choose a most interesting way to select the lucky racer to receive this prize: by playing tire tube "marbles". Each racer's name was written on the underside of a tire tube cap then the caps were placed name-side down and shot like marbles toward a designated spot of the raceway floor. After all the "marbles" were shot, the cap nearest the spot was turned over to reveal the power supply winner: Ralph Thorne!!
This ends the Sano coverage from my end, as there aren't any more usable pics to post. If anyone else has Sano pics to add, to deepen the coverage, please either post them to the appropriate thread or email them to me and I'll do it.
In closing, it is absolutely clear that the Sano has become in two short years the preeminent retro slot car race in the world. There was little doubt that Sano II would enjoy a larger attendance than the first race, but I don't know that anyone expected the growth rate that actually occurred. Suffice it to say that if you had the option to attend this race, and chose not to exercise it, you made a very poor choice. Slot races simply don't get better than this.
Every Sano attendee needs to give Mike and Jackie Swiss a really big round of applause, in appreciation for the enormous amount of work they expend in making the Sano so great. Dunno how they're gonna top the food that was served this year, but if anyone can do it, they will.
The key stories for Sano II, besides the growth rate, have to be, first of all, the successful defense of his Sano title by Dave Fielder. If he holds on to the crown for a third time, maybe the Sano title should be permanently his and a new name chosen for the event.
The second story, and it is an historic one, is the triumphant return of one of the Gold Dust Twins, Howie Ursaner. The adjective historic really is appropriate, for Howie has done something unique, at least in my recollection: he's the first '60 slot car superstar to come back from a several decades long absence to almost immediately re-establish himself as one of the top tier racers. (I think Howie would interject that Sano Dave's assistance in facilitating his return was a big help, but my response to that is that Sano Dave couldn't and didn't help drive the cars during the races.) We've not seem a re-emerging racer come back so far so fast and it is possible we will never do so again. Kudos to Howie indeed.
A third story of Sano II is Jay Kisling's dominance of the classes raced on the King track. Maybe a new moniker is appropriate: "King Sano" Kisling? LOL!! Nice to see a guy who has had some non-slot challenges to deal with in recent months have a great event.
Another story is the extra-fine showing made by a couple of SERRA stalwarts, Jay Guard and Ralph Thorne. Jay was pretty tough at the first Sano (TQ'ing every class where qualifying was held) but his performances at Sano II show he's not lost anything (well, perhaps a little more hair) and in fact, has probably kicked his game up a couple of notches in the interim And Ralph "The Kid" Thorne served notice on everyone that he knows his way around any track, flat or otherwise. A rising star in the 1/24 slot racing, to be sure.
Perhaps the central story of the Sano is the story of the incredible growth and popularity of retro racing, which by all accounts is bringing growth to 1/24 commercial slot racing for the first time nearly forty years.
The dates for Sano III are already written on my calendar in indelible ink. I strongly suggest you do the same.
