An unusual autocross to say the least (1980)

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Originally Posted by GTB/ZR-1

I really wish I did... It was a new Camaro (at the time), 305ci, ~140bhp (I think), 5spd, and unbelievably slow & anemic. My FR-S would have destroyed it. lol

Speaking of third gen F bodys. Here's a picture of my 84 Z28 I ran at my first Nationals. If I remember correctly I finished 10th out of over 60 cars in F stock

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Here's a blast from the past. The guy in the yellow shirt is Steve Tamandli a past National Champion . His first autocross car was the silver 240Z on the trailer. It was turbo charged back in the day when no one even knew what a turbo was. Was running about 30 psi boost if I remember correctly. In the background is my 77 Trans AM. We were running up at the Ionia Fairgrounds that weekend.

[SVThis]

About a year or so ago I went through boxes of trophies I had accumulated over the past 30 years or so. Any of them that were plaques I hung on my wall of shame down the basement. I found a plaque that was from my first autocross ever.

PS Some of you guys PM'd me asking for more ancient history. If you get tired of this let me know.

[bestwheelbase]

@einzlr and @whaap need to be here.

[SVThis]

This is a picture of my friend Wayne Wiley's 1956 Corvette SR2. The picture was from a car show I put on for SBR SCCA back in the early 80's, at University Park Mall. Gene Marquis and Wayne Wiley bought this car from an auto wrecking yard in Terre Haute, Indiana. The car was originally built for Jerry Earl who was the son of GM designer Harley Earl. One of 3 ever built. He paid somewhere around $500 for this car. When Wayne passed away his wife sold the car and became a very wealthy lady.

[xcelir8brz]

Nice read.

[SVThis]

One of the premier autocross events that I always enjoyed participating in was The Portage Grand Prix Jamboree. This was the brainchild of my friend and fellow autocrosser Jim McKamey. Jim was and is a top notch driver, car constructor, and also the founder of PAX. PAX stood for Pro Autocross which was an offshoot of the Indiana Northwest Region SCCA. Jim was also behind the start of the PAX indexing system that is still in use today. He also pioneered the autocross school that still exists today. I mention him here because I've always highly respected him. Walking a course with Jim and listening to what he has to say is always good for several tenths off your times.

The Portage Grand Prix oddly enough was held in Portage Indiana, which is located in NW Indiana not all that far from Chicago. Jim talked the city back in 1979 to hold the 2 day event which consisted of running at the local high school on Saturday and the downtown area of Portage was blocked off so the cars could use that part of Central Avenue as a racetrack.
The Grand Prix didn't just have racing. More than 30 non-profit organizations set up concession stands in the Portage Mall area. There was also a large flea market. Merchants in the Mall even held a "Midnight Madness" promotion with such events as a disco contest. They expected to draw 25,000 people that first year, but the unseasonably cold weather kept the numbers down to about 10,000-12,000. With each year, though, the Grand Prix Jamboree grew. New events were continuously added to the program: the Junior Miss Pageant, a softball tournament, a five mile run, midget racing using smaller-sized cars, a parade, a community dinner, and many others. The people also came out in greater numbers. In 1981, an estimated 40,000 attented the Portage Grand Prix Jamboree. Major Chicago TV news stations even covered the event.

This was pretty much the first street autocross in the country and was latter imitated by other SCCA regions and cities. I ran this event from 1979 to 1987 running various cars during that time. It finally got to the point where insurance regulations and concerns for safety slowly eroded the Grand Prix. This event in the early years drew quality autocrossers from all over the country and from as far away as California and Canada. It was like running a high quality divisional or pro tour.

My best finish was in 1984 driving a Z28 to a first place F stock win. My most satisfying drive was in 1987 driving an ASP Porsche 911 to a second place finish. At that time Scott Holley and Jackie Turner were the best Porsche autocross drivers in the country and their cars were prepared to the max. My car had a few suspension mods, but other than that was bone stock. I beat both of them on the high school course, but got smoked on the streets Sunday. I still ended up finishing second overall. That was the best loss I ever had.

Unfortunately, the momentum could not be sustained. Attendance began to decline in the late eighties. By the early nineties, the Grand Prix was in jeopardy of being cancelled altogether. Even more changes were made that helped the Jamboree's popularity for a time. A shuttle service was set up to bring South Shore commuters to the Portage downtown area, former White Sox player, Ron Kittle, sponsored a charity softball tournament, an antique car show was promoted, a bass fishing contest was set up at Countryside Park, the events were expanded to include a wider area of the city--but these things only helped in the short term.

Problems with money, sponsorship, insurance regulations, and decreased participation forced the Jamboree in 1994 to switch to go-kart racing instead of autocross in an effort to save the Jamboree. At the time, go-kart racing was an up-and-coming motorsport and it was believed that its popularity would boost attendance and participation. The same problems continued to plague the Jamboree for several years, however, no one knowing from one year to the next whether or not there would even be another Jamboree.
In 1997, the committee that oversaw the Jamboree activities announced that there would be another Grand Prix in 1998--even setting a date. Their plans fell through. After 18 years as the main festival in the city of Portage, the Grand Prix Jamboree was history.

Here's a picture of me in my 78 911 SC at Portage

Running in the streets





Jim McKamey



Steve Tamandli's McKamey built V8 powered Sprite



University of Notre Dame 1986. The Fastoad.


74 SD 455


Dave Kutney's 70 TA. One of my favorite cars ever


Fastoad beauty picture


That 70's Show


The wife and i by our 65 Jag


My first new car. A 73 MG Midget.


My son wishing he was old enough to drive


02 Z28 at the Tire Rack test track



Steve Tamandli, 75 years young and still autocrossing his tube frame V8 Fiero

[White64Goat]

OFF COURSE !!!!!



How many parents groups would have your nuts in a sling for this picture nowadays?

I had a 75 Trans Am, damn I miss that car.

[Sccabrz192]

It's kind of a bummer plaques and the like phased out, it's cool to have mementos like that... I'd love some 10-15 years from now to be able to fill a room (I'll settle for a wall) with stuff from my time spent racing.

All we get now are enough pint glasses to stock a medium sized bar and grill establishment. (Just finished my Bell's Christmas Ale from a Great Lakes Division Solo Series cup)

...I hope that didn't sound like I was complaining

[SVThis]

Back in the day a lot of the trophies were hand made and pretty cool. You're right about some of the stuff they give out today. I have enough glasses and mugs to start a restaurant with.

[SVThis]

Back in 1989 I had an opportunity to go through Bob Bondurants 3 day racing school when they were still at Sears Point Raceway. Our instructor was a guy named Brian Forster.
When we were in the backroom doing a fitting for helmets and drivers suits we noticed a news paper clipping hanging on the bulletin board. It was an article about Brian. We found out that he was the drummer on the TV show The Partridge Family.
We never said anything to him about it until he had us out in the skid car demonstrating what it could do. We were sitting in the backseat when all of a sudden we broke out into a chorus of I Think I Love You. He damn near put that car into the wall. We were all laughing so hard it hurt.
We latter found out that his grand father played Alfred the butler on the Batman TV show. He took us out to dinner and showed us around San Francisco and became pretty good friends. He used to call me up whenever he needed tires for his personal car.

It's amazing the people you meet sometimes. I also attended a Skip Barber school at Road America. We went up there for a CART race the weekend before the school. After the race that night a friend and I were sitting at the Seibkens bar when Dario Franchitti and Jimmy Vasser walked in. I had met Jimmy previously when he visited the Tire Rack. He sat down with me and bought me a beer. He was giving me advice on how to take the Carousel. A really down to earth guy that was fun to talk to. Franchitti on the other hand was more concerned about trying to be the ladies man and seemed like kind of a jerk.

Brian is pictured bottom row far left




Skip Barber Road America

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The following footage was provided by Lloyd Loring of a Gymkhana that was put on by the South Bend Region SCCA back around 1964. Notice some of the cars like the Arnolt Bristol, Gullwing Mercedes, and the Ferrari owned by Bob Tarwacki.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S27Nkns4Tew"]1964 South Bend Region SCCA Gymkhana - YouTube[/ame]

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This is my son Scott. Like his dad he loves to autocross. I started teaching him to navigate the cones when he was 12 years old. He could barely reach the pedals at that time. He'll be co driving the FRS with me this spring.