A Great Time For All: Pittsburgh Vintage GP 2001

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For Chris Shoemaker and me this was our first time at Pittsburgh, and both of us with new cars.  Only last week Chris purchased the Jocko Special Formula Junior from club member Marc Barrist.  I had my Elva 100 Series which I picked up last December, and only drove it for the first time last week on a test day at Summit Point.  To complete our Formula Junior trio in our camp we had Victor Pastore with his Gemini.

To start out the weekend we arrived at Schenley Park around noon on Friday to a packed paddock area with well over 100 entries.  The only spot we could find was in direct sunlight as that all of the nice shaded areas had already been taken.  Lucky for us our friend Victor brought along his canopy for shade, because all weekend it was really hot.

Around 7:00 PM on Friday we were allowed to tour the track at a slow pace to learn the layout.  I only got in about two laps before my car started to overheat, slow is no way to go without a fan.  Chris however got several laps in with his other car he took to the event, a 1951 Crosley Super Sport (a.k.a. The Elva Killer).

After the low speed touring laps were complete we packed up for the night and headed off to our hotel.  We stayed at the University Hampton Inn for $99 per night.  Chris and I always try to stay at Hampton Inns when we go racing because of the great combination of inexpensive and clean rooms, their free continental breakfasts are also the perfect thing for a bite before heading off to the track in the morning.

Saturday morning we had a warm-up session for all of the race groups where Chris and I got to drive the track for the first time.  My initial impression of the track was that it was both difficult and a little scary.  Having raced road courses for the last ten years, I had never experienced a street course with their curbs, walls, and major camber changes.  In addition the Schenley Park track has a ton of turns to learn, so all and all for a first timer the track demanded respect.

Saturday afternoon was qualifying for the race groups.  At this point I was personally getting used to the track and much more comfortable with it.  I qualified with a 2:40 second lap, not bad for the first time but not great either…but as we all know for vintage racing the time is not important, it’s the good time had.  My friend Chris was not able to qualify his Jocko as he was having a fuel pump problem, nor was Bob Romanansky and his Elva 100 Series.  But for Bob this would prove to not be a much of a problem.

Sunday morning we had a practice session which went off without to much trouble.  Then after much hoopla put on for the over 100,000 strong spectators we had the races.  The races began in early afternoon at the height of the day’s heat which was hard on most of the drivers, but we all love running our cars so we managed.  There was also a lot of waiting between race groups with the tow trucks having to bring in a good amount of broken down cars.  My friend Chris was taking part in both race groups three and four.  Three with his Crosley in the under one liter class and four with his Jocko in the Junior and Sports Racer class.  I personally do not know how he did it, since I was pretty wiped out from the heat just competing in one group.

Sunday morning we had a practice session which went off without to much trouble.  Then after much hoopla put on for the over 100,000 strong spectators we had the races.  The races began in early afternoon at the height of the day’s heat which was hard on most of the drivers, but we all love running our cars so we managed.  There was also a lot of waiting between race groups with the tow trucks having to bring in a good amount of broken down cars.  My friend Chris was taking part in both race groups three and four.  Three with his Crosley in the under one liter class and four with his Jocko in the Junior and Sports Racer class.  I personally do not know how he did it, since I was pretty wiped out from the heat just competing in one group.

After race group three was red flagged a couple of times it was the Juniors and Sports Racers turn at the track.  Chris came in with his Crosley and hopped into his Jocko after a quick sip of water.  We all rolled out onto the track in our qualifying order and proceeded with our pace lap.  At the green we a had a good start with everyone making it through the very slow chicane safely.    About halfway around the track I was able to make it around Dan Yanda in his Elva 100.  I could also see in my mirrors Chris and his Jocko making some passes on the straight.  His car is quite something on the straights with his 1100 Fiat making some real power.  By about the second lap Bob Romanansky and his Elva made his way passed me fairly easily carving his way through the pack.  While I still had Dan occupying my mirrors I made several more passes in addition to passing a few broken down cars.  Then on lap five my beautifully handling Elva started sliding around like I was driving on ice.  After the second right turn after crossing the bridge my car slid way off line towards the wall.  Off the gas the car finally caught about two feet from the wall.  Certainly a scary moment narrowly avoiding an accident, but this was all Dan needed to get around me as he tucked inside to make the pass.  I was not real sure what was going on with the car at this point.  The gauges looked ok, it just felt like my tires suddenly overheated.  I would learn later that my engine was misting oil on my tires.  For the next two laps I did everything I could to keep my pace up, although I was losing at least two to three second a lap with my car’s handling problem.  Checking my mirrors I watched as Don Dingman in  his OSCA Formula Junior slowly crept closer.  A this point I was praying for the race to end because I knew it was just a matter of time before Don and the rest of the pack got around me, Chris included…and I couldn’t have that happen.  And with my Elva handling the way it was I figured I was going to have to pull into the pits soon anyway.  But my prayers for the end of the race to come soon where answered but not in a very good fashion.  With one lap to go, I saw the red flags waving and came to a safe stop with Don behind me.  A few minutes later we got the yellow flag to continue around to the pits.  On the way I saw Michael Clifford sitting on a  wall behind his Cooper T52 Junior which had caught on fire from an oil leek.  Thankfully Michael pulled over quickly and the fire was extinguished with only a small amount of damage to his car and none to him.  He gave me a thumbs-up as I drove by signaling that he was ok.  I’m not really sure what position I was in at the end of the race, and I am still trying to get hold of the results.  I believe that Bob Romanansky got the trophy for the race awarded by John Jacobson for the best display of driving, not finishing position.  But based on the expedient way he got around me on lap two I have to assume that he finished pretty high up in the order.  Regardless the important thing is that we and all involved raised a lot of money for the Pittsburgh Autism Society and Allegheny Valley School.

There are many people to thank for such a great event.  From the SCCA volunteer corner workers to the city of Pittsburgh and the race sponsors.  A great time was had by all and important money and awareness were raised for a good cause.  I am looking forward to next years event already.

- Michele Cohen (#05)