I've grown up in the car business and my life revoles around automobiles. My wife is a real trooper with all of the car related functions we attend! Both of our son's are just a few short steps away from vintage racing.
I've been racing since 1979 when a friend introduced me to trials ice racing with my '79 Toyota 4x4 truck. I was hooked! Got FTD and lost it due to doing donuts on the far end of the lake! Came back the next week and repeated the FTD with out the donuts.
Autocrossing a '77 Celica came next, along with continued ice racing in the cold WI winters.
Road racing an '86 MR2 SSC with SCCA CEN-DIV was my first wheel to wheel competition. Made the Run-Offs my second year! And, still ice racing.
The big jump, I became the WI Legends Cars Dealer, Promoter, Tech Inspecter, at track Parts supplier, Driving School Instructor and driver. Only missed 2 heats due to selling parts. That was business was fun. School would start at 8:00 am, give the students about 100 or so laps over 4 or 5 sessions, and if the car count was low for that nights racing, talk them into renting a car to race that night. It all worked well, we were the 2nd largest dealer in the country the first year out! The only reason we got out was that 600 Racing cut up our territory thus not providing enough income to continue. What a shame. The last year we did 64 race events, 36 national drivers schools and 23 local drivers schools.
My homework then began to see what car(s) would fit into our business plans.
I landed on VSCDA/SVRA group 6 and a '65 Mustang that I purchased as a vintage racer. It was a well disguised, bondo-ed up rust bucket with no history. So that turned into a full out rotissoree restoration with full vintage race prep. The was great out of the box!
Another business was stared due to that restoration, we bought out a Mustang restoration shops' parts inventory and started an on-line store and restoration shop. We sold the parts business and only restore or own cars. Still 3 to 5 a year.
The Mustang has been a very photogenic car finding it's way into magazines and even a motorsports calender. This year the car was awarded a period correct medalion by VSCDA.
During the time that the mustang was held captive body the body shop. Two flippin' years! I came across one of my favorite cars at the Mecum Auction at Elkhart Lake, WI. A 1947 Allard K1. Being a flathead Ford fan for years, the K1 was perfect for us! A WI built McCulloch Supercharger sits atop the flathead. It was sold because the previous owner was affaid of harming the Allard.
So now if you're at Road America during a Vintage weekend, you will be likely so see me racing the '47 Allard, '65 Mustang, plus a the Alltel Tuarus Cup Car.
I've also been involved in building show cars since I was 14.
Car collecting for me is a passion turned business.
What car(s) do you own?
Our collection varies from Model A Fords to the Paul McCartney Lexus RX400h.
My favorites are:
1932 Ford Ardun Special,1933 Ford Cabriolet, Ardun Roadster, 1947 Allard K1, 1965 Mustang Custom FB, 1966 Mustang Copper Coupe, 1951 Flxible Bus, 1942 Ford COE rollback, 1994 Ford Powerstroke Concept truck, 1967 Toyota Corona Deluxe, 1969 Toyota Crown, 1970 Toyota Mark II, 1929 Model A Hot rod pickup, 1941 Packard Woody. You get the idea...
What do you like to do (e.g. vintage race with...)?
I attend the AZ Auction week every year, participate in local, Good Guys & World of Wheels shows, vintage race in the upper midwest, ice race and help connect people with contacts I've made over the years.
Hi John
Great to have you on board :-))
Welcome to MyVRL.
Please personalize your Home Page, join the Ford, Allard, Mustang, Totota and your other favorite car Groups, post photos (and race videos if you have them) and invite your friends and customers to join.
All the best - Stephen
Chairman
The Vintage Racing League
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Great to have you on board :-))
Welcome to MyVRL.
Please personalize your Home Page, join the Ford, Allard, Mustang, Totota and your other favorite car Groups, post photos (and race videos if you have them) and invite your friends and customers to join.
All the best - Stephen
Chairman
The Vintage Racing League