The Preservationist The Member Newsletter of the Elkhart Lake Historic Race Circuits Preservation Society Volume 29 Winter 2016

In this issue:  Page 1 - Annual Chairman’s Message  Page 3 - 10th Anniversary of the Listing on the National Register  Page 4 - Remembering Donald  Page 8 - Membership Program Summary

A Message from the Chairman

2015 was another active year for HRC On the social side, Society members and I want to thank everyone who enjoyed three entertaining and made contributions to the Preservation educational dinner events. At the May Society and supported preservation of event held at Siebkens, Bob the Historic Race Circuits. Your Birmingham presented highlights, of participation is critical to our success. his personal recollections of Wisconsin motorsports during the 1950s and On the preservation front, HRC ‘60s. The July event held at the continued to monitor actions and Victorian Village Resort, featured proposed actions by Sheboygan County Gerry Bledsoe, the coordinator for US and the Village of Elkhart Lake and participants in the modern Carrera, their possible effects on the who covered the parallels between the characteristics of the roads and streets classic 1950s Mexican open road race, that comprise the historic race circuits. La Carrera Panamericana, and the We maintain close relations with the historic open road races held in Wisconsin State Historical Society and Elkhart Lake. Herschel McGriff, are working to build a positive and winner of the first Carrera in 1950 and cooperative relationship with the NASCAR legend was our special guest. Sheboygan County Highway The September event at Siebkens Department. Each year we meet with honored the 50th Anniversary of the Commissioner Greg Schnell to review opening of Road America. The event compliance with the Resource was highlighted by a film featuring Management Plan and to review plans George Tilp and his racing team that that may affect the Historic Circuits. owned and entered the Ferrari 750 Regular liaison is also maintained with Monza that Phil Hill drove to victory in the Village of Elkhart Lake. I am glad 1955, in the first-ever feature race at to report that no problems were Road America. encountered during the year.

Continued on page 2 1

Continued from page 1

During 2015 we continued to work Dinner Events will again be held in with the Elkhart Lake Tourism conjunction with the vintage race Commission to communicate the weekends and are currently in the important role of the Historic Open planning stages. Announcements will Road Races in the history of Elkhart be mailed for each event when plans Lake and to educate those too young to are confirmed. In addition, we will have known of their existence. continue to evaluate ways to provide Presentations were made to groups of greater benefits to our membership. travel writers from all parts of North America. Over the years these The Membership program established presentations and related tours have in 2015 is carried forward to 2016. A resulted in articles promoting Elkhart brief recap has been included at the Lake as a tourist destination and the end of this newsletter for everyone’s role of the Historic Race Circuits in information. Dinner Event pricing will Village history that has reached tens of continue to be based on actual cost and thousands of readers around the membership discounts for dinners and world. In addition working in HRC logo merchandise will be cooperation with Road America, HRC unchanged. participated in the Sheboygan County Museum’s exhibition celebrating road HRC has become an important racing history in the County viewed by community and motorsport hundreds of visitors. preservation organization. Again, we sincerely thank you for your support Looking ahead to 2016 HRC will and if you have comments or continue to promote awareness of the suggestions for how HRC can better roll the historic circuits played in the accomplish its mission or better serve Village history and will, of course, its members, or if you would like to continue to monitor any proposed become involved in HRC matters changes in the roads that comprise the we will be glad to hear from you. We Historic Circuits and for compliance look forward to seeing you at HRC with the Resource Management Plan*. events in 2016.

John Calhoun 2016 HRC Chairman

*The Plan, signed in March of 2010, defines actions required and prohibited by the Sheboygan County Highway Department that may affect the Historic Circuits. The plan was mandated by the Wisconsin State Historical Society after the highway department by its actions in 2007, was found to have violated Wisconsin state law regulating the preservation of historic properties listed on the National Register.

2

10th Anniversary of the Listing on the National Register of Historic Places

February 17th will mark the tenth State Historical Society for a Anniversary of the listing of the Historic Determination of Eligibility for Race Circuits on the National Register of preservation of the Historic Circuits Historic Places, an important milestone under the Act. In July 2004, the historic in the eight year struggle to preserve the circuits were declared eligible for Elkhart Lake Open Road Race Circuits. preservation and the balance of power Lest we forget, the following is a brief began to swing in favor of the recap of the struggle that began in 2002. preservation movement. In January of 2002 the Highway To circumvent the provisions of the Act, Department announced plans to the Highway Department withdrew its reconstruct the CTH A portion of the request for Federal Funds. This meant Historic Race Circuits. Protests of the that they could proceed with their plans concerned citizens and the HRC if they used local County or State funds. Founders seemed to fall on deaf ears However, the Founders knew that if the and the balance of power seemed tilted Circuits could be listed on the Wisconsin in favor of the Highway Department. State Register of Historic Places they Seemingly indifferent to the citizen would gain a new measure of protection protests, the Highway Department under Wisconsin law. began tree removal in the In the spring of 2005 the right-of-way and prepared HRC Founders funded the to proceed with its plans. nomination of the Historic More leverage was needed Circuits to the State if the circuits were to be Historical Register where preserved. they were listed on In the spring of 2004 Road September 23rd, 2005. The America suggested that State submitted the Circuits since the County was for listing on the National planning to use Federal Register and on February 17th highway funds to pay for 2006 the Circuits were added the project, the project to the National Register of would fall under the Historic Places, perhaps the provisions of the 1966 most significant event in the National Historic struggle to preserve the Phil Hill, John Fitch and Augie Preservation Act. Early in Pabst unveil the State Historical historic Elkhart Lake Open 2004, acting for HRC, Road marker commemorating the Road Race Circuits for the listing of the Historic Circuits on America filed a formal the National Register. enjoyment of current and request with the Wisconsin future generations.

3

Remembering and His Contributions to the Sports History

Donald Healey is probably victory in the Alpine Rally of best known as the designer of the same year. the Austin-Healey 100 and 3000 sports but he was a Healey eventually joined designer of great talent and Triumph as the company’s made many contributions to “Experimental Manager”. One the automotive world prior to of his more interesting his creation of the car for contributions at Triumph which he is best known. came in 1934 with the development of the Dolomite Healey was born in 1898 in Donald Mitchell Healey, CBE Straight 8. Healey convinced Cornwall, . From an the management at Triumph early age he was interested in things that they needed a big engine racing car, mechanical, aircraft in particular and in one that could compete with the likes of 1914, at the age of 16, was apprenticed the 8C. Given the green to the Sopworth Aviation Company. light, the resulting car closely copied the When WWI began he volunteered for Alfa but on a slightly reduced scale. the Royal Flying Corp and flew bombers until he was invalided out in 1917. Only 3 cars were built but one of the cars was entered in the 1935 Monte Following the war, Healey developed a Carlo Rally to be driven by Donald love for . He entered Healey himself. Unfortunately, the car every rally he could and success soon was withdrawn after a collision with a followed. He won the Bournemouth railway train on a level crossing in Rally in 1928, and so encouraged, Denmark. Healey was not injured. entered the 1929 Monte Carlo Rally. On While the cars his first try, he lost his way on the road themselves did from France to , and was not have a disqualified. He was back for another major impact attempt in 1930 finishing seventh on Triumph overall. Just one year later, he won the racing history, 1931 Monte Carlo, hands-down. The Triumph Dolomite they spawned Straight 8. the Dolomite In 1933, Healey got his start in the name used on many other Triumph design and improvement of British cars. models in future years. He went to work for Victor Riley, owner While still at Triumph, Healey was of the Riley car company, managing his making plans to build his own motor rally teams. The team would go on to cars. His ultimate goal was to build a

Continued on page 5 4

Continued from page 4 sports car with excellent handling, Britain's then new Silverstone Grand capable of speeds greater than 100 Prix track. mph. Following WWII, he managed to scrape up £20,000 and formed the Donald Healey Motor Company.

His first (and Britain's first after the war car) was the Westland roadster, with a 2.4-liter four cylinder overhead twin- cam engine sourced from Riley. Tested Artistic multiple views of the Healey Silverstone. by Motor Healey again used Riley’s race proven magazine in 1946, 2.4 liter engine and a welded tub chassis the Westland with his own design for the trailing arm Roadster turned independent front suspension. The out to be the The Westland roadster. lightweight body was crafted in fastest car they'd aluminum featuring cycle fenders and ever evaluated, with a top speed of closely spaced headlamps mounted 106.56 mph. Favorable press pushed behind the radiator grill. An unusual Healey's little company along, allowing feature was the spare wheel protruding Healey to purchase a larger facility and from its compartment in the tail that produce a family of hand built tourers doubled as a rear bumper. and sedans that included the Elliott and saloons and the Abbott Healey created two generations of the drophead coupe. Riley provided all the Silverstone. The first generation was engines, a fact that Healey never forgot known as the D-Type and the second, later commenting, "I couldn't have built the E-Type, improving on the D-Type by those cars except for my friendship with making the car a bit wider. The light- Victor Riley," weight E-Type chassis experienced great success on the race track, especially in For a period of time the Elliot saloon club events. The wider E-Type’s was the world’s fastest four passenger comfortable interior made driving a production . Benefiting from a pleasure. quite aerodynamic body design for its As a dual-purpose 'race-and-ride' sports time, an Elliot car, the Silverstone was designed to be reached 110 mph light, simple, and functional. Because on the Jabbeke The Healey Elliot Saloon. they were assembled mostly by hand, Stretch at the Silverstone’s were expensive but in Belgium race course making it into a performance they were more than a popular rally car of the era. match for most rivals of the time. Only

The Company’s first true sports car was 105 of these rare sports cars were built. the Healey Silverstone named after Continued on page 6

5

Continued from page 5

Elkhart Lake sports car lovers first engines, gearboxes and final drives for encountered the Healey Silverstone in the car. Called the Nash-Healey, the car the 1950 SCCA open road races. Jim was introduced in 1957 and sold in Nash Kimberley acquired one in November of dealerships. Being hand built “in place” 1949, believed to be either the first or without the benefit of labor saving second to be imported to North assembly line techniques, the car’s final America. Kimberly, always a generous price was nearly double that of its and accommodating man, brought the competitors and it failed to catch the car to Elkhart Lake for others to drive as fancy of American car buyers. Healey by then he had acquired his Ferrari developed a light weight version that 166MM. Sally competed successfully at Le Mans but Chapin drove the failure in the American market spelled Silverstone to first the end of the Nash Healey by 1954. A place in the Ladies total of just 520 were built including the race and Fred race cars and prototypes. Wacker Jr. drove the car to second In the early 1950s, Healey was Sally Chapin on behind the wheel of Kimberly’s Healey place in the main fortunately working on an alternative Silverstone at the start of event. lower-cost 100 mph sports car. The the 1950 Ladies Race design featured a four cylinder engine Healey recognize the potential of the from the Austin A90 Atlantic and a American market before his British body crafted by . It was competitors and came to the United called the Healey Hundred and was States in 1949 to negotiate the North shown at the 1952 London Motor Show. American distribution rights for the Silverstone. He returned in 1950 hoping to gain access to Cadillac’s overhead valve used in the famous Cadillac Allards, for use in the Silverstone. turned him down but on the return trip aboard the Queen Elizabeth he met George Mason, president of Nash Kelvinator, and the two formed a close friendship. Healey wanted more access to the American Austin-Healey 100 introduced in 1952. Market and Mason wanted a flagship sports car to sell in his Nash More than 3,000 orders were placed at dealerships. the show, which attracted the attention of BMC's chairman and managing A deal was struck over dinner. Healey director, . A deal was would design and build a comfortable quickly struck resulting in the transfer sports car aimed squarely at the of the rights to the Healey Hundred to American market and Nash would BMC and a 20-year contract for Healey supply their 3.8-liter OHV straight-six to develop new BMC designs and special 6 Continued on page 7

Continued from page 6 products specifically for competition Austin-Healey, Kjell , the largest Before the car even left the show, new Austin-Healey car dealer in the U.S, "Austin-Healey" badges were minted needed to find a replacement and and installed. encouraged Healey to work with Jensen Motors to build a new sports car that The famed Austin-Healey was could replace the big Healey’s. Healey manufactured from 1952 to 1967, a run and Jensen were interested and Qvale of fifteen years. Over time the four agreed to provide the financing. He cylinder 100 engine was replaced with would become a major shareholder in BMCs proven straight six cylinder Jensen make Donald Healey Chairman. engine and the design underwent a series of upgrades first to the 100-6 and The goal was to design a car that would then to the 3000 Mark I, II and III fit into the sports car market between along the way acquiring more power, the Triumph TR3 and the Jaguar E- disc brakes and roll up windows among Type. It would be called the Jensen- other improvements. By 1967, over Healey and Healey’s son, Geoffrey, 70,000 "big Healeys" had been sold, would lead the design team. The mostly to the burgeoning American engines were provided by Lotus using market. the company's new two liter, 16 valve,

Note: In 1956, Healey himself drove a streamlined dual overhead cam, all-alloy engine. The and much modified 100 car with a supercharged six- car was introduced in 1972 and by 1976 cylinder engine to a two-way average speed of 203.11 it had become the best selling Jensen of at the Bonneville Salt Flats, becoming only the 24th man to break the 200 mph barrier. all times with 10,503 being produced.

While the big Healey got all the attention, it was the littlest Healey, the Donald Healey designed Austin-Healey “bug-eye” Sprite, that made the most money. The Sprite went into In 1974 Jensen began to experience production in 1958 financial difficulties. The 1973 oil crisis and was an instant greatly damaging the sales of Jensen’s success with over big V8 Interceptor and the Jensen- 48,000 sold in the Healey GT was rushed to market too The fabled Austin Healey first three years of quickly incurring massive labor over "bug eyed" Sprite. production alone. expenses. By 1975, faced with striking workers, multiple component shortages Not e: Healey felt that later attempts by BMC to upgrade the sprite “simply ruined the whole thing”. and runaway inflation, Jensen Motors was forced to liquidate closing their Healey’s arrangement with BMC ended doors for good in May 1976. in 1967 when the Austin-Healey was discontinued. With the demise of the Continued on page 8 7

Continued from page 7

At the age of 78, following the demise of Order of the British Empire (CBE). Jensen Motors, Healey retired to a quiet Donald Healey passed away in 1988 at life in his beloved Cornwall countryside. the age of 89. In 1996 he was His service to the British automobile posthumously inducted into the industry would forever leave a lasting International Motorsports Hall of Fame mark in British history; a service that in Talladega, Alabama and in 2004 he was recognized when Queen Elizabeth was inducted into the Automotive Hall II named Healey a Commander of the of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.

2016 Membership Program Summary

Annual Memberships

Individual Membership A membership for one person

Available for $30

Spousal Membership A membership for an individual and his or her spouse

Available for $50

Premium Annual Memberships

Supporting Membership A membership featuring preferred seating at Dinner Events May include a spouse if listed on the application

Available for $100

Patron Membership A membership that includes preferred seating at Dinner Events. First time patrons receive a limited edition print of “The Last Race” autographed by John Fitch and an HRC logo polo shirt. May include a spouse if listed on the application

Available for $500

Note: All annual memberships are for a calendar year and include the following year if paid after September 30th.

Lifetime Memberships

A membership exempt from further annual dues. Includes preferred seating at Dinner Events plus Lifetime Members receive a limited edition print of “The Last Race” autographed by John Fitch and an HRC logo polo shirt embroidered with “Lifetime Member” below the logo. May include a spouse if listed on the application

Available for $1,000

Note: A spouse included on a Premium membership or Lifetime membership application is a fully fledged member and entitled to all the benefits of membership.

8