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BANG FOR THE BUCK For grassroots endurance racers and sanctions, the big payoff is getting as much track time as possible for the amount of money spent. – BY ERIC COLBY 82 PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY | JANUARY 2020 irk Hall is a 55-year-old self-employed looking at an opportunity to keep racing and spend time with his construction contractor in Vancouver, family. “I got to see how many people were involved in the actual Washington, who’s been racing cars for more racing part of it,” said Kirk. “You can’t do it yourself.” K than 20 years. He’s traveled the country and Kirk sold all his Legends gear and had a proposal for his two won championships, but the type of competition he’s currently sons, KC and Kenny. “I said, ‘I want to go road racing with you involved in has brought him the greatest satisfaction. guys,’” Kirk said. “I’ll buy everything for us to go racing as a He’s teamed up with his 33-year-old son Kenny in grassroots family, and your investment is your personal driving equipment.” endurance racing with the Lucky Dog Racing League. “As a KC initially agreed, but later decided against it. Kenny, father, to throw him out on the track with 80 other cars at the however, was all in. “I bought all my stuff, and we went out and same time and see how quickly he’s progressed has been the did a track day and I was hooked,” he said. Kirk and Kenny coolest thing,” said Kirk. also work together in the family construction business, Acc-U- When Kenny was young, he grew up watching Kirk race Set Construction. close to home on the oval track at Portland Speedway in Kirk bought a 1996 BMW 3 series car that had been set up Portland, Oregon. When that track shut down, Kirk started for racing, and the team name is Hall Pass Racing. In a bit of a racing in the Legends class and began traveling more with his surprise, the third team member is Alec Carlson, Kenny’s father- second wife, Tammy. in-law, who is also a mechanic. Kenny and Kailey now have Then, Kenny and his wife Kailey had their first daughter. And two daughters, and the whole family camps out together in that’s when a friend mentioned grassroots endurance racing to motorhomes at the races. “My kids really enjoy having both sets him. He rented a seat in his buddy’s car, and realized he was of grandparents there for the weekends,” said Kenny. Photo courtesy of American Endurance Racing JANUARY 2020 | PERFORMANCERACING.COM 83 GRASSROOTS ENDURANCE RACING Grassroots endurance racing events appeal to both veteran and rookie racers alike since they offer the fast factor along with a focus on fun as well. Not only can these competitors race at the same iconic tracks as the pro teams, but some of these tracks have come into their own right as a destination, such as Thunderhill Raceway Park, which hosts events for NASA and Lucky Dog Racing League (seen here). Photo courtesy of Hall Pass Racing. That family atmosphere is just one of the LET THE DOGS PLAY just continues to grow and grow.” elements attracting competitors to grassroots Lucky Dog Racing League CEO and Lucky Dog has no license requirements, endurance racing around the country. There’s “Top Dog” Cathy McCause Fuss is based and McCause Fuss said the organization has also the affordability, the camaraderie and the in Martinez, California, and she has been a little bit older demographic. “This group competition. Groups like 24 Hours of Lemons, in grassroots motorsports for 12 years. She is 40, 50, 60,” she said. “They’ve paid off Lucky Dog Racing League and World Racing started dirt-track racing in an old Camaro. ex-wives. They finally have some disposable League keep things casual but competitive, That led to a job at the now closed Altamont income.” The sanctioning body provides while American Endurance Racing (AER), Raceway Park. At one point, a group called dinner and social events at the track during National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and ChampCar Endurance Series are more serious. When Kenny started, he was nervous about “The concept of getting a cheap car and trying to make it last being on the same team with his father, who is appealing to any gearhead.” had all that prior experience. “I thought for sure he’d wreck the car and be way slower – than he was,” said Kirk, laughing. “He’s put the the 24 Hours of Lemons came to the venue to a weekend, and promotes a social culture car in situations that I would have never done, work out the kinks of its racing model. among the members. About 15 percent of the and the one thing I keep enforcing on him is The CEO of Altamont Racing Park asked membership is women. it’s our responsibility as one of the fastest cars Fuss to start a series with more relaxed rules. She estimates that Lucky Dog has 3,200 out there to be as safe as possible.” She became the executive VP of ChumpCar members representing 456 teams. She To improve his ability, Kenny bought a 1995 World Series (now ChampCar) for six years. charges per driver/team member because Honda Civic to race in C class. The team races In 2015, she went out on her own, starting she wants to make it easy for participants to the BMW in Lucky Dog’s A class, which is the Lucky Dog Racing. The name came from the bring friends. She also keeps the rules to a fastest. “I wanted to learn to drive better so rule in NASCAR where the first car that’s a minimum. All the organizations have the same I bought a slower car to improve my corner lap down gets back on the lead lap. In 2020, basic safety-equipment requirements: The car speed,” he said. He races the car with Carlson, Lucky Dog will be starting its sixth season. It must have started life as a mass-produced and the team is called the Inlaw-Outlaws. has averaged about 12 endurance events per passenger vehicle, have a roll cage, fire The Halls spend about $1,300 per race year, primarily on the West Coast. This year, suppression and window nets, and the drivers on routinely replaced items such as tires and Lucky Dog Canada was formed. must have a fire suit, helmet, head-and-neck brakes; and of course, there’s fuel. Lucky Talking about the continued growth of restraint, gloves and shoes. In Lucky Dog, Dog charges $300 per participant per event, grassroots endurance, she said, “I would have tires must be 180 treadwear street rubber. while most other organizations charge a fee expected after 12 years of this stuff going on One rule that the Halls like is that Lucky for the team. that it would evolve into something else, and it Dog discourages on-track contact. There is a 84 PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY | JANUARY 2020 “dog house” at each track that a car will have Speaking of events, the dogs race at The group held 13 races in 2019, including to sit in if it’s ruled it initiated contact. To keep WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca twice a Road America in Wisconsin, Alabama’s Barber teams from trying to rush the fueling process, year, and the national championship event is at Motorsports Park, as well as Sebring and the driver is not allowed to be in the car during Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California. Daytona in Florida. Tracks Unlimited handles fueling, and the team must take a minimum of Average races are seven hours on Saturday WRL’s events in the Southeast. WRL’s flagship five minutes to gas up. and seven hours on Sunday. Lucky Dog has event is the US Endurance Championship at McCause Fuss encourages new teams to one 36-hour race in Spokane, Washington. Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. buy a car that’s already been built because McCause Fuss and the Halls all said the Looking at the popularity of grassroots there are so many available. Many Lucky one issue she needs to deal with is speed endurance racing, Mayberry said that it’s all Dog teams run BMW E30s and E36s, and creep, which means that cars are gradually about bang for the buck. “For four guys to more spec Mazda Miatas and Ford Mustangs getting faster. “The speed creep is a huge get in it and split the cost, it’s something they are showing up. Lucky Dog has A, B and C issue, and that’s important because we have can do two or three times a year and they’re classes, with A being the fastest. As a point of to manage speed differential,” she said. not going to lose the house,” he said. “On an reference, a team can get into a C class car average weekend, our clients are out $4,000 for about $3,000. The classes are determined TAKING ON THE WORLD to $10,000.” at each race after the cars run 40-minute Another group touting ease of participation Registration fees for a WRL race are about qualifying sessions. is the World Racing League (WRL), which is $1,350, and it offers five classes, GP1 (General Additionally, Lucky Dog has a program based in College Station, Texas. The group is Production), GP2, GP3, GP4, and the fastest that funds three teams for military veterans to in its fifth season under founder Joey Todd.