1948–2020 CELEBRATING 72 YEARS VOL. 61 | September 2020 The official publication of the San Francisco Region of the Sports Car Club Of America Sacramento Solo Round 11 p. 8 Fresno Chapter Event #6 p. 9 SFR Regionals 13 & 14 p. 10 2020 Election Board of Directors p. 21 SONOMA RACEWAY (800) 708-RACE WWW.WINECOUNTRYMOTORSPORTS.COM ASK ABOUT OUR SCCA SPECIALS! ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEW RULE REQUIRING FORWARD FACING CAMERAS? WE ARE! SPECIALS FOR SCCA! GoPro Hero 7 Silver GoPro Hero 8 Black AIM Smartycam HD $19999 $39999 $999 FREE 32GB SD CARD FREE ROLL BAR MOUNT FREE ROLL BAR MOUNT CALL 800-708-7223 TO ORDER - GET IT SHIPPED TO YOU AT NO EXTRA COST! CAMLOCK 2020 HARNESSES SEASON AUTO RACING SUITS KICKOFF 15% OFF 10-30% OFF Start at $15995 MAY 2020 Above-#34 Umberto Milletti won both SRF races over the weekend On the cover: #27 Daniel Swanbeck passes the start/finish line. 5 Re News 8 Sacramento Solo 10 SFR Regionals 13 & 14 26 Notes From The Archives 6 Confessions of a Cone Slayer 8 Latest Upgrade 21 2020 Election Board of 28 Thunderhill Report FEATURES directors 7 Rally Cross 9 Fresno Chapterr IN EVERY ISSUE 4 Calendar 4 Travel Tech 29 Race Car Rentals 30 The Garage: Classified Ads The views expressed in The Wheel are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of San Francisco Region or the SCCA. SAN FRANCISCO REGION SCCA REGION OFFICE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAILING ADDRESS TIM SULLIVAN Regional Executive PO Box 308, Willows, CA 95988 [email protected] LOCATION LINDA ROGASKI Secretary PUBLISHER: THE WHEEL PUBLICATIONS 5250 Hwy 162, Willows, CA 95988 [email protected] 530 934 4455 Editor BLAKE TATUM [email protected] 530 934 7275 fax Director BLAKE TATUM Art Direction & Design CHRIS BECKREST [email protected] [email protected] www.BeckrestDesign.com The Wheel is the Official publication of the San Francisco Blake Tatum • Tim Sullivan region of the Sports Car Club of America located at 5250 Hwy R.J. GORDY Director CONTRIBUTING WRITERS • Gary Horstkorta • David Vodden • Lynne Huntting 162, Willows, California 95988. It is published monthly by Wheel [email protected] Publications, 6185 Riverbank Circle, Stockton, California 95219. • Davey Druoin • Rob Krider • Yang Moua Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the San Francisco Region, Wheel Publications, The Wheel, BEN FRENCH Treasurer CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS it’s staff or advertisers. Material submitted to The Wheel that is [email protected] • Amy Armes • Brad Dawson slanderous, libelous, profane, pure inflammatory criticism offering no • Alex Simonic, Dick Gordon • Blake Tatum constructive alternatives, sexually explicit or material as directed by The Board, such as competitive series schedules, ads, etc. shall not BILL BOOTH Director be published. [email protected] POSTMASTER, Please send address changes to: Permission to reprint materials from The Wheel is hereby granted to all SCCA regional publications with the agreement that full credit The Wheel be given to the author and The Wheel. SETH REID Director The Wheel • ISSN 0888-1103 • USPS 0625-160 • is published [email protected] P.O. Box 308 monthly for $15 per year for the San Francisco Region of the Willows, CA 95988 Sports Car Club of America, 5250 Hwy 162, Willows, California 95988. Periodicals Postage paid at Willows, CA and at additional mailing offices. SEPTEMBER 2020 | SFRSCCA.ORG | 3 CALENDAR 2020 Schedule May Change depending on each county's COVID 19 regulations. Please refer to the www.sfrscca.org website for more information 2020 FRESNO CHAPTER SOLO SCHEDULE Event 12 - TBD Oct*** Event 13 - Nov 14* *Held at Fresno Fairgrounds ***Buttonwillow Kart Track www.FresnoSCCA.com Event 14 - Nov 15* **Crows Landing SAN FRANCISCO REGION'S 2020 SOLO II CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE October 3 - SFR Event OR test and tune November 7-8 - SFR Event Note: All of our currently planned events are immediately as a drone company has at Crows Landing. The rumors are true, Marina obtained a use permit that involves putting a October 4 - SFR Event is effectively closed for autocross effective building up on the tarmac. 2020 SFR/SCCA RACE SCHEDULE AND PRO SUPPORT SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER 24-27 OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 1 FERRARI CHALLENGE WEATHERTECH RACEWAY IMSA, WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA - LAGUNA SECA - UPDATED (PRO SUPPORT) UPDATED (PRO SUPPORT) OCTOBER 23-25 *Pro Race Support for Volunteers TRIPLE REGIONAL 15, 16 & 17 DOUBLE POINTS 5 Double points for the Triple race weekend Oct. 23-25 MILE*, THUNDERHILL RACEWAY TELEPHONE HOURS: RATES TRAVEL TECH 6 pm–9 pm Mon. through Fri., and 10 am to 6 pm Sat. & Sun. • 1 car/$10.00 + mileage Travel Tech is a volunteer, in shop/ • 2 cars/$9.00 each + 1/2 Morris Hamm Jason Hohmann mileage at home tech inspection service for Marin/ Sonoma/ Napa/ Patterson - Central Valley • 3 cars/$8.00 each + 1/3 pre-race and purchase inspection of Infineon 209-620-0559 mileage 707-738-8860 race cars, including newly built cars. Phil Munoz • Logbook for new car or re-issuing a Logbook is Travel Tech Scrutineers are: Santa Cruz Area, 831-297-2457 $30 plus mileage. 4 | SFRSCCA.ORG | SEPTEMBER 2020 RE News BY TIM SULLIVAN Hi Everyone, We are also looking for volunteers for next year. We may have a couple of Chief openings and we will be putting the openings up in What a year! Here we are in September. next month’s wheel. Time sure flies! At this point we still have the season ending races coming up next As far as our end of the year banquet, it has been cancelled. We have month in October. It should be a well- spoken with the Sheraton, and it will just not be possible to hold an attended event. We are having a three- indoor event with that many people. We plan on doing our annual race event over three days. As we have meeting this year, but it will be virtual. We will have more details done for the last couple of years, the last coming out soon. Hopefully we will get more attendance by doing it race on Sunday will be on the 5 mile track. virtually, but I do hope this will be the first and only year it has to be All the races are double points, so those done virtually. We still plan on giving awards out this year. Regional who are chasing regional points, this is the trophies and awards will be published, and the awards mailed to the weekend to show up. By the time this edition is out, registration will be recipients. open on MSR. Also please note we have an election coming up. There are three We also have two Pro events left. Ferrari Challenge at the end of this open spots on the Board, as well as the RE position. All three month, and IMSA at the end of October. Check the calendar if you incumbents are running again, as well as two newcomers. Candidate want to attend. Registration is open on MSR. statements are in this edition of the Wheel. Online voting will begin after the October Wheel is published. You will be able to vote via MSR, This has been quite a challenging year. Pro events had to be or by mail. We have had low voter turnouts the past few years, so get cancelled. We had to cancel two of our regional events but were able out the vote for your candidate(s). to combine a race and keep our Majors. Everyone has risen to the occasion to make sure we are staying safe and following all the new I also want to send a prayer out to all those that have suffered losses protocols with the COVID 19 issues. during the pandemic and these historic fires. There are those in our SFR family that have lost homes and loved ones this year. We cannot It is indeed a “new normal” we have been experiencing, but I feel control these things, but we can reach out to folks to make sure they confidant the 2021 season will be more like the “old normal”. At least are ok. If you have not spoken to someone in a while, give them a that is my hope. We do have a tentative schedule for 2021. As soon shout. It’s always nice to reconnect and make sure everyone is ok. as the tracks give the go ahead for publication, it will be posted online and in the Wheel. It is pretty spread out with two races at Until next month! Sonoma again. We are not planning on a race before Driving School. Tim Sullivan This should give all Novice Drivers a chance to race at the first race weekend of the year. WAP in The Time of COVID-19 As the COVID-19 restrictions remain in place, times are getting difficult for many people, both socially and financially. This is just a reminder for San Francisco SCCA region volunteers. If financial issues are keeping you from participating in the regional events, please remember that the Worker Appreciation Program (WAP), funded by drivers, is available for your benefit to help with racing related expenses. You may be reimbursed for your transportation and lodging expenses. In order to receive reimbursement for your gas and/or motel bills, please mail your receipts for the event to: Rhonda Corbitt 9647 Leland Way Stockton, CA 95212 Or email them to: [email protected] Please make note of the event, the name to whom the check is to be made, and the address to which you want it mailed.