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Rainier Auto Sports Club |
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Rainier Auto Sports Club March 1999 The Wishbone Alley Gazette
Called to order by President Vince Plancich at 7:45 PM. Treasurer's report: $1598.17 in our checking account. NWRC expenses pending. Old Business:
New Business:
Doo Wops- Nolte asked for workers and gave a meager summary of the route. Winter Alcan: Jerry Hines showed off an entry list that promises a well-attended rally. He also introduced a guest, Alan Veigel, who will participate in the rally preparations. Thunderbird Rally: Rod Johnson reported 38+ rallyists. It was fast the first day, different and slower the second. He only had to push Marcel's Mini once. They got around Steve Richard's car on a steep hill, "then it got nasty". He also had a traffic accident, alone, coming home. Pete Shelton reported that he sold the Audi, bought a '57 Belair. (smallblock 400) Guest: Alan Veigel Rod Chelgren is in Nashville. The Breazeales are working on their tans on the Kenai Pennisula, and Ginger Clark changed her address to Los Angeles. Vince Plancich has to raise crews for the Doo Wop stages on March 13 and 14. Adjourned 8:35pm.
Doo Wop I & II (February 21& 22)
Its called Club Rally now, says so right on the door in big letters. The rallies were pushed out a week when snow made the course untenable. I didn't hear the "official reason", but from my point of view, 2 feet of snow/slush wasn't going to make it as much fun for the workers. SATURDAY: We heard rumors of 25 cars, and got about 23. It was the usual crowd, no exciting new cars for me to gawk at. Of course, the rallyists were all "up", perhaps relieved that they were still running at the 3rd stage. The stage was called "Swan Creek", running on State Land in Capitol Forest between the Porter Creek Campground and the ridge above the ORV Park. I had it last year, running the opposite direction, and consider it to be a "garden variety" stage with no "gotcha's"- unless you count a mini-yump where a culvert crosses the road and the road builders put all the rocks they took OUT of the ditch BACK onto the road. Must be a twelve inch culvert, as its quite a "bump". Bad place to get airborne, since the dirt face on one side would bounce a rally car onto the other side of the road, which is mostly very thin air for a hundred feet or so... We had enough workers (which is news, in case you weren't paying attention). Ken and Sue Lingbloom solved their cabin fever problem and drove down from Bellingham on Friday night. Bob and Debbie Sjodin filled out the Starting end crew, showing up without me begging and groveling. Pete Shelton usually shows up with a carload, but it was just him and the dog in the Suburban. With a crew like this at the start, I, as Stage Captain, didn't have anything to do but worry. After all, the good times can't last, can they? It's wonderful to have Road Guards. I had Jarvis Owens and his dog guarding a 3 way intersection and the motorcycle trail up the road from him. Then Roy Ward (KC7RZL) blocked a new road with his Lumina (he wanted to "get away from it all", and that was a good place). Dan Casler (KD7N), an Olympia HAM, covered the only major intersection. Sherri Sicks-Jones (KC7WEC) and Tom Masterson (KD7CYU) wanted to help and got a place under the whistling power lines. With no rally car to "support", Darin Hansen and family had the best seat in the house at the "B5100" road junction. There's nearly a mile of stage to see from there, and I really should have charged him for the show! The Finish crew consisted of Tom Palidar and Mike Huffman, the latter familiar with rally from his navigating days. Mike and Gretchen Jones had their green Outback out, back on a side road, clocking the cars across the finish line. I tried a new "thing": put tripline lights on either side of the finish line. Had 'em for years, but never tried them on a rally. Set the tubes under big traffic cones, and tied the ends of the two tubes together in the middle. Still worried that one of the tubes would finish the rally wrapped around an axle, but that didn't happen and Mike was able to clock the cars just fine from a quarter-mile away. The only DNF was the Mitsubishi of Rob Hansen, when a brake disc self-destructed. Greg Lund showed up in time to drive it onto the trailer, before the second running of the stage. Rob is paralyzed from the waist down, so the "wheelchair van" needed to get into the stage to pick him up. I'm not sure exactly how the controls in the rally car work, but its dicey getting the car onto the trailer. We had a great day for the tire repair shops. Mert Box's pickup got a flat just parked, the heavy tire got changed before he could go home. Jarvis had a slow leak that wasn't going to get him home, so the space saver went onto the van. And just beyond Jarvis was Pete Shelton. Not a small tire in the bunch. SUNDAY: The stage was called "Phantom Creek", our old friend Cedar Creek in an Up, then Down format. When the worker supply line ran dry, I placed a panic call to Vince, who arrived ready to do whatever required. As it was, he and the Jone's were alone at one end of the stage, with a fill-in HAM or two when the appointed body didn't meet us. The other end had Ken and Sue Lingbloom keeping the logs, and me filling in when they couldn't do everything else. Gail McDonald (KC7RHO) took time out from horsy-things to be our HAM. Being the first stage of the day (at 11AM), wasn't kind to us, and the stage finally started 12 minutes late, mostly held up by me. I had to tie-off the Spectator Area (Holme's Corner) so Sherri Sicks-Jones (KC7WEC) and Tom Masterson (KD7CYU) wouldn't be overrun with the crowd. Roy Ward (KC7RZL) got parked on one of the many "suspicious" side roads, and Paul Taylor (KC7LA) blocked another while he did "Mountaintop" duties. How did the stage go? Once running, it was organized chaos. Yes, the weatherman promised rain, but who believes the weatherman? It poured, and drizzled, then showered, then poured some more. Poor Ken Lingbloom tried to keep a neat and legible log, but the pen kept tearing holes in the soggy paper! Ron Barker parked too close, and got enlisted to keep the finish log while Sue Lingbloom passed paperwork back and forth. I think Ron got to see the excitement anyway. He put the Finish marker just after a 90degree left turn, which also went from wide-open stage road to teensy muddy path. No one collected a tree; 3 cars spun out trying to make the corner, though. Jim Culp happened to have his camera there, so the excitement may be on film. (He contributes to "Dusty Times", so check the May issue for dustless spinouts). After the runs, Ron locked the gate and we exited at Holmes Corner.
John Nispel had tied bannerguard across every side road and path, so breakdown
took a while. In the rain, it was miserable work. The only condolence was
that John probably tied it up in the same kind of weather, maybe colder.
Trivia Thunderbird entrants: John Nispel and Ed Storer (Celia), Steve Richard's and Gary Reid ("Ruby" the Starlet), and Rod Johnson will Navigate in a Canadian Mini. Jerry Hines has published lasted Alcan 5000 (February, 2000) news on the Web. This could be the best attended Alcan ever. British American Tobacco has ended sponsorship of the Subaru WRC team. Now Nolte's "wannabe" Subaru is a "never will be" The latest issue of "Sports Car" schedules the annual Memorial Day National SCCA races at Thunderhill in northern California. Seattle International Raceway doesn't meet safety standards is the given reason. The "Radio Depot", Bremerton's HAM & radio supply outlet, is moving to Seattle, opening March 1st. Strangely enough, the address is in Georgetown in the same building as the old "Amateur Radio Supply" was located. The address is 5963 Corson Ave. S., Suite #176. Phone is (800)291-9067, (206)763-2936. Open until 6pm, Mon>Fri, until 5 on Saturdays. The Breazeales are living frugally through their first winter. Living
at the end of a half-mile driveway does provide entertainment. Jim wanted
out despite the snow, so he spent a while ramming the Audi into the snow
until he reached pavement.
Information made available from the Rally Home Page John Forespring discussed the Roundtable in Reno. There were 63 attendees. There was some valuable stuff that was given away for door prizes. The classes were good.
NWRC finally got it. The new NWRC Hotline number is (206) 256-9627
Rally Car:
69 Pontiac GTO (Project Car) I have all the part except for an engine and transmission. Nice project car. Asking $600.00. Call Kirk or Terry Simons at 425-806-1741 1990 Audi 80 (non quattro) 134,000 miles. New timing belt, exhaust. Nice alum wheels. Black paint, tan interior. Hella 3000's mounted up front. Asking 6400.00 obo. Contact Jim Streicher 360-240-1214 marbee@email.com Please forward any items for sale to Terry Simons, e-mail: tjs9820@gte.net.
or call 425-806-1741
Information made available from Ben's Rally Page
The Wishbone Alley Gazette is published for the members and friends
of the Rainier Auto Sports Club. Subscription prices $10 per year. The
NEW editor is Terry Simons, phone 425-806-1741. Contribution and paid /
unpaid ad eagerly received at 4029 228th St Se Bothell, WA 98021
or e-mail to tjs9820@gte.net.
It's that time of year again. Starting in January membership is due.
The Wishbone Alley Gazette is published for the members and friends of Rainier Auto Sports Club. Subscription price is $10 per year. The editor is Terry Simons, phone 425-806-1741. Contributions and paid/unpaid ad eagerly received at 4029 228th St SE, Bothell, WA 98021
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