Elkhart Lake, WI (July 19, 2009) – This year’s Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman presented by Ford at picturesque Road America certainly had a Ford feel to it. With an impressive tri-level visual display honoring the historic GT-40, leaving many road racing fans awestruck. With 20 historic cars on exhibition it included it’s most famous, the red No. 1 raced by Americans A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967. Gurney and Foyt were overlooked before the race, however 24 hours later they beat the powerful factory Ferrari team by more than four laps. Notably, this was the race that Gurney was involved in what’s believed to be the first spraying of champagne in victory lane in auto racing history. Also on display was Mario Andretti’s GT-40 he drove to a victory at Sebring and the 1966 Le Mans winner and runner-up driven by the likes of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Several vintage Ford Mustangs from Jack Roush’s SCCA Trans-Am collection also spiced up the paddock as well as many replica and tribute GT-40’s. Also the Ford Mustang drifter cars provided entertainment between sessions.
“We’re really proud to have this amazing collection of cars, with the help of George Bruggenthies (RA President and GM) and the staff,” Fritz Wilke of Ford Motor Company said. “It’s pretty amazing to see the whole collection together.”
The event also gave fans to opportunity to meet and greet some of the players in the history of the GT-40 which included, drivers, Brian Redman, David Hobbs, Bob Bondurant, builder, Lee Holman and engineer, Mose Nowland.
Not only did you get to meet the likes of Bondurant, Hobbs and Redman, Ford hosted test drives at the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex, featuring hot-lap rides of Road America in high-performance Ford cars and ride-alongs. Also, on Saturday of the three-day event, drivers of Mustangs were admitted to the event free of charge making this author wishing he still had his Mustang Cobra and GT.
The must see Road & Track Concours d’Elegance featuring more than 100 racecars on Friday evening was dampened by rain showers which is the first time I can remember precipitation marring the event in the twenty years I’ve been attending. Saturday saw the street cars invade downtown Elkhart Lake in dryer but cool temperatures which prevailed most of the weekend. However, Sunday proved excellent with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70’s.
Some of the movers and shakers in motorsports seen in the pits and paddock during the weekend included but not limited to, IndyCar owner, Carl Haas, former IndyCar owner Derrick Walker and engineer Bob McKee. Drivers, Jerry Entin, Eric Haga, Graham McRae, Augie Pabst were just some of the drivers seen, however I’m sure many others were there.
Former driver, Tony Adamowicz who forty years ago this week, drove in the Formula 5000 race at Road America was back. That race in ’69 was overshadowed by the first lunar landing that day of another “Eagle,” that of a team of NASA astronauts. It was on July 20, 1969 that Neil Armstrong uttered those famous words, “Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed.” Adamowicz and the Riverside International Automotive Museum (RIAM), of Riverside, CA owners of the Gurney Eagle Mk5 honored the trio with a set of mission decals on the car. Adamowicz, a two-time professional road racing champion, a veteran of the Indy 500 and of the 24 Hours LeMans ended up fourth overall and second in class in the F-5000 historic race after winning the race in 1969.
Many thanks to George Bruggenthies and Julie Sebranek of Road America for their hospitality last weekend. Also special thanks to the Ford Motor Company and the Formula 5000 Registry for their contribution to the weekend.
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