Buff Goes to Bakersfield

After a great time in Riverside in February with the VKA event, we took Buff (the yellow Fox Kart) to Bakersfield (for the first time) in April.

The April event was sponsored by VKCA -- the Vintage Karting Club of America.  This year they put on a very special event -- in addition to the usual Kart judging and track time, they held a celebration of life for recently deceased Karting Pioneer, Faye "Ladybug" Pierson.  

Faye Marye Pierson was born on July 11, 1928 and passed on March 6, 2021.  She drove a Go Kart for the very first time on Christmas day, 1957.  Instantly hooked on Karting, Faye and her husband, Tom Pierson, enjoyed Karting as a hobby at first, then they began manufacturing Karts for sale, leading to the creation of Bug Engineering -- one of the most successful brands for many years.  Faye won races and championships, traveled across America and Europe to race, and even earned her pilots license.  Known as the "Queen of Karting" Faye continued to attend vintage Karting events up to the very end. 

VKCA Remembrance of Faye Pierson

Nan and I were lucky enough to meet Faye at various Karting events -- here she is in 2019 at the Adams Track in Riverside with her (and our) dear friend, Louie Figone.

Gary Crawford served as the promoter of the event assisted by Bill Parun and Steve Shaw.  The attendance was very high and the pits were jammed with vintage Karting fans.  Gary reports that there were 80 karts 51 drivers in attendance.  In addition to the usual awards, Bill presented the inaugural "Faye Pierson Best Bug Kart of the Show" -- a beautiful silver cup.  Following the awards ceremony, all the Bug karts in attendance conducted a Faye Pierson Memorial Lap, filmed from above by drone camera.  We are sure that Faye would have been pleased.

Before we headed to Bakersfield, I decided that Buff needed something for good luck.  Most of you know about "Jake" -- the mascot of Corvette Racing since 2004.  Legend has it that Jake brings Corvette Racing good luck.  

The Legend of Corvette Racing's Mascot, "Jake" 

I have Jake on our yellow Z06.  So I decided to put Jake on Buff too!

Buff had a good day.  It ran well on the nicely resurfaced Bakersfield Kart Track.  

When it came time for the Kart judging, we were overjoyed to learn that Buff won an award for "Best Restored Original Kart".

Many thanks to Gary, Bill, and Steve for a great event, and to the judges, Vince Hughes, Michael Jewett, Jack Murray, and Tom Thorin for the recognition!

Farewell 62 DREAM

Today we bid farewell to our 1962 Corvette.  We purchased the car in May 1997 (for my 50th birthday) and restored it frame-off in 147 days.

Canon helped with the restoration -- she loved being in the garage as all the parts were assembled.  Here she is sitting in a box of new engine parts "helping Daddy"!

 

It appeared in Vette magazine in 1998 and we took it to the National Corvette Restorer's Convention in 2012 (for the 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Corvette).

 Over the 24 years we owned this car we had many cruise events and parties at the house.

Yesterday a few friends helped put together an impromptu farewell party at . . . In N Out (of course!).  Pictured below are the owners of four Corvettes (left to right): Me (1962), Bill Hatch (1957 - original owner!), Bill Steer (1962) and John Elder (1961).

Bill Connelly (1957) wasn't able to make the burger run, but he stopped by to say farewell on Wednesday.  This means, of course, that three Corvette owners named Bill participated!

Here is everyone who came out to say farewell (left to right): Nan, Shirley and Don Kingery, Jan Paul, Marylyn and Bill Hatch, Bill Steer and John Elder.

62DREAM is returning to Arizona, where it began its life's journey in April 1962 sitting on the lot of O'Rielly Chevrolet in Tucson, Arizona.  The new owner lives not too far from there.  I hope he enjoys the car and its home coming!

Open Letter to Connor Di Phillippi - Move to Demolition Derby Circuit?

March 21, 2021

 An Open Letter to Connor Di Phillippi

Dear Connor,

I'm going to say what the Corvette Racing Drivers and Team are too polite (and classy) to say:

You should consider a career in the Demolition Derby! 

Your performance in yesterday's 12 Hours of Sebring is ample proof that your best skill is crashing into other cars!

We watched in disbelief as you took out the DPI-leading car as he tried to enter pit row.  Scott Dixon was enjoying a healthy lead until, as Daily Sportscar writes, "the penultimate pit-stop and there was drama on the way in as the #25 BMW of Connor de Phillipi hit the Cadillac hard on the right front corner as he tried to get to pit lane."  By crashing into him you denied the clear race leader a fair shot at finishing #1 overall.

Not satisfied with taking out one #1 car, you then proceeded to crash into the GTLM Class leading  #3 Corvette with fewer than 10 minutes to go in a 12 hour race.  You could have continued in second place and waited for an appropriate time to make a pass so that you could improve from second place to first.  Instead,  you decided to use more demolition derby tactics to take out the class-leading Corvette. Your stupidity didn't earn you any more points, and cost others dearly.

You have shown that you have the physical traits to be a great racecar driver -- but you are clearly lacking in good judgement.

The only solace I can find in your irresponsible actions is the comfort of knowing that you will be unemployed this season after four races.  Then you can get hired in the Demolition Derby Circuit!

In my opinion, BMW and RLL Racing are way too classy to have you on their teams.

Your Friend, Cary

 

Buff Returns to Riverside

Every year in early February the Vintage Karting Association hosts a three-day event at the Adams Kart Track in Riverside California.  I love these VKA events, and have participated in recent years. 

• First, we took "Sparkle", the red Fox Kart, to Bakersfield.  
• That inspired us to take Sparkle and "Shine", the blue Fox Kart, to Riverside in 2017.  
• The next year we left Sparkle home and took Shine and "Buff" the yellow Fox Kart, to the Adams Track.
• We couldn't attend in 2019 (the event was the same day as my retirement from Scripps)
  
• 2020 was a return engagement for Buff and Shine
  

2017 - Shine goes to Riverside

2018 Buff and Shine Go to Riverside

2020 Buff and Shine Return to Riverside

This year's event was abbreviated to a single "practice" day rather than the nice three day events with judging, multiple track sessions, a dinner, and more.  Another COVID victim.  So, since we were going to Riverside for just a few hours we decided to just take Buff.  But we still had a blast!

Every racer needs a pit crew -- and in Vintage Karting, that person is mostly responsible for helping get the engine(s) started.  Guess who was my pit crew?

Here's how it is supposed to work:

As always, my Karting Hero, Vince Hughes, was there to help us.  I would drive Buff around the track, and stop by the Pits so Vince could adjust the carburetors on the MAC20 engines.  Here is Vince waving me in for an adjustment!

 Before long, Vince had the engines screaming!  Here is Buff by the end of the afternoon.

Buff was running so well, I scared myself.

Next we are going to Bakersfield in April for more fun!

Thanks, Nan and Vince!!