Next Week Marks the Middle of the Season

The coming weekend will mark our third event of the year and the second at Road America. So far, the Covid-19 shortened 2020 Monoposto schedule has been concentrated in the mid-West. However, the remaining two Monoposto events will take us to Virginia and Texas. All together this will be the shortest Monoposto schedule in decades.

The VSCDA Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival will be the thirty-fifth edition of this classic event. (This year is also the 70th anniversary of racing at Elkhart Lake.) VSCDA has also extended an invitation to HSR competitors to enter as guests. This is sure to heighten the usual competition and make for good racing. All Monoposto classes, except Indy Lights, will be eligible for championship points.

Covid-19 case rates in the Wisconsin area around the track have been trending up the past two weeks with the entire state about the tenth highest in the U. S. and at its highest level for the year. Please take care and use masks and social distancing to stay safe. As has been the norm for this year there will be no Monoposto party.

If you are able to go, enjoy the racing! If you aren't able to be at Road America consider the two events that remain on our shortened schedule - the SVRA events at Virginia International Raceway and the Circuit of the Americas.

Travis Engen,

President, Monoposto Racing

Club Racing at Its Best

The second race of the revised 2020 schedule is next weekend at Grattan Raceway. This annual VSCDA event has been held for 34 years and has been on the Monoposto schedule for most of them. The event setting is a very challenging track northeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The track features blind corners, off camber corners, tight bowl corners (many of these features combined in the same corner!) and the straights that connect them. See the above Google satellite image. It's truly a driver's track and, particularly for our Classic run group cars, a real blast to drive. The coronavirus willing you can expect many FVs, FFs and FB cars to be there.

The Vintage Grand Prix au Grattan XXXIV, which usually has a lot of family friendly aspects and is self-described as VSCDA's Summer Party, is being conducted with a very detailed set of instructions to prevent Covid-19 transmission so fishing and social gatherings and other usual event activities are circumscribed. If you are going, please make sure you review the detailed Covid-19 Track Procedures posted on VSCDA's website. Consistent with the VSCDA guidance there will be no Monoposto party.

As the previous Monoposto event at Road America demonstrated, even with all of the arrangements to make this event possible in the time of the coronavirus, the actual racing should be enjoyable and a welcome change.

I hope everyone has a great time!

Travis Engen,

President, Monoposto Racing

Finally, Our Season Opener!

Monoposto's season opener begins in two weeks at Road America. Technically this event was the fifth on our 2020 calendar but is now number one as the pandemic cancelled the first four events. One can only hope that the currently rising disease rates across the U. S. will get under control and that the five events that follow starting in August will happen as scheduled.

Wisconsin is in the mid-range of Covid-19 activity, rising slowly over the last three weeks. Road America has hosted several events since re-opening and will be the site of a dual Indy Car race event next weekend so by the time we get there they will have had the opportunity to fine tune their Covid-19 protocols. Needless to say, the guidance is wear a facemask, stay socially distant and wash your hands frequently.

The WeatherTech International Challenge schedule looks very much like it has in past years, with multiple races for each category of cars as well as the race car parade and concours. As I'm writing this the fields look good with 32 Classic entries, 19 F70 entries (including 12 F5000 cars) and 7 Indy Lights entries that will compete in three separate run groups. The car count is down from last year when the formula Ford's alone numbered nearly 200. However, I'm sure the racing will be great even though most drivers will be experiencing their first race weekend since last year.

In these pandemic times there will be no Monoposto party but trophies for last year's champions will be on hand for appropriate socially distant presentations.

Travel and stay well! I hope to see you at the track.

Travis Engen,

President, Monoposto Racing