BRIC at Road America...

[Greg Stevens]

It's that time of year again...what are your plans for it?

[Urmil]

I'm going....as usual.

[Greg Stevens]

Originally posted by Urmil
I'm going....as usual.

Well, that's a start. Can you be a little more specific?

[hecash]

Heading up on Friday morning and staying until Sunday.

I've got a spot at the CGI Driving School that I've paid for that I'm going to try to sell. My car will still not be repaired by then. I paid $150 and will sell it for $100.

See you there. Turn 5 and the hill opposite the Sargento Bridge after turn 3 will be were most of the S2000-sians will be.

Aquatic, meat, and many others will be there.

[Urmil]

Originally posted by Greg Stevens
Well, that's a start. Can you be a little more specific?

I'm going....as usual, in my Honda S2000

[meat]

Harry - don't we have a room for Thursday night???

[racezx9]

What's the BRIC day at road america? Is it open track day?

[hecash]

Meat, I think that there is a room for Thursday night but I'll have to call Lakeland to check on it. Are you intending to go up then?

[hecash]

racezx9

BRIC stands for the Brian Redmond International Classic. It's certainly the finest vintage car event in North America and perhaps the world.

You will get to see more historic race hardware than you can possibly remember about after the event and, better still, you'll get to see most of it on the track. You can meet or see some famous folks too.

For instance, last year, Bobby Rahal drove in three of the groups, old F1 cars, old Indy cars and 50's-60's roadsters. He was there drinking beer with everyone else at Siebkins bar on Friday and Saturday.

It's the only event beside the ALMS that I'd crawl all the way up to Road America to see. That is, when I can see through the fog from the night before.

[hecash]

Meat,

We do NOT have a room for Thursday night at present. Do you want to have me arrange this?

[Greg Stevens]

i know that many folks, myself included (for the most part) think that CART sucks this year. But it's still awesome to watch those cars run and have a great weekend at RA doing it. Is anyone planning on going to the CART race two weeks after the BRIC? I may have to make the choice between them...so I'm wondering which others are going to be doing, if they are not going to both.

Bueller?

[dlq04]

BRIC is the best in NA, and I'll always remember my first one - but as for the world, my vote goes to the fall event in England at Goodwood - it's clearly the BEST.

[meat]

The best as far as quality of cars in NA probably goes to the Monterey Historics, IMHO. The BRIC has more cars though.

[dlq04]

Here's a post from another site to get you in the mood. I sure wish I could attend but my son's getting married over the weekend. Haven't been able to make it for the past couple year's due to conflicts; I sure hope things improve next year.

Editor's Note: This coming weekend showcases one of our favorite events of the year, the Brian Redman International Challenge vintage weekend (presented by Jaguar), at our all-time favorite track - Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. We thought we'd reprise Methanol Boy's comments about the track from one of his early columns. - WG

A Tribute To Road America, The Last Of A Vanishing Breed.

You sit there in the cool of the morning, in the deep shade, under a lush canopy of trees. You're leaning on a fence, your arms resting on the jagged top. It is eerily silent, and for a moment you can close your eyes and pretend you're in a state park, not a race track. And then you hear it. It starts out as a high pitched moan that turns into an other-worldly howl. Far down the track you see a speck that lunges toward you like a launched missile, drawing you in, mesmerizing you...paralyzing you. Then the howl turns into a piercing shriek as the sound waves wash over you a millisecond before you see it. And there it is. It's on you, a blurred flash of color and metal and wings, vortices trailing off behind it. Then it whooshes into focus as it brakes down hard past you from 210 for Station 5 and you hear the crack-crack-crack-crack of the down shifts as you see the tires hunt and squirm and almost wrinkle from the g-forces. Then it turns in, clawing for traction, before sling-shotting up the hill in a boosted, magnificent howl.


When the Champ cars or the vintage Can-Am cars are at Road America, it's like nothing else in the world. Yeah, seeing the Champ cars run at a superspeedway when they bend into Turn One at 235 is unbelievable, but they won't let you get close enough to feel it in your gut. Too many "secured" areas. And you can see the vintage Can-Am cars run at other tracks during historic events across the country, but Elkhart Lake's Road America is their spiritual home - and there's just nothing else quite like seeing them there.

Road America is a track you feel in your gut. Four miles long, it is, quite simply, the finest circuit this side of the Old Nurburgring. Think about it. They've forever neutered Spa and Le Mans and Austria. Road America is the only thing like it left in the world. And though recent safety "upgrades" (the dreaded catch-fencing they've added) has taken away some of the romance, it is still one of the greatest tracks of all time. Ask Mario. He's driven them all in their prime and he still rates it his favorite. You can't pay a higher compliment. Or ask Bobby Rahal. He was asked by ABC Sunday if he missed driving when he came to Road America and he replied, "if I could drive one track everyday, it would be this one."

Don't miss going this year. The Brian Redman International Challenge vintage weekend (presented by Jaguar) is this weekend, and we think it's the premier vintage event in the country (yes, even more so than the Monterey Historic weekend). And the CART Champ Cars are there the first weekend of August, followed by the ALMS weekend the third weekend of August. You won't be disappointed. And you never know when the do-gooders or corporate America will try to neuter tracks like Road America.

Road America is truly the last of a vanishing breed. A seamless link to racing's past and hopefully, a shrine to racing's future...for generations to come.

[meat]

God Bless Road America - a great race track.

I was there with a herd of others - lots of drinking, lots of eating and lots of laughs were had by all.

It's already on the calendar for next year....

PS - Dave - Congrats on your son's wedding.

[jahnke]

when is this?

[dlq04]

Originally posted by jahnke
when is this?

Last weekend. Plan on next year.

[Manuel NSX1164]

Originally posted by meat
The best as far as quality of cars in NA probably goes to the Monterey Historics, IMHO. The BRIC has more cars though.

I hope so... I missed the BRIC this year due to scheduling conflicts, but will (hopefully) get to see the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca on Saturday the 16th.

[meat]

I'm leaving for Monterey tomorrow morning.

As usual we have a whole schedule of events that start tomorrow (Wed) night. Should be a great trip, as always.