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NorCal Shelby Club
The big news from the northern part of our USARM range is that
Shelby Club added a race to their always great event at Thunderhill
on October 13 and 14. Shelby being Shelby, it was, of course a unique
sort of race: the very first Gumball Relay Race. There were five
teams, four cars per team. The first four went on track for two
laps, then pitted. A runner met the pitted car and literally ran
to the teammate on grid, who was then allowed on track. The winning
team was determined by total team time, which meant that it was
both an automobile race and a footrace -- great driving could lose
to slow sprinting. The participants were awarded at dinner Saturday
night with a "Cheap-ass certificate, printed on cheap-ass paper..."
and, of course, gumball machines featuring Tweety, with gumballs
bought fresh from Wal-Mart that very evening. Also at dinner Saturday
night, two USARM workers, Ray Hellstrom and Tim Pollack were among
the winners of tickets for two to Shelby Club's Christmas Party.
Scott Pollack, one of the growing number of second-generation USARM
workers, was home recovering from a broken foot he sustained at
school. We missed him.
Karen
Russel Race Series
Held at Sears Point on October 2021 was a nice safe event
with perfect fall weather. I was reflecting on how much many of
the drivers had improved over the course of the season. Lotsa changes
since last month -- the crow's nest is really gone and sitting disassembled
at Thunderhill. Turn stations for 8 and 8A and 9 are all driver's
right. The wonderful photo box on the hill at above the end of the
apex of turn 7 where I've been happily running control the last
few times is gone, along with a lot of the hill between there and
9. But the biggest change for most of us who've worked with Russell
is that Jacques is retiring, and moving to Alaska with his wife
and son to run his very own fishing lodge. The November Russell
will be his last event. I asked for a recording of his famous yodel.
The first time I heard Jacques' voice on a landline, I was standing
at turn 8 at Laguna Seca in a miserable, cold drizzle. Jacques came
on with an intolerably cheerful, "Good morning everybody! It's
a beautiful day!" He was met with predictable grumbles from
around the track. When it quieted down, he said softly, "Any
day you are above ground and breathing is a beautiful day!"
and broke into a yodel. I've remembered that more than once when
things were rough. Gonna miss that guy!
Karen
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Election Time
Yes, it's that time of year again. There are three openings this
year. So, for those of you who are wanting to contribute to the
USARM club a little bit more, please let a board member know you
are interested. Statements will be needed and sent out in the
Grid and with the election materials.
As former editor of the USARM GRID, I'd like to thank and congratulate
the new editor, Darlyn Linka- Pettenati, on her first issue and
a great new format, with pictures, even. I had a lot of fun doing
the GRID and hope it's as exciting an experience for her! Please
help support what can sometimes be a very lonely effort by sending
her your articles, thoughts, race reviews, jokes and musings.
Karen
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