ABFM – SOVREN Racing Report: Not Bad for 50 Year-old Sports Cars Group 1 of the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVERN) includes Austin_Healeys. The Austin-Healey Club of Oregon Healey was very well represented in Group 1 racing by member Doug Escriva. The following gives Doug’s final placing in the race heats for the Labor Day event:
Saturday……….. Heat #1……….Finished 2nd
#2……………………4th
Sunday……………Heat #1……………………3rd
#2…………………….1st
Monday…………..Heat #1…………………….1st
#2…………………….1st
The two racing pictures above were taken during the second heat on Sunday. My camera was on the outside of Turn 2 at the chicane. The left-most picture was taken well into the race. The red car had been leading the pack up to this point. As can be seen in the shot, Doug is all over the red car. Doug had worked hard and raced smart to get to this position. The middle picture was taken the next lap. Doug had passed the red car and was now leading the pack and finished the race that way. The red car then retired with a serious brake problem. The problem was likely caused by the severe pressure Doug and his 210 hp Healey with 220 ft lbs of torque were applying. The 2nd and 3rd place cars in this heat were also Healeys. Oh! BTW, if you hadn’t noticed, the red car is a Ferrari!!! Good on ya, Doug. That was one of the most exciting races I have seen at PIR. It is too bad Doug couldn’t hear the cheers and whistles from the grandstands when he was flying, hair on fire, sliding through the chicane after passing the Ferrari. Forthcoming Acrtivities
NW Meet, Lake Chelan, WA
Sept. 16-18
Meet at the site of the Parker House (now closed) in Washougal, WA, Exit 7 @ 8:30 a.m. The tour will depart at 9:00. Please have your tank full. We will tour east on Hwy 14 to Hwy. 97 – then North to Yakima where we willl spend the night. Make your own reservations @ Oxford Suites (509)457-9000, $105.00, for Wednesday night, Sept 15th. The room rent Includes a big breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine. River views. Mention the Austin Healey Club of Oregon. The rooms will be held until Sept. 6. Thursday morning, Sept. 16th, we will meet with members of the Cascade Club in Cle Elum and tour the rest of the way to Lake Chelan with them. If you have not made your reservations for the NWMeet the phone number for the Hotel is Best Western Lakeside Lodge, (509) 682-4396. If you have any questions regarding the Meet contact Lois Buhman neilandlois@comcast.net. Sunday, Sept. 18th we will return to Portland.
October Meeting October 9th
A tour to Fern Ridge Reservoir is planned. We will meet at the Shari’s Restaurant at the corner of Hwy 213 and Beavercreek Road in Oregon City @9:00 and depart at 9:30. We will tour back roads to Eugene where Bob and Carla Bollinger will host us for a BBQ at their Yacht Club. The general meeting will be held at approximately 2:30. We will return to Portland Saturday evening. Please let us know if you are planning to attend so there will be enough food for all. Please call John Carter (503) 579-6599 or George Koeber (503)244-3731.
November Meeting, November 13th
Tech Session and Meeting at John Wilson’s in Marcola, OR. John Wilson will have a tech session at his shop at 37141 Parsons Creek Road, Marcola, Oregon (if you are using a GPS you will need to put in Springfield instead of Marcola). The tech session will start @10 a.m. and will involve tearing down and reassembling a transmission. The general meeting is scheduled for 3:30. No tour will be scheduled due to the chance of inclement weather. John has informed us that he will have a pot of chili on for us. Please let us know if you are planning to attend so there will be enough food for all. Call John Carter 503-579-6599 or George Koeber 503-244-3731.
December 4th Christmas Party
The party will be held at the Mountain Park Recreation Center, 2 Mount Jefferson Terrace, Lake Oswego, OR, 97035. The fun will start at 5:30. There will be a social time between 5:30 and 7:00 at which time there will be a silent auction to benefit charities. After dinner activities are planned including a gift exchange for those wanting to participate. We are also asking for donations for the auction. Please contact us if you have something you wish to donate (it doesn’t have to be Healey related). The club has approved that each member will pay $10 per person with the balance of the cost to be paid for by the AHCO. Feel free to bring your own libation for the social time and during dinner. If you are planning to attend send your check to John Carter (16173 SW Dekalb St.,Portland,OR 97224). You can also pay at any club activity. The cut off date for notification is November 24th (so we can give the caterer the count). Live music and other entertainment is being planned.
Annual Club Elections
The Nomination Committee will consist of:
Past President Jeff Mach
Executive Board Member Jack Jakobsen
General Member Allan Gross
Jeff will arrange meetings of the Committee as necessary to generate a slate of nominees to fill the Club offices. Nominations for officers will also be accepted from the floor during the October general meeting, providing those nominated agree to serve prior to the nomination. The Secretary will post the slate of candidates on the website and develop a ballot when the Nominations Committee completes its task. The President will appoint a Club member as an election official. At least two weeks prior to the November Club meeting the election official shall postal mail a ballot to each Club member with instruction to return the completed ballot to the official by a specified date. Ballots will be counted only if received by postal mail prior to the deadline or delivered in person to the official at the Club November meeting. Ballots will be opened and votes tallied by the election official at the meeting.
Historically, the annual efforts of the Nominations Committee can be a bit of a struggle. Their challenge is to find Club members willing to dedicate time and effort to supporting Club direction, decisions, planning, activities, etc. If you have given some thought to helping your club I encourage you to contact one of the three members of the Committee. You can find their telephone numbers in the Club Directory.