Home

 

WHEELS OF THE WEEK — Brian Redman International Challenge

Vintage racers flock to Wisconsin

By SKIP PETERSON
For Wheels

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The host for the Brian Redman International Challenge vintage races, Brian Redman, arrives in Elkhart Lake behind the wheel of one of the many Porsche race cars he has driven during his career. Redman, 70, a member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame, has driven Formula 1 for a number of teams including McLaren and Williams, and has also won the 24 hours of Daytona 3 times and the 12 Hours of Sebring twice.
Photo by Skip Peterson

Elkhart Lake is a sleepy little town of 1200 residents, about two hours north of Milwaukee. It's a resort town, with cottages and resorts surrounding its namesake. Just a couple miles outside the village sits Road America, one of the nation's premier road racing circuits.

Each July, hundreds of vintage racers converge on Elkhart Lake for the Brian Redman International Challenge, a three-day extravaganza of races featuring vintage racing cars.

Late Friday afternoon, things slow down at the track in preparation for the annual Friday night town ritual, The Race Car Parade.

Residents and fans flock to Rhine and Lake streets, lawn chairs and coolers in tow, and stake out their spot. Shortly after 6 p.m., led by the Elkhart Lake police, the roar of racing engines breaks the mid-summer evening calm.

More than 100 racers, most with a passenger sitting where there isn't a seat, slowly make their way into town, blipping the throttles of the engines to clear the plugs and to get another cheer or smile from the spectators.

Ferraris, Can-Am cars, Cobras, XKEs, big block Trans-Am cars, they all come out. Open- wheel Formula Fords and Mini Coopers cruise side by side for about a half hour, until they all end up parked on Lake Street.

Then the bench racing and beer drinking get serious, and the fans all crowd around their favorite car, hearing the stories of its famous or not so famous past.

The Stop In Tavern at Siebkens Resort is hopping. Known as "the best racing bar on the circuit," the greatest names in motor sport have shared a cold one or two in the dark-

paneled bar. The ceiling and walls display thousands of decals and logos of racing teams.

Shortly before dusk, the call comes; it's time to fire up the racers and head back to Road America. Behind the police car, they slowly start to roll, each racer holding back a bit. With a few hundred feet of open space, most drivers rev it, drop the clutch, and burn just a bit of rubber for the crowd, each one earning another cheer.

As darkness descends on the village, you can hear the roar of the racing engines as the cars climb the hill on Highway 67, heading back to the paddock at Road America.