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Vintage Machines
Getting to the "Run Offs"
by Ken Handman
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Manhattan Beach's Brian Linn racing his Austin Healey Sprite |
About the time when European cars were becoming very popular in the U.S. and road racing was catching on like wildfire, the Austin Healey Sprite, a.k.a. the "Bugeye Sprite" came along. Enthusiastic owners pressed the little cars into racing service throughout the country. Now, over 30 years later, the Sprites are still racing in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) regional and national events. In Southern California, the region is called California Sports Car Club (Cal Club).
Through the years, the rules and classes of cars have changed many times. Race tracks, drivers and technology have come and gone, but one thing has remained constant since about 1957. That is the 948cc Sprite.
This venerable little sports car has been raced continuously since its introduction. It has always been in the smallest engine classification for production cars, which translates into "slowest class." However, this "slow" class has produced some very accomplished drivers. Driving competitively in an under powered car requires more skill and attention to detail than blasting around the track in a V8-powered "ground pounder."
One of the longest running Sprite race teams in SCCA is Cal Club's father/son team of Jim and Brian Linn. Jim Linn of Manhattan Beach started racing a Sprite in the '60s, with his son Brian as his pit crew. Now Brian is 33-years-old and has been racing the family Sprite for 10 years. At first Jim and Brian alternated driving. Brian took over completely in 1993 and Jim became the crew. In these years, they have developed the car into one of the most competitive in the H production class of SCCA national racing.
The SCCA racing season consists of a dozen or so races in each region throughout the country. The top one or two cars in each class and region are invited to compete for the national championship, known as the "Run Offs." Contested each October at Mid-Ohio road racing track, the Run Offs
are the Super Bowl of amateur road racing.
After a few years of Regional racing, Brian decided that he wanted to win the national championship in his class. So he and Jim went to the Run-Offs as spectators in 1993. After watching the races, they created a multi-year plan to win the championship. The first two years, while racing the full seasons, Brian and Jim built and installed a new coil-over suspension and found a way to reroute the exhaust pipe into the transmission tunnel. This resulted in a radical ride-height reduction, down to only one-and-a-half inches of ground clearance, the purpose being to lower the center of gravity for better grip in the turns. They also fabricated their own bonnet (hood) out of carbon fiber for a fifty-pound weight reduction. An important bolt on item was the installation of a close ratio transmission with very closely spaced gears, so the engine can always be in the power band. All of this, added to a car that was pretty well sorted out to begin with.
Driving a Sprite competitively is unlike driving a modern race car, or sporty production car for that matter. When you have an all-up weight of 1,577 pounds and can only make about 100 HP, due to class restrictions in carburetor venturi size, you have to be a very smooth driver. This requires pinpoint accuracy at the entrance to every bend. Not too much braking, no deviation from the predetermined racing line, nothing that will upset the balance of the car and scrub off speed. Wasted momentum cannot be replaced by a little extra pressure on the loud pedal.
The beginning of the '96 season marked the start of Brian's assault on the championship. First he won the Cal Club region, than departed for Mid-Ohio to compete in the Run Offs. He finished third that year. In '97, he had problems during qualifying and started in the 22nd spot. By the seventh lap he was in 10th place. Than there was a caution flag that allowed the drivers to close-up. The bunched-up cars were headed toward the start line for what the drivers thought would be another caution lap. However, Jim, in the pits, saw the race official pull out the start flag before the lead car rounded the last turn. He radioed the info to Brian, who was able to get a jump on the pack when the flag came out unexpectedly. With the help of the surprise start, he worked his way up to 2nd at the finish, even with a short off-track excursion due to someone bumping him. Brian earned the Cal Club "driver of the year" award for the effort. The '98 season ended in disappointment when the car DNF'd at the Run Offs. This year he has some badly needed sponsorship and new ideas in his quest for the national championship.
Talking about sponsors, Brian asked if I would mention his sponsor, Red Line Synthetic Oil. I said that I would be glad to mention Red Line, because it is so rare for a corporation to sponsor amateur racing, especially a car that isn't as sexy as some of the new hot racers. I have used Red Line in my SCCA cars as well as motorcycles and boats. Its good stuff, try it in your car.
Don't forget to mark your calendar for the Project Touch Car Show, October 22 at Clark Field in Hermosa. It is the best hometown car show you have ever been to.
Come and see some wonderful hot rod and vintage cars owned by your neighbors. Bring the kids and show them what kind of cars mom and dad drove in high school. Also, lots of food and exhibits.
Call me, if you have an interesting vintage car, boat, motorcycle or
airplane and would like to see it featured in this column. (310) 379-6319
or khandman@gte.net ER