e s t a b july 2006 l u f 2006 national convention l wrap
TRANSCRIPT
2006 National ConventionWrap-Up from Tulsa Article and photos by Gordy Hyde
NOR T
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CLUB
In This IssueCover Features2006 Alfa Romeo National Convention Wrap-Up
Hurricane Ridge Trip
Alfafredly’s RamblingPage 2
Calendar of Events2006 Events CalendarPage 4
News & EventsPage 6
Member ProfileDillon GordonPage 8
Classified AdsPage 9
NWARC Lapping Day at Pacific RacewaysPages 6-7
Newsletter SubmissionsInterested in contributing to the Iniezione? Page 3
July 2006
It was not without trepidation that I made travel plans to attend the 2006 AROC National Convention. Memories of how drained I was after last year’s Potlatch were certainly very fresh in my mind. Even participation in New England in 2004 had required a presentation and traveling across the county. A redeeming factor for Tulsa was that I would be able to include a visit with my Dad, who put the “car gene” in my system. But still, Tulsa? I mean, Oklahoma? Black and white images of the Dust Bowl and Woody Guthrie songs could not be dispelled by AROC Oklahoma’s marketing of “Alfa Deco.” Honestly, I thought the visit with my Dad and other family in Kansas would be more memorable than the convention.
I had agreed to attend the Tulsa Convention on behalf of NWARC in order to make a presentation to the AROC Board. The national board’s proposed cost-cutting measures include eliminating track insurance, and our NWARC Corsa committee has been very worried that the loss of this benefit could result locally in substantial cost increases for the nearly monthly track events we promote.
So off I went to Tulsa. Alamo gave me the keys to a PT Cruiser to drive north to Wichita. I was actually somewhat impressed with the “fun factor,” and I might have been tempted to enter the track event at Hallett and the autocross (as did Joe Faherty) if I had had the turbo and maybe a 5-speed transmission.
Once at the convention, my earlier fears began to be realized when last call at the hotel bar was announced at 10:10 p.m., though closing time was actually at 11:00 (still early for a guy on west-coast time).
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Make Mine a Hurricane...What do you do when it’s expected to be eighty degrees and sunny on a Sunday in June? I don’t even need an excuse to get into one of my Alfas and DRIVE! It was fortuitous for about twenty NWARC members that Merril Gordon had planned a road trip to the Olympic Peninsula on a simply gorgeous June day when the weather is usually so unpredictable. continued on page 6
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Board MembersPresidentFred Wright312 211th Pl. SESammamish, WA [email protected]
Vice PresidentJohn van Rensburg5529 108th Ave. NEKirkland, WA [email protected]
SecretaryRandy J. Rumley11008 NE 140th St.Kirkland, WA [email protected]
TreasurerRon CalkinsPO Box 33512Seattle, WA [email protected]
Committee DirectorsActivitiesDave [email protected]
CompetitionDave Kingstone14614 72nd Pl. NEKenmore, WA [email protected]
MembershipHarry Reed8111 184th St. SWEdmonds, WA [email protected]
WebmasterCyndi [email protected]
Iniezione StaffEditor/DesignerCyndi Walker3917 S. 326th Pl.Federal Way, WA [email protected] CopyeditorAmy Chadwick5219 149th St. SEEverett, WA [email protected] Technical EditorWes Ingram15613 “C” Peterson Rd.Burlington, WA [email protected]
Production EditorFred [email protected]
continued on page 3
July 2006By the time you read this we will be past the 4th of July. Earlier in my life—growing up in Ohio—it felt like the summer was half over when you got to the 4th of July. But here in the northwest, summer is really just getting started, isn’t it? What great weather start to the summer. We have the best part of our summer ahead—let’s hope it lives up to our normal pattern. Do you have plans to enjoy your Alfa soon? Now is the time for those great long drives! Make sure you get involved in one of the many club events this season and share some Alfa love there too.
Speaking of Alfa love, the GTV Squadra had an outing at the Greenwood car show. What a great event. This was my first year and I can assure you it will be a regular event on my calendar. The variety of cars is unbelievable, including classics, hot rods, muscle cars, junkers, old, new, and yes, Italian cars! Though there were only four of us Alfa GTVs this year, we parked near our Ferrari and Fiat cousins so our numbers looked more impressive. Thanks to Doc Doolittle for pushing us to do it and Joe English for working out the registration deal. (There’s a story there.)
The whole club needs to make this an event next year. It is the perfect show for us. I can’t tell you how many people came up to us to talk about the Alfa they had or the GTV they always wanted. But the most impressive discussion of the day was with a young man who wanted to know all about GTVs because he wanted to buy one and drive it daily. Ahh, music to our ears! It is very cool to see how people react to our beautiful cars. They really appreciate our bringing them out.
I want to give a big NWARC thank you to Kim Christiansen as he transitions out of the role of webmaster. Kim has done a great job over the last few years with our websites. He was the one who handled all the web aspects of the Potlatch site and has helped us move closer to having the best club site in the nation. Kim will hopefully spending more time with Alfas now?! Thanks Kim!
Cyndi Walker will be talking over the role of webmaster and we can look for great improvements ahead just like we saw when she took over the newsletter. Yes she is doing both, so buy her a beer the next time you see her. The club was very blessed the day she joined!
See you at the July meeting.
Enjoy the drive!
Ciao, Fred
Alfafredly’s Rambling
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Club Liaisons Italian Car Club of British Columbia Fritz Duernberger 604-988-7904
Society of Vintage RacingEnthusiasts (SOVREN) Steve Scheaffer 206-789-9317
Alfa Romeo Owners Club of OregonDan Sommers 503-649-6735
www.nwalfaclub.comThe Iniezione is the monthly newsletterof the Northwest Alfa Romeo Club, a non-profit organization of Alfa Romeo enthusiasts. NWARC is a regional chapter of the national Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC). Chapter meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month except December.
Membership dues are $63 per year, which includes subscriptions to the Iniezione and the national publication, Alfa Owner. For information about joining the club, contact the membership director, whose name appears on the previous page.
Deadline for the submission of articles or classified ads is the second Saturday of the month prior to the issue month.
Opinions expressed in the Iniezione are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the club.
Publication of articles describing techni-cal procedures does not constitute an endorsement by the club, its officers, or AROC. It is the responsibility of the person performing any procedure to accept all consequences of his or her actions.
Meeting Time & LocationMeeting Location The July general meeting will be held at Bison Creek Pizza on Tuesday, July 11th. Bison Creek Pizza is located at 630 SW 153rd Street in Burien, WA. Please visit www.bisoncreekpizza.com for more information.Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for social time; the general meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Interested in contributing to the Iniezione?Share your love of Alfa Romeos with your fellow NWARC membersWe are currently accepting articles, photo essays, how-to articles, travel stories and other pieces on Alfa Romeo–related topics. Be a part of the club and spread the joy of Alfa Romeo ownership!
Submission Guidelines: Please submit all articles and other content in Word format, and send to: [email protected]. Photo submissions should be in either JPG or EPS format saved as high resolution (300 dpi). Remember to include your name, article title, and contact information with all submissions.
Deadlines: Deadline for the submission of articles or classified ads is the second Saturday of the month prior to the issue month.
Have an e-mail address? We would love to hear from you!The NWARC is compiling an e-mail address list so we can communicate news, special events, and other important information quickly and easily.
If you would like to receive electronic communications from NWARC, please send an e-mail to: [email protected]
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Jul 7–9 Portland Historic Races at Portland International Raceway
Jul 28 (Fri) Pacific Raceways Lapping Day
Jul 29–30 NW SCCA Regional at Bremerton Raceway
Aug 17 (Thu) Pacific Raceways Lapping Day
Sep 2–4 Columbia River Classic Road Race at Portland International Raceway
Sep 3 (Sun) www.italianconcours.org 14th Annual Seattle Italian Concours d’ Elegance
Sep 9 (Sat) www.kirklandconcours.com Kirkland Concours d’ Elegance at Carillon Point
Sep 14 (Thu) Pacific Raceways Lapping Day
Sep 14–17 A Half Fast Lap of Washington
Sep 23–24 Fall Finale at Pacific Raceways
Sep 30–Oct 1 Maryhill Loops Hill Climb at Maryhill, WA
Oct 14 (Sat) Pacific Raceways Lapping Day
Oct 29 (Sun) Bremerton Motor Park Novice School
Events in bold are SOVREN events
2006 NWARC Calendar of Events
A Half Fast Lap of Washington September 14–17Join NWARC for four days of fun driving starting with a lapping day at Pacific Raceways on Thursday, September 14th, and followed by a fast lap of the eastern half of the state from Friday to Sunday. Friday’s drive will be a partial repeat of Doc & Glo’s excellent adventure last fall, but will end in Walla Walla instead of the Dalles. Saturday takes us to Colville and a barbecue at Kay Jones’s ranch and restored Northern Pacific caboose. Sunday brings us home. We have a great group working on filling in the details: Kay Jones, Merril Gordon, Harry Reed, Doc Doolittle, Randy Rumley, and Gordy Hyde. We’re planning for this weekend to have all the driving we didn’t get in during the Potlatch last year. For more information, contact Dave Emerson, activities director for NWARC, at [email protected].
New MembersDavid Bibby Burien , WARandy And Karen Cox Montesano , WA 1971 and 1982 SpidersJim And Carol Henry Ferndale, WA 1984 SpiderDerek Reijnen Bainbridge Island, WAMichael Ubezzi Kirkland, WAAlex Voss Seattle, WAEdward Westbrook Etna, CAGary And Raclene Williams Sequim, WA 1967 GTV
Klaus Winkler Seattle, WA
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• Spica BookDave Emerson Photo
Ingram Enterprises INC.15613 “C” Peterson Road, Burlington WA, 98233
360.707.5701 [email protected]
Ingram Enterprises, World Rebuilders Of Spica Fuel Injection Systems For 1969 Through 1981 Alfas
www.WesIngram.com
Spica Book
Vintage Alfa service
Mechanical Fuel Injection
Complete 4cyl engine rebuilding
Cylinder heads and cams
Performance connecting rods
Engine dyno service
101,105 and 115 transmission rebuilding
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NWARC Lapping Day
NWARC Lapping Day At Pacific Raceways FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2006Join us for our mid-summer lapping day at Pacific Raceways. This event fills up fast, so early registration is encouraged. You must be pre-registered and pre-paid. We do not take any day-of-event registrations. Instructors are readily available to ride with anyone who would like them to. Only Novices with prior approved track experience are allowed. Contact Kathleen or Dave at the numbers listed below with any questions.
Registration: Pre-registration cost is $175 if postmarked before July 20th; $200 from July 21st to the day of the event. If you are sharing a car and are in different groups, the cost is $175 per driver. If you are in the same group, the cost is $87.50. You must present a driver’s license to the registrar in order to participate.
Schedule: Gates open at 6.30 a.m. Registration and Tech start at 7:30 a.m. A MANDATORY drivers meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. We run until dusk.
At the track: Bring a tarp and carryall to transfer all your stuff into. Upon arrival, clean everything out of your car (including mats) except the essentials. After you go through registration, put your car in the tech line. Bring plenty of drinking water. Lunch will be provided.
Car Preparation: Please make sure that your car is in proper condition. We cannot over-emphasize how important it is for you to self-inspect your car prior to the event. We will perform an on-site safety inspection before allowing you to drive, however, you are responsible for the mechanical condition of your car. We recommend you have your car inspected by an authorized mechanic.
For Alfas only: Below is a list of local shops where you can make an appointment for a mechanical inspection prior to the event.
Tacoma: Alfa of Tacoma, 253-572-2532 Central Seattle: Ferrari of Seattle, 206-329-7070
Tacoma: Bristow’s Exclusive Auto Repair, 253-471-1663 Seattle: Group 2, 206-378-0900
North: Ingram Enterprises Inc., 360-707-5702
The NWARC website (http://nwalfaclub.com) has tips on improving driver safety, as well as a checklist for preparing yourself and your car before coming out to the track. Review http://www.nwalfaclub.com/track/what_to_bring.phpbefore coming out to the track.
Required safety equipment for drivers/passengers:Helmet: Snell 95–rated, or newer (contact the registrar if you need to rent a helmet).
Shatterproof eye protection, such as sunglasses or helmet visor.
Non-synthetic clothing that extends to ankles, wrists, and neck. Denim jeans and a cotton long-sleeved shirt are considered minimum. We recommend Nomex driving suits.
Leather or Nomex shoes that cover the foot and ankle. No high heels or thick-soled platform shoes or clogs.
Non-perforated leather gloves (garden type as a minimum), or Nomex racing gloves.
Open cars must have securely mounted roll bar that extends 2” above the driver’s (and passenger’s) helmet and has a diagonal cross-brace, or a factory-installed rollover protection system. If the roll bar is taller than the seated driver’s and passenger’s helmets, then a 3-point seatbelt or 5-point harness may be used. If the roll bar is not taller than the seated driver’s or passenger’s helmets, a 3-point seatbelt will be allowed, but the driver will be required to sign a waiver acknowledging risk.
Minimum 3-point seat belts. No 2-point belts allowed.
To get to Pacific Raceways: From Hwy 167 or I-5 north or south, take Hwy 18 going east. Pass through Auburn, and take the Pacific Raceways Exit. Follow the signs to Pacific Raceways.For questions or to register, contact Kathleen Edwards, 253-227-3953 cell / 253-631-7467 home / [email protected] or Dave Kingstone at 425-823-9031 / [email protected]
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NWARC Lapping Day
Lapping Day ApplicationMail completed application with check payable to NWARC to: Kathleen Edwards, PO Box 568, Black Diamond, WA 98010. Mark “July 28th Lapping Day” on the envelope. To register using your Visa/Mastercard, call Kathleen. You may also register via e-mail to Kathleen.
Please provide the following information when e-mailing:
Name: __________________________________________ ______________________________
Address: ______________________________________________ _________________________
City: _________________________ State/Prov: _____________ Zip Code: ___________
Phone: (______)_______________
Alternate phone: (_____)_________________ e-mail: _______________________________
Alfa Club member? ________
Car Make: ______________________________________________ Model: _________________
Color: _________________ Year: _________ Track experience/skill level: __________________
This Month’s General Meeting Guest Speaker
Burning Ring of Fire!Come and take a ride with Steve Schaeffer as he guides us down the main straight of the infamous Spa Francorchamps track in Belgium, over the little-known creek down in the dip at Eau Rouge, and up over the blind ridge apex-crest at Les Combes at unreal speeds (for a little Twin Spark Alfa 75, anyway).
After the turn at Rivage we’ll blast through the incredible double apex at Pouhon and count heartbeats to the next stunner on my list of favorites: Blancimon--at 175-180 kilos! The Nurburgring video will reveal show stoppers such as Wipperman, Eschback, and Brunchenn, and we’ll completely unload the suspension at Pflanzgarten!
Steve has lots of pictures and video footage of both historic tracks, including shots of some of the coolest cars on the track with us, such as legitimate M3 Touring cars, a P3 Ferrari, an F50, an aluminium-skinned ‘54 D-Type Jag, too many Porsche 911 GT3RSRs to mention, and many others.
Join us at Bison Creek Pizza in Burien. Visit the website for map and directions, http://www.bisoncreekpizza.com/. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month. Join us at 6:30 p.m. for social time; the general meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m.
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Dillon GordonWhat is your occupation? Kid, five years old
What Alfas have owned? ‘82 GTV6 (Dad’s red car); ‘88 Milano Verde gray parts car
Other Italian vehicles?No.
Why Alfa Romeo?Even from the back seat, these cars are fun to ride in and they sound great. I’ve got my imitation sounds going pretty good, too. I don’t get car sick either, not even after repeated drives through the fifteen miles of switchbacks at Rattlesnake Grade.
When and how did you first discover Alfa Romeo?It’s always been at the house. Other people stop by in their Alfas once in a while also. My Dad says my uncle had a Duetto and it was lots of fun to drive but he was too big to own one so bought a GTV6 instead.
What was your first Alfa? When?The red one was the first one. Dad thinks he got it in 1991.
How long have you been a member of the NWARC or other Alfa clubs?All my life. (Dad says he’s been a member for about fifteen years or so.)
Do you have any Alfa horror stories?Mom says it’s a horror when I come into the house with grease in my hair from helping Dad.
Broken oil pan from a road hazard. Dad shut the engine off right away so there was no damage. Had to pull the engine to replace the pan and broken oil pump.
What has been your most memorable Alfa Romeo–related moment?Way back when I was two, we were on a wine tour of southeastern Washington and took a drive into northeastern Oregon. After a few miles of taking in the scenery, the speeds picked up and it became a sprint with speeds exceeding 100 mph. That was a blast ! My playpen strapped to the roof even stayed on. When can I join the 120 mph club ?
Anything else you would like to share about yourself?Those kid car seats make pretty good racing buckets. It’s going to be a long, long, long, long time before I reach legal driving age. I guess I’ll have to settle for bikes, motorcycles, and go-karts till then.
NWARC Club Member Profile
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1977 Alfa Romeo Spider3K on rebuilt engine with 10.4 to 1 pistons, 105.41 cams, and Ralph Ghent ported head with big valves. Needs a new head gasket; I have a complete gasket set for it. Also needs windshield and hydraulics serviced. Scruffy but fair body including solid floors. Late model tan leather seats, 5-point harnesses on both. Late door panels in the trunk. Autopower roll bar; needs the diagonal welded in. Aftermarket vinyl hardtop. Servicable canvas soft top. High-capacity radiator. Shankle header. MUST BE SOLD THIS MONTH. Good track day project! $1995 Contact Steve at 253-209-1378 or [email protected]
1967 Alfa 2600 SprintNew tires/tubes, powder-coated wheels, rebuilt carbs. Runs—can drive. Rust-free CA car except some rust in door bottoms, original & complete. $7800 360-671-1279, Bellingham
1965 Giulietta Sprint NormaleIn excellent condition. Blue/blue/gray. Completely original or period-correct including Nardi Wheels, fresh paint, 1600 dd motor, transmission, and front suspension. Perfect for Vintage tours, rallyes, and club events. Drive anywhere. $27,500. Terry Larson 253-627-2355
1994 164LSChampagne/black. 152K. Premium twelve-disc stereo. Belts, tensioner, water pump, etc. at 142K. Brake MC at 145K. $5900 A nice, clean car. Keith 206-715-7000
1991 164SBlack/black. 130K. Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, etc. at 91K. Lower motor mounts at 125K. Runs strong. $4900 Keith 206-715-7000
1977 GTV Engine completely rebuilt in 2005. Excellent running condition, new front disc brakes; body work 90% complete; rear wheel hatch replaced; new right fender and driveline parts; was driven daily until recently. Offers: 360-354-0614. Please leave a message. Lynden, WA
For Sale: Radiator w/fan Radiator with fan and temperature sensor for 1987 Milano. Just had it checked out at Renton Radiator and they said it is in great shape. Located in Renton. $100 OBO. Paul @ 206-679-8434.
Spider Hardtop for saleOriginal Alfa top with original Alfa logo glass. Needs to have window re-set with a new chrome T-shaped window seal bead. From my 1974 Spider. $300 OBO. Call Greg 425-823-1177 or email [email protected].
1969 Alfa Romeo Spyder For SaleThe convertible top should probably be replaced. There is a broken right tail light lens. The engine had a major overhaul at 100K miles. It has an oil leak. It currently has about 170k miles on the odometer. I have had the car since it was new. I have the original owners manual and all the trim that is missing. New tires. Good battery. No radio, never had one. The fuel injection pump has been replaced with a 1996 model that enables it to pass the smog inspection tests. Do not use fuel with ethanol in this car. It runs much better on high octane gas. Aviation fuel works great!I have been offered $5,000 for the car a few years ago - look it over and make me an offer. I have the title here at home. Chris Warner 206-782-1277 [email protected]
Interested in placing a classified ad? Send an email to [email protected] for more information.
Classified Ads
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Make Mine a Hurricane... (continued) For a while I was concerned that my son Will, visiting from California, and I were going to be the only people meeting Merril. I knew the Jr. Zagato, even with a 1750 under the hood, would have a tough time keeping up with a 2.5 liter V-6 on mountain roads—especially Merril’s well-maintained and well-driven GTV-6. Concern began to disappear at the Edmonds ferry loading lanes when we saw Barry Constant in his Giulia Spider with his son Luke.
When we arrived at the alternate meeting spot, all my concerns about a miniscule turnout dissipated. Gene Tenney and wife Karen from Port Townsend were already there in their red ’86 Spider Quad, and were soon joined by Eric Valley (Shelton) in a GTV, Jack and Karen Brooks (Issaquah) in their 164LS, and Micah Haman and Janis Wignall (Seattle) with a 164. Gary and Raelene Williams, recently transplanted from the Silicon Valley to Sequim, were in their absolutely gorgeous 1967 Giulia Sprint Veloce. Diane and Brian Pleet came from Calgary, Alberta in their black 1982 Spider to give us an international blend. Thomas and Arlene Jerman from Seattle made it a trio of Spider Qs, and their silver roadster added a little variation amongst the mostly red cars. Terry and Joan Larson of Tacoma were the only non-Alfa participants, but the Quadrifolio sticker on the back of the Jaguar sedan lent it that “Q-ship” look. And on this day the working air conditioning of a more modern car kept the occupants in better moods.
Merril took us first into Port Angeles and then up the road to the park entrance station. While waiting for everyone to pay and enter, Eric Valley reported he had some performance issues with the engine of his GTV. He pulled off later and returned to Shelton early. Hopefully his troubles were short-lived and inexpensive. Many of us had to follow a Michigan-plated VW bus all the way up to the ridge because the driver refused to pull over, even for the park ranger who was trapped with us. We did, however, have the opportunity to see the vistas of the northern Olympics unfold as we traveled the eight or so miles at about thirty miles per hour. When we got to the top we found trails to roam, gorgeous scenery to look upon, and nice meadow flowers to enjoy. Some folks reported they saw a cougar and other critters on the way up.
After enjoying the thrill of the scenery for some time, we were off to stop #2—the Black Diamond Winery, located west of Port Angeles and about halfway to the Elwha River. Owners Lance and Sharon Adams made a lifestyle change in the early 1990s after their plum trees produced a banner crop. Their experiments with plum wine were received so well that they now specialize in fruit wines, and also do some small-production runs of white wine grapes they planted in the late 1990s. Their raspberry wine was wonderful and I also bought some rhubarb wine to enjoy with this year’s Thanksgiving turkey. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the winery, don’t leave without asking Lance to show you his 1926 Studebaker.
Fortunately we didn’t stay too long tasting wine, for the next stretch of road was made for Alfas and the Alfisti driving style. Many of us took advantage of the next several miles of nearly empty two-lane twisting roadway to perform Italian Tune Ups on our cars.
After winding our way through the day-use parkers on the east side of Lake Crescent, we had a little more open road and ended up at Salt Creek County Park. The park is located right on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, so Victoria and the south shore of Vancouver Island were visible, as was Mt. Baker. We swapped stories while Dillon Gordon and his dad hunted for hermit crabs and other shore creatures. I’m not sure who enjoyed the hunt more, father or son, but Dillon proudly admitted he found three of the little creatures.
Then we headed back to Port Angeles, where Merril had arranged for us to enjoy dinner at Bella Italia. Charity Hughes and her staff treated us superbly, offering nice wines, beers, and a special menu. Lots of stories were swapped and new acquaintances enjoyed. The setting sun and the need to drive miles to the ferry and/or home were the only things that made us end this truly idyllic day. As we left, Merril reminded us that Charity had made a special request that we make a quick run up the street in front of the restaurant so her other patrons could hear the exhaust notes of “real” cars. Many of us gladly obliged.
On the ferry ride home, Will, who has not been able to participate in NWARC events in about six years, asked me who many of the tourers were. It was especially refreshing for me to have the opportunity to meet and see so many new or only slightly familiar faces on this tour. At dinner someone asked why I had bought my first Alfa instead of some other “fun” car. I made a hand motion to include all eighteen people at the table. “These people,” I said. As former NWARC President Pat Huber repeatedly stated, “it’s about the people.” Yes, it truly is.
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I managed to make it through the board meeting in anticipation of a gimmick rallye through the streets of Tulsa. The rallye was really cool—Keith Kelly & company had taken pictures of many of the art deco features of Tulsa’s buildings, and it was our challenge to match the picture with the blanks in the directions. These clues were liberally interspersed with sometimes insignificant and obscure questions, which stumped even the most observant participants. Joe Faherty and I enlisted the support of George Pezold (club counsel) and Carole Sandeman, so we had eight eyes looking for answers. This “unfair advantage” allowed us to bring home a third place trophy!
Friday was track day at Hallett Speedway, which, on paper, had looked like a truncated square course. In person, it was really quite different. The course was designed by Antoly Arutunoff, a former racer of some repute and a member of the local Alfa club. It had two short straights and some really interesting hilly curves that seemed to be well suited to Alfas, especially those of the four-cylinder variety.
We returned to Tulsa for dinner at Gilcrease, a wonderful museum of Western American art. The museum held some absolutely stunning exhibits and we were served a very nice dinner as well.
Saturday morning’s schedule included a street autocross only a couple of blocks away from the hotel. Can you imagine asking the City of Seattle to close Third and Fourth Streets and Pike and Pine, drop a few hay bales in strategic spots, and then let a bunch of crazies in Eye-talian cars race around for a couple of hours? Neither can I! But the Tulsa folks pulled it off, even over the protests of many national board members who recommended it not be done.
Later that morning, I met with George Pezold again and gathered up a young friend from the Alfa Digest so we could participate in the “Dam Rallye.” I remembered Joe Elliot had bought a GTV-6 for transportation when he was a high school student in Cincinnati, and he posed a question on the Digest about keeping the car running so he could make it to class daily. Now, some six years later, he has a Mechanical Engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon and is employed by Boeing in Wichita. He still has the rusty old GTV-6, which seemed to be mechanically perfect, including functioning air conditioning that was well appreciated on the rallye. Many of us
were very surprised at how green the area surrounding Tulsa was, and how much topography there was. As might be expected on a “Dam Rallye,” we encountered a number of lakes as well, though the water was a bit browner that what I’m used to seeing in our Washington lakes.
Saturday night activities included a banquet, ogling the multiple Alfas that occupied the second floor hallways of the hotel, and (of course) swapping Alfa stories in the hotel bar. It was really neat to be able to talk with folks who were in Seattle last year, at which time I only managed a “hello and welcome to the Potlatch.” I must say that I continue to receive loads of congratulations for the wonderful convention we hosted last year.
Dave Simmons, this year’s convention chair, announced that the Sunday concours would, despite the threat of rain, be held outside. What amazed me was that they planned to hold the event at a “water treatment facility.” I know that is merely a euphemism for “sewage treatment plant.” Little did I know that Dave Simmons was an architect and had been involved in the design of the art deco–style facility. As the Oklahomans were recognizing Zagato-styled cars, the site provided an excellent backdrop for the half-dozen or so Zagato-bodied cars that were entered. While the concours in Oklahoma did not have the vast number of entries we had in our concours, many of the cars that were entered were simply stunning.
In the end? I think the consensus is that to top this event (put on by a chapter of fifty-five members), Detroit has their work cut out for them next year, as does Chicago in 2008.
2006 National Convention Wrap-Up (continued)
NW Alfa Romeo Clubc/o Harry Reed8111 184th St SWEdmonds, WA 98026
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