(By the Newsletter Editor's good-looking brother, James Reuss)

Break out your hankies, everyone...the final 2008 Yellowstone SCCA event has come and gone.  On the plus side, it couldn't have come on a better day.  Sunday the 21st dawned cool and fair, and was predicted to warm as the day wore on.  It's the perfect kind of day if you have to spend it the way we club members do--either belted in tight inside a car, wearing a thick-padded helmet, or manning a courseworker position out on the asphalt.  The last race went down at the newest SCCA venue: GM Petroleum.  Despite some speculation about whether or not the grease spots and patchy sand would affect driver safety (the place caters almost exclusively to big rigs, after all), the lot is an excellent venue and everyone should keep their fingers crossed that it'll be available for next year.
 
I arrived, as Scott Cranston would say, "like a team owner--long after the setup is over and just in time to race."  He was right; I showed a few minutes before the drivers' meeting.  There was a decent, if a little small, turnout for this event; all told, there were 17 drivers between 13 cars.  This allowed for the Magic 12: 12 runs for everyone over the course of the day.  It was a "lemonade from lemons" situation.  I know, higher turnout is better for the club, but I can't complain about lining up 12 times, either.  I chap-stickked roll-on sunscreen onto my arms as I sized up the contestants and thought, "Today's gonna be a good day."
 
And a good day it was.  12 runs allowed all the drivers to hone their technique beyond what they could on a regular six-run day.  The excitement escalated as the lap times fell.  Everybody was out to cut the low time, and that's what makes for a great event.
 
The course favored small, tight-handling cars.  There were plenty of those, each with a veteran driver behind the wheel, and the lap times reflected it.  It was also a day for the more old-school vehicles; the average SCCAer (read: me) dreams of dropping some serious coin on some super-sporty track car, like a brand-new Elise or a Porsche, but this group served to contradict that theory.  Watching Nels Jensen destroy the track (and a few cones) in his '86 Toyota Corolla for the Fast Time of Day, or Randy Roberts and Krissy Martin work the corners in their near-bone-stock Honda CRX makes the prospect of owning/maintaining a twenty-plus-year-old car that much more attractive.  Not to be left out, Tim Starns' Alfa GT1300 Junior proved beyond a doubt that Alfa Romeo, Inc., designed it as a track car, and that Tim knows how to capitalize on that.  Dean Johnson's first-gen Mazda RX-7 shocked the crowd with a few well-timed backfires, but despite engine maladies, had no problem getting around the track.  As ever, Jackie Bell's stately Ford Grand Torino showed that classic Detroit iron still poses a threat to newer cars--Jackie attacked the small, turn-heavy course with the skill and good humor that has made her a staple at these events.  There was also the Reussracing team, taking the bright blue, body-kitted Honda Civic hatchback out for a few laps.  Yes, Kaitlin beat me, but for my sake, please don't congratulate her for it.  Wrapping up the old-school lineup, Eldon Johnson's traffic-cone-orange dune buggy ripped through the course with surprising grace, proving that all you need to make for a great lap is an engine, four wheels, and a skilled driver.
 
Newer cars represented at GM, as well.  New school, thy name is Mini Cooper.  No less than three of these boxy BMWs made their way around the course, driven by club officer Chris Brewer, the out-of-nowhere speed demon Nick Johnson, and the relatively-green-but-very-promising father/daughter duo of Riley and Jenny Cooke.  The new car roundup was a veritable Oktoberfest: besides the BMW minis, there was Chris and Susan Doll's turbo VW Jetta and Reese Newman's big beast of an Audi.  Countering all that German engineering was Chris Lee's Mustang GT, noteworthy not only for its performance on the track, but for being the only real convertible I've ever seen out there.  These drivers held their own against the glut of older cars, showing everyone that it all comes down to driver talent, and when it comes to race cars, age ain't nothin but a number.
 
As ever, big thanks to the people who made these events possible.  You know who you are, even if I don't.  Thanks to Jerod and Scott for helping out with timing duties...I kinda missed seeing you guys run--it just isn't an SCCA event without that teal Mustang parked nearby.  Other than that, thanks to all the drivers, the spectators, and another big thanks going out to my family, who let me act like a team owner.  I truly appreciate it.
 
It was a full day of tense, friendly competition, everyone wanting to knock out a fantastic lap or two before mothballing their racing helmets for another eight-ish months.  Despite having to stop the action to allow the odd semi truck to refuel, it was a fast-paced, exciting day.  It reflected what SCCA is known for: great people having a great time doing what they love.  And that's why I know I won't be the only one lamenting its winter hibernation.  But, like migrating birds, fireflies, and Will Smith movies, SCCA will be back next summer.  Here's hoping we see you all. (9/23)