Thanks for the welcome, Susan, Andy and Joe, Happy to be among Amicis.
We actually have two Spitfires. Sean's black #6 is an ex-SCCA racer. Don
Devendorf (of Nissan GTP fame) converted his wife's '67 street car into a
racer and won the SCCA National Championship in 1969. He then sold the car
to Gordon Smiley who finished second in 1970. The car was handed off a few
times and last raced SCCA in the early 80's. We converted it back to SVRA
period rules in 1992 and Sam White and I drove the car at some of the SVRA
events in 92 and 93. My son Sean (24) finished schools at Laguna Seca and
Watkins Glen and took over the car in 1994. Since that time, we have made 8
or 9 SVRA events each year. The other Spitfire (no history known) is
painted silver and wore the number 5 for its maiden appearance at Road
America in 1996. Prepared identically to #6 (then #7) it was to become
"father and son spec-racer", instead it became the launching pad for the
infamous SVRA "Ryan Rule" ------ "No driver shall be allowed to compete
again on the same day having rolled over in a race car". (details only on
serious arm-twisting, but be careful whose axles you use - not all Spitfire
racing axles are equal). Since that time we have straightened the frame?
and every piece of sheet metal and will try to get it back on the track some
time this year.
I also competed in solo events in 1969 in a stock Spitfire, where I first
heard the words "camber compensator" and then I traded it for a '69 Midget
which cornered like a car instead of a dog near a fire hydrant. In true to
present fashion, my other solo car was a Mach I Mustang. Sam and I were
both SCCA corner workers at Road Atlanta from the day it opened in 1970
through most of the 70's, little did we know at the '70 runoffs that we were
watching our future vintage racer and that its driver was yet to be born.
Also in that race in a Spitfire was our current engine builder, Rick Kline,
who rebuilt his broken motor in a bathtub of the brand new Regency Hyatt
House in Atlanta.
Glad to be a part of the list. Look me up at any SVRA event. Savannah is
next with their great small bore enduro.
Racing Regards
Pat
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