Jack:
Tell your lovely wife Francis that the 'stuff' (even though I was an altar
boy, I can't remember those Latin names) she planted around the BOB WISMER
MEMORIAL MONUMENT at ROAD AMERICA looks fantastic. It is coming up with
GREAT enthusiasm this spring.
I had lots of Thunder Bolt trouble this week end. It is a new engine. We
either have an air bubble we can't burp out of the system, or we have a
combustion leak somewhere. It would run well for six miles or so, and then
the water temp would go up to 230. The Thunder Bolt's cooling system needs
to be rethought. The radiator is not high enough, and the plumbing has got
some short falls.
Saturday morning, I pulled the pin. Took the T-Bolt home as a punishment,
and brought out Old Blue (who had been put away HOT last October). It was
almost as if she was mad that Grandpa had gone racing without her, and she
had something to prove. She ran great, with no prep or set up. All I did
was put water back in.
Then late Saturday afternoon, coming out of turn three, I broke the left rear
hub. Fortunately I was able to catch the car, and bring it under control, or
I would have been doing cart wheels.
Springtime in Wisconsin is not the time to be going off the track. John
Targett (MGB) rolled over, when he entered a Gravel Collector sideways.
John's a Hot Shoe, and only knows one way to drive (11/10ths). If someone
had not quoined the phrase 'Crazy Englishman,' we would have to invent it for
John. John is fine, and his car could be much worse, considering. He'll be
back.
Those Gravel Collectors are neat if you go in straight, but go in sideways
(especially in the spring) and you bought yourself a roll.
Shirley Jean (Vintage Pit Bunny and Gofer) brought a different hub and axle
up from Brookfield on Sunday morning. We put it in and changed the oil. I
missed the Feature Race, but ran the BADGER 200 MILE ENDURO with Bob Wismer
as co-driver. That's a tough one for old cars (and drivers), but we've done
it two years in a row now. Plenty of battery, with no charging system.
Bill Dentinger
PS
Don Brick and Bob Wismer celebrated my sixtieth Birthday this week end at the
track. Big Steak Dinner at Schwartz's on Thursday night. Presents, and a
huge Birthday Cake, which was shared by the whole paddock. Everyone kept
asking if it was my Birthday, and I said, "NO! My Birthday was way back in
March, but it took Bob and Don this long to save up enough money to buy such
a big cake."
Aint' LIFE GREAT?
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