Sebring Endurance Challenge (VSRG at Sebring, 2002)
- Charles Christ
- Steve Church
- Stefan Vapaa
- Mary Anne Fieux
- Randy Cook
- Ed Diehl
- George Vapaa
- Jon Ewing
- William Harding
- Chris Moberg
- 1960 93F
- 1973 97 Sonett III
- 1968 97 Sonett V4
- 1964 Quantum Formula SAAB
- 1967 Brand'X' Sports Racer
- Racecar Group Photos
Crews
- Tom Cox
- Chip Lamb
- Sune Nilsson
- Laura Briggs
- Don Wollum
Last Updated: Mar 26, 2006
2/12/2003
(The following article is reprinted with permission from NINES, The Saab Club Magazine. It appeared in the May/June 2002 (#257) issue.)
On March 1 through 4, 2002, a vintage/historic event was held at the world-famous home of the 12 Hours of Sebring. The Sebring Endurance Challenge featured a full program of WorldCom Dash Races along with a 3-Hour Rolex Endurance Race for vintage cars, a 3-Hour Rolex Endurance Race for historic sportscars and classic GT's, and a one-hour night race open to all WorldCom Dash entrants. Lights are required. Panoz Motorsports, who also provides facilities and instructors for the Saab Viggen Flight Academy, now operates Sebring Raceway. The Sebring Endurance Challenge was organized in combination with the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) to bring to the track cars spanning all 50 years of the great event's running. Vintage Saab racing enthusiasts Randy Cook and Charles Christ participated in the event. Following is Charles Christ’s description of the event. [Editor, NINES]
We rolled in late Tuesday and unloaded cars and dropped off trailers at the track. Wednesday was first practice. I fouled a plug on the hot grid and ran a few laps on 2 cylinders. I hoped it would clear itself but no. I pitted and Tom Cox changed #3 cylinder's plug and went back out. Wow, what a change 1 cylinder makes! I was in a rocket ship! (Well, compared to running on 2 cylinders!) I was doing great until I got to the old hairpin. There is now a chicane in the inside of the old hairpin. With 2 cylinders I was negotiating it just fine near flat out. With 3 cylinders I was going way too fast and turned in late, getting up on my left 2 tires, sliding and rolling like in some sort of slow motion movie clip. At the last minute I turned into the roll and *wham* I landed on all 4 wheels and took off in the grass to regain the session. After I got out of the car I had a case of the "shakes" that lasted near 4 hours! (good driving? .. great instincts? .. no, just dumb luck!)
Kyle Szostkiewicz, a next generation Vintage Saab enthusiast. Photograph by Mike Szostkiewicz
Thursday we had our 1-hour endurance race. Ed Diehl started off in my car and he proved what we all knew. His 3:30's compared to my 3:35-3:36 was evidence of Ed’s driving skill. It was total havoc out on course! The entry list showed 82 cars total. How many were actually in attendance I'm uncertain, but judging from the traffic on course they were all there! Porsches passing right and left, combined with a Mustang here and there, and a few very fast sports racers, made it hectic on course. But, another day still running and unscathed.
Chuck Christ on the starting grid waiting to get onto the track. Photograph by Mike Szostkiewicz
Thursday was the 1/2-hour dash race. I dashed, and finished. But nothing was to prepare me for the Saturday combined groups race! They combined the historic cars with the vintage cars! Oh, boy! A vintage Saab grouped with GTP cars! Yup! There I was, getting passed by cars going well over twice my top speed! You have no idea what that was like!
I did my best. Ed Diehl and I finished 44th out of 65 in the 1-hour enduro (which was won by a 1970 Porsche 914-6 GTR), and I finished 52nd out of 58 in the sprint race (which was won by a 1966 Porsche 906). Randy Cook and his co-driver Bill Boye placed 45th in the enduro, and Randy placed 50th in the sprint race. We did, in fact finish, and did rather well. We were really driving hard; this was a "no holding back" event. At 42 years old, our Saabs were still running and handling very well!
Randy Cook at Sebring. Photograph by Robert Harrington, Sportscar Vintage Racing Association
Jon Ewing of Alburtis, Pennsylviania is the new owner of this yellow 93F, built by Craig Disney. Photograph by Mike Szostkiewicz
On my way home I visited West of Sweden and enjoyed Chip [Lamb's] hospitality, and his latest gorgeous addition of what seems to be a Saab time capsule. After brief phone conversation with Rob Wagner I was on my way home.
I wish to thank everyone who sent contributions to support this effort. It is no secret that I really needed help to make this epic journey (2371.8 miles round trip!), but I’m not interested in embarrassing any contributors nor am I interested in exposing anyone who chose to be kept anonymous. Saab did sponsor this effort. We (Randy Cook and I) were the only "Factory (yes, Saab!) Sponsored Vintage Team" at Sebring! Their support did not include getting us there and back home, so all who helped did make a difference. You had a part in the 50th anniversary of the running of Sebring, and I thank you very much for that!
Charles Christ
Other event photos:
Chuck Christ contemplates Sebring
Chuck Christ on the lengendary Sebring race track.