2008 FORMULA VEE 45th BIRTHDAY PARTY

When you were young, what was one of the most fun things you could do? Going to a Birthday Party was something we all looked forward to with great enthusiasm.

Well, for the Formula Vee contingent, its time to start planning. The date and place of the Formula Vee’s 45th Birthday Party have been set. The Vintage Driver’s Club of America (VDCA) and the SCCA’s Buccaneer Region are inviting you to come race and party with the large FV family. The famous Roebling Road circuit will be home for the 2008 edition of the Birthday Party on April 4, 5, and 6. Yep, a 3 day event.

The weekend’s events are only for VW-based formula cars and sports racers. No other makes will be running. The racing is open to MonopostoRacing (MR) compliant vintage FVs, other vintage FVs, current SCCA FVs, FST, Super Vee (air and water cooled), and VW powered sports racers. There will be many heat races so everyone will get lots of track time.

Roebling Road will be a great place for the Birthday Party. Its racer friendly, and its newly paved 2.02 mile, 9-turn layout is perfect for Vees. The long front straight will test your drafting techniques and T-1 will then test your courage. The backside has long sweeping, fast turns that require the typical FV smooth driving style.

Another great thing about Roebling Road is that it’s only 20 miles outside of Savannah, Georgia. You can stay at a first class hotel, or many economy choices are available. However, the Flash Racing team will be staying at one of the beautiful antebellum B&Bs that are all over the city. Savannah is a wonderful place to stay and spend a few extra days sightseeing.

Ya say ya need a motor? No problem. Enter a 2008 Birthday Party race group, and you may get what you wish for. A full Noble National motor with intake and carb will be given away to one lucky race group entrant.

Fred Clark and Butch Deer, along with a very dedicated group of volunteers that stretches across the country, are the organizers for this exciting event. Fred owns Caracal Cars and has been a Formula Vee business partner for many years. He is assistant regional executive for the Buccaneer Region of the SCCA and was instrumental in securing the track for us. Fred can be reached at ClarkFV@bellsouth.net or 904-234-5603.

Butch Deer of Dre/Wrep has organized many, if not all, of the past birthday celebrations. Butch and his partner Ron Rutenberg have supplied components and help to the FV community for many, many years. In fact, Butch has raced a Formula Vee in each and every year of its existence, that’s 44 years. You can be sure he’ll be there for the 45th. You can contact Butch at Butch_Deer@mindspring.co. or 859-963-8313.

The VDCA has, and will be, spending many hours on the vintage portion of the Birthday Party. VDCA has been sanctioning vintage races in the southeastern part of the country for several years and has a large MR compliant FV contingent. Their focus for the Birthday Party will be on the Group #1 shown below. If you have questions on this group, you can contact Mike Jackson of VDCA at vdca@vintagedrive.com or by phone at 561-622-7554. You can learn more about this organization at www.vintagedrive.com

The race groups will be:

MonopostoRacing compliant, Vintage FV. VDCA will be supporting this group by providing tech and eligibility determination.

Historic FV. This group will include non-MonopostoRacing Vees, VW powered sports racers, air-cooled Super Vees and FST. (If 15 or more FSTs pre-register, they will get their own run group.)

Water-cooled Super Vees.

Current SCCA legal FV. (There will be as many current FV groups as needed)

Thanks to Fred, Mike, and Butch for all your help in planning and running the upcoming Birthday Party. Without guys like you, it wouldn’t happen. Now is the time for the rest of us VW racers to start planning our April 2008 trip to Savannah.

For more information on the event as it develops, please visit www.FV45birthday.com or www.buccaneerregion.org or www.vintagedrive.com where informational links will be available in the near future.

By Dick Ryan (aka FLASH the Formula Vee pilot)
Freelance Automotive Journalist
Member of the Western Automotive Journalists