Monterey Historic Races
August 14-16, 2009
We received the coveted invitation for the 2009 Monterey Historic Races for the 1959 Old Yeller II and the 1958 Kilpatrick Porsche Speedster and it was a much anticipated event as the Porsche was the honored marque. Porsche supported the event with the bringing of so many legendary cars from the new Porsche Museum in Germany as well as inviting the many legendary race drivers that were associated with the famous race cars. This year we raced the Old Yeller II and the Kilpatrick (legendary SCCA racer raced by General James Kilpatrick for 32 straight years with 55,000 documented race miles) on Saturday.
We had been plagued at the Tasman Revival Meeting in Sydney in November 2008 and at the Reno races May 2009 with “carby” fires and fires would flame up or under the motor at unexpected timesm but I did feel my feet warming up at the aluminum floorboard in Reno. Bill Erickson found the solution of the vapor “carby” fires as his shop is so well experienced as he is our crew chief for the cars. Will Kalbermatter is a master aluminum craftsman and he is also part of our key crew at the tracks. Last year in 4 ½ weeks, Will and Bill took charge and assembled the Old Yeller II from un-assembled parts and pieces to make the September Goodwood Revival Meeting Races just in time for the air cargo date to England.
On Friday, there is only one chance to be on the track before the races with only one Qualifying session. The grid of cars was spectacular and we had early lock up with our brakes, but finished the session. The race on Saturday went better with better braking but still having an initial rear over-steer coupled with a front push at each exit making for a long wait before throttling up. We enjoyed seeing all of the race fans and it was a great weekend of racing at Monterey. We will be working on the suspension to correct and improve the handling of the car with testing sessions.
We will be taking the Old Yeller II to the Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance Charity Dinner Friday night, September 11th as Bob Bondurant is the honored Grand Marshall of the event. We will be parking the Old Yeller II at the entrance of the Trump Country Club as Bob Bondurant has always said that the Old Yeller II was his favorite race car to drive. Bob Bondurant raced the Old Yeller II at Vaca Valley San Francisco SCCA races July 9-10, 1960. We are planning ahead to race at the first Bruce McLaren Festival at the new racetrack – Hampton Downs in New Zealand- January 2010. We have also been asked to race the Old Yeller II at the 3rd Tasman Revival Meeting Races at Eastern Creek in Sydney Australia in November 2010.
