Northeast Replica Challenge, 1998

17-19 August, 1998, New Hampshire International Speedway

Although it was only one week after Run & Gun, and the first time that this event was hosted by Octagon Enterprises, 27 Drivers showed up for the 1st Annual Northeast Replica Challenge held August 17th thru 19th. The 3-day event was focused on driving instruction, with two days at New Hampshire International Speedway, and one day consisting of a rally and concours event.

Not even the torrential downpours on Monday kept eleven teams of replica owners from participating in the first day’s rally activities. At about 10:30, the participants showed up at the Days Inn for a pre-rally school put on by Dave Lewis and the Cumberland Touring Club of Maine. The rally then began at New Hampshire International Speedway and twisted through the scenic backroads of New England. Approximately 2 hours later the participants found the end of the rally at the Wells Auto Museum in Wells, Maine. Here the museum staff treated the participants to their fine display of rare antique automobiles and, along with Jim Youngs from Kit Car magazine, presented Karl Davis a Best of Show plaque for his GT40 replica. Awards for the rally were presented down the street at the Sundog Restaurant where first place went to Tim Lewis and Gregg Goebels in Tim’s Sebring 3000 with a score of only 280. The win was a mere 87 points lower than Bruce Allen and Eileen Clary in Bruce’s Laminar Concepts Viking Lotus.

Above: Bruce Allen takes the Small Block—Street-Prepared class as well as Fastest Time of Day.

Above: The lineup for the rally begins

Above: Bruce Allen in his FTD Lotus replica.

Above: #1 question at the rally school: At what checkpoint will we see the sun?

Above: Mark Smith from Factory Five Racing accepts his Small Block-Pro class win.

Above: Don Durner and his 428 E.R.A. Cobra took the Big Block Pro class.

Above: Gary Cheney won the Small Block—Street class in his FFR Cobra.

Above: Jerry Whiles accepts his trophy for his win in the Big Block—Street Prepared class.

Above: And for entertainment…. we had the world famous Tim Lewis sing daily in the hotel parking lot.

Above: Bruce Allen takes the Small Block–Street-Prepared class as well as Fastest Time of Day.

Above: Karl Davis sweeps through turn 2.

Above: Peter Baselice rockets through turn 3.

Mother Nature was much kinder to the participants on Tuesday and Wednesday. With only a sprinkle on Tuesday and plenty of sunshine on Wednesday, the replicas were able to spend more than 1.5 hours per day on the track and attend an hour of classroom instruction. Cobras, GT40s, a Lotus, a Ferrari, a Grand Sport, and even a Daytona Cobra rounded out the replica field. With only 27 replicas however, Octagon Enterprises was forced to open up another run group to ‘non-replicas.’ This contingent included 3 Vipers, a Calloway Corvette, and an Indy Car!

Tuesday was dedicated to driving instruction provided by folks from the COM Sports Car Club and BMW Club of America. Driving instruction and practice continued on Wednesday with Time Trials run in the afternoon. The cars were scored on their fastest of 3 flying laps. In the end it wasn’t very much of a surprise when local COM Instructor Bruce Allen in his Lotus Replica proved to be the fastest of all.

Narrative: Joe Traut
Photography: Doug McCleary

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