2023 Race Results – West Coast Sprite-Midget Challenge

Today is December 22, 2023. I’m sitting watching cold rain fall with a dram in a Glencairn glass of my most favorite Scotch (Cadenhead’s 25-year Strathclyde, if you’re interested) reflecting on our marvelous 2023 Sprite-Midget Challenge season.

It was a year of fun, excitement, laughter, teamwork, comradery, adventure, and a boatload of great, safe racing. The tireless efforts of Stephen and Lori Newby grew the series by 300% and expanded the group of racers.

SOVREN’s Pacific Northwest Historics, July at Pacific Raceways, Kent, Washington

Entries:
Group A, 1275
Stephen Newby
Brian Volkert
Rich Newman
Geoff Tupholme
Ted Herb
Laurie Lyford

Group B, 1098, 948
Greg Heacock
Loren Campbell
Patrick Meehan

In Group A, Newby and Herb battled it out for first, with Ted finally taking the 25 first place points. Newby and Tupholme rounded out the top three.

In Group B, Heacock drove his Castrol-livery hard-topped Sprite originally race prepared for Donald Healy to the win, with Campbell and Meehan coming in second and third.

Our heartfelt thanks to Bert McBride for battling through a head cold to get us some “Victory Lane” photos.

Cars and drivers, post-race.
Herb, Newby, and Tupholme with the Group A trophies.
Campbell and Heacock took the Group B hardware.
Campbell and Newby sporting hardware.

SOVREN’s Columbia River Classic, September at Portland International Raceway, Portland Oregon

Entries
Group A, 1275
Stephen Newby
Bill Greenman
Brian Volkert
Rich Newman
Geoff Tupholme
Dave Sweet
Gunther Ruppel
Rod Duncan
Ted Herb
Roger Soucy
Bill O’Kell

Group B, 1098, 948
Loren Campbell
Cat Kizer

In Group A, it was O’Kell, Newby, Tupholme.

But the show-stealer was SCCA Hall-of-Famer and 1979 National H Production Champion Cat Kizer racing in Group B in her newly restored championship Midget. Loren Campbell fought an ignition/misfire issue all weekend and finished second, but he readily admits that even with a perfect car he’d have been no match for the wiley Kiser. Campbell had the last laugh though, as he took home awards for both second in Group B and the always coveted Overall Last.

CSRG’s Season Finale, November at Thunderhill Raceway, Willows, California

The Sprite-Midget Challenge race hosted by CSRG at Thunderhill included ten cars. Seven of those traveled from Oregon, Washington or British Columbia and had never raced with CSRG or at Thunderhill before. Including Pete Smith, from SoCal, the SMC added eight entries, $6500 in entry fees, to CSRG’s Season Finale race.

Entries
Group A, 1275
Stephen Newby
Bill Greenman
Brian Volkert
Rich Newman
Geoff Tupholme
Ted Herb
Bill O’Kell
Will Carson

Group B, 1098, 948
Loren Campbell
Pete Smith

Campbell finally solved his season-long ignition issue the race before the Sprite-Midget Challenge race, went out, and promptly snapped an axle: He spent the Sprite-Midget Challenge race under his car. Pete Smith thusly swept all positions in Group B, from first to last.

In Group A it was Carson in first, followed by Greenman and Tupholme.

We were fortunate to have two great photographers with us at Thunderhill, Scott Golden and Brin Hamilton. We are grateful to both of them for their work to capture an abundance of images from our races there.

The Sprite-Midget field at the 2023 CSRG Season Finale at Thunderhill.
Campbell (12) over The Cyclone.
Newman (4), Volkert (50), and Campbell (12) down the front straight.
Campbell (12) over The Cyclone.
Volkert (50) down The Cyclone.
After our paddock suffered three starter failures, Newby (1) gets a push start.
Volkert (50) fully engaged down the front straight.
Most of the Sprite-Midget Challenge grid over The Cyclone.
Smith (8), Herb (149), Newby (1), Newman (4), and Volkert (50) over The Cyclone.
Newby (1), Newman (4), and Volkert (50) over The Cyclone.
Sometimes this is what racing looks like. Campbell gets help swapping an axle during the Sprite-Midget Challenge race.
Part of the Sprite-Midget Challenge race grid.
Part of the Sprite-Midget Challenge race grid.
Herb (149), Newby (1), Newman (4), and Volkert through 13.
Volkert (50) over The Cyclone.
Newman (4) over The Cyclone.
Volkert (50) swoops through 5A.
Tuphlme (81) down The Cyclone.
Herb (149) chases O'Kell (7) down the front straight.
Newman (4) down the front straight.
Typical paddock scene: Wheel to wheel on-track, warm and friendly in the paddock.
The Thunderhill SMC race winners: Geoff Tupholme, Bill Greenman, Will Carson, Pete Smith. Stephen Newby presides.
Thunderhill 1275 race winners hosing one another down.
Ted Herb took home the 1275 Season Championship.
Campbell and the Newbys with 948/1098 Season Champion award. Campbell was directed to NOT change his axle-change clothes.
Campbell had the gang sign his axle-change shirt.
Smith (8), Newman (4), Campbell (12), and Volkert (50) on grid.
Smith (8), Newman (4), Campbell (12), Volkert (50) over The Cyclone.
Volkert on the inside at 1.
Part of the gang taking in the Thunderhill scenery.
Newman over The Cyclone.
Campbell (12) chasing Newman (4) over The Cyclone.
Newman and Newby make a driver change at the mandatory five-minute Enduro pit stop.
Devon says "GO!" at the end of the end of Campbell's mandatory five-minute Enduro pit stop.
Campbell takes the checkered flag at the end of the Enduro.
Newby takes the checkered flag in Newman's Sprite at the end of the Enduro.
The Cyclone (5) is steep. Newby (1) and Herb (149) descend.
Campbell watching the last race of the weekend from the footbridge.
Sunset at Thunderhill.
When a car is broken in the Sprite-Midget paddock, it's all-hands on deck.
Smith (8), Newman, (4), Campbell (12), Volkert (50) through 12 and 13.
Newman, Volkert, and Campbell at start-finish.
Volkert and Campbell over The Cyclone (5)
Volkert leads the pack through 13.
Volkert with the inside line through 13.
The grid eyes of Brian Volkert.
We must get young adults in these cars for vintage racing to have a future.
Campbell introducing friends to the racing scene.
Thunderhill is a great place for photographers.

The faux Le Mans start of the very fun Enduro race.

Final Standings, 2023 Season

Group A, 1275
1. Ted Herb, 47 points
2. Geoff Tupholme, 45 points
3. Stephen Newby, 44 points
4. Bill O’Kell, 37 points
5. Will Carson, 25 points
6. Brian Volkert, 24 points
7. Bill Greenman, 19 points
8. Rich Newman, 18 points
9. Dave Sweet, 10 points
10. Rodger Soucy, 8 points
11. Rod Duncan, 2 points
12. Gunther Ruppel, 1 point

Group B, 1098-948
1. Loren Campbell, 37 points
2. Cat Kizer, Greg Heacock, Pete Smith (tie), 25 points
5. Patrick Meehan, 15 points

So that’s the story of points. But even this author, who participated his way to the Group B World Championship, would say that everyone who raced or supported a racer won this year. It was flat-out fun, even when a car wasn’t running right or was getting an all-hands-on-deck repair in the paddock. From “Creepy Pete” making appearances in driver’s seats, to “Newby Not IPA” labeled beer, to Campbell attending the SMC awards and then the CSRG Banquet in the shirt he wore to change his axle, to Owen and Devon using a cell phone camera to magnify GoPro video playing on another phone in an attempt to read the O2 sensor, the fun and laughter started at dawn and ended after dusk.

Owen and Devon use a phone to magnify a phone while Rod "The Oracle" supervises.
Loren was thrilled to pick up a sponsor mid-season.
CRC: The boys spray each other while Cat wisely stays dry on the podium.
Newby Not IPA: A gag on Stephen who wholly rejects the IPA craze.
Campbell performs the optional round-the-car jig during the five-minute Enduro pit stop while Devon fuels the car.
Newman, Campbell, and Volkert are either doing paddock yoga, or they all fell over at the same time.
Thunderhill 1275 race winners hosing one another down.
"Creepy Pete", the dreaded White Elephant gift, made an appearance in several cars this season.

Now, on to 2024, when we will race in Mission, British Columbia and once again transform, this time into the (one and only) International Sprite-Midget Challenge!