COMPETITION CARS

Bill Perry, Will Perry and Brian Stubblefield were at the wheel of the ITD class MG Midget for the wins listed.  See “Grassroots Motorsports” articles on the car at Small Wonder and Sidebar on Midget.  As it had accomplished everything feasible in SCCA, the Midget was sold in early 2000 to Robert Peet for vintage racing.

Rivergate Bugeye

The Rivergate Bugeye Sprite is a 1960 model. Bill & Will Perry raced it very successfully in vintage races from 1991 thru 1995. The Bugeye is right-hand drive, and a duplicate of the H Production Sprite Bill raced in the 1960’s and 1970’s. It was raced with a 1293cc engine (.020" overbore) in 1991 & 1992. In 1994 & 1995, it mostly raced with a 998cc engine in the <1000cc class. In this class the car took first place in eleven of fourteen races. It was raced in both sprint and endurance races.

After experiencing high wear rates with it’s Leyland close ratio gearbox, it was converted to a Rivergate 5 speed transmission with a 4.55 ratio differential, with fine results.

This Bugeye is now owned and raced by Charlie Hall of Canton, Ohio.

Rivergate Honda CRX #36 

The Rivergate Honda CRX is raced in SCCA's Improved Touring "C" class. It was built and is driven by Will Perry, beginning in 1998. It is a 1986 carbureted model.  It won the ProIT series championship in 1998, 1999 and 2000. It took first place in the very competitive American Road Race of Champions in a field of 18 ITC cars in 1998. It has been successful in both sprint and endurance races. It won the SARRC Invitational Championship Race in 2000 and finished first in the ARRC Enduro, in a Rivergate 1, 2, 3, 4 sweep. It serves as a test-bed for Rivergate products.

A recent count shows the #36 car has run 40 races. It finished first 24 times, second 11 times, "other" 2 times and DNF'd 3 times. Every DNF and "other" resulted from an on-track incident. It finished first overall in it's only Performance Rally.

Rivergate Honda CRX #35

Second of the Rivergate Hondas to be built, #35 is owned by Carl Blevins.  It is also a carbureted CRX, 1987 model, running in SCCA’s ITC class.  Despite a modestly prepared engine it had numerous firsts, seconds and thirds in 1999 and finished second (first legal) in the ECR series.  In 2000 it has two first place finishes in ECR and placed 4th in the Championship.

Rivergate Honda CRX #34

Third of the Rivergate Hondas to be built, #34 is owned by Jamie Blair.  Also an ITC carbureted car, it is a 1985 model.  It ran with the stock motor in 1998 and 1999, yet took 5 thirds, 2 seconds and a first place.  Before the 2000 season, Rivergate did upgrades to its engine and drive train.  In 2000 it has raced eight times, with seven first place finishes!  It has set lap records at Road America, Gingerman, and Blackhawk Farms.  It won the CenDiv championship point’s race in ITC.

Rivergate Honda Civic #38

Vesa Silegren’s #38 Honda Civic was added to the Rivergate Racing Pod in 1999.  It was purchased rather than built to give Vesa a quick start.  It had previously taken 2^nd in the 1998 ARRC.  It won the second race after Vesa’s driving school and finished 3^rd three times in 1999. 

In preparation for the 2000 season, it got an engine rework, with help from Rivergate. Since then it has had the remarkable record of 7 first place finishes in the SARRC series. It won the SARRC Championship.

Rivergate Honda Civic #34

The latest Honda added to the Rivergate Racing Pod is Bill Perry’s 1984 Civic.  It was purchased in the spring of 2000.  In its first race for Rivergate it finished second to the #36 car.  In its second weekend, it blew the motor purchased in the car.  It is now running a Rivergate motor.

Rivergate Toyota MR2

Carl Blevins’ Toyota MR2 was raced in SCCA’s ITA class until 1998.  It was uncompetitive in the class, yet still got an occasional first place.  In 2000, Carl let Randy Bailey, Driver and Will Perry, Co-driver, take the MR2 Rallying.  It has proven to be very competitive at the ClubRally level.  It took first in Group 2 at the Cherokee Trails Club Rally in the hands of its rookie crew.   It finished third at the Headwaters Club Rally when the brake fluid boiled causing an “off”.  At the Wandering Star and Paris by Night rallies it took first in class.  Carl, with Art Thompson co-driving, ran the Magnum Opus ClubRally in the fall.

Rivergate Isuzu Impulse Lotus Edition

This 1988 Impulse has belonged to Randy Bailey for 12 years.  When he needed a rally car, he chose what he had.  It was prepared in the Rivergate Race & Rally Prep Shop with economy a primary goal (example:  springs are stock).  The prep was beautifully done, mostly nights and weekends.  Randy and co-driver/mechanic Will Perry took this car to their first ProRally--Cherokee Trails International Rally.  They won Group 2 by over eleven minutes in the three day event.  After the grueling rally where only 23 of 61 cars finished, Randy commented that the Impulse, now nicknamed "Stinky" due to the white strip, still drove just like it did 12 years ago.

Recent SCCA Road Race Reports can be found by following the dates in the Harvey Templeton Road Racer of the Years Points on the Chattanooga Region website.

Recent Rally Reports can be found in the Performance Rally News section on the Chattanooga Region website.