Grassroots Motorsports: The Hardcore Sports Car Magazine

Think Challenge competitors may be guilty of some creative accounting — that no one could really build a high-performance car for a measly two grand and change? Think again. Challenge competitors are required to provide documentation to back up their accounting claims, and we look them over.

Now we’ve put the Challenge-winning Cheaparral Corvette’s build diary online, so you can look it over, too. Start believing.

For your viewing pleasure, videos from the $2007 Challenge, featuring the “sucker” ‘vette, the Zamboni, and more.
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Attention all $2007 Challenge competitors!

Since we were rained out on Saturday, we had to cancel the drags. That was a drag. Now, we’d still like to write about how fast your car goes in the quarter mile. We will accept any valid drag strip results slip from 9/1/2007 to 11/1/2007 as a part of this story (but not a part of the official scoring). We’ll post a listing of the results online so that everyone can see how things could have shaken out.

Please email a scan of your slip to Chris@grassrootsmotorsports.com. You can also fax them to (386) 673-6040 or send them via carrier pigeon to:

Grassroots Motorsports Challenge
attn: Chris
310 Division Ave
Ormond Beach, FL 32174

Here’s a look at our $2007 Challenge awards.

First, second and third overall:

1. 66 Stoyan Lokar etal. Cheaparral Racing 1986 Chevrolet Corvette
2. 43 Mike White etal. Hong Norr 1994 Honda S00p3rturd
3. 2 Kevin Boswell Hong Norr 1990 Mazda Miata

First, second and third fastest drag times:
None (drag raced rained out)

First, second and third best autocross times:

1. 66 Stoyan Lokar etal. Cheaparral Racing 1986 Chevrolet Corvette 33.208
2. 43 Mike White etal. Hong Norr 1994 Honda S00p3rturd 33.634
3. 2 Kevin Boswell Hong Norr 1990 Mazda Miata 33.875

First, second and third best concours scores:

1. 66 Stoyan Lokar Cheaparral Racing 1986 Chevrolet Corvette
2. 59 Lee Graser ETR SCCA 1959 Z-car
3. 43 Mike White etal. Hong Norr 1994 Honda S00p3rturd

Most spectacular failure:
3 Brian Jules/Matt Step Westside 1989 Plymouth Colt – tractor trailer

Garret Jenkins Memorial Best Engineered award:
66 Stoyan Lokar/Cheaparral HM: 59 Lee Graser etal/Zamboni

Phil Kime Memorial Spirit of the Event:
26 David Melton 300zx HM: 75 Luke Wilcox etal Chalkboard CRX

Highest finishing car under $1000:
58 Brad McGarvey 1981 Volkswagen Scirocco

Highest finishing classic car:
7 Andrew Nelson 1962 Fiat 118G

Editors’ choice:
43 Mike White Hong Norr Sup3rturd
Honorable Mention: Lee Graser etal Zamboni

First “perfect” or best reaction time at the drags:
None (drag races rained out)

Best underhood detailing:
1 Matt White Hong Norr Yellow CRX

Best visual package:
59 Lee Graser etal Zamboni
Honorable Mention: Jon Haas 49 Chevrolet Coupe Tard Barge

Challengers’ Choice (voted on by the competitors):
7 Andrew Nelson Fiat 118G

Best attempt to persuade concours judges:
22 Barry Miles (T Shirts/Puzzles of Puzzle Car)

Worst attempt persuade concours judges:
26 David Melton (home-made Prison tattoo machine.)

Top-finishing Locost:
59 Lee Graser ETR SCCA Zamboni

Longest drive  (a competitor must drive the entire way in their car, not tow it):
94 James and Lindsy Johnson 1989 Ford Mustang Idaho 2600 miles

Top-finishing team:
66 Cheaparral Racing/Cinci Region SCCA

Here are the results of the autocross! It got pretty wet after about 1:30, but all but a few cars got good, clean dry runs. Thanks to Martin Sports Car Club and Nasa, this was a fun, trouble free autocross event.

Here’s the near final look at who’s coming to the $2007 Challenge.
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Competitors, let’s spread the word and the gospel of the GRM Challenge!
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Here’s how the event is scored:
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