RIP Chuck Noonan

That name may not mean much to some of you, but without Chuck, the modern autocross world would look very different. Chuck built some of the fastest Hondas in autocross—some of them former pizza delivery cars—and for much of the 1980s and early '90s most of the fast Hondas on the east coast had CRE Racing decals on them somewhere.

In addition to being a builder, he was also an accomplished driver, but he had somewhat of a penchant for putting autocross cars on their roof. I drove one of his DSP-prepped Suzuki Swifts at the Sebring Pro solo one year and came within a degree or two of joining that club myself. I still remember Chuck and Tina Kennedy laughing themselves to tears as I pulled in from my run. Quite a reaction from a guy who's car you almost cornholed.

Chuck was also a big supporter of the magazine in our early days, and through some times when we weren't exactly as popular as we are now.

Dude was a class act, and a hell of a time.

jg

Wow, I just Googled his name last week. I was wondering what happened to him. He was a really nice guy. He had the first twin cam Civics that I had ever seen. And Tina was a neighbor of mine who helped me get started in autocrossing.

Another guy I used to autocross with summed it up really well when he said, "Chuck makes cars go fast".

JG Pasterjak wrote: Dude was a class act, and a hell of a time. jg

I had a love/hate relationship with that car; loved it because it was so damned quick, hated it because I had to occasionally compete against it.

Chuck was a great guy.

Autox cars on their lids? Dafuq? What kinda laterals was this guy pulling?

mndsm wrote: Autox cars on their lids? Dafuq? What kinda laterals was this guy pulling?

I have been at auto crosses over the years where cars have gone up on two wheels and nearly rolled. And I am talking lowered cars that you would never expect that kind of thing to happen. One that comes to mind was a modified Austin Healy in full race get up.

I've only ever seen that...twice and both times I expected it. One was an Austin club locally that had an Isetta at it for some reason, that nearly rolled doing a carousel. The other time, was actually at that same event, a Citroen went into the ditch on the way to the hillclimb portion.

mndsm wrote: I've only ever seen that...twice and both times I expected it. One was an Austin club locally that had an Isetta at it for some reason, that nearly rolled doing a carousel. The other time, was actually at that same event, a Citroen went into the ditch on the way to the hillclimb portion.

Dude, that happens a couple of times a day at the Challenge, it has even happened on the strip

The real question is who will be first on 2 wheels in the concourse

I learned alot from him and a few others when i first got my Geo and showed up at an autocross at the Orange mass Airport back in 1992. RIP Chuck. Funny i was thinging of hime just the other day too.

The LSD in my Civic was built by him. RIP, Chuck..