BRING ON THE BUGATTIS!
Am I looking forward to racing at Portland International Raceway again, redeeming myself the chicane, seeing my buddies, being on-track with the Arnold car (with a different driver!), the last Sprite-Midget Challenge race of the season? Yes. But oh, man, I’m looking forward to seeing that grid of pre-way Bugattis race five sessions over the weekend.
Say what?
Yep. SOVREN is hosting the U.S. Bugatti Grand Prix for the weekend and they are bringing dozens of racing and touring cars out from all over the world. The race cars will be, well, racing. The touring cars will be on display behind the grandstands. It will be DECADES before this many pre-war Bugattis are in the Pacific Northwest again. So yeah, I’m stoked. You should be, too…come out and see me, us, and them, along with the Portland All British Field Meet. It’s going to be epic.
Okay, so what about me, #12, and the Arnold car?
2025 was not my best display of driving in Portland. I looped the car in the chicane twice in the Sprite-Midget Challenge race and self-black flagged. It happened again later, but it was because a rear brake line failed and put DOT4 on the inside tire; the car went around immediately when I put wheel in it at the entrance. Regardless, a better display of driving is top of my list.
As of August 19, I haven’t started prep on the 12 car; it’s on the lift ready for work: Change oil, change back to the 3.9 diff, nut and bolt check, brake check and bleed (Mission is WICKED hard on brakes), rotate tires, investigate oil leak that was more substantial than usual at Mission. The alternator wire connector that broke off the alternator at Mission is already repaired.
The Arnold car is on the trailer, ready for Michael Edick to take and race in Portland. I’m excited to have the car being driven by another driver new to Spridgets. Michael has a ton of race experience; he’s not a new driver or a SOVREN YoDA driver, but trying a Spridget before buying one is what he’s after. As a bonus, he’ll get to experience an SMC Le Mans-style start at the end of Saturday.
Come on out September 5-6 to the extravaganza at Portland International Raceway!
