SCCA National Championship Runoffs notebook 5

FV FV driver comes back to his roots

Don "Slim" Pepperdene has been racing since 1970, when he built his first Formula Vee racecar.

"I built a car I called the 'Leech' because I copied the design from Lynx. I ran that for a few years, then went into Formula Ford for a while," Pepperdene says. "In 1978 I decided to go back into Formula Vee. There was a car around called the Quick, and I liked it but I didn't want to spend the money. So I copied that one and called it a Slick – for Slim's Quick. I took this car to the Runoffs in 1979 and 1980. I put it on the front row and led the race in 1980. But in 1981 I sold it."

Slim kept on racing in several different classes, but the old Vees were still on his mind. He bought back the original Leech in 1998. He campaigns that car in vintage racing today.

"When they decided to hold the Runoffs here in Monterey, I decided to try again," adds Pepperdene. "I knew where the car was, so I bought it back last year. Since then, I've run 10 races, and it's finished 10 races, so here I am." That's Don and his new/old car pictured above.

The Formula Vee race happens Sunday at 9:30 a.m..

10 laps is enough experience to win

When American Sedan driver Dylan Olsen took the green flag in his first ever Runoffs race, his total track experience at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was just 10 laps. Between extensive black flag delays and mechanical troubles, the young racer from Kelso, Wash., simply had not been able to get substantial practice on the course.

"This is my first weekend at Mazda Raceway. For hours and weeks I've been looking forward to this and I've been so nervous. I knew that this was the biggest race of my life," Olsen says.

After the early leader Andy McDermid suffered a brake failure late in the race, Olsen took over the lead from third position on the last lap and held it to the checker.

Toyota Yaris attracts dedicated fan

You might not think of the Toyota Yaris when you think of racecars, but Bobby Beyer loves his little Yaris.

"I like the look of the car a lot, plus I have a lot of experience in the Yaris. I race a Yaris in Solo (Autocross) and I know how to work on it. It's got a lot of motor, so that's another advantage," Beyer says.

Beyer's Yaris is entered in the newly popular B-Spec class, where he qualified ninth out of 11 cars entered.

Ambrose fixes car – will race Sunday

Earlier in the week, we reported that Derrick Ambrose suffered a crash that would have sent most racers home. But Ambrose sent the car to a local frame shop, replaced the front subframe, replaced the engine, and reassembled the car from the firewall forward. Ambrose has completed that process and will race tomorrow in the B-Spec contest at 8:30 a.m.

"The car actually goes back together quite easily," Ambrose explains. "I just need to get some time in it to make sure everything is in the right place and make any adjustments. The car is street-legal, so I'll just drive it around some today."