Land O'Lakes Region SCCA 1954 Winter Carnival Ice Race

A cold blast from Minnesota's ice racing past, February 7, 1954 to be exact. This quaint clip has actually been floating in the YouTube-sphere for a few years.

Film of the Winter Carnival Ice Race on Lake Phalen in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was made 66 years ago, written and directed by SCCA club race driver, Thomas C. Countryman. Hosted by Land O' Lakes Region SCCA, the event was "the third annual running of the sports car race on ice." It was also covered by the NBC network and noted news commentator and Timex watch pitchman, John Cameron Swayze. His tag line for Timex was, "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

The 5-lap Pennzoil Trophy Dash was held on frozen Lake Phalen in Saint Paul. However, the 1.25 mile ice course was lightly covered with gravel. Obviously studded tires were not too plentiful in the earlier days of auto ice racing. There was also no Environmental Protect ion Agency around until the Nixon administration either. A fun fact, Richard Nixon was the second President in U.S. history to face impeachment, but to his credit he actually started the EPA and did give a hoot not to pollute.

Meanwhile as a pre-race ritual, to reduce the loss of finish on cars from the constant barrage of flak by gravel, drivers taped off their chrome and paint on what are now highly collectible and ridiculously expensive sports cars. Also, one can imagine at least a few minor body parts are stuck in the muck at the bottom of Lake Phalen. (Perhaps a Timex watch with the initials J.C.S. is also submerged.) As far as I know, no one has mapped the lake bed with Ultra-HD side-scan sonar.

The first two minutes in this clip are old shots from Watkins Glen and airports once used by the Strategic Air Command. It is advanced to the Land O'Lakes Region ice race which begins at 1:40.

Saint Paul Winter Carnival ice race on Lake Phalen, Feb. 7, 1954. Presented by Land O'Lakes Region SCCA.  
Film by Thomas C. Countryman. (Posted by Porsche356Registry.)

Starting lineup for 5 lap "Pennzoil Trophy Dash" as told by narrator

1. Jaguar #27 Cecil R. Behringer
2. Jaguar  #4, Dr. Daniel "Doc" Halvorson
3. 1953 Chevy Corvette #20, Russ Lee
4. Oldsmobile Special #6, Bill Peters
5. Supercharged MG #12, Chuck Huntington
6. Jaguar  #21, Chris Tanida
7. Jaguar  #7, Bud Stahel
8. Ford Special #17, Johnny Crea
9. Chrysler Allard #3, Don Skogmo
10. Jaguar Coupe #26, Ted Hotchkiss

All led by a "beautiful Studebaker" as the pace car.

Tom Countryman #10 Porsche is shown in film but not mentioned along with a few other drivers in the 15-car field. In this film Doc Halvorson won race, followed by Chris Tanida in 2nd and Johnny Crea in 3rd position.

Stair chassis Chevrolet Monza GT car

Carl Shafer entry at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, OK June 1, 1980

As mentioned in a previous post, Mike Perrotti is current owner of the Chevrolet Monza GT racecar originally built by Pat Stair. The car is still undergoing a top to bottom rebuild, and Perrotti recently mentioned the project is now nearing completion.

Carl Shafer was the first to compete with the new Chevrolet Monza but only drove it briefly in 1980. It was designed and built by Pat Stair for Jack Sandberg's "Metal Masters" SCCA Trans-Am racing effort.

Second owner of Monza Dick Kantrud #15 at Road America 1982

The second owner of the Stair-built GT Monza was Minnesota SCCA pro racing driver, Dick Kantrud. The car assumed a striking and pleasing livery of yellow over blue, with red and orange accents. He and his dedicated crew campaigned car no. 15 in SCCA Trans-Am series and SCCA club racing for the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

Mr. Kantrud sold the GT car to another Minnesotan in late 1982. Marshall Kirkof took delivery, renumbered and repainted it as car 66, red.

Third owner Marshall Kirkof at BIR SCCA May 28, 1983. 
(Jerry Winker photo, courtesy of www.comicozzie.com)

Kirkof raced the car only once or twice, in SCCA GT-1 class, at Brainerd Int'l Raceway in 1983. The Monza met with an abutment at Turn 9 on Brainerd's 3.1-mile Donnybrooke course. Thus ended the owner's relationship with the Stair Monza.

In 1983, Rick Balderson of Florida purchased the car from Kirkof after repairs from the crash at Brainerd were made. The Stair Monza saw more track time than at any other time in its history.

Fourth owner Rick Balderson at Daytona SCCA in 1985.
(R. Balderson photo)

Rick successfully campaigned the Monza with SCCA between 1985-1989, where he ran in some eighteen regional, divisional, and national races in Florida. In 1986, Balderson qualified with 77 other cars at the 12 Hours of Sebring, IMSA Camel GT endurance race, but he had problems starting. 

Rick parked the Monza in 1989, and it was stored in a central Florida warehouse for nearly 23 years. His crew chief, Art Sierzanga, owner of Corvette Tech, Inc. in Debary, FL, had possession of the car until its sale in 2012. Mr. Balderson then described the Monza as a "basket case" but restorable.

Fourth owner Rick Balderson at Daytona in 1987.
(R. Balderson photo)

Today, Pat Stair's old Chevrolet Monza GT racer is being fully rebuilt, head-to-toe, for vintage racing by current owner Mike Perrotti of New York. And, it is a work that is truly progressing.

Bare chassis of Stair Monza some time after Mike Perrotti took delivery. Dec 8, 2012. (M. Perrotti photo)

In 2012, Mike took ownership and has persevered with the car's restoration since. "Things are taking much longer then expected but we are excited about how the car is going to turn out. Few more things to touch up and then off to paint." says Perrotti.

Initial primer coat before additional metal work on chassis, Dec 23, 2012. (M. Perrotti photo)

Many new parts including rack and pinion steering, May 17, 2014. (M. Perrotti photo)

A reminder of what a Chevrolet Monza GT car looks like, Nov 16, 2014. (M. Perrotti photo)

Exhaust chute showing crossover pipes and collectors terminating into one large torch tip, Jan 9, 2016. (M. Perrotti photo)

Cockpit view showing instrument panel, Jun 3, 2017. (M. Perrotti photo)

Nearly ready to roll, the Stair Monza as shown on Jun 3, 2017. (M. Perrotti photo)

According to Mike, about the only thing left is the car's exterior paint work. However, as many Monza maniacs are no-doubt wondering - how will the car's livery appear?