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Auto Racing came into Ed’s multifaceted life when one of
his flying buddies, who also owned an airplane, bought a Alpha Romero
and talked to Ed about his plans to race it in vintage auto races at
race tracks around the Southwest. Ed had never race autos before but
became infatuated with the idea. It didn’t take long before he had purchased two Porsche race cars (one was sort
of a mistake... but since it was such a good buy…), one was a 1960 356
roadster and the  other a 1964 356
cabriolet. Both cars had lengthy racing histories and had been modified
for racing but would, as Ed soon learned, would require quite a bit of
“fine tuning” to make them competitive…like new engines, transmissions
and suspensions and, of course new paint jobs. Ed joined most of the
racing clubs west of the Mississippi and spent four days going through
Bob Bondurant’s Grand Prix Racing School at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix.
Ed found a “toy-hauler” in Phoenix which just fit the bill of a
combination trailer and home away from home for his racing adventures.
His first experience at Buttonwillow Raceway, California, was a
disaster. No one hurt but the car was obviously not ready and neither
was Ed.
He and several friends spent most of the time trying to keep the car
running and Ed spent his time trying to keep the car ON the track. He
discovered that the Porsche with its rear engine was a different driving
experience, especially at ragged-edge speeds on a sports car road track.
After about five or six races at places like Phoenix
International Speedway, Sandia Raceway in Albuquerque, Las Vegas
Raceway, California Speedway – Fontana and Laguna Seca he began to get
his racing legs under him and could hold his own with the middle of the
pack. The whole idea of vintage auto racing is supposed to be to have
fun, enjoy some gentlemanly competition and show off your car and its
history and capability.
Right!
Ed has been racing now for over ten years and has had some racing success
although most of it is just getting the whole rig home in one piece.
He has taken two
checkered flags for winning races...in one he
won fair and square over seven other 356 drivers. In the other one he
was the only one in his class to finish! All the other cars in his class
failed make the finish line for various reasons and
he just outlasted
them to get the checkered flag. But sometimes success is just surviving.
In February 2005, Ed took "First in Class - 2.0 Liter"
for Porsche 356 racers at the
Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR)
"Historics", at the Phoenix
International Raceway. And this October (2010) he
came in second in class (DS) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Ed is addicted.
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