When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The Racing Willhoffs featured in Corvette Magazine
Rich and Carrie and their exploits in the Optima Batteries Ultimate Street Car competition are featured in a lavishly illustrated four-page spread in the latest issue of Corvette Magazine. Lots of interesting insights into their racing lives and details about their cars. Even better, we all get to cheer our local heroes on and appreciate their exploits!
Well earned by the Willhoff's, congratulations! Going for the championship this year, or just going to have fun again?
Thanks everyone. It was a great year for us and we're fortunate to get so much love from the magazines. After winning LS Fest West, I had a great multi-page article in Vette Magazine and now this awesome piece by Hib in Corvette Magazine.
I am not going for the overall win this season, mainly because Optima created an additional "unlimited class" this year. They named it the Outlaw class and we're not required to compete in the Design and Engineering segment. Everyone knows that was never my favorite part of the weekend so the absence of that in Outlaw really got me thinking. They also are allowing Outlaw cars to have much more aero and much less "street car" regarding the interiors.
I will write up a full post once the car mods are done in the next several weeks, but I will say the RumbleBee will be faster, lighter, safer and even cooler looking for this season.
Well earned by the Willhoff's, congratulations! Going for the championship this year, or just going to have fun again?
Thanks everyone. It was a great year for us and we're fortunate to get so much love from the magazines. After winning LS Fest West, I had a great multi-page article in Vette Magazine and now this awesome piece by Hib in Corvette Magazine.
I am not going for the overall win this season, mainly because Optima created an additional "unlimited class" this year. They named it the Outlaw class and we're not required to compete in the Design and Engineering segment. Everyone knows that was never my favorite part of the weekend so the absence of that in Outlaw really got me thinking. They also are allowing Outlaw cars to have much more aero and much less "street car" regarding the interiors.
I will write up a full post once the car mods are done in the next several weeks, but I will say the RumbleBee will be faster, lighter, safer and even cooler looking for this season.
It almost sounds as if Optima started the "Outlaw Class" just for you! I guess some of that bitching paid off, lol. Have you heard of any other competitors going to unlimited, like Popp, Dusold, Thwaits and Race Chick?
It almost sounds as if Optima started the "Outlaw Class" just for you! I guess some of that bitching paid off, lol. Have you heard of any other competitors going to unlimited, like Popp, Dusold, Thwaits and Race Chick?
I know of 4 competitors that are making significant changes and switching to Outlaw. Danny and Mike both have new builds that are nearly complete, but they plan to run in GTL still. Ken appears to still be campaigning the Evo, but I'm sure there are upgrades going on. Those guys all want to win the overall at the Invitational and they all stand a chance to do so. After the last couple years, it was apparent that D&E was going to prevent me from ever winning the Invitational so this Outlaw class is perfect. I enjoy the people and competition the most. I don't care about winning the Invitational, especially when a portion of the finishing order is dependent on judges so this will allow me to have so much more fun and still compete against the fastest street cars in the nation
It almost sounds as if Optima started the "Outlaw Class" just for you! I guess some of that bitching paid off, lol. Have you heard of any other competitors going to unlimited, like Popp, Dusold, Thwaits and Race Chick?
There were a lot of considerations that went into the creation of the class. First & foremost, we had several inquiries over the years from people who wanted to compete in the series, but were unable to do so, due to the prohibition of "professional" drivers in the series, who are defined as someone who has, "competed at a high level of racing or time trial competition, for compensation that is a significant or primary source of income." The Outlaw Class now allows those drivers to compete. Unfortunately, when the rules were announced, at least a few of those who had planned on entering ran into issues with the minimum weight rule for that class- 2,600 pounds. It remains to be seen if those issues will be resolved in time for them to run this season. Some of the others are still active in their careers and prohibited either by scheduling conflicts or contractual restrictions from competing this season. Still others may end up being more bark than bite.
It's the smallest class in the series outside of the class for electric vehicles, which isn't surprising, considering it is the first year. Almost all of the events are already sold-out for entries, so it's unlikely we'll see many more entries than the dozen or so who have signed up for this season, unless they make it in through waiting lists or existing entries changing classes. A few years ago, we might've seen more initial interest and we may see more interest in subsequent years, but the series has been going for so long now, that many of the cars that compete in it have been built for it and some folks are either slow to change or not interested. Turns out some of them like having a D&E scapegoat and others have managed to use it to their advantage. I also wouldn't discount the fact that seeing names like Rich's and Ryan Mathews' on the entry list makes some people reconsider how competitive they might actually be in this class.
01-21-2019, 12:35 PM
The Racing Willhoffs featured in Corvette Magazine
Well deserved.
