PUT-IN-BAY, SOUTH BASS ISLAND, OHIO -- The Put-In-Bay Road Race Reunion is an anachronism, a throwback to the 1950s when sports car races were held on public roads, airports and stadium parking lots, and the course was defined by hay bales. Races held on the streets of Watkins Glen NY, Elkhart Lake WI and Pebble Beach CA are legendary in the growth of sports car racing in the United States. The town of Put-In-Bay is a tourist haven on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, just off the coast of Ohio. Races were held on the island's roads from 1952 through 1959, with a final road race in 1963. Racing on the island was revived in 2009 as an event for vintage small bore race cars, and moved the the local airport.
Saab was one of the featured marques for the 2021 Put-In-Bay Road Race Reunion in 2021, and Saab racers were well represented in what was likely the largest ever gathering of vintage Saab and Saab-powered race cars in the U. S. There were at least fifteen Saabs at the Heineman Winery Car Display that kicked off the festivities, including several that were not racing, but well worth seeing.
Most of the racers arrived on Monday, September 20th, to set up their paddock area. Many of the Saab teams were able to set up in the same paddock space which made it easier to share tools and tales. Tuesday was registration and technical inspection, with the car show at the Heineman Winery, followed by two parade laps of the original 3.1 mile road circuit. A rainstorm moved in overnight and Wednesday's activities were canceled as a result. High winds meant high waves and the ferries to the island were kept moored at the dock. That meant more time for socializing with racing friends old and new, and exploring the island's bars and restaurants.
The schedule was adjusted and cars were able to take to the airport track on Thursday, though it was still cold and windy. A shortened race schedule was added Friday so those in attendance would still get plenty of track time.
Tom Cox and Ken Payne were on hand for their second visit to Put-In-Bay, having participated in 2019 with two cars. This year they had a 1960 SAAB 93F formerly owned and raced by Randy Cook, as well as a Quantum Saab Formula S. The Sonett V4 that Ken had raced in 2019 stayed home due to a trailer issue. Crew for the Cox/Payne cars were Dave Wolfe, a Saab Tech who has participated as crew for several successful Saab racing efforts at endurance races over the years, and Bill Tubbs. Ken's brother-in-law who had to leave early Friday to participate in a weekend autocross in California in order to clinch the 2021 championship in his class. The 93F had a stock 850 engine on loan from Bruce Turk, with a Solex 2-bbl carb from the GT kit. It suffered a high speed misfire during several sessions, but was awarded the 1st place trophy for Class S5, small engined sedans. The Quantum formula car ran well intermittently, but with two ailing cars, Payne concentrated on getting the 93 running better.
Also running in class S5 was Tim Winker's recently completed 1960 SAAB 93F. A former ice racer, Winker was the last person to race it when it took first in class at the 1977 St. Paul Winter Carnival Cup 100 mile race. The other cars in the class all crashed or broke, so the Saab won by default. Winker acquired it in 1991, but didn't really have the time nor money to return it to the track for vintage racing until recent years. He hauled it to the Saab Owners Convention in Albany NY this summer where it won the Peoples Choice Award for 1950-60 Saab 92s and 93s. The bright blue 93 saw a bit of track time at the New York Safety Track during the SOC Track Day, still powered by the same engine that it carried in 1977. Following SOC the latest Fart-hinder Racing Saab (that's Swedish for Speed bump) was left in the capable hands of Claude Hutchings at Tired Iron Repair in Sauquoit NY. Claude and Claude Junior have built and raced quite a few Saabs for ice racing, road racing and dirt track ovals. They installed a freshly built Tom Donney engine and 4-speed transmission, and disc brakes replaced the original drum brakes up front. There were a few teething issues, but overall the car ran pretty well for its first time in competition in 44 years. It also won the Peoples Choice Award for the Saabs in the car show at Heineman Winery.
Stefan Vapaa also brought a pair of Saab race cars from Delaware. The bright yellow Saab V4 Roadster built by his father, George Vapaa, and the Quantum Two, a one off sports racer built by Walter Kern in 1959 and powered by a 750cc two stroke Saab engine. Since both cars are rather lightweight, Vapaa hauls them on a standard one-car trailer with a second level added, which in itself drew some attention. The Quantum, with its sixty year old patina, was awarded the prestigious Joe Puckett Trophy at the car show. It took to the track briefly, bur engine issues caused it to be uncompetitive with other H-Mods. The V4 Roadster, however was very quick, and Vapaa took first overall in Race Group 2, and first in class E-Production. The Roadster started from the pole in the final Group 2 race, but brake failure on David School's Sonett III, caused it to hit the V4 Sonett and both cars were out of the race.
Mark and David School, father and son from Wisconsin, brought their Sonett III vintage racers. Another Midwest Sonett III was on hand, owned and driven by Brian Lynch from Illinois. All three Sonetts are regulars at Midwest vintage races, particularly at Road America.
In the H-Modified category, a class designed around home-built sports racers, Kurt Marquardt returned with a Jabro, powered by an 850cc Saab three-cylinder engine. Unfortunately, mechanical woes surfaced during the parade on the original street racing course, and the white and green Jabro did not take to the track.
Another Saab powered H-Mod was on hand for the Heineman Winery show, a Martin Tanner Special owned by Charlie Hayes. Martin Tanner built a series of lightweight sports racers, originally using 750cc Crosley engines, later switching to the three-cylinder Saab powerplant. A couple of his creations weighed in at about 700 pounds! On display was T-6 (of seven), a beautifully restored machine which received the Peoples Choice trophy for the H-Mods.
One of the hardest promoters of the Put-In-Bay races is Barry Prosser from Ohio, who was on hand with a 1967 96 two-stroke with a fresh Tom Donney built 850 engine. Prosser took the class S5 honors in the Tin Top race. Prosser also had a special poster made up of “Saabs On The Bay” featuring the green Saab 93F with Ken Payne at the wheel.
Among the Saabs that took to the track in the Street group (non-racing, brisk parade) were the restored 1963 Saab 96 of Phil and Amy Klene, a 1969 96-V4 driven by Scott Sheridan, and a rare, mildly modified 1971 Saab 95 in a lovely shade of Silver Mink, a one year color, owned by Patrick Foss.
Quite a few Saab Club members made the trip to Put-In-Bay to watch or to work at the races as well.
