road rally
Sun Valley ROAD RALLY2015
INSIDE
Fastest Cars In the West: Rally at Phantom Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . page 108 Event Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 114 Ketchum Cruise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 116 Road Rally Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 117 Shop of Wonders: Greg Weld's Garage . page 120 Buff Out My Garage . . . . . . . . . . . . page 126 On the Road: Women of the Road Rally page 129
Welcome to SVPN’s coverage of the Sun Valley Road Rally 2015. We are proud to be the Rally’s exclusive local media sponsor to celebrate this unique event. Inside this section you’ll find stories about the event, cool cars, beautiful garages, speed style fashion, and all the event details you need to make the most of your Road Rally weekend.
From Sun Valley Road Rally Founder, Dave Stone:
Welcome to the 7th annual Sun Valley Road Rally. This year plans to be our biggest year ever! We are especially excited to announce the Ketchum Cruise & Car Show. For the first time we are adding a bit of competition to the weekend and will be awarding Best in Show at Friday’s Ketchum Cruise & Car Show. With Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and the Dumb & Dumber Mutt Cutts van in the cruise, it will be tough to choose your favorites! I’ll be driving the famous Shaggin’ Wagon in the Ketchum Cruise & Car Show. Also, on Friday be sure to buy your last-minute raffle tickets to the most coveted raffle in town. The winner takes home a brandnew 2016 Porsche Cayenne! Saturday morning will come early so make sure to jump on those buses and secure your perfect viewing spot at the Road Rally. I plan on driving a new Corvette Z06 in the Rally, so keep an eye out for me.
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You also won’t want to miss our Porsche friends in the Panamera Turbo and 918 Spyder, along with the many other cool rides entered in the Rally. I also want to send out a huge thank you to our title sponsors Porsche Cars North America, Inc. and Bentley Beverly Hills, La Jolla and Westlake of O’Gara Coach Company. We are so thankful for their partnership and for the support of all of our local friends including the Blaine County Sheriff’s Department and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA). All of our supporters help to make this an incredible weekend and most importantly allow us to give back to our partner non-profit, The Drug Coalition. I hope everyone has an awesome weekend and stay safe out there!
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Rally on Phantom Hill The Fastest Cars in the West
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To fans of great cars, and for the freedom to drive them as man intended, Phantom Hill is quickly becoming synonymous with the names of other legendary places in automotive history: Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, and Road America. But while these are great road courses, “must-drives” to the racing cognoscenti, Phantom Hill is something altogether different. This unique vantage point over a public, open road, once each year, is the result of an unlikely partnership between governments, businesses, and charity, coming together to bend the rules, drop the speed limit signs, and allow drivers to test the limits of their nerves and skill against the limits of their cars. In short: an unparalleled opportunity to drive as fast as one can possibly go, on a road that is normally home to only wildlife, epic scenery, and silence.
“It’s not a race!” Dave Stone, co-founder of the Sun Valley Road Rally, is quick to point out. “It’s a rally, for charity.” In fact, Stone is right. To be perfectly accurate, the Sun Valley Road Rally is a no-speed-limit event on an open road, where drivers of precision, or simply gorgeous, automobiles can wind out their engines and spin the needles on their tachometers to their limits. Where at the end of the 3.2-mile course, their speed is captured by a laser gun and displayed to hundreds of spectators, who have each paid a nominal fee to gather at the southern base of Phantom Hill to see their automotive fantasies fulfilled. For charity.
Words and photography by David Concannon Phantom Hill. The words evoke images of iconic places in the American West: Tombstone, Deadwood, or Diablo Canyon—each with notorious reputations for danger and stories to tell about violence, scenic beauty, and the pioneer spirit. You can almost hear the screams of the departed or the wailing of ghosts when you say their names. Except here, on Phantom Hill, 13 miles north of Ketchum, Idaho, on I-75, one day each year the silence is broken by screams of another sort: the jet-engine whine of a Bugatti Veyron at top speed, roaring past the sagebrush at 246 mph, the throttling “Brap! Brap! Brap!” of a Steve McQueen-era McLaren racer, and the satisfying thrum of a vintage Porsche 356 roadster.
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road rally The story of the founding of the Sun Valley Road Rally has been told before: Stone and some friends who loved cars, and testing the limits of their cars, had discovered a place where they could drive fast. That place was Phantom Hill. It is a place of stunning beauty, with the Boulder Mountains rising dramatically to the north and the Smoky Mountains in the distance to the south and west. I-75 passes through a valley populated by antelope and other wildlife along the Big Wood River, following a sweeping left-hand curve that unfolds into a dead straightaway at the base of Phantom Hill, and continuing to a run-out where a car can lose speed before leaving the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and entering the northern limits of Ketchum. It is an area that is unpopulated,
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road rally quiet, and, significantly to an automotive enthusiast, mostly unpatrolled by local law enforcement. Mostly. As Stone tells it: “I had already known about Phantom Hill. It was my favorite place to drive fast. I would go out there and take my car to the limit, but I always had one eye out for the law and one eye on the speedometer, which kept me from focusing on what I needed to do to stay safe.” So, Stone and some friends, including former Blaine County Sheriff Walt Femling, began looking for a place where they could drive their cars as fast as possible, as safely as possible, for just one day, and they were willing to donate
money to charity for the opportunity. Friedman Airport in Hailey was the initial site of what would become the “Sun Valley Road Rally,” but final permission to use the runway could not be obtained. What followed, thanks to timely assistance from Idaho’s governor, was an unlikely but successful partnership between the Blaine County Sheriff, the SNRA, and the Blaine County Community Drug Coalition, to temporarily lift the speed limit from the public road north of town and hold the event at the base of Phantom Hill. Since the Sun Valley Road Rally debuted in 2009, the event has grown exponentially in size and stature, with hundreds of thousands of dollars raised to fight substance abuse among youth in the
“A connection to the natural world is the most fundamental that we have. Young people today are bombarded with technological niceties, not necessities. This moves them away from the natural world. Technology is cool but it doesn’t provide a connection to the natural world. Having people out in this setting is important.” –Ed Cannady, Backcountry Recreation, SNRA
Right: Wood River Drug Coalition Director Michael David chats with Blaine County Sheriff Gene Ramsey. Bottom: Ketchum Cruise—Sun Valley Police Department escorts the Cruise cars with Bugatti at the front of the line.
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“Once in a while you get to do something fun, that’s good for the community and good for kids. You do something really great that’s bigger than yourself.” -Sheriff Gene Ramsey, Blaine County Sheriff’s Department
Wood River Valley. Through the growth, the unique partnership has remained solid. Current Sheriff Gene Ramsey, who inherited this partnership upon Femling’s retirement in 2011, says the relationship “took a bit of culturing, but we realized we had a common goal that was beneficial for all, so we put our heads together and figured it out.” Ramsey speaks enthusiastically about the Rally (while echoing Stone’s observation that “it’s not a race!"): “Once in a while you get to do something fun, that’s good for the community and good for kids. You do something really great that’s bigger than yourself.” Similarly, Ed Cannady, head of Backcountry Recreation for the SNRA, says: “Anything we can do to get kids in the woods and keep kids off 112
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drugs, we are happy to do.” Cannady highlighted other, lesser-known, benefits of partnering with the Road Rally, such as exposing the wilderness to visitors and fostering a fundamental connection to the natural world. “The Road Rally is really cooperative and very helpful,” says Cannady. “They donate money and volunteers to the SNRA’s weed eradication program and teach people about the importance of minimal impact. We really appreciate it.” Now, Phantom Hill, an area previously unknown to those outside of Sun Valley except for the presence of a small wolf pack, is becoming famous for howling of a different sort: that of engines of Porsches, Bugattis, McLarens, Fords, and Chevys stretched to their limits, and the raucous cheering of hundreds of spectators as each car crosses the finish line. If you listen
closely, you can almost hear the quiet enthusiasm and satisfaction of the partners in this great event, for charity pays off in ways that are not readily apparent on a Saturday in the summer sun. To Dave Stone, Gene Ramsey, and Ed Cannady, they know that their partnership benefits their community 365 days a year, long after the silence returns to Phantom Hill. Above: Sun Valley Auto Club Founder, Dave Stone with the Sheriff's deputy waiting at the Rally start with his vintage Porsche.
Sun Valley Road Rally Weekend July 24-July 25 Ketchum
Reserve your tickets online at www. sunvalleyroadrally.com. $10.00 per participant. Seats are limited.
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The Sun Valley Road Rally July 24-25. Kicking off with the
Ketchum Cruise & Car Show and winding up with a one-of-a-kind OPEN ROAD SPEED EVENT. Here's all the information you need to chart your course to the Road Rally weekend.
FRIDAY, JULY 24: KETCHUM CRUISE & CAR SHOW The Sun Valley Road Rally is proud to announce that the fourth annual Ketchum Cruise is now the Ketchum Cruise & Car Show. This free and fabulous event is a perfect evening for the whole family. From exotics and race cars to hot rods and vintage, 100+ cars will meander a five-mile scenic route. They take off from the Wood River YMCA, travel through Sun Valley and finish at the Ketchum Town Square for the Car Show. The Ketchum Cruise & Car Show participants will park at Town Square and the surrounding area and spectators will
cast their ballots for the most outstanding cars and award best in show. O’Gara Motorsport experts will display cars from their showroom including Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Bentley. Racing and collecting experts will be on hand to show off the latest in luxury sports cars, vintage hot rods, and one-ofa-kind collectibles. Folks can photograph their favorite cars, talk to the collectors, and maybe even grab a selfie with a professional race car driver.
Ketchum Cruise & Car Show is presented by Bentley Beverly Hills, La Jolla, and Westlake of O’Gara Coach Company. The entire event is free for spectators and a nominal donation is much appreciated from the drivers. All proceeds from the raffle go to support The Drug Coalition.
BUY A RAFFLE TICKET TO SUPPORT THE WOOD RIVER DRUG COALITION AND WIN THIS PORSCHE Straight from the Lyle Pearson Auto Show floor in Boise, Idaho, a stunning 2016 Porsche Cayenne will be raffled off Friday at the Ketchum Cruise & Car Show. One lucky winner will drive home in their brand-new Porsche, with all raffle proceeds going to The Drug Coalition. For more information visit www.sunvalleyroadrally.com.
WANT TO DRIVE YOUR CAR IN THE CRUISE?
4:15-5:15pm: Register and sign release form at Wood River YMCA parking lot 5:30pm: First car leaves the YMCA parking lot 6pm: Cars begin to arrive at Town Square and surrounding blocks 6-8pm: Ketchum Cruise & Car show located in Ketchum Town Square
Haven’t signed up for the Ketchum Cruise & Car Show? Contact roadrally@svautoclub.com.
CHECK OUT THE CARS:
Below: Bugattis in a line at the Ketchum Cruise.
5:30-6pm: Watch 100+ cars on the five-mile cruise from the YMCA through Sun Valley and to Town Square 6-8pm: Ketchum Cruise & Car show located in Ketchum Town Square 7:30pm: Cast a vote for your favorite car & last chance to buy raffle tickets 7:45pm: Ketchum Cruise & Car Show Award Ceremony 8pm: 2016 Porsche Cayenne raffle winner announced
DRIVERS
8am–4pm: Mandatory Technical Inspection at Sun Valley Auto Club 12pm: Mandatory Driver Luncheon and Safety Brief at Sun Valley Auto Club 114
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Above: The Ketchum Cruise is a fun event where you can drive your favorite classic car.
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SATURDAY, JULY 25: SUN VALLEY ROAD RALLY 8AM-2PM, 7PM-MIDNIGHT Whether spectator or driver, Saturday’s Rally is not to be missed in the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. Sun Valley Road Rally is not a race, but a rally. Each Participant Driver has individual runs, with only one car allowed on the road at a time. From classic cars to brand new Bugattis, Porsches, and Corvettes, each driver tests their mettle and the limits of their vehicle. A laser gun clocks the speed and displays the time of each run for spectators.
for making the most of your Rally day experience:
To Attend the Rally as a Spectator:
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Purchase Tickets online at https://sunvalleyroadrally.com/tickets. Transportation is provided to and from the event location. Spectators must take the Rally buses as there is no on-site parking.
• Keep all pets at home • Dress for “off-roading” on rough terrain
To Register as a Driver for the 7th Annual Sun Valley Road Rally:
7am–2pm Sun Valley Road Rally on Highway 75 7pm–Midnight Exclusive Dinner Party and Fundraiser at Sun Valley Auto Club
All transportation to the Rally site is by bus from the Sun Valley Pavilion Parking Lot. There is no parking at the Rally site. The first bus departs at 7:30am.
• Plan ahead with friends and family, there is no cell service at Rally site
Buses depart as early as 7:30am from the Sun Valley Pavilion to the Road Rally Spectator area approximately 10 miles north of Ketchum and they operate to and from the Phantom Hill spectator site continuously throughout the Rally.
Participant Drivers need to complete a Driver Participant Packet (www.sunvalleyroadrally).
Road Rally Tips
Contact roadrally@svautoclub.com
• Please leave your car at home, there is no parking at the Rally site • Bring chairs, umbrellas, and picnics. There will be concession stands for food and drinks on-site, but it helps to have extra. • Bring and drink plenty of water • Prepare for sun and load up on sunscreen • Don’t bring alcohol, coolers will be inspected • Portaloos will be available at the rally site • Respect the habitat and beautiful location
Have an AWESOME and SAFE time! There are 800 tickets available for this event. Reserve yours now by contacting the Sun Valley Road Rally: Contact roadrally@svautoclub.com 116
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Top: Red Ferrari up close and personal. Bottom: Marit Kaiser proving cars are fun for all ages.
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