Laps to Conquer M.S. Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW Jetta completes Fay Teal’s 16th One Lap of America!
The Laps to Conquer M.S., Inc. (LCMS), Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW Jetta, with Fay Teal, David Teal and Ron Pizor, competed in the May 3 – 11 Tire Rack One Lap of America. The 2002 1 Lap was a 5,140 mile, 8-day trip through 21 states with competitions at 9 race tracks.
“This was my 16th attempt to win the 1 Lap,” says Fay Teal, LCMS Executive Director and a progressive MS patient. After Fay’s MS diagnosis put an end to her competition hopes, she and husband, David, started Laps to Conquer M.S., Inc. to increase multiple sclerosis awareness through motorsports and raise funds for the National MS Society. “LCMS has raised over $85,000 so far, but I’m driving on to a checkered flag – for a 1 Lap win or an MS cure, whichever comes first,” continues Fay.
Friday, May 3, Rochester, N.Y.
The unusual mix of 83 cars – ranging from a Lamborghini Diablo and a ’69 Plymouth Valiant to a new VW Beetle -- entered in the 2002 Tire Rack One Lap of America presented by High Falls Brewing and Car and Driver, started the 1 Lap by crossing a picturesque bridge at 7 pm. The bridge is normally closed to autos and it gave the competitors an excellent view of the High Falls the brewery gets its name from. A large crowd gathered to give the 1 Lappers a rousing sendoff as each team gave a brief PA interview.
Then it was 519 miles through the night, and four states, to South Bend, Indiana, where the Tire Rack folks hosted a stop at their headquarters. They provided 1 Lappers breakfast, showers and a required sticker – miss a sticker, lose scored points. Another 150 miles got 1 Lappers to IRP for the first competitions, two track events, a drag race and a bracket drag race.
Saturday, May 4, Indianapolis Raceway Park
Track, a.m.: 9th Class, 48th OverAll; p.m.: 13th Class, 55th OA.
Drag: 14th Class, 65th OA, Bracket: 2nd (tie)Class, 6th (tie) OA.
Each track event is three laps of the circuit timed from a standing start to a flying finish. In a drag race, the fastest car wins. In a bracket drag race, the car that runs closest to its predicted time, without going over that time, wins. David drove the track events; Ron drove the drag races.
Class is determined by the car’s original sticker price. Any and all modifications are allowed as long as the car remains street legal. Of the 18 cars in the Mid Priced Sedan, the LCMS Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW Jetta was one of the few unmodified cars. David drove well here at IRP in the morning, but the faster cars in our class learned how to better drive the course for the afternoon. Ron got us our best finish of this year in the bracket drag race. Thank you Ron – we want more bracket drag races.
Forty miles later got 1 Lappers a second sticker plus goody bags in covered bridge territory, Putnam County, Indiana. Then 596 miles, overnight, through four states to a motel in Oklahoma -- for showers and breakfast!?!
Sunday, May 4, Tulsa Speedway
11th Class, 57th OA.
Tulsa Speedway is the second dirt oval One Lap of America has ever run. The first dirt oval was Ascot Park in 1989, also the first LCMS 1 Lap, David drove it, and we had a Jetta! Maybe we should get more dirt oval practice for David.
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit
a.m.: 12th Class, 56th OA; p.m. 12th Class, 50th OA.
Hallett Motor Racing Circuit is a track that David likes and he did well here. Two states and 662 miles later, we got showers and a nap in Colorado Springs.
Monday, May 5, Pikes Peak International Raceway
a.m.: 13th Class, 59th OA; p.m.: 13th Class, 60th OA.
Here LCMS parked near the team of Mary Seelhorst and Tony Swan. Mary plays her violin at every opportunity and she knows all the good car/traveling music. Mary and Tony finished 27th overall.
A short 373 miles to Albuquerque, N.M., got us a sit-down meal and a full night in bed!
Tuesday, May 6, Sandia Motorsports Raceway
.a.m.: 12th Class, 51th OA; p.m.: 12th Class, 47th OA.
Sandia was a new track for the 1 Lap. David got us our overall best track event finish so far this year and we got to visit with a friend who moved to Albuquerque last year. The reward was a good meal then photos on old U.S. Route 66 to set us off on an 812-mile journey to Texas. As we neared College Station, we watched thunderstorms in the distance. We learned that 1 Lappers who went straight from Sandia to College Station drove through major thunder storms -- that made last night’s dinner even nicer.
Wednesday, May 7, Texas World Speedway
a.m.: 12th Class, 54th OA; p.m.: 10th Class, 49th OA.
David now knows why J.D. King – our ’96, ’98 & ’99 co-driver -- liked this track so much when he drove it for LCMS. Another long night was ahead – 924 miles and four states to Georgia and showers -- at the track.
Thursday, May 8, Road Atlanta
a.m.: 12th Class, 49th OA; p.m.: 12th Class, 50th OA.
The One Lap of America had an unusual lunch here. One car carried a couple – he’s a second generation 1 Lapper, she was running her 2nd – whose back window said “Racing to the Altar.” When they got here to their “home track,” the groom drove the morning competition, and then they had a formal wedding during the lunch break. Invited guests sat in the grandstands at the start/finish line, 1 Lappers found good viewing spots. The Lamborghini Diablo, of Karl Troy and Steve Griffin – they finished 10th overall -- brought the bride to the ceremony. After a short reception for everyone, the bride changed from her gown to a drivers’ suit to drive the afternoon competition with “Just Married” in the back window. A few of us went formal – one wore a tie with his T-shirt! When the couple’s car broke at the next track, they used another car to join us at the finish. Matt & Gwen Hubbard’s Porsche 944 finished 49th overall. Our best wishes to them.
A 94-mile jaunt got 1 Lappers another sticker and supper at the Carolina Rod Shop in Easley, S.C. One of these guys has competed almost as many times as I have. Glen Dodd finished 42nd this year with his “Corvette in a box” – a customized ’92 Chevy Blazer with all Corvette running gear. The Carolina Rod Shop is available to anyone who needs mechanical help – the Lister Corvette replica team came straight here from Texas to put a new clutch in the car. Ed Dellis finished 62nd overall.
A short 480-miles through three states got us to beds and showers in Winchester, Va.
Friday, May 8, Summit Point Raceway
a.m.: 11th Class, 44th OA; p.m.: 9th Class, 49th OA.
David does know this track; he got LCMS our best overall finish here. Ron’s son Mark visited us here. Mark is a Mercedes Benz technician. He volunteered his help to a Mercedes team that needed their brakes bled. 1 Lappers prefer to win on the track so we help each other get on the track. Arpad Papp and Scott Stamper finished 40th overall with their Mercedes Benz C32-AMG. Three states and 383 miles later we got to sleep in beds again -- we like this!
Saturday, May 9, Lancaster Speedway
a.m.: 15th Class, 56th OA.
This is a paved oval. Either our driver is really good on dirt OR others in our class really learned how to drive ovals. A, final, 62-mile jaunt brought the 2002 Tire Rack One Lap of America back to High Falls Brewing in Rochester. This time the 1 Lappers crossed the bridge in finish order, instead of car number order. Here the LCMS Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW Jetta stages to cross the bridge.
The LCMS Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW crossed the bridge 57th Overall, 13th in Class to complete Fay’s 16th One Lap of America. The Avis VW Jetta performed flawlessly. It impressed our drivers with its abilities and good fuel mileage.
We didn’t win and there is no MS cure yet, so the LCMS Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW drives on to a checkered flag for multiple sclerosis. We hope to see everyone down the road.
(More information about the event is available at the One Lap Website)
Where the LCMS Dominion Title Sunoco Avis VW will be:
| Date of Event | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| June 15 – 16 | Mid Atlantic Road Racing Series IV (MARRS) WDC, SCCA Regional Races | Summit Point Raceway, WV. |
| June 22 – 23 | Tri Region SCCA Regional Races | Pocono International Raceway, PA. |
| July 6 – 7 | MARRS V, WDC, SCCA Regional Races | Summit Point Raceway, WV. |
| July 13 | Merchantville Car Show | Merchantville, N.J. |
| August 2, 3 & 4 | Tri Region SCCA National Races | Pocono International Raceway, PA. |
| August 10 – 11 | MARRS VII, WDC, SCCA Regional Races | Summit Point Raceway, WV. |
| August 24 | Cruise Day, Purple Penguin | Newfield, NJ |
| August 31 – September 2 | MARRS VIII & IX, WDC, SCCA Regional Races | Summit Point Raceway, WV. |
The Sponsors who make this drive possible:
Volkswagen of America, Shemong, N.J. 609.268. 4637
Avis Volkswagen, Monroeville, N.J. 856.358.8103
Dominion Title Services, Inc., Vineland, N.J. 856.691.6783
Sunoco Performance Products, Linwood, PA 800.722.3427
Sunoco Marcus Hook Refinery, Marcus Hook, PA 610.859.1038
Steven Rudner, D.M.D. & Staff, Cherry Hill, N.J. 856.428.2550
Chambres and Associates, LaMott, PA 215.635.7294