2017 Season Prelude Print
Written by Administrator   
Saturday, 20 May 2017 08:45

We're well into the 2017 Open Road Race season with the Big Bend Open Road Race having already run, and the Nevada Open Road Challenge happening this weekend.  Katch Environmental returns again this year as the primary sponsor for Team Pantera Racing.  Getting ready for this year's season are the boys from TPR Central heading to the Sandhills Open Road Challenge. 

Bob, Frank and Bud have been the lucky recipients of an entry to this year's SORC.  This is not an easy thing to do and TPR member Mark Skwarek just missed out and is now on the waiting list.  Meanwhile, Mark has been busy getting some new go-fast goodies ready for the big one in September at the Silver State Classic Challenge.

Also getting ready for SSCC are Dennis and JB.  Dennis is planning on sporting new/refreshed paint and a refreshed engine this year.  We imagine this will again put him fastest in his class.  JB has been working on a new 351C original 4-bolt main engine.  These are getting extremely hard to find, and in fact JB's ended up with at least one cylinder sleeve, maybe two.  Even so, the parts are coming together and it should all be ready by September.  Peter is also working on his Pantera for a long awaited return to SSCC.  Restorations can be slow, and we're all doing what we can to help him get ready for this year or the next.

Up in Washington, where Asa sold his Pantera last year, he's working to resurrect a 1971 Mach I Mustang and get it ready to run.  That probably won't happen this year.  However, we might have another couple of new entries this year.  One might be the new owner of Asa's Pantera, Steve Lisa, who has been working diligently on converting it to a spec Group 3 race car.  We've also heard rumblings that the new President of the Pantera Owners Club of America (POCA)  Gerry Romack may be making an appearance as well.

And lastly, TPR member Michael Frazier recently took a first place in the 120 MPH class at the Big Bend Open Road Challenge.  Michael's been dabbling in newer Mustangs and apparently been having some good success.  Go Michael!

Anyone interested in more information can click the links to the various races in the left sidebar, or click on the Contact menu item to get in touch with us.