The Board of Directors of the Sports Car Club of America - Milwaukee Region (SCCA) unanimously voted to ask the Sheboygan County Board ofSupervisors to stop construction on the roads used for the street races around Elkhart Lake in 1950, 1951 and 1952. County Roads A and P are under threat from the Sheboygan County Highway Department, which wants to flatten, straighten and realign that segment, destroying the character ofthe original street courses.
Supporters are encouraged to contact the Sheboygan County BoardExecutive Committee by e-mail at http://www.co.sheboygan.wi.us/html/cntybrd_exec_comm.htm orby writing the Sheboygan County Board of Supervisors at 508 New York Ave., Sheboygan, WI, 53081.
Members of the Milwaukee Region of SCCA have been involved in racing at Elkhart Lake since the first event in 1950. Consultants hired by the Sheboygan County Highway Commission failed to find adverse historicalor economic impact by altering the roads, according to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Further a dated Transportation Committee plan calls the road a "major feeder," but in fact traffic has declined between Glenbeulah (Pop. 375) and the Village of Elkhart Lake (Pop. 1100).
"We do not want any changes made to those historic roads," said Angelo Gazzola, regional executive of the Milwaukee Region. "We wouldn't have Road America today if it wasn't for the original street races, and we need to protect our motorsports history.
"There weren't many street races in the U.S. to begin with," Gazzola continued. "It was a very special time in racing and Elkhart Lake holds a very special place in racing. Sheboygan County needs to do all it can to protect its history and place these roads on the National Register of Historic Places."
The SCCA's Milwaukee Region's more than 1,300 members are involved with staffing, organizing and competing in road races, solo events and road rallies throughout Wisconsin. The first event is a driver's school April 24-25 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, south of Beloit, Wisc.
Road America's 2004 spectator race dates are: May 14-16, Sports Car Vintage Racing Assoc.; Road America Tailgate Party May 15 June 3-6, American Motorcyclist Assoc. Suzuki Superbike Doubleheader June 17-20, Kohler/SCCA June Sprints® One of SCCA's biggest races. July 15-18, Brian Redman International Challenge featuring Historic Grand Prix F-1 cars,Formula Junior and the Nickey Chevrolet Reunion. Aug. 5-8, Grand Prix at Road America featuring Champ Cars, the Motorock Trans-Am Tour forthe BF Goodrich Cup, Toyota Atlantics and Formula BMW Aug. 19-22, the Road America 500 featuring the American Le Mans Series, plus STRANA, theSuper Truck Racing Assoc. of North America, racing 18-wheeler cabs Sept. 17-19, the Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival, featuring Morgan cars and a tour of one of theoriginal Elkhart Lake race circuits held on public roads.The schedule is tentative and subject to change.Road America hosted its first official race in 1955 and will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2005.The Milwaukee Region of SCCA was formed in 1947.
