nocones
PowerDork
3/20/24 4:09 p.m.
The 2024 challenge is the 25th anniversary of the event.
That means there have been 24 cars that won.
Where are they now? How many still substantially exist?
I'll start.
2022: Subaru LMP360
I still own it. I have been continuing to modify it and use it for Time Attack racing. It's exploits are fairly well documented around here and on the internet.
But what about the others? I'm very interested in the fate/status of some of the earliest cars? I know that GRM has done some features and articles like this in the past
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/2000-challenge-20-years-wild-budget-builds/
I thought a thread would be fun where we could discuss it. If you have any pictures or knowledge of cars that have won in the past post them up. Who will join the list this year?
gumby
SuperDork
3/20/24 5:49 p.m.
2021 winner
I sold the car to a teammate before we left FL. The car stayed there and he moved himself to be with it.
He and it have been spotted at least one local autoX event down there since.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/is-our-garage-rescue-miata-fas/198505/page1/
$2015 winner Bugzilla went on to win a heads up race against Mike Finnegan driving General Mayhem in Norwalk at a Road Kill event. Was shown in multiple Mags including Hot Rod and Road Kill. Won 4 class races. Won a class and a series Championship. And was sold to help fund a businessness.
$2016 winner Yellow Coupe was land speed raced. Pictured in Hot Rod. Saw multiple engine and transmission swaps. And was sold to help fund a business.
$2019 Datsaniti
Despite winning I wasn't satisfied with low 13's at the Challenge, so I took it drag racing again with more nitrous and got down to 12.9! Then I autocrossed it for a full season in the newly-created Xtreme Street class. Sold in late 2020. It quickly got wrecked. It changed hands again and and 3 years later resurfaced with a new look after someone repaired it.
Gutty the CRX from Team 075 still pops up in a facebook group for D-series Hondas.
It's in one piece, though currently not running. Link to the build and a pic from ...2009?
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/gutty-build-wrap-up/15094/page1/
Winners are always too slick, what about the losers or the never rans? Wasn't there a Chevy powered little British car (One Eyed Rigamort or some such name) that failed miserably but never failed to attract attention, support, and encouragement? Wonder what happened to that wee beastie?
Mr_Asa
MegaDork
3/26/24 5:55 p.m.
In reply to MuSTANK :
Know what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? In the warehouse with the top men? Imagine that but with cars.
As long as the former Challenge cars continue to do cheap race car stuff, I'm happy.
Stampie
MegaDork
3/27/24 11:15 a.m.
MuSTANK said:
Winners are always too slick, what about the losers or the never rans? Wasn't there a Chevy powered little British car (One Eyed Rigamort or some such name) that failed miserably but never failed to attract attention, support, and encouragement? Wonder what happened to that wee beastie?
Mr_Asa said:
In reply to MuSTANK :
Know what happened to the Ark of the Covenant? In the warehouse with the top men? Imagine that but with cars.
SMH ... yes I own Riggamort.
Pat
HalfDork
3/27/24 2:14 p.m.
$2012 ScAries went on to autox and drag race for a bit after winning in 2012. It was then pulled apart after it ran a 10.9 which was a goal of mine with it and many pieces were used towards the $2013 effort, with the roller being traded off to my brother. He still owns it and has it sitting in his barn. Who knows...maybe it will end up at GRM again someday.
In the early days you published the owners town and I'd follow the Lockport, IL guy hoping to somehow run into him around Lockport.
This IS a great thread.
Pat
HalfDork
3/27/24 2:18 p.m.
The $2013 Shadow went on to autox and drag race for years following the Challenge. It was rebuilt back as a street car and competed in a number of drag and drive events, such as Hot Rod Drag Week and Mid West Drags. Last event it did it averaged 10.7x @ 133 mph at a week long event while driving just under 1,000 miles. Car was sold recently after owning it for over 20 years to a friend in the Shelby Dodge Auto Club, who intends on racing the crap out of it as I did.
NY Nick
SuperDork
3/27/24 2:29 p.m.
Pat said:
$2012 ScAries went on to autox and drag race for a bit after winning in 2012. It was then pulled apart after it ran a 10.9 which was a goal of mine with it and many pieces were used towards the $2013 effort, with the roller being traded off to my brother. He still owns it and has it sitting in his barn. Who knows...maybe it will end up at GRM again someday.
That is sick. I had a K car (but mine was a POS) circa 2005. I liked it a lot and always wanted to make one that was RWD, the architecture seemed to make it feasible. That is one of the coolest cars I have seen in a long time.
SV reX
MegaDork
3/27/24 2:44 p.m.
In reply to NY Nick :
If I remember correctly the fender flares were made out of old file cabinets.
Pat
HalfDork
3/27/24 4:01 p.m.
In reply to NY Nick :
You want it? I'm sure my brother would sell it.
And yes, I built the flares out sheetmetal I stripped off of an old, large file cabinet. :-)
NY Nick
SuperDork
3/27/24 5:11 p.m.
In reply to Pat :
I would very much like to have that car. Unfortunately I am not in the position to add another car at the moment. 🥲
Pat said:
The $2013 Shadow went on to autox and drag race for years following the Challenge. It was rebuilt back as a street car and competed in a number of drag and drive events, such as Hot Rod Drag Week and Mid West Drags. Last event it did it averaged 10.7x @ 133 mph at a week long event while driving just under 1,000 miles. Car was sold recently after owning it for over 20 years to a friend in the Shelby Dodge Auto Club, who intends on racing the crap out of it as I did.
Looks just like a car that Land Speed Raced at Maxton...once upon a time.....
$2018 Challenge Winner - The Justang went on to compete in a few local autocrosses but has been mostly slumbering - waiting for some forced induction or a sucker fan or some other contraption.
All-Star GRM Challenge next year?
2024 winner is in Canton MI at the moment.
Augh...another fantasy league is born.
wheels777 said:
Augh...another fantasy league is born.
This is better by far than anything in the bro hug 2024 smack thread.
What a coincidence, a buddy spotted Datsaniti in downtown Atlanta today!
