Saturday, June 15, 1996

Sunburn Grand Prix Bigger and Better than Ever

By Ted Dunnam
Assistant Sports Editor

More entrants than ever have preregistered for today's and Sunday's 6th annual running of the Abilene Sunburn Grand Prix at Abilene Regional Airport.

"It should be bigger and better than it's ever been," said Paul Lenker, president of Abilene Motor Sports Inc. "In addition to have more drivers registered here than we've had before, we've also got a bigger TV package.

"A professional crew from San Antonio is coming here that is 10 times more equipped than what we had here a year ago."

Prime Spoorts Network will televise the event on a tape-delay basis at a time and date to be announced.

Lenker said the Sports Car Club of America, the sanctioning body for this auto racing spectacle, along with volunteers were putting the final touches on the event late Friday.

"The SCCA considers this to be its Indy 500 - this is its showcase event for the year," Lenker said.

"We (AMSI) look to what we can improve each year because we know this is a big selling point for Abilene.

"We give away 400 T-shirts to drivers and treat them to a gratis social event. In addition to offering them great racing, we want them to come back by selling Abilene in a positive, powerful way."

Spectators will be treated to six grand prix races each day. Saturday's schedule will feature regional races while Sunday's racing will feature national competition.

Gates on the west side of Abilene Regional Airport will open at 7:30 a.m. each day with racing scheduled to start at 8 a.m.

"With Sports Car Club of America racing teams arriving from Washington state, Florida, California, Nebraska, North Carolina and Canada to challenge teams from Texas and neighboring states, the stage is set for this to be the biggest and best ever Abilene Sunburn Grand Prix," said Mike Dohrse, AMSI vice president.

John Meriggi of the Woodlands, who will compete in the Spec Racer Ford class, is making his first trip to Abilene to test the 1.6-mile road course.

"I've only been racing a couple of years and I was at another event this time last year," Meriggi said. "But I've heard a lot of good things about this race.

"I know my class always has an extremely competitive race here, and I'm third in the standings and need to pick up some points. I'm anxious to get out on the course and see what it's like."
Lenker said no major changes have been made in putting on the event this year.

"We really haven't changed anything," he said. "We're really pleased with the track layout. We feel like it's a challenging course with nice turns. I think we're more enthusiastic than we've ever been in staging this event. The Rotary Club has fallen over backwards in providing more volunteers to help make this thing happen."

More than 25 classes of cars will compete in the six races each day. Qualifying begins in the morning with races scheduled to start in the early afternoon. What: Abilene Sunburn Grand Prix When: Racing begins 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday Where: Abilene Regional Airport Admission prices: Adults, $6 for one day or $10 for both days; children under 12, $1 each day (must be accompanied by adult); paddock passes, $3 each day.