Nickey Reunion

[sYc]

P.O. Box 98
Crystal Lake, IL 60039
(815) 459-3416
(815) 861-9333

March 19, 2004

Dear Nickey Fan,
As you may know, we are planning a Nickey Reunion at the Brian Redman International Classic vintage races at Road America in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin, July 16-18, 2004. We hope that you are planning on attending.
This reunion will be featuring the Nickey road racing cars from 1958 & 1959. Tentatively committed are the 1959 Purple People Eater III, the 1957 SR2 Corvette, and Augie Pabst’s Scarab roadster (Chassis #002, a.k.a. “Nickey Nouse). We are hoping to reunite the entire crew from that era including, Team Manager, Lindy Lindheimer; Chief Mechanic, Ronnie Kaplan; and Driver, Jim Jeffords.
In addition to the 1958 – 59 group, I will be bringing my 1965 Genie USRRC / CanAm car, and Mike Guarise has committed to bringing one of his beautiful Nickey Camaro’s. I am in the process of getting commitments from other Nickey car owners and am hoping for a good turn-out.
The real stars of the show, however, will be the fans, former Nickey employees, and family of the Nickey owners. That’s you! So, please plan on attending. A tentative schedule of events and registration form is attached. Thanks for your interest and I look forward to seeing you in July.

Sincerely,

Tom Stephani

[Belair62]

This sounds fun..Elkhart is a cool place.....

[TimG]

I'll be there, we are bringing a '68 Trans Am Camaro to race with the big boys at the big track. Should be fun, all signed up for four days of racing and the drive into town on Friday evening.

[Vettefinderjim]

I and Joe Freitas will be flyng in Thursday. We were not Nickey fans.......we feared them here in California. Ronnie Kaplan chased us all with his tire iron after we harassed them at Riverside.

Jim Jeffords, SCCA National champ Nickey driver in the 58 and 59 Purple People Eater Corvettes and the SR-2 Corvette, and the Scrab will be present. Crew chief Ronnie Kaplan will be in attendance. Manager Lindy Lindheimer is trying to make it.

The SR-2, 59 Purple People Eater Corvette, the 58 Scarab will also be in attendance as well as many other Nickey Camaros and other cars sold by the great dealership. Come by the tent and say hi and enjoy in all the Reunion fun.
Jim Gessner

[TimG]

Although I was to young to remember the era of the all this great racing it is fun to live it over again by seeing the cars and drivers that made it happen. Looking forward to attending the event and doing some laps on the best track in the country. I only wish that we could haul two cars so my old '64 Corvette Road America '67 & '68 B production championship car could make the trip.

[Bill Pritchard]

I wasn't able to attend, but my sister-in-law and her friend went. They had a great time, and brought me back some cool Nickey Memorabilia - a hat, golf shirt, and T-shirt She called me from the track on Saturday morning and had one of the Nickey Clickers in her hand, clicking it into the phone. I said "I think I can live without one of those" so she didn't get one.

[TimG]

Great event, I didn't spend very much time in the Nicky tent because we were running the Camaro in the races.
How do those guys in the '67 Z's run 4.30 gears at a four mile track? It must be fun turning 8,400 rpm in a 302.

[Vettefinderjim]

Enjoyed meeting you Tim. Likewise, it was such a great weekend, that it was hard to do it all. Friday was fun, especially riding to the Competition Concour in the 59 Purple People Eater III Corvette with restorer Kevin MacKay doing the driving. Joined Jim Jeffords and Ronnie Kaplan for dinner after we won the class trophy. Great fun.

Saturday, Tom Stephani organized a great banquest for about 70 people. He put a fantastic 45 minute DVD together celebrating the history of 50 years of Nickey Chevrolet. The only people I did not have time vist was the Nickey Camaro folks.

Now that I found a Nickey 68 Camaro Z-28 car, I will have to correct that deficiency.

I look forward to going back. Road America is one fantastic track !!