Word: forded
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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Medenica, a former driver, knows all too well about what that one little mistake can mean. On Labor Day, 1976, while in third place in New England Formula Ford standings, Medenica crashed in a practice session at Lime Rock, plowing into another car that had spun out into a blind spot over a rise. Medenica's fragile car collapsed around his legs, fracturing both ankles. It was five months before he could walk without rutches, and he may still need another operation to regain full use in his right foot...
TheFormula Ford division in which the Medenica team competes occupies the bottom rung of the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) racing structure. This organization, which sanctions all American road racing and is the official U.S. representative of the international regulatory body of road racing, also sponsors Super Vee and the new Atlantic series, which compares roughly to European Formula Two. In all, the SCCA covers 28 classes of racing, from weekend drivers to professionals. In every class, racers must begin at the regional level of competition. There are 80 regions in the United States, among which New England...
...Ford division, chock-full of young drivers seeking a permanent career in racing and teams looking for a way to hold on, is the most competitive, Herne says. Founded in 1968. Formula Ford is an internationally recognized beginners' class. The successful first season cost the Medenica team about $12,000, but they managed to break even when they sold their car at the end of the year. A normal weekend of Formula Ford racing costs about $500, Medenica says, including entry fees, a set of tires, gas, hotel and travel expenses and repair work on the car. The $500 figure...
...together promotion kits, trying to pour some advertising dollars into the car. While top-level teams have no problems selling and space on their cars (witness the E-Z Wider car of two seasons ago), it may be difficult to sell potential advertisers because of the obscurity of Formula Ford races. The two entrepreneurs will also seek patrons wherever possible. Medenica's commitment to the effort is complete--he says he decided to attend Business. School in order to make enough money to keep racing. The search for sponsorship, like almost everything else in the sport, will be time-consuming...
Although the distant future is cloudy, it is a pretty sure bet that at this unusual team will be terrorizing New England Ford races throughout the 1978 season. Aronson's attitude typifies that of his teammates: "I'm very interested in racing, if not totally obsessed. It's not something I want to do my whole life--I do have other interests--but I'd like to get more involved and try to progress...