AI/CMC Texas History - AKA, the Texas V8 Racing Way Back Machine

[Adam Ginsberg]

Several weeks back, I was very saddened to learn of Mitch Warren's passing. Mitch and I had our differences from time to time, but, he was a damn good guy. And, a good racer. Anyone seen his cat?? :)

It got me thinking back to when AI/CMC first started in Texas, and made me all nostalgic and verklempt. Thinking lead to digging through digital archives.....

I'm a digital packrat, a byproduct of my work. For example, I have work email dating back to 1998. Due to my pack-rat-ish nature, I also have images, race writeups, etc, going back to when AI/CMC Texas first got started. As I recall, our very first AI/CMC race was summer 2003 (someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), but, unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from that event.

However, I do have images and race writeups from 2004-2008. I don't have any Texas stuff after 2008, as that's when I hauled my racing shit to CA for what was supposed to be a temporary gig that became permanent.

I've embarked on a little side project - documenting our racing history. Below is a link to what I have from the 2004 season, as well as the 2004 Banquet held 30 Oct @ LMR in Waco, TX. There are likely duplicate images - all I did was grab EVERYTHING I HAD, dumped it to a folder, and converted it.

So far, the only season I've done is 2004. If folks are interested in the other seasons I have, let me know, and I'll work on getting them done.

Hope you folks like it.

AI/CMC Texas, 2004 season, in pictures. (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2004/index.html)

AI/CMC Texas 2004 Season Banquet (PDF). (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2004/2004-Annual-Texas-AICMC-banquet.pdf)

On edit Jerry made a great observation - cars and people. Here's what I recall:

1. Red Fox hatch #5 - My car. :) Those first 4 images are @ SPIR, during the 2004 OTC event that Lewis Tanner and I attended.
2. Black Fox hatch, #7 - David Donovan
3. White/multi Fox coupe #12 - Chris Lyons
4. Blue Fox coupe #23 - John George
5. Blue Fox hatch #38 - Wayne Manor
6. Blue Fox hatch #91 - Richard Pedersen
7. White/Blue Fox hatch #67 - Marshall Mosty
8. Dark Red SN95 #20 - David Armstrong
9. Red/Black Fox convertible #2 - Todd Covini
10. Black 3rd Gen Camaro #27 - David Carr
11. Red SN99 Genuine 2000 Cobra R #466 - Joe Johnson
12. Red Fox hatch #17 - Eric Varner
13. Black SN95 w/orange rookie plate - Len Zazzarino
14. White 4th Gen Firebird street car - Mitch Warren
15. Silver 4th Gen Camaro street car - Glenn Landrum
16. Purple SN95 #16 - Mike Bell
17. White Z car #91 - Jeff Wirtz, eventually came out with a CMC 3rd Gen, as I recall

https://www.aicmctexas.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1990&stc=1&d=1645557265

[RichardP]

As I recall, our very first AI/CMC race was summer 2003 (someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), but, unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from that event.

Mike Bell was the first AI entrant in 2003 with a single event as the only one in the class. Mike Bell, John George and I raced AI at Cresson on August 2-3 of that year.

Richard P.

[AllZWay]

Dang Adam it's been a while... Good to hear from you.

2007 was my first year and I think 2013 was my last.

James

[Adam Ginsberg]

Mike Bell was the first AI entrant in 2003 with a single event as the only one in the class. Mike Bell, John George and I raced AI at Cresson on August 2-3 of that year.

Thanks for the memory refresher, Richard. Unfortunately, mylaps.com doesn't show results that far back.

August 2003 MSR-C was where Todd Covini, Eric Varner and I raced together for the first time. I earned my comp license on Sat, went racing on Sunday. Wish I had pictures from that event.

[ShadowBolt]

The only people I recognized was John George, Richard, and Wayne Manor. I'm sure I know others but did not blow the pics up and I did not know who owned what cars back then other than the three I mentioned.


JJ

[Adam Ginsberg]

The only people I recognized was John George, Richard, and Wayne Manor. I'm sure I know others but did not blow the pics up and I did not know who owned what cars back then other than the three I mentioned.

I'm glad you mentioned this, JJ. I've updated my original post to include car, car #, and driver name.

[RichardP]

I'm glad you mentioned this, JJ. I've updated my original post to include car, car #, and driver name.

From a single car in mid 2003 to the list from 2004 is a huge jump. Pretty amazing how quickly things blossomed. It was a lot of fun...

Richard P.

[ShadowBolt]

Marshall Mosty is the owner/driver of the 67 AI car.

[Adam Ginsberg]

Marshall Mosty is the owner/driver of the 67 AI car.

Thanks for the correction. Fixed.

[Adam Ginsberg]

2005 Season opener @ MSR-C. (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2005/01-March-MSR-C/index.html)

2005 Season opener @ MSR-C Race Writeup (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2005/01-March-MSR-C/2005R1-AICMCRaceRecap.pdf)

NASA Speed News/GRM Writeup (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2005/01-March-MSR-C/NasaNews.pdf)

A bit like before - they may be some duplicate images. Some of these pictures were supplied by Blair Hartsfield, owner of Hart Photography (https://www.hart-photography.com/mtrsport.html).

I used to have an image of Neil Breitenbach, wearing a chuck of Todd's turn signal as a necklace, but can't find it. Could have sworn it was in one of the race writeup copies....somewhere.

That all said....I have found more event pictures/writeups from 2004, and will be posting them. Eventually.

[ShadowBolt]

I see manties.

[RichardP]

Interesting memories buried in there. Introduction of the dyno sticker? Who came up with that crap...

The dustup between Varner, Cory, and Wayne sounds pretty tame when written up in Grassroots.


Richard P.

[Sook]

Adam, thanks for sharing! Really cool

Josh

[Sook]

Interesting memories buried in there. Introduction of the dyno sticker? Who came up with that crap...

The dustup between Varner, Cory, and Wayne sounds pretty tame when written up in Grassroots.


Richard P.

CMC Power, not CMC weight.

[Adam Ginsberg]

I see manties.

:D


The dustup between Varner, Cory, and Wayne sounds pretty tame when written up in Grassroots.

Yes, the GRM write up made it sound very tame. Sooooo.....my only goal here is to show the good times, history, people, cars, and FUN we had when AI/CMC first got underway in Texas. There was definitely some drama, but, I'm choosing to remember the great times we had. Nothing more, nothing less.

I have no agenda except to share the memories with the OG racers, as well as the folks that have come along since.


CMC Power, not CMC weight.

Richard ran CMC power in AI for a few years - as I recall, at that time, it was the original engine, with no mods to it. Undoubtedly, Richard will correct me if I'm wrong. ;)

Also - if any of the original AI/CMC racers have pictures from previous events, please, by all means, send them to me, and I'll gladly include them in my next round.

[Supercharged111]

Forgot I haven't been on here in a minute. For those (probably all of you) who don't know, I spent 3 months in CA for a class for the Space Force. I took the red dragon with me and I bumped into Adam at Chuckwalla who recognized the car, as well as Ryan Flaherty at Buttonwillow who also recognized the car. I thought it was pretty cool to bump into some NASA old timers whose names I'd known all these years, but never put names to faces. I ran into a few more too. So there's my nostalgic moment.

[Adam Ginsberg]

Forgot I haven't been on here in a minute. For those (probably all of you) who don't know, I spent 3 months in CA for a class for the Space Force. I took the red dragon with me and I bumped into Adam at Chuckwalla who recognized the car, as well as Ryan Flaherty at Buttonwillow who also recognized the car. I thought it was pretty cool to bump into some NASA old timers whose names I'd known all these years, but never put names to faces. I ran into a few more too. So there's my nostalgic moment.

It was good to meet you in person, Dustin. And, to see Nick Steel's car on track again! As for beng an "old timer".....that gets truer every day. ;)

Ok, back to our thread. I did some re-jiggering.

The entire 2005 NASA Texas AI/CMC season (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2005/2005-complete/index.html). No particular order to the images - they are not in chronological, or event order.

The entire 2006 NASA Texas AI/CMC season (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2006/index.html). No particular order to the images - they are not in chronological, or event order.

2007 - when NASA Texas CMC went to Road Atlanta (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2007/index.html). Not many images, and certainly, not of everyone. I used to have more of Boudy, Jeff Burch, Gerry, and others, not sure what happened those images. NASA Texas CMC racers took all their trophies and Toyo bucks. ;)

Here's to you, Mitch.

[AllZWay]

Great picture of Mitch. :(

[Adam Ginsberg]

CMC lost another racer - Neil Breitenbach passed away a few days ago. He had teamed up with Todd back in 2005.

I wish I could find the picture I used to have with him wearing a piece of the #2’s turn signal as a necklace.

RIP, Neil.

[michaelmosty]

Ugh, sorry to hear about Neil. I remember that exact picture with him sporting the #2's bLiNg after his divebomb move, haha.

[RichardP]

Speaking of history, this one brought back a few memories: Wayne's old AI car currently for sale on Racing Junk along with Wayne and I racing at TWS in 2004...

https://www.racingjunk.com/road-club-racing/184322392/1990-ford-mustang.html?search=1990+ford+mustang+road+race+ca r&np_offset=0&from=search

[Adam Ginsberg]

Marshall Mosty sent several pictures from the 2005 TWS event, so I'm adding them to this thread.

TWS 2005 (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2005/2005-MM/index.html)

[Adam Ginsberg]

My digital sleuthing continues to find more nuggets of AI/CMC Texas goodness.

June 2003 (http://www.shrackracing.com/hosting/racing/2003/index.html), although the picture of Covini's car getting refueled was taken during a 12 hour enduro in CA a few years prior to 2003.

The other images were taken at "StangBang" in Houston, with Eric Varner showing one of many methods used to destroy Toyo tires. :)

[Hood]

Adam,

Where in Houston were those 'StangBang' pictures taken? That location looks ALOT like Texas A&M Riverside Campus... the old airbase outside of Bryan.

[Wade]

Gary, They were taken at the old blimp base in Houston. I think it is called Grand Sport now in Hitchcock, TX

[michaelmosty]

Gary, great to hear from you!! Do you still have the Firebird you can bring out racing again? We still have events this year at Hallett, Cresson, and Eagles Canyon this year. We would love to have you back racing again!

[Hood]

I still have the car. It is going into the shop for some updates though. Need to install front brakes and a new steering box before I get back out. May see y'all sometime this summer...

[cjlmlml]

Picture

[Adam Ginsberg]

Chris - you look like a high schooler in that pic. Hell, look at Baby-Face Donovan!

🤣