Sunday, December 28, 2008

Historic Photo #3 - BIR

An aerial shot of the first SCCA event in 1974 as BIR

Brainerd International Raceway, known as Donnybrooke until 1974, has played a key role in Nord Stern's history. The club's first autocross at BIR was held in 1970 while the track was in receivership. Dick Roe and Jerry Hansen purchased the track in 1974 and re-opened it as BIR.

John Bierbaum navigates the chicane between turns 1 and 2 at a BIR "autocross" in September 1975. This is the car that Corey Johnson has restored.

Speeds were controlled through the use of pylon chicanes at various points around the track. In the 80's the track set-up was solidified with only two sets of chicanes - before turn 1 and before turn 2. Late in 1991 the drag strip wall was extended to it's current length and the club made the decision to eliminate the pylons entirely for the 1992 season. Predictions of lethal consequences have proven to be unfounded.


Participant workers at start/finish at First Fling in 1982.

For a couple of decades, participants served as corner workers. When you checked in for the event, you received work assignments and reported to your assigned corner at the indicated time. Upon reflection, certainly the most dangerous aspect of the pylon chicanes involved the person who ran out onto the hot track to reset the pylon that had been knocked over by a speeding Porsche.

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