It may not have started out as a bucket list item for Bill Okell, but racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will rank right there with his career racing accomplishments.
The 62-year-old driver is gearing up to compete at the Sports Car Club of AmericaB次元官网网址檚 national championships, also known as B次元官网网址渢he runoffs,B次元官网网址� being held this fall for the first time at The Brickyard. Okell will drive the same black Austin Healey he piloted to the SCCA Western Conference title driving for car owner Joe Huffaker.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 one of those things B次元官网网址� you set goals in your life, [but] for me this wasnB次元官网网址檛 on my radar,B次元官网网址� Okell said. B次元官网网址淲e were gearing up to race [the nationals] at Sears Point [California] next year, but when they said Indy, I said, B次元官网网址業 really want to see if we can make this happen.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
The Saanich resident will drive in two classes at Indianapolis, F Production and GTL. With this yearB次元官网网址檚 runoffs attracting record registrations, both classes will likely have between 40 and 60 drivers competing, he said.
The course combines the oval and a road course, giving drivers a 2.592-mile circuit with 15 turns. Each race is 19 laps, or roughly 40 minutes.
Okell admitted he wonB次元官网网址檛 be the youngest competitor in his class, but he still feels good physically, mentally and spiritually and that his racing skill set remains solid. B次元官网网址淚 feel the same physically as when I was 40 B次元官网网址� If I could get in the top 10 or even the top six, that would be a great goal,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭op six would be ideal.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a banner season for the sports car racing veteran, whose career highlights have mostly come behind the wheel of his own modified 1964 MGB.
He drove the Austin to two straight SCCA U.S. Majors Hoosier Super Tour wins one spring weekend B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渋t took me three years to win one,B次元官网网址� Okell said B次元官网网址� and emerged needing only one third-place finish in the next two races to clinch the championship.
He took it down to the wire: serious transmission problems prevented him from finishing on day 1 in Shelton, Wash., but his crew located parts elsewhere and installed them that night. The next day he managed to finish third and won the crown by a single point.
The previous month Okell set a track lap record at Button Willow Raceway Park in Bakersfield, California.
More recently he scored a two-victory weekend with the MGB at Sears Point in the NASPORT Light series. HeB次元官网网址檒l line up to race closer to home Aug. 19 and 20 at the RiverB次元官网网址檚 Edge Raceway in Mission amongst a field of vintage cars, and will wind up his season with the Pacific Coast Road Racing Championships at the United States Auto Club track in east Los Angeles in the fall.
In general Okell feels that heB次元官网网址檚 driving almost as well as he ever has. After taking a hiatus from the sport between 1988 and B次元官网网址�95, he became more focused and driven, he added, and that attitude has stayed with him.
ItB次元官网网址檚 also made racing more fun, to the point where he sees himself continuing for some time yet.
