One might think preparing to qualify for the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) National Championship Runoffs in Indianapolis would involve plenty of practice, testing the car, checking out the track B次元官网网址� those sorts of things.
The biggest thing on Saanich driver Bill OkellB次元官网网址檚 mind of late has been getting his second COVID-19 vaccination shot and booking tests. Having received his shot Aug. 7 and having a good line on securing a test immediately following his SCCA race weekend in Denver Aug. 21 to 22, heB次元官网网址檚 hopeful heB次元官网网址檒l have no quarantine period.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been spending more time on the internet looking for COVID tests than anything else,B次元官网网址� Okell told Black Press Media recently. B次元官网网址淚 feel like IB次元官网网址檝e been trying to put a square peg in a round hole trying to avoid the quarantine period.B次元官网网址�
From a racing perspective, the 66-year-old racer, who competed at the Brickyard in Indianapolis when the Runoffs were last held there in 2017, is excited for what he said may well be his final chance to race at the iconic track.
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B次元官网网址淚 think the best way to explain it is you have a time clock and it is ticking. The excitement comes not so much from the anticipation but the reality of the situation,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 have the funding and the time and my family supports me. Inside, IB次元官网网址檓 still 35 to 40 years of age, but we put as much padding in the car as we can to make it a little more comfortable.B次元官网网址�
Adjusted rules for this yearB次元官网网址檚 championships require Okell to finish as few as 50 per cent of the leadersB次元官网网址� laps in each race in Denver to qualify for the 2021 nationals, which happen Sept. 25 to Oct. 3.
HeB次元官网网址檒l be driving a 1992 MG Midget, a car that unlike most others he has raced B次元官网网址� and rented B次元官网网址� since 2014 in his partnership with California-based Huffaker Motorsports, has had valuable performance improvements on the suspension and other elements.
HeB次元官网网址檒l race in the H Production class in Denver, and with a little luck, Indianapolis. Shutting the car down after accomplishing the qualifying lap minimum is an option for Denver, Okell said. But being behind the wheel of a car that may be at or near the top of the class may make it hard to resist staying out there for the duration.
B次元官网网址淭his car is actually faster than the F Production car I had been driving,B次元官网网址� he said of the Midget, which he previously drove to second- and third-place finishes at an SCCA event in Bakersfield, Calif. in early 2020.
Another change this year is Okell will drive as an owner, having worked out an agreement to apply rental costs to the purchase of the car from Huffaker.
B次元官网网址淯sually when I rent these cars, the premise is theyB次元官网网址檙e not really national championship cars,B次元官网网址� Okell explained. In the case of the Midget, the money spent to boost the carB次元官网网址檚 performance was spent by the previous two owners, to OkellB次元官网网址檚 benefit. B次元官网网址淭he R&D has been done by others and I get to take advantage B次元官网网址� the money that has been spent has been well founded and theyB次元官网网址檝e done a great job.B次元官网网址�
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Okell has been keeping his racing chops up over at RiverB次元官网网址檚 Edge Raceway in Mission, B.C. He has recorded three firsts and three second-place finishes driving a friendB次元官网网址檚 Mazda Miata in the GTU class.
More information on the SCCA National Championship Runoffs can be found at and searching for 2021 Runoffs. OkellB次元官网网址檚 race would be scheduled for Oct. 1 at 9:15 a.m. local time and the races will be livestreamed.
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