Grand Stutz 2003
Fon du Lac and Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Thursday, September 18, 2003

We followed John Haydon (our leader) out of the hotel parking lot to our first stop at the Horicon Marsh which was originally an Indian hunting ground with its plentiful game. The area had a natural limestone dam which gave the marsh plenty of food for the various game species living there. Around the middle eighteen hundred entrepreneurs moved in and felt that they could have quite a little town if they could drain the marsh and plan a city. They blew up the natural dam and of course thought they could drain it dry and create these parcels of land to sell. Mother nature showed them it was foolish to try and thwart her because the peat was so thick and when it was dry enough if it caught fire it would burn underground for a very long time. The area is a natural feeder to the Fox River which eventually empties into the Mississippi. It is also filled with numerous tunnels left over from iron ore mining. Iron ore was somewhat easily obtained here. A great deal of pig iron ingots were cast here and shipped out. When the Minnesota iron ore deposits were discovered, production ceased here as it was easier to mine in Minnesota.

Following our tour to the marsh we were invited to Jack and Carita Hoffman’s car parlor for lunch and a display of their vehicles and memorabilia. I was extremely impressed by the orderliness of Jack’s garage with obviously a place for everything and everything in its place.

After a very delicious lunch of so many things to choose from - salads, cold cuts, breads, beverages and scrumptious desserts, the Hoffmans were thanked for their hospitality and graciousness with words from Norm Barrs and a sound round of applause. Jack related that the area and the Horicon Marsh is being returned to its natural state by conscientious conservationists.

Our leader, John Haydon then informed us that there were two different routes to Hartford and the Wisconsin Auto Museum – brave & sissy. The sissy tour, which we took, was very challenging. We finally arrived at the museum a little worse for wear but a very scenic tour was had which took in a large windmill, large farms, and hills. Ron Kneebone had fuel problems, Mike Barry had braking problem, the Didiers were unknowingly left behind with carburetion problems. The Grunders helped the Didiers, Mike use downshifting and Ron used a persuader.

After arriving at the museum we spent about 1 and _ hours with the exhibits where Kissel’s were featured. (Kissel cars were made in Hartford.) Other featured cars included Rambler, Nash, Pierce Arrow, Studebaker, Hudson, Essex etc. and of particular interest to me was the 1951 Crosley (built in Ohio) and exactly like the one my dad drove. In fact we had two, a sedan and a station wagon because our family (7) couldn’t fit into one car. The locomotive #1003 Soo Line was very impressive. It reminded me a bit of the Train Museum in England in 2001. All the memorabilia is thoughtfully displayed with extremely friendly staff making the visit very pleasant.

We were running a little behind so we boogied a little on the return to the motel. We didn’t see Bill and Carolyn drop out of the pack (they were behind us and then they weren’t, a few moderns got in between us). We arrived back at the motel and became concerned when they didn’t show after a considerable time. John Haydon and Jason Gehring jumped back into the John’s 28 sedan and retraced our path. While they searched in came Bill and Carolyn with John Jr. and Kathryn following. We now have a 2 gallon gas can in reserve for "just in case" events.

By the way the weather was absolutely wonderful all day Thursday.

Friday, September 19, 2003

The weather today started out cold and damp. We wrapped up as much as we could and off we went to the EAA in Oshkosh. A very nice ride on back roads and we got there at last.

At last is what I mean because we didn’t think to put the side curtains on the HCS and by the time we got there you could almost pry us out of the car. Hands, feet and noses were extremely cold. When we parked the car and got out the first thing we did was put the side curtains up before going into the museum.

What an educational morning we had. Planes of all shapes and sizes. Histories of various aviators and their accomplishments could be viewed and heard. War displays and first flight displays. Our tour guide led us through the major displays and then turned us loose to select and spend as much time as could be had to see as much as we could. Of course the souvenir shop was the last stop and I don’t think anyone got out of there without spending at least a little money. We bought a teddy (named Piper the Cub) dressed in a leather jacket and flight goggles and scarf and a commemorative poster for a flying friend of ours. After the tour we made our way back to Fond du Lac and lunch. The afternoon was spent in a drive out to Road America to view the trials. Mike took the HCS to the track and left it there for the next day. The Stutzs did not run in the afternoon session. I got a lift back to the motel to write up as much as I could remember of the last two days so that there could be a diary of same.

Everyone made their way back to the motel in time to get spiffed up for dinner at the Rolling Meadows restaurant. The meal was excellent (your own choice). After dinner awards were presented to Norm Barrs and George Holman for their participation in the racing events of 2003. George Holman was awarded the Peter Helck award. Stutz awards were presented to Mike Barry and Ron Kneebone for having the oldest cars on tour. Norm presented John and Kathryn Haydon with the Allison Barrs Memorial Trophy for this year’s Grand Stutz hosts with Dale and Bonnie Wells receiving it for the first time for 2002 (they could hold it if they wanted to). The uniqueness of this trophy is that it was won in England by a Stutz and was found some 70 years later in a sad state of disrepair. It has been lovingly restored and presented for the first time to the Wells and Haydons the organizer(s) of the Grand Stutz.

Saturday, September 20th

Clear, sunny, and cool morning made perfect touring weather as members gathered in the motel parking lot for prompt departure at 9:30 AM. John Haydon’s Stutz led the tour, followed by Bill Greer’s HCS, and Ed Schoenthaler’s Model M Cabriolet. Ten members followed in modern cars as we drove east through Fond du Lac onto the winding country roads. A few other cars broke into our tour group as we left the city, and Ruth Toth made a wrong turn at a 3 road intersection, but quickly turned around and got onto the correct road when she found herself all alone.

We wound around twisting country roads, up and down long hills through beautiful green dairy farms and corn fields. We passed one field where 5 deer were spotted, and several miles further passed a small herd of buffalo. There were lots of giant silos on the various farms, and large rolls of hay, and fields of soy beans.

After 35 miles we made a rest stop at the Old Wade House Historic site. It was an 1860’s stagecoach inn and was a busy highway stop during the Civil War. To our surprise, there were 2 Bentley convertibles, 1 Rolls-Royce convertible and 2 Rolls-Royce sedans in the parking lot when we arrived. They were touring through the Kettle Moraine State Forest ahead of us, and were also on their way to Road America.

We wound our way through the beautiful, deep forest roads on our way to a lunch stop. We passed Crystal Lake which gleamed in the noon sun and drove on to Elkhart Lake where we drove the original circuit of the 1950’s road races before the present course was built. We lunched at The Back Porch (formerly "Dillinger’s) in the Victorian Village of Elkhart Lake and enjoyed the beautiful lake scenery from the porch overlooking the water.

After lunch it was a short run from Elkhart Lake to the Road America course where we all parked in a reserved area for the Stutz Club at turn #5. At 2:30 the vintage cars had their time trials and we watched the Blackhawks roaring around the track trying to catch a formula One 1934 Type 59 Bugatti and a 1933 Studebaker Indy race car which were leading the class. Interspersed with the classic racers were about a dozen assorted MG’s which followed onto the track and were soon spread all around the course.

As the late afternoon sun cast long shadows around the in-field, our group began to leave for the return trip to the motel in Fond du Lac (French for "the-far-end-of-the-lake") except for some who had dinner reservations for the VSCDA banquet in Elkhart Lake. Then it was time to prepare for another day at the track when the vintage cars will race for their standings.

Sunday, September 21, 2003

The final day of the 2003 Grand Stutz dawned bright and cool – a perfect late September day in Northern Wisconsin. The schedule called for the cars to be ready for our tour of Road America by 10:20, so we had time for a leisurely breakfast and checking out of our comfortable motel (for those who would be leaving directly from the races). The short drive from our motel in Fond du Lac to Road America near Elkhart Lake gave us a last opportunity to enjoy the rolling hills and the lush country scenery.

Our attractive blue and white tent, with the Stutz Club banner, was located near Corner 5 of the race track, being one of the best vantage points for viewing the races. Our enthusiastic members arrived early and had their cars sparkling and ready for display by 9:00. The ten handsome Stutz and H.C.S. cars were lined up near the tent facing the main drive up the hill to the paddock and they gathered a good crowd of interested spectators. Some knew about Harry Stutz’s creations, but a number asked "What’s a Stoots?" We were patient with the uninformed and many new admirers learned a lot about the splendid Stutz and H.C.S. automobiles. One of the stars of the show was Andy Simo’s magnificent prize-winning 1930 Monte Carlo which drew lots of admiring looks. Many hoods were up and expert explanations were being provided.

Mike Barry kindly agreed to "herd" the cars into chronological order (from newest car in front to the oldest in back) in anticipation of the tour around the track, to be led by the Club’s two race entry Blackhawks. Every car had its full complement of passengers for our historic ride around the very hilly and beautiful course. We were instructed to proceed out of our viewing area, up the steep paddock road, and onto the track’s pit lane via the marshalling area road. Sadly, Charlie Didier’s beautiful newly-restored 1929 coupe decided to have a lapse or disconnect (in the electrical system?) and failed to mount the hill. The remaining nine made it up the hill and onto pit lane, to join the line behind Norm’s and George’s Blackhawks. We had a pleasant wait in the lane, with lots of spectators looking at the cars and taking pictures from the other side of the fence and enjoying the very unusual sight.

It was reported that the chief of the race track crew, when he saw our cars lined up, called on the radio to all the corner worker stations and track crew: "Get your cameras out and ready, there’s a fantastic show coming you won’t want to miss!" After a fair wait and lots of visiting, we were led out onto the track for our parade lap before the pre-war sports car race, being Group One featuring the two Stutz Blackhawks.

Motoring around beautiful Road America race course, to the waves and cheers of the corner workers and spectators, was a thrill we won’t soon forget. All the Stutz and H.C.S. cars performed flawlessly and presented a stunning sight.

The race itself lived up to its billing. A 1934 Bugatti T59 formula one race car from San Francisco (having a fraction of the weight of the Stutz Blackhawks) qualified first and stayed out in front, but a very close race ensued for second place between George Holman in Norm Barrs’ Stutz and a 1933 Studebaker Indianapolis race car from Kansas City. Further excitement was provided when Bill Holman, in George’s Blackhawk, stalled on the grid, so he was delayed in getting it off the line. As the result, he lost his good starting position and started way back in the pack.

Consequently, we had two races: the Indianapolis race car very close behind George trying to catch him and Bill’s racing through the pack to try to catch up with the leaders. It was said that the close racing between George, in Norm’s Stutz, and the Indianapolis racer was one of the best for Group One and it provided very good racing for the spectators who cheered as they passed, "nose to tail" as the expression goes. Sadly, near the end of the race, the driver of the Indianapolis race car pushed his car beyond the limit in trying to catch George and, as we understand it, tipped over! The dangerous situation caused the race to be red flagged, with George earning a well-deserved second place, followed by Bill in third having passed everyone but George and the Bugatti. Good Show, Indeed!

Many of us stayed for more race watching and kibitzing, while some had to leave in order to get a head start for the long treks home. By mid-afternoon our group had become rather small but still enthusiastic as we gathered our chairs in a semi-circle near the Club’s tent and reminisced about what a grand time we had had.

The turnout for this year’s Grant Stutz exceeded expectations, as had the weather, with the success of the two Blackhawks making the event quite special. As we said our final adieus, we recalled the warm friendships which had been kindled or renewed, and we were happy to know that similar fun awaited at the 2004 Grand Stutz.

What a great group of really fine people, brought together by an appreciation of the results of Harry Stutz’s genius.

Click here to see all the photos.

Grand Stutz 2002

The Grand Stutz Kalamazoo was an overwhelming success and was one of the largest gatherings of the Stutz family of cars to date. We have attached some candid photos of the weekend’s activities including the group photo above of Stutz cars at the Gilmore Museum over the June 2, 2002 weekend.

Click here to see all the photos.

The cars and owners will always be winners. We thank all those who participated in this great event. Special thanks go out to the Gilmore Museum for inviting and honoring Harry C Stutz, the Man and his Automobile. He contributed so much to American automobile history.