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Stevie De

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Stevie De

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Years Racing: Lifelong student of racing. Attended my first SCCA race at M.A.R. in Wentzville,Mo. 1963AD. Over 30 years behind the wheel, more like 40 if you count stealing the keys at night. First 'legit' competition was in Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six, with my killer '69 Datsun 510.

Years w/SBRS: Did my first ride and drive as a Datsun racer in '83 (long before any special projects felons ever discovered SBRS). Met Chief Instructor Terry Lee Earwood when co-driving w/ Dorsey 'Slut' Schroeder in the IMSA street stock wars in the mid 80's. The rest as they say, is history. I've been sliding down that long slippery slope ever since!

What before SBRS: Worked all manner of jobs from gradeschool on up at the now defunct DeBrecht Imports LTD 8510 hwy 66, St.Louis' Oldest Imported Car dealer (Dad is a major car nut , started off with a speedshop after the war). Worked every job from "Scrubini" (detailer), mechanic, sales etc. Until as Vice-pres.&general manager, I managed to succesfully tank a fifty year old business. . . Ran a dirt bag used car lot until I ran off and joined the circus aka SBRS.

Favorite Tracks:

-Road America. my first racing goal in life was to have my SCCA national license in time for the '80 June Sprints. Next to the runoffs, that was THE race.A large time. Love the town of Elkhart Lake and the whole package.

-Sebring. Scene of some of my fondest memories. First 'professional' start w/ own team in '85.Two wins there with Team Rossi in '87&'88. Steeped in tradition.

-Watkins Glen. Went there on family vacations to the Six Hour and Can Am races in the 70's. Ran several 24hr events there with IMSA Firestone Firehawk series.What a Hoot!

-Road Atlanta (with "The Dip"). Thoroughly enjoyed the SCCA runoff scene there in the '80's.Dominated there in the Rossi Shelby Charger in IMSA. Throwing it under the bridge and down the frontstraight and tossing it down the hill from turn #3 to turn #5 were some of the best parts!

Favorite Moments: Gridding on the fronstraight at Sebring '85 w/ my 'factory backed' SAAB Turbo for the inagural Firehawk Race. Boy, I thought I had really arrived. . . First IMSA win at Sebring in '87 w/ Dorsey Schroeder. They ran the next race before they did a combined podium and we were seriously overserved by the time they did the official photos. Hilarious times. . . Won it again the next year w/ Earwood in the first race for the Dodge Daytona. I started DFL (engine management issues in Qual.) Dodge ran a full page ad in USA Today ' First Race First Place'. It's been straight downhill ever since.

What Cars?:

-1969 Datsun 510 SCCA autocross and Pro-rally(did one of the early 100 Acre Wood Rallys' with my high school pal as navigator).

-'79 Opel Isuzu SCCA Showroom Stock C. My first year of SCCA club racing. was not allowed to participate in the Runoffs because I lost my appeal on a rough driving suspension handed out by some small minded kansas region stewards. No, I'm not still bitter!

-Datsun 1200 coupe, SCCA GT-4, GT-5. We were King Kong in the midwest with divisional championships
in '83 & '84. Big time club racing. Got routinely smoked at the runoffs by the cheater west coast money of Doug Peterson,etc. Best finish was 5th.

-Sports Renault now spec racer. What a turd of a car. wouldn't go, stop or turn.

-Lola Sports 2000. A proper race car with full body work. Had to scrunch down to squeak thru tech. Got pictures at speed with my noggin' several inches above the roll hoop. Not very bright!

-SAAB 900 turbo 16v. 1985 IMSA firestone firehawk inagural season. Had great fuel range but spotty reliablity. A frustrating but very educational experience. 'Character building'.

-Mitsubishi Starion Turbo '86 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship, with ICY racing. Dave Rosenbloom had a great scam using Philidelphia Inner City Youth as pit crew. Tough to get it off the concrete blocks after a pitstop.

-Dodge Shelby Charger' 86,'87. Paul Rossi was the Mopar Performance factory team. Serious HP and the biggest effort in the paddock at the time.

-Dodge Shelby GLHS, '87 for the street circuits and Lime Rock . Short wheelbase, no over hang, lotsa HP and steering lock. Got my only series pole postion at the Columbus Street Race.

-Dodge Daytona '88,'89. Paul Rossi' flying circus had a variety of performers like Jeremy Dale, Joe Pezza and our own Dyno Don Harple in the ranks during this time.Dominated the series.

-Eagle Talon '90-'93. both FWD & AWD versions. Nothing like AWD at a wet WGI to make you look like a hero.

Favorite Race Car: Gotta be the old ship in a bottle (non-tube frame) Datsun 1200. All motor, no handling and completely chuckable. Just Stand it on it's ear!

Racing Heros: Ronnie Peterson, James Hunt ( w/ Lord Hesketh), Keke Rosberg, Gilles Villenueve and Hans Stuck.

Impressive Students:

-Alex Gurney, a study in genetics.
-Micheal Valiante, great attitude never a single gripe.
-John Edwards, uncanny judgement and racecraft beyond his years.
-Marco, polite nice kid with all the skills.
-Alexander Rossi, gobs of raw talent and speed. Watch this kid!

Funniest/Dumbest moment doesn't really belong to a student. It does involve the tragically spectacular and recently deceased Paul Dana. This would be the tale of 'Stevie De's Cheerful Recovery Service' where our motto is "You stickem' We flip em'! One dreary 40deg./ rainy lapping day at RA fullcourse, Paul Dana caused a local yellow by sticking himself in the gravel trap ten feet off the track out of turn #6 (up under the Toyota bridge). Under the watchful eye of Captain Wally who was comfortably perched in his rental car at the turn #7 Brat stand, yours truly dipatches 'Durango one' from turn#5. I postion myself on the track out curbing and hop out to hook up. Meanwhile, I'm calling out car #'s that I want to yell at for overdriving the yellow's as I bound through the gravel to the somewhat buried Dana car. When I start to hook on to the front suspension, Paul gets all animated because he is maxed out on crash damage $$. "Wrap it around the roll hoop and I'll hold on to it ", he sez. As I get the slack out of the rope and am checking over my shoulder looking for cars coming thru the corner, I hear the deadpanned delivery of Uncle Wally say. . . . . 'Uh Steve!' I look in my mirror and hit the brakes because here is Paul waving frantically ( poor SOB didn't have a horn to honk!) as the car is digging in and starting over. I stopped but it was too late. It was straight out the Tricycle scene from 'Laugh-In' as he tips over at zero miles per hour. Thank god Paul Russo stopped and helped me flop him back over on all fours. The tough part was trying to explain to parts guy Dave how the car was fine when it went off , but the CDR was all mine! Oh yeah , that was also the same day I got stuck in car 89. . . another story.

If Not SBRS then what?: Evil Homer's Quality Pre Owned. The walking man's friend. Buy here/Pay here. Easy terms. You work, You ride!

Other Interests: The life long pursuit of the ultimate Maragarita - everyone needs a hobby, mine just happens to be Tequila. Lawn boy / asst. landscaper @ Rancho-Relaxo. Currently working on my video of 'Evil Homer's adventures in mowing' for the Stupid Human Tricks Channel.

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