Shut Down – the Beach Boys

Loudon, NH - There comes a time in everyone’s life, when you have to show up. We’re not talking about spectator sports, we’re talking about being in the thick of the action. Put on your game face, snap on your chin strap and go on out and mix it up a bit.

In many ways, the 2000 Northeast Replica Challenge, was the perfect representation of that creed. With new noise restrictions in place, New Hampshire International Speedway agreed to play host to the event, but only if the participants could sneak in under a 99 db noise restriction. This was no place for a  Roadster, a car accustomed to waking up the neighborhood, a car whose idle often surpassed that sound level. For that reason, many simply gave up - threw in their collective shop towels and said forget it, it’ll never get that quiet.

Factory Five Racing owners, however, are comfortable to the role of proving the critics wrong. (you can’t build a Roadster for under $20,000 they all said; you can’t beat a big block with a little 302 the naysayers proclaimed; and now here they were again, you’ll never be able to run below 99 db said the pessimists in the crowd) Often, it’s under the worst odds that someone rises up and succeeds. In the end, a field of almost thirty  roadsters was dominated by FFROGs who ignored the torrential downpours, the daunting noise restrictions, and the chorus of "you can’t" to sweep the trophies and have the most fun getting there.

No customers better represented the Factory Five Racing Owner’s Group spirit and zeal better than Nate and Alison Hine. The brother/sister team tornado, even with a body still in gelcoat, was clearly the envy of many in attendance. The Hine-Turbine had managed to arrive at the Replica Challenge with a car built in less than two months. Not a rickety sled with pieces duct taped together, but a solid, well-oiled, racing machine that gave the fancy paints a run for their money. Having picked up their kit at the factory door only six weeks prior, Alison’s garage was a flurry of activity as the build continued night and day to make it to the race. Things went so fast, we were told, that the time lapse camera intended for their website couldn’t keep up with the activity. Running for only the first time in their new  roadster, they outran the field in all events. Although no "Top

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Also check out Northeast Replica Challenge '99