from Tom Yeager, March 8 2005

John, Last weekend (March 5-6, 2005) at HSR Sebring: Pace lap and start of race. I raced Peter Mclaughlin's 7. It was great to get back into his car. He had sold it to Ken Walker who painted it yellow and then decided to retire from racing. Peter bought it back and put it back to the original colour, well, his original colour. It will be getting a complete redo this year down to the frame to put it back to where it was two years ago.

Oh, I held off all the cheater 356 Porches for the win.

John Donohoe writes: In February of 2002, I noticed a request went up on the Vintage Race email list for clip art of a Lotus 23. Well, that's right up my alley, so I offered to create the art. I learned that the graphic was needed to feature on an embroidered patch and promotional pieces for the "Tom Yeager Sports Racer Challenge." Of course, looking into the series, I had a look at Tom's bio which indicated his first drive, the 1962 Lotus Seven America. Needless to say, I contacted him...
Here are some original pictures and newspaper clips of my first real race car the Lotus 7 America, with the BMC engine and some stories about how we used the "unfair advantage" back in 1962. I originally bought it from a fellow in Detroit (Grosse Pointe) and drove it back to Marion Ohio on a cold dark night...
On that dark rainy night back from Detroit in 62 with my new race car ( there were no four lane Highways) Some where near Upper Sandusky Ohio at about 65 MPH. Top up, side curtians on, raining like hell, vision nonexistant, a semi oncoming passed me (he must have been going 70 or so, it seemed like 100. The Lotus took off sideways about Four feet, it seemed like about 10! The side curtians were sucked out and off, taking what I thought were my ear drums with. The fellow following me almost crashed, from laughing. We retrieved the side curtians in the ditch back the road a piece. That also was my first driving on the right side. What a FUN drive.
The unfair advantage? For example, we had a plastic toy horn under the dash. We also had a turkey baster filled with Fullers Earth connected to a hose which led to the top of the trans bell housing... When the clutch started to slip at the end of the races I just gave it a squirt and - volia--off to the races! Ha ha! Solved the slipping clutch problem mid season. First year you know!!
I sold the car to Charlie Akin in Mansfield Ohio, it was originaly white, he painted it red and put it on its top and I beleive either junked it or sold it to Gorden Black in Mansfield. I see Gorden at Mid Ohio but have not asked him about the red 7 that he races, it may be my old car?
To bad about not having the ID # but back in those days who would have known?
Tom's first "fender bender" in June of 1963... and the best way to forget about it?

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