Page 70 - KCRPCA JulyAug 2021

ONE LAP OF AMERICA
THE LONGEST DRIVE
8 DAYS, 20 EVENTS, 8 TRACKS, AND 3,500 MILES IN THE NAME OF CHARITY
FEATURE CONTRIBUTOR SCOTT DONAGHUE
One Lap of America may
be somewhat unknown
to many, but the reach of the event is extensive. It is very hard to attend a race, HPDE or any track event and not find someone that was involved with the event over the years. Started in 1984 by Brock Yates as the evolution of
the Cannonball run, OLOA was imagined as an endurance event rewarding exceptional drivers and cars. The event only has one rule for the cars, which requires drivers to use a 200 treadwear tire and they only get one set! The OLOA course changes every year, but it’s always 8 days, 20+ events and averages 3,500 miles. There are no trailers or chase vehicles; just what can fit in, on or behind the car. Typically, there are two or more events per day either running a road course, drag race, or an autocross, and they have even had a dirt oval to mix things up.
Each event is rewarded with
points with the majority from the road course time trials. In these, it is the total elapsed time over three laps, which starts from a stand still. There are no warm ups beyond traveling from the pit out to the start/ finish. For most, the track walk is the only opportunity to learn the track before they drive it. There are no points given for the transit from event to event, but making good time does allow for more rest. This might sound like a crazy event but all the work becomes secondary. It becomes more like a summer camp for car junkies once you arrive, and as a good friend once put it, “The Juice is Worth the Squeeze”.
05
YEARS
70
Der Sportwagen
It has been several years since my original teammate, Angel Morales, and I started prepping for OLOA 2018, though in many ways the journey started in the late 90’s.
My adventure down this unlikely path started when I was in my teens reading articles about OLOA