Dear Friends,

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the year that was for the UMW race team. 

In our 15 years in competition, 2011 was perhaps the driest year for our on-track successes, as they were limited to a second-place finish at the Mid-America Motorplex in Pacific Junction, Iowa back in June. The following race, the famed ‘June Sprints’ at Road America, saw our ’77 All-American Racers Eagle DGF sustain heavy damage in practice when the RF upright failed under braking heading down into turn five. My heel and leg have mended just fine, though the DGF will probably not see the track until late 2012. I would like to thank the medical team at Road America, the FF community for checking in on me, my mechanic Paul Jay, and my friends and family for the weeks that ensued, especially those who helped me move the following week!

Away from the track, 2011 was perhaps the best year we’ve ever had in terms of Concours d’Elegance appearances, raising funds for charities and reuniting cars we’ve restored with those who made them famous ‘in the day.’ Among some of the most beautiful cars in the country, we managed class wins for Vintage Racecars at the Milwaukee Masterpiece and for Vintage Indy cars at the Dayton Concours d’Elegance with our 1972 All-American Racers Eagle-Offy. That fact was made sweeter at Dayton when we were awarded the Judge’s Choice Award. In May, Eagle #7225 turned laps at Indianapolis for the first time since 1977 when then-rookie Rick Mears DNQ’d with it for the late Art Sugai, and the car later was shown at Milwaukee, Dayton, Louisville and Menasha, Wisconsin for local charity events.

At Opening Day at Indianapolis in May, we had the pleasure of reuniting 1981 AAR Eagle-Cosworth #8101 with Jamie Priest, John Barnes and John O’Gara, who were there back in 1981 helping Chip Mead when the gearbox froze on the final lap of qualifying. Mead’s former Eagle will return to his home town in 2012 at the 2012 Dayton Concours d’Elegance fully restored and on display in Chip’s memory. I’d like to thank a few key individuals for their help in making that occasion possible.

In April, we brought #8101 down to Tucker, Georgia to the home of LPS Labs for their 50th Anniversary celebration. LPS sponsored Mead in 1981, and also helped us with the restoration process. We were proud to have the car on-hand for them as a part of their unique history, and we look forward to showcasing their name and products in the years that come, as they were a part of the car’s history since day one. Dennis Eade of Comprep and Walter Goodwin of Racecar Restorations both have strong ties to the car as well, and have been very helpful in the restoration process. Eade prepared cars for Mead in Formula Atlantic and IMSA, and Goodwin actually crewed on #8101 at Michigan in 1982 when Daniel ‘Spike’ Gehlhausen drove the car. 

All-in-all, 2011 was a wonderful year for us, and we hope that it was for you as well. We look forward to what 2012 may bring, and we wish the best for you and your loved ones this holiday season and beyond. 

Respectfully Yours,

UMW Driver/Historian

1972 AAR Eagle #7225 Flies High at Dayton Concours d’Elegance; Looks Forward to 2012

Menomonee Falls, Wis. 20 SEPT 2011 – This past weekend, the UMW team presented their former Mark Donohue Penske Racing 1972 All-American Racers Eagle #7225 at the Dayton Concours d’Elegance, held at Dayton, Ohio’s historic Carillon Park. Against some of the most beautiful and rarest cars in the world, the Sunoco-DX Eagle earned Best in Class for Indy cars as well as the Col. Edward A. Deeds Judge’s Choice Award, presented by grand marshal and two-time Indy 500 champion Arie Luyendyk.

“I cannot tell you how amazing this event this has been,’ said team manager Rick Dresang. ‘A class win alone would have been enormous feat against such cars as the 1961 Chenoweth-Chevy and the 1967 Federal Engineering Gerhardt-Ford, but to win the Col. Edward A. Deeds Judge’s Choice Award was a testament to Roman Slobodynskyj’s iconic design and the detail that both AAR and Penske Racing put into the car. It was a great day for the community of Dayton, and the concours was one of the highlights in our racing travels.”

The Eagle was pushed by a group of longtime Donohue fans to the recreated vintage Sunoco gas station in Carillon Park for its award, where team historian Jacques Dresang gave a speech about the car, and the legacy of Donohue and his love of charitable causes. In his biography, ‘The Unfair Advantage,’ Donohue titled the chapter regarding the Eagle ‘The Last Development Job (Left Unfinished).’ Although chassis #7225 never reached victory lane during its racing life, UMW believes that that Donohue would be pleased with the work Eagle #7225 has done on the concours circuit, raising funds for charities and those less fortunate.  

Dayton is also the hometown of the late Chip Mead, original driver of UMW’s 1981 AAR Eagle-Cosworth. The team is still collecting the proper bits to completely restore the Eagle for 2012, where it will not only be shown at the Dayton Concours d’Elegance, but hopefully run in anger for the first time since August 1983 when Bob Ward tested it at the now-defunct Riverside International Raceway.

During the Dayton event, Mead’s cousin, Jamie Priest, presented the UMW team with an original White Castle Eagle team crew shirt and LPS Labs t-shirt that the team wore during the month of May in 1981 for use to replicate for 2012.

“Together with my longtime friend Steve Welk and his Styled Aesthetics screen printing business, we plan on recreating the look of 1981 for our team wherever we go with the ’81 Eagle next year and beyond,” said UMW team historian Jacques Dresang. “It is going to be great to bring Chip’s car home to Dayton in 2012.”

The next event for UMW will be October 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY for the Louisville Concours d’Elegance, benefiting Brooklawn Child & Family Services, a non-profit psychiatric treatment center for children who suffer from abuse, neglect or other severe trauma.

The team will again roll out their 1972 All-American Racers Eagle #7225 as the representative of the 1970s in the 100 years of Indianapolis display in the infield of the historic horse racing facility. The team invites kids young and old to stop by for a special treat from the team. For more information, visit www.concourslouisville.com.

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1974, UMW has competed in various forms of racing, always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various cars currently raced and restored by the team. For more information, visit www.uemsimotorwerks.com or on Facebook under UMW (U, Me and Welk.)

UMW’s  ’72 AAR Eagle and ’72 International Fleetstar take Best in Class at Milwaukee Masterpiece

Menomonee Falls, Wis. 31 AUG 2011 – It took 13,971 days for 1972 All-American Racers Eagle to win a competitive event, just not in the form it was intended. Some 38 years and three months after it first debuted at the 1973 Indianapolis 500 with Mark Donohue and the Penske Racing team, Eagle #7225 managed to win ‘Best in Class’ for racing cars at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance for the UMW squad.

The Eagle took home the prize with its ‘Tonka Set’ partner, UMW’s former Penske Racing 1972 International Fleetstar 2110A transporter, which was viewed as an accessory to the Eagle. The event, held on Milwaukee’s Veteran’s Park along the lakefront of Lake Michigan, raised money for Jewish Family Services, a social organization aimed at strengthening the Milwaukee-area community.

“It was great to have the Eagle and the International win together,’ said UMW team manager Rick Dresang. ‘We came to the event five years ago and placed second, so it was only fitting that we were able to place a bit better with the transporter on-hand, even though there were some fabulous and legendary machines making up the field.’

The car has had a number of second-place showings at various events around the country, most notably at the 2006, 2007 and 2009 Road & Track Concours d’Elegance and the 2006 edition of the Milwaukee Masterpiece. The Eagle’s finest racing effort came on November 3, 1973, when driver Gary Bettenhausen placed sixth at the season-ending Phoenix 150, despite being involved in a two-car incident with AAR factory driver Bobby Unser.

The 1972 International transporter has shown even better in competitive form. While failing to place at the 2009 Road & Track Concours d’Elegance, it claimed Best in Class and Best in Show at the 2010 showing of the event.

The Masterpiece event concluded the concours year for the International, though the UMW has two more events planned for Eagle #7225. On September 18, the team will be traveling to Dayton, Ohio for the Dayton Concours d’Elegance at Carillon Park. Two weeks later, the team will be bringing the car to the Louisville Concours d’Elegance at Churchill Downs. More information on these events can be found at www.daytonconcours.com and www.concourslouisville.com.

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1974, UMW has competed in various forms of racing, always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various cars currently raced and restored by the team. For more information, visit www.uemsimotorwerks.com.

UMW Back in Action: AAR Eagle #7225, 1972 International Fleetstar to Show at Milwaukee Masterpiece               

Menomonee Falls, Wis. 26 AUG 2011 – After a five-year absence, the UMW team has two entries at this Sunday’s Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours d’Elegance, held on Milwaukee’s picturesque Veteran’s Park lakefront.

In the 2006 edition of the event, the team’s former Penske Racing 1972 All-American Racers Eagle #7225 picked up runner-up honors in the Competition category behind Chuck Davis’ one-off 1931 Miller V-16 entry. This year, the team is throwing all of their cards into the basket, also entering their former Penske Racing 1972 International Fleetstar transporter that captured ‘Best of Show’ at the 2010 Road & Track Concours d’Elegance during the Kohler International Challenge at Road America.

‘It should be an outstanding event,’ said team manager Rick Dresang. ‘The class of cars in the field are a great sampling of what the Milwaukee area has to offer, and it is no-doubt a great cause that benefits Jewish Family Services.’

For more information about the event, visit www.milwaukeemasterpiece.com.  

It has been a while since UMW has been close to any sort of competition. During practice for the SCCA June Sprints at Road America, driver Jacques Dresang and the team’s 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF Formula Ford were involved in a tremendous shunt in turn five after the right-front upright on the #46 RacingNation.com/LPS Labs entry failed at-speed, sending the Eagle head-on into the outside wall.

‘It was not really the way we were looking to spend the Sprints,’ said Dresang. ‘I was slowly building my way up to speed when the upright failed, and from there I was just a passenger hurtling head-on at roughly 85 mph. I got a taste of what it was like to be Evel Knievel, and I didn’t like it.’

Dresang spent eight weeks in a cast with a fractured heel and torn calf muscles; and the car is going through major surgery by Paul ‘Mr. Happy’ Jay to repair its battered, bruised and bent front-end. However, all is on-track for the team to be back running with the same combo in 2012, will all-newly designed uprights with the cooperation of fellow Eagle racer and all-around good guy Wes Allen and some other speedy bits the team has planned for next season.

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1974, UMW has competed in various forms of racing, always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various cars currently raced and restored by the team. For more information, visit www.uemsimotorwerks.com.

UMW Done Racing for 2011; Eagle DGF #005 Suffers Massive Accident

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, 21 JUNE 2011 - After three practice laps at the team's home track of Road America on Friday morning, a right-rear suspension component broke on the team's 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF #005, sending driver Jacques Dresang head-on into the outside wall, then head on into the wall where the safety vehicles exit onto the track.

The two hits managed to take off three corners of the car, though the frame is in excellent shape considering. Kudos to AAR designer John Ward for his concept back in 1977, and UMW mechanic Paul Jay for incorporating some other deformable structures in the front of the car. Jacques actually managed to bend the steering shaft into a 90° elbow, which made a quick exit rather easy. Regardless, this Fall we will hopefully have the car ready for 2012, with all new AAR-spec corners back on the car.

Dresang was also injured in the wreck as a result of the two head-on hits. As of today he has a fractured right heel bone, a severely bruised left calf and stretched tendons in his left ankle, enough to keep him in a boot and on crutches for a while.

The team would like to thank Two Dogg, Inc., Comprep, Hoosier Tire, LPS Laboratories, Farley Engines and RacingNation.com for all of their hard work in making the DGF come alive for 2011. With the data gained, we feel the Eagle can be very competitive at some of the tracks it will be racing on in 2012.

UMW Releases 2011 Formula F Press Kit

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 17 JUNE 2011 - With the upcoming June Sprints in full-view, UMW is pleased to announce the availability of the UMW 2011 Formula Ford press kit. A throwback by design, the downloadable PDF file contains data about the team's 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF, the team members, our partners who make the car fly as well as the story of how UMW came to be. Click on the cover image to the right to download!

1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF #005 Scores in Omaha

Pacific Junction, Iowa 6 JUNE 2011 - After nearly eight months of off-track improvements and renovations, the UMW team's 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF raced this past weekend at the Mid-America Motorplex in Pacific Junction Iowa for the Des Moines / St. Louis Region's Twisted Deja Vu National. On Saturday, the team passed its annual technical inspection and took the day to visit the Strategic Air Command Museum to see some of the United States most famous aircraft, including a B-17 'Flying Fortress,' a B-29 'Superfortress' and a B-36 'Peacemaker.'

On Sunday, the team went out for practice and had a left-rear radius rod-end break, sending Dresang into a wild spin into the wild grass infield of the 2.25-mile facility. A new rod-end was found before the race, and Dresang made quick work of most of the field, finally placing second behind Glen Tomlinson's Swift DB-1/Honda. Nine points were scored for the Eagle, its first podium finish in a national event for the UMW Eagle.

The next event scheduled for the UMW troop will be at Elkhart Lake's famed Road America track for the SCCA Chicago Region WeatherTech June Sprints, where it will be wearing it's all-new fiberglass for 2011, painted up to resemble David Loring's 1977 All-American Racers factory entry.

All-American Racers Eagle #7225 and #8101 Return to Indy

Speedway, Indiana 16 MAY 2011 - The UMW team gladly accepted an invite to bring both of their All-American Racers Indy Eagle racers to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend. It was the first time for the team at the famous facility other than its annual trip to the Speedway archives to research photos for their various car restorations.  

In terms of cars, it was the first time back to IMS for #7225 since 1978, when it served as Lee Kunzman's backup car for Art Sugai Racers. It was the first time #8101 had been to IMS since 1983, when it served as Spike Gehlhausen's backup car for the Jamieson Racing outfit. Both teams failed to make the race with their main cars, and neither backup was ever taken out.

During the course of the weekend, UMW was lucky enough to run #7225 around the famed 2.5 mile oval, a track it qualified over 197 mph at in 1973. Team driver / mechanic Paul Jay had its 159 c.i. Offenhauser chirping along at well-over 150 mph on the back straight, often running with other cars from the post 1965 era.

On Saturday, both cars were shown at a vintage Indycar display in the infield, nest to the Speedway Museum. It was a reunion of sorts during the day, as Chip Mead's cousin, Jamie Priest, the man who put together all of the sponsorships for #8101, stopped by to say hello and see the car for the first time in nearly 30 years. He passed on stories of Chip and the car, and was curious as to our future outlook with #8101. He was rest-assured that #8101 will be back on-track soon, and that Chip's memory will always be a part of the car's history with UMW.

Former #8101 crew chief John Barnes took time from his busy month of May with his Panther Racing outfit to stop by and say hello, as did former #8101 mechanic John O'Gara, who brought over son Andy and his wife, Sarah Fisher. The team also met such Indy legends as Mike Devin, who mentioned that he helped piece #7225 together in spring of 1976 when Bill Simpson acquired it from Penske Racing.  

All-in-all it was a terrific weekend for the team. New friendships were formed, and the cars were able to be seen by fans in the Indianapolis area for the first time in many years. #8101 will continue its ongoing restoration for the remainder of 2011 so that it can be ready for the summer of 2012.

All-American Racers Eagle #8101 Shown at LPS Labs 50th Anniversary 

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 15 APRIL 2011 - The UMW team just arrived home after visiting LPS Labs' Tucker, Georgia facility to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. LPS Labs sponsored AAR Eagle #8101 for its maiden voyage at Indianapolis in 1981 with driver Chip Mead. LPS has since helped UMW in the restoration of the historic Eagle, which was displayed Thursday outside of the LPS headquarters with over 200 past and present memebers of the LPS family of employees and partners. It was our pleasure to assist LPS on their half-century anniversary, and we look forward to furthering their association with #8101 and our team in the future.

UMW Adds 1974-1988 Results

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 3 MAR 2011 - This past month, UMW launched a new site dedicated to the racing club that launched our racing team back in 1974, www.chargerssnowmobileclub.com. In the process of adding results to the CSC site, we came across previously forgotten results scored by team founder Rick Dresang in his previous life as a snowmobile racer. Those stats and new photos have been added to the UMW results page in chronological order, making UMW's history now range from 1974-2011. Enjoy!

UMW Reboots Classified Section

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 2 FEB 2011 - After years of collecting, buying, selling, trading, bidding and stumbling upon things, UMW has finally started to weed out its collection of racing memorabilia. This week we have posted some USAC Stock Car prgrams from The Milwaukee Mile in the mid-1970s. Also up for grabs are three ultra-rare Mint 400 programs and an oddity to our collection, a 1977 Pro Rodeo program from 1977. Jerry Reed would be proud.

We have also added images of the famous UMW Mini cookie jars that we have in stock. Don't be shy, we have enough for all of you! Available in red or yellow for $18!

Soon we will be also listing posters, spare Indycar and Formula Ford parts as well as some other items that are tough to come by. For more information on acquiring said items, contact Jacques Dresang at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

UMW Acquires 1973 Grant King Racers Kingfish [1]

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 10 DEC 2010 - Those of us at UMW are generally thought of as absolute All-American Racers Eagle enthusiats. We are. However, when the opportunity presented itself to restore an Eagle copy, we couldn’t turn it down.

Former midget driver and friend of the team, Tom Snyder, purchased the 1973 GKR Kingfish from Chuck Haines in 2004 and hoped to bring it back from it’s mangled conditon from when Bentley Warren hydroplaned it into the back of Jimmy Caruthers during the rain-induced finish of the 1975 Indianapolis 500. Tom was able to take it down to it’s basic elements and then called us to see if we were interested in the ‘Chinese Eagle’ for our next restoration project.   

Photo: Tom Sneva wheeled the Kingfish to two 14th-place finishes at Milwaukee in 1974. (Glenn Snyder Photo - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) 

UMW Remembers Matt Drendel 

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 3 DEC 2010 - It saddens us to report that Matt Drendel passed away last week after an abdominal anuerysm. Matt and his Heritage Motorwerks team joined forces with UMW at the 2010 Mark Donohue Tribute Reunion to capture the Best in Show award, coupling his 1974 Porsche 917-30 with our 1972 International Fleetstar 2110A as an 'accessory' for use in the judging process.

His positive spirit, passion for motorsports and goodwill shown to those at the event was noted by all in attendence. His nature will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know him. He is survived by his wife Shana Hefner Drendel; father, Frank M. Drendel; son, Zachary Matthew Drendel; and daughter, Alyssa Leigh Drendel.

Dresang Sweeps SCCA Fall Sprints, Honors Friend

Rockton, Illinois 12 OCT 2010 – The UMW team ventured to Blackhawk Farms Raceway this past weekend for what would be their final race of the 2010 season. It proved to be fruitful, with driver Jacques Dresang taking pole position, winning all three heat races and the 18-lap feature event with the team’s 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF Formula F. The weekend would not be without sadness though, as long-time team member and friend Loyd Haslee died Saturday morning after a battle with cancer.

Haslee, 73, a former Air Force veteran and draftsman, first worked with team owner Rick Dresang in 1973 when the two worked on Don Kopiske’s infamous Elva Courier, an E-Production sports car that was known around the Midwest for its misadventures and grass-roots team of colorful characters. Later in life, Haslee often came to support the UMW team at Elkhart Lake’s Road America circuit, a track he had attended races at since it opened in 1955.

Saturday morning’s qualifying session went on shortly after the news broke of Haslee’s passing, with team driver Jacques Dresang plugging away in the #46 powder-blue and yellow machine. The Hartford, Wisconsin native captured pole position in the 20-car field, eight of which were fellow Formula F machines. The remainder of the event leading up to Sunday’s final was separated into three eight-lap heat races, of which Dresang led all flag-to-flag.

Sunday’s 18-lap final would be a test of endurance and strategy, as the team had noticed it was down on power in a straight line, though it was well hidden by the supreme handling of the 33-year-old Eagle chassis. When the green flag dropped, fellow Formula F driver John Luxon grabbed the lead heading down into turn one, but Dresang used the most of his TDI brakes to retake the top spot by the time the duo rounded the 90-degree bend.

From there on, Dresang opened up a slight advantage until lap five when Luxon caught-and-passed the UMW machine heading into turn one. Luxon’s Piper-Ford would not lead for long though, as immediately after his pass for the lead, the #47 machine started spraying water on the track. Dresang allowed a gap to form ‘just in case,’ and it proved to be a wise decision. A lap later Luxon went up in a cloud of spray and spun off course in turn six, opening the door for Dresang to regain the top spot; a position he would retain until the checkered flag flew.

‘I can’t say I had dry eyes on the victory lap,’ said Dresang. ‘All I could think of was ‘Uncle’ Loyd and what he meant to this team. The four wins we obtained this weekend are all dedicated to his memory. I’d also like to send a huge thank you to my tuner Paul Jay for making the Eagle fly this year, John and Jackie Taylor for making sense of all of this Formula F madness, Reid Hazelton for his advice, Heinz Mihm for the motor work and of course my family for all of their support.’

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1996, UMW has competed in various forms of racing, always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various machines currently raced and restored by the team. For more information, visit www.uemsimotorwerks.com.

UMW’s 1977 AAR Eagle DGF Triumphs in First Run at Road America

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 12 AUG 2010 – After nearly sixteen months in restoration, UMW’s 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF #005 Formula Ford, driven by Jacques Dresang, took home a FF class-win this past weekend at the SCCA Chicago Region’s Kettle Moraine Regional at Road America.

On Saturday, Dresang took the #46 car out for its first test run during the day’s qualifying session; his first in a Formula car. After a few shake-down laps, the former west coast machine came to life as the Hartford, Wisconsin native tested the car’s abilities. Everything went like clockwork as the car qualified and finished third for its initial day of shakedown.

Day two presented a heavy rainstorm just before the 8 a.m. qualifying session. With only a handful of cars entered in the class, Dresang and mechanic Paul Jay thought it would be best to skip qualifying. Instead, the duo had a coffee indoors and waited until the sun came out for the race.

The move proved to be a wise one as the track began to dry an hour before the second race of the weekend. The #46 machine started the race in second and grabbed the lead in turn 2, leading from flag-to-flag to capture their first FF win despite two full-course caution periods.

‘It was a great feeling to have the car not only run the full weekend without an issue, but for it to come home first on Sunday,’ said Dresang. ‘A lot of people thought we were crazy to try to race a 33-year-old Formula Ford nationally in 2011; but with the amount of improvements that we are planning on making for our next race, I think we can definitely make people take notice of the Eagle DGF.’

The win also proved to be timely, as this coming weekend marks the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The event is honoring legendary American racing icon Dan Gurney whose All-American Racers company built three of UMW’s machines, including the Eagle DGF.

‘We unfortunately had too many irons in the fire to make it out to Monterey,’ said Dresang. ‘But we would like to send our best wishes to the AAR family, as well as our thanks to the Chicag Region of SCCA, John Taylor of Two-Dogg, Inc., Heinz Mihm, Jeff Jagusch, Wes Allen, and the staff at UMW.'

The next race for UMW will be August 28-29 for Continental Motors Group National at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, Illinois, where driver Jacques Dresang will again pilot the team’s 1977 All-American Racers Eagle DGF.

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1996, UMW has competed in various forms of racing, always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various machines currently raced and restored by the team. For more information, visit www.uemsimotorwerks.com.

UMW Triumphs at Road & Track Concours d’Elegance

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin 21 JUNE 2010 – After five years of restoration work, UMW’s former Penske Racing 1972 International Fleetstar 2110A did the unthinkable this past weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, winning ‘Best in Show’ at the Road & Track Concours d’Elegance, an event that is coupled annually with the Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman at the four-mile Road America racing facility and the streets of Elkhart Lake.

It all started Friday evening on the streets of Elkhart Lake and the grounds of the fabulous Osthoff Resort, where the team’s freshly-restored 1972 transporter came away with a class win in the retired racecars class, beating out many famous racing cars; including the team’s 1972 All-American Racers Indy Eagle. From there, the truck was displayed at Road America for much of the weekend, where it served as a landmark for the 2010 Mark Donohue Reunion tent before Sunday’s overall Concours judging.

Showing the hauler alone with the ramps out would have only told half the story to the thousands of fans who made it out to the KIC. Thus, UMW team manager Rick Dresang consulted with Matt Drendel of Heritage Motorwerks, owner of the 1973 Porsche 917-30 on display under the Reunion tent. Rick and Matt came to the decision that the 917-30 would look great parked at the end of the International’s loading ramps to give the complete ‘Tonka set’ look to the truck. After checking with the judges, the 917-30 was allowed into the gated Concours area, and parked at the end of the loading ramps for the first time in over 36 years. When the final votes were tallied; the UMW crew, headed by team manager Rick Dresang, took home the ‘Best in Show’ award.

‘It is a great honor to take home the Best in Show award at the Road & Track Concours d’Elegance,’ said Dresang. ‘The truck was a massive undertaking to restore. We couldn’t have done it without the help of Dick Saleva, Heinz Mihm, Calico Hand Painted Pinstriping, Paul Jay, Dan O., Rick U., Jon ‘Wadewerx’ Wade, Gary Welk, Southland International Trucks Ltd., Lakeside International and the former Penske team members for their help in bringing the transporter back to former glory. A big thank you also goes out to Matt Drendel and his Heritage Motorwerks crew for helping complete the display with their Porsche 917-30.’

The team also had their ’72 Eagle-Offenhauser on-track during the course of the weekend with team driver Paul Jay taking the turbocharged Offy up through the gears on the car’s first laps of the Road America circuit. The UMW team will be seen next during the weekend of August 6-8, 2010 at the Road America circuit where team driver Jacques Dresang will make his 2010 debut in SCCA competition in the team’s newly-restored 1977 All-American Racers DGF Formula Ford. It will be the team’s first foray into formula car competition.

UMW is a team dedicated to the integrity and preservation of the history of motorsports. Since 1996, UMW has competed in various forms of racing; always with the same attention to detail that can be seen today in the various machines currently raced and restored by the team.