 And just like that, Cicada Mk. I is down to its bare self. Sadly, we'll have to go a lot further to make it whole again.
The inner aluminum cockpit skins were cut open in an attempt to remove the fuel bladders by a former owner, and thus, will have to be replaced. Likewise, the rear tube-frame assembly is toast- bent and twisted from some sort of unknown altercation in its history as a racecar. But nothing that has been done can not be undone by new material. It is a car, after all.  Eagle #8101 is in good hands, prepping for the 2026 WeatherTech International Challenge.
 Cicada Mk. I came home to Wisconsin today, 54 years after our own Rick Dresang saw it getting built in a basement in Plymouth, Wisconsin. It was hailed at the time as the only All-American Formula B chassis. Sound familiar?
It's going to be a massive project. It's had a hard life. Away we go.
A note from JD-
Last weekend, we celebrated our 9th annual Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration Shindig. We’ve had friends from all ages and all walks of life visit us for the event, some traveling as far as Kentucky and even California for the festivities. For Shindig #9, we had a special guest that visited from Iowa for the first time. A 3.5 hour drive one way, for those counting. During my years racing karts, one of the top drivers in any class was Craig Baltzer, a multi-time World Karting Association National Champion, and the 2003 WKA Constructor’s Cup ICC champion, earning a partially-paid ride in the 2003 USF2000 Series with JDC Motorsports alongside Steve Welk. Shortly thereafter, Baltzer returned to karts and finished 2nd in the Horstman Piston Valve Lite category in 2006, but he never made it to the 2007 WKA awards ceremony. We were there, and brought Baltzer’s trophy back to the Midwest. For the last 18 years, we’ve hung onto Craig’s trophy. So it was, ‘Supa Craig’ walked into KMPR last weekend, and during our annual speech to talk about the year that was, we made sure to celebrate Craig’s efforts… from 18 years earlier. A round of applause in his honor was had, and in turn, Craig lent us one of his helmets for display at KMPR going forward. Baltzer was ballistic in a kart. Always in the top-three whenever he unloaded at the track, and always battling at the sharp end of the field. Always a nice guy, too. In 2001 at what is now Trane Motor Speedway in Norway, Illinois, Craig and his dad came over during practice and offered to let me drive his Haase 125cc Shifter kart for a session. A top flight 125cc Shifter, capable of winning a national in the right hands…offered to a kid who had no clue how to shift, let alone how to handle that kind of power. I respectfully declined, as I knew what it took to do a motor change… I’m glad we could give Craig a piece of his hard-earned hardware. Likewise, it’ll be an honor to display one of his helmets at KMPR going forward. [Rich Zimmermann Photos]  And with that, KMPR's Shindig #9 is in the books. Thanks to everyone who came out today! It's always an honor.
Oh, and we have some news coming later this week that those on hand were able to hear first.... Goodnight, Wisconsin!  In the mid-1970's, one of the top Elden Formula Ford drivers in the US was Wisconsin's Gary Hackbarth.
Yesterday, he attended the Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration 'Shindig' and reminisced about his time racing Formula Ford as he admired the ex-Michael Argetsinger Elden PH10B.  Yesterday, Craig Baltzer made the trek from Iowa to loan us one of his old lids to be on display at KMPR. A proper display case will soon be added to the shop for helmets.
Its only right to have Supa Craig's Bell next to Steve Welk and Kenton Koch 's lids- three of the fastest kart racers in their time. |
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[email protected] Hubertus, Wisconsin 'Where History and Integrity Meet' |