2007 ISSCA Nationals - Plus-Size Speed & Agility

Founded in 2000 as a non-profit focused on the preservation and maintenance of the Chevrolet Impala SS, along with other B&D bodies manufactured from 1991 to 1996, the ISSCA (Impala SS Club of America) held its 5th annual event in St. Louis, Missouri, over Father's Day weekend from June 15-17. Over 200 participants from across the country descended upon Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois, just a stone's throw across the river from St. Louis, to partake in the activities. For denizens of the Impala clan, the ISSCA Nationals were a pilgrimage of sorts to hang with friends and test the mettle of their respective cars, whether it be road racing, auto crossing, drag racing, or one of the more sedentary venues, such as the car show or sound off competition. Whether you were a participating chapter who journeyed in as a group to try and win the Chartered Club Challenge, or an individual coming in from a sleepy Midwest town to show and shine with the herd, there was a place for you. Hang on as we take you through a sweeping tour of the ISSCA Nationals.

Hotel:
The host hotel was the Holiday Inn in Collinsville, Illinois, which was approximately eight miles north of the Gateway International Raceway complex. In addition to hosting registration and providing a place to relax after an activity-filled day, the hotel was the venue for club meetings, awards presentations, and of utmost importance, "Parking Lot Activities." As an official event in the program, it would be considered inappropriate to forgo this activity, so a veritable tent city emerged on both event nights and housed a roaming pack of enthusiasts checking out each other's cars and milling around. In addition to lawn chairs and putting your foot up onto the back of a trailer, the generic adult beverage cooler was both a great place to sit and on occasion reach in for a cold one, clearly only to recharge yourself from the stifling heat and humidity of nearly 100- degree temperatures.

Road Racing:
Road racing was conducted on Saturday, June 16, at Gateway International Raceway. Gateway hosts various motorsport activities, including NASCAR Busch and Truck series events on its 1.25-mile oval track, described as the "flat Darlington." Road race activities were conducted in the facility's infield. After a mandatory driver's meeting, owners selfteched their cars into classes by a point system that slotted racers into stock, prepared, modified, and race categories based on the vehicle's modifications.

Car Show:
The car show was held on Saturday, June 16, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and vehicles were classed based on Impala SS's, B-bodies and D-bodies other than Impala SS, and Wagons and B-body wagons. Both visual modifications and mileage determined where a vehicle would be classed. Classes ran the gamut from stock through modified, and every priority was given to competitors who intended to road-race in order to get their vehicles judged and out onto the track. Judging was based on an ISSCA-based 180-point judging sheet, and all competitors drove their cars over to the paddocks into their assigned judging lanes at predetermined times for drive-through judging.

Autocross
Autocross racing was conducted on Sunday, June 17, in the parking lot adjacent to the dragstrip facility. After a driver's meeting, all racers were once again classed based on modifications, and racing began around 9 a.m. In order to accommodate those drivers who intended to drag race during the afternoon, Auto-X specific cars were held off until the afternoon.

Chris Nickell's '95 Impala SS that competes in the NASA American Iron Series was out assaulting the track at Gateway. The 383 LT1-motivated car (GMHTP Sept. '07, "American (Iron) Dream") carved up the track displaying his line of B-body suspension components for Rustic Racing when an alternator bracket broke, lodging the alternator between the frame and suspension and resulting in a loss of steering. Chris recovered quickly and had the Impala back at the Autocross the next day, but front suspension damage resulted in a "push condition" slowing down lap times. That's all right, as Chris had a good time wheeling the TKO 600-equipped five-speed car around the track before heading home to Pleasant Plains, IL.