Annual Dinner Events
Dinner Events are typically held three times per year concurrent with the vintage race weekends in May, July, and September in Elkhart Lake. All three dinner events include a pre-dinner reception and a full course sit down dinner followed by a Program featuring luminaries from sports car racing past and present.
Remember, HRC members receive a discount on the dinner reservation. If you would like to become a member, please click on the “Become an HRC Member – Sign Up Today” page.Â
Spring HRC Dinner Event  Â
The Spring HRC dinner and program will be held at Historic Siebkens, Thursday May 16 preceding the SVRA Spring Vintage Festival at Road America. We are excited to announce that our speaker for the evening will be Mike Kertscher, President and General Manager of Road America, who will talk about “Where has Road America Come From? Where is Road America Going?”
Most HRC Members know citizens of Elkhart Lake organized, sponsored, and conducted International Road Races on their public roads 1950 -1952. Those races were tremendously successful by every standard, and put Elkhart Lake, WI on Road Racing’s International Map along with Circuit de la Sarthe LeMans, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Pebble Beach, Spa-Francorchamps, Goodwood, the Carrera Panamericana, Nordschleife Nurburg, Circuit de Monaco, Autodromo Buenos Aires, and other venues.
Elkhart Lake’s Public Road Racing ended with “The Last Race” on 7 September 1952. John Fitch won driving a Cunningham CR4 with an estimated 100,000 people watching and enthralled with the experience. Fortunately, with the conclusion of the 1952 races, Cliff Tufte and other local citizens saw the potential prosperity that a special-built road racing course would bring to their community. The community came together, shares were sold, and Elkhart Lake’s Road America hosted their first race in 1955.
Road Racing has come a long way since 1950. Road America remains on the International Map of Road Racing because of the outstanding performance of the Road America Board of Directors and their choice of management. It is estimated that in 2023 Road America brought a $254 million economic impact to Sheboygan County, and $403 million impact to Wisconsin. It is impossible to put a monetary value on the memories of those who have come to Elkhart Lake for racing, but memories and stories are what have driven the financial success of Road America in our community and will continue to do so in the future.
Mike Kertscher is the current President and General Manager of Road America, and he will share with HRC the remarkable changes in Road America, and the racing world, since 1955. Mike’s presentation will cover a wide range of subject matter, and he especially enjoys a Q&A session. A brief bio of Mike Kertscher is attached.
Bring your appetite, your questions, and learn what it takes to operate a world-class venue for the International racing world.
Siebkens will be serving their fabulous dinner of Lemon & Herb-Marinated 1/2 Chicken, family style Simple Green Salad, family style Bread service, and Chef’s Choice Desert. Dinner will also include a coffee and tea station.
This promises to be a very interesting and informative evening, so make your reservations as early as possible because seating is limited.
Make your reservations online at www.historicracecars.com. or download the reservation form and mail it in to HRC PO Box 51, Elkhart Lake, WI, 53020.
