(Words and Photos by Bob Chiluk) – Optima Batteries hosted another qualifier for the Optima Ultimate Streetcar Invitations that takes place right after the SEMA show later this year. What makes these qualifiers cool is that one or more participant is selected from each event to compete in the big dance come November.This round of qualifying took place at the historic Road America road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The scenic setting of lush green rolling hills, elevation changes, and rich history welcomed participants and invited them to let it all hang out .
The action took place on the track for the timed road course portion of the competition and participants also had to run in a speed-stop challenge as well as an autocross. The weather was perfect and the competition was hot as all get out!
If anyone thinks this was just a leisurely Sunday drive, or that these guys and girls were scared to run their junk as hard as they could can then you’d be dead wrong! Ok , it was a friendly get together where participants helped each other with driving lines and techniques as well as breakdown repairs or parts, but that is the nature of racing. Once their helmets were installed, it was hardcore competition!
Our own “master of the microphone” Chad Reynolds handled all the announcing duties for the weekend, along with Bill Goldberg doing his video coverage for the small screen later this year. What a great weekend where the spirit of the event is more about the friends and not the fenders, and oh a couple of the lucky racers get a golden ticket to Vegas baby!!!!!!!!!!!
Hit the link for Bob’s awesome gallery of photos from this event. Some truly fantastic cars and trucks in this one!
EVENT LINK: 
great stuff bob, your stuff compared to mine of the optima challenge tells me I need to stick to car shows and drag racing