116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
After setbacks, West Liberty man looks to race in ‘Sick Summer’ drag and drive event
Hundreds of hot rods will pass through Cedar Rapids Thursday
Jun. 5, 2023 1:12 am, Updated: Jun. 5, 2023 8:18 am
Tony Wisman bought his 1969 Dodge Dart GT with dreams of racing it. Almost 12 years later, Wisman and his car will finally hit the racetrack for Sick Summer 2023, a drag and drive event that will see hundreds of hot rods pass through Cedar Rapids on Thursday, June 8.
This marks an emotional milestone for Wisman, of West Liberty, who has rebuilt the car twice since he bought it.
“The first fabrication shop that did it had it for five years,” Wisman said. “When I got it back other people looked at it and found it was unsafe, nothing was done right.”
Now Wisman has worked with Brian and Jesse ‘Jes’ Havlik at HotRods by Havliks in southwest Cedar Rapids to get the car ready to race.
Wisman bought the car for $2,500. He estimates that he has spent more than $100,000 rebuilding it twice.
A family affair
During his childhood, Wisman was surrounded by car lovers. His father street raced and instilled in Tony a love for driving fast. Wisman’s uncle owned a ‘67 Dodge Dart GT, which inspired Tony to buy his own Dodge Dart.
Just days before this week’s race, the car still had not been started. Wisman said they were hoping to get it started before Sunday. Brian Havlik corrected him, “We’re going to get it started.”
“It is literally a milestone. Like I said, there’s been so much that’s happened in 12 years for this to actually happen is … it’s super emotional,” Wisman said. “I can’t believe it’s actually coming to an end and yet, a beginning.
'Sick Summer’ challenges drivers’ talents, physical endurance
This is Wisman’s first time racing Sick Summer, though he’s not a rookie racer. Twenty-some years ago, he was racing tracks with a Dodge Charger.
Still, drag and drive events like Sick Summer are unique races.
“It combines complete exhaustion and total financial irresponsibility and racing all into one week,” Brian Havlik said.
Racers must drive street-legal drag-race cars to five Midwest race tracks in five days following a set route. At each track, the cars run quarter-mile time trials. In between tracks, racers cannot be assisted by outside help and must bring everything they need — personal items and car parts and tools — with them.
To ensure everyone takes the same route, racers must stop at checkpoints — like HotRods by Havliks in Cedar Rapids.
Brian and Jesse Havlik have competed in past drag and drive events together with Brian as the driver and Jesse as the co-pilot. Jesse took on tasks like navigating and making sure the pair got enough to eat and drink during the high stress event. This year, Brian is racing while Jesse mans the checkpoint.
The cars running in Sick Summer are being pushed to their limits. It’s not a matter of if something breaks, it’s when. Racers are limited to bringing what parts they can fit in their car or a small trailer.
“I might only bring a few extra parts that I might need, but if I [don’t] and somebody needs it, they’re getting it to keep going,” Jesse said. “That’s the attitude that everybody has.”
Although racing culture is competitive, help is readily available.
“If somebody’s broke, you help them get going,” Jesse said. “Yeah, I gotta get to the next track but I’m going to stop and help.”
Jesse said like any hobby, it can get expensive.
“I would say that on one of these events it’s easy to spend $3,000 a week: if you don’t have any breakage, if you don’t have any issues, nothing unexpected,” Jesse said. “With your hotels, your gas, your travel … through the event it’s easy to spend $3,000. If you think of it as a vacation, it’s just as expensive as any other vacation.”
Breakdowns may delay racers long enough that they cannot get a full night’s rest before reaching the next track. Sometimes, racers won’t even make it to the hotels they reserved.
Race starts and finishes in Illinois
The unique challenge of a racing road trip has Wisman excited to compete, though it’s not all about the bragging rights.
“It’s not so much actually racing on the track. Obviously I want to see what it’ll run for times, but I think the coolest part will be being able to cruise with Brian and those guys,” Wisman said, “and go fast and finish the event.”
The race kicks off at Cordova Dragway in Illinois June 5. From there, racers will head to dragways in Illinois and Wisconsin. On Thursday, June 8 cars will race at TriState Raceway in Earlville, Iowa. Then, they must hit the Cedar Rapids checkpoint — HotRods by Havliks at 1625 W Post Rd. SW — before returning to Cordova Dragway in Illinois.
HotRods by Havliks will be open all day for the event.
“You’re more than welcome to come hang out, see the cars, see the shop,” Jesse said. “We’ll be open all day.”
Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com
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