TOURING

THREE

(Team Iron Butt)

 Norm began his racing “career” in 1953 while stationed in Germany with the USAF.  He campaigned a Triumph TR-2 in races, hill-climbs and rallies until his return to the U.S. in 1956.

 Back in the States he campaigned his Triumph and later a Volvo PV444 sedan. It was during that period that he and his old rally co-driver of USAF days drove a Volvo 444 through the 48 states, Canada and Mexico, a distance of 9,261 miles, in 8 days, 4 hours and 13 minutes; a record that still stands.

 In 1959 he returned to Europe and became the European Rep for Elva Cars Ltd. He formed a team of three Elva Couriers, based in Bitburg, Germany, racing on the Nurburgring, Hockenheim, airport circuits and hill climbs. Elva then sent him to the States to assist the importer in establishing a dealer network west of the Mississippi.

 Norm had excellent success with Elva Couriers, Formula Juniors and G-modifieds in SCCA and Cal Club racing events until the importer went out of business. During the next several years he negotiated rides in a variety of production, modified, sedans and formula cars until he “retired” in 1968.

 He then took up dirt bikes and found himself competing in enduros for the next several years. A job change took him to Colorado in 1978, and he began competing in SCCA’s Pro Rally series.

 In 1992 he took up street bikes, and began doing long distance events aboard various BMW motorcycles. These included a variety of Iron Butt Association events and the Motorcycle Endurance Riders Association’s 8/48 (48 States/ 8 days) finishing 6^th (8,654 miles in 7 days, 23 hours and 32 minutes).

 In addition to various other endurance events, he entered and completed the famed Iron Butt Rally in 1999 (11,000 miles in 11 days), bringing home a bronze medal for his first effort in this grueling event. He also completed the event in 2001, missing a gold medal when he was time barred at the Buxton, Maine checkpoint coming in from Alaska.

 Norm competed in the One Lap of America in 1999 on a supercharged Dodge Dakota 5.9 R/T with his wife Linda co-driving; in 2000 on an Audi S-4 Quattro with photo-journalist Chris Cimino co-driving; and in 2001 on the same Audi S-4 with his son Mike co-driving.

Mike Babcock was named after two former greats, Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss.  He was destined to be a gear-head.  Mike entered his first auto competition at the age of 14 as a co-driver in his father’s SCCA Pro Rally car, but by the time he was of legal age the rally car was gone and dirt bikes were the order of the day.

 Mike and his father ran the enduro circuit on Huskys until he moved to Arizona. Later, Mike campaigned a Husky WR430 in some desert races until sustaining a serious injury, after which he dropped out of motorized competition.  Until December 14, 2000, when his father called, looking for a co-driver for the 2001 One Lap of America.

He soon found himself piloting one of the Roush prepared Mustangs at Bondurant’s little playground in Arizona for three days, followed by another school at Motorsport Ranch in Texas on an SLP SS Camero. He was also able to run some hot laps there aboard the Audi S-4, thereby learning some of the strange handling characteristics of four wheel drive motorcars. He passed all of these tests with flying colors.

 During the 2001 One Lap of America, Mike drove at the Virginia International and Watkins Glen circuits with good results. Although the car suffered major mechanical problems at the onset, they were able to effect repairs (after missing several venues) and finish the event. He is now hooked.

by BP