Randy Jones
06-15-2014, 04:25 PM
Hi all,
I am very happy to announce that Sean Lamontagne was chosen to receive this year's Robert Feddersen Memorial - Factory Five Racing Legacy Award at the open house on Saturday.
Here is a link to a couple pictures of the presentation:
Sean and the group. Thank you again to Dave Hodgkins and Karen Salvaggio for being the rest of the selection committee.
https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC_5450.jpg
Sean being congratulated by his wife:
https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC_5454.jpg
Also, the text of the nomination as it came in as a PM:
Nomination of Sean Lamontagne (Sean L.) for the 6th Annual
Robert Feddersen Memorial - Factory Five Racing Legacy Award
I first met Sean Lamontagne by stalking him. In the Spring of 2006, I had recently purchased the donor car for my yet-to-be-purchased Mk III Roadster kit when I spotted a flat black Roadster driving down the road while out running errands one Saturday. I followed him to his house (creepy I know), pulled into his driveway and yelled (with all of the excitement of a kid that just spotted Santa Clause) “hey, is that a Factory Five?” Even though he would have been well within his rights to mace me or order me off of his property, he said yes and went on to give me a tour of his car. This was the first Roadster I had seen in person. He was a terrific ambassador for the hobby and a great salesman for FFR (as all owners/builders come to be).
Fast forward a few months and I purchased my Mk III kit. When it came time to do the wiring (something I had zero experience with), I ran into some trouble getting to the all-important and anticipated “First Start”. I called Sean. He came right over with his multi-meter and spent hours over the next days and weeks helping diagnose the problems). With his help, we finally got the engine fired up. I did my own body work. Again, whenever I was left scratching my head (fiberglass dust no doubt), I could call Sean and he would come over and set me straight. Any time I needed a tool that I didn’t have, Sean was nice enough to lend it to me. When I got the body back from the painter, Sean (together with a bunch of other New England Region builders) came over to my house after a local car show to help put it on. He also worked on some other wiring issues that day. Once assembled, Sean lent me his trailer so that I could take my car to the State Police for inspection. Since getting on the road in 2010, I have had a few problems (wiring related) and Sean has always been there to help. Sean has helped other builders with various problems over the years and has even completed cars for builders that couldn’t quite get it done on their own.
Sean and I live in the same town and we are friends so we travel together to a few car shows and the Open House every year. The unfortunate side-effect is that I end up parking my less than sparkling car next to his immaculate Roadster. With the hoods popped, lets just say there is “engine envy”. His car is a work of art, with lots of chrome and custom-machined touches. Mine, not so much (though, I love it). At the 2013 Open House, I couldn’t take it anymore. I said, “look, I have to park next to you and it is embarrassing. Any chance you would be willing to clean up my engine bay and sort the car out for me?” He graciously accepted. I dropped the car off at his house a few weeks later. Sean spent his free time in the Summer to take my car from embarrassing and not very reliable to well sorted, reliable and “hood up worthy”. When I asked him how much I owed him, he gave me a stack of receipts for parts (which I reimbursed him for) and said “for the labor, why don’t you just make a donation to ALS”. I was more than happy to do so.
Any time anyone has car trouble at an event or show, Sean is there to help get it running and/or offer his trailer.
Sean’s first Roadster was a father-son project. Unfortunately Sean lost his father to Lou Gherig’s Disease/ALS far too early. To honor his father’s memory, Sean and his wife Roxanne (with Smitty and Tina’s help) organize the GumbALS Rally every year. In its 8th year, the GumbALS Rally is an automotive scavenger hunt open to FFR owners and anyone else with an interest in cars or just having fun (as he puts it, it is a “run what ‘ya brung” event. The event, held on the last Saturday in September in Western Mass, is well attended and enjoyed by all that participate. Sean always plans a great route on twisty/scenic back roads and creates a scavenger hunt style list of questions for the driver and navigator to tear their hair out over as they get lost in the back country. It is clear that he spends a lot of time planning the route. Even though I grew up in the area, we always end up on some great driving roads that I have never been on before. At the end of the timed event, we return to the starting point (usually a picnic site/pavilion) for a catered lunch, trophies (one of which he welds together from various scored pistons, broken connecting rods, bent lifters, etc... even though it is for the person that comes in last, it is an amazing piece of automotive art), raffle prizes and a lot of laughs with good people. The event raises money for a good cause in his father’s memory. I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting him but I know Sean’s dad would be extremely proud of what Sean has done to use their shared love of cars to bring people together and help combat such a horrible disease.
Sean is a soft-spoken kind of guy but his car has a line-lock, a plate that reads “UWANNA” and the horsepower to back it up, so don’t let his demeanor fool you. He is the consummate car guy and a true gentleman.
Sean, Congratulations!
R :D
I am very happy to announce that Sean Lamontagne was chosen to receive this year's Robert Feddersen Memorial - Factory Five Racing Legacy Award at the open house on Saturday.
Here is a link to a couple pictures of the presentation:
Sean and the group. Thank you again to Dave Hodgkins and Karen Salvaggio for being the rest of the selection committee.
https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC_5450.jpg
Sean being congratulated by his wife:
https://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DSC_5454.jpg
Also, the text of the nomination as it came in as a PM:
Nomination of Sean Lamontagne (Sean L.) for the 6th Annual
Robert Feddersen Memorial - Factory Five Racing Legacy Award
I first met Sean Lamontagne by stalking him. In the Spring of 2006, I had recently purchased the donor car for my yet-to-be-purchased Mk III Roadster kit when I spotted a flat black Roadster driving down the road while out running errands one Saturday. I followed him to his house (creepy I know), pulled into his driveway and yelled (with all of the excitement of a kid that just spotted Santa Clause) “hey, is that a Factory Five?” Even though he would have been well within his rights to mace me or order me off of his property, he said yes and went on to give me a tour of his car. This was the first Roadster I had seen in person. He was a terrific ambassador for the hobby and a great salesman for FFR (as all owners/builders come to be).
Fast forward a few months and I purchased my Mk III kit. When it came time to do the wiring (something I had zero experience with), I ran into some trouble getting to the all-important and anticipated “First Start”. I called Sean. He came right over with his multi-meter and spent hours over the next days and weeks helping diagnose the problems). With his help, we finally got the engine fired up. I did my own body work. Again, whenever I was left scratching my head (fiberglass dust no doubt), I could call Sean and he would come over and set me straight. Any time I needed a tool that I didn’t have, Sean was nice enough to lend it to me. When I got the body back from the painter, Sean (together with a bunch of other New England Region builders) came over to my house after a local car show to help put it on. He also worked on some other wiring issues that day. Once assembled, Sean lent me his trailer so that I could take my car to the State Police for inspection. Since getting on the road in 2010, I have had a few problems (wiring related) and Sean has always been there to help. Sean has helped other builders with various problems over the years and has even completed cars for builders that couldn’t quite get it done on their own.
Sean and I live in the same town and we are friends so we travel together to a few car shows and the Open House every year. The unfortunate side-effect is that I end up parking my less than sparkling car next to his immaculate Roadster. With the hoods popped, lets just say there is “engine envy”. His car is a work of art, with lots of chrome and custom-machined touches. Mine, not so much (though, I love it). At the 2013 Open House, I couldn’t take it anymore. I said, “look, I have to park next to you and it is embarrassing. Any chance you would be willing to clean up my engine bay and sort the car out for me?” He graciously accepted. I dropped the car off at his house a few weeks later. Sean spent his free time in the Summer to take my car from embarrassing and not very reliable to well sorted, reliable and “hood up worthy”. When I asked him how much I owed him, he gave me a stack of receipts for parts (which I reimbursed him for) and said “for the labor, why don’t you just make a donation to ALS”. I was more than happy to do so.
Any time anyone has car trouble at an event or show, Sean is there to help get it running and/or offer his trailer.
Sean’s first Roadster was a father-son project. Unfortunately Sean lost his father to Lou Gherig’s Disease/ALS far too early. To honor his father’s memory, Sean and his wife Roxanne (with Smitty and Tina’s help) organize the GumbALS Rally every year. In its 8th year, the GumbALS Rally is an automotive scavenger hunt open to FFR owners and anyone else with an interest in cars or just having fun (as he puts it, it is a “run what ‘ya brung” event. The event, held on the last Saturday in September in Western Mass, is well attended and enjoyed by all that participate. Sean always plans a great route on twisty/scenic back roads and creates a scavenger hunt style list of questions for the driver and navigator to tear their hair out over as they get lost in the back country. It is clear that he spends a lot of time planning the route. Even though I grew up in the area, we always end up on some great driving roads that I have never been on before. At the end of the timed event, we return to the starting point (usually a picnic site/pavilion) for a catered lunch, trophies (one of which he welds together from various scored pistons, broken connecting rods, bent lifters, etc... even though it is for the person that comes in last, it is an amazing piece of automotive art), raffle prizes and a lot of laughs with good people. The event raises money for a good cause in his father’s memory. I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting him but I know Sean’s dad would be extremely proud of what Sean has done to use their shared love of cars to bring people together and help combat such a horrible disease.
Sean is a soft-spoken kind of guy but his car has a line-lock, a plate that reads “UWANNA” and the horsepower to back it up, so don’t let his demeanor fool you. He is the consummate car guy and a true gentleman.
Sean, Congratulations!
R :D