We are VERY involved in Corvettes
and racing. We are among the founding (charter) members of Greater
New Orleans Corvette Club, established in 1988. We are also
members
of Delta Region, Sports
Car Club of America and Historic
Sportscar
Racing, Ltd. (HSR). Mike and Patty both race in the Grand
Bayou Race Series at No
Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, Louisiana.
You will find stories and event reports
of our racing activities in the Racing News
located on the Mike Poupart
Motorsports web page.
The
#77 SCCA GT1 / Solo 2 B-Prepared Corvette was the first race car built
by
Mike Poupart. Completed in 1987, it's original livery was yellow
with graphics over
the top
and #77 on the doors. Mike campaigned the car all over the
southeast U.S. in Solo 2, Solo 1, Pro Solo and Hillclimb events posting
wins everywhere he went, earning him the nickname "Bayou Boy" along the
way. The most exciting was a GT1 class win the first time he
competed at the Chimney Rock Hillclimb in 1990 (pictured at left).
Notably,
in 1993 Patty drove the car
to an SCCA
Solo 2
National
Championship in B-Prepared Ladies. In 1994, Mike & Patty won
both the mens and ladies classes in B-Prepared at the nationals.
After undergoing a color change, the car was re-numbered #27, and
Patty won her third national
championship in 1996.
This
is a photo taken on October 28, 2001 of Patty in her 1996 Silver
Collector's Edition Corvette at an autocross hosted by Delta
Region, SCCA at Zephyr Stadium on Airline Drive in Metairie,
Louisiana.
On October 26, 2001, this same car won an award at a local cruise night
for "Best Every Day Driver".
We spend
a lot of time these days at No Problem Raceway near Donaldsonville, LA
either racing, instructing, or just heading up track days for car clubs
and special interest groups. The picture to the right was taken
in September, 2003 at the track day for the Louisiana Viper
Clubs. Mike instructed the drivers and Patty ran the starting
grid for the event.
The picture at left was
taken
during the Ferrari of America "French Quarter Classic" track day held
in
October, 2003 at No Problem Raceway. Mike drove this pace car, a
360 Modena, owned by Franco Valobra, during the touring laps for
the Ferrari owners and
the 2003 Masarati Coupè pace car for the exhibition race.
Patty is riding shotgun in this picture after inspecting the track
before the touring laps began.
On
March 19, 2004, we said good-bye to the 1996 Collector's Edition
Corvette. The car was purchased in August of 2000 and it had been
Patty's daily driver for about 3 1/2 years. We had a lot of fun
with the car! It was in car shows and autocrosses. It was
taken out on track touring days and a few short out-of-state
trips. Patty took a picture with the car one last time before
heading over to Sewell Cadillac-Chevrolet to turn the keys over to the
new owners. It was a little strange to see someone else getting
into the '96 in the same spot where we took delivery of the car a few
years before. We sold it to a friend who is
providing a wonderful home for our old car and putting his personal
touches on her. She looks better than ever! 
Like
the last Corvette, it is silver with black interior and chrome
wheels. It definitely fits the "bigger, better, faster"
category! It is a fixed roof coupe with a 5.7 liter 405 hp
sequential fuel injection V8 engine and a 6-speed manual
transmission. All that power hits the ground with 17" wheels in
the front and 18" in the rear. It goes FAST and we're having FUN!!
That's
our 2001 GMC Sierra 3500 Diesel Dually behind the Corvette in the
picture above. Mike treated himself to a new truck a couple of
years ago. 
Our
hobbies and interest are widely
varied.
Among them, we have a strong interest in the enjoyment of trains
including
modeling and collecting of all scales, collecting railroad memorabilia
and touring the country enjoying rides on steam trains. Our
biggest interests are in the old L&N and Southern railroads mostly
due to the fact that our respective families worked at each of those
railroads. We have been
members of the Louisiana
State
Railroad Museum, the Louisville
& Nashville Railroad Historical Society, the Southern Railway
Historical Association, and the National
Railway Historical Society.
July 7, 2009