The American Speed Festival Sept 30-Oct 3 salutes Jim Hall and his innovative and winning Chaparral racing cars includes three days of special events, track time and the Oct 3 Performance and Racing Car Show at M1 Concourse near Detroit.
Info: www.americanspeedfestival.com
The VSCCA Fall Finale – A PreWar Celebration Oct 1-2 returns to Lime Rock Park with Friday and Saturday vintage races for all VSCCA classes. This event annually salutes PreWar racing cars with the Victory Lane Magazine annual trophy for outstanding car.
Info: www.vscca.org
CSRG Charity Challenge Oct 1-3 at Sonoma Raceway is the largest fall vintage racing weekend on the West Coast. This 18th version will showcase all CSRG vintage racing groups and the special USRRC Tribute Saturday race.
Info: www.csrgracing.org
The Friends of Steve McQueen Car & Motorcycle Show Oct 2-3. This years theme is LeMans. The event opens with a Saturday gala banquet raising money for The Boys Republic in Chino, CA. Steve McQueen credits his years there for changing him from a troubled youth to putting him on the road to his success. The huge show for performance racing cars and motorcycles is Sunday.
The Vintage Formula Atlantic Cars will race 20 minutes on Saturday at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 11:05 am. The IMSA Sports Car grand Prix has a 100 minute race Saturday starting at 2:06 pm. All times Pacific Daylight Time.
Professional formula Atlantic grew out of SCCA’s first pro-formula racing series, the Continental Grand Prix that began in 1967 for FA-3 liter GP cars, FB – 1600cc formula cars and FC – 1100cc formula cars. The 1967 season was contested almost exclusively with FB cars. Gus Hutchinson was SCCA’s first pro-formula champion driving a FB Lotus 41C. F5000 was added to the series in 1968 with equal F5000 and FB entries. Lou Sell driving an Eagle F5000 car was champion. The SCCA F 5000 series continued through 1976. The FB cars had their own series starting in 1969. FB soon became popular worldwide with countries using both the FB and F Atlantic name. SCCA adopted F Atlantic rules in 1975, but kept the FB name until 1979. Formula Atlantic continued through various changes around the world. Until 1990 when it became Toyota Atlantic with the Toyota 4A-GE engine and became a support series for the CART series for Indy Cars. Formula Atlantic continued through 2008 with CART. Various pro and amateur series for formula Atlantic cars continues today with much changed rules.
Over the years many future Indy Car and formula One drivers got their start in the FB and Formula Atlantic based series.
Sources: www.oldracingcars.com and Victory Lane Magazine archives.
Jim Hall is a USRRC and Sebring 12 Hour Drivers Champion and creator of the legendary USRRC, Can-Am, Indy 500 and FIA Manufacturers Championship Endurance race winning Chaparrals. He is the honored
guest for the three days of the American Speed Festival at the M1 Concours auto club and racetrack facility just west of Detroit. The USRRC 2A, Can-Am and innovative 2E, 2F FIA International Endurance winner and Indy 500 winning car will do exhibition laps on the 1.5 mile circuit.
The opening reception party starts a festival filled with parties, tours, rally, Chaparral on-track expo laps, entrant laps for USRRC, Can-Am, Indy Car and Endurance car special groups, Saturday night gala honoring Jim Hall and the Sunday performance and racing car show, Tickets are available for all or selected events.
Pete Brock raced Datsun’s then created the BRE winning 2.5 Challenge Team with Datsun 510s. His Shelby and Chevrolet years involved creating the Cobra Daytona Coupe and development on the Corvette Stingray. Both of these achievements are saluted with special races: A 50th Anniversary 2.5 Challenge race and The American Challenge for vintage Ford vs Chevrolet cars.
This is a special vintage racing and festival weekend. The vintage and historic races for all VSCDA classes begin with Friday practice and an endurance race after Thursday registration and tech. the traditional meet and greet Friday evening party celebrates all the weekend entrants and workers. Saturday is qualifying and sprint races. There is also a tour of the original 1950-52 through the town and countryside original circuit. The Saturday Gathering on The Green Concours adds to the festivities. That is followed by a gala banquet honoring Pete Brock. Sunday has feature races for all VSCDA classes, plus the special features honoring Pete Brock.
This is one of the top vintage and historic racing weekends in North America. It is a open weekend to spectators. Schedule and event info at www.vscda.org Spectator tickets and info are at www.roadamerica.com
VRG invites members and visiting vintage racers to one of the most special experiences in vintage racing. Racing on the circuit where legends were created in USRRC, Can-Am, Trans-Am, F5000, Formula One, NASCAR and SCCA club racing is a rare and special treat. There is only one race a year at The Glen for three days of all vintage action. There is liberal track time for all with a friendly vintage racing club who since 2004 emphasizes fun, enthusiastic, safe racing with vintage and historic cars prepared in the spirit of vintage racing.
All VRG vintage classes will be racing in groups of similar performance. This is a feature weekend for the VRG Formula Ford Challenge series. VRG features production sports and GT cars through 1988, selected sedans recognized by SCCA or FIA through 1988, Improved Touring, SCCA IA-ITB-ITC of 1980-1993, Sports Racing Cars made through 1972 on treaded tires, Sports 2000 under current VS2-NA rules, Formula Cars eligible under Monoposto Classic rules in production before 12/31/72, plus historic FF - Club Ford – later FF, Formula Vees of VRG Vee challenge rules, plus PreWar sports and racing cars. Full eligibility details are at www.vrgonline.org.
The famous Watkins Glen International circuit is 2.45 miles of long and medium straights, elevation changes with 11 turns of every type. It is located just southwest of the town of Watkins Glen where modern sports car road racing began in 1948 on the town and country roads. A chance to race in the fall on this circuit in an all vintage and historic weekend is not to be missed.
Info: www.vrgonline.org
Sports car road racing came to the US in 1948, through the streets of Watkins Glen, New York and on surrounding country roads. Pre and post war MGs made up the majority of the grids racing with and against Morgans, Allards, Healeys, Ferraris, Jaguars for the next few years. Those days are celebrated in town Friday with a festival which includes tours of the original 1948 circuit.
The Collier Cup race for MGs, organized by the MG Vintage Racers Club, is part of the SVRA vintage races that support the pro Speed Tour road racing weekend. These are held on the nearby Watkins Glen International circuit.
Info: www.grandprixfestival.com Collier Cup www.mgvr.org
This event is a party for vintage racers that allows one to enjoy racing 1950s/1960s style. Sportsmanlike competition on-track, parties, car shows, tours of some of the original circuit layouts and a celebration of the original road races.
Some of the original cars were the famous H-Mods. These were small sports racing (called modifieds back in the day) powered originally by 750cc displacement engines. Some were built by race car factories of teams, notably Italian. Most were home built in the racers garage. Originally they used engines from FIAT, Panhard, Climax, Renault, Crosley, SAAB. Over time 850cc and larger were allowed.
H-Mod info contact: Richard Campbell [email protected]
Event info: Phone 734-502-2435 or 803-463-5388 www.pibroadrace.com
All CVAR vintage racing classes will be racing three days on the new expanded Eagles Canyon Raceway north of Fort Worth, Texas. The driver’s school is Friday, plus novice Saturday races. CVAR members will be joined by guest vintage racers from across the Midwest for a weekend of competitive, yet friendly vintage races, plus Texas hospitality.
The 2.75 mile circuit has 15 turns with challenges for expert racers and yet it is novice friendly. There are double apex corners, esses, connected turns, fast – medium and slow turns, 200 feet of elevation changes and a 2000 foot straight. It has been recently rebuilt from the deep base to pro quality paving. It has received top reviews from CVAR racers.
VSCCA and VRG Lime Rock Historics at Lime Rock Park September 3-6 will feature largest group of great PreWar Racing Cars seen in U.S. this year: Alfa, Mercedes, ERA, Bugatti, Maserati, MG and more. Over 200 other exciting cars are also racing Friday, Saturday, Monday, plus a concours is on Sunday. www.vscca.org www.vrgonline.org
SOVREN’s Columbia River Classic, Portland international Raceway, September 4-5 features vintage British race cars. It is accompanied by the All British Field Meet. www.sovrenracing.org
VDCA Hurricane in Savannah September 4-5, Roebling Road. All day Saturday and Sunday afternoon is sprint races for all VDCA classes. Sunday morning is the ENRURO. www.vintagedrive.com
This is VSCDA’s summer party celebrating the fun, satisfaction, competition and camaraderie of vintage racing. It takes place on a circuit worthy of such a racing party. Grattan raceway is a 2 mile, 11 turn road racing circuit that has features to enjoy and challenge both novice and experienced racers. It is located near South Haven, Michigan.
This weekend has practice and sprint races for all VSCDA classes. Feature races include a special enduro, Can-Am Challenge for Canadian visitors, Trans Am/B series race, Sprite Midget series race and a VVV series race.
Info: www.vscda.org
The Reunion weekend will feature Ford in Trans-Am and Indy Car Expo laps. Half the race groups will have feature races on Saturday the other half on Sunday. Nearly 400 vintage and historic cars from 1906 through recent history will compete over the weekend.
The Sunday Pebble Beach Concours features 1950-1956 original through the Del Monte Winning Forest winning cars, 90 years of Pininfarina designs, Lamborghini’s, early electric vehicles, Carrera Panamericana race cars, ISO Rivolto cars, and the many traditional classes of great cars.
The intervening week has numerous parties, shows, auctions, and concours including: Cars and Planes, The Quail, Werks Concours, Cars On The Avenue, Pony Car Concours, Concour Italiano , Pacifica Car Show and many more.
Info:
The August action starts at the IndyCar big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of downtown Nashville. Vintage Indy Cars will be doing expo laps.
Next the Vintage Indy Cars will be presenting exhibition laps on the WWT 1.25 mile oval near St. Louis during the IndyCar Bonmarito Automotive Group 500.
The registry includes vintage cars from all decades of the Indy 500.
Info: https://vintageindyregistry.com or call Mike Lashmett, 424-230-9155 (IN)
Redman, Hobbs, Andretti, Posey, Follmer, Sell, Lunger, Donohue driving Lolas, McLarens, McKees, Shadows, Eagles, Lotus, Surtees were some of the F5000 stars in the SCCA and later the SCCA/USAC F 5000 series of 1968 through 1976. They raced on the great road racing circuits of North America in front of enthusiastic crowds
It was a time of great pro SCCA series: Can-Am, Trans-Am, F5000. They all attracted great teams. Formula 5000 had outstanding teams from Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, Jim Hall, Carl Haas, James Garner and Roger Penske
This was a world class pro series with excitement, drama, great racing, great cars, top circuits and legendary drivers. The whole story is well told in this don’t miss large format, hard cover book of 224 pages and over 100 images from Racemaker Press
The book is available from auto book retailers or from the publisher, www.racemaker.com, Phone 617-723-6533 (MA)
This vintage racing weekend attracts RMVR’s largest entry to support The Morgan Adams Foundation charity. The weekend starts with Test and Tune on Friday and continues with liberal practice and race sessions Saturday and Sunday. RMVR has many programs for attendees to contribute to this good cause.
For full details visit: www.rmvr.com
All VRG classes will be in action on this special weekend. The Pittsburgh International Race Complex has a 2.8 mile, 19 turn road racing circuit. Over 250 vintage racers are expected to enjoy this weekend on this first-class road racing circuit.
Corvette is the honored marque at this vintage racing weekend and a Corvette vs Viper race will be featured. Corvette is also the marque for all of the following week’s special motorsports events leading to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix July 23-25 in Schenley Park.
Info: www.vrgonline.org Phone 720-722-3874
This is SOVREN’s annual big northwest vintage racing event attracting the best cars and largest spectator crowd to a top road racing circuit. This year the event features the history of the circuit and the 60 year history of Jaguar XKE
The history of the circuit includes United States Road Racing Championship and Trans Am races. In 1963, the first year of the USRRC, a 26 car field of international cars and drivers saw Pedro Rodrigues take the Driver’s Championship win in a Genie Mk8. The Manufacturer’s Championship race winner was a Shelby Cobra driven by Dave McDonald. Pacific Raceways continued to host the USRRC every year through 1968. The drivers were the who’s who of American racing: Jim Hall, Jerry Grant, Peter Revson, Mark Donohue, Bob Holbert, Ken Miles and Skip Scott. Many of the USRRC cars from those days are expected to be racing including: Cobra, Lotus, Corvette, Porsche, Jaguar, Lola, Triumph, Lotus Cortina, Alfa Romeo, Sunbeam and more.
Featured will be a full program of sprint races for every SOVREN class and type. There will be Sports Racing Cars, Production Sports Cars, Formula Cars, Sports Sedans and Trans Am cars. A special infield flea market of every type of automobilia and car parts will be an added feature this year.
Info: www.sovrenracing.org
This two mile road racing circuit in Illinois will host a three day vintage racing weekend with liberal track time making it a racer favorite. In addition to group races, there are several features: Closed Wheel Enduro on Saturday – Open Wheel Enduro on Sunday, Spridget Series Race, V8 Short Track Challenge Race. There is usually a good turnout of Formula Vees including visiting racers from CVAR. The VSCDA PreWar Racing group rates Blackhawk as a favorite with a good entry.
Info: www.vscda.org
Many Lotus racing cars were entered in the June 24th 1961 Players 200 at Morsport. This was the first major race at this legendary circuit now called Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
There will be six traditional VARAC group races for cars built before 1972. In addition, there are groups for classic cars built up to 1999, plus a group of Formula Classic for open wheel and Monoposto cars.
This is a non spectator event and area COVID protocols will be in effect.
INFO: www.varac.ca
CSRG's highly anticipated return to Laguna Seca proved successful on many fronts with participants treated to good weather and plenty of racing. The paddock was full of great cars, featuring a nice mix of CSRG stalwarts and racers who trekked to the event. The only thing missing was an audience in the grandstand and, hopefully, with California scheduled to reset gathering restrictions later this month perhaps their next event will have fans present to take in the sights and sounds.
Look for a report on the event in the July issue of Victory Lane Magazine and driver interview videos soon on victorylane.com
It was exciting for owner-drivers of Lotus 23s, Elva Mk7s, Genies, Lotus 19s, Shelby King Cobras, Ferrari Dinos, Chaparrals, McLaren Mk1 and 2s, Maserati Birdcages, Lola T70s, Lotus 30s, Porsche Spyders and more.
SCCA sports car racing is going bigtime! It was 1962 and the former all amateur Sports Car Club of America announced a new pro series for 1963: The United States Road Racing Championship. There was a Sports Racing Drivers Championship for two classes: over and under 2 liter cars plus a Manufacturers Championship for FIA GT cars. Races were scheduled in 1963 at Daytona, Pensacola, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, Pacific Raceways, Continental Divide, Road America and Mid Ohio. The new series absorbed the pro racers from the short lived USAC pro road racing series. The USRRC ran from 1963 through 1968.
The USRRC Tribute Series feature with CSRG is Saturday afternoon June 5 with a record field expected. The USRRC awards party is later about 4:30 pm. The feature will be filled with some of those great legendary sports racers of the original series.
All CSRG classes are racing both Saturday and Sunday. There are also Crossflow Cup series races during the weekend.
Info: www.csrgracing.org
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