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2022-23 SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series
With our winter approaching, New Zealand is going into spring and the F5000 boys down under have announced a five-round calendar for the coming season. After recent traumas, the series has chosen an all-domestic schedule. They will be amongst the last to race on the historic Pukekohe Park Raceway just weeks before it closes for good for motor sport, invited by the Auckland-based Historic Racing Club to join in the celebrations of the career of ‘60s single-seater racing great Jim Palmer.
Alain De Cadenet
Carol Spagg writes – We have lost yet another giant in the world of historic Motorsport, in fact someone who helped kick the whole movement off. While pursuing a successful career as a privateer in what was then modern motorsport, he also found time to collect and race historic cars. Collector, broadcaster, historian, journalist, raconteur, Spitfire pilot, tour guide, racing driver and good friend to many, Alain De Cadenet died on July 2 at the age of 76.
Masters Historic race Weekend at Watkins Glen
In the two Masters Racing legends races for 1966-85 F1 cars on 7-10 July, it would have been a double victory for Jamie Constable in his Tyrell 011B but a broken wing allowed Jonathan Holtzman to take the second race in his Lotus 87B. Ron Maydon won the pre-78 class in his Lec CRP1. Meantime Danny Baker had no such trouble to win both the Formula Atlantic races. David Porter in his Peugeot 908 dominated both the Endurance Legends events.
Griffiths-Haig Historic Sports Cars
Top aviator and long-time stalwart of historic racing Tony Bianchi was recovering from an expensive and painful impact suffered at Silverstone when he had been stuffed into the barriers by a pushy competitor when the thought occurred to him and racer wife Pia that it was time for a new type of race series. It should be one that would take it back to the very roots of the sport when Guy Griffiths and Betty Haig presided at the birth of the HSCC.
The St Moritz Car Week
The St Moritz Car Week takes place on 4-9 September and as we go to press the organisers are still asking for entries. It incorporates the Targa Poschiavo Engiadina, a two-day rally for pre-war cars from 1905 to 1962, a Sotheby’s auction, the Motorsports Rendezvous (described as a luxurious garden party amongst vehicles with special themes), a Super-Car rally, a Mobility forum (including discussions about e-fuels) and for historic racing enthusiasts the famous Bernina Gran Turismo hillclimb. https://i-s-a-w.com.
HRDC Gerry Marshall
The HRDC’s inaugural Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1.5 Touring Cars, the first by that name outside of Goodwood, took place at Snetterton on 19 June with a 45-minute single pit stop race. An impressive 29 car grid started with 19 different makes or models represented in a field of…
East Coast Vintage Racing
Early September will see two big historic meetings on the US East Coast. Celebrating its 40th year, the Lime Rock Historic Festival on 1-5 September in New Hampshire launches into action over Labor Day weekend with a 17-mile tour through the area on Thursday’s Vintage Race Car and Sports Car…
Hillclimbing at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
Continuing a theme of Historic Racing looking for new directions, the iconic race meeting at Laguna Seca on 21 August will for the first time conclude with a reverse direction hillclimb. Advisory Council member Bruce Canepa said the climb will be exciting, “I’ve raced several times at Goodwood Festival of Speed yet doing it up the Laguna Seca Corkscrew is an unprecedented experience. I don’t know who will enjoy it more, the drivers or the fans”. Part of a strategy to engage new fans and give entrants and their attending families a chance to unwind, the ‘shoot out’ will be limited to 60 cars that competed in the historic races or are deemed of special interest.
Masters F1 at Mosport
Supporting IMSA’s Chevrolet Grand Prix Masters USA were two Masters Racing Legends races for 1966-1985 Formula One cars on 1-3 July. Although there were only eight starters at the legendary Mosport circuit in Canada, it was Britons Jamie Constable and Lee Mowle who shared the wins. After a troubled qualifying, Constable starred in Saturday’s race by hauling his Tyrrell 011B all the way from the back, to eventually pass Bud Moeller’s Williams FW08
HRDC Return to Lydden Hill
The Historic Racing Drivers Club took over the lesser-known Kent circuit on 3 July to run double races for the Jack Sears Trophy, Dunlop Allstars and their ever-growing Alfa Challenge. In the latter category, George Osbourne in the ex-Peter Hilliard GRP2 Alfetta GTV normally driven by Chris Snowden, came out on top after close battles with Ben Colburn in a Giulia Sprint GT. Both Jack Sears and Dunlop Allstars races were ruled by Pete Chambers’ Cortina, despite the close attention of Nathan Heathcote’s Mini which, well suited to the short up and down hill track, at least won the first heat.
SVRA Indianapolis Speed Week
June 18-19 saw one of the world’s largest vintage racing organisation return to Indianapolis Speedway after a two-year break. Featuring pre-war Indy cars, single seater classes and numerous sports and GT races there was plenty to attract interest. Champion racer Jimmy Vassar made a return to his roots and won both the Formula Ford events while Formula Vee was popular as ever. The other star attraction was Geoff Brabham, who did almost as well, winning the second of his races in a 1971 1600cc Brabham BT35. It was also the 47th annual convention of the Shelby American Automobile Club.
Mille Miglia 2022 – déjà vu or new beginning?
Fine hot weather and the joy of returning crowds lining the routes and town squares greeted participants in the Mille Miglia run on 15-18 June. Entries were up 25% on last year and over 400 cars were chosen to take the start. Navigating their way through the time trials (some even on dirt) that have taken the place of the original 1950s road race, Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli won again in their 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C1750 Zagato.
The 26th Vernasca Silver Flag
Picturesque Vernasca lies deep in the Piacenza region of northern Italy where, between 1953 and 1972, it hosted a legendary hillclimb that ascended 290m from Castell’Arquato via Lugnano over an 8.5km course. Many a famous name drove here when it was part of the European Championship in the 1950s and 60s, but these days it is run as an untimed demonstration in a festival atmosphere.
Shock Cancellation of Racing at Mont Tremblant
With a final court appeal denied, it is now all but certain there will be no more racing at the historic eastern Canadian Circuit Mont-Tremblant after a campaign by locals led by the “Association des Résidents pour la Qualité de Vie”. It’s a significant blow to the sport in general and the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) in particular. “I was informed on June 10 that Le Circuit has exhausted all legal options regarding the sound-limit restrictions to continue racing at the track,” explained a shocked and saddened HMSA President Cris Vandagriff.
Taupo Classic – Rain Stops Play
Having taken a cautious approach at the beginning of the season, with just three home rounds scheduled for the 2021-22 season, the SAS Autoparts MSC NZ Tasman Cup Revival Series saw all three of its proposed rounds cancelled due to the ongoing COVID restrictions prevailing in New Zealand.
Simon Diffey
The whole historic racing world is reeling under the shock of losing Simon Diffey in the prime of his life to a car crash on May 14. That someone so full of the passion for life, could suddenly no longer be amongst us seems unbelievable to those who know him….
“Fabulous 208” Marcos Team Wins at Thruxton
It was sixth time lucky for Marcos 1800GT stalwarts Allen Tice and Chris Conoley, who finally landed gold in the Classic Sports Car Club’s Thruxton Mintex Classic K race on April 24. With a fourth place, two thirds and two seconds already on their log at the annual event, this…
French Championships
After rounds at Magny-Cours and Lédenon, the French Historic Championship drivers met in great numbers (over 350) at Dijon Prenois on 6-8 May, with 21 races on the timetable in the circuit’s 50th anniversary year.
New-Look Gold Cup
Following the BRDC’s change of date for Classic Silverstone to the end-of-August Bank holiday weekend, a date usually occupied by the HSCC’s Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting, the HSCC, organising club of both events, found it necessary to change the Oulton Park date. The last weekend of July was…
Mark Lyon
It is with much regret that we heard of the sudden passing from a heart attack, of Mark Lyon, founder and CEO of GTO Engineering. Started in the early 1980s as a one-man band, in a partnership with his wife Rosie, Mark set up a small workshop. After several years,…