Mike Matune goes trackside at VIR to bring us highlights of the Gold Cup historic races.
The SVRA wrapped up part of its season at the Heacock Class “Gold Cup historic races at VIRginia International Raceway. Optimum weather and VIR’s lush surroundings welcomed a bevy of seasoned racers. Spectators were treated to the sights and sounds of some great big-bore historic racecars. Olthoff Racing (www.olthoffracing.com) of NC showed up with three Superformance GT40s, top, including those o...
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Lola
MONTEREY MADNESS: JET CENTER REVIVAL!
Mike Matune never misses a party – even when he’s covering Monterey Car Week.
Twenty-five years ago Molly & Gordon McCall invited a few like-minded friends to a gathering of car people to kick off Monterey’s Car Week. Begun as a shop party with a collection of cars, it grew from one hanger to another and then another. Along the way aircraft were incorporated along with the finest in cuisine and spirits. Today Motorworks Revival is still going strong with no signs of slowing. Far more th...
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MONTEREY MADNESS: SALES DOWN; EXHILARATION UP!
Here are Jim Palam’s top ten picks, just a fraction of the magnificent exotica that populated the Monterey Peninsula during Car Week.
1953 Ferrari 250MM Vignale Spider ‘Pebble Car’ on Ocean Avenue in Carmel.
If you were among the many thousands of automobile enthusiasts zipping around the auctions, races, shows and events in the Monterey Peninsula this August, you may have been struck by this of many befuddlements: $49 hotel rooms renting for $549! Plus Lengthy hikes from your car to e...
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MID-OHIO VINTAGE GP: SNAKE BITE & SPORTS CARS!
Chronicles’ Mike Matune is trackside at the SVRA vintage GP, held in conjunction with one of the hobby’s most exciting single-marque club events – SAAC 41.
The Shelby American Automobile Club held its 41st convention in concert with SVRA’a Mid-Ohio GP. In addition to shows, open track events and dinners there was an SAAC-only race. Curt Vogt would take top spot home in his 1970 Mustang Boss 302, top, followed across the finish line by pole sitter, Scott Hackerson’s ‘67 Mustang. Here they le...
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2016 JEFFERSON 500: WEATHER OR NOT!
Our man on the track, Mike Matune, captures the essence of what racing is all about at Summit Point Raceway.
This year’s Jefferson 500 showcased the full range of Spring weather - from torrential rain to bright sunlight to driving wind against the backdrop of a vast range in temperature. None of that seemed to slow the VRG competitors who soldiered on through the various weather systems. Here Richard Schnabel winds his Fiat 124 Spider through a very wet Carousel while corner workers and ...
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‘15 GOLD CUP: GOING FOR SVRA GOLD AT VIR!
Mike Matune stays dry long enough to bring us coverage of the wet and wild
Gold Cup weekend at VIR.
With a nod towards poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the story of the 2015 Gold Cup weekend at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) could be wrapped up in the phrase, ”Water, water, everywhere …”. The point is illustrated by David Pintaric’s Corvette, above, with its grille full of VIR landscape and water teaming off every inch of the car as it drags a cloud of spray behind. A torrential d...
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JEFFERSON 500: VINTAGE RACERS INVADE SUMMIT POINT!
The Vintage Racers Group (VRG) takes over Summit Point Raceway with their latest rendition of the Jefferson 500. Our Mike Matune was trackside.
Racers and spectators were treated to five days of driver schools, practice, qualifying and, of course, racing. Here the Cunningham Cup cars, top, are caught coming under the bridge with Hobart Buppert’s Chevy-powered Lola and Michael Zappa’s Ford-powered Superformance GT40 racer at the head of the grid. Behind them comes a field chock full of...
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VIR: 13th ANNUAL WILD HARE RUN!
Mike Matune, our man in the field, blogs about another great vintage racing event
in Southern Virginia.
VRG and VDCA combined for an early season event at Virginia International Raceway. Despite early threats of intense weather, the event ran under clear skies. The organizers somehow managed to hold the rain off until evening and the racing was over, neat trick! Here the Group 3 field, top, moves out of “Oak Tree” and stretches all the way down the back straight. Noted author Tom Co...
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HEACOCK CLASSIC GOLD CUP: VIR!
SVRA wraps up with 2014 vintage racing schedule with its premier event at Virginia International Raceway. Mike Matune brings us highlights.
As Summer fades and the racing season begins to wind down, SVRA draws us to Southern Virginia and Virginia International Raceway (VIR) for the annual Heacock Gold Cup. Here Mike Fisher, top, sweeps under the vehicle bridge in his ex-Derek Bell Speedvision Cup Audi S4.
Peter Dunn exits Turn 11 in his Morgan, above, chasing the other Group 3 ...
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VINTAGE RACING AT INDY: BRICKYARD BASH!
Our Mike Matune is trackside at one of the most anticipated events on this year’s
vintage racing calendar.
The inaugural Brickyard Vintage Invitational at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway drew a field of over 700 cars to contest three days of racing around both IMS’s road and oval courses. Rick Mooney’s ‘68 Corvette negotiates Turn 9 with the “Pagoda” in the background. The event was well received by spectators and competitors alike. This year’s race hopefully signals the birth of an...
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