Tags: Cadillac CTS racecar / Crossle Formula Ford / Datsun 240Z / Don Yenko / Fiat 128 / Lola / Mike Matune / Mustang Cobra R / Racing Corvettes / SVRA / Trans-Am / VIR Gold Cup / Yenko Stinger

‘15 GOLD CUP: GOING FOR SVRA GOLD AT VIR!

- Jumat, 02 Oktober 2015 No Comments

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 downpour covered all three days of the race weekend. SVRA and Trans-Am competitors carried on through frequently arduous conditions to provide visuals only seen during wet weather racing.



David Nettleship splashes through Turn 6 in his Crossle 45F Formula Ford, right, throwing rooster tails off all four wheels. Normally in this corner racers ride the curb, sometimes all the way over to the “Gator Teeth” but the rain line required them to move further from the apex to avoid the standing water.

A rain tire can pump a considerable amount of water off the road surface; one source claiming that a Formula 1 rain tire displaces something like 60 liters (15 gallons) per second. Looking at the spray behind Chip Vance’s Lola T87/90 (Indy Lights) confirms this.

Rain can be the great equalizer on a racetrack, frequently resulting in the emergence of Giant Killers. The role is often taken by small, closed, FWD sedans like Shea Brown’s Fiat 128. Brown’s car started off as a “Chump Car” he found and decided was much too nice to spend its life in that venue. Since its conversion to a vintage racer, it has shown increasing speed as driver and car development have progressed.

Logan Dernoshek drove his Dad, Warren’s Yenko Stinger in its debut appearance. The car has actual Stinger DNA, although it was re-bodied when the rust worm proved to be too pervasive. Its preparation level mirrors that common when the cars were new with allowances for modern safety issues. The elder Dernoshek’s affinity for Stingers comes naturally as he served as one of Don Yenko’s race mechanics during the heyday of racing at Yenko Chevrolet.

Mike Unger describes his Datsun 240Z as an “Old Soldier” having been run in the 1980s in ITS, before he acquired it about 15 years ago and began its conversion to an SVRA Group 8 vintage racer. Along the way it made occasional forays into SCCA E/P. Watching Unger on track reminded me just what an impact these cars made on the racetrack and on the street, helping Datsun (Nissan) in particular, and Japanese manufactures in general, establish themselves “up market” from the econo-boxes for which they were initially known.

Production car racing is constantly evolving with series, sanctioning bodies, cars and manufacturers coming and going. But along that journey some stand out, like the Motorola Cup and the Cobra R. The Motorola Cup featured frequently televised events with close racing. The Cobra R was Ford’s contribution to the factory Special. Bill Foster deserves Kudos as he and his Cobra were frequently on course carving up VIR while making wonderful noises despite the continuous rain.

As mentioned, Trans-Am cars shared the bill with SVRA’s vintage racers. Today’s Trans-Am is a 12-race series for three classes of cars categorized by preparation levels. Both American and international manufacturers are represented. Kerry Hitt’s Cadillac CTS is an example of the fastest class. These cars feature 850 horsepower engines, tube frames with live rear axles and facsimile fiberglass bodywork.



Words & Photos: M.M. “Mike” Matune, Jr.



For more racing information, please visit: http://gotransam.com/

http://www.svra.com/    http://virnow.com/

Tags: Adam Carolla / Aston-Martin DB4 Zagato / Group 44 / GT40 / Jefferson 500 Historics / Kas Kastner / Lola / Mike Matune / Paul Newman / Porsche 911 / Racing Corvettes / Summit Point / Triumph / Vintage Racing / VRG / WINNING

JEFFERSON 500: VINTAGE RACERS INVADE SUMMIT POINT!

- Selasa, 26 Mei 2015 No Comments

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 all manner of noise, horsepower and speed. Herb Wetanson’s Aston Martin DB4, above, has been re-bodied with a shell paying homage to the great Zagato-bodied racers of the 1960s. The body is presented in raw, polished aluminum to show off its lines and workmanship required to create it.

It is hard to dispute the contribution Bob Tullius, Brian Fuerstenau and Lanky Foushee, collectively Group 44, made to the Triumph marque specifically and the sport in general. We were reminded of that by Jim Dolan’s 1972 GT6. For a couple of years in the early 1970s this car cut a wide swath through the D/Production SCCA wars, compiling a surprising record. After its Group 44 days it continued its competitive life with the SCCA and ventured into IMSA in the GTU category. It has since been the subject of a couple of restorations, but remains a track-ready racecar.

Sam Halkias’ TR6 pays tribute to actor/racer Paul Newman’s victories at the SCCA Runoffs in a similarly liveried car.  Newman’s exploits as a racer are told in the Matt Stone/Preston Lerner book Winning and in the new film, Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman. 

But there was more to see than just Triumphs at the Jefferson 500. Here, setting up for Turn 10, we have Charles Powell’s ‘72 Corvette. This was a family affair and they are proud of their efforts at fielding the car. It has been a racecar, primarily in the Midwest, since the mid-1980s. The Powells keep the car as close as possible to its period racing preparation level with allowances for safety concerns.

In talking with the owner of this ‘87 Porsche 911, the word “evolution” came to mind. The car has evolved and been “back-dated” to give it the flavor of a ‘73 RS. Over the years, the bolt-in rollbar gave way to a larger weld-in piece and finally a full cage.

If the Wright Brothers’ original airplane had the lift equivalent to the downforce the wing on the back of Dave Coleman’s Porsche provides, the first flight would have likely been a lot longer!  Racing is full of compromises and I’m sure a wing this size presents a drag penalty that counters its downforce.

After traversing Summit Point’s long front straight, cars must brake hard into Turns 1 & 2 which combine to change a car’s direction 180 degrees. Christopher Zappa is doing just that in his TVR Tuscan which features a race-prepared Ford Essex V6 powerplant. All of the Zappa team cars are prepared to a very high standard as illustrated by Christopher’s mount.

Nick Giampetro’s Mustang reminded me that we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Shelby’s GT350. Today valuable GT350s are popular entries in vintage events around the world. Later this Summer, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will honor the GT350 as its featured marque. 

Derek Sweger’s ‘71 Porsche 911 proves that street-driven racecars still exist. Heralding back to bygone days, it features a roll bar and a larger, but still streetable, engine. On the outside he has picked up styling cues from the RSR and included markings from the same era such as the Camel GT logo on the door.

Vince Vaccaro has campaigned his Alfa GTV for about four years. Built on the West Coast in 1980, it is the handiwork of a builder best known for street rods, which probably accounts for the high level of fit and finish as well as the graphics. The car’s performance matches its appearance as Vaccaro finished second in the IMSA RS/SCCA 2.5 Challenge race.

This year’s Jefferson 500 had the additional distinction of hosting the Kastner Cup for Triumph cars. Named for R. W. “Kas” Kastner, it drew a cross-section of the British marque. Kas has had a long and storied automotive career, but it is his efforts in Triumph’s U.S. Competition Department and his authorship of manuals on how to prepare racing Triumphs that endears him to Triumph aficionados. Each year one car is selected as the Kastner Cup winner based on its competition success over the weekend, the car’s presentation and the driver/team’s “attitude & interest in vintage racing”. This year’s winner was Mark Wheatley in his TR4; our congratulations go out to him.



Words & Photos: M.M. Mike Matune, Jr.



For more information, please visit: Summit Point Raceway - http://summitpoint-raceway.com/

VRG - http://www.vrgonline.org/index.html

Tags: Chevrolet Performance / Corvette C7-R / Corvette Z06 / Racing Corvettes / supercars

TRACK ATTACK: ’16 CORVETTE Z06 C7.R!

- Jumat, 24 April 2015 No Comments

Latest special edition Corvette is a road-going, track-capable homage to the Corvette Racing C7.R racecars.

Only 500 examples of the C7.R Edition, in Corvette Racing’s signature yellow livery – or black – with coordinated exterior and interior accents, will be built when they go on sale later this year. All will include the Z07 Performance Package with carbon ceramic brakes, as well as a specially serialized vehicle identification number.



The Z07 Performance Package includes Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to greater handling through reduced un-sprung weight. The Z07 package also includes adjustable front and rear aero components for unprecedented aerodynamic downforce and Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup 2

tires for enhanced grip.

“The Z07 Performance Package enhances overall performance to make the Corvette Z06 one of the most track-capable cars you can buy off the dealership floor and still drive it to work every day,” said Harlan Charles, Corvette product and marketing manager. “Combined with the 650-horsepower supercharged LT4 engine, true aerodynamic downforce and performance technologies such as Magnetic Ride Control, Performance Traction Management and an electronic limited slip differential, the Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition offers capability matched only by an elite fraternity of the world’s supercars and special-edition exclusivity that is sure to make it an instant collector’s item.”



For more information and details of the Z06 C7.R features, please visit: http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/vehicles/corvette-z06/2016.html

Tags: Can-Am Racing / Derek Hill / Dick Guldstrand / FIA Cobra / IROC Camaro / Maserati / Mike Matune / Monterey Historics / Mustang Trans-Am / Racing Corvettes / Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion / Roush racing / Sunbeam Tiger

ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION: LAGUNA SECA!

- Kamis, 21 Agustus 2014 No Comments

‘When it comes to experiencing vintage racing greatness, the Reunion has few equals,’ blogs Mike Matune.

Mid-August brings us what is lovingly referred to as Monterey Hell Week and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca. The Reunion is what vintage racing aspires to be, a collection of truly important cars and drivers competing head to head. Eddie Lawson, top, climbs the Rahal Straight towards the “Corkscrew” in Racing Commonwealth’s Osella PA 3/5. 



I have been attending the vintage races at Laguna Seca off and on since 1990. In that time, two things have become Monterey traditions for me. One is the damp, cool early morning fog; the second is Ed Archer’s ‘15 Ford Roadster, OLD NO. 4, above, contesting the Pre-War

racing group. The period uniformed Archer with his distinctive handle bar mustache

drives his car to and from the event.

The concept of the International Race of Champions (IROC) was simple, combine some of the world’s best drivers in identically prepared cars and set them loose on a collection of oval and road courses. Leon Desimone brought out his Camaro, which competed in three seasons of

IROC racing with drivers as varied as Indy Car’s Foyt & Rutherford; NASCAR’s Pearson and Formula One’s Hunt and Schecter.

This year’s featured Marque was Maserati, celebrating their 100th year. Among the many representatives of the Trident was Lawrence Auriana’s Tipo 151 driven by Derek Hill, son of the late World Champion Phil Hill. Built at the behest of Briggs Cunningham to assault Le Mans,

the cars were less than successful. Later one of this car’s sister vehicles would be involved

in Marvin Panch’s devastating crash at Daytona. The ensuing actions resulted in

Carnegie Hero medals for the five who rescued Panch.

Mike Eddy brought his ‘64 Falcon to compete in the Historic Trans-Am group, little knowing he would leave with The Spirit of Monterey Award for best displaying the spirit of the weekend. Eddy’s Falcon was a pioneering racer in SCCA’s fledgling Sedan classes. Later it would compete in the inaugural Trans-Am season’s final race at Carroll Shelby’s request to keep points from rival Chrysler’s effort.

Greg Johnson’s ‘60 Corvette has been a racer since ordered with all the factory goodies over 50 years ago. Along the way it competed at legendary East Coast venues against the best SCCA racers of the day, achieving a remarkable track record. Records indicate Johnson’s Corvette was a Championship winner at the Regional level and earned a “Three-Peat” in the Pennsylvania Hill Climb Series.  Constantly evolving, it would serve time on the street.

As Cobra prices soar, an unfortunate consequence is that you no longer see many driven in anger on the track. Things at Monterey are a little different as shown by Steve (97) and Tim (16) Park in Lynn Park’s genuine 289 cars. Steve’s car is an early example (10th built) and was a factory racer. Tim’s was one of the initial group of Cobras sent to Europe to compete in FIA sanctioned events.

Chris Liebenberg of the 3 Dog Garage pushes Ross Myers’ 1982 Mustang through Turn 3. In period, the car was driven by Milt Minter, Gary Pratt and John Bauer and contested GTO in IMSA competition. In addition, it won an FIA event at the Fuji Circuit, Japan that year.

While Ford would end its factory involvement in the Trans-Am after clinching the 1970 championship, Bud Moore continued as an independent. He fielded entries for the likes of Peter Gregg. Here Ken Epsman hugs the apex in Turn 5 in Jim Hague’s car.

To get as much racing in as they do at Monterey requires a certain level of precision. As Ron Cressey’s #59 Corvette passes the pits on the front straight, you can already see the next group forming for their race. Cressey’s car is a long time vintage racer that has achieved multiple victories at Monterey.

Among the nearly 550 cars competing at this year’s Reunion were a number of Sunbeam Tigers. Each was interesting, but the history of Steve Sorenson’s example was intriguing. Originally converted to a racecar when new by Lew Spenser, it was later sold to Art Firmes. On the front fender is the name of Corvette racer, Dick Guldstrand. He and Firmes were friends and Guldstrand maintained the car, adding such touches as a frame modified as Guldstrand did with early Corvettes and ‘63 Sting Ray exhaust pipe bezels used as front brake scoops.

One cannot possibly fault the lines of Jaguar’s E-Type as exemplified by Michael Doyle’s 1962 coupe. From new, the car was converted to a racer with extensive modifications to its engine, suspension, brakes and bodywork. It would compete on the West Coast until 1972 before being laid up. Doyle has done all of us a favor by returning this very distinctive car to the track.

By 1974, the final year of the once proud Can-Am series would fizzle out after but five of a scheduled eight races. The one bright spot that year was Don Nichols’ Shadow Team with Jackie Oliver and George Follmer driving. It was just too little, too late for Shadow and the Can-Am as a whole. But Michigander Craig Bennett gave us a taste of that bygone era, wringing the best from his ‘74 515-inch Shadow DN4 to clinch Group 3B for Can-Am and USRRC cars.

In 1991 Robby Gordon drove his Roush prepared Mustang to three victories and second in the series point chase. The car marked the first time a Roush car would use a rear-mounted transaxle and the last time a turbo engine would be employed. After residing in a museum for over ten years, Steve Schuler is racing it again.

Amelia Island Concours founder Bill Warner brought his two-time championship winning TR6 to Monterey as part of “Team Amelia.” Bob Tullius and Paul Newman had owned the car. Here Warner endures something of a traffic jam in Turn 11, as he turns onto the front straight. Warner would be awarded The President’s Cup for having the car with the most significance to Laguna Seca, returning 40 years after last appearing here.



Words & photos: M. M. “Mike” Matune, Jr.



For more information about Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, please visit http://www.mazdaraceway.com/