Story and photos by Dennis Gray
The Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival took place the weekend of June 4-6, 2010, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. A strong field of 375 vintage race cars competing in 13 groups took to the technical 2.52 mile road course located in the Sonoma Valley. Organized by General Racing, with veteran leadership coming from Steve and Doug Earle, the event formerly known as the Wine Country Classic put together a vast offering of both on and off-track activities.
On-track action saw historic racing cars that spanned each decade of the 20th Century, including Pre-War Sports and Racing Cars, Sports Racing Cars, Formula Cars, Historic Trans-Am, Historic Can-Am, IMSA GTP and FIA Mfg., GT and Grand National cars. Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, Indiana won the Sonoma Historic Cup “The Phil Hill Trophy” for top overall performance and presentation, impressing the crowds with his factory orange 1971 McLaren M8F.
Set-up day for the Sonoma Historics was on Thursday, while by Friday morning the pits were loaded with cars, trailers, eighteen-wheelers and trucks. Walking through the pits exposes the high grade of the competitor’s race and street cars, so much so that Sports Car Digest will do a follow-up story on the impressive paddock. It was obvious the fans enjoyed not only watching the action but also experiencing the paddock where they could reach out and touch the cars.
All of the 13 race groups had a good number of entrants, with each competing for 12 laps and many hard fought battles on track. A fine mix of cars and personalities took part in the racing, including former BRE Racing and SCCA Trans Am Champion in the 2.5 Liter Class, John Morton. He tended to the driving duties of the 1958 Scarab Sports Racer that was originally campaigned by Lance Reventlow and Chuck Daigh, in addition to piloting a 1964 Sunbeam Tiger and Lotus 23 SR. Morton commented, “I have a real affection for the history of racing and at these vintage races.”
Not all the action took place at the track, as thirty lucky participants were selected to drive their cars the 15 miles from the track to downtown Sonoma on Saturday evening where a lap was taken around the town’s square before a “pit stop” at a local vineyard. Inside the gates, more than 700 people – including competitors, their friends, family and townspeople – exchanged their $30 tickets for a wine glass and access to food and drink samplings from more than 11 area wineries and just as many restaurants.
“We appreciate the great gatherings and social events because to me vintage racing is 1/3 the people, 1/3 the history and 1/3 the racing opportunity,” said Cameron Healy, who raced his 1953 Cooper Porsche and 1968 Porsche 908K here.
Announced at the end of the evening, the people’s choice award for favorite classic race car was Dick DeLuna’s 1917 Hall-Scott. The crowd pleaser, with its hand built all-aluminum body, put together with 1000 rivets and housing a bi-plane engine, sat high above the others on its oversized spoke wheels, gleaming in the setting sun.
The overriding impression of the inaugural Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival was one of a real upgrade in both the class of cars, and vendors, over previous Wine Country events. Add to this the largest number of spectators I’ve seen at an historic race at Infineon Raceway and it all bodes well looking ahead to future Sonoma Historics.
Looking forward, General Racing announced McLaren would be the event’s featured marque for the event’s second edition in 2011. The legendary name has graced the halls of motorsports since its famed founder Bruce McLaren of New Zealand founded the McLaren racing team in 1963.
“McLaren, like Ferrari and Porsche and other great names in motorsports, created the bloodlines that we worship today in historic automobile racing,” said General Racing’s President Steve Earle, who is the originator of the Wine Country Classic that preceded the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival for 24 years. “Choosing McLaren as our marque means we will pay special tribute to the name, the teams, and the cars that McLaren has produced in the past and will produce in the future, adding another dimension of enjoyment for both competitors and spectators.”
Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival Cars of Interest
Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival – Results and Photo Gallery
Group 1A (1963-1974 Grand National Cars)
1. David Hankin – 1968 Ford Torino, Redding, CA
2. Mark Mountanos – 1971 Pontiac Firebird, Ukiah, CA
3. Randy Peterson – 1971 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Sonoma, CA
4. Jim Hague – 1972 Ford Gran Torino, Santa Clara, CA
5. Scott Rubin – 1966 Ford Galaxie, Santa Clara, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 1A Results
Group 2A (1948-1955 Sports Racing & GT Cars)
1. Rob Manson – 1952 Schaghticoke Manning Special, Barcelona, Spain
2. John Buddenbaum – 1949 Jaguar Parkinson Special, Sunnyvale, CA
3. Jim Herlinger – 1949 Baldwin Mercury Special, Woodside, CA
4. Bernard Juchli – 1955 Hagemann Jaguar, Sierra Madre, CA
5. Donald Racine – 1952 Aardvark H-Modified, Nevada City, NV
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 2A Results
Group 3A (1955-1962 GT Cars)
1. Scott Brown – 1957 MGA Mk I, Redwood City, CA
2. Brian Howlett – 1961 Morgan +4, Hacienda Heights, CA
3. Clint deWitt – 1960 Porsche 356B, Sacramento, CA
4. Ron Cressy – 1959 Chevrolet Corvette, Sherman Oaks, CA
5. Paul Ryan – 1962 Lotus Super 7, Coronado, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 3A Results
Group 4A (1962-1968 GT Cars under 2000cc)
1. Tom Claridge – 1964 Ginetta G4R, Los Gatos, CA
2. Paul Quackenbush – 1963 Lotus S-7, Grass Valley, CA
3. Robert Forbes – 1964 Ginetta G4R, Emerald Hills, CA
4. Victor Avlia – 1964 Lotus 26R, Corona Del Mar, CA
5. Michael Taradash – 1966 Lotus 26E, Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 4A Results
Group 5A (1961-1965 Sports Racing Cars)
1. Dave Vegher – 1966 Elva Mk 8, Petaluma, CA
2. Mike Blackie – 1964 Genie Mk 10, Prescott, AZ
3. Greg Meyer – 1962 Dailu Mk 2, Los Altos, CA
4. Edith Arrowsmith – 1964 Brabham BT8, Scottsdale, AZ
5. Steve Schmidt – 1963 Lotus 23B, Newport Beach, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 5A Results
Group 6A (1973-1980 IMSA GT, GTX/1982-91 Trans-Am)
1. Steve Petty – 1991 Chevrolet Camaro, Charles Town, WV
2. John Watkins – 1983 Huffaker Pontiac Fiero, Anderson, CA
3. Peter Baljet – 1990 Chevrolet Baretta, Duncan, BC
4; Kenneth Davis – 1985 Roush Mercury Capri, Escondido, CA
5. Phil Gallant – 1985 Ford Mustang, Oceanside, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 6A Results
Group 7A (1966-1974 Historic Can-Am Cars)
1. Chris MacAllister – 1971 McLaren M8F, Sonoma, CA
2. Andy Boone – 1968 McLaren McLeagle, Laguna Beach, CA
3. Tony Garmey – 1970 McLaren M8C, Maple Valley, WA
4. Scott Drnek – 1974 Sting, Hayward, CA
5. Don Bell – 1969 Lola T163, Woodside, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 7A Results
Group 1B (1914-1949 Pre-War Sport & Racing Cars
1. Peter Giddings – 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C-35, Danville, CA
2. Peter Greenfield – 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C-35, Freepoint, NY
3. Tom Price – 1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 MM, Larkspur, CA
4. Nathanael Greene 1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix, Peterborough, NH
5. Gregory Whitten – 1932 Alfa-Romeo P3, Medina, WA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 1B Results
Group 2B (1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars)
1. Donald Orosco – 1958 Lotus 15, Monterey, CA
2. Edward Nigro – 1960 Lola Mk I, Las Vegas, NV
3. John Morton – 1958 Scarab SR, El Segundo, CA
4. Cameron Healy – 1953 Cooper “Pooper” Porsche, Portland, OR
5. David Swig – 1957 Monsterati Special, Sausalito, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 2B Results
Group 3B (1962-1967 GT Cars over 2000cc)
1. Terry Gough – 1965 Chevrolet Corvette, Reno, NV
2. Jim Hague – 1966 Shelby GT350, Santa Clara, CA
3. John Morton – 1964 Sunbeam Tiger, El Segundo, CA
4. Craig Wright – 1966 Shelby GT350, La Jolla, CA
5. Jason Len – 1964 Jaguar E-Type, San Luis Obispo, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 3B Results
Group 4B (1958-1963 Formula Cars – Formula Jr. and Formula One)
1. Art Hebert – 1963 Lola F-Jr., Larkspur, CA
2. Danny Baker – 1963 Lotus F-Jr., San Francisco, CA
3. Douglas Mockett – 1961 Cooper T-56, Christiansted, St. Thomas
4. Jimmy Domingos – 1962 Cooper F-Jr., Carmel, CA
5. J.G. Ball – 1963 Lola F-Jr., Dallas, TX
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 4B Results
Group 5B (1965-1988 FIA Mfg./IMSA GTP Cars)
1. Dave Vegher – 1976 Lola T286, Sparks, NV
2. Randall Smith – 1971 Chevron B19, Petaluma, CA
3. Ed Swart – 1971 Chevron B19, Rolling Hills, CA
4. Brian Groza – 1975 Sauber C4, Bend, OR;
5. Dwight Matheson – 1973 Chevron B23, Meadow Vista, CA
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 5B Results
Group 6B (1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars)
1. Jim Hague – 1972 AMC Javelin, Santa Clara, CA
2. Ken Epsman – 1970 Dodge Challenger, Saratoga, CA
3. Forrest Straight – 1970 Ford Mustang, Mountain View, CA
4. Chad Raynal – 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, San Jose, CA
5. Craig Jackson – 1969 AMC Javelin, Scottsdale, AZ
Click for complete Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2010 – Race 6B Results
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[Source: Dennis Gray]
Great coverage! Dennis really captures the essence of the event.
Cheers!
Nice pictures
That’s the last great photo of Andy Boone’s AAr for a while. He got tangled up in a wreck in turn 11, last lap, last group of the event. Car was pretty banged up.
Goerenger’s Mustang had major damge to the front end.
Jim Halsey’s Boss fared a little better, but still an unfortunate happening for all.
Hope all can be repaired so they can share these with us again, out on the track, where they were meant to be.
I appreciate the in depth coverage with plenty of fabulous photos. Good job Dennis!
Great job Dennis. Complete and fun to spend some time with.
Larry thanks for the comment, much appreciated.Dennis
Fantastic job Dennis!!
I echo Larry Crane’s comment – a lot of fun reading this and seeing the pictures and results.
Stupendous coverage, what great photos – best in a long time; especially deep and vibrant colors, crisp focus, given the bright white light of CA at this time of year.
The turnout of cars, just wonderful.
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent photography of the race events! Capturing cars with wheels off the track… tremendous! But, hey, it is Dennis Gray, after all. Cheers, DG. Great images as always.
Fantastic coverage and photos—Thank you Dennis. I spent my race behind the wall in turn 11 after shearing off a half shaft. There was a great battle between Andy Boone and Tony Garmy for second place in gp 7A and Andy passed for the lead on the last lap in turn 11
Bob.
Hope to see you guys back on track soon. Will miss you and the Alfa at Laguna and the M6B at the next HMSA event.
Another excellent group of photos to compliment Dennis’s story. Some exciting driving performances for the race fans at Sears Pt.
Another great job by Dennis Gray, Sonoma must have been a great time for drivers and watchers. Looking at Dennis’ images got my imagination jumping gears, without bending any metal. Thanks for the entertainment.
Who drove the gran Sport Siata shown behind the 300 BC ?
H –
The Siata Daina Gran Sport was driven by Robert Williams.
Hope that helps.
SCD
Degré ggyf ghghg
Even all these years later I could not of said it better.
Dennis