Portland Historic Races, 36 pics

Hasbro wrote:

DWNSHFT wrote: What was the subject car in the video aeronca posted? It had a nice sound. Too bad he missed a shift and bent valves. David

A Tiger?

It's a Big Healey.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

oldsaw wrote: Number 2731 is an earlier Chevron 2 liter sports racer, a B16. It's also one of my all-time favorite lust-mobiles.

oldsaw, isn't that old red 2ltr sports racer Brian Redman loves so much a B16? I still recall him being out with the Can Am & Group 7 cars at the Mitty years ago, and lapping the field with it.

Hey FGC, the B16 is a closed cockpit car and I honestly don't know if it's a Redman favorite. It's certainly one of mine!

Years ago, I do remember that Redman drove a B19 "roadster" at the Mitty and was phenomenally fast - taking it to the 7 liter Can-Am cars and embarrassing the poo out of them. And, yes that car was red - but not a B16. Redman had a lot of success in Europe behind the wheel of B19's and I do know he's campaigned one in vintage events.

One of those years Stirling Moss was also competing and his skills were still exceptional regardless of his age; leading and winning with ease.

And then there was the time when spectating at Turn 2/3 that a conversational English chap would choose the same spot. A definite WTF moment as it was the legendary Vic Elford!

In reply to oldsaw:

If the B16's the coupe, then the B19 is definitely the one I'm thinking of. I knew it was a Chevron because the flag station at 5 is close enough to read the badges on the bodywork. I'd always thought the coupes were pretty-isn't there one in the staged sequences of McQueen's "Le Mans"? IIRC, it's the one "Delaney" gets stuck behind as "Stahler" goes around him (after "Townshend" puts him in "Ritter's" car).

I think I remember the year Sir Moss was there. That was the year Elva was the featured marque, wasn't it? I seem to recall Moss in a very fast Elva-BMW sports racer. At one of the worker parties that weekend, we talked the guys in the paddock with R/C buggies into having a race through the trees next to the paddock bathrooms. Afterwards, someone offered Sir Sterling a chance to drive one. Took him all of about twenty seconds to get the hang of it. He stated that he "..may have to purchase one when I return home."

With all the fantastic people I've met in this sport, I have to say I've never met Elford. What's he like? Always got the impression from Keyser's "Speed Merchants" that he was kind of a moody guy. Of course, 1972 was a loooong time ago!

I have an extra ticket to the NASCAR West race at PIR this weekend, with a Pit Pass if anyone is interested, PM me.

friedgreencorrado wrote: In reply to oldsaw: If the B16's the coupe, then the B19 is definitely the one I'm thinking of. I knew it was a Chevron because the flag station at 5 is close enough to read the badges on the bodywork. I'd always thought the coupes were pretty-isn't there one in the staged sequences of McQueen's "Le Mans"? IIRC, it's the one "Delaney" gets stuck behind as "Stahler" goes around him (after "Townshend" puts him in "Ritter's" car). I think I remember the year Sir Moss was there. That was the year Elva was the featured marque, wasn't it? I seem to recall Moss in a *very* fast Elva-BMW sports racer. At one of the worker parties that weekend, we talked the guys in the paddock with R/C buggies into having a race through the trees next to the paddock bathrooms. Afterwards, someone offered Sir Sterling a chance to drive one. Took him all of about twenty seconds to get the hang of it. He stated that he "..may have to purchase one when I return home." With all the fantastic people I've met in this sport, I have to say I've never met Elford. What's he like? Always got the impression from Keyser's "Speed Merchants" that he was kind of a moody guy. Of course, 1972 was a loooong time ago!

Oh, wow! You're certainly challenging the memory cards.

IIRC correctly, there were several different camera cars used for "LeMans". I know that Lola T70 coupes were used and it's equally likely that B16's were, too. In the heat of the action, it can be difficult to tell one from another. I'll still take a B16 over a T70 coupe in a flash; as IF I'd ever have to make that choice.

Moss in an Elva rings true. One was amazed at how fast and smooth he was; he was dominant and it was truly an honor to see him race.

The Vic Elford thing was haphazard and he was actually more involved with the pretty lady at his side. Certainly not moody and very focused on the priorities! No problems on my side.

I will say the coolest encounter was with Dorsey Schroeder while viewing the C/P race at an early 70's RunOff's. With beers in hand (on a cool October day) we casually chatted by the fence at T5 - under that big ole tree.

He noted he was wrenching in a St Louis-area Lotus shop and that he would be back the next year driving in F/B, SCCA's version of F/Atlantic.

Only time would tell, but, damn, there he was the very next year! Alas, I've got pics of his Chevron, but no way to post them.

oldsaw (and corrado), if you guys want pictures posted just e-mail them to me and I'll gladly throw them up on the blog to share. I'd love to feature your stories!

P71 wrote: oldsaw (and corrado), if you guys want pictures posted just e-mail them to me and I'll gladly throw them up on the blog to share. I'd love to feature your stories!

Thanks for the offer, but the pics are on film, requiring either a scanner, or a digital slide converter.

My "best" are committed to slides and a converter is on the short-list when funding allows.

Thanks, again!

oldsaw wrote:

P71 wrote: oldsaw (and corrado), if you guys want pictures posted just e-mail them to me and I'll gladly throw them up on the blog to share. I'd love to feature your stories!

Thanks for the offer, but the pics are on film, requiring either a scanner, or a digital slide converter. My "best" are committed to slides and a converter is on the short-list when funding allows. Thanks, again!

Yeah, I don't have a scanner either. And I haven't gone through them in years. Most are old 4x8s from the old "One Day Photo!" places...and the negatives seem to have wondered off through the years. Also, when I "jumped the fence" (as we called Corner Workers who'd been recruited from the spectator crowd back then), I stopped taking photos. Some corner workers did take pics, but I personally was afraid that if my field of view was restricted by a camera's viewfinder, I would be at risk of having an errant racecar up my exit valve.

The stories, you can have. And feel free to take the pics I posted in RustyRabbit's thread:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/imsa-gtp-goodness/11127/page1/

I actually like vintage racing. IMO, automobile racing is the greatest sport in the world. When the "stickanball" people go to Cooperstown or Canton or Springfield, all they see are the artifacts of the past. Dead things left behind by dead people. Only in motor racing will you see the artifacts come alive. Twenty years ago, I got to see people like Redman and Moss climb into a car and demonstrate their talent, although in cars a little less powerful than the ones in which they'd made history. At the same event, young men climbed into some of those old crates, and made them come alive again. I'd never seen a 70s Can Am car at speed until Steve Shelton was allowed to take somebody's McLaren M8 out at the Mitty in `87 or so. Seeing a (then) professional driver (Formula Atlantic, IIRC) at the top of his game throw that thing around was the closest thing to a time machine I've ever seen.

You young guys will have your chance as well. Bobby Rahal has already become bored with his retirement...he's bought back his old March FA car, joined HSR, and from what I saw at the Mitty this year, is kicking ass again. I'm sure other drivers from his era will do the same.

Nice pictures, I wasn't able to make it out there this year unfortunately!

Oh, man! I got it wrong about Bobby Ray running in vintage.

He's actually recovered his old Lola T360, not a March.

CLN, do you go to vintage races a lot?

P71 wrote: I finally finished my first post on the Portland Historic Races from Sunday. There's 36 pictures of on-track action. I'm working on the paddock shots now. Portland Historic Pics Click on the picture for the full-size. All taken by me, feel free to copy/save them and share. If any of them get printed anywhere I'd like a credit and a copy, otherwise feel free to use them (and any other pics).

Incredible pictures; I had to miss it this year but after seeing the Stewart Tyrell F1 car I am just kicking myself.

Great photos!

This MGB is bad.ass.

And I found this shot amusing....Giugiaro design vs Bangle. I know which I prefer .

Luke wrote: And I found this shot amusing....Giugiaro design vs Bangle. I know which I prefer .

ROFL! A guy at work (they all know I'm one of the "car guys") was lamenting to me just the other day (he's no car guy) that now that he makes enough money to buy the BMW he's always wanted, they're so ugly that he doesn't want one anymore. Then he said he's going for the Infiniti G37 instead...

I walked away..hell, I don't even go there with the likes of y'all! Some things are better kept within the family.

And that MGB is bad-ass. That's what a old club racer should look like.

Luke wrote: Great photos! This MGB is bad.ass. And I found this shot amusing....Giugiaro design vs Bangle. I know which I prefer .

I don't prefer Wikipedia as a resource, but in this case:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgetto_Giugiaro

No need to do a search for Bangle; too many of his designs are way over-rated. As IF he ever had the vision to pen something along the lines of the Mangusta, Esprit, Bora, M1, or even a Fiat 850?

If time-travel were possible, Bertone would come back and smack Bangle on the back of his head and walk away with a scowl on his face.

In reply to oldsaw:

Yeah, Bangle ain't no Harley Earl, is he?