Celebration of Historic Racing, Wine Country Lifestyle at Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival

WHAT:                        

Sonoma Raceway will come alive with memorable racecars from Corvette, Ferrari, Lotus, Austin Healey and Bugatti, among others, at the 27^th annual Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival. In all, more than 400 historic racecars will grace the twisting road course during a weekend celebration of racing and wine country lifestyle.

WHERE:             

Sonoma Raceway, Highways 37 & 121, Sonoma (800-870-RACE).

WHEN:                      

May 18-19

CIRCUIT:

12-turn, 2.52-mile road course.

ENTRIES:

Four-hundred racecars, some dating back as far back as Pre-World War I, will compete over the race weekend in 15 different groups. There will be qualifying on Saturday, with all main events set for Sunday.

CELEBRATION OF CORVETTE:

Sonoma will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the popular Corvette, created by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors in 1953. The weekend will feature 32 significant racing Corvettes covering four decades of the iconic brand's racing successes. Among the Corvettes representing the brand will be Paul Reinhart's 1957 Corvette; Vic Edelbrock's 1963 Corvette Sting Ray (the Sting Ray debuted in 1963); Edward Hugo's 1966 Corvette 427, Randy Peterson's 1969 Corvette L88, Larry Bowman's 1963 Grand Sport Corvette, as well as an array of other collector Corvettes from the 1950s through the '80s. 

RACING SEMINAR:

The second annual racing seminar will be held on Saturday, May 18. A panel of Corvette racers, historians and team managers will discuss Corvette's history from the early '50s up to the car's modern-day triumphs at the 24 Hours of LeMans and the American LeMans Series. Expected to participate in the seminar are current-day Corvette Racing Program Manager Doug Fehan, former Corvette Racing public relations representative, Rick Voegelin, Corvette racers Paul Reinhart, Bill Pollack, Tony DeLorenzo and Dick Guldstrand, among others.

ADAM CAROLLA RETURNS:

Comedian/actor Adam Carolla, who recently won the 2013 Pro/Celebrity Race as a professional and the 2012 Pro/Celebrity Race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach as an amateur, will compete over race weekend in his 1971 Datsun 510. There is a special ticket package featuring Carolla: Saturday race ticket plus Q&A and autographs with Carolla for just $45.

SCHEDULE:       

Saturday, May 18: Qualifying (all groups), 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, May 19: Main Events (all groups), 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

RACE GROUPS:

Saturday Qualifying and Sunday Main Events

·        Group 1 (1962 - 1967 Production/GT Cars under 2000cc)

·        Group 2 (1955 - 1962 Cars Production/GT under 2000cc)

·        Group 3 (1956 - 1963 Formula Cars (F-Jr., F-2, F-1))

·        Group 4 (1955 - 1960 Sports Racing Cars)

·        Group 5 (1946 - 1955 Sports Racing & Production Cars)

·        Group 6 (1963 - 1973 Grand National Stock )

·        Group 7 (1982 - 1991 Historic IMSA GTO/SCCA T-A)

·        Group 8 (Pre-1941 Sports, Touring & Racing Cars)

·        Group 9 (1955 - 1962 Cars Production/GT over 2000cc)

·        Group 10 (1962 - 1966 Production/GT Cars over 2000cc)

·        Group 11 (1959 - 1966 Sports Racing Cars)

·        Group 12 (1966 - 1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars)

·        Group 13 (1966 - 1974 Historic Can-Am Cars)

·        Group 14 (1973 - 1979 IMSA GT & 1964-1970 FIA Cars)

·        Group 15 (1971 - 1982 FIA Sports Racing Cars)

LOCAL CORVETTE DRIVERS:

Jeff Abramson (1964 Corvette, Alamo); Lawrence Bowman (1963 Grand Sport Corvette and 1969 Corvette L88, Redwood City); Damian Friary (1966 Corvette, Novato); Edward Hugo (1966 Corvette 427, Mill Valley); Bob Matkovich (1968 Corvette, Cupertino); Bruce Miller (1963 Corvette, Alamo); Richard Orme (1963 Corvette, Granite Bay); Bob Paterson (1957 Corvette, Redwood City); Dan Payne (1963 Corvette, Petaluma); Randy Peterson (1969 Corvette L88, Sonoma); Paul Reinhart (1957 Corvette, Twain Harte); Chris Springer (1969 Corvette, Los Gatos); Russ Uzes (1957 Corvette, Stinson Beach); Bob Webster (1965 Corvette, Placerville).

2012 LOCAL DRIVER RECAP: 

Bay Area drivers posted six victories at the 2012 Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival. San Francisco’s Danny Baker (1963 Lotus, Group 2, 1956-1963 Formula Cars) and Alamo’s Jeff Abramson (1966 Lotus, Group 3, 1956-1963 Sports Racing Cars and 1959 Morgan, Group 5, 1955-1962 Production/GT Cars) continued their winning ways after taking home wins in 2011. Other Bay Area winners included Santa Clara’s Jim Hague (1972 Ford Gran Torino, Group 4, 1963-1973 Grand National Stock Cars); Sausalito’s Paddins Dowling (1939 Maserati, Group 8, 1925-1941 Racing Cars); and San Jose’s Chad Raynal (1969 Camaro, Group 4, 1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars).

MORE THAN RACING:

·          The weekend will also be highlighted by the Wine Country Pavilion, which will feature gourmet wine and food from area purveyors.  Entry to the pavilion is included with your race-day ticket and you will be given a limited number of wine and food tastings. Hours are 11 a.m.-1 p.m. each day.

·          Race fans can also enjoy the Marin Sonoma Concours d’ Elegance at the Marin Civic Center on Sunday, May 19, with the Wine Country Classics Flex Pass. The raceway has partnered with the Concours to offer admission to both events for just $45. 

HISTORICS POSTER:

Local artist David Grandin (Pleasant Hill) created the artwork for this year’s Sonoma Historics poster. This marks the 12^th poster in the series dating back to 2002. Grandin will be on hand in the Wine Country Pavilion from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday to sign copies of the poster. Cost for the poster is $10 with all proceeds going to Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Sonoma Raceway. 

HISTORIC RACE CAR FESTIVAL:     

Following Saturday’s on-track action, more than 30 historic racecars will drive from the raceway, around the Sonoma Plaza, and to Sebastiani Winery under a CHP escort at approximately 5 p.m. The festival will boast a sampling of food and wine. Tickets are $30 in advance/$35 at-event (800-870-RACE).  All proceeds benefit Speedway Children’s Charities. 

ADMISSION:

Advance: $40, Saturday; $40, Sunday; $60, weekend pass.  Youth (Ages 13-20): $20 day/$30 weekend.  Children 12-and-under are FREE. Parking is FREE. Call 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit http://infineonraceway.com/historics href="http://infineonraceway.com/historics">racesonoma.com/historics orhttp://www.ticketmaster.com/ href="http://www.ticketmaster.com/">ticketmaster.com for more information.

LEGENDARY CALIFORNIA DRIVERS FEATURED IN SEMINAR AT 2012 SONOMA HISTORIC MOTORSPORTS FESTIVAL

SONOMA, Calif. (May 27, 2021) - Five legendary California race-car drivers will be part of a seminar discussing the birth of the popularity of sports-car racing in California and the United States during the third annual Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival at Infineon Raceway, June 2-3, 2012. This is the 26th annual historic-car event organized by General Racing Ltd. in Sonoma.

The seminar will follow the event’s theme, “Moments in Time: a Celebration of the History of Motorsports,” and will feature Grand Marshal Bill Pollack, winner of the main event at the 1952 Golden Gate Park Road Races in San Francisco; Don Dickey and Mick Marston, who competed at Golden Gate Park in the ‘50s; Dick Guldstrand, renowned Corvette driver and engineer; and British driver Peter Giddings, who moved to California following a successful European racing career.

Other racing legends, such as Don Blumenfeld of San Mateo, Bruce Marhenke of Alamo and Alan Selby of Santa Rosa, who competed in the Golden Gate Park Road Races in the ‘50s, will be introduced during the seminar by Gary Horstkorta, co-author of the book, “Golden Gate Remembered,” published in 2007.

Following the seminar, Pollack will be available at the trackside bookstore to sign his newly reprinted book, “Red Wheels and White Sidewalls: Confessions of an Allard Racer,” originally published in 2004.

Open to event ticket holders and participants, the free seminar will begin at 10 a.m., on Saturday, June 2, in the Driver’s Lounge, located in Infineon Raceway’s paddock area. Event ticket information may be found at infineonraceway.com/historics http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1129796 or by phone at 800-870-RACE (7223).

“It’s a privilege and an honor to have at the seminar not only Bill Pollack, who won the Guardsman’s Cup Race at Golden Gate Park in 1952, but Don Dickey and Mick Marston, who raced in later events at San Francisco’s famous park,” said Steve Earle, president of General Racing, Ltd., who has organized premier historic car events for four decades.

“Dick Guldstrand is a California boy whose driving and engineering abilities helped bring the Chevrolet Corvette into prominence in the ‘60s. He brings his expertise and outgoing personality to the seminar. Expect great stories.

“Peter Giddings is the ultimate gentleman racer, who found his way to California from England after competing in numerous races and hill climbs overseas in some of the world’s significant race cars. He’ll provide his perspective on how American and European sports-car racing influenced each other in the early years.”

Here are short backgrounds of each seminar participant:

Bill Pollack – event Grand Marshal – Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Pollack began his racing career in the late 1940s and early ‘50s racing an MG, then won the Pebble Beach Road Race twice in Tom Carstens’ famous red-wheeled, Cadillac-powered Allard J2, as well as The Guardsman’s Cup Race, the main event of the SCCA-sanctioned 1952 Golden Gate Park Road Races. Driving a variety of other cars, such as Alfa Romeos, Porsches and Maseratis, he won in Stockton, Willow Springs, Torrey Pines, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, among other venues, competing in over 60 races. He is also credited with designing the race course at Willow Springs, Calif. He is the author of  “Red Wheels and White Sidewalls: Confessions of an Allard Racer,” originally published in 2004.

Don Dickey – Grass Valley, Calif.
Dickey’s nearly decade-long racing career began in 1952 when he took third place in the novice race at Stockton Airport in his Jaguar XK120. He became a regular and successful participant in West Coast races and hill climbs, including events at Golden Gate Park, Pebble Beach, Reno, Laguna Seca, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Arcata, Cobb Mountain and Sacramento. Entering six events in 1956, he finished first four times, third once and fourth once, and won his class at the Cobb Mountain Hill Climb. At the end of the season, he was ranked 7th in national points in SCCA’s F-Production Class in a Porsche Carrera GT. In 1957, he was asked by the Porsche Factory to co-drive in an endurance race at the Nurburgring and the famous Mille Miglia in Italy. After practice at the Mille Miglia, he decided open-road racing through populated towns was not to his liking. He returned to the United States and continued racing until retiring in 1960. During his career he raced an Allard J2X, Jaguar XK120, Porsche Speedster and Porsche Carrera GT.

Mick Marston – Petaluma, Calif.
Marston was attracted to road racing early on, racing a modified MG with a V8-60 engine made popular by Southern California racer Bill Stroppe. He raced at Cobb Mountain Hill Climb, Golden Gate Park and Santa Rosa. In 1953, he struck up a relationship with young hot-rodder Joe Huffaker and the two built an Austin-Healey-based special for road racing. This was Huffaker’s first sports car that would lead to a long career as a car builder. His son, Joe Jr., is carrying on that legacy today. Known as the Huffaker/Marston Healey, it was raced by Marston at Stockton, Buchanan Field, Salinas and Pebble Beach. He retired in 1957 but the Healey Special has been restored and can be seen at current vintage racing events.

Dick Guldstrand – Burbank, Calif.
The name Dick Guldstrand has been synonymous with California and Corvettes for more than 40 years. As a California native, he won the Pacific Coast Championship three years straight (1963-65), and the Southern Pacific Championship in 1964, when he was named the regional SCCA Driver of the Year. In 1966 he won the GT class at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and drove the legendary Corvette Grand Sport for Roger Penske at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring. He also won three SCCA Trans-Am races. In 1968 he opened his own race-car design and fabrication business specializing in Corvettes and continues today to operate the shop located in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

Peter Giddings – Danville, Calif.
Giddings was born in Eastbourne, England, then moved to the United States in 1971. He became interested in sports and competition cars in the late ‘50s, when his first car was a 1932 BSA air-cooled three-wheeler which he qualified as a “motorcycle combination,” as he was not old enough to have a driver’s license. He then moved on to a Brooklands Riley 9 and owned a succession of chain-driven 1920s Frazer Nashes, one of which he restored in his living room. Since then he has competed in and restored a variety of race cars, from a 1924 Lyons GP Bugatti and a Talbot Lago GP car, to Maseratis, Ferraris and Alfa Romeos of all types. In 1985, after successfully racing his Alfa Romeo Monza and Scuderia Ferrari Tipo B P3 at the Monterey Historics, he was presented the “Phil Hill Trophy” by the great Juan Manuel Fangio. He’s won several championships in the North America Ferrari/Maserati Historic Challenge, and will race a 1931 Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 at the Sonoma Historics.

Fifteen unique race groups will compete on Saturday and Sunday, while the weekend will also feature the popular Wine Country Pavilion with samplings of fine foods and wines from the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. The paddock will be open to spectators, allowing everyone an opportunity to get an up-close-and-personal look at the race cars and enjoy the various car corrals dotted throughout the raceway.

The weekend’s festivities will also include the Historic Race Car Festival in the Sonoma Plaza Saturday evening benefiting Speedway Children’s Charities.

Additional information may be found at www.sonomahistoric.com. Companies interested in supporting special events during the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival should contact General Racing Ltd. at 805-686-9292.

Ticket information may be found at http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1129796 or by phone at 800-870-RACE (7223).

About General Racing, Ltd.:
General Racing Ltd. (founded by Steven Earle) was formed in 1970 to encourage the restoration, preservation and the use of historic sports and racing cars and envisioned an event that would unite former racing greats with enthusiastic amateurs who owned some of the rare motorcars that once graced road courses worldwide. Earle’s vision forever changed the vintage racing landscape.

In 1974, with the support of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance organizers, he launched the inaugural one-day Monterey (Calif.) Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca Raceway. It was a huge success and attracted a field of 66 cars.

It also sparked the interest and vision for what would become the world’s premier historic auto race. In 1975 it became a two-day affair and the climb to recognition around the world began.

The success of the Monterey Historics spawned additional General Racing events, including the Portland (Ore.) Historic Automobile Races, the Coronado (Calif.) Speed Festival, special events at the Long Beach Grand Prix and the Kansas City Historic Grand Prix, as well as the Wine Country Classic, the forerunner to the current Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival.

In addition, General Racing assisted the organizational team from 2001-2008 at the Lime Rock Park (Conn.) Vintage Festival, held over Labor Day weekend.

Historic Race Car Festival Returns to Sonoma Plaza

This popular charity event returns to the Sonoma Plaza Saturday evening June 2nd and includes samples from top restaurants and wineries in Sonoma, as well as over 30 historic race cars on display.

Cost is $30.00 - advanced or #35.00 at the event. Proceeds benefit Speedway Children's Charities.

Call 800-870-RACE for tickets