SECOND ANNUAL SONOMA HISTORIC MOTORSPORTS FESTIVAL A SUCCESS

SONOMA, Calif. (June 5, 2021) - Despite rain showers that disrupted racing action on Saturday, Sunday's races at the Second Annual Historic Motorsports Festival at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., featuring the McLaren marque, were successfully completed under primarily dry conditions.

Only the early race groups of the 13 held on Sunday faced wet conditions, while the remainder enjoyed a cool yet dry surface on the 2.52-mile circuit in the heart of Northern California's wine country.

More than 1000 people per day visited the Wine Country Pavilion in the paddock area, enjoying local fare and wines, after passing through the dynamic McLaren Automotive display featuring significant McLaren race cars that were raced internationally through the years and the new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C high-performance sports car.

"It's unfortunate that we had to endure rain showers on Friday and Saturday," said event organizer Steve Earle, "but race day turned out to be a great day of racing and it appears that each of the 400 entrants enjoyed the competition. And I know the fans were treated to some exciting racing action, not to mention the opportunity to see so many important race cars, including all the McLarens that were here.

"It was a privilege to meet Bruce McLaren's daughter Amanda and to have her share in the festivities as the Honorary Starter for the Formula 1 and Can-Am cars in which the McLaren marque was so strongly represented. The Infineon Raceway staff was at its best, as usual, and we’re expecting sunny skies at next year’s event.”

Race winners today:

Group 1A - 1955-1962 GT - Jeff Abramson, 1959 Morgan +4
Group 2A - 1949-1955 Sports Racing & GT - Rob Manson, 1952 Schaghticoke Manning
Group 3A - 1960-1965 Sports Racing - Byron Sanborn, 1965 Elva MK8
Group 4A - 1963-1966 GT over 2500cc - John Morton, 1964 Sunbeam Tiger
Group 5A - 1955-1964 Formula Jr, F2, F1/GP - Art Hebert, 1963 Lola MK5A F-Jr.
Group 6A - 1966-1974 Historic Formula One - Danny Baker, 1977 McLaren M23
Group 7A - 1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am - Ken Epsman, 1970 Dodge Challenger
Group 1B - 1911-1926, 1927-1949 Sport and Racing - Peter Greenfield, 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo-C
Group 2B - 1955-1960 Sports Racing - Donald Orosco - 1958 Lotus 15
Group 3B - 1962-1967 GT under 2500cc - Paul Quackenbush, 1963 Lotus S-7
Group 4B - 1966-1980 FIA Makes, IMSA GT - Bert Skidmore, 1976 Lola T-286
Group 5B - 1966-1974 Historic Can-Am - Chris MacAllister, 1971 McLaren M8F
Group 6B - 1981-1991 IMSA GTO, Trans-Am - Peter Baljet, 1990 Beretta

2011 Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival Awards
The Sonoma Historic Cup - "The Phil Hill Trophy"
Presented for Best Presentation and Performance Overall
Winner: Peter Greenfield, Freeport, NY, 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo C

The Sonoma Historic Trophy , Pre-1940 Category
Presented for Excellence in Presentation
Winner: Jon Shirley, Medina, Wash., 1934 Alfa Romeo P3

The Sonoma Historic Trophy, Post 1940 Category
Presented for Excellence in Presentation
Winner: Chris MacAllister, Indianapolis, Ind., 1967 Lotus 49 R2

The Sonoma Historic Award
Presented for Presentation and Performance in Race Group
Winner Race 1A: Brian Howlett, Hacienda Heights, Calif., 1961 Morgan +4
Winner Race 2A: Graham Smith, Melbourne, Australia  1950 Allard J2-Cadillac
Winner Race 3A: David Jacobs, Boulder, Colo.,1964 McLaren -Elva M1A
Winner Race 4A: Tom Fry, Morgan Hill, Calif., 1966 Shelby GT-350
Winner Race 5A: Jeffrey O'Neill, Kentfield, Calif., 1957 Maserati 250F
Winner Race 6A: Scott Drnek, Hayward, Calif., 1970 McLaren M14A
Winner Race 7A: Forrest Straight, Mountain View, Calif., 1970 Boss 302 Moustang
Winner Race 1B: Jim Stranberg, Berthound, Colo., 1949 Talbot Lago T26C
Winner Race 2B: Thor Johnson, Kirkland, Wash., 1959 Lotus 17
Winner Race 3B: James LaMantia, Loomis, Calif., 1963 MGB
Winner Race 4B: Stephen Harris, Incline Village, Nev., 1979 Porsche 935J
Winner Race 5B: Roger Williams, Auckland, New Zealand, 1970 McLaren M8E/F
Winner Race 6B: Peter Baljet, Duncan, BC, 1990 Beretta

SECOND ANNUAL SONOMA HISTORIC MOTORSPORTS FESTIVAL
PRESS NOTES - SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

"It never rains in California..."

And, yes, it pours. Saturday's official opening day of the Second Annual Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival dawned with rain showers dampening the 2.52-mile Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., but not the spirits of the 400 participants, as many took to the wet course for practice and qualifying for Sunday's 13 group races. Fine wine, fine food and vintage and historic race cars are highlighting the weekend activities for race fans and foodies in the heart of Northern California's wine country. Sunday's weather predictions show clear skies.

Two important McLaren cars featured in McLaren Automotive's display
Of the six historic McLaren race cars displayed, alongside the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C high-performance sports car, at the McLaren Automotive display during the Sonoma Motorsports Historic Festival, two are especially significant. McLaren is the featured marque at this event.

The 1972 McLaren M20 that Denny Hulme took to second place in the Can-Am championship that year, after which the team retired from the series for good, ending the era, is owned by the National Automobile Museum, the Harrah Collection, in Reno, Nev. "(Event organizer) Steve Earle will come to us and tell us that his event is featuring a certain marque, and if we have a car that fits, then we'll try to figure out a way to get it to the event so people can see it and enjoy it," said Ranson Webster, chairman of the board of trustees of the Museum, and a competitor at this event. "And it's good publicity for the museum.

"We have roughly 240 cars in the museum, everything from an 1892 Phiion (one of the first cars built) to Mr. Harrah's 1976 Wagoneer with a Ferrari engine.

"We also have a tremendous collection of pre-1916 brass cars, cars from the '30s, and a whole race car selection. The M20 is one of four featured cars because of its history."

Webster is competing in a 1960 Abarth Carrera and a 1976 Kremer K3 Porsche 935 this weekend.

"Senna" film previewed by more than 225 in Sonoma
The second significant McLaren on display is Ranson Webster's 1985 McLaren MP4/2B, the Marlboro-sponsored Formula 1 car raced by Alain Prost and Niki Lauda. It is featured in the new "Senna" film, a documentary of Ayrton Senna's years as an intense competitor on the F1 circuit and a fierce rival to Prost, his one-time McLaren teammate.

More than 225 invited guests had the chance to preview the film at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma on Thursday evening, June 2, and it was well received.

"Having seen the preview of the Senna film, which will be released in August, and to have the MP4/2B here that Alain Prost drove in 1985 that was featured in the film, is exciting," said event organizer Steve Earle. "It provides something special to the fans and participants who've seen the film to come out here and see a car that was prominent in the film in the McLaren Automotive display."

As for Earle's review of the film, "I thought the film was very good as a documentary and it certainly showed a side that people would never see of Formula 1," he said. "It shows the improvements and the changes that have been made to F1 racing since that time and, while it doesn't seem like a long time ago, it is actually 25 years ago. You can see how the FIA worked together with the teams and drivers to make it what it is today, and how good that is.

"It's an enthusiast's film, for sure, the in-car camera work is terrific, and you see a side of Senna, or any driver during that era, that you would never see. And seeing the change in Senna at his last race was really dramatic (he lost his life in a racing accident at the 1994 San Marino G.P.). His concern was very evident, and realizing what was going through his mind is something few of us, if any, have ever experienced."

SUNDAY PRESS NOTES-Second Annual Historic Motorsports Festival

SECOND ANNUAL SONOMA HISTORIC MOTORSPORTS FESTIVAL
PRESS NOTES - SUNDAY, June 5, 2021

Amanda McLaren is Honorary Starter for Historic F1 and Can-Am races at Second Annual Motorsports Festival
With McLaren the featured marque at the Second Annual Motorsports Festival at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Bruce McLaren's only child, daughter Amanda, was on hand to be the Honorary Starter for the 1966-1974 Historic F1 and 1966-1974 Historic Can-Am race groups on Sunday, waving both the green and checkered flags. Each class showcased a number of McLarens, including the 1977 McLaren M23 that Danny Baker drove to victory in the F1 group, as well as Scott Drnek's fourth-place 1970 McLaren M14, along with three other McLarens.

In the Can-Am race group, which included 12 McLarens taking the flag, Chris MacAllister led a top-three McLaren sweep in his 1971 McLaren M8F, followed by Steve Cook in a 1968 McLaren M6B and Roger Williams in a 1970 McLaren M8E/F.

Ms. McLaren, who lives in Wellington, New Zealand, was just 5 years old when her famous father died in a testing accident in 1970. "I have a few, very small memories [of my father], but I'm not sure if that's film that I've subsequently seen or people telling me about him, or things I've read in books that kind of made up the image. But I'm very lucky in some respects in that there are a lot of people out there who do remember him who can tell me about him."

During her three-week U.S. tour, she visited the Indianapolis 500, and will see the Western States Horse Expo in Sacramento next week. "I always say, as long as it's got four legs or four wheels, then I'm interested in it," she said.  As for her visit to this event featuring McLaren, "I think it's just lovely to see your family name on so many cars still and to have the marque remembered like this. It's a great event and it keeps the name going," she added.

Ms. McLaren also had an opportunity to take a ride in the Lamborghini pace car Sunday afternoon. “It was really very exciting. It’s the right color, for a start (orange and black, similar to the McLaren Can-Am cars), even if it’s the wrong marque,” she said, with a laugh. “Nice drive around. It’s a great circuit and it’s a real privilege to be here.”

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Bicolore Paces the Field in Sonoma
A brand-new, orange-and-black 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Bicolore paced several of the Sunday afternoon race groups at the Second Annual Historic Motorsports Festival at Infineon Raceway.

"It's a pretty new model. It just got imported a couple of days ago," said Hans Lapine, the chief modeler for the Volkswagen Group in Santa Monica, Calif., (which owns Lamborghini) and a competitor here this weekend in a Porsche 914/6 GT.

"Lamborghini had an opportunity last year to provide a pace car for the first Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival and when they found out there was a second event scheduled this year, they opted to bring out another car. It was a huge success for them last year, so they wanted to repeat it.”

The car is powered by a 10-cylinder V 90-degree, DOHC 4-valve, 317.6 cu.in. engine with a common-pin crankshaft. It is rear-wheel drive with limited slip differential, and has a 6-speed plus reverse gearbox. Top speed is rated at 199 mph, and is said to reach 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds.

(digital image of Lamborghini pacing the field available upon request to [email protected])