news | New England Auto Museum

03 Nov

First Vintage 24 Hour Race at Daytona Nov. 12-16

Daytona, FL –The traditions of the 24 Hours of Daytona will be revived and relived at full speed on the high banks and infield road course of Daytona International Speedway from November 12-16, 2014 at Historic Sportscar Racing’s inaugural Classic 24 race weekend.

The inaugural HSR Classic 24 Hour Daytona vintage races are dedicated to cars and drivers that raced in Daytona’s classic endurance races of the past. High speeds, high banks and a long night of six period-correct race groups competing on a rotating schedule, the Classic 24 is open to all significant Daytona sports cars that raced from 1961 through 2010.

The Classic 24 Hour Daytona 2014 will be the longest and the toughest vintage and historic car race in North America, an American-flavored version of the Le Mans Classic 24 hour historic car race that runs every other summer on the famous Le Mans 24 hour circuit in France. Competitors will race on the full nine-turn, 3.56-mile Daytona 24 Hour road-oval circuit that includes the infield road course and the steeply banked 2.5 mile Daytona “tri-oval”.

Since 1966 the 24 Hours of Daytona has been a premier fixture on the international racing calendar. Originally the opening race of the World Sports Car Championship the Daytona 24 Hour has long been a magnet for European and Asian racing teams.

“That Daytona tradition will continue in the Classic 24 Hour on November 15th and 16th,” said HSR President David Hinton. “This event really struck a nerve internationally. We already have over 140 entries in the six race groups for the Classic 24, many from European teams. The latest is a Porsche 907/LH entered by Willi Kauhsen Motorsport to be driven by Le Mans winner Jurgen Barth.”

A fleet of European Group C prototypes from the 1980s is expected, along with a cadre of Daytona’s endurance racing’s all-stars. Five-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Hurley Haywood leads a cast of Daytona superstars who will race in the inaugural Classic 24 on November 15-16, 2014.

Joining Haywood on the Classic 24 grid will be Porsche factory racer Patrick Long, 1989 Le Mans winner Jochen Mass, Daytona, Le Mans and Sebring winner Andy Wallace, three-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Brian Redman, Brian Johnson (Lead Singer, AC/DC), two-time Daytona 24 Hour winner Elliot Forbes-Robinson, Forest Barber, World Touring Car Champion Dieter Quester, Sebring 12 Hour winner John Fitzpatrick, grand prix and sports car ace Arturo Merzario, two-time Grand-Am GT Champion Leh Keen, GTD Championship-leader Cooper MacNeil, Rolex 24 winner Rob Dyson and son Chris Dyson in one of their Rolex 24 winners.

An early Classic 24 entry is the Porsche 934 raced by the late Bob Wollek in the 1976 and 1977 World Championship in races such as the Le Mans 24 Hours and 1,000kms of the Nurburgring.

The Classic 24 Hours’ six race groups will be organized chronologically and correspond to the history of the 24 Hours of Daytona and its ancestor, the Daytona Continental.

Classic 24 Hour Daytona 2014 – Race Groups

Group A – Sports racers, prototypes and GT (Grand Touring) cars from 1960 through 1972. Corvettes, early Porsche 911s and Ferraris.
Group B – Cars from 1973 through 1982 – Corvettes, Porsche 934 and 935 Turbos, BMW 3.5 CSL. Porsche Carrera RS and RSR.
Group C – Cars from 1983 through 1993 – Group C and GTP
Group D – Cars from 1994 through 2002 – GT1 and World Sports Cars such as the Ferrari 333SP
Group E – Cars from 2003 through 2010 – Audi R8, Daytona Prototypes
Group F – HSR Group (HSR approved racing sports and GT cars)

“The Classic 24 hour race starts with the green flag for Group A at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2014 and Group F goes under the checkered flag at 1:00 PM Sunday November 16th,” said Hinton. “Each group races for one hour…four times, day and night.”

Friday November 14th will feature a full slate of HSR races starting at 8:00 AM with qualifying races for the Classic 24 beginning at 9:30 AM. Friday’s races conclude with the 5:00 PM Bob Woodman Tires International/American challenge. Weekend passes start at $35.00 per person.

For more information, visit Classic24Hour.com.

[Source: Sports Car Graphic]

26 Oct

Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival to Feature Cars of the Rich & Famous Nov. 1-2

Clockwise from left, Anne Ford’s black-over-black Continental Mark II, William Clay’s blue car and Benson’s green one. Credit Kirk Hansen/National Parts Depot

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast event weeks, takes a more glamorous approach with its annual “Life” exhibit and presents Life of the Rich & Famous sponsored by Marriott Vacation Club. Life of the Rich & Famous is the sixth annual “Life”-themed exhibit on the Festival’s Motoring Midway. Past themes include Life on the Beach, Life on the Farm and, the one that kick-started it all, Life on the Road.

This year’s exhibit, Nov. 1 – 2 at the Port Royal Golf Club, will be highlighted by three 1956 Continental Mark IIs that pay homage to this year’s Honorary Chairman, Edsel B. Ford II, and the entire Ford family. Each Continental was specially ordered by a Ford family member, including one that was built to the specifications of Henry Ford II for his wife, Edsel Ford’s mother, Anne. All three cars are currently owned by Jim Schmidt and his son, Rick, from Ocala, Florida. Following its debut at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, the Mark II quickly became the car of choice for many of America’s famous names, including Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Warner Bros. studio gave a 1956 Continental Mark II to Elizabeth Taylor, custom-painted to match her distinctive eye color.

“We feel privileged to have all three of these styling masterpieces on display at the Festival this year, including the only Mark II in the world with a cloth-upholstered roof,” said Carolyn Vanagel, President of the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival. “To our knowledge, this is the first time that Mr. Ford will be seeing all three of these family cars together – it is an honor to share this experience with him.”

Other vehicles in the Life of the Rich & Famous exhibit include:

1955 Porsche Spyder – the exact same year, make and model of Porsche’s first true sports racing car that was romanticized by the late James Dean (The Brumos Collection, Jacksonville, FL)
1961 Jaguar E-Type currently owned by Indianapolis 500 Champion Bobby Rahal, an honored guest at this year’s Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival
1965 AC Cobra originally owned by Bob Shane, founder and lead singer of the Kingston Trio
1985 Daimler Ds420 Limousine originally owned by Lady “W” of America’s largest retail family (the name of Lady “W”, according to the purchase agreement, cannot be disclosed)
1989 Daimler DS420 Limousine specially built for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s week-long visit to New Zealand for the Queen’s 50th year tour in February 2002
1990 Jaguar XJR-9R owned by British racing great and team owner Tom Walkinshaw and built from a 1988 XJR-9 chassis and body designed by Peter Stevens for street use
1995 Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car, one of only 527 1995 Indianapolis 500 Pace Cars manufactured and one of only 75 actual Pace/Festival Cars used at the Indianapolis 500, assigned to and driven by Steve Rossi, Senior GM Executive

For more information on the Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, visit the official website at www.HHIMotoringFestival.com. Tickets for the 2014 Motoring Festival are available for sale online at http://www.hhimotoringfestival.com/tickets.

20 Oct

Savannah Speed Classic Weekend Opens on Oct. 23

Savannah, GA Nestled across the water from the famed River Street, Savannah’s own little private island comes alive with the roar of engines October 23 – 26, 2014. The week long motoring festival starts with the pace lap party in Ellis Square Thursday, October 23^rd.

With its storied past and cobblestone streets, Savannah, unbeknownst to most, is the birth place of Grand Prix racing. Celebrating that heritage, the Savannah Speed Classic is a unique road race experience offering an intimate look at the inner workings of racing.

Savannah, GA, thought of by most for its Southern charm, storied past and relaxing pace, is not typically linked to fast cars. American auto racing today is synonymous with cities such as Indianapolis and Daytona. However, unknown to most, the unlikely city of Savannah, GA is, in actuality, the birthplace of Grand Prix racing in America. Imagine back to 1908 – the unpaved city streets of Savannah filled with hundreds of thousands of spectators from across the United States; over 1,500 soldiers serving as human barricades to protect those watching from the racing cars zooming past; people traveling by train and steamship to be a part of the historic occasion; downtown hotels opening their ballrooms to serve as campgrounds for visitors; the greatest names from Louis Chevrolet to Henry Ford to the Vanderbilts all in attendance.

From 1908 to 1911, four major automobile races were hosted in Savannah, Georgia in which automobile drivers from around the world participated in a grand prix auto racing on a twenty-five mile race course laid out southwest of the city proper.

The four Savannah races included:

Grand Prize Race of the Automobile Club of America (November 26, 1908) – Won by Louis Wagner in a FIAT
American Grand Prize (November 12, 1910) – Won by David Bruce-Brown in a Benz
Vanderbilt Cup Race (November 27, 1911) – Won by Ralph Mulford in a Lozier
American Grand Prize (November 30,1911) – Won by David Bruce-Brown in a FIAT

In 2008, racing was finally brought back to the city of Savannah. The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance reopened the track at Hutchinson Island with the Savannah Speed Classic.

HSR brings wheel to wheel racing back to its roots in Savannah. Featuring series races, enduros and even more excitement with hot lap rides, test drives, an off road experience, and pit access. The Savannah Speed Classic is a great destination for drivers, crew, family, friends and spectators alike.

Host Hotel:
Westin Savannah Harbor Resort
1 Resort Drive
Savannah, GA 31421

Information: www.hhiconcours.com

10 Oct

Important 1912 Mercer Raceabout & Thrall Automobile Collection to be Sold by Dragone Auctions Oct. 18

Dragone Classic Motorcars is will be offering a vast array of extremely rare and exciting motorcars at their fall auction for 2014 on Saturday, October 18. The event will take place at the Dragone Classic Motorcars gallery in Westport, Connecticut. This auction features a rare 1912 Mercer Raceabout, which is the second Mercer Raceabout to be sold this year, following the $2.5 million sale in August by RM Auctions in Monterey, California. The event will also feature a 1935 Auburn Speedster that has been a one-family owned since 1954, several of the finest Corvettes, and the entire contents of the Mason Thrall Estate Collection. “There’s something in this auction for everyone at all levels of the market,” said Manny Dragone of Dragone Classic Motorcars.

The Thrall collection carries a rich and diverse number of motorcars, reflecting all aspects of the collector car market. Among the highlights are: a 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Landaulet with coachwork by Barker, previously owned by the Ellenville Auto Museum in New York. This magnificent car is presented in original condition. Also featured are several micro cars including: a Messerschmitt K200 and two BMW Isettas. Collectors of the unusual will find delight with a 1931 De Vaux and a 1926 Moon. The Thrall collection also features marques such as: Peerless, Packard, Hupmobile, Franklin, Graham, Oakland, Chrysler, and Studebaker to name a few. For the muscle car enthusiasts “without a doubt, this is one of the most eclectic collection of motorcars we’ve ever offered,” said Dragone including a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda, a 1984 Oldsmobile Hurst/442 with only 657 original miles since new, two 427 Corvettes from the 1960s and a stunning 1969 Ford Shelby GT500 with a 428 Cobra jet engine. Thrall spent an entire lifetime acquiring this most unusual assortment of cars.

The beautiful 1912 Mercer Raceabout is fully documented, with lineage going back to the 1940’s. This Mercer is perhaps, one of the most original in existence with ties to names like Webster Knight, Edward Malley, Alec Ullman, and David V. Uihlein, Jr. There’s also the 1935 Auburn Speedster that was recently cosmetically refurbished and presented in its original black livery.

For collectors of America’s sports car, the auction features some of the rarest and best Corvettes with a 1957 fuel-injected four speed, a 1959 with dual-quad carburetors, and a 1962 fuel-injected model. “The quality, fit, and finish on these Corvettes is amazing,” said Dragone. In addition, offered is a fully documented, rare aluminum bodied 1950 Jaguar XK120 that has been fully restored to its exact factory specifications. This exquisitely styled body, along with its 3.4 liter dual overhead cam inline-six, set a world standard for what a performance car should be in its day. Additionally, a wonderful piece of art deco history is being offered, styled by the great French industrial designer Raymond Loewy, an aerodynamic Hupmobile coupe from 1935; also offered, a Chrysler Airflow and a 1934 Brewster, all very rare and unique automobiles.

This will be the fourth sale since 2012 when the Dragone brothers began auctioning some of the world’s rarest and most unique classic cars found all over the globe. On Friday, October 17^th,there will be an all-day preview of the classics that will be for sale on auction day starting at 10:00am, followed by a cocktail party at 5:00pm to celebrate the following day’s event with classic car collectors, prospective bidders and friends. This auction promises to “satisfy a spectrum of different automotive tastes,” stated Manny Dragone.

Dragone Fall Auction,
Classic Motorcars Gallery,
176 Post Road,
Westport, CT 06880
Saturday October 18, 2014 at 1 PM
www.dragoneclassic.com

02 Oct

Bonhams Auction of Preservation Cars Returns October 6th

Philadelphia PA – Bonhams, one of the world’s foremost automotive and fine art auction houses, will be returning to the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum for their third “Preserving the Automobile” Auction, to be held on Monday, October 6th. Preview days will be Saturday, Oct. 4th and Sunday, October 5th.

Bonhams’ focus for this auction will be to offer exceptionally fine and original automobiles for sale, providing collectors with the opportunity to purchase fully documented, original automobiles that have either been sympathetically restored or recently unearthed. Select automotive ephemera, spares and accessories will also be included allowing collectors a useful resource for accurate restoration of their cars.

Details on the event are on the Bonhams’ site, located here.

The Simeone Museum is located at 6825 Norwich Drive, Philadelphia PA

23 Sep

Scarsdale Concours Celebrates 11th Anniversary

Scarsdale NY – The 11th Anniversary of the Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance is coming up this October. The event is the second longest running Concours in the Eastern United States. The show will be held in the heart of beautiful Scarsdale Village, 29 Chase Road, Scarsdale, New York. Scarsdale is easily accessible from anywhere in the tri-state area and there is ample free parking.

This year’s show follows the success of last year’s 10th Anniversary event with 132 cars participating (plus approx. 25 new vehicles from a variety of sponsors, including BMW, Miller Motorcars, McLaren Greenwich, Pepe Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac and Infiniti. Over $32,000 was raised for charity benefitting the White Plains Hospital, Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service, The Wounded Warriors Family Assistance Fund and the Scarsdale Foundation. This was an increase of approx. 30% over the 2012 Event.

The 2014 edition of the Concours is scheduled for Sunday, October 5, 2014, slightly earlier than usual, and the organizers are hoping to enjoy some beautiful early fall weather.

Beneficiaries of the event once again will include several very worthy local charities including The Scarsdale and Edgemont Family Counseling Service and The Wounded Warriors Family Assistance Fund.

This year’s panel of judges will be comprised of distinguished members of the automotive press from various media outlets, including Top Gear, Consumer Reports and Car & Driver.

Public viewing will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will feature over 130 American & European automobiles as well as some displays of new vehicles from various manufacturers and dealerships. Viewing ends at 4:00 p.m. with Final Judging and an Awards Ceremony, followed by a champagne toast to the winners.

15 Sep

NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne at Lime Rock this Thursday, Sept. 18

LAKEVILLE, Conn. (Sept. 15) – Jeff Gordon, along with teammate Kasey Kahne, Rick Hendrick and Alan Gustafson, are at Lime Rock Park from 3:00 to 5:30, Thursday, Sept. 18, for the track’s efforts to raise funds and awareness for AARP Foundation’s “Drive to End Hunger” campaign. NASCAR star Gordon has spearheaded Drive to End Hunger since 2011.

Gordon, Kahne and Gustafson (Gordon’s crew chief on the #24 Drive to End Hunger Hendrick Motorsports Chevy SS in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series) are giving “hot laps” around Lime Rock’s storied 1.5-mile, 7-turn circuit to those who donated to Drive to End Hunger, following a 45-minute hosted interview for hundreds of fans, each of whom donated $24 to be here. They’ll be driving prototype 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28s.

Local racing star Liam Dwyer (Southbury, Conn.), the armed forces amputee who made national news in May following his IMSA race win at Lime Rock on Memorial Day weekend – and someone Gordon has wanted to meet – will also be here; he’ll be giving Gordon some “recon” laps prior to the hot laps as Jeff has not raced at Lime Rock before.

Lime Rock Park has set a goal of raising $96,000 in 2014 for Drive to End Hunger, the track’s Official Charity, and Thursday is the biggest element so far of the effort which provides food to needful seniors via the Connecticut Food Bank.

08 Sep

New England Hot Rod Reunion on tap for next weekend

Epping, NH – The coolest cars in the Northeast will proudly be on display Sept. 12-14 during the NHRA Motorsports Museum New England Hot Rod Reunion presented by AAA Insurance at New England Dragway. Three days of classic cars, nostalgic quarter-mile drag racing, and honoring the legends of drag racing will take place at the scenic facility outside of Boston.

The event comes to life Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. as hundreds of vintage show cars pour into the facility for the start of the Show ‘n’ Shine featuring a streaming parade of hot rods, classics, and customs that will be on display during the event. Gates will open at 8 a.m. each day of the reunion.

The racing on the dragstrip begins Friday at 9 a.m. with nostalgic nitro quarter-mile drag racing. Cars that raced during the early days of the NHRA and New England Dragway will thrill those in attendance with passes down the track in a salute to days past. Time trials, qualifying, and exhibition runs will be showcased during the day.

The first day of the reunion concludes in exciting fashion at 5 p.m. with a jet car running at more than 200 mph. Flames, smoke, and the sound of a screaming jet engine is the perfect way to end the day.

Saturday will be the day that the legends take center stage at the event with a reception and autograph session at the track. Two autograph sessions will take place featuring grand marshal Bob Frey. Also honored will be Gil Coraine, John Healey, Al Hanna, George Weiler, and “Jungle Pam” Hardy. The Hot Rod Reunion Reception takes place at noon and is a perfect way to hear from the honorees at the event.

Saturday’s finale features the world-famous Cacklefest parade on the dragstrip. New England Dragway will come alive with the sounds of dozens of nostalgic race cars from yesteryear. The exhaust pipes on these machines glow red, and fans clamor for the sights and sounds of the dramatic day-ending event.

The weekend concludes Sunday with eliminations starting after the pre-race ceremony at 10:45 a.m. Also taking to the track will be an encore Cacklefest and another jet-car exhibition.

• SCHEDULE: The event begins at 8 a.m. each day, with racing beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12; racing starts at 9 a.m. Saturday Sept. 13, and 9 a.m. Sunday Sept. 14.

• TICKETS: Single-day tickets are only $25; three-day tickets are $75 at the gate; and children 15 and younger will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. Auto Club members, Show Your Card and Save on admission.

• ON THE WEB: For more information, log on to www.nhramuseum.org.

02 Sep

3rd Annual Boston Cup celebrating racing in New England on Sunday, September 21

Boston Ma – Racing in New England began with horses. With the advent of motorized vehicles, the early pioneers constantly looked for ways to make them go faster. This racing exhibition will feature over 100 years of racing heritage from the corners of our home tracks to corners around the world.

From the bike board tracks in Springfield and the early days of Readville, Cranston, Epping, Oxford, Thompson and Lime Rock, New England’s race heritage is one of the longest and strongest of anywhere in the country.

Beginning with a 1907 Vanderbilt Cup Renault all the way up to a late modified dirt track racer, the many styles and types of racing will compete for spectators’ attention at the 2014 edition of the Boston Cup. A 1936 stock car, a post war dirt track midget, a prototype Allard J2 first run at Thompson, Carroll Shelby’s Toyota 2000GT, Mario Andretti’s Lotus 79, both a 356 and a 911 Gt3 Porsche, Ferraris, including a rare 1962 GTO on display in the KTR Racing tent, a Corvette B production, a 65 California double engine rail dragster and many more including even a VW race support micro bus.

The New England Antique Racers Association will display the New England racers Hall of Fame. This legacy of racing in New England will pay homage to those tracks that are no longer running but are a part of our history. The show will be held once again at the Boston Common Parkman Bandstand on Sunday September 21st from 9AM to 2PM. It will be free to the public with access inside the fence for paid ticket holders. A limited number of tickets are on sale at www.thebostoncup.com

12 Aug

IMSA Tudor Championship Racing Coming to Lime Rock in 2015

Lakeville CT – The IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship series has announced its 2015 schedule, and it is set to visit Lime Rock Park for the first time, featuring the Tudor GT Daytona (GTD) and Prototype Challenge (PC) series on July 24-25, 2015.

“This is simply an outstanding and exciting schedule for racing fans across North America” said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett in a statement, “We wanted to further elevate what was an impressive Tudor Championship schedule in 2014 and we accomplished that goal with the addition of Lime Rock Park by popular demand.”

IMSA Tudor GT Daytona (below) and Prototype Challenge (above) coming to Lime Rock in 2015

In addition, both classes (Grand Sport and Street Tuner) of the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series will be racing that weekend. “This will be a fabulous sports car racing weekend,” said track president Skip Barber. “All these championships are known for big, highly competitive fields, especially when they race at Lime Rock.”

Tudor GTD cars include the Aston Martin V12, Audi R8 LMS, BMW Z4, Ferrari 458 Italia, Porsche 911 GT America and the SRT Dodge Viper GT3-R. The Prototype Challenge cars are much like the high-tech LMP2 cars but with a spec engine and chassis.

The Continental Tire series (above) was here this past Memorial Day weekend, where they put on a great show. The GS cars include Aston Martin Vantage, BMW M3, Chevy Camaro GS.R, Ford Mustang Boss 302 R, Nissan 370Z, Porsche 997 and Subaru WRX-STI. The STs are BMW 128 and 325, Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Genesis, Mazda MX-5, Nissan Altima and Porsche Boxster and Cayman.

“IMSA Tudor and Continental sports cars at Lime Rock are perfect for a mid-summer race weekend,” Barber says. “We are all looking forward to it.”

Lime Rock Park
860.435.5000
[email protected]