“Having my name on the trophy means the world to me,” said MacAllister.  “It has been 26 or 27 years that I have been racing all over the world, and the best events I have ever been to are those organized by General Racing Ltd. To participate is really cool, to do well is great, but to be recognized by all my peers with the great cars, the great drivers at the best event in the country is really the best...it’s as good as it gets.”

MacAllister gave credit to his mechanic for preparing the car “to the max.”  “At the morning practice, I could put this car anywhere,” he said.  “I was so comfortable; I was full-out everywhere.”

Competitors appreciated the challenge of Infineon Raceway’s 2.52 mile road course, and the fans enjoyed not only watching the action but also experiencing the open paddock areas where they could reach out and touch the cars.

“We pretty much have every major U.S. professional race in motor racing here,” said Infineon Raceway’s President and General Manager Steve Page.  “Nascar, Indy Car, NHRA, Drag Racing--but those events have become so big that it’s hard to create that real direct personal experience for the fans where they can get an up-close look at the cars and get to know the drivers.”

The weather was warm, sunny and breezy, ending a long spate of rain that led up to the event. As it was, thousands turned out to enjoy Sonoma Valley, which can be seen from the grandstands, as it unveiled its full beauty.  For the price of a $40 ticket, fans not only experienced full immersion into the glorious past of motorcar racing but also indulged in the lavish offerings of the magnificent Wine Country Pavilion, where they were able to sample the best food and wine from both Sonoma and Napa Valleys.

As for the cars, they ranged from the wild to the wonderful, even giving those who’d thought they’d seen everything new wonders to ponder. Some of the startling surprises that showed up in the paddock area were Peter Mullin’s very exotic 1927 Delage ERA driven by David Duthu; the 1939 Lagonda V12 of Richard Morrison’s, which was nearly lost forever after it fell victim to a bombing run during WWII; and Dick DeLuna’s remarkable 1917 Hall-Scott racer intended for the 1917 Vanderbilt Cup but never built until the end of the 20th Century.

About the Delage, David Duthu said, “It’s a true rocket ship—a Delage Grand Prix car with an ERA engine in it, a supercharged straight six cylinder engine, and it runs on ethanol. Unlike the Bugattis, with this car you have to be on the edge all the time.  You have to get on the brakes a little bit early because of the speed the car carries.”

Duthu’s own car, a 1925 Bugatti T-35A, was driven by Jim Strandberg from Berthound, Colo., who shared Duthu’s sentiment that “some of the best cars and best drivers in the country participated here.”

Vintage motor racing has been growing in popularity for decades and opportunities for the public to enjoy it continue to increase, but it was the electric atmosphere at the raceway contrasted with the low-key ambience of the Sonoma Valley that made the overall experience at this year’s Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival a true racing odyssey.

McLaren as Marque for 2011

At the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival awards ceremony this evening, General Racing’s Steve Earle announced that McLaren will 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 for four decades has devoted his life to organizing historic car racing events and 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.”  All Photos Credit: Mike Finnegan

Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival

California Style, International Flair

SONOMA, CALIF.  (June 5, 2010) –Even though a good number of drivers here at the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival are from California, the event has a notable international contingent and a distinct worldly panache by virtue of having attracted the most extraordinary cars on the planet. The event got underway today with races for seven of 13 groups entered, and by weekend’s end, 375 historic cars will have contested the demanding turns of Infineon Raceway, one of the most demanding race courses in America.

Canadian Club

Laurie Fraser and his wife made the trip to the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival from their home in Langely, British Columbia, with their beautiful 1960 Alfa Romeo SZ.  Langley is horse country, but the Fraser’s stables are home to a different kind of animal.  In addition to his five Alfa Romeos, Fraser owns an Aston Martin, an AC Cobra, Lotus Super 7, two Morgans, and a Formula Junior.  “I usually choose the Alfa to race because it keeps running and running, without any problems after 25 years of my racing it,” said Langley, who began racing when he was 21, did different types of racing and hill climbs in the early ‘60’s in an MG Midget, and began vintage racing in 1980.  “We bought this car exactly 25 years ago from a retired military guy in Wiscasset Maine, sight unseen,” added Fraser.  “All my friends said we were nuts and there would be no car when we drove across the continent (to retrieve it), but they were wrong.  The car was exactly as the gentleman advertised it. “I love this event because it reminds me of the racing I did years ago.  My wife and I love to come here, and we make a holiday of it.  We come here early to drop off the trailer, we do some wine tasting and have a good meal.  It’s all about having a good time.” 

Brazilian Friends

Fred Della Noce (Rio De Janeiro) and Andre Lara Resende (Sao Paulo) have brought a bit of Brazilian flair to the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival.  The long-time friends have also brought a couple of significant Alfa Romeos to the event.  Della Noce’s 1967 Alfa Romeo GTAm and Lara Resende’s 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA were fixtures at races in South America in the 1960s.

As a teenager, Della Noce began his racing career in Go-Karts, Lara Resende his in motorcycles.  The friends raced in Europe in a Porsche 908 in the mid-nineties, but the Alfas are what now give them the most satisfaction.  “These are the cars we watched race when we were kids,” said Della Noce, “and we loved them then but love driving them now more. "

Della Noce has raced at Infineon Raceway three times but this is Lara Resende’s first visit.  “The whole atmosphere is wonderful and the track is exciting to drive,” he said.  “So many tracks become boring after a while, but this place keeps you busy all the time.  The Sonoma Valley and the wine country have so much appeal with the good hotels, restaurants and especially the good weather this time of year.  And I like very much the fact that you can go to San Francisco because it is so close. “There is a certain diversity of cars at this event that brings in all the history of racing in America, including the Grand National cars that you don’t often see race in vintage events.” 

Back from the Ashes

Although he is from Salina, Kansas, Richard Morrison still adds an international story to the mix.  He has brought  a car that could easily have been lost to history but for someone’s devotion to its magnificent restoration.  His 1939 Lagonda V12 was one of the Lagondas that finished third and fourth at LeMans in 1939.  During a German blitz later that year, the garage in which they were stored suffered a direct hit by a Nazi bomb.

“The chassis survived the buzz bomb but the bodies were blown off of them,” said Morrison, who is schedules to race tomorrow.  “They also raced at Brooklands before the bombing and were able to run over 130 mph on the banking.  This car was restored in England and the body is from an earlier restoration of one of the original team cars.  I’ve had it since 1986.”

Highlights for Fans:  Among the other attractions for fans at the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival is the special Celebrate Sonoma Day on Sunday, chat sessions with drivers and organizers, and the Wine Country Pavilion, which features some of the best food and wine Sonoma and Napa have to offer, with noted Bay Area chef Victor Scargle headlining. 

Another highlight of the weekend is tonight’s  Sonoma Valley Race Car Festival, which will feature 30 of the event’s vintage vehicles on public display during a wine and food tasting at the Foley Family (formerly Sebastiani) winery at 389 Fourth St. E., from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The cars will have created a separate spectacle on their parade from Infineon Raceway to the venue.  The event benefits the Speedway Children’s Charities, and tickets ($35) can be obtained from Infineon Raceway or at Sonoma Plaza on the evening of the event.