[h=2]SVRA at 40: Reflecting back and racing forward[/h] Tuesday, 27 February 2018


Images by Mark Dill


Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) marks its 40th anniversary in 2018. In that time SVRA and all American vintage racing has come a long way with high-profile events attracting legendary drivers, including the entire Unser family of Indianapolis 500 veterans. Just since 2012 SVRA has evolved from club racing largely confined to the Eastern United States into a national platform that spans America with race weekends at storied venues such as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen, Sonoma, Road America, COTA and its original home, Sebring, where it returns this week for the Sebring Vintage Racing Classic.

Leading into the Sebring weekend RACER caught up with SVRA's founder, Ford Heacock III, and Tony Parella, who serves as the current president and CEO. The two men offered their thoughts on the evolution of SVRA and the state of vintage racing in general.
Q: Ford, 40 years is a long time. What was vintage racing like back in 1978?
Ford Heacock III: SVRA traces its roots back to what was then called the Kendall Vintage Grand Prix, supported by Kendall Oil. The logical interest was triggered by the established 12 Hours of Sebring. It was only natural that there was a fascination with vintage race cars by that time as people reflected on how American sports car racing was started and how it progressed. Charlie Mendez and David Cowart had just taken responsibility for promoting the 12-hour race. They approached me about organizing a class of historic race cars of 1960 to 1972 vintage for a support exhibition race.
The most prominent vintage racing organization at the time was the Vintage Sports Car Club of America (VSCCA), but they did not run cars newer than 1959. That created a demand for the newer vintage cars and that opening became the basis for SVRA, originally know as the Southeastern Vintage Racing Association. We ended up with two classes, Classic and Historic. VSCCA produced the Classic group and I organized what we called Historic.
Q: There's been an awakening for vintage racing in the last few years, not just among car owners and drivers but also unprecedented levels of spectator attendance. Did you ever think in 1978 that you would see the day when as many as 25,000 spectators would be attracted to a vintage racing weekend?
Heacock: I was fairly young at the time we first organized the vintage races at Sebring. I was 29 years old. Everything was new to me as I did not have experience as a race promoter, but my grandfather and father had been in leadership roles establishing the 24 Hours of Sebring. Also, I grew up there, so all of that gave me a deep appreciation for the sport. The endurance race transformed the town. Suddenly, international flags appeared everywhere, foreign languages were spoken, and famous drivers like Stirling Moss and Pedro Rodriguez stayed in local homes. I had a lot of enthusiasm but honestly, I did not have a specific vision of where we would take vintage racing other than to provide a friendly club environment and include the later model vintage cars.
We gained momentum after we organized a support race at Road Atlanta in 1979. As we progressed into the 1980's, we started running at Watkins Glen, Moroso Motorsports Park near Palm Beach, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, and, of course, Sebring. Even as time went on, we did not promote our events to the public. We let the tracks do that, and while we did have spectators, it was not at all like what you see today.
Q: In your time leading SVRA is there a particular event that stands out in your mind?
Heacock: Certainly among the most challenging and interesting events were the Grand Bahama Vintage Grand Prix races of 1987 and 1988. The Bahamas have a great history of auto racing, dating back to top professional racing in the 1950's. They had done a vintage race in 1984, but had not repeated it. The Grand Bahamas Ministry of Tourism approached us about taking on the effort.
I hired Susan Wright, an expert in organized travel, who deserves a ton of credit for managing logistics. Our team was responsible for shipping over 100 race cars as well as all safety equipment including fire and tow trucks. It was a very ambitious project, as we also had to design and create a street course. We worked closely with the Ministry, and while there was lots of racing, there were also elaborate parties every night during the week. It was an amazing experience.
Q: I understand you sold SVRA in 1989 over concerns about the direction the sport; can you elaborate?
Heacock: During the 1980s the car collection hobby exploded and values skyrocketed. By 1988 and especially after the death of Enzo Ferrari in August, high-end cars were selling in the range of one to two million dollars. This was unprecedented and the market spike made many owners decide to leave their best machines in their garage and not take them onto the track. This wasn't limited to Ferraris, but other coveted cars like Ford GT, Cobra, and Porsche 917.
I thought the character of the sport had been altered, as what we saw at the track were clearly cars of less importance. Also, we had a couple of accidents as people started pushing the rules for modifications for things like carburetors, transmissions and especially modern tires. Some competitive people were too focused on awards like point championships and trophies. These things weighed on my mind and by then I had a family and the demands of running my business, Heacock Classic Car Insurance, were significant. Something had to give.
Q: Skipping ahead to today, what do you think of how SVRA has evolved with a national schedule of events at major tracks plus sponsorship investment with such global brands as Jaguar, Merrill Lynch, and Capital One?
Heacock: I am in awe with how Tony Parella has taken SVRA from a club to a genuine business. He has attracted top brand sponsors, and built a schedule at most of the important tracks across America. With his leadership, SVRA has also faced the challenge of delivering more detailed rules, enforcing safety standards, and policing drivers who get too aggressive. The Gold Medallion program to recognize authentic, historic cars is important too, in bringing back the most valuable examples. He's put it all on a big stage. I never thought I would have the opportunity to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, for example, but I did. It's fun to come back now and simply be a participant driving my Porsche 356B.

 

The rest of this article is posted in the SVRA Shop Forum on Tampa Racing
https://www.tamparacing.com/forums/t...ml#post9401450

 

NEBO becomes official flashlight of SVRA

Tuesday, 06 March 2018




NEBO, a top-selling brand and global leader in superior quality flashlights and tools, has joined Sportscar Vintage Racing Association's (SVRA) expanding list of sponsors. NEBO has been named the "Official Flashlight of SVRA."
NEBO is a division of Alliance Sports Group, a family-owned company with headquarters in Grand Prairie, TX. Executives of both Alliance and SVRA see the NEBO product line and its reputation for innovation and quality as a great fit for the high standards of vintage race car owners and the prep shops that support them. NEBO has been supplying flashlights to SVRA members for the past two seasons, and the feedback has been so outstanding company officials decided to step up their investment to become an official sponsor.
"NEBO is another example of a market category brand leader being attracted to our sport," said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. "High-end products and luxury brands like NEBO fit the discerning tastes of vintage racers. These flashlights are real solutions for shedding light on the tight spots vintage racers encounter in the garage or thrashing through a mechanical issue during a race weekend."
"We love sportsmen and women who lean forward in life, seek experiences, and attack the outdoors," said Kurt Baxter, vice president of marketing, Alliance Sports Group. "We are delighted to take a presence in the SVRA paddock and be among people who appreciate our mission to be the best. We're confident that vintage racers will take an interest in all our products, even those beyond the obvious applications to motorsports and mechanics."
NEBO offers a comprehensive line of lighting solutions. In addition to flashlights, the product portfolio includes work lights, lanterns, headlamps, cap lights and additional offerings including switches, bulbs, batteries and other accessories.
The announcement builds on the impressive string of SVRA sponsorship agreements over the past year. Just this month Merrill Lynch joined SVRA's roster of sponsors as the "Official Wealth Management Company of SVRA." Other top-brand SVRA investors include Jaguar, Land Rover, NetJets, Mazda, Sunoco, Bell Helmet, Capital One, and Hagerty Classic Car Insurance.
SVRA's success in attracting sponsorship is a cornerstone to the company's impressive momentum. Company officials report consistent annual triple-digit growth since 2012. SVRA has rapidly expanded from a regional series largely concentrated in the southeastern United States to one that spans the continent at most of America's top race courses.

















NEBO, a top-selling brand and global leader in superior quality flashlights and tools, has joined Sportscar Vintage Racing Association's (SVRA) expanding list of sponsors. NEBO has been named the "Official Flashlight of SVRA."
NEBO is a division of Alliance Sports Group, a family-owned company with headquarters in Grand Prairie, TX. Executives of both Alliance and SVRA see the NEBO product line and its reputation for innovation and quality as a great fit for the high standards of vintage race car owners and the prep shops that support them. NEBO has been supplying flashlights to SVRA members for the past two seasons, and the feedback has been so outstanding company officials decided to step up their investment to become an official sponsor.
"NEBO is another example of a market category brand leader being attracted to our sport," said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. "High-end products and luxury brands like NEBO fit the discerning tastes of vintage racers. These flashlights are real solutions for shedding light on the tight spots vintage racers encounter in the garage or thrashing through a mechanical issue during a race weekend."
"We love sportsmen and women who lean forward in life, seek experiences, and attack the outdoors," said Kurt Baxter, vice president of marketing, Alliance Sports Group. "We are delighted to take a presence in the SVRA paddock and be among people who appreciate our mission to be the best. We're confident that vintage racers will take an interest in all our products, even those beyond the obvious applications to motorsports and mechanics."
NEBO offers a comprehensive line of lighting solutions. In addition to flashlights, the product portfolio includes work lights, lanterns, headlamps, cap lights and additional offerings including switches, bulbs, batteries and other accessories.
The announcement builds on the impressive string of SVRA sponsorship agreements over the past year. Just this month Merrill Lynch joined SVRA's roster of sponsors as the "Official Wealth Management Company of SVRA." Other top-brand SVRA investors include Jaguar, Land Rover, NetJets, Mazda, Sunoco, Bell Helmet, Capital One, and Hagerty Classic Car Insurance.
SVRA's success in attracting sponsorship is a cornerstone to the company's impressive momentum. Company officials report consistent annual triple-digit growth since 2012. SVRA has rapidly expanded from a regional series largely concentrated in the southeastern United States to one that spans the continent at most of America's top race courses.

 

[h=2]Racing mentors Manning, Martin return to SVRA Brickyard Invitational[/h] Tuesday, 17 April 2018


SVRA / Images by Mark Dill



The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that Darren Manning and John Martin will once again line up at the famous yard of bricks for the June 16 Indy Legends Charity Pro-Am. That race is the Saturday feature of the Fathers' Day Weekend Brickyard Invitational, June 14-17. The two drivers also have a business relationship through Manning's company, iAdvance Motorsports.

Manning established iAdvance Motorsports in 2014 with the mission of helping drivers with personalized evaluation, driving essentials such as learning the car and its data, fitness, career guidance, mental aptitude, leading a team to work together for success, and even media relations coaching. Martin, a highly skilled driver-engineer not only has expertise with Indy cars but also special knowledge of vintage race cars. A typical experience includes two full days using the iAdvance Motorsports race simulator under the supervision of Manning and Martin. Clients are not only coached on their driving skills but also learn how to provide superior feedback to their engineers and mechanics to set up their specific car. Martin adds a personal touch by hosting clients in his Indianapolis home and driving them to and from the iAdvance Motorsports facilities. For more information visit iAdvanceMotorsports.com.
"I feel over the past five years of our Brickyard Invitational we have brought a lot of people together who began to create value for themselves," said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. "Al Unser Jr. and Willy T. Ribbs recently announced a vintage racing business. To see Darren and John working together to support aspiring young professionals and even vintage racers and to think that we might have helped them connect is personally gratifying. I love entrepreneurs."
Like many of the professional drivers, Manning boasts a massively varied resume, starting in karting at age 10. By 18 he was racing Formula Vauxhall scoring two victories. He continued such success when he graduated to British Formula 3 with two wins including the support race for the 1998 British F1 Grand Prix. Moving to Japan in 1999 he captured that country's Formula 3 championship. These successes garnered him the attention of the Formula 1 paddock as he tested for Williams and was hired as test driver for BAR Honda F1 in 2000. By 2003 he was racing in IndyCar with Walker Racing and then in 2004 he joined the Ganassi Racing. After a stint in A1 Grand Prix, he returned to IndyCar for a ride with the legendary A.J. Foyt. Manning competed in four Indianapolis 500s with a best placement of ninth in 2008. An accomplished sports car driver he led his team to a second-place finish in the 2007 24 Hours of Daytona. This will be Manning's fourth Brickyard Invitational.
John Martin (pictured above) is a five-time Indy 500 starter and has outstanding credentials in road race competition. An excellent mechanic and engineer he converted his 1963 Corvette Sting Ray into an A-Production race car and went SCCA racing. He was national champion in 1964 and went professional in 1966. He drove an AMC Javelin in the classic days of Trans Am and tackled the Indianapolis 500 in 1972. John has competed in every Indy Legends Pro-Am since the Brickyard Invitational inaugural in 2014.
Among the famous drivers who have already entered the Pro-Am are Al Unser Jr., Willy T. Ribbs, Paul Tracy, and Jimmy Vasser. All the Indy 500 veterans at the Brickyard Invitational will practice in a special track session on Friday, June 15. They will also be available for autographs and pictures during the pre-race fan pit walk just before their Saturday feature race.
The Indy Legends Pro-Am is the Saturday feature event of the Brickyard Invitational. The Indianapolis 500 veterans will be in 1963 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of SVRA "Group 6" A and B Production. The professionals will be paired with amateur drivers, splitting their stints at the wheel. Additional Indy 500 drivers will be announced as they enter in the coming weeks.
In addition to the Pro-Am, there will be a festival of other activities at the Brickyard Invitational including the Sunday, June 17 feature race by the professional Trans Am series headed by 2017 champion and emerging superstar, 20-year-old Ernie Francis Jr. The weekend also presents the Hagerty Insurance "shine and show" car corral, vintage motorcycle racing, and 500+ vintage racers ranging over 100 years of automotive history racing in SVRA Groups 1 through 12.
An oval exhibition featuring a racecar show of judged competition for the A.J. Watson and Sir Jack Brabham trophies led by track historian Donald Davidson will also take place. Also, the Pre-1920 Race Exhibition cars will be on track along with a paddock area full of in-period equipment displays. The National that finished seventh in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 will be driven at speed.

 

reserved

 

By: SVRA | May 1, 2018 7:33 AM

The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that Bob Lazier, the 2015 winner of the “Indy Legends” Charity Pro-Am, will return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the June 16 feature race of the Brickyard Invitational. Jaques Lazier has also entered the contest joining his father during the Father’s Day weekend event, June 14-17. This will be the fifth consecutive Brickyard Invitational for both Laziers, who have competed since the inaugural event in 2014.
“Last year Bob’s co-driver Jim Caudle and his SVRA team crewed for the Lazier Partners entry in the Indianapolis 500,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “That’s just one of several examples of business relationships that have developed as a result of bringing racers together for the Indy Legends Pro-Am. That’s always gratifying to me personally. Besides, having a father and son enter our Father’s Day Weekend Pro-Am is special.”
Bob Lazier (pictured below), the patriarch of the famous Lazier racing family, last raced in the Indianapolis 500 37 years ago. A skilled road racer, he earned three top-five finishes on his way to winning the Indy car Rookie-of-the-Year Award in 1981. A self-made man, he is the founder of the highly acclaimed Tivoli Lodge in Vail. Action-oriented and an avid skier he started racing cars in 1969 and cut his teeth in SCCA road racing. He progressed steadily through the open-wheel ranks in VW Gold Cup, Formula Vee, Super Vee, Formula 5000 and on to Indy cars.

Jaques Lazier is a six-time starter of the Indianapolis 500 and holds the distinction of being the race’s most recent relief driver when he filled in for Robby Gordon who had to depart for the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte after rain delays in 2004. Lazier, the brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier, drove for a number of top teams during his Indy car career including Target-Chip Ganassi, A.J. Foyt Enterprises, Sam Schmidt Motorsports, and Team Menard. He won the Chicagoland Speedway Indy car race in 2001 for Menard.
The Pro-Am feature is a 45-minute race of American muscle cars on the Speedway’s 2.43-mile Grand Prix road course on Saturday, June 16. The cars are 1963 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of the “Group 6” SVRA class. As in the previous three years, the professionals will be paired with amateur drivers, splitting stints at the wheel at their discretion. Drivers who have announced entries include Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Willy T. Ribbs and Max Papis. Additional Indy 500 drivers will be announced as they enter the Pro-Am in the coming weeks.
In addition to the Pro-Am, there will be a festival of other activities at the Brickyard Invitational including the Sunday, June 17 feature race by the professional Trans Am series headed by 2017 champion and emerging superstar, 20-year-old Ernie Francis Jr. The weekend also presents the Hagerty Insurance “shine and show” car corral, vintage motorcycle racing, and 500+ vintage racers ranging over 100 years of automotive history racing in SVRA Groups 1 through 12.
An oval exhibition featuring a racecar show of judged competition for the A.J. Watson and Sir Jack Brabham trophies led by track historian Donald Davidson will also take place. Also, the Pre-1920 Race Exhibition cars will be on track along with a paddock area full of in-period equipment displays. The National that finished seventh in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 will be driven at speed.

 

[h=1]Simon, 84, to drive last race at SVRA Brickyard Invitational[/h] Image by Mark Dill
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By: SVRA | May 8, 2018 10:03 AM

Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that popular Indy 500 veteran Dick Simon has decided to make this year’s Indy Legends Charity Pro-Am at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) his final race as a driver. Simon, 84, has driven in every Brickyard Invitational since the 2014 inaugural event. The Pro-Am is the Saturday, June 16 feature event of the Brickyard Invitational at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“The Brickyard Invitational has given me a chance to extend my career in a very enjoyable way,” said Simon. “It’s always special to come back to Indy and this racing has brought me a ton of fun. I am delighted my final turn at the wheel during competition will come at the Speedway. This announcement gives me a chance to let fans know my decision in advance.”


“Dick is such a popular figure in the paddock, and not just among fans,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “During our drivers’ meetings, I have been very impressed with all the drivers who expressed their gratitude for Dick’s help in providing them with their breakthrough career opportunities. I would like SVRA to continue to have a relationship with him and we will talk about that going forward.”
Simon, who maintains a level of physical fitness that is the envy of many younger drivers, is one of the most colorful characters of Indianapolis 500 history. Brimming with personality he saw the promotional value for his sponsors of being the first car to take to the track when practice opened in May. A veteran of 17 Indianapolis 500s, he scored a best finish of sixth in 1987. He was a highly respected team leader who helped launch the careers of such notables as two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk and 1992 Rookie-of-the-Year Lyn St. James. He also managed the team for Eliseo Salazar’s IndyCar victory at Las Vegas Speedway in 1997.
The Pro-Am feature Simon will compete in is a 45-minute race of American muscle cars on the Speedway’s 2.43-mile Grand Prix road course on Saturday, June 16. The cars are 1963 to 1972 vintage Corvettes, Camaros and Mustangs of the “Group 6” SVRA class. As in the previous three years, the professionals will be paired with amateur drivers, splitting stints at the wheel at their discretion. Drivers who have announced entries include Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser, Willy T. Ribbs and Max Papis. Additional Indy 500 drivers will be announced as they enter the Pro-Am in the coming weeks.
In addition to the Pro-Am, there will be a festival of other activities at the Brickyard Invitational including the Sunday, June 17 feature race by the professional Trans Am series headed by 2017 champion and emerging superstar, 20-year-old Ernie Francis Jr. The weekend also presents the Hagerty Insurance “shine and show” car corral, vintage motorcycle racing, and 500+ vintage racers ranging over 100 years of automotive history racing in SVRA Groups 1 through 12. An oval exhibition featuring a racecar show of judged competition for the A.J. Watson and Sir Jack Brabham trophies led by track historian Donald Davidson will also take place. Also, the Pre-1920 Race Exhibition cars will be on track along with a paddock area full of in-period equipment displays. The National that finished seventh in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 will be driven at speed.

 

Bob and Jacques Lazier return to SVRA Brickyard Invitational

Racing mentors Manning, Martin return to SVRA Brickyard Invitational

 

[h=1]Al Unser named SVRA grand marshal at Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival[/h]
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By: SVRA | April 12, 2018 6:35 PM


Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced that Al Unser will serve as grand marshal for the May 31–June 3 Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, one of their most important events of the season. The 12-turn, 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway is an American epicenter of elite car collections and an ideal venue to showcase SVRA’s Gold Medallion cars. The Gold Medallion program certifies cars for their authenticity and historical significance.
“Al has been a great friend to SVRA and this is not the first time he has honored us with his presence,” said President and CEO Tony Parella. “It was a pinch-me moment for me last year when I had the opportunity to be his co-driver at the Brickyard Invitational. There have been a lot of great legends in the history of auto racing, but in my book, Big Al is right at the top of the mountain.”
“All of us at the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque appreciate history and the outstanding and important cars of our past,” Unser said. “The cars that show up at this event are exceptional and I look forward to roaming the paddock. I never fail to see old friends and great fans at SVRA events.”
Unser, one of only three drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 four times, is also a three-time Indy car champion (1970, ’83, ’85). He was among the rare breed of racers who could drive any type of car at any venue, including sports cars, stock cars, modifieds and dirt cars. A four-time Hoosier Hundred victor, he drove and won in sprints, midgets, Formula 5000 and stock cars to name a few. The Hall of Fame superstar was USAC stock car rookie of the year in 1967 and IROC champion in 1978. In his final Indianapolis 500 win (1987) he broke Ralph DePalma’s 67-year-old record for most career laps led in the historic race. He has a career total 39 Indy car race victories. Unser competed in an IndyCar race at Sonoma in 1970, finishing third to create a Hall of Fame podium with Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti.

The Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival will present a variety of attractions. In addition to some 200 vintage race cars across a variety of classes, the event will mark the first of three appearances by the Pre-1920 Exhibition Series during the year. The others will be at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen. The cars involved are extremely rare, in some cases the only example in existence. Long retired brands including Mercer, Packard, EMF, and Locomobile are part of the series. The National that finished seventh in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 is entered. These unique and amazing machines will be part of their own run group. They will also have a special paddock corridor with in-period tools, spares, and other equipment on display. Drivers and riding mechanics will dress in the apparel of the early days, including leather helmets.
Another feature of the weekend will be the popular Historic Trans Am group. They will also have their exclusive practice, qualifying, and race sessions. These are the actual cars of the glory days of Trans Am featuring the original Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers, Barracudas, and Javelins as driven by the great talents of the era including Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, and Mark Donohue.
SVRA sponsors Jaguar and Land Rover will also be on hand to present arrive and drive experiences. Anyone with a valid driver’s license and closed-toe shoes can drive the cars. Professional drivers will coach fans who want to challenge their skills and feel the performance of a Jaguar F-Type on a certified autocross course.