Race cars and springtime weather set the stage for the historic and contemporary racing at one of the premier road courses in North America — WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) hosted the Trans Am Speedfest on May 3-5, 2019 in Salinas, California. With a combination of clear and cloudy skies and cool, windy conditions throughout the weekend, the track conditions were ideal for the eleven groups of cars that took to the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course on the Monterey Peninsula.
The three-day Trans Am Speedfest Laguna Seca 2019 featured a combination of the thunderous Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli and the vintage and historic racers of the SVRA. This included a featured reunion and race for Historic Trans Am cars from the 1960s and early 1970s.
The evocative Trans Am muscle cars stirred up strong memories for many spectators, with a strong field that included Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros, AMC Javelins, Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Cudas and a selection of under 2.5-liter machines. Jim Hague’s 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 302 and Jim Halsey’s 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 split the big-bore Historic Trans Am races, while Troy Ermish crossed the finish line first in both under 2.5-liter races in his 1971 Datsun 510.
In addition to the featured Trans Am racers, the Speedfest Laguna Seca 2019 provided a fantastic opportunity for racing enthusiasts to watch and hear some vintage race cars outside of the larger historic motorsport events. Some other notable cars that raced included Tom Dooley’s 1988 Porsche 962C; Doug Brower’s 1960 Sorrell Larkin Special; Greg Meyer’s 1959 Sadler Mk IV; Stan Anderes’ 1956 Lotus Eleven Le Mans; Thor Johnson’s 1974 BMW CSL 3.5 and a fantastic grouping of Porsche 356 Speedsters; to name just a few.
The quickest entry on the property was the 2005 Audi R8 LMP wheeled expertly by Travis Engen. Engen screamed to a best 1:25.812 lap time as he scored overall wins in the class combination SVRA Run Groups 9 and 11.
Trans Am Speedfest Laguna Seca 2019 – Photo Gallery (photos: Victor Varela)
Marc Hugo – 1964 Porsche 356C
Mike Denman – 1966 Marcos 1800 GT
Dean Collins – 1963 MG MGB
John Levitt – 1972 Datsun 1200
Ron Hornig – 1971 Brabham BT35
Travis Engen – 1970 Chevron B17b
Geir Ramleth – 1963 Lotus 23B
Jaguar XK120
Earl Whitehead – 1964 Iso Rivolta
Stan Anderes – 1956 Lotus Eleven Le Mans
Doug Brower – 1960 Sorrell Larkin Special
Greg Meyer – 1959 Sadler Mk IV
Spencer Trenery – 2006 Riley Daytona Prototype Gen 1
David Jans – 2012 Ave-Riley AR-2
Glenn Bilawsky – 1998 Swift F/A
Tom Dooley – 1988 Porsche 962
Kyle Kelley – 1966 Chevrolet Corvette
A.C. D’Augustine – 1965 Chevrolet Corvette L88
Robert Stockwell – 1965 Ford Mustang
Michael Evans – 1968 Ford Mustang
Craig Conley – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Damian Friary – 1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Kelly Craig – 1965 Chevrolet Corvette
Kevin Sittner – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Bruce Wing – 1980 Porsche 911SC
Jeff Abramson – 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster
Jay Parille – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Dan Payne – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
John Hildebrand – 1964 Pontiac Tempest GTO
Alexander Motola – 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Trans Am
Gary Underwood – 1967 Dodge Dart
Richard Goldsmith – 1970 Dodge Challenger
Jim Hague – 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Falcons chasing the Mustangs
Michael Anderson – 1968 Datsun Fairlady
Rick Jeffery – 1966 Alfa Romeo GTA
Keith Lippiatt – 1970 BMW 2002
James Cotcher – 1969 Lotus 7 S3
James Cotcher – 1969 Lotus 7 S3
John Yandell – 1973 Ford Capri
Marc Nichols – 1964 Lotus Super 7 S2
Terry Forland – 1968 BMW 2002
Eric Smith – 1969 Porsche 911
Bob Hardison – 1990 Oldsmobile TransAm Newman Sharp Racing
John Cavanaugh – 1996 Mustang TA
Dirk Leuenberger – Dodge Viper
Richard Goldsmith – 1976 DeKon Monza
Michael Sweeney Sr – 1997 Porsche 911 RSR
Les Werling – 1982 Mercury Capri
Philip Mendelovitz – 1989 Nissan GTU
John Cavanaugh – 1996 Mustang TA
Tomy Drissi – Chevrolet Camaro
Rick Carlile – 1969 TVR Vixen S2
Jean-Pierre Molerus – 1965 Austin Mini Cooper
Thomas Turner – 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4
Alec Hugo – 1962 Porsche 356B
William Lyon – 1957 Porsche 356
Steve Schmidt – 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
Don Tevini – 1959 Porsche 356
Don Tevini – 1959 Porsche 356
David Smoker – 1971 Brabham BT35
Ron Hornig – 1971 Brabham BT35
Jim Edmonds – 1994 Van Diemen RF94
Will Thomas – 1967 Brabham BT21
James Stiehr – 1969 Winkelmann WDF1
Bruce Leeson – 1969 Lotus 69 FB
Steve Davis – 1965 Brabham BT16
Geir Ramleth – 1970 Titan Mk 6
Grant Perryman – 1967 Brabham BT21
David Smoker – 1971 Brabham BT35
Robert Manson – 1952 The Streets Manning Special Sports Racer
Wes Abendroth – 1955 Chevrolet Mistral
Thor Johnson – 1959 Lotus 17
Travis Engen – 2005 Audi R8 LMP
David Alvarado – 1976 March 76b
Rick Lee – 2002 Swift Atlantic
Tom Dooley – 1988 Porsche 962
Dalmo de Vasconcelos – 1980 Tyrrell 010/2-2
Steve Link – 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Thomas McIntyre – 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Nick DeVitis – 1968 Ford Mustang Trans Am
James Bittle – 1968 Ford Mustang Tunnel Port 302
Mike Eddy – 1964 Ford Falcon
Gary Underwood – 1967 Dodge Dart
Michael Eisenberg – 1963 Ford Falcon
Jim Sandberg – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Bruce Miller – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Chadwick Manista – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Jay Parille – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Kevin Sittner – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Michael Doyle – 1961 Jaguar E-Type
Craig Conley – 1966 Shelby GT 350
Ken Sutherland – 1965 Shelby Cobra
James Cotcher – 1969 Lotus 7 S3
Bob Rutledge – 1969 Datsun 510
Keith Lippiatt – 1970 BMW 2002
Taz Harvey – 1969 Datsun 510
Thomas Dockery – 1971 Datsun 510
Michael Taradash – 1962 Lotus Seven
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 2800 CSL
Ken Epsman – 1984 Pontiac Trans Am
William Lyon – 1970 Porsche 914/6 IMSA
Bruce Miller – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
1973 – Ford Capri
2012 – Caterham SP300R
2012 – Caterham SP300R
2012 – Caterham SP300R
Geir Ramleth – 1963 Lotus 23B
2005 Audi R8 LMP
Stan Anderes – 1956 Lotus 11 LM
Steve Davis – 1965 Brabham BT16
Kenneth Herbst – 1993 Euroswift SC93
Ron Hornig – 1971 Brabham BT35
Will Thomas – 1967 Brabham BT21
Eric Inkrott – 1979 Crossle FF
Grant Perryman – 1967 Brabham BT21
Adom Moutafian – 1967 Merlyn MK11A
Lori Matassa – 1993 Euroswift SC93
Bruce Leeson – 1969 Lotus 69 FB
Tom Schnurbusch – 1967 Brabham BT21B
Tim Lynn – Chevrolet Camaro
Rudy Revak – Chevrolet Camaro
Dalmo De Vasconcelos – 1980 Tyrrell 10
Tom Dooley – 1988 Porsche 962
Travis Engen – 2005 Audi R8 LMP
Taz Harvey – 1991 Acura Spice SL91
Glenn Bilawsky – 1998 Swift F/A
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 2800 CSL
Wes Abendroth – 1955 Chevrolet Mistral
Doug Brower – 1960 Sorrell Larkin Spl
Thor Johnson – 1959 Lotus 17
2005 Audi R8 LMP
Greg Meyer – 1959 Sadler Mk IV
Tom Diaz – 1965 Shelby GT 350
Russ Uzes – 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
Alan Friedman – 1973 Porsche 911 RSR
Ken Sutherland – 1965 Shelby Cobra
Lorne Leibel – 1964 Shelby Cobra
Kevin Sittner – 1966 Shelby GT 350, Jim Sandberg – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Tom Diaz – 1965 Shelby GT 350
Damian Friary – 1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Edward Hugo – 1963 Porsche 356B
John Burmann – 1965 Austin Mini-Cooper
Robert Kann – 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster
Tom Morgan – 1956 Morgan 4/4
William Lyon – 1957 Porsche 356
Steve Walker – 1971 NSU 1200 TTS
Dean Collins – 1963 MG MGB
Don Tevini – 1959 Porsche 356
Jim Hague – 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Jim Halsey – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Forrest Straight – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Richard Goldsmith – 1970 Dodge Challenger
Gary Underwood – 1967 Shelby Mustang
Craig Conley – 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Nick DeVitis – 1968 Ford Mustang Trans Am
Dan Durr – 1968 BMW 2002
Troy Ermish – 1971 Datsun 510
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 2800 CSL
Paul Quackenbush – 1963 Lotus Super 7 S2
Chet Taylor – 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV
Armin Ghorbani – 1969 Datsun 510
Jon Wactor – 1970 Porsche 914-6
Bob Wass – 1967 Alfa Romeo GTV
Rial Barnett – 1969 BMW 2002
1974 BMW Schnitzer 2800 CSL
1972 McLaren M8F
1968 Chevrolet Camaro
1968 Chevrolet Camaro
The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
