The Coronado Speed Festival 2016 was held September 16-18 at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, California. This year marked the 81st anniversary of Fleet Week in San Diego and for the past 19 years, the Coronado Speed Festival has been part of this annual event. This end of summer celebration brought locals and far-away enthusiasts to the Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island to enjoy the sights and sounds of vintage racing.
Each year, NAS Coronado constructs a temporary 1.7-mile course on the runways and taxiways of the Naval Air Station for the ‘Race at the Base’.Race fans enjoyed a weekend of racing with the various race classes that participated, as well as an open paddock — where the cars are worked on and the drivers prepare themselves for their time on the race track. The weekend also included rubber-burning stunts by X Games and Red Bull Stunt Athlete Aaron Colton. Attendees to the Coronado Speed Festival 2016 also had access to numerous vendors, food stands, car club corrals and several military vehicles and aircraft on display. Racing and car aficionados, along with their families and friends, had a lot to see, eat and experience throughout the race weekend.
Notable and interesting entrants at the 2016 Speed Festival included Cameron Healy’s 1953 Cooper Porsche ‘Pooper’; Steve Hinton’s 1968 Lola T70 Spyder; Adam Carolla’s 1972 Datsun 610; Al Arciero’s 1958 Lister Knobbly; Don Tevini’s 1959 Porsche 356 and Michael Halbert’s 1976 Datsun 280Z. My favorite was Joe Scarbo’s 1967 Ferrari 312 F1 replica.
The field for both days included several Shelby Mustang GT350s, Porsche 911s, Chevrolet Corvettes, Alfa Romeos, open wheel formula cars, sports cars and NASCAR racers, both contemporary and vintage. The Pre-War racers were fan favorites in the paddock and on the track. Among the entries — Jim Putnam’s 1916 National AC; Paddins Dowling’s 1934 ERA R2A; Greg Whitten’s 1935 ERA R2B; Tom Malloy’s 1934 Miller Burd; Brian Blain’s 1916 Sturtivant-Auburn racer and Peter Giddings’ 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza.
2016 marked the 2nd year the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation partnered with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) to manage the event.
Similar to 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2016 Coronado Speed Festival, with Victor Varela producing the following images from the 19th annual running of the ‘Race at the Base’. We split up Victor’s pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Victor, visit VictorVarela.com.
Coronado Speed Festival 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery
1967 Ferrari 312 F1 replica – Joe Scarbo 1977 Chevron B39 – Martin Lauber 1979 Ralt RT2 – Chris Farrell 1934 Miller Burd Indy Car – Tom Malloy 1972 Datsun 610 – Adam Carolla 1969 Alfa Romeo GTV – Shelly Zide 1969 BMW 2002 B/S – Tom Brecht 1929 Pontiac 6-29A – Ronald Stauber 1969 Chevron B-15 – Robert Satake 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster – Max Jamiesson 1960 Porsche 356B Carrera – Jacques Le Friant 1959 Porsche 356 – Chuck Christensen 1959 Porsche 356 – Don Tevini 1959 MG A – Lou Marchant 1967 MG Midget – William Carson 1970 Porsche 914/6 IMSA GTU – Jim Hendrix 1916 Sturtivant-Auburn Racer – Brian Blain 1930 Alfa Romeo 1750 – Ivan Zaremba 1916 National AC – Eric Ramos 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 M – Tom Price The Pre-War group formation lap before the start of Race 1. 1971 Holman Moody Mercury Cyclone – Craig Conley 1994 Ford Thunderbird “McDonald’s” NASCAR – Robert Lavina 1967 Ferrari 312 F1 replica 1975 Chevrolet Monza – John Longwell 1991 Roush Mustang – Steve Schuler 1977 Porsche 911 RSR – Cameron Healy Lagonda 1916 Sturtivant-Auburn Racer – Brian Blain 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza – Peter Giddings 1929 Stutz Blackhawk – Richard Mitchell 1974 Chevron B27 – James Sparks 1916 National AC – Jim Putnam 1935 ERA R2B – Greg Whitten 1925 Ford T – Eric Ramos 1935 Riley-Ford Champ car – Greg Powell 1934 ERA R2A – Paddins Dowling 1930 Alfa Romeo 1750 – Ivan Zaremba The Lotus, the Allard and the Jaguar. 1957 Elva MK II – Robert Engberg 1962 Lotus S7 – Paul Ryan 1991 Swift DB4 – Damian Della Santina 1957 Porsche 356 – Stanley Gold 1959 Porsche 356 – Don Tevini 1959 Porsche 356 – Chuck Christensen 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint – Tom Farrington 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce – Brian Mertz 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA 1600 – Tom Price 1966 Shelby GT350 – Marc A. Petein 1958 Lister Knobby – Al Arciero 1957 Lotus 11 Le Mans – Steve Sanett 1952 Devon MG Speedster TD – Susan Patterson 1960 Witton Special – Greg Whitten 1951 Allard K2 – Douglas Klink 1964 Kellison J4 – Rory Rinehold 1964 Iso Rivolta – Earl Whitehead 1935 ERA R2B – Greg Whitten 1972 Ferrari 312P Special 1934 Miller Burd Indy Car – Tom Malloy 1962 Triumph Spitfire 4 – Thomas Turner 1964 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia – Mormand Biglione, Jr. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette – Dennis Fritz 1969 Chevron B-15 – Robert Satake 1970 Porsche 914/4 – Michael Allen 1984 Ralt RT5 – Al Arciero 1974 Ferrari 308GT4 – Pen Pendleton 1953 Cooper Porsche Pooper – Cameron Healy 1965 Ford Mustang GT 350 – Robert Stockwell 1973 Porsche 911 RSR – Jim Bouzaglou 1968 Ford Mustang – Michael Evans Group 8 prepares for their first race. 1984 Tiga SC85 – Karim Marouf 1965 Fiber Fab Stingray Prototype – Wes Abendroth 1973 Lola T292 – Cal Meeker 1964 Townsend MK IV – Owen Gibson 1968 Lola T-70 – Steve Hinton 1968 Chevron B26 – Gray Gregory 1971 Lola T212 – Philippe Reyns 1978 Lola CanAm – Brent Berge 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA 1600 – Tom Price Green flag given to Group 3 as they head down the straight. 1964 Ginetta G-4 – Jeff Kline 1962 Daimler SP250 – Bill Holland 1972 Datsun 610 – Adam Carolla 1976 Datsun 280Z – Michael Halbert 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 – Michael Parsons 1966 Shelby GT350 – Roy Allen #45 1966 Shelby GT350 #15 1965 Ford Mustang GT350
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