The Portland Vintage Racing Festival 2017 was staged July 27-30 at Portland International Raceway in Oregon. The event offered three full days of racing for all Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) race groups on the flat, yet challenging, 12-turn, 1.967 mile track.
Portland International Raceway (PIR) is built on the former location of Vanport, Oregon, which was destroyed in 1948, when a dike on the Columbia River broke and flooded the city.After the flood, all that remained were the paved streets and concrete foundations of destroyed buildings. In 1960, a time of growing interest in sports car and drag racing, the Portland Jaycees saw that the abandoned roads of Vanport had the potential to become a road race course. In 1961 the first Rose Cup auto race was held, won by Jerry Grant in a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (0704TR). The track would go on to host Champ Car, IMSA, ALMS and more.
Willy T. Ribbs served as grand marshal for the Portland Vintage Racing Festival 2017. The road course was the setting for Ribbs’ first victory in 1983 during the halcyon days of the Trans-Am series. The PIR triumph kicked off a streak of 19 career wins, making Ribbs the most prolific Trans-Am winner of the mid-1980’s.
“Willy is a true friend to the SVRA and shares our vision of vintage racing as a mainstream category of motorsports,” said SVRA CEO Tony Parella. “His active participation as a driver in our Brickyard Invitational Indy Legends Pro-Am since 2014 and appearances at other events on our nationwide schedule is a genuine asset to the growth we have experienced.”
Notable and interesting entrants at the 2017 SVRA Portland Vintage Racing Festival included Nick Colonna’s 1958 Devin SS and 1970 McLaren M8C; Thor Johnson’s 1959 Lotus 17, 1974 Schnitzer BMW 3.5 CSL and 1981 Porsche 924 GTR; Kurt Del Bene’s 1998 Benetton B198 and 1960 Lola Mk I; John Long’s 1963 Porsche Special; Greg Heacock’s 1967 Costin Nathan GT; Jean Pierre Molerus’ 1954 Nichols Special; John Hill’s 1972 Lola 292; Pieter Baljet’s 2006 Saleen S7R; Chandler Briscoe’s 1973 BMW CSL; Cameron Healy’s 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 and Don Crawford’s 1955 Lotus Mk IX; among others.
Similar to 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the 2017 Portland Historics, with Dennis Gray offering the following selection of 170 captioned images from Portland International Raceway.
Portland Vintage Racing Festival 2017 – Photo Gallery (photos: Dennis Gray)
Brian Waters – 1960 Mini Cooper
Steven Smith – 1965 Volkswagen Bug
Jean Pierre Molerus – 1954 Nichols Special
Dave Franks – 1967 Austin Healey Sprite
Trevor Pearson – 1962 Triumph TR4
Ralph Zbarsky – 1967 MGB GT
Mike Denman – 1966 Marcos 1800 GT
Andrea Hart – MGB
David Sweet – 1962 Austin Healey Sprite
Karl Krause – 1967 Beach Mk4B-II
Greg Heacock – 1967 Costin Nathan GT
John Long – 1963 Porsche Special
Rick Carlile – 1969 TVR Vixen S2
Karl Krause – 1967 Beach Mk4B-II
Kadie Casey – 1966 Lotus Elan
Brian Waters – 1960 Mini Cooper
John G Miller – 1961 Hatch Park Special
Nick Colonna – 1958 Devin SS
Bill Simer – 1962 Lotus 23
Thor Johnson – 1959 Lotus 17
Kevin Shaha – 1967 Toyota Sprinter and Rick Carlile – 1969 TVR Vixen S2
Trevor Pearson – 1962 Triumph TR4
Mike Denman – 1966 Marcos 1800 GT
Kevin Shaha – 1967 Toyota Sprinter and Tom Morgan – 1956 Morgan 4
Kadie Casey – 1966 Lotus Elan
Don Queen – 1959 Austin Healey Sprite
Neil Shelton – 1985 Swift DB-1 FF
Dan Mullin – 1973 Lola T340
Lauren Ridge – Lola T540
Edward VanTassel – 1970 Titan Mk6
Ron Bonham – Titan Mk6
Bob Morrison – 1969 Titan Mk 5
Darrell LeBlanc – 1969 Winklemann WDB2 FB
Darrell LeBlanc – 1969 Winklemann WDB2 FB
Dave Sweeney – 1965 Brabham BT-14
Jason Perkins – 1987 Swift DB-2
Rick Lee – 2002 Swift F/A
John Hill – 1972 Lola 292
Mark Jaremko-1975 MARCH 75B
Dave Rugh – 1982 Ralt RT5
Arthur Cook – 1965 Elva Mk8
Jim Catchot – 1977 Ralt RT-1
Pieter Baljet – 2006 Saleen S7R
Tim Brown – 2008 Ford GT
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Mark Jaremko-1975 MARCH 75B
Ernie Spada – 2008 Riley Porsche Daytona
Doug Donkel-1994 Toyota WSR
Tim Brown – 2008 Ford GT
Arthur Cook – 1965 Elva Mk8
Nick Colonna – 1970 McLaren M8C
Pieter Baljet – 2006 Saleen S7R
Jim Catchot – 1977 Ralt RT-1
Jim Catchot – 1977 Ralt RT-1
Rick Lee – 2002 Swift F/A
Pieter Baljet – 2006 Saleen S7R
Tim Brown – 2008 Ford GT
Randy Dunphy – 1965 Ford Falcon
Curt Kallberg – 1972 Chevrolet Corvette
Jeff Gamroth – 1973 Porsche 911
Steve Thayer – 1969 Porsche 911E and Dennis Daugs – 1965 Porsche 911
Buzz Dyer – 1970 AMC Javelin
Ken Davis – Chevrolet Corvette
Ken Sutherland – FFR Factory Cobra
Del MacKenzie – 1965 Ford Mustang
Jeff Mincheff – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette C3
Chandler Briscoe – 1973 BMW CSL
Tom Cantrell – 1998 Ford Penske Taurus Stock Car
Frank Marcum – Ford Taurus
Matt Parent – 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Thor Johnson – 1981 Porsche 924 GTR
Steve Beckham – 1992 Roush Ford Thunderbird
Jacqulyn Mincheff – 1972 Chevrolet Corvette C3
Chandler Briscoe – 1973 BMW CSL
Steve Link – 1968 Datsun Trans Am 510
Paul Quackenbush – 1963 Lotus S7
Charley Mitchel-1969 Triumph TR6
John Murray – 1971 Datsun 240Z
Chandler Briscoe – 1973 BMW CSL
Paul Gaudio – 1968 Porsche 912
Richard Thomas – 1972 Jensen Healey
Ron Hornig – 1965 Lotus Elan
Dennis Daugs – 1965 Porsche 911
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 3.5 Liter
Paul Quackenbush – 1963 Lotus S7 and John Murray – 1971 Datsun 240Z
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 3.5 Liter
Jeff Gamroth – 1973 Porsche 911
Mike Woolsey – 1970 Ford Mustang and Norman Daniels – 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Image 6. Long lens to compress the cars. Polarizing filter to enhance the colors. Back light to add impact. Yellow morning light bouncing off the tire wall to add interest to an otherwise boring pile of tires. Exposed to hold shadow detail with out burning out the colors. 200-500mm set to 200mm. 1/250 second at f 11, ISO 800. I used the mono pod for this image.
Cameron Healy – 1974 Porsche RS 3.0 three wheeling through turn three
Eve Mincheff – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Dave Kunicki – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
David Schroeder – 1970 Porsche 914 6
Norman Daniels – 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Kurt Del Bene – 1998 Benetton B198
Rick Lee – 2002 Swift F/A
Don Stern – 1981 Van Diemen RF81
Dave Sweeney – 1965 Brabham BT-14
Dave Sweeney – 1965 Brabham BT-14
Neil Shelton – 1985 Swift DB-1 FF
Darrell LeBlanc – 1969 Winklemann WDB2 FB
Dave Sweeney – 1965 Brabham BT-14
Ron Bonham – Titan Mk6
Steve Streimer – Dodge Viper ACRX
Oli Thordarson – Chevrolet Corvette
Tim Brown-Ford GT4 Mustang
Oli Thordarson – Chevrolet Corvette
Eve Mincheff – 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Cameron Healy – 1974 Porsche RS 3.0
Curt Kallberg – 1972 Chevrolet Corvette
Greg Heacock – 1967 Costin Nathan GT
Kurt Del Bene – 1960 Lola MK1
Kurt Del Bene – 1960 Lola MK1
Thor Johnson – 1959 Lotus 17
Dennis Daugs – 1965 Porsche 911
Arthur Cook – 1965 Elva Mk8
Norman Daniels – 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
John Murray – 1971 Datsun 240Z
Greg Heacock – 1967 Costin Nathan GT
Arthur Cook – 1965 Elva Mk8
Steve Thayer – 1969 Porsche 911E
Deborah Briscoe – 1973 Alfa Romeo GTV
Steve Pike – 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto
Curt Kallberg – 1972 Chevrolet Corvette
Deborah Briscoe – 1973 Alfa Romeo GTV
Dennis Daugs – 1965 Porsche 911
Kadie Casey – 1966 Lotus Elan
Cameron Healy – 1974 Porsche RS 3.0
Cameron Healy – 1974 Porsche RS 3.0
Steve Thayer – 1969 Porsche 911E
Kadie Casey – 1966 Lotus Elan
Norman Daniels – 1968 Chevrolet Camaro
Jacqulyn Mincheff – 1972 Chevrolet Corvette C3
Cameron Healy – 1974 Porsche RS 3.0
Steve Streimer – Dodge Viper ACRX
Brian Richards -TA Cheverolet Camaro
Shane Lewis – TA Chevrolet Camaro
Joe Napoleon -TA Chevrolet Camaro
Chris Cook – TA Chevrolet Camaro
Steve Streimer – TA Dodge Viper ACRX
Oli Thordarson – TA Chevrolet Corvette
Greg Pickett – Ford Mustang
Edward VanTassel – 1970 Titan Mk6
Chris Schoap – 1970 Titan Mk 6
Tom Kreger-1971 Titan MKE
Chris Schoap – 1970 Titan Mk 6
Pieter Baljet – 2006 Saleen S7R
Kurt Del Bene – 1998 Benetton B198
Kurt Del Bene – 1998 Benetton B198
Dennis Daugs – 1965 Porsche 911
John Murray – 1971 Datsun 240Z
Thor Johnson – 1974 BMW Schnitzer 3.5 Liter
Don Crawford – Haggisped Clubman
Paul Quackenbush – 1963 Lotus S7
Jerry Pillar – 1963 Alfa Romeo Spider
Mike Denman – 1966 Marcos 1800 GT
John Woodward – 1962 Morgan 4 plus 4
Tom Morgan – 1956 Morgan 4
Rick Carlile – 1969 TVR Vixen S2
Hans Gutmann – 1971 BMW 1602
James Alder-11952 Jaguar XK120
Bill Hart – 1957 Devin Triumph
Alan Berry – 1964 Volvo PV-544
Jean Pierre Molerus – 1954 Nichols Special
Mike Smith – 1967 Datsun Roadster
Dave Franks – 1967 Austin Healey Sprite
Alan Berry – 1964 Volvo PV-544
Don Crawford-1955 Lotus Mk9
Greg Heacock – 1967 Costin Nathan GT
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