Alex MacAllister, 66 Ford GT40

SVRA Brickyard Invitational (2016) โ€“ Highlights

The famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana hosted the third annual Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational on June 16-19, 2016. Over 300 entries showed up for the vintage car races sanctioned by Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA).

The Brickyard Invitational is one of the most unique events in the vintage racing world. Races are run in the 2.43-mile, 14-turn road course, yet there are also sessions run on the classic 2.5-mile oval where the 100th running of the Indy 500 took place only three weeks ago.This requires configuring the track from a clockwise to a counter clockwise rotation, which takes about 30 minutes. Though the oval runs are not competitive, itโ€™s a real thrill for the drivers (and spectators) to experience.

Another event unique to the Brickyard Invitational is the Indy Legends Charity Vintage Pro-Am race, where Indy 500 veterans are teamed with SVRA competitors in sixties vintage American cars, mostly Trans-Am Camaros and Mustangs, with some Corvettes and Cobras thrown into the mix. Among the Indy veterans were Roberto Guerrero, Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Max Papis, Willie T. Ribbs, Josele Garza, Geoff Brabham, Dick Simon and Bob Lazier. Bill Elliott, winner of the 2002 NASCAR Brickyard 400 also participated. This year Robby Unser and Andre Ahrle won the Pro-Am driving Ahrleโ€™s 1965 Cobra CompR.

The SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 also had a car auction, put on by Motostalgia, and the Saturday event party provided the rock band Three Dog Night for entertainment. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum is in the trackโ€™s infield, and is a must-see for anybody interested in auto racing.

SVRA divides the cars entered into 11 groups ranging from pre-war racers to modern-era GT, prototype and open wheel racers. This year, there was a 103 year range from the oldest to the newest car, and there were cars from every decade from the 1910s to the 2010s. There were two 1911 Nationals, including one that participated in the first Indy 500. Jacek Mucha in a 2007 Panoz DP01 Champ car had the fastest lap of the weekend at 1:22.6 seconds, while some of the older pre-war entries were hard pressed to lap the road course in under three minutes. All this provides spectators with a wonderful sense of how race cars have evolved.

There were two enduros at the SVRA Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational 2016. The Historic GT-GTP was won by Travis Engen in his 2005 Audi R8 LMP and the Vintage-Classic race was won by Scott Kissinger in a 1971 Datsun 240Z.

This yearโ€™s Grand Marshal was Donald Davidson, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian. Readers old enough to remember listening to the Indy 500 on the radio know how much the English-born Davidson contributed to developing the mystique that the race enjoys. It was an inspired choice for Grand Marshal. Davidson, ever the historian, fully appreciated the honor bestowed on him, and his emotions overwhelmed him when he gave the command to start engines.

Racing events are usually a partnership between a sanctioning body and a race track. The Brickyard Invitational blends two very diverse cultures of the racing world into one event, the sports car crowd and the Indy oval crowd. What comes through in this event is the mutual respect and admiration Indianapolis Motor Speedway and SVRA seem to have for each other, which helps make for a memorable weekend.

โ€”

Similar to 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016, with David Ferguson offering the following great selection of images from the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We split up Davidโ€™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.

SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 โ€“ Featured Photo Gallery

 

Dan Crowdey, 66 Lola T70 MKll
Alex MacAllister, 66 Ford GT40
Going from Gasoline Alley to the track.
Viceroy 1975 Lola T332
Greg Staab, 72 All American Eagle
David Felgenhauer, 86 March 86C
66 Gerhardt
Phillipe De Lespinay, 72 AAR Eagle Offy

 

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.

Just heading on to the track has a higher sense of drama at Indy.
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway
Richard Mitchell, 29 Stutz Bearcat
Paddins Dowling in his very quick 1934 ERA R2A.
Charles McCabe in his quick 36 ERA R6B
Lester Neidell, 33 Plymouth Indy Car
Peter Mullin, 37 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Riding Mechanic doing the job of a rear view mirror.

 

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.

Dennis Firestone, 82 AAR Eagle
Robert Dicks, 63 Watson Roadster
Lester Neidell, 33 Plymouth Indy Car
If one riding mechanic is good, arenโ€™t two better?
Carl Schulz, 27 Miller Special
Indy Roadsters on the banking
Bruce Linsmeyer, 68 Lotus 56 Turbine Indy Car
Gasoline overflow..

 

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.

Mark Rife, 69 Corvette
Larry Ligas, 61 Jaguar XKE
Curt Kallberg, 67 Corvette
240Zโ€™s waiting for action.
Chris MacAllister getting fitted to his 1955 Jaguar D-Type.
James Cullen, 70 Lola T70 Mk lllB
Dan Cowdrey, 66 Lola T70 MKll
Michael Kaleel, 64 Lotus 23B

 

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.

Chip Halverson, 76 Chevron B36
Turner Woodard, 75 Chevron B31
Bugatti!
Danny Marshall, 01 Porsche GT3RS and Ricky Sanders, 04 Corvette lead Matt Parentโ€™s 88 Olds Cutlass Winston Cup car.
James Cullen, 07 Porsche GT3 Cup
Audi DTMโ€™s rear fender looks like a riverboatโ€™s paddle.
Brian Thomas, 69 Lotus 51
Geoff Brabham, 71 Brabham BT35

 

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.

Oversteering out of turn one.
A garage in Gasoline Alley.
Al Unser and son Al Jr. return to the Speedway.
Michael Blaha, 71 Datsun 510
Alex MacAllister, 66 Ford GT40
Jaguar, Porsche and Austin-Healey Sprite at speed.
1911 Nationalโ€™s engine
Working on Webers on the 55 Jaguar D Type.

 

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.

Samuel LeComte, 69 Camaro
Jeff Mincheff, 69 Corvette
Rick Mooney, 68 Corvette ahead of Jofy Oโ€™Donnell, 69 Corvette.
Donald Racine, 61 Austin Mini Cooper S
Susan Patterson in her lovely Devin MG Speedster TD
Bob Koons, 61 Lotus 20
A Lotus 20 following a Mini Cooper through turn 8.
Charles Parsons, 76 Lola T332C

 

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.

Aaron Lorton, 66 Corvette
Jeff Taylor, 64 Studebaker Daytona
Cirt Vogt, 70 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Gary Moore lifts two tires in his 65 Ford Mustang GT350
James Heck, 64 Corvette
Chris MacAllister, 64 Cobra FIA 289
Shannon Ivey, 67 Camaro SS
Scott Holley, 1963 Jaguar E-Type

 

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.

Niek Hommerson, 04 Maserati MC12 GT1
George Frey, 69 McLaren M10A
Travis Engen, 05 Audi R8 LMP
Delaney Sturgeon, 86 Porsche Rothman Cup 944
Paul Greigger, 73 Zink Z11
Jim Johnston, 02 G Force Indy Car
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type
Clark Lance, 64 Lotus Elan

 

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.

86 March 86C at speed.
After 105 years, things can go wrong with an engine.
Al Unser and son Al Jr. return to the Speedway.
Nathanael Greene, 1925 Bugatti Type 35
Tom Morgan, 68 Lotus 51 FF
Pre-race activities for the Pro-Am.
1955 Jaguar D-Type
The D Type made it to Victory Circle!

 

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.

Jim Victor, 70 Chevron B17
Lee Brahin, 71 Brabham BT35
Ford Heacock, 60 Porsche 356B Super 90
Jeff Norris, 62 Lola Mk1
1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Jaqulyn Mincheff waiting.
1958 Corvette
Spindles.

 

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.

Two yellow Tigers.
Two blue Jaguars.
David Gibson, VAY Special Canadian Class
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type understeering through turn 2.
Kim Madrid with her distinctive helmet going through turn 2 in a 78 Crossle Formula Ford.
Arnie Loyning, 69 Brabham BT-29
Bob Gett, 71 Chevron BT19
Brent Berge, 78 Lola Can-Am

 

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.

Richard Morrison, 39 Lagonda V12 LeMans rep
Brian Blainโ€™s 1911 National ran in the first Indy 500.
Charles McCabe and Paddins Dowling in their very quick ERAโ€™s.
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway at the speedway.
Peter Mullin, 1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Richard Morrison, 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans
Richard Mitchell, 29 Stutz Blackhawk
Nathanael Greene, 1925 Bugatti Type 35

 

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.

 

 

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.

[Source: David Ferguson]