RRDC AT THE 27th SONOMA HISTORICS

It was two weekends ago – May 17-19 – that Sonoma Raceway (nee Infineon, nee Sears Point) hosted the 27th Annual Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival (nee several other monikers).

Bob Earle hustles his ’63 Split-Window Vette through the top of the circuit. Corvette in its 60th year was the Festival’s featured marque. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

No matter what it’s called, it’s still the grand annual party thrown by RRDC member Steve Earle – this year with more than 350 historic racecars in 15 groupings, stretching their legs around the up-down-and-around 2.52 miles that comprises Sonoma’s pre-NASCAR raceway.

A number of our guys and gals were in attendance, and some even drove. Chris McAllister exercised a couple of immaculate sports racers including a Gulf Mirage M6 plus the beauty below:

Chris McAllister showing plenty of daylight under his McLaren M8F. Is it any wonder that this otherwise dominating Can-Am machine suffered the occasional blow-over in its heyday. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

Mr. Earle also ran a 1959 Vette:

Host Steve Earle ran a pair of No. 614 Vettes – this one a pristine ’59 model. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

Peter Giddings did his best imitation of Tazio Nuvolari from his pre-Auto Union days (Tazio’s, not Peter’s):

Peter Giddings horses around this Pre-WWII Alfa Romeo Tipo 8C-35 from the Golden Age of Grand Prix Racing. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

Tom McIntyre was again racey in his 1968 Trans-Am Camaro:

The Unfair Advantage rides again in the hands of Tom McIntyre. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

While Jon Norman rolled out his venerable GTB coupe:

Jon Norman at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo GTB that he successfully raced for decades in West Coast SCCA competition. [Sports Car Digest image by Dennis Gray]

Bob Earle presented “The Phil Hill Trophy” to honored guest Phil Reinhart.

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