Velocity Invitational. Sonoma Raceway. November 10-12 2023.

[khyndart in CA]

I made the 750 mile round trip to Sears Point across the bay, north of San Francisco.
The traffic getting there was awful but the one day I had at Sonoma Raceway made it all worthwhile.
The tributes to Bruce McLaren and the team were outstanding and the programme is a "keeper".
My photos don't do the event justice but until I get my act together here is a video of the Saturday action.
The announcer during the Historic Trans Am event is our good friend Chad Raynal,(At Taupo Jan. 2019) who gives a wonderful account of all the cars and their history etc.
So, here we go;



(Ken H.)

[Roger Dowding]

Must have a good look Ken H, the cars on the preview page are an interesting mix of eras and types Road Rally Race Sports and Racing cars etc.

[khyndart in CA]

The first Bruce McLaren sports car the M 1 BMMR 1 was beautifully built in tiny premises in Feltham, London, 60 years ago.
The Sonoma Invitational was to honor that occasion and many different McLaren race cars were brought there to be on display or to compete.
The oldest McLaren sports car there was M1 BMMR 2-64. The history was on display.

Did sports cars back then have to carry a full spare tyre? What was the point of that as it looks like a dangerous object at face level if one had an accident !










(Ken H photos )

[khyndart in CA]

I think I found the answer to the spare tire location.
" The M1A had been designed to meet the then-prevailing FIA Appendix C regulations, which had been written years earlier to maintain the illusion that the racers were in fact road-going sports cars. The distinctive bulbous windscreen on the M1A is in fact to provide a place to mount the required spare tire. By mid-1965, the new Group 7 unlimited sports racing car rules had been agreed to, so road niceties were abandoned and the distinctive Can-Am shape began to appear in the M1B-wide and muscular rather than small and curvy."


(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

This 1967 McLaren M5A # 19. is powered by the 3 liter BRM P 101 V-12 engine. The only M 5A ever built.
It is the car that Jack Brabham was driving at the 1999 Goodwood Revival meet and he crashed hard and I don't think he raced again.
Derek Bell said that even on a 4 lane highway it would have been hard to pass Jack ! He was still racing hard at 73 years old.

Jack Brabham in the McLaren M 5 at Goodwood,1999.



The same M 5 A today.





(Ken H. Last 2 photos)

[ERC]

Wow! Love that McLaren with BRM V12!

The M4B, the predecessor, I believe is now in NZ but sans BRM 2 litre engine.

[khyndart in CA]

Another rare McLaren at Sonoma was the 1970 Indy car an M15A -2 # 73.
It was to have been driven in the 1970 Indy 500 by Denis Hulme but his hands were badly burnt while he was testing the M15A -1 # 19 due to a faulty fuel filler. Fuel was a big issue and the tub was very wide, so as to accommodate enough fuel for the thirsty 159 ci (2.65-litre) turbocharged Offenhauser engine. Peter Revson drove this car in the 1970 race.





A 1968 Can Am M8A-2 # 5



Is this the car that I did not contribute to ?




(Ken H photos)

[khyndart in CA]

1967 M6A-1 car that Bruce McLaren drove to win the 1967 Can Am series. Car number 4 was on display at Sonoma.
My current photo was blurred so I'm displaying two that I took of the car in 2011 also at Sonoma.



(Ken's 2011 photos.)
The car is part of Richard Griot's collection. Many of us have Griot's products in our garages.
http://mclarenautomotive.ru/en/lates...ordinaire.html

Here is a clip of the first Can Am race of the 1967 series and this car was driven by Bruce McLaren. Denis Hulme won the race and was in the midst of also becoming the Formula One champion of 1967. A remarkable achievement.




(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

The Ragtime Racers are always fun to watch.


https://www.ragtimeracers.com/

This 1908 Mercedes was on display.






(Ken H)

[Oldfart]

Ragtime website is really worth a visit!

[khyndart in CA]

Note the two different driving positions of LHD and RHD on the "Ragtime" cars.
The changeover was 1908
"Thus, most American cars produced before 1910 were made with right-side driver seating, although intended for right-side driving. Such vehicles remained in common use until 1915, and the 1908 Model T was the first of Ford's cars to feature a left-side driving position."

I also learned that they drove with two people because they had no mirrors.

(KH)

[khyndart in CA]

Monterey 2022
1954 Ferrari 625 F1 ◊
$3,000,000 - $4,000,000 USD | Not Sold a year later, November 2023.
United States Flag | Monterey, California










( Ken H photos.)




https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/m...625-f1/1266240

[khyndart in CA]

1970 Porsche 917-016 # 21 on display from the Petersen Automotive Museum.











(Ken H photos.)

[khyndart in CA]

After reading Ray and Allan's comments on Ray's thread, I feel very spoilt here in California.
Some Groups are smaller such as Can Am and Formula but the racing is still good and tight.
Please let me know if my inputs are a bit too much.

Ken H.

[Oldfart]

After reading Ray and Allan's comments on Ray's thread, I feel very spoilt here in California.
Some Groups are smaller such as Can Am and Formula but the racing is still good and tight.
Please let me know if my inputs are a bit too much.

Ken H.

Not for me, please keep posting!

[khyndart in CA]

I always enjoy the 1947- 1961 Sports Car Groups.

A fine example is this 1958/59 Sadler Meyer Special # 4 beautifully restored.



(Ken H photos)

An overview of when this car was for sale can be found at this site.
https://www.fantasyjunction.com/sold...ecial/overview

[GregT]

And that's what a knobbly Lister could have looked like. The 50's era comment about "give a brit a sheet of alumimium and he'll make something ugly" stands proven.

Even if I have got the quote wording slightly wrong.

[Roger Dowding]

And that's what a knobbly Lister could have looked like. The 50's era comment about "give a brit a sheet of alumimium and he'll make something ugly" stands proven.

Even if I have got the quote wording slightly wrong.

A bit of Maserati around the nose and overall a little of Reventlow Scarab, about it, I like it and I also like a " Knobbly " Lister too
Cheers Greg T.

Roger

[Oldfart]

Funny you should say that Greg. It's an American car!
Personally I find most of the cars of that period very appealing. A car stylist I met once said the cars that appeal remind you of a shapely lady lying on her stomach, the rise over her breasts and buttocks always make for good looks, as long as she wasn't the fat lady!

[khyndart in CA]

Another rare car there was a 1954 Sorrell Kurtis Special # X15

John Mote jr driving.
(Ken H photo)
Some facts and history here.
http://dmtrg.com/2023/07/21/john-mot...s-special-gmc/