Indy racing legends Al Unser Sr. and Jr. were Grand Marshalls for the second annual Portland Vintage Racing Festival, hosted by SVRA July 7-10 at Portland International Raceway, where Al Jr. won three times during his career.
As the rain held off, more than 100 vintage racecars participated under mostly cloudy skies. The fastest race group, for Prototype- and Can-Am-style cars, was won both days by Canada’s Pieter Baljet in his Saleen S7R, also followed both days by Phillipe Reyns of Arizona in a 1971 Lola T212 and Portland’s Jason Perkins in his 1987 Swift DB2.
Reyns also won Feature Race #1 for Formula Cars in a 1974 Chevron B27, while Washington’s David Rugh prevailed with his 1982 Ralt RT5 in Race #2. Seattle’s John Hill dominated the Formula Ford/Formula B group both days with his 1979 Crossle 35 (above), with Portland’s Neil Shelton taking second in the first race with his 1978 Crossle 32F, and Washington’s Tom Kreger runner-up in the second feature with a 1971 Titan MKE.
The Big-Bore ground-pounders first feature was won by Washington’s Wade Carter with a 2004 Porsche 996 RSR, followed by Vancouver’s Tim Brown in a 2010 Porsche GT3 Cup and Oregon’s Ernie Spada with his 1999 Porsche 911 Cup. The order was switched around in Race #2 with Brown winning, followed by Carter and Spada.
The first race for pre-1979 Sports Cars/Sedans was claimed by Washington’s Thor Johnson in a 1974 Schnitzer BWM 2800 SL, while the second feature was won by California’s John Mahal in a 1962 Lotus Seven. Johnson also won the first feature race for pre-1972 Medium-Bore Production/Sports Cars with his Lotus 17, while the classic 1959 Poyote MKII of Oregon’s Bill Babcock took Race #2.
The 1967 MG Midget of California’s William Carson won the first feature race for Small-/Medium-Bore Sports Cars/Sedans, followed by fellow Californian Karl Krause in his 1965 Turner MKIII. Krause captured the Feature #2 win, followed by Vancouver’s Karlo Flores in a 1959 Austin Healey MK1.
A one-hour Closed Wheel Enduro was one of the weekend’s highlights with 11 cars with co-drivers taking the flag. Oregonians Curt Kallberg and Gary Bockman claimed the win in their 1978 Corvette, followed by Washington’s Norm Daniels and Oregon’s Matt Crandall in a 1968 Camaro.
The weekend’s “longest drive,” however, had to go to Jim Allen and his 1952 Jaguar XK120, which he drove from Reno, Nevada, to Portland, Oregon, raced on Sunday and then drove back home.
