SVRA Fan Mail (page 3)
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Tony, Thanks again for the opportunity to race the Historics in Portland. I enjoyed the positive feel of the event and was surprised and pleased to see so many spectators. I live in Montana so it is a long haul to get to the Portland track (or any track for that matter) so it was enjoyable to attend both the SOVREN Pacific NW Historics as well as the SVRA Portland Historics. There was some great racing and somehow I even managed a second place medal. I will be back again next year. Thanks again to your staff that allowed my high school sons soccer team and chaperones to visit the event for a couple hours on Friday (ironically they were in Portland from Montana for a soccer event the same weekend). We all enjoyed the Jaguar and Rover drives.
Thanks again.
John Ballantyne
Thanks for a great event and have a great year!
Richard De Wolf
Great Show Tony,
Keep up the good work. See you next year.
Regards,
Mark Jaremko
Tony,
We had so much fun this weekend watching the races. Thanks for bringing your passion to Portland. I was really inspired to watch you race.
A group of friends and I have been attending the Vintage Races at Portland International Raceway for a number of years. However, each year the number of race entries grew lower and lower and we had become disappointed to the point we designated this year as PIR’s “last chance races.” We decided, absent any improvement, we would begin looking for another race venue to satisfy our interests. Thank you for saving the day and our interest in Vintage Racing at PIR. You made a great weekend of it and we were very pleased with the variety and number of race entries, the vendors, and Jaguar and Land Rover’s presence. We’ll be back for sure next year, so long as you’re running the races.
Thanks again,
Dan George
All –
The Indy experience was F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!!!!!
Thank you all for bringing it together for us. Even though we experienced a transaxle failure prior to the final race, my crew and I are still nine-miles-high from participating in your event. The guys have been running around all puffed-up telling everyone about how we raced at Indy.
Over the years, I have been a member of more than a dozen different racing organizations. But, I have never been involved with anything like SVRA. You have created an organization that other vintage racing groups need to follow as the example of what vintage racing is all about. We were truly impressed by the way your staff and officials conducted themselves. I was particularly impressed when Tony walked down the line of cars on the grid for my event, shook every driver’s hand, and personally thanked each of us for coming to Indy. That was a class-act! And while we are on the subject of class, Pam and Kathy, you two ladies are amazing! Thank you both very, VERY much for everything.
Thank you all for a GREAT week. I am sure we will be racing with you again in the near future.
Merrill J. Faulk
Ray,
I want to extend my sincere appreciation for your generosity at Indy. The event was absolutely fantastic. Everything from prompt gridding to race coordination was impeccable. This was the best run even I have attended in 15 years. The entire SVRA organization was so friendly and helpful. Entertainment outstanding! SVRA is a great organization, definitely FIRST CLASS.Please extend this to all who worked at this event.
Thank You,
Dick
Tony,
You and your staff are the ones that really deserve the thank you.
The event was outstanding. In addition to what you mentioned, the Jaguar autocross was fun and well run, plus seeing the old Indy cars in the garage area was impressive.
For me personally, I am very grateful for my car being selected as the Fan Favorite. In addition to the trophy, I also had a very nice visit with Steve Earle. I have not seen Steve in 20 years, but he still has great ideas and a real passion for vintage cars.
Thanks again for a fine event.
Jim Schardt
Just wanted to say thanks for a great weekend.
The entire weekend was a success from the Formula Vee group’s perspective. We appreciated having our own group- just wish we could be included in the Coronado event in September.Until next time
Dietmar Bauerle
Tony,
It was a terrific event! Many thanks to you and the SVRA team for all of your efforts. Well done!
Best, Jim Hamblin
Dear Tony,
The Indy event was really fun and I just wanted to say thanks. There were 550 drivers who checked off a ‘Drive-Indy” item on their bucket list, but I bet had so much fun doing it they’ll be back next year.
Special recognition to some people:Kim Hoxie, who is superbly organized, welcoming and helpful to everyone, no matter who they are. Best Registrar ever.
Peter Krause, the best Instructor there is. I’ve been in his sessions at VIR, Savannah, Watkins Glen, Road Atlanta, COTA and now Indy. I watched others who obviously did not participate in his program make exactly the mistakes he said they would. He makes his class of students faster, and importantly, safer.
Roger Linton, who worked through a drivers tire issue with calm and patience, upholding the rules, and throughout, making a friend for SVRA.
Bob Williams, who always runs a superb Tech operation, this one the best I’ve seen. Tough and knowledgeable, but a guy who understands safety, racers and their machines.
Congratulations to you for a wonderful event and special thanks to your team.
Steve Steers
Tony
Thank you for including me, my crew and my 1933 Studebaker Indycar in the Brickyard Classic again this year. Congratulations to you and your team for putting on a fabulous event! Here are SOME OF the highlights from my weekend (beyond the great racing):
– Blasting around the Indy Oval in my Indy Car
– Standing on the podium “drinking the milk” (albeit 2nd place)
– The Tech Line with a Ford LeMans JCar, Cheetah, Gulf Porsche and a Bandini
– Thrashing a Jag FType on the autocross, then chatting with Davy Jones
– Being interviewed for Pursuit of Passions film
– The longest Fireworks Display I have ever seen
– Watching Bob Lazier pull off his first Indy win!
– The cool Trading cards
I compliment you on your vision and your courage to put on an event like this, trying new things and sweating the details which really make an race memorable to competitors and spectators alike. And to top it off, you coolly dodged the ever threatening raindrops to pull it off! My only regret is that you didn’t get a chance to participate yourself—though seeing you and your big grin in the #34 during the Sunday oval session warmed my heart!Best to you and thanks again for hosting the 2015 Brickyard Vintage Classic! See you next year.
Augie Grasis
Tony: It was a stellar, most memorable weekend, and you can expect me to be back. Driving the oval was WAY more fun than I expected. Thanks for all you do!
Tom Hedges
What a wonderful time we had thank you so much! It all started with Peter and the TOP. He is a superstar and then the Blood Sweat and Tears concert was the perfect setting and again was wonderful! Car broke Wednesday but I still had a great time!
Regards,
John C. Wiley
Tony and Ray: Your grid workers Billy, Tara Oram and Kathy Gall continue to be impressive every year. They work so hard and still have those big smiles on their faces. They are definitely the “best of the best” of grid people. You have surrounded yourselves with good people and it shows.
Thank you and your entire staff for another successful Brickyard Invitational. We look forward to seeing you at Mid-Ohio next week.
Elaine Rodman
Hello Tony and Kim,
Thanks for pulling off a terrific Indy Brickyard Invitational once again this year. The event is a highlight on our calendar and it continues to get better each year. Also, thanks for your generosity in allowing the St. Joes’ kids to get in for free enabling them to have a fantastic day at the track. I received this note from the development director at the home this week and wanted to share with you. Please pass on to anyone else you feel may enjoy.
Thanks again,Bill Abel
Hi Tony,
A quick note to thank you and all your staff for allowing us mere mortals to race at Indy.
I’m still on cloud 9 as I wait to board a plane back to the UK as I had a fantastic weekend racing with like minded company, just as it should be.
I managed to speak to your sister whilst she was manning the family store, but wanted to thank you personally as I know it took a lot of effort on you and your teams part.
Best,
Cliff
Linda,
Thank you for the assistance in getting our car to the show. You went above and beyond. You gave us a great spot. And of course the Blue Ribbon made Dennis very happy.
Roger Johnson
Tony,
What a killer time we had this last week! Kudos for putting this annual event together. Your staff was awesome. I look forward to next year and I am at your disposal if you ever need assistance at Indy with planning, execution or any part of the event.
Please let Ray, the grid staff and everyone involved that the professionalism and organization was spot on an very much appreciated.
Best Regards,
Kent Baker
Hi Tony –
Getting home from another unique SVRA weekend.
I wanted to give you some feedback on a part of the weekend I had a great time participating in: The SVRA Car Show. Linda Daro did a great time publicizing and organizing every aspect of a terrific show. It was so well attended I was thrilled to see an incredible diversity of cars in a packed display area. Reuniting with old friends and making several new friends from all over the country was a blast. My favorite laugh was when parked by totally different cars and commenting that being a motorhead is like pizza – some may like a different topping mix, but we all love pizza! I met a guy with a red ’69 Charger with Cragar mags – the same car I had as a college student in the ’70’s. Turned out he is a fire fighter volunteering on the Holmatro Rescue team that rescued driver James Hinchcliffe during his terrible crash and life threatening injury at the 500 a few weeks earlier. And lots more stories and great people. The track tour laps at the end of the day was a special treat for all and Linda kept everyone informed of schedule delays and called a special drivers meeting to give us details.
Although I wasn’t able to race this weekend my race car will be ready for Mid Ohio. I would encourage you to keep Linda doing what she does well and keep up the Car Shows as a part of the SVRA event and even expand the show to be a regular part of the race weekends.
Cheers,
Rick Gurolnick
Dear Sir,
Please accept my sincerest compliments to SVRA on the wonderful event last weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), and more specifically on the incredible amount of hard work and physical stamina of your representative, Linda Daro. It has been my experience that too many consumers of service are ambivalent to the difference between excellent professional service and substandard service, at least until it is time to complain. I endeavor to make note of highly-skilled professionals, and I hope that this note will be accepted in the spirit intended.
Ms. Daro approached several of us at the Indianapolis “cars and coffee” venue, several weeks before the SVRA Event. She told us about the event, and invited us to participate. Several of us (from that specific cluster of enthusiasts which she approached) followed up with her. None of us are/were racers, so our focus was on the Car Show event, and its accompanying perquisites.
At Saturday’s Car Show event, Ms. Daro was there, the entire day, from the time I arrived until we departed IMS after the tour around the oval. I asked, and Ms. Daro had been there since mid-week, which speaks even more highly of her work, in my view. Saturday was sweltering in heat and humidity; then multiple rain showers; then more scorching sun with additional humidity (from the rain); then various delays that moved the schedule far later than originally planned; and after all of that, she was constantly beset by stupid questions from myself and others. But her professional and friendly demeanor never wavered. Ms. Daro (and her associates) endured the circumstances without losing their smiles, patience and professionalism. Such performance deserves note and acknowledgment.
I don’t know what you pay her, and it is none of my business. But the sum total of her efforts in recruitment, pre-event follow-up, event stamina, and event execution demonstrated a professional attitude and physical stamina that was/is noteworthy. I felt it best to let you know.
While the evolution of our culture seems to trend toward complaints being far more frequent than compliments, I would like to offset a small portion of that curve. Also, please thank Ms. Daro, personally, for me, and my son. If you have questions, of course, I am happy to respond.
Michael R. Shaver
Peter,
Thanks again for conducting the TOP. It was very helpful getting me up to speed quickly on a track I had never experienced. If you’re looking for a program endorsement, you certainly have it from me. And my race results prove it out – even with 25 years of personal race experience, the benefit of these sessions on a new track was tremendous.
Best regards,
Joel K. Weinberger
Hello Tony,
It was good to meet you. Congratulations on your successful transition for this event. I hope to participate in future events to the extent that time and finances will allow.Thanks again,
Jim Alder
Reno, NV
Thank you very much for a great event!
I was very pleased to see such a seamless transition from the great GR Tradition. The load in (under difficult conditions) was the best in years, the flexibility of Dan & staff in “just getting it done” was awesome.And thanks to Roger for the extra thought and effort of “teching” the cars in advance for Indy.
Thanks too for maintaining the “Tea Room” -the Ladies loved it (and it makes my weekend a lot less stressful!)
A C D’Augustine
Genie MK-10B
Thank you for the opportunity. I appreciate your personal attention to the details. I was impressed that you walked the grid on Sunday in my Group 3 and spoke with everyone preparing to go out. I also appreciate that you personally spoke to me about the mix-up with Gold Medallion tech inspection delays on Sunday morning. I feel that vintage racing can only get better under your watch.
Dewey de Butts
1960 Austin Healey Bugeye Sprite
Carlsbad, CA
Hi Tony,
Was great to meet you live. I thought it was a fun event, well run. Great job managing the schedule despite a number of blown motors.
I’m going to start planning now for next year’s Pro Am at Indy!
Regards,
JRH
Dear Tony,
Thank YOU for all your work in putting on a great event. Also, Kevin and I really appreciate the award for best presentation and performance in group 9.
Best Wishes
John & Kevin Shirley
Tony,
Just wanted to Thank you and your Folks for a great Racing Weekend. It went very well. I was in the FJ group so there was some good Racing. The Schedule was great for us, as we came down from Canada (Calgary) so had time to do other things in the Area
I was also very Impressed that you came and Thanked us for coming before every race. I hope your ownership is rewarding in future
Steve Earl is a very knowledgeable guy so hope the relationship works well.
Sincerely,
Maurice
Many thanks for a fun racing weekend. I am one of the many that look forward to your plans for evolving the vintage racing world. See you in Austin.
Scott
#9 MGB GT
CSRG Board Member
Tony, Thank you. It was a great weekend with an emphasis on the cars and the drivers.
Much appreciated.
Jim Brown
Hi Tony… Thank You for a great event. On to Portland. Best Regards Tom
Hi Tony,
Thanks for a great event, I know it’s a huge amount of work. Operationally things worked very smoothly from my perspective (Group 12). The big change for me was in the attitude of the people on your staff, just excellent. I was made to feel like a customer. When you walked through the grid before my race and thanked everyone for being there that was a bigger deal than you may realize and represented a real and welcome shift in culture.
Your enthusiasm, focus and customer orientation are a breath of fresh air Sir. THANK-YOU!
Tom van Overbeek
Hello Tony,
What a wonderful weekend and perfectly organized. My brain does not compute negatives – so here is what made a positive impression and should continue.
1. Love the personal touch, the handshake on the dummy grid.
2. Drivers briefing was one of the best I have ever heard – hit exactly the right note.
3. Be a nice touch to introduce your sister and SVRA sales at drivers briefing (she was lovely!)
I am going back to Australia with very positive feelings about SVRA and you can expect loads of Australian FJ Drivers (each one slightly worse than me) to come and support the Diamond Jubilee World Series.
You need to know as much as possible about this World Series and I have asked Sarah (our world wide formula junior goddess) to be in contact with you, and to outline our plans so you don’t get surprised with an influx of Formula Junior drivers from around the world. She will keep you updated as the plans start to firm up and I know she is very keen to work in with you.
Best regards and many thanks again – love my trophy – see you at Indy.
Roger
Hello Tony,
Thank you for your support in vintage racing. You have managed to add a combination of friendliness and professionalism that the sport has been missing. I had the opportunity to observe your interaction with Ed and was talking with Dan R and Pam S about how you plan to run your operation and was impressed. I was running customers at the event in Sonoma this weekend and they were from the UK. They’re not used to our system and weren’t able to communicate properly. In the confusion Dan took care of things without any hassle or inconvenience. I have been running race cars since the 70s, working Vintage from 1995 on and been driving in amateur and professional series for thirty years. I make my living working and running vintage racing cars. I think your team will be good for our sport and my business. I look forward to Fontana next month where i will be running thee cars over both weekends.
Best Regards
Bruce Marquand
Classic Competition
Tony,
Sonoma was a fun event. Thank you! The Friday party was a blast, and the food was great. Both Mary and I loved the music as well. It was our ‘vintage.’ The racing was great, and the cars were spectacular.
Thanks again for a great weekend. Mary and I look forward to coming to many more SVRA events in the future.
Steve Walker
Jubilee Vineyards
Hello Tony,
As you are sorting out what worked, and what didn’t work, after the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, I’d like to add two things I really enjoyed (and were different from General Racing) – the hero cards, and the Jaguar autocross. Watching kids faces light up when handing them the cards was really fun.
Those two diversions helped me have a great time, in spite of some mechanical difficulties during the weekend with my Alfa SS.
Kind regards,
Ross Lindell
1963 Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale
Tony,
The weekend was superb. The damn drive to Sonoma, however, fouled my plugs and I stupidly forgot to pull them and clean them. Took about six laps to blow the carbon off. Everyone passed me at the start but I was able to hunt down a few before Orosco spun 100 yds in front of me at the crest of the entry to the Carousel. Made for an exciting moment. Two slow laps re-fouled the plugs a bit. But all in all a great weekend. Again, enjoyable weekend. I’ve never seen Steve so relaxed.
Regards,John P. Hurabiell
Jessie and Dan,
Please pass along to Tony and to all of the staff my personal appreciation for a job well done at the Sonoma Historics. A first class job… well done.
Carl Moore
Linda:
I can’t thank you enough for inviting me to participate in the car show at Homestead. It was just great meeting all of the other participants with the common interest we all share. I was really surprised to get an award my “fist time out” and my wife proudly put in on display in a place of honor in our home.
That, the tour of the track and the racing all weekend was far and away the best race weekend I have ever had. I don’t know what else I could win if I participated again but I would be proud to do it again in the spirit of the sport for SVRA and the comradery of like minded people.
Please do not hesitate to e-mail me if an event comes to my area,
Pete Colelli
Hi Linda,
What a great time we had the Sebring International today. You are the best. Thank you for all you have done to please us car show guys. Hope to make it back next year.
Ron Bomberger
Dear Tony,
My experience at COTA reminded me of when I started racing an Alfa Romeo GTV in the lMSA races at Laguna Seca. The atmosphere at COTA was exactly the same as my encounter with John Bishop at Laguna. We were a small fish in a big pond with our Alfa but he and his staff made us feel like we belonged there. That is the way all of your staff made me feel, from tech to pre-grid. It clearly reflects your spirit toward entrants.
We enjoyed seeing Pam again (great and professional Quarterly), and had a very nice conversation with your sister. The long tow from
California was worth it. We look forward to 2015 and plan to enter Sears Point, Fontana, Coronado and COTA. Please keep up the good work. It’s like the good old days.John Samson, M.D.
Hello Dan and Tony,
Dan, it was a pleasure speaking with you yesterday regarding the up-and-coming Sonoma Historics race and the Gold Medallion Program. It is my understanding that SVRA is meeting with a lot of resistance with your efforts to rein in the “over restored” vintage cars, many of whom are running stroker- motors and all sorts of modern technology. While living and racing in the Portland Oregon area, I have encountered much the same attitude from many of the members of SOVREN in the Seattle area. So, I will assume that you will also encounter the same resistance in the Pacific Northwest.
While most people that oppose something are most apt to be vocal, I just wanted to let you know that many of us “silent majority” applaud what SVRA is doing. I, for one, am looking forward to making our car compliant with your gold medallion program. Your vision of having period correct vintage cars with unified nationwide classes and rules, is long overdue. While many people are currently heavily invested in modern technology drivetrains, I think they were will soon see the light of the many benefits of your Gold Medallion Program.
I understand the transition period with both “vintage appearing cars” and “gold medallion cars”participating at the same time, can create friction between the two classes, assuming they are on the track at the same time. I have a suggestion that may be helpful, as additional reward and motivation for the slower on track, gold medallion cars; I would suggest to issue a “Gold Medallion Sticker” to put on your windshield that would be visible both from the stands and the pits, which would also dovetail with the hero cards. This would help the spectators understand that the slower “period correct cars” are actually the higher quality cars and likewise gives the car owners a sense of pride while running mid pack.
Best Regards,
Larry Bothwell
Ken Sutherland
Co-Owners/Drivers
Rob Merritt and Bob Hatle couldn’t stop talking about how fantastic the Indy event was. Bob couldn’t believe that with my history there, I missed the inaugural event. This year I don’t intend to let work get in the way!
-Rick Kirchner
Again, thank you so much! Regarding communication of the car show, I received your email and am the VP and Activities director of our local Corvette Club. We would have brought many more cars, however many of our members who wanted to attend had been monitoring the weather forecast, and did not want to bring out their cars in the rain – particularly in the most rain we’ve seen in a long time! As for me, I was already planning to be there rain or shine; the car show was a bonus!
Many of our members are older and not on social media… Linkedin maybe, but if we don’t check the site, we’d have missed it. Since I’m interested in participating in SVRA, I had the dates marked on my calendar, but would have missed the car show webpage without your email. Now that we know there will be a car show associated with the Nationals at COTA, we’ll be on the lookout for the 2015 dates and I’m sure our number of attendees will grow exponentially (weather permitting).
Best Regards,
Mark
Hi Ray,
I would like to thank you for all your help and to tell you once again that your events, specifically COTA this time, are run professionally and efficiently. But most impressive is your help and treatment of the participants. Everyone seems to care and understand if there are problems or special needs. Don’t know that this happens very often in racing. The only complaint on COTA is that the garages have spoiled us forever.
Regards,
Carl Liebich
Hi Roger,
It’s been 2 weeks but just wanted to thank you for your help at COTA (and throughout the year)-running the F1s can be a problem sometimes but you made it problem free. Brian and James thoroughly enjoyed running your events (as did I). Thanks for all your help and looking forward to next year.
Carl Liebich
Hi Kathy.
Just wanted to let you know that the only problem with COTA is that it’s 1300 miles from home. It’s an unbelievable place and those garages-spoiled us forever. I wanted to thank you for all your help this year. When we went through registration it was a absolutely no problem and that was due to your help. Only sorry we didn’t get to meet you. Look forward to running with you next season.
Regards,
Carl Liebich
Motorsports Enterprises Ltd.
Dear Tony, VRQ is well done. We had Steve Zautke at the Research Center this weekend and he mentioned it was coming and then I got it Monday in the Mail. Hoping the Finger Lakes and the Center get story in the future.
Getting a chance to be part of the demo laps before the Nascar race was super. I’m heading into the 90 and I look over and I’m on the Jumbotron with 90,000 watching. WOW.
Have a great rest of the season, Rick Hughey Watkins Glen
Dear Tony,
Thank you for putting together a very good week. We all had a great time and this was an opportunity not to be missed! I hope to be able to come back next year with either the Shelby or the Cup car. Again thank you for making SVRA the premium Vintage Car Racing organization.Best regards,
Marc
Belgaz Racing, LLCBy the way, I like the magazine as well!
Tony, thank you for another amazing event put on by team SVRA. The weather tried to be a problem but as usual your crew took it in stride. COTA and Indy have become CAN’T MISS races for me, not only because of the venues but because I know you and the SVRA staff will make it special. I’m almost hoping that my car doesn’t sell so I can put a small block in it to run the
pro-am at Indy next year.
Sincerely,
Bob Caudle
Hey Tony just wanted to give you a big thumbs up on the COTA weekend. Bill Abel won his race and took home that awesome gold helmet. I so appreciate what you’re doing. I grew up with my father running Trans-Am, Can-Am and F-5000. Just love this stuff, all I’ve ever known. I tell you brother I am one of your biggest supporters, makes me happy that someone loves what I grew up with. All seriousness, thanks man. Scott
Tony,Congratulations! I just got my first issue of your new magazine, “Vintage Racing Quarterly”. It looks like a great magazine, with a good mix of pictures and articles. Best wishes in your new endeavor.
Garrett
Tony,Heartfelt thanks for a National Championship that was totally above and beyond my highest expectations. I was thrilled to learn that I was getting a helmet when you shook my hand at the after race weigh in. I was torn about leaving before the presentation, but I had commitments Monday morning and nearly 20 hours of driving the rig in front of me so we headed out.
Club Ford National Champion at 71. A dream come true. Best and thanks again,
Dave
Tony,
Ed said it well, and I love a great race. Thank you so much for a great event.
Cheers Robert Hoemke
Abilene Texas
You and the SVRA team put together another great event. All of us on the Alamo Team had a terrific time. We will be participating in several SVRA races in 2015. We look forward to it. Thanks for a great time.
Hello Tony—another Great Event!! Your team did a magnificent job from registration , tech, the “new A paddock parking”, and of course adjusting for the weather. Our CVAR Group of guys had an excellent racing weekend. Again “Well Done”!! Regards, Peter Glawe, CVAR AH FP Sprite #66
Tony,Congratulations! You have put Vintage Racing back on the map. It really was a great event. I still preferred it to Indianapolis.
I would like to recognize one of your employees – Kathy Swinford – she has done an amazing job for us far and above what is expected. I come to these events from New Zealand and my son comes from Burkina Faso (West Africa) just for the events. Kathy has been amazingly patient with us and our antics and through her efforts everything has gone amazingly smoothly.
You have a great organisation.
Paul & Daniel Morgan
Great event Tony. Thanks for having us.Karman
#23 Ex Bill Mayer TA Mustang
Kudos to you and the whole SVRA team for an outstanding event. I had a great time racing Formula Vee #30. Hopefully, we’ll see more FV cars next year.Thanks for taking vintage racing several notches up!
Bill Wilkman
Tony,
[We] all thoroughly enjoyed being part of the COTA race week. Your entire staff is amazing & all the planned activities you created to make us happy made for an incredible week. Asleep at the Wheel was a band I saw numerous times when I used to live in Austin- a local favorite- which was personally very special as it brought back great memories.COTA was the most challenging track I have ever raced. Soooo grateful to have had the opportunity for the track orientation program. All 3 of us Weinbergers participated in the program and Peter, just like at Indy, gave us great pointers which I know helped us race better & safer. Together we walked away with 5 medals & Joel took home one of the gold helmets which was such a cool prize.We look forward to more SVRA events. Thanks for all your efforts & leadership. We had a blast.
All the best,
Lisa
Tony, I want to thank you for a wonderful weekend. I am one of the ones that hang out with Roy and Charlie. We all talked about what a first rate job you and your staff do. I can’t wait for Indy and maybe a few other SVRA races next year.
Best,
Dick Hunter
67 Mustang, Group 6
Tony,Thank YOU for the great event and for the heads-up on next year’s date. We look forward to it! Thanks also for coming by before our feature race with your very good advice about the wet green carpet. Robert Hoemke and I went out easy and ended up with probably the greatest race I’ve ever had in that car. We swapped leads 6 times and he nipped me by .2 seconds. Our fast times were .02 apart and we had the greatest (and cleanest!) run ever. Thanks again to all your team’s very obvious hard work.
Best regards,
Ed Moore
San Antonio
Formula Junior, Red #8
Thank you! Wonderful 1st experience with your organization!Doug Schumacher
Great event, thank you for having us.
Roberto
Thank you Tony. That was a great event! The track was quite challenging too! Loved it.
Regards, Jim
Hi Tony,Thank you and your crew for a fantastic event at COTA. All of my family and friends had a wonderful time and for the first timers they are hooked on vintage racing! I had a great time racing both the MGA and J2 with friends from near and far. COTA is one of the most beautiful, fun and challenging courses I have ever raced. Looking forward to doing it again next year, yeah! Sign me up.
Cheers,
Lou
Dear Tony,
Just a quick note to say “Thanks for everything.” Last year was great and this was the best! As a CVAR driver, I really appreciated the courtesy and personal attention we received. Peter Krause did a great job with our TOP program and I’m sure next year will be even better and as we say, “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait a minute!”Willis Murphey, Elva 7s #25.
Hello All,Thanks you so much for allowing us to participate in the CoTA event, and thanks for your support and understanding. We all had a GREAT time there, and really enjoyed the racing and the party on Saturday.
We’ll be back.Garrett and Pat Waddell
Dear Tony,First of all, I’m so sorry I didn’t get to meet you yesterday! I’d have loved to be able to thank you in person!
What you did for my Family was beyond anything we could have imagined, much less experience. You went out of your way to welcome them and create a lasting memory for each and every one of them. They were overjoyed and so, so grateful.
Who knows? Perhaps there’s a potential racing professional among the kids. I’d certainly encourage it!
Either way, we all remain huge fans and thoroughly loved the Vintage Cars, the people we met and the entire experience!
Thank you! It was very special!
Sheila Plank
Just wanted the tell you the three of us from the South Texas Triumph Association had an great time even with the rain. We”ll see you next year!
Hello Linda,
Great meeting you today, thanks for putting this show together! Had a lot of fun! The vintage racing was fantastic! Thanks again Linda, I look forward to participating next year!
Sincerely,
Erik Mordt
Thank you Linda, it was fun and the weather and temp was better than the 100 degree type heat we normally have in Austin. Again, thank you and your staff for the car show, etc.
Terry Cook (65 Mustang)
Thanks for having the cars from across the pond. It was nice to see people look, admire and share their stories with us.
Cheers!
Emily Barrett
Linda,
We appreciate YOUR participation, understanding, and patience and that of your staff. While the weather was an inconvenience for the show car owners, it only brought with it a change of plans. The impact of the weather on you guys was far greater in the scheme of things and you all deserve a great big “attaboy/girl”.
A quick question as I just now put two and two together. Did the judges really give my truck an award or was it a showing of appreciation on your part for the loan of a windbreaker? My truck really needs to know.
Hi Linda,
We had a great time and the Car show was well organized and you kept us informed of what was going on, that was helpful. Also enjoyed your story of working with the AMC team member on one of your Boards.
Hope to see you next year!
Carl & Jackie Theaker
1968 AMX
Linda,
It was a great experience in spite of the rain, and thank you so much for all the effort you put into it. We enjoyed the other cars, the tour of the paddocks, the races and everything, and thank you especially for the ride you gave us down to the paddock. I will definitely be there next year, and I will spread the word to my car friends and the other car clubs in the area.
Marshall Andrews
1957 Red Thunderbird
Linda,
Thank you so much for coordinating the SVRA car show at COTA! While we wouldn’t have missed the SVRA Vintage Racing National Championships, the car show, parade lap and weekend tickets were a big draw for folks here to come to COTA and find out what SVRA is all about. The weather was a whole different story, and I didn’t bring near as many club members as I would normally have as a result. That said, you did an outstanding job handling a large number of disappointed attendees regarding the parade lap – most everyone understood, and I’m sure each and every one of us will be back next year!
Again thank you for putting this on – no easy feat, but your work was greatly appreciated!
Best regards,
Mark Horner
Hi Pam,
I just received my issue of the inaugural SVRA publication ‘Vintage Racing Quarterly’ Vol. 1, Issue 1, October 2014 and have already browsed through it. Congratulations on your new position as editor in chief.
My opinion is that this is a first class publication representing a first class organization and great group of racers, it should serve the SVRA and vintage communities well.
I’m also thrilled at the prospect of you and the SVRA taking a leadership role in bolstering, uniting, defining and growing our loosely knit world of vintage oval motorsports. I can think of no other person than yourself and the SVRA to pull it all together for those of us in the vintage oval shadow world.
I am looking forward to offering any help I can to spread the word when you are ready to make announcements.
Best Regards
Carl Schulz
Tony,
My son and I were part of a pit crew for the National Runoffs this last weekend in Austin. I just wanted to compliment SVRA on an outstanding event. This was our first SVRA event, but it won’t be my last. It has been a long time since we have met such a good group of people. The workers were great ALL weekend long (not just the first or second day but all weekend). Everyone was extremely accommodating of me as I got in people’s way, took pictures when I should have been looking out for cars/workers; basically floating along in car heaven with some incredible cars and people. The car owners/drivers were great, letting us meander through the pits, get up close to cars to take pictures and just take in the history of each car. Car people are the greatest people in the world.
Thanks for putting on such a great event. I probably won’t be able to afford a truly historic car, but I am building a 66 Mustang coupe to go autocrossing, and my son is working on a 67 Mustang fastback. Your event has rekindled the passion to get this car done!
Sincerely,
Tommy McCurdy
Tony,
Thank you for such an amazing event and ALL you are doing for Vintage Motorsports! Being a long time supporter of the sport as you know, it fears me a bit to think what may have happened if you hadn’t come along to take the wheel, so to speak! I know that I would have never made it to this amazing track without you! What an experience! I must admit I was a bit intimidated at first blush, but a couple of laps, it got me! In a good way!
The tribute to Vic, PRICELESS! Well done and thank you so very very much!
Thanks so much again, see u down the road ahead soon I hope.
Best,
Christi
Hello Tony,Our sincere THANK YOU for creating another super COTA-event for our sport. In our opinion the event was organized most perfectly – the racing was great – the Texas BBQ and music were outstanding and the “TOP”-program with Peter Krause is an important benefit for the experience at COTA. Please continue to offer “TOP” at COTA.
Thank you again for a fun week.
All the Best,
Christel and Ralf Kuehnhoefer
(Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce and Brabham BT8 Sportsracer)