Driver of the Year

2020 SVRA Driver of the Year: Dave Nicholas

Dave went to his first race at Watkins Glen in 1956.  His first drivers school was in 1963 and had his first podium at the Keene hillclimb that same year. Dave was racing regional SCCA in 1964 and nationals in 1965 and doing ice races and gymkhana’s when not road racing.  He won FP and was 7th overall at the Continue Reading...
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2019 SVRA Driver of the Year: Skott Burkland

Skott started racing in the mid 1980’s with PCA and quickly joined HSR and SVRA, Racing for about 35 years and attending numerous drivers’ schools, he started with Formula Fords and then to production Porsches, which is all he has driven since. In 2000 and 2001, Skott drove in the Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona but his favorite tracks are Continue Reading...
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2018 SVRA Driver of the Year: John Cloud

John Cloud -1993 Attended Bobby Rahal Fantasy Camp at the Mid Ohio School for an introduction to road racing. -Fall of 1994 attended the Bob Bondurant racing school in Arizona for the first time, visited 65 times in the next ten years. -1995-1996 participated in SCCA Solo 2 for two years. -October 1996 participated in VSCDA Children’s Museum Vintage Grand Continue Reading...
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2017 SVRA Driver of the Year: Peter McLaughlin

Peter McLaughlin Peter’s originally fascination with racing started in 1959 when he discovered Road and Track magazine and read the biography of Rudy Caracciola. He instantly became addicted to Formula One racing and in 1968, he attended his first F-1 race at the Glen. In 1993 he discovered vintage racing as he drove a 1955 Lincoln in the Carrera Panamericana. Continue Reading...
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2016 SVRA Driver of the Year: Ken Mennella

Ken Mennella – Armonk, NY – As a native New Yorker, I’ve lived there most of my life, except for the years of my Army career. – After graduating college I was commissioned as a lieutenant in the combat engineers. – Airborne and Ranger training won me an all-expenses paid vacation to the Far East assigned to Special Forces/Special Ops Continue Reading...
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2015 Driver of the Year: Harry Gentry

1982 SCCA regional racing in a Mazda RX3-SP SAARC run-offs Champion SAARC points Champion 1983 SCCA national racing in a Mazda RX-7 1984 & 1985 SCCA national racing in Datsun 200SX SCCA Run-offs SCCA Divisional Champion 1985 1986-1990 SCCA national racing in a Toyota MR-2 SCCA Run-offs SCCA Divisional champion 1986 1985-1986 IMSA in a Toyota MR-2 1987 IMSA in Continue Reading...
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2014 Driver of the Year: Marc Giroux

Marc began his racing career in 1993 by attending a Skip Barber Driving School at Road Atlanta. For the several years he participated at Skip he participated in selected Skip Barber and Bondurant series events. Early on he developed a passion for open wheel race cars. In 1998 Marc purchased a 1970 Lola T200 Formula Ford and began competing in Continue Reading...
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2013 SVRA Driver of the Year: Rob Mocas

Rob Mocas – Hudson, Ohio Rob’s interest in racing began as a kid growing up in Dayton, Ohio. His father was a motorsports fan and would take Rob and his older brother to spectate at Mid-Ohio in the 1960’s and early 70’s , driving his Alfa Romeo Sprint GT. He began his racing career when Heidi, his wife, gave him Continue Reading...
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2012 SVRA Driver of the Year: Bobby Brown

Bobby Brown – Mill Neck, NY Bobby started racing in 1960, driving a Corvette. After 20 years of racing in Can Am, Formula 5000, Formula Atlantic, GT racing and SCCA National’s, he took a 10 year hiatus from actual racing, from 1980 to 1990. During the 20 years of active racing, Bobby was fortunate enough to have raced all over Continue Reading...
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2011 SVRA Driver of the Year: Joe Blacker

Joe Blacker – Columbia, MD “Started in vintage racing in 1993, supported by Charlie Gibson and SASCO sports. We successfully ran a 1967 Brabham Elva MK 75. I also raced in SCCA, World Challenge, Grand Am, AMLS, F2O00, HSR, Boss & ACRL Monoposto Champion 1997 and 2002.” “The Cars:” Brabham BT21, 29, 30 Elva MK75, Lola 298, Lola T46O, Lola Continue Reading...
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2010 SVRA Driver of the Year: Lee Talbot, PhD

Lee Talbot, PhD – McLean, VA – Raced professionally and otherwise for over 60 years, on four continents and in most kinds of race cars including sprint cars, sports cars, sports-racers, sedans, international rally cars, and formula cars. – Racing experience includes oval tracks, national and international road race circuits and hill climbs, and international performance rallies. – SCCA National Continue Reading...
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2009 SVRA Driver of the Year: Ed Jensen

Ed Jensen | 1945 – 2010 Ed was involved in racing since his teen years in Allentown, PA, where he worked as a “go-for” on a sprint car team. The driver was a then unknown rookie driver named Mario Andretti. Ed’s experiences in racing include sprint car racing, Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) racing and vintage racing. He has Continue Reading...
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2008 SVRA Driver of the Year: Larry Neviaser

Larry Neviaser – Easton, MD – Grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, graduated from Ohio University in 1971. – Involved in the retail car business from 1971 – 2007 and owned Toyota, Chrysler and Dodge dealerships from 1981 – 2007. – Started autocrossing in the 1970s and began racing vintage sports cars in 1996 with a 1961 Ginetta G4. – Bought Continue Reading...
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2007 SVRA Driver of the Year: Sean Ryan

Sean Ryan – Biltmore Lake, NC “At the age of 4, I began playing youth sports and developed a passion for competition that still burns more than ever today. Technically, my racing career began at the age of 11 when I started racing BMX in Montgomery, Alabama. At the age of 18, while attending college at Auburn University, I decided Continue Reading...
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2006 SVRA Driver of the Year: Jack Cassinghan

Jack Cassinghan – Sherrills Ford, NC “I got hooked on vintage racing after attending a Skip Barber Racing School in 1988 with formula Fords and then co-driving with a friend in his Morris Minor with SVRA. I bought a 1966 basket case MG Midget and built it to race with SVRA, HSR and VDCA. I have had the pleasure of Continue Reading...
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2005 SVRA Driver of the Year: Dave Handy

Dave Handy – Semora, NC Started racing in 1979 in Lola MK 1 at VSCCA events run in conjunction with other sanctioning bodies before vintage racing became mainstream. Went on to race Lotus 23 and McLaren along with others. Won Monoposto F Atl championship 2 years in a row and many SVRA and HSR events over the years. Been racing Continue Reading...
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2004 SVRA Driver of the Year: Travis Engen

Travis Engen – Weston, CT “I started racing with the VSCCA in 1995 driving a 1953 Lotus MK VI. (I have no earlier pro or amateur experience). The next year I progressed to a Lotus 18 formula junior, then to a March formula Ford a couple of years later.” “I was selected as the SVRA’s ‘Most Improved Driver’ in 1999, Continue Reading...
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2003 SVRA Driver of the Year: Jim Bradley

Jim Bradley – Gaston, IN “I took the Skip Barber Racing Course at Sebring, Florida in 1980, and I was ‘hooked.’ I raced ‘open wheel’ cars (Formula Ford, Formula Mazda, Barber Pro-Series) from 1980-1993. In 1992 & 1993 I raced Honda Prelude and 944 Porsche in the Firestone Firehawk Series. I started Vintage Racing in 1993 when I purchased a Continue Reading...
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2002 SVRA Driver of the Year: Ross L. Bremer

Ross L. Bremer – Atlantic Beach, FL Ross started racing Go-Karts in the early 1960’s in Clearwater, FL. Over the next few years he raced in the S.C.C.A. in V.W. sedans, BMW 700 sedans, Formula Junior, Beach Formula V and finally in 1965 his Anglia Super 1300 in S.C.C.A. C/sedan. He won numerous races in SCCA regional races and in Continue Reading...
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2001 SVRA Driver of the Year: John Harden

John Harden – Oklahoma City, OK First race 1953 Pebble Beach MG TD, ran at Bonneville with Merle Brennan in 1953 and 1954, raced 1927 Bentley 3 litre and 1923 Sunbeam Talbot 4.5 litre and 1928 Mercedes 38/250 SSK in Argentina during the 1960’s. Raced various cars in Mexico during the 1970’s. Returned to US in 1976 an started racing Continue Reading...
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