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 1965 Vineland 4 hour in an Alfa and Dave was 2nd in FP in the northeast in his MGA.

Dave started racing in pro series in 1972 in TransAm and IMSA in the AutoSport by Jiri BMW.  They won 3 Camel GT races with 4 podium finishes and Dave won the TU IMSA driving championship.  After, he drove for several other teams in IMSA and one year of NASCAR modified stock cars before returning to school to finish his degree.

Dave joined vintage racing with his famous Honey Bee MGA in 2012 and went on to win SVRA group 1 five times in the next years with 39 wins.  In 2021 Dave’s mechanic and friend Kevin Richards and Mike Eaton found his old BMW 2002 championship car from the 70’s.  After a long mechanical restoration, Dave started racing the BMW, winning the 2020 group 8 and BS championship.  In 2022 Dave achieved one of his longest standing goals to win and podium at 80 years of age.  For 2023 the BMW and Dave will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their Camel GT Championship.  When will he stop?  He’s hoping it isn’t anytime soon.