Premier Vintage Racing Group To Enhance 2016 Historic Automobile Celebration
Fernandina Beach, FL – The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) today announced it will join one of the top automotive events in the world, The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, on the Florida Island’s March calendar. The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, taking place March 11-13 will be quickly followed by the SVRA race meet March 17-20 for a full seven days of displaying or racing invaluable and amazing machines.
The SVRA racing meet will use Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport to create a 2.4-mile road course. One of the runways will remain open to accommodate vintage aircraft as part of the show. The addition of motorcycle racing to the program will be the SVRA’s foray into the realm of vintage bike competition.
“I have raced with SVRA since its inception in the late seventies,” said Bill Warner, founder and chairman of The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance and Foundation. “Tony Parella (CEO of SVRA) runs a superb organization and brings to Amelia Island a world class racing event. It will be a perfect addition to March on Amelia Island.”
“It is an absolute honor to launch our Amelia Island Vintage Grand Prix at historic Fernandina Beach on the Fernandina Airport within a week of the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance,” said Parella. “I am also in awe of the accomplishments of the Concours Foundation and the tremendous charitable work it has done. I know the SVRA can produce a worthy complement to The Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance. More importantly this is going to be a big treat for people who love cars, planes, bikes and their history.”
The enhanced automotive celebration will mark a return to racing on the Fernandina Airport course. Sports cars raced there briefly in the 1960’s and in homage to that fact Parella plans to focus the invitation-only SVRA race events on groups of race cars from pre-war and the decades ranging from the 1950’s to about 1980. These eras pre-date the heavy influence of aero technology and ground effects.
The SVRA has secured the Fernandina City Council and Airport’s approvals to put on the racing event. Full Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval is expected in the coming months.
About the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – Now in its third decade, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is among the top automotive events in the world. Always held the second full weekend in March, “Amelia” draws over 250 rare vehicles from collections around the world to The Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island for a celebration of the automobile like no other. The 21st annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for March 11-13, 2016. For more information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org or call 904-636-0027.