EVENT // SOVREN WRAP-UP DINNER @ PARK PLACE LTD.

Last weekend the Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts (SOVREN) held its end of year dinner at Park Place Ltd. in Bellevue, Washington. An event intended to celebrate yet another successful year of vintage racing, and to award those who have dedicated both their time and money to SOVREN, as well as Seattle's Children's Hospital, the Wrap-Up Dinner was a great opportunity to meet and greet members of the Northwest motorsport community and to check out a few of cool cars on display at Park Place Ltd... [read more]






As you can see, Park Place is a veritable Smörgåsbord of exotic and domestic automobiles.



This 1964 Shelby Cobra belongs to David Bingham, owner of Park Place Ltd. It is not only a well maintained example of an early Cobra, but has been outfitted with an original Paxton Supercharger and has seen plenty of track time.

Dinner was a sort of pot-luck style event, with each Guild member bringing a different dish. After gathering our grub, we all sat down to eat and share stories.

Following the meal we all had the pleasure of hearing renowned philanthropist, Phil Smart, speak about his experience as a volunteer at Seattle's Children's Hospital.

The evening concluded with the awarding of SOVREN's 'Guild Member of the Year' and 'Volunteer of the Year' awards.

SOVREN has done so much to promote not only vintage racing here in the Northwest, but Seattle's Children's Hospital and the incredible work they do. We would like to thank them for having us over for dinner and urge all of you in the NW to join the SOVREN Guild of Seattle's Children's Hospital!

Photo/Editorial: Justin W. Coffey

SOVREN "Spring Sprints" // May 17-18

SOVREN heads to Pacific Raceway for the second time this season, and we are hoping the weather will be more accommodating than the last time. Racing on Saturday begins at 1:30pm after a morning heavy with qualifying, while Sunday sees racing begin a bit earlier, with the first race group heading out at 11am. Different than the “Defrost” weekend, the “Spring Sprints” will see 2.0liter and under Trans-Am cars go at it, as well as the normal SOVREN lineup of small and large bore historics and vintage Formula cars. Another great event from the SOVREN group, with hearty racing and amazing cars a guarantee. Check out www.sovren.org for more information.

2009 SOVREN PACIFIC NW HISTORICS // PADDOCK & PRE-RACE

The SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics are to the Northwest, what the Monterey Historics and Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance are to the California automotive scene. A collection of automobiles and personalities that might otherwise go unnoticed, this years SOVREN event, while slim in turnout, was a great opportunity for Northwest motorsport enthusiast to see some of the most fabulous race cars ever produced (see above). That said, follow the link for a look at some of the lust-worthy metal that made an appearance this year... [read more]

The Seattle based Liberty Motors, Ace Cycle-Car. Somewhat similar to the Morgan three wheeler, this V-Twin powered ride was a hit at SOVREN.

The first and only time I have seen a Cord in person. Manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company from 1929-1932 and again in 1936 and 1937, this was a rare opportunity to see a very rare car.

While there were a few woody's on hand, this Chrysler certainly caught our eye.

There were a great deal of vintage Trans-Am car in attendance, relatively speaking, and it was great to see this 1970 Boss 302 Mustang out on track all weekend.

A few vintage Harley-Davidson's were in attendance, but 'The Flying Merkel' was a particular favorite of ours.

For more photos from this years SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, click here

Photo: Terry Frye
Editorial: Justin Coffey

2009 SOVREN PACIFIC NW HISTORICS // FRIDAY FESTIVITIES

The 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics have come and gone, and after a long weekend at the race track we thought we'd take a look back at some of the interesting automobiles and fantastic racing that took place this July 4th weekend... [read more]

Here is a look at the ColdTrackDays booth along SOVREN's vendor row. This year we partnered with Munich Evolution, Group 2 Motosports and Garth Stein, author of the hugely succesful novel The Art of Racing in the Rain. In hopes of promoting not only ColdTrackDays but those that have supported our efforts to bring unique motorsport coverage to the interwebs, our booth drew quite the crowd thanks in part to the 1979 BMW M1 on display.

Signed copies of Stein's novel were on sale, as well as a few pieces of GoEnzo.com swag.

I cannot thank the guys at Desteenation enough. They were able to supply us with ColdTrackDays t-shirts with only two days notice. A great way to show your support for CTD, click here for additional information on how to get your very own ColdTrackDays t-shirt!

An Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was in the car corral all weekend. Only the second 8C I have ever seen, their aesthetic appeal continues to amaze me.

An early 1920's board track racer was on display as well. And while I do not know the entire history of the car, what I do recall is that it had been 'slightly modified' from the time it was constructed, through 1937 when it was retired from racing. Changes included an additional 10" added to the length of the body as well as the addition of a head rest. All in all, this is probably the most interesting car on display this weekend. It was a rare opportunity to see a relic of motorsport, one that would not be possible without the good people at SOVREN and their continued effort to bring vintage racing to the PNW.

The Trans-Am cars draw quite the crowd. American muscle at its finest, and with a field of more than 20 cars, the Group 5 races were the highlight of my weekend. And although this particular car, a 1967 Shelby Mustang owned by Mark Roberts, was not the fastest car on track, its aesthetic appeal was outstanding. Missing headlamps, exposed cooling lines, hood pins and cables... perfect.

For a look at more photos from the 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, click here

Photo/Editorial: Justin Coffey

Live From SOVREN // Happy Fourth!

Reporting live from Pacific Raceways, ColdTrackDays is in the heart of it. With our vendor booth (across from Edelbrock) and our photographer posted in the backfield, we are getting every angle of this weekends Children’s Hospital SOVREN races. Today saw test and tune and time trials, with nearly every car running laps all day. The ColdTrackDays booth was hoppin, as spectators were able to meet the editor and pick up some ColdTrackDays swag. T-Shirts are on sale at the booth, as well as free stickers being handed out. Local author Garth Stein provided signed copies of his book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” for sale at the booth as well, making ColdTrackDays a big hit with Friday spectators. If you haven't been to a SOVREN event, now is a good time to start! The marquee this year is Porsche, with the #20 car, famous for its appearance in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans, out on the track all weekend. Al Unser Sr. is also at the track, and as the SOVREN guest celebrity, he is signing autographs and meeting fans all weekend as well. So come on out, swing by the booth, meet the Indy legend himself and have a great weekend watching the races! Be sure and check out the photo gallery, as ColdTrackDays photographer Terry Frye has been hard at work taking and uploading photos from toady's happenings // 07.04.2008

LOOKING BACK // FRYE CAPTURES THE FORMULA CARS OF SOVREN

With the 2009 Pacific Northwest Historics only a few months out, I thought we’d look at a few of the SOVREN classes that race each year at Pacific Raceways.

To start things off, I’d like to showcase a few of the Formula cars that make an appearance each year. From Formula V to Formula One, SOVREN’s open wheel classes are known to draw quite the crowd. Last year, the Ford powered Tyrell of Jackie Stewart made an appearance , and while it was off the pace of Mohand’s F5000 (a car driven by a man who knows no fear), it was quite the treat to see (and hear) an early seventies F1 car lapping our local track.

So indulge in the vintage formula cars featured above and stay tuned for coverage from this years SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics. Photos come courtesy of Terry Frye // [comment]

2009 SOVREN HISTORICS // M1 PRO CAR, CTD T-SHIRTS & MORE

This weekend is the 2009 SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics. An annual gathering of Northwest vintage racing enthusiasts, SOVREN is the largest event of the year and the only one of its kind in this area.

Like last year, ColdTrackDays will have a booth along SOVREN's vendor row. ColdTrackDays shirt's will be on sale, as well as signed copies of Garth Stein's novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Additionally, the gentlemen at Munich Evolution have brought out their recently acquired 1979 BMW M1 Pro Car, formerly owned by the Prime Minister of Qatar. So if you are Northwest native, be sure and stop by the ColdTrackDays booth, say hi to a few of our staff members, pick up a copy of Garth's book and a ColdTrackDays T-Shirt! // [comment]

LOOKING BACK // FRYE CAPTURES THE TRANS-AM CARS OF SOVREN

Yesterday we featured a few shots of the different Formula cars that make an appearance each year at SOVREN. From Jackie Stewart's former Tyrell F1 car to the modest Formula V, SOVREN's Formula classes are known to draw a crowd. But nothing brings out the spectators like the sound, smell and speed of the vintage Trans-Am class.

With a large field of cars, SOVREN's big bore Trans-Am class is a mix of fond memories, American muscle and door to door racing. In its day, the Trans-Am Series was the 'must see' class, drawing huge crowds, as guys like Mark Donohue, Roger Penske, Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney battled it out on race circuits across the country.

Giving way to tube-frame cars in the early eighties, the SCCA's Trans-Am Series is no longer a production based class, and therefore does not have the same appeal to race fans. What was once a class full of privateers, is now dominated by big budget, factory backed race teams.

So when the Shelby Mustangs, Z28 Camaro's and Dodge Challengers come screaming down the front straight of Pacific Raceways, engines spewing horsepower, drivers desperately fighting to stay in control, we are all reminded why there is no replacement for displacement ;) // [comment]

2009 SOVREN PACIFIC NW HISTORICS // SATURDAY & SUNDAY

The SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics are an event like no other here in the Great Northwest. An opportunity to see some of motorsports most important creations doing what they were intended to do, all day, for three full days. Lining up two wide, racing through the green flag along the front straight, braking hard into turn two, diving down the long hill into 3A, powering out of 3B and up the backside, all the while running nose to tail with other pieces of motorsport history. An event that I have been fortunate enough to witness year after year, the 2009 SOVREN races were like many before it, epic.

Having made his way to the back side of Pacific Raceways, ColdTrackDays contributor Camden Thrasher was able to capture some of the vintage iron at speed... [read more]

Here, the 1965 GT350 Mustang of Terry Hollinger brakes hard as he prepares to enter the 3A/3B chicane.

Art Conner (1961 Porsche S90 #91) and Leonard Turnbeaugh (1958 Porsche 356D #149) race out of turn 9 and back onto the front striaight.

The 1978 Porsche 935 K3 of Woody Perkins was a corwd favorite, screaming down the front straightaway and into turn 2.

Group 7 consisted of a number of IMSA, IMSA GTP and Can-Am cars, to include the 1977 Greenwood Corvette of Tom Armstrong, the 1986 Camaro of Ron Tirbble, the 1974 Porsche 911 of Pat Costin and the 1979 Tiga SC79 of Rick Korn.

Always a pleasure to see, the 1971 Tyrrell 004 of Jackie Stewart also ran in Group 7. A thunderous noise arose from the mid-mounted, naturally aspirated Ford-Cosworth DFV 2993cc V8. The predecessor to Stewart's 003 car which won not only the 1971 Formula One World Championship, but the 1971 Constructors Championship as well, the Tyrrell 004 is now owned by John Dimmer and is obviously being put to good use.

An era in motor racing that can never be duplicated, the early Trans-Am series represented the pinnacle of American muscle, with cars like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, AMC Javelin and Dodge Challenger battling it out on race tracks across the US, to include I might add, the Northwest's very own Pacific Raceways.

For a look at more photos from this years SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics, click here

Photo: Camden Thrasher
Editorial: Justin Coffey

ColdTrackDays Exclusive // Al Unser Sr.

You are not likely to find another blog with an opportunity such as this. The great people at SOVREN (www.sovren.org) have managed to wrangle Al Unser Sr. himself as their celebrity guest for this years Children's Hospital - Northwest Historic. They have given us here at ColdTrackDays an opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to sit down and speak with the Indy legend himself on July 2nd, just two days before the SOVREN event. Born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque New Mexico, Al Unser Sr. is one of only three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times. He is also the only man to have both a sibling (Bobby Unser) and a son (Al Unser Jr.) to win the Indy 500 as well. Beginning his racing career at the age of 18, Unser began in modified midgets and sprint cars, but by 1965 he was racing in his first Indy 500 (in A.J. Foyt’s backup car), where he finished ninth overall. Winning his first Indy 500 in 1970, just two years after his brother Bobby, Unser Sr. lead for all but 10 of the 200 laps, averaging a speed of 155mph. Winning again in ‘71, Unser looked to be well on his way to a three time sweep of the famous 500 miles. But it would not be until 1978 that Unser was to see the checkered again at Indy. Starting in the fifth position, he was the underdog. But after battling his way through the pack, Unser took the lead on lap 75 and went on to win. His fourth victory did not come until 1987, when he bested a field of skilled young talent, in a year old car that had been relegated to showroom duty at the Penske Racing display, in the Sheraton hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. Unser’s racing career is a storied one, filled with family tradition and inspiring moments. So with our coming opportunity to speak with the Sr. legend himself, we would love to hear from you, the reader. Email us at sales@coldtrackdays.com with a few suggested questions for our interview with Al Unser Sr. For more info on the Unser family, visit www.unserracingmuseum.com // 06.05.2008

Children's Hospital SOVREN Historic's //

This fourth of July weekend marks the 20th annual SOVREN Historic Races at Pacific Raceways in Kent, WA. The marque for this year is Porsche, and in celebration of 60 years of rear engined air cooled fun, we are sure to see a large field of Porsche's both racing and showing themselves. The proceeds from the event go to support Children's Hospital and there is always a huge turnout of both fans and cars, vendors and activities. Friday will see qualifying, with races running both Saturday and Sunday. Three day and one day passes are available and everyone will have access to the paddock, getting a closer look at the cars is half the fun! ColdTrackDays will have a booth at the event, with T-Shirt's for sale and free ColdTrackDays stickers to give away. We have also teamed up with Garth Stein, author of "The Art of Racing in the Rain" to help promote both his novel and ColdTrackDays. Copies of his book will be on sale at the booth as well, so be sure at stop in and say hello while wandering the vendor booths and paddock. The SOVREN event is the largest event of the year in the Northwest, offering a little something for everyone. So come on down, support a good cause, see some great races, and be sure to stop by and say hello // 06.30.2008

A QUICK LOOK // SOVREN'S 2009 COLUMBIA RIVER CLASSIC

Having spent last weekend trackside at PIR for the 2009 SOVREN Columbia River Classic, Camden Thrasher returned to his Portland home, well, a bit wet. The rain came early and seemed determined to stick around all weekend, leaving Camden with a rather wet canvas to work with. That said, he was still able to capture this great image of two Porsche 356(?) race cars as they battled it out in the Group 2 race. And while Camden seemed less than enthused about the results of his photo shoot, I would have to disagree, and urge everyone to visit his photostream for a look at more from last weekends SOVREN race // [comment]