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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Report and Photos

J.R. Mitchell - 1960 Lotus 18 FJR. DennisGray
J.R. Mitchell - 1960 Lotus 18 FJR.

The 12th annual Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) Charity Challenge was held October 2-4, 2015 at the 12-turn, 2.52-mile Sonoma Raceway Sears Point in Sonoma, California. The event featured a strong field of historic race cars, with pre-war, sports racing, production and GT entrants running in eight race groups. This year’s vintage car race featured Masters USA Historic Formula One machines, Formula Junior Historics and the 50th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo GTA.

Eddie Lawson used all the skills that made him a four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion to lead the first Masters USA Historic Formula One race from start to finish in his Wolf WR4. He also posted the fastest lap time at the sun-drenched Sonoma circuit.The battle for second was led by James Hagan in his Benetton-liveried Tyrrell 011 but a mistake on the 7th lap dropped him down to 6th and he never recovered the lost places. Mike Thurlow took the advantage and never really looked vulnerable as he stayed ahead of a battle for the next few places. Randall Smith, a Masters newcomer in his Arrows A1, managed to stay ahead of a determined Steve Cook in the March 741 as they crossed the line with less than a car length between them. An early error by Keith Frieser cost him a couple of places and he worked hard to finish a creditable 5th. Chris Locke was the first of the JPS Lotus’ home as he kept his Lotus 77 ahead of Martin Lauber in Wolf WR6 and Andrew Beaumont Lotus 76 had to be content with 9th place.

The second Historic F1 race at the CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 proved to be another Eddie Lawson masterclass as yet again he led from start to finish. Starting second on the grid, Mike Thurlow made an error on an early lap that left the chasing pack scrambling for second place and a spin from Randall Smith in his Arrow left a gap open that James Hagan grabbed along with the second spot that he held onto until the checkered flag. Keith Frieser and Steve Cook resumed their battle from race one with Frieser snatching a march on his rival on lap three and despite Cook’s best effort they finished the race in 3rd and 4th respectively.

Chris Locke retired on lap three with mechanical trouble as did Smith on lap 10. Sean Allen disappointed with his efforts in race one showed what his McLaren M30 was capable of finishing fifth having passed both Martin Lauber sixth and Andrew Beaumont seventh. Brian Blain’s BRM P207 showed consistency finishing the race in eighth, Ron Maydon finished ninth and Charles Warner took home tenth.

The 2015 CSRG Charity Challenge also included a feature race honoring the 50th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo GTA. Included in the field was the 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA Corsa 1600 of Bill and Patrick Byrne. With 127 documented races and 41 wins in period, this Medley Bourbon USA, Stars and Stripes liveried GTA won the 1974 German Touring Car Championship with Dieter Meyer at the wheel.

Proceeds from this race weekend benefited the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC), the charitable arm of the raceway. CSRG has contributed over $700,000 to Sonoma County youth organizations through Speedway Children’s Charities since 2004.

Similar to the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 races, Sports Car Digest also documented the CSRG Charity Challenge 2015, with Senior Photographer Dennis Gray producing the following set of images from the wine country track. We split up the pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Dennis, visit HistoricMotorPrints.com/.

CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery

 

John Goodman - 1964 Shelby Cobra
John Goodman – 1964 Shelby Cobra
Jim Gallucci - 1967 Mercury Cougar.
Jim Gallucci – 1967 Mercury Cougar.
Cove Britton - 1964 Jaguar E-type.
Cove Britton – 1964 Jaguar E-type.
Locke de Bretteville - 1969 Palliser-Winkelmann WDB2.
Locke de Bretteville – 1969 Palliser-Winkelmann WDB2.
Andrew Beaumont - Lotus 76 and Sean Allen - 1980 McLaren M30
Andrew Beaumont – Lotus 76 and Sean Allen – 1980 McLaren M30
Jeffrey ONeill - 1960 Maserati TIPO Birdcage.
Jeffrey ONeill – 1960 Maserati TIPO Birdcage.
Eddie Lawson - 1977 Wolf WR4.
Eddie Lawson was tops all weekend in his 1977 Wolf WR4.
Shelly Zide - Alfa Romeo GTV Trans-Am
Shelly Zide – Alfa Romeo GTV Trans-Am

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

 

Bruce Miller - 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.
Bruce Miller – 1963 Chevrolet Corvette.
Jeffrey ONeill - 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage.
Jeffrey ONeill – 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage.
Eddie Lawson - 1977 Wolf WR4.
Eddie Lawson – 1977 Wolf WR4.
James Hagan - Tyrrell 011
James Hagan – Tyrrell 011
Martin Lauber - 1978 Wolf WR6.
Martin Lauber – 1978 Wolf WR6.
Keith Frieser - Shadow DN1.
Keith Frieser – Shadow DN1.
Andrew Beaumont - Lotus 76.
Andrew Beaumont – Lotus 76.
Randall Smith - Arrows F1-A1.
Randall Smith – Arrows F1-A1.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

 

Andre Resende - 1978 Chevron B-36.
Andre Resende – 1978 Chevron B-36.
Dalmo de Vasconcelos - 1976 Ralt RT1
Dalmo de Vasconcelos – 1976 Ralt RT1
Dan Marvin - Lotus 69 F-Atlantic.
Dan Marvin – Lotus 69 F-Atlantic.
Jim Stengel - 1973 McLaren M8F.
Jim Stengel – 1973 McLaren M8F.
Dan Chapman - 1968 Brabham BT-21B.
Dan Chapman – 1968 Brabham BT-21B.
Ross Lindell - 1969 Ford Merlyn Mk11A.
Ross Lindell – 1969 Ford Merlyn Mk11A.
Robert Fisher - 1979 March 79B FA.
Robert Fisher – 1979 March 79B FA.
Graham Adelman - 1968 Brabham BT23C.
Graham Adelman – 1968 Brabham BT23C.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

 

Joseph DeLucia - Lotus 18
Joseph DeLucia – Lotus 18
Harindra de Silva - 1959 Lola Mk2 F Jr.
Harindra de Silva – 1959 Lola Mk2 F Jr.
Robert S. Davis - 1963 Lotus 23.
Robert S. Davis – 1963 Lotus 23.
Dick Loofburrow - 1972 Porsche 911.
Dick Loofburrow – 1972 Porsche 911.
Jeffrey Newman - 1965 Ginetta G4.
Jeffrey Newman – 1965 Ginetta G4.
Steve Eftimiou - 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Steve Eftimiou – 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Cove Britton - 1964 Jaguar E-Type FHC
Cove Britton – 1964 Jaguar E-Type FHC
Charles McKee - 1966 Ford Shelby GT 350.
Charles McKee – 1966 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

 

John Breidenbach - 1960 Lotus 18 Formula Jr.
John Breidenbach – 1960 Lotus 18 Formula Jr.
Art Hebert - Lola Mk.5A.
Art Hebert – Lola Mk.5A.
Joseph DeLucia - Lotus 18.
Joseph DeLucia – Lotus 18.
J.R. Mitchell - 1960 Lotus 18 FJR.
J.R. Mitchell – 1960 Lotus 18 FJR.
David Martin - 1962 Genie Genie Mk V.
David Martin – 1962 Genie Genie Mk V.
Robert Goeldner - 1962 Brabham BT-2.
Robert Goeldner – 1962 Brabham BT-2.
Nick Grewal - Lola Mk 2.
Nick Grewal – Lola Mk 2.
Jim Yule - 1961 Cooper T-56.
Jim Yule – 1961 Cooper T-56.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

 

Randall Smith - Arrows F1-A1.
Randall Smith – Arrows F1-A1.
Ron Maydon - Arrows FA1.
Ron Maydon – Arrows FA1.
Steve Cook - 1974 March 741.
Steve Cook – 1974 March 741.
Brian Blain - BRM P207.
Brian Blain – BRM P207.
Mike Thurlow - 1979 Tyrrell 009.
Mike Thurlow – 1979 Tyrrell 009.
Eric Haga - McLaren Mk. 1A.
Eric Haga – McLaren Mk. 1A.
Dick Scariano - 1970 Winkelmann FSV.
Dick Scariano – 1970 Winkelmann FSV.
David Cooper - 1974 March 742.
David Cooper – 1974 March 742.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

 

Brandon Adrian - 1967 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Brandon Adrian – 1967 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Chris Kattchee - 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI.
Chris Kattchee – 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TI.
Jon Norman - 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV.
Jon Norman – 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV.
Dan Wardman - 1972 Mazda RX2.
Dan Wardman – 1972 Mazda RX2.
Steven Belfer - 1962 Triumph TR3B.
Steven Belfer – 1962 Triumph TR3B.
Scott Gray - 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Scott Gray – 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Paul Adams - 1962 Elva Mk 6.
Paul Adams – 1962 Elva Mk 6.
George Jewett - 1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce.
George Jewett – 1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

 

Dennis Adair - 1955 Elva Mark 1.
Dennis Adair – 1955 Elva Mark 1.
Bob Tobin - 1967 Fiat 850 spider.
Bob Tobin – 1967 Fiat 850 spider.
Edward Lauber - 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super.
Edward Lauber – 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super.
Glenn Oliveria - 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint.
Glenn Oliveria – 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint.
Jeffrey Rothman - 1968 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Jeffrey Rothman – 1968 Alfa Romeo GTA.
Edward Hugo - 1958 Chevrolet Corvette.
Edward Hugo – 1958 Chevrolet Corvette.
Kevin Adair - 1959 Austin-Healey BN 7 3000.
Kevin Adair – 1959 Austin-Healey BN 7 3000.
Chris Torp - 1963 Porsche 356 B.
Chris Torp – 1963 Porsche 356 B.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

 

Edward Lamantia - 1962 MG MGA MKII.
Edward Lamantia – 1962 MG A MKII.
Steven Byrnes - 1965 Ginetta G4.
Steven Byrnes – 1965 Ginetta G4.
Holger Mishal - 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S.
Holger Mishal – 1965 Austin Mini Cooper S.
Karl Krause - 1965 Turner MkIII Speciale.
Karl Krause – 1965 Turner MkIII Special.
Lee Fleming - 1967 MG Midget.
Lee Fleming – 1967 MG Midget.
Christopher Torp - 1967 Porsche 912.
Christopher Torp – 1967 Porsche 912.
Ulrich Lanius - 1969 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA.
Ulrich Lanius – 1969 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA.
Bill Byrne - 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA Corsa.
Bill Byrne – 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA Corsa.

 

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CSRG Charity Challenge 2015 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

 

[nggallery id=857 images=15]

 

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[Source: CSRG; Masters F1; photos: Dennis Gray]