Historic Grand Prix race cars returned to Infineon Raceway at Sears Point as part of the Indy Racing League’s Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend for the fifth consecutive year, August 21-23, 2009.
More than 20 vintage Formula One race cars (1966-1983) graced the twists and turns of Infineon Raceway at Sears Point for a full weekend of racing on the 12-turn 2.25 mile road course. Two of the featured cars were the 1975 Penske PC-3 and the 1976 Penske PC-4, both currently owned by Doug Mockett.
This marked the Penske PC-4’s debut following restoration – John Watson drove the PC-4 to Penske’s only Formula One win at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. Two of the four Penske-built Formula One cars raced as part of the Historic Grand Prix, making it a very special weekend for Roger Penske.
Other notable cars included a 1979 Ferrari 312T4 and a 1980 Ferrari 312T5, both originally driven by Gilles Villeneuve, 1980 McLaren M-30 and 1980 Williams FW07B. In addition to the on-track action, fans could also visit the Historic Grand Prix display in the main paddock.
Sports Car Digest had photographer Dennis Gray at Sears Point to document the Historic Grand Prix racing action. Gray reported that veteran IRL team members kept walking and lingering around the Historic pits instead of tending to their official duties as members of IRL teams participating in the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. They apparently enjoyed pointing out to each other the cars they had worked on or raced against in years past. Further, during the short Historic Grand Prix race on Sunday, the pit wall was lined with IRL mechanics reminiscing about year’s past.
To see more of Dennis’ work, visit www.dennisgrayphotographer.com.
2009 Historic Grand Prix at Sonoma Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture)
Doug Mockett - 1975 Penske PC-4
Steve Cook - 1974 March 741
Robert Baker in turn two with his 1979 Ferrari 312T-4
Chris Bender - 1982 March 821
John Anderson - 1977 Wolf WR-4
Mockett's Penske PC-3 leads Chris Locke's 1976 Lotus 77/3
Jules Moritz 1977 Shadow DN8-2A leads Steve Cook's 1974 March 741
James King's 1976 March 761-08 leads Mockett's Penske PC-3 into turn 11
1980 McLaren M-30 of Sean Allen
Ryan Brisco in Team Penske IRL car leads #10 Dario Franchitti's team Target Chip Ganassi IRL car into turn two during Sunday morning's Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma warm-up
Sean Allen's 1980 McLaren M-30 leads Dan Marvin's 1974 Brabham BT44
Sean Allen - 1980 McLaren M-30
1976 Lotus 77/3 of Chris Locke in turn 11
Hamish Somerville in his Williams FW07B in turn 11
Robert Baker - 1979 Ferrari 312T-4
Robert Baker's 1979 Ferrari 312-T4 Chassis Plate
Hamish Somerville in his Williams FW07B
Doug Mockett - 1975 Penske PC-4
1977 Shadow DN8-2A of Jules Moritz
Bud Moeller's 1980 Ferrari 312T-5 Chassis Plate
Ford DFV in Dan Marvin's 1974 Brabham BT44
Bill Flickling in his very quick 1975 March 75B-12
Jonathan Burke's 1973 Brabham BT40 Formula B plays among the bigger F-1 cars
Robert Baker's 1979 Ferrari 312T-4 leads Chris Locke's 1976 Lotus 77/3
Chris Locke - 1976 Lotus 77/3
Steve Cook's 1974 March 741 leads Hamish Somerville's Williams FW07B
Doug Mockett - 1975 Penske PC-4
[Source: Infineon Raceway; photo credit, Dennis Gray]
Lovely shots of the old guys. Thank you.
Curious as to whether they were as quick around Sears Point as the IRL cars? Any idea of lap times?
Why don’t the owners of these classic open top cars garnish the same helmet designs as the legendary drivers had? That way when fans see the car and driver, the helmet and car go together. I noticed the owner of the williams had probably a similar helmet design to that of the original driver. I guess that is why these guys bought these cars in the first place. It would be weird to see Chris Locke or Duncan Dayton with a Mario Andretti helmet design.
Thanks.
Trent.
Bud Moeller’s helmet is similar to the helmet GV wore in period. If the rest of the drivers wore period correct or near period correct designs the look would be improved. More color, more entertainment. Dennis
Sure wish that I could be there to see some old “friends”
4 wheel types, that is. Saw some of them in years past at Laguna Seca. I attended the last concours d’ elegance at Amelia Island, in Florida, and seen a few friends there also.
Great photos, Dennis really captured images that made me think of the sense of road and vibration these guys experience in cockpits as tight as a surgeons gloves.