The 2009 Portland Historic Races were held July 10-12 at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon.
The Portland Historics celebrated 40 years of IMSA by featuring Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) cars as the featured marque. As IMSA’s initial series in 1969 was Formula Vee and Formula Ford, the Races also featured Formula Fords.
A solid field of more than 150 historic race cars took part in the race weekend among 10 classes. Local race car champion Parker Johnstone of Wilsonville, Oregon, who drives a 1988 Spice Acura GTP-Light, was Grand Marshal for the Historics.
Photographer Dennis Gray was at Portland International Raceway to document this year’s racing action. To see more of Dennis’ pictures, visit www.grayincolor.com.
2009 Portland Historic Races Results and Picture Gallery (click picture for larger image)
Top-three main-event (Sunday) finishers from the Portland Historic Races. All races were contested on Portland International Raceway’s Raceway’s 12-turn, 1.967-mile road course.
Group 1: Early Production Cars (12 laps)
1. Cameron Healy, 1953 Cooper Porsche “Pooper”, Portland, OR
2. Bill Babcock, 1959 Peyote Mk II, Portland, OR
3. Ron Federspiel, 1964 Crusader Sports Racer, Bend, OR
Class winning Cooper Porsche Pooper driven by Cameron Healy leads the Lotus Eleven, Edward Nigro through turn one
Noel Park in his 1955 Chevrolet Corvette
Talbot-Lago 26C of Peter Giddings
Lotus Eleven of Jacqulyn Mincheff leads the Crusader Sports Racer of Ron Federspiel into Turn 6
Tony Hart, Lotus Eleven LeMans leads John Miller's Morgan Plus 4 and Noel Park's Corvette.
Talbot-Lago 26C of Peter Giddings
Austin Healey 100M driven by Rich Thomas leads the Lotus Eleven of Tony Hart and the TR3 of Michael Paradise.
Group 2: Formula Atlantic Cars (15 laps)
1. Wade Carter, 1976 March, Woodinville, WA
2. David Rugh, 1982 Ralt RT5, Portland, OR
3. Bernard Juchli, 1976 Chevron, Sierra Madre, CA
Tyrrell F-1 (004) driven by John Dimmer leads March 76B of Carter Wade through Turn 1.
Tyrrell F1 (004) driven by John Dimmer into Turn 1.
Group 3: FIA Sports Racing Cars (15 laps)
1. Jamey Mazzotta, 1973 Lola T294, Newport Coast, CA
2. Keith Frieser, 1972 Lola T290, Alberta, CA
3. Tom Kreger, 1988 Lola S2000, Vancouver, CA
Lola T212 of Phillipe Reyns leads Greg Baldwin's Lola T292 and John Goodman's Ferrari/Sparling 312.
Ferrari/Sparling 312 of John Goodman in Turn 5.
Sauber C4 of Brian Groza in Turn 5.
McLaren M6B of David Hankin leads Chevron B16 of Gray Gregory through turn 5 on a damp Sunday morning.
Woody Perkins charging hard in his Porsche 935 K-3.
Group 4: Big Bore Production Cars (8 laps)
1. David Schroeder, 1969 Porsche 911, Portland, OR
2. Stan Bennett, 1970 Porsche 914-6, Portland, OR
3. Jim Halsey, 1965 Shelby GT350, Los Angeles, CA
Shelby Mustang GT350 powers out of Turn 5.
1964 Mercury Marauder of Lenny Frost.
Group 5: European Sports Cars, 1960 – 1969 (12 laps)
1. Arnie Loyning, 1965 Lotus Elan, Portland, OR
2. Peter Gerhart, 1963 Ginetta G4, Portland, OR
3. Don Crawford, 1967 Haggispeed Clubman, Portland, OR
Porsche 904-6 driven Cameron Healy leads Ernie Yakimovich in his Porsche 911T out of turn 5 on a wet Sunday.
Jeff Mincheff lifts a wheel in his Jaguar XKE Lightweight.
Lotus Cortina/Roger Andriesse leads the TVR Vixon S2/Rick Carlile in Turn 5.
Alfa Romeo GTV piloted by Jon Norman.
Group 6: Formula and Sports Racing Cars (13 laps)
1. John Delane, 1965 Brabham BT18, Redondo Beach, CA
2. Dave Sweeney, 1965 Brabham BT14, Portland, OR
3. Darrell LeBlanc, 1969 Winkleman WDB-2, Portland, OR
Class winner John Delane sets up for Turn 1 in his 1965 Brabham BT18
Dave Sweeney, 1965 Brabham BT14
Group 7: Small Bore Production Cars (12 laps)
1. Robert Dustan, 1970 Lotus Europa, Allyn, WA
2. Leonard Turnbeaugh, 1958 Porsche 356A, Markleeville, CA
3. Richard Mayor, 1959 Austin-Healey 3000, Portland, OR
Steve Gilmore's Porsche 356 accelerates down main straight.
356 Porsche driven by Mike Zubko accelerating out of Turn 12 down into Turn 1.
Group 8 and 9: Historic IMSA GTP & GTO (13 laps)
1. Tom Malloy, 1991 Eagle GTP Mk III, Corona, CA
2. Neil Shelton, 1986 Porsche 962, Portland, OR
3. Miles Jackson, 1978 Lola Frisbee GR2, Maple Valley, WA
Class winner Tom Molly accelerates out of Turn 12 in his Eagle GTP Mk 3
Chevrolet Corvette, followed by Miles Jackson in Lola Frisbee and Parker Johnstone's Spice Acura GTP-Light
John Davis in his Lola T818 sweeps through Turn 1
Ernie Spada takes his Porsche 962 into Turn 1
Group 10: Formula Fords, 1967 – 1973 (11 laps)
1. Stuart Dye, 1978 Crossle 32F, Tacoma, WA
2. Tracy Dye, 1979 Van Diemen FF, Puyallup, WA
3. John Ballantyne, 1969 Titan Mk 4, Montana City, MT
Tracy Dye, 1979 Van Diemen FF
John Ballantyne, 1969 Titan Mk 4
[Source: Portland Historics; photo credit, Dennis Gray]
Terrific photos, and what can I say about the cars!
Fantastic Dennis Gray photos of great cars!
Great stuff Dennis, love that tight hairpin, My kind of corner.
Dennis- thanks for pointing me to your great photos!
You were right there in the thick of it, on the edge of the alligator teeth in the apex.
Very cool.
Excellent shots and it must have been a great event.
Best,
Paul.
Hi Paul, Nice reply, was wondering what you are up to these days.
Your Friend,
Dn
Too high a shutter speed in many of the photos. The spokes are frozen in the wheels. Tsk. Tsk. You need more practice. Try 1/60th and pan the subject.
If I had wanted to shoot at 1/60th or 1/125 or 1/250 for each image I would have. At this level a photographer only submits the images he or she is comfortable with. Granted many of my best shots over the years have been at the slower speeds of 1/60 to 1/250 but for many images I am more interested in each rivet or more importantly the drivers expression, hand placement or other detail that is just not possible at the 1/60 to 1/250 range. Dennis
Great photos, a fantastic selection of cars!
Your access to the inside of the hairpin is unusual these days. It reminds me of 1960′s shots. I’m very jealous. Thanks for the presentation.
Excellent Dennis, the shots from inside of turn one are exciting, and another Jaguar lifting its wheel into turn two demonstrates the challenge for drivers through the chicane. I left the races early and really regret missing the group 8/9 race now that I’ve seen these fantastic machines frozen in action. I look forward to seeing more of your outstanding race photography.