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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Report and Photos

Nathanael Greene, 25 Bugatti T 35 Picasa
Nathanael Greene, 25 Bugatti T 35

The famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana hosted the third annual Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational on June 16-19, 2016. Over 300 entries showed up for the vintage car races sanctioned by Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA).

The Brickyard Invitational is one of the most unique events in the vintage racing world. Races are run in the 2.43-mile, 14-turn road course, yet there are also sessions run on the classic 2.5-mile oval where the 100th running of the Indy 500 took place only three weeks ago.This requires configuring the track from a clockwise to a counter clockwise rotation, which takes about 30 minutes. Though the oval runs are not competitive, it’s a real thrill for the drivers (and spectators) to experience.

Another event unique to the Brickyard Invitational is the Indy Legends Charity Vintage Pro-Am race, where Indy 500 veterans are teamed with SVRA competitors in sixties vintage American cars, mostly Trans-Am Camaros and Mustangs, with some Corvettes and Cobras thrown into the mix. Among the Indy veterans were Roberto Guerrero, Al Unser Jr., Paul Tracy, Max Papis, Willie T. Ribbs, Josele Garza, Geoff Brabham, Dick Simon and Bob Lazier. Bill Elliott, winner of the 2002 NASCAR Brickyard 400 also participated. This year Robby Unser and Andre Ahrle won the Pro-Am driving Ahrle’s 1965 Cobra CompR.

The SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 also had a car auction, put on by Motostalgia, and the Saturday event party provided the rock band Three Dog Night for entertainment. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum is in the track’s infield, and is a must-see for anybody interested in auto racing.

SVRA divides the cars entered into 11 groups ranging from pre-war racers to modern-era GT, prototype and open wheel racers. This year, there was a 103 year range from the oldest to the newest car, and there were cars from every decade from the 1910s to the 2010s. There were two 1911 Nationals, including one that participated in the first Indy 500. Jacek Mucha in a 2007 Panoz DP01 Champ car had the fastest lap of the weekend at 1:22.6 seconds, while some of the older pre-war entries were hard pressed to lap the road course in under three minutes. All this provides spectators with a wonderful sense of how race cars have evolved.

There were two enduros at the SVRA Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational 2016. The Historic GT-GTP was won by Travis Engen in his 2005 Audi R8 LMP and the Vintage-Classic race was won by Scott Kissinger in a 1971 Datsun 240Z.

This year’s Grand Marshal was Donald Davidson, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian. Readers old enough to remember listening to the Indy 500 on the radio know how much the English-born Davidson contributed to developing the mystique that the race enjoys. It was an inspired choice for Grand Marshal. Davidson, ever the historian, fully appreciated the honor bestowed on him, and his emotions overwhelmed him when he gave the command to start engines.

Racing events are usually a partnership between a sanctioning body and a race track. The Brickyard Invitational blends two very diverse cultures of the racing world into one event, the sports car crowd and the Indy oval crowd. What comes through in this event is the mutual respect and admiration Indianapolis Motor Speedway and SVRA seem to have for each other, which helps make for a memorable weekend.

Similar to 2014 and 2015, Sports Car Digest also documented the SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016, with David Ferguson offering the following great selection of images from the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We split up David’s pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs.

SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery

 

Dan Crowdey, 66 Lola T70 MKll
Dan Crowdey, 1966 Lola T70 Mk II
Alex MacAllister, 66 Ford GT40
Alex MacAllister, 1966 Ford GT40
Going from Gasoline Alley to the track.
Going from Gasoline Alley to the track.
Viceroy 1975 Lola T332
Viceroy 1975 Lola T332
Greg Staab, 72 All American Eagle
Greg Staab, 1972 All American Eagle
David Felgenhauer, 86 March 86C
David Felgenhauer, 1986 March 86C
66 Gerhardt
1966 Gerhardt
Phillipe De Lespinay, 72 AAR Eagle Offy
Phillipe De Lespinay, 1972 AAR Eagle Offy

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

 

Just heading on to the track has a higher sense of drama at Indy.
Just heading onto the track has a higher sense of drama at Indy.
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway
Richard Mitchell, 29 Stutz Bearcat
Richard Mitchell, 1929 Stutz Bearcat
Paddins Dowling in his very quick 1934 ERA R2A.
Paddins Dowling in his very quick 1934 ERA R2A.
Charles McCabe in his quick 36 ERA R6B
Charles McCabe in his quick 1936 ERA R6B
Lester Neidell, 33 Plymouth Indy Car
Lester Neidell, 1933 Plymouth Indy Car
Peter Mullin, 37 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Peter Mullin, 1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Riding Mechanic doing the job of a rear view mirror.
Riding Mechanic doing the job of a rear view mirror.

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

 

Dennis Firestone, 82 AAR Eagle
Dennis Firestone, 1982 AAR Eagle
Robert Dicks, 63 Watson Roadster
Robert Dicks, 1963 Watson Roadster
Lester Neidell, 33 Plymouth Indy Car
Lester Neidell, 1933 Plymouth Indy Car
If one riding mechanic is good, aren’t two better?
If one riding mechanic is good, aren’t two better?
Carl Schulz, 27 Miller Special
Carl Schulz, 1927 Miller Special
Indy Roadsters on the banking
Indy Roadsters on the banking
Bruce Linsmeyer, 68 Lotus 56 Turbine Indy Car
Bruce Linsmeyer, 1968 Lotus 56 Turbine Indy Car
Gasoline overflow..
Gasoline overflow

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

 

Mark Rife, 69 Corvette
Mark Rife, 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Larry Ligas, 61 Jaguar XKE
Larry Ligas, 1961 Jaguar E-Type
Curt Kallberg, 67 Corvette
Curt Kallberg, 1967 Chevrolet Corvette
240Z’s waiting for action.
Datsun 240Zs waiting for action.
Chris MacAllister getting fitted to his 1955 Jaguar D-Type.
Chris MacAllister getting fitted to his 1955 Jaguar D-Type.
James Cullen, 70 Lola T70 Mk lllB
James Cullen, 1970 Lola T70 Mk IIIB
Dan Cowdrey, 66 Lola T70 MKll
Dan Cowdrey, 1966 Lola T70 MKII
Michael Kaleel, 64 Lotus 23B
Michael Kaleel, 1964 Lotus 23B

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

 

Chip Halverson, 76 Chevron B36
Chip Halverson, 1976 Chevron B36
Turner Woodard, 75 Chevron B31
Turner Woodard, 1975 Chevron B31
Bugatti!
Bugatti!
Danny Marshall, 01 Porsche GT3RS and Ricky Sanders, 04 Corvette lead Matt Parent’s 88 Olds Cutlass Winston Cup car.
Danny Marshall, 2001 Porsche GT3RS and Ricky Sanders, 2004 Corvette lead Matt Parent’s 1988 Olds Cutlass Winston Cup car.
James Cullen, 07 Porsche GT3 Cup
James Cullen, 2007 Porsche GT3 Cup
Audi DTM’s rear fender looks like a riverboat’s paddle.
Audi DTM’s rear fender looks like a riverboat’s paddle.
Brian Thomas, 69 Lotus 51
Brian Thomas, 1969 Lotus 51
Geoff Brabham, 71 Brabham BT35
Geoff Brabham, 1971 Brabham BT-35

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

 

Oversteering out of turn one.
Oversteering out of turn one.
A garage in Gasoline Alley.
A garage in Gasoline Alley.
Steve Patti, 63 Ginetta G4 heading out to the track.
Steve Patti, 1963 Ginetta G4 heading out to the track.
Michael Blaha, 71 Datsun 510
Michael Blaha, 1971 Datsun 510
Alex MacAllister, 66 Ford GT40
Alex MacAllister, 1955 Ford GT40
Jaguar, Porsche and Austin-Healey Sprite at speed.
Jaguar, Porsche and Austin-Healey Sprite at speed.
1911 National’s engine
Engine in the 1911 National
Working on Webers on the 55 Jaguar D Type.
Working on Webers on the 1955 Jaguar D-Type.

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

 

Samuel LeComte, 69 Camaro
Samuel LeComte, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Jeff Mincheff, 69 Corvette
Jeff Mincheff, 1969 Chevrolet Corvette
Rick Mooney, 68 Corvette ahead of Jofy O’Donnell, 69 Corvette.
Rick Mooney, 1968 Chevrolet Corvette ahead of Jofy O’Donnell, 1969 Chevrolet Corvette.
Donald Racine, 61 Austin Mini Cooper S
Donald Racine, 1961 Austin Mini Cooper S
Susan Patterson in her lovely Devin MG Speedster TD
Susan Patterson in her lovely Devin MG Speedster TD
Bob Koons, 61 Lotus 20
Bob Koons, 1961 Lotus 20
A Lotus 20 following a Mini Cooper through turn 8.
A Lotus 20 following a Mini Cooper through turn 8.
Charles Parsons, 76 Lola T332C
Charles Parsons, 1976 Lola T332C

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

 

Aaron Lorton, 66 Corvette
Aaron Lorton, 1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Jeff Taylor, 64 Studebaker Daytona
Jeff Taylor, 1964 Studebaker Daytona
Cirt Vogt, 70 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Cirt Vogt, 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
Gary Moore lifts two tires in his 65 Ford Mustang GT350
Gary Moore lifts two tires in his 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350
James Heck, 64 Corvette
James Heck, 1964 Chevrolet Corvette
Chris MacAllister, 64 Cobra FIA 289
Chris MacAllister, 1964 Shelby Cobra FIA 289
Shannon Ivey, 67 Camaro SS
Shannon Ivey, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Scott Holley, 63 Jaguar XKE
Scott Holley, 1963 Jaguar E-Type

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

 

Niek Hommerson, 04 Maserati MC12 GT1
Niek Hommerson, 2004 Maserati MC12 GT1
George Frey, 69 McLaren M10A
George Frey, 1969 McLaren M10A
Travis Engen, 05 Audi R8 LMP
Travis Engen, 2005 Audi R8 LMP
Delaney Sturgeon, 86 Porsche Rothman Cup 944
Delaney Sturgeon, 1986 Porsche Rothman Cup 944
Paul Greigger, 73 Zink Z11
Paul Greigger, 1973 Zink ZII
Jim Johnston, 02 G Force Indy Car
Jim Johnston, 2002 G Force Indy Car
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type
Clark Lance, 64 Lotus Elan
Clark Lance, 1964 Lotus Elan

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Ten

 

86 March 86C at speed.
1986 March 86C at speed.
After 105 years, things can go wrong with an engine.
After 105 years, things can go wrong with an engine.
Al Unser and son Al Jr. return to the Speedway.
Al Unser and son Al Unser Jr. return to the Speedway.
Nathanael Greene, 25 Bugatti T 35
Nathanael Greene, 1925 Bugatti Type 35
Tom Morgan, 68 Lotus 51 FF
Tom Morgan, 1968 Lotus 51 FF
The Pro-Am pre race activities.
Pre-race activities for the Pro-Am.
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type
The D Type made it to Victory Circle!
The D-Type made it to Victory Circle!

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Eleven

 

Jim Victor, 70 Chevron B17
Jim Victor, 1970 Chevron B17
Lee Brahin, 71 Brabham BT35
Lee Brahin, 1971 Brabham BT-35
Ford Heacock, 60 Porsche 356B Super 90
Ford Heacock, 1960 Porsche 356B Super 90
Jeff Norris, 62 Lola Mk1
Jeff Norris, 1962 Lola Mk I
1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Jaqulyn Mincheff waiting.
Jaqulyn Mincheff waiting.
1958 Corvette
1958 Chevrolet Corvette
Spindles.
Spindles.

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Twelve

 

Two yellow Tigers.
Two yellow Tigers.
Two blue Jaguars.
Two blue Jaguars.
David Gibson, VAY Special Canadian Class
David Gibson, VAY Special Canadian Class
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type understeering through turn 2.
Chris MacAllister, 1955 Jaguar D-Type understeering through turn 2.
Kim Madrid with her distinctive helmet going through turn 2 in a 78 Crossle Formula Ford.
Kim Madrid with her distinctive helmet going through turn 2 in a 1978 Crossle Formula Ford.
Arnie Loyning, 69 Brabham BT-29
Arnie Loyning, 1969 Brabham BT-29
Bob Gett, 71 Chevron BT19
Bob Gett, 1971 Chevron BT19
Brent Berge, 78 Lola Can-Am
Brent Berge, 1978 Lola Can-Am

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Featured Photo Gallery Page Thirteen

 

Richard Morrison, 39 Lagonda V12 LeMans rep
Richard Morrison, 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans
Brian Blain’s 1911 National ran in the first Indy 500.
Brian Blain’s 1911 National ran in the first Indy 500.
Charles McCabe and Paddins Dowling in their very quick ERA’s.
Charles McCabe and Paddins Dowling in their very quick ERA models.
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway at the speedway.
Charles Test, 1911 National Speedway at the Speedway.
Peter Mullin, 37 Delahaye
Peter Mullin, 1937 Delahaye 145 V12 Grand Prix
Richard Morrison, 39 Lagonda V12 LeMans rep
Richard Morrison, 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans
Richard Mitchell, 29 Stutz Blackhawk
Richard Mitchell, 1929 Stutz Blackhawk
Nathanael Greene, 25 Bugatti T 35
Nathanael Greene, 1925 Bugatti Type 35

 

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SVRA Indy Brickyard Invitational 2016 – Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

 

[nggallery id=919 images=15]

 

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[Source: David Ferguson]