Early in the week before Labor Day, the 8th annual Put-in-Bay Road Races Reunion again celebrated the popular sports car races that were held on Ohio’s South Bass Island in Lake Erie between 1952 and 1959, and again in 1963. This year’s Reunion featured two days of spirited racing around a hay-bale lined airport circuit as well as an original course tour, a car show, rocker cover races, a “recollections roundtable” program (interviews with participants in the original sports car races), an on-your-own-time rally and several social gatherings.
An entry numbering around 100 cars, split evenly between racecars and non-racing cars, turned up on the island along with a large crowd of spectators. Embracing the ethos of the event, the Paul Henry Award is presented to the entrant who best represents the spirit of the Put-in-Bay Road Races Reunion. This year it went to MG enthusiast Tom Baumgartner, who has participated in every Reunion since the inaugural in 2009, both as competitor and official, and this year raced his 1973 MGB/GT.
Also notable this year was a second consecutive victory in the event’s closing race, the Put-in-Bay Cup contest, by Pennsylvanian Joey Bojalad and his 1960 Elva Mk VI that earned him another “King of the Rock” award. The list of this year’s race and show winners follows:
Race Results
Race 1
Group 1 – Darryl Streed – 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite
Group 2 – Edward Merhar – 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Group 3 – Joey Bojalad – 1960 Elva Mk VI
Group 4 – Roger Sieling – 1962 Lotus 20/22
Race 2
Group 1 – Joseph Petkovic – 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite
Group 2 – Edward Merhar – 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Group 3 – Joey Bojalad – 1960 Elva Mk VI
Group 4 – Roger Sieling – 1962 Lotus 20/22
Cup Race Final
Overall – Joey Bojalad – 1960 Elva Mk VI
Car Show Results
Street Class – Dick Weiss – 1958 Porsche 356 Coupe
Competition Class – Mike Bailey – 1955 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
Island Class – Bill McCracken – 1966 Corvair Corsa
The 2017 Put-in-Bay Road Races Reunion is scheduled for August 27-30, and for more information please visit www.pibroadrace.com
