Arthur Hebert claimed his first-ever Infineon Raceway victory on Sunday at the Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races.
Hebert started from the pole position in his 1963 Lola, and went on to claim the win in the 10-lap Group 5 main event (1958 – 1963 Formula Jr., F-1, F-1 Cars). William Cotter finished second (1961 Scarab) and David Zurlinden (1962 Brabham) was third.
“My dad, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law have all raced in this event, but this was the first win for our family,” said Hebert. “It’s very exciting.”
Tom Dyer, who won Saturday’s qualifying race for Formula 5000, did not compete in his race following an accident during the morning warm-up. Dyer was not injured, but the car could not be repaired in time for the main event.
In all, 350 historic racecars, some dating as far back as 1915, took part in the race weekend in 10 divisions. It was the most racecars entered in the 22-year history of the Wine Country Classic. Formula 5000, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2008, was the featured car of the weekend. Paul Hoey (1973 McRae, Oly, Wash.) took the checkered flag in the Formula 5000 main event.
Peter Giddings (1935 Alfa-Romeo) also posted a win on Sunday in Group 1 (Pre-War and Post-War to 1952). It was his fourth win in the Wine Country Classic since 2001. Northern California winners on Sunday included: Redwood City’s Robert Manson (Group 2, 1952 The Schaghticoke); Monterey’s Chris Orosco (Group 3, 1959 Lola); Redwood City’s Larry Bowman (Group 4, 1961 Ferrari); Danville’s Jeff Abramson (Group 7, 1966 Lotus); and Yountville’s Steve Cook (Group 9, 1968 McLaren).
Top-five main-event results Sunday from the Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races at Infineon Raceway. All races were contested on Infineon Raceway’s 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course. Car and hometown in parentheses:
GROUP 1 (10 laps) Pre-War and Post-War Sports and Racing Cars to 1952
1. Peter Giddings (1935 Alfa Romeo, Alamo); 2. John Kerr (1932 Miller Scofield, San Luis Obispo); 3. Michael Cleary (1932 Studebaker, Carpinteria); 4. John Fitzpatrick (1939 BMW, Redding); 5. John Kerridge (1926 Frazer Nash, Del Mar).
GROUP 2 (10 laps) 1948-1955 Sports Racing and Production Cars
1. Robert Manson (1952 The Schaghticoke, Redwood City); 2. John Buddenbaum (1949 Parkinson-Jaguar, Bend, Ore.); 3. Bernard Juchli (1955 Hagemann Jaguar, Palo Alto); 4. Leland Osborn (1955 Crosley, San Miguel); 5. Steve Earle (1953 Jaguar, Buellton).
GROUP 3 (10 laps) 1955-1960 Sports Racing Cars
1. Chris Orosco (1959 Lola, Monterey); 2. Don Orosco (1958 Lotus, Monterey); 3. Jim Lawrence (1958 Lotus, Lafayette); 4. Richard Goldsmith (1958 Lotus, Pebble Beach); 5. Tom Hollfelder (1959 Devin, Covina).
GROUP 4 (10 laps) 1956-1962 Production Cars
1. Larry Bowman (1961 Ferrari, Redwood City); 2. Peter Inshaw (1963 Alfa Romeo, San Jose); 3. Brian Howlett (1961 Morgan, Hacienda Heights); 4. Mike Sweeney (1963 Porsche, Woodside); 5. Ed Lamantia (1962 MGA, Redwood City).
GROUP 5 (10 laps) 1958-1963 Formula Jr. and F-1 Cars
1. Arthur Hebert (1963 Lola, Larkspur); 2. William Cotter (1961 Scarab, Seattle); 3. David Zurlinden (1962 Brabham, Carmel Valley); 4. Reg Howell (1963 Brabham, Corona Del Mar); 5. Doug Mockett (1961 Cooper, Christiansted, Va.).
GROUP 6 (10 laps) 1968-1976 Formula 5000 Cars
1. Paul Hoey (1973 McRae, Oly, Wash.); 2. Hamish Somerville (1974 Lola, New Milford, Conn.); 3. Roger Williams (1974 Lola, Auckland, New Zealand); 4. Bruce Leeson (1969 McLaren, Carmel); 5. Nick Smith (1973 March, Rancho Santa Fe).
GROUP 7 (10 laps) 1961-1965 Sports Racing Cars
1. Jeff Abramson (1966 Lotus, Danville); 2. Tom Byrnes (1964 Brabham, Ross); 3. John Morton (1964 Lotus, Los Gatos); 4. A.C. D’Augustine (1965 BMW Genie, Del Mar); 5. Peter Stoneberg (1963 Lotus, Belvedere).
GROUP 8 (10 laps) 1963-1966 Production Cars
1. Jim Click (1965 Cobra, Tucson, Ariz.); 2. Terry Gough (1965, Reno, Nev.); 3. William Cotter (1964 Cobra, Seattle); 4. Bruce Leven (1964 Corvette, Mercer Island, Wash.); 5. Ken Adams (1966 Shelby, Gilroy).
GROUP 9 (10 laps) 1966-1972 Historic Can-Am Cars
1. Steve Cook (1968 McLaren, Yountville); 2. Fred Cziska (1974 Shadow, Petaluma); 3. Chris MacAllister (1971 McLaren, Indianapolis); 4. Ilja Burkoff (1968 McLaren, Rolling Hills); 5. Tom Malloy (1971 McLaren, Villa Park).
GROUP 10 (10 laps) 1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars
1. Jim Halsey (1970 Boss Mustang, Los Angeles); 2. Bruce Canepa (1970 Javelin, Scotts Valley); 3. Jim Click (1969 Boss Mustang, Tucson); 4. Gary Goeringer (1968 Ford Mustang, Nipomo); 5. Andy Boone (1970 Plymouth, Fort Worth, Tex.).
[Source: Infineon Raceway; photo Mike Doran]
