The 2009 Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races were held May 30-31 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.
A very full field of 350 historic racecars – the most in the 23-year history of the Wine Country Classic – took part in the race weekend among 10 classes. The Morgan, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2009, was the featured car of the weekend.
One of the highlights of the race weekend was the reunion of the “Baby Doll” Morgans. Lew Spencer, a well-known Southern California Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) member, ordered these Morgan machines and named them Baby Dolls I-V. It was the ultimate Morgan racecar and a giant killer in racing circles in the 1960s, routinely beating small-block Corvettes, Porsches and Jaguars, among others, despite its smaller-displacement engines.
The winning tradition continued at Wine Country, as the Baby Doll IV 1959 Morgan +4 that won the 1962 SCCA C-Production National Championship was also victorious in Group 3 at the hands of Jeff Abramson.
Other race action saw Tom Price made it a clean sweep at Infineon Raceway, claiming his first win in Group 1 at the Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races. Price, who also won the qualifying race, started from the pole for the 10-lap main event and drove his 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 to the win in Group 1 (Pre-War Racing Cars & Sports Cars to 1952). He was followed by Danville’s Peter Giddings (1931 Alfa Romeo) and Medina, Washington’s Jon Shirley (1934 Alfa Romeo) to round out the top three. It was Price’s first win at Infineon Raceway since 2003, when he won in Group 2 driving a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO.
Sports Car Digest was privileged to have photographer Dennis Gray on site to document this year’s racing action. We hope you enjoy his photos as much as we do. To see more of Dennis’ work, visit www.grayincolor.com.
2009 Wine Country Classic Historic Car Race Results and Picture Gallery (click picture for larger image)
Top-five main-event results Saturday 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: Pre-War Racing Cars & Sports Cars to 1952 (10 laps)
1. Tom Price, 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, Larkspur, CA
2. Peter Giddings, 1931 Alfa Romeo Corto/Mille, Danville, CA
3. Jon Shirley, 1934 Alfa Romeo, Medina, WA
4. Jan Voboril, 1924 Ford T Barber-Warnock, Topanga, CA
5. David Duthu, 1925 Bugatti Type 35A, Seabrook, TX
Group 2: 1948-1955 Sports Racing and Production Cars (10 laps)
1. Robert Manson, 1952 Schaghticoke Special, Redwood City, CA
2. Dave Olson, 1950 Jaguar XK120, Tiburon, CA
3. John Shirley, 1954 Austin Healey 100, Sonoma, CA
4. Leland Osborn, 1955 Crosley Special, San Miguel, CA
5. Bernard Juchli, 1955 Hageman Jaguar Special, Palo Alto, CA
Group 3: 1956-1962 Production Cars (10 laps)
1. Jeff Abramson, 1959 Morgan +4, Danville, CA
2. Leonard Turnbeaugh, 1958 Porsche 356A, Markleeville, CA
3. Art Hebert, 1957 Porsche, San Rafael, CA
4. Scott Brown, 1957 MGA Mk 1, Redwood City, CA
5. Ed Lamantia, 1962 MGA Mk II, Redwood City, CA
Group 4: 1955-1961 Sports Racing Cars (10 laps)
1. Rob Walton, 1958 Scarab Mk I, Paradise Valley, AZ
2. Ed Nigro, 1960 Lola Mk I, Las Vegas, NV
3. Carl Moore, 1960 Maserati T61 Birdcage, Alamo, CA
4. Kurt DelBene, 1960 Lola Mk I, Medina, WA
5. Frank Zucchi, 1960 Pirhana Sports Racer, Livermore, CA
Group 5: 1958-1963 Formula Jr., F-2 and F-1 Cars (10 laps)
1. Nicholas Colyvas, 1963 Lotus 27, San Francisco, CA
2. Danny Baker, 1963 Lotus 27, San Francisco, CA
3. John Anderson, 1963 Lola Mk 5 A, Sebastopol, CA
4. Doug Mockett, 1961 Cooper T-56, Christiansted, VA
5. Jeremy Nickel, 1963 Lotus 27, Yountville, CA
Group 6: 1963-1966 Production Sports Cars (10 laps)
1. John Delane, 1964 Lotus 26R, Redondo Beach, CA
2. Robert Forbes, 1964 Ginetta G4R, Hacienda Heights, CA
3. John Morton, 1964 Sunbeam Tiger, Manhattan Beach, CA
4. Herb Wetanson, 1961 Lotus Seven, New York, NY
5. Jason Len, 1964 Jaguar E-Type, San Luis Obispo, CA
Group 7: 1961 – 1965 Sports Racing Cars (10 laps)
1. Tom Nuxoll, 1964 Elva Mk 8, Medina, WA
2. Dave Olson, 1964 Lotus 23C, Tiburon, CA
3. Nick Smith, 1962 Lotus 23, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
4. Chris Locke, 1965 Lotus 23B, San Anselmo, CA
5. Edith Arrowsmith, 1964 Brabham BT8, Scottsdale, AZ
Group 8: 1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars (10 laps)
1. Bruce Canepa, 1970 AMC Javelin, Scotts Valley, CA
2. Jim Hague, 1972 AMC Javelin, Saratoga, CA
3. Chad Raynal, 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, San Jose, CA
4. Scott Rubin, 1970 Dodge Challenger, Saratoga, CA
5. Forrest Straight, 1970 Ford Mustang, Los Gatos, CA
Group 9: 1966-1972 Historic Can-Am Cars & FIA to 1978 (10 laps)
1. Bert Skidmore, 1976 Lola T286, Spark, NV
2. Steve Cook, 1968 McLaren M6B, Yountville, CA
3. Keith Frieser, 1972 Lola T290, Nisku, Canada
4. Tom Byrnes, 1978 Lola T298, Ross, CA
5. Tom Minnich, 1972 Lola T292, Pebble Beach, CA
Group 10: 1971-1981 Historic IMSA GT & 1981-88 IMSA GTO Cars (10 laps)
1. Ranson Webster, 1976 Porsche 935, Reno, NV
2. Rob Walton, 1978 Porsche 935, Paradise Valley, AZ
3. Pat Costin, 1974 Porsche 911 RSR, Reno, NV
4. Phill Gallant, 1985 Ford Mustang, Oceanside, CA
5. John Watkins, 1985 Pontiac Fiero, Anderson, CA
[Source: Infineon Raceway; photo credit, Dennis Gray]
Looks like a great race this year. Sorry I missed it! Lovely pictures…thank you.
Daddy, can I have an Alfa 8c2300 for my birthday? 🙂
Great photos by Dennis Gray. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful, thanks for sharing the pictures, looks like a lovely day out!
great photos of some spectacular cars! I haven’t attended the Wine Country race in a few years, but after seeing the photos I’ll have to put it back on the calendar for next year.
This was my first year competing in the Wine Country Classic. Infineon Raceway and the GRL organization presents one of the best run vintage events I’ve been to. The was track and the surrounding Napa Valley was spectacualar. My family and friends had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back.
This was my first year competing in the Wine Country Classic. Infineon Raceway and the GRL organization presents one of the best run vintage events I’ve been to. The track and the surrounding Napa Valley was spectacualar. My family and friends had a wonderful time and can’t wait to go back.
It was a great day. The pictures are superb. Thank you.
It was my first time competing in the event, it was amazing! Great photos! In Group 10 though you are missing 10a pictures (there were two run groups, your only showing 10b winners the early IMSA cars and not the 80s IMSA GTO/Trans Am ones 🙁 ), we had a separate start —
Great photos Dennis, it must have been fun to take them and daunting to recognize and describe each.
How did Gallucci do? That was him driving wasn’t it?
Great pix!
I usually attend the WCC but didnt’ this year. Wouldn’t you know it one of my favorite cars ever raced.. an Aston Martin GT4 Zagato. Very sorry I didn’t make it.
Is Steve Ferron entering any of his Griffiths in any California races? My second question is is anyone entering any Griffith 400’s or 200’s in California? It seems that we see the Griffith’s racing only in the Continent or the UK.
My best,
Chuck