Truly a high point of vintage racing in the Midwest, drivers and fans from all corners of the globe will be joining members of the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association (VSCDA) at one of America’s most popular race tracks, Road America, for the September 16-19 36th annual Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival.
With the great designer/engineer/journalist Peter Brock as weekend Honored Guest, two flagship features will pay tribute to a pair of his major career accomplishments: The 50th Anniversary of the 2.5 Liter Challenge will include early 2.0- and 2.5-liter Trans-Am cars including several Datsuns — the manufacturer he introduced to SCCA pro racing. And the Peter Brock All-American Challenge, open to all American makes, is a nod to both Brock’s relationship with Carroll Shelby and the fact that, early in the Nevada resident’s career, he designed 1963 Corvette Stingray.
Elsewhere on the crowded weekend schedule, the Cup races return by popular demand for a 12th year. Kimberly, Sheldon, and Elkhart Lake Cup races all are based on the original Cup races held from 1950-1952 on the roads around Elkhart Lake. Grid positions are based solely on times, not class, giving drivers the opportunity to compete against cars they normally do not see, and guaranteeing close racing all through the order.
2020 ELVF. Photo: Scott Paceley
Registration and Tech Inspection opens at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. Friday, Sept. 17, is a practice day, with each race group getting two sessions. Friday afternoon, it’s the annual Enduro, sponsored by Jeff Porasik/Raymond James Advisors and benefiting Disabled American Veterans. Friday evening, it’s “Welcome to the ELVF party,” a long-standing tradition.
Saturday is all about qualifying sessions, sprint races and the very special Original Road Course Re-enactment. This will be a police escorted tour of the original public road race course, for both road and race cars. These roads, along with the roads in Watkins Glen, N.Y., are national historic monument, the only two sets of roads to be listed as such.
The VSCDA has has been hosting the Re-enactment Tour for 30 years and it can attract up to 100 cars which, at the finish, will park up and down the streets of the Village of Elkhart Lake for everyone’s strolling and story-telling pleasure.
Photo: Scott Paceley
Saturday’s “Gather on the Green” Concours will be held on the grounds of the Osthoff Resort and feature an eclectic group of upwards of 140 cars, many of which are of Pebble Beach quality. This by-invitation-only show begins in mid-afternoon and ends when the banquet starts.
The Saturday evening banquet, with Peter Brock as honored guest, also will be held at The Osthoff, bordering the original road course and overlooking Elkhart Lake.
Sunday morning the group races begin, mixed in throughout the day with the Cup races. There is also lunchtime touring available to spectators on both Saturday and Sunday.
An action-packed, something-for-everyone, Sept. 17-19 weekend at Road America. Click HERE for more information.
And, look for VM columnist Burt “BS” Levy in the RA Paddock shop where he will be signing copies of his new book, The 200 MPH Steamroller Book III: Out of the Mist.
