Richard Broadhead
Flag & Com
Yup, that time of year for the SOVREN Historics over the 4th of July weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).
Case you haven't heard Celebrity Driver this year is Augie Pabst!! Colorful carreer (he and his son still run a prep shop in addition to being a retired exec from the brewery). But I remember him most for driving the Miester Brauser Scarab.. Ohhh, what a car in its day. And, he still owns and Vintage races (in the midwest) the one he raced as a team mate of Lance Raventlow!
But he won't be driving the Scarab this weekend. Rather, an EQUALLY RARE car that he raced in the early 1960's. One of only THREE built, the Lola MK6 owned by Mecom racing at the time he ran it. And the last time he ran this car back then, he put it in to the Armco at Riverside
Now he gets another chance to do it right.
The car was rebuilt after Riverside then starting in 1988 it ended up in a German museum for many years. I believe it sold to its current owner at the Goodwood auction in 2006 for $694,000! What a car to see in the Northwest!
LOLA MK6:
http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1964/Sebring-1964-03-21-020.jpg
For those who don't know the history:
When Ferrari told Ford to "stuff it", no way you're buying Ferrari. Ford purchased the Lola MK6 from Eric Broadley as a way to enter big time sports car racing and took over the Lola factory mainly because the MK6 already used a big bore Ford V8. When you look at the photo above, you can clearly see the lineage from MK6 to GT-40. Ford used the MK6 as 'test mules' for the development of the GT-40. Eventually, they sold it back to Broadley.
Those who attended the BMW lapping day this past week got a sneak peek at the Lola. VRM had it out for a couple of test sessions getting ready for the Historics. I'm not sure if it has a Chevy or a Ford in it now. Original 2 cars were Fords but Mecom raced it with a Chevy engine due to conflicts with Ford at the time. Either way it just looks and sounds GREAT! Capable of 180 MPH but I doubt Augie will be testing that limit!
VRM also had a very rare BMW 3.5CSL prepared by Vasek Polak for IMSA GT. Oh my was it fast. Sadly, we won't see it at the Historics. 1974 car (but it probably quals as a Exhibition Class). Raced by Hans Stuck and Sam Posey at various times. It's owned by a guy in Melbourne, Australia who only comes up to race it at Monteray.. sigh.
BMW 3.5CSL as at Pacific:
http://bringatrailer.com/2007/08/22/74-bmw-35csl-vasek-polak-lemans-finisher/
Hey, Rich Wexler, as usual, is looking for corner workers! Come on out and see some really great old cars from a corner station AND enjoy the BIG FEED Saturday night along with the silent auction. I'm guessing Jackson-Dean will have the Frisbee and the Shadow F1 car out to challenge Dimmer in the Tyrrell F1 car.
Case you haven't heard Celebrity Driver this year is Augie Pabst!! Colorful carreer (he and his son still run a prep shop in addition to being a retired exec from the brewery). But I remember him most for driving the Miester Brauser Scarab.. Ohhh, what a car in its day. And, he still owns and Vintage races (in the midwest) the one he raced as a team mate of Lance Raventlow!
But he won't be driving the Scarab this weekend. Rather, an EQUALLY RARE car that he raced in the early 1960's. One of only THREE built, the Lola MK6 owned by Mecom racing at the time he ran it. And the last time he ran this car back then, he put it in to the Armco at Riverside
Now he gets another chance to do it right.The car was rebuilt after Riverside then starting in 1988 it ended up in a German museum for many years. I believe it sold to its current owner at the Goodwood auction in 2006 for $694,000! What a car to see in the Northwest!
LOLA MK6:
http://www.racingsportscars.com/photo/1964/Sebring-1964-03-21-020.jpg
For those who don't know the history:
When Ferrari told Ford to "stuff it", no way you're buying Ferrari. Ford purchased the Lola MK6 from Eric Broadley as a way to enter big time sports car racing and took over the Lola factory mainly because the MK6 already used a big bore Ford V8. When you look at the photo above, you can clearly see the lineage from MK6 to GT-40. Ford used the MK6 as 'test mules' for the development of the GT-40. Eventually, they sold it back to Broadley.
Those who attended the BMW lapping day this past week got a sneak peek at the Lola. VRM had it out for a couple of test sessions getting ready for the Historics. I'm not sure if it has a Chevy or a Ford in it now. Original 2 cars were Fords but Mecom raced it with a Chevy engine due to conflicts with Ford at the time. Either way it just looks and sounds GREAT! Capable of 180 MPH but I doubt Augie will be testing that limit!
VRM also had a very rare BMW 3.5CSL prepared by Vasek Polak for IMSA GT. Oh my was it fast. Sadly, we won't see it at the Historics. 1974 car (but it probably quals as a Exhibition Class). Raced by Hans Stuck and Sam Posey at various times. It's owned by a guy in Melbourne, Australia who only comes up to race it at Monteray.. sigh.
BMW 3.5CSL as at Pacific:
http://bringatrailer.com/2007/08/22/74-bmw-35csl-vasek-polak-lemans-finisher/
Hey, Rich Wexler, as usual, is looking for corner workers! Come on out and see some really great old cars from a corner station AND enjoy the BIG FEED Saturday night along with the silent auction. I'm guessing Jackson-Dean will have the Frisbee and the Shadow F1 car out to challenge Dimmer in the Tyrrell F1 car.
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