2019 Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races
The 10th anniversary of the Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races modern-day vintage road racing here at Put-in-Bay continues to grow with new “twists” in a fun-filled and relaxed atmosphere. Beginning with a small “reunion” in 2009, today’s racing and non-racing entrants, as well as spectators, enjoy several days of sports-car enjoyment in one of the most relaxed and nostalgic settings in vintage racing where small-bore sports cars raced through the streets of the island from 1952 to 1959 and once more in 1963.
Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races Feature “Tin-Top” Sedans
For this year’s event (September 24-27, with racing on the 25th & 26th), we have reached out to invite drivers of vintage “tin top” sedans, both foreign and domestic, to come to share the fun on the event’s challenging 1.2-mile hay-bale lined Ted Erickson Field airport circuit. The response has been excellent, says race director Jack Woehrle. In the United States early on, when post-war sports car racing was in its infancy, lowly sedans were not considered “sports cars,” so they generally weren’t eligible to compete.
“But Put-in-Bay was pretty much a low-key event put on by The Cleveland Sports Car Club, so sedans were permitted to fill in the various racing classes,” explains Woehrle. “So, if you look through the old entry lists and period photos on the www,pibroadrace.com website, you will see all sorts of small-bore sedans competing at Put-In-Bay at a time when they were rarely allowed to race anywhere else until The Sports Car Club of America initiated a sedan category in 1965.”
Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races Celebrates the 10th anniversary!
As of this writing, some 20 “tin tops” are signed up for the 2019 Put-in-Bay races, with more expected. Race-entry sedans include Mini Cooper, Pinto, Corvair, Datsun, Alfa Romeo, Saab, VW, Fiat, Fiat-Abarth, Morris Minor, a Barracuda, and even a couple of Dodge Darts. Plus, the usual complement of entrants racing in multiple classes in four groups, plus an exhibition. As usual, our contingent island resident racers will be competing. Racers include Mark Lekanka, Scott Market, Mike Chervenak, Scott and Alex Sadowsky, and Rich Hahn, all sponsored by island enterprises.
In addition to the on-track race entries (and this is unique in vintage racing as far as the event organizers know), there are also non-racing participant categories for Heritage Street Cars (qualified pre-1964 cars) and Guest Street Cars (generally post-1963 to 1973). The event is also the third leg of the 2019 “Great Lakes Vintage Challenge,” whereby entrants in D through H production and in Formula Vee accumulate race-finishing points at the Waterford Hills Vintage Races (July 27, 28), VSCDA, Grattan (August 16-18) and at Put-in-Bay.
In addition to two full days of racing, the Put in Bay Sports Car Races event includes for registered entrants: tours of the original island course, several social events, a car show at the Heineman winery (free entry with winning a trophy for all island resident cars), guest recollection stories and more.
Another popular event open to the public at the Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races is the “Rocker Cover Races” held at The Goat on Wednesday, September 24TH, at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to construct a racer, see our website www. pibroadrace.com, or stop by Duff’s Workshop for rules and regulations. Spectating at the races and many of the other activities are open and free to the public.
For more information, visit: www.pibroadrace.com and feel free to click on the Official Put-in-Bay Facebook Page for more information or to join us there, where more than 1,000 enthusiasts keep current on all the latest Put-in-Bay Vintage Sports Car Races buzz. Put-in-Bay Resort offered over 30 covered parking spots for competitors, and the best way to get to the event was a Put-in-Bay Golf Cart Rental with easy parking at the airport.
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