Vintage Racing Club of BC

The Spirit of Westwood Lives On!

July 14, 2014

Leigh Anderson (1967 BMW 1600) and Paul Haym ( 1969 Datsun 510) lead Bernie Hamm (1966 MGB) and the rest of the pack into Turn 2. - Brent Martin photo

Leigh Anderson (1967 BMW 1600) and Paul Haym ( 1969 Datsun 510) lead Bernie Hamm (1966 MGB) and the rest of the pack into Turn 2. – Brent Martin photo

Updated: July 15, 2013

The weather conditions for this season’s second race weekend couldn’t have been more different from those at the first. While it was soaking wet in May; it was baking hot for the SCCBC’s ‘Race for the House’ event during the July 12th-13th weekend. The heat took its toll on both racing cars and drivers. (Of course, crew members, turn workers, safety crews and the other race officials and volunteers who are well-known to be much tougher, hardly noticed that the sky was cloudless!)

The results are posted under the 2014 Race Results menu (here). As always, thanks to the SCCBC for making them available.

New: Check out some of Brent Martin’s photos below. More to follow soon. (Thanks Brent.)

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July 9, 2014

The M3 Class Podium with the third place man, our boy Geoff on the right, runner-up Richard Paterson on the left and the winner, UK Mini-legend Nick Swift (of Swiftune fame) in the centre. - photo courtesy Can-Am Mini Challenge

Can-Am Mini Challenge: The M3 Class Podium with the third place man, our boy Geoff on the right, runner-up Richard Paterson on the left and the winner, UK Mini-legend Nick Swift (of Swiftune fame) in the centre. – photo courtesy Can-Am Mini Challenge

Posted: July 9, 2014

Classic Mini enthusiasts gathered at the famous Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Can-Am Mini Challenge, celebrating the 55th anniversary of the ‘real’ Mini. The Mini Challenge was one of the feature races in the Sports Car Vintage Racing Association’s (SVRA) big ‘2014 The Mechanics Bank Vintage Grand Prix of Mid Ohio‘ over the June 26th-29th weekend.

Class M4 Winner Bob Beauchemin - photo courtesy Can-Am Mini Challenge

Class M4 Winner Bob Beauchemin – photo courtesy Can-Am Mini Challenge

The VRCBC was very well represented. Two of the biggest Mini enthusiasts anywhere, VRCBC members Geoff Tupholme and Bob Beauchemin made the long trek from the BC interior to Ohio, and they did us proud.

In a field of 48 racing Minis of every description (‘standard’ Vintage eligibility rules didn’t really apply!), Geoff finished 8th overall and third in class and Bob (after a slight off-course excursion on the last lap) came 10th overall and won his class. (See the results pages here and here courtesy of the SVRA.)

But the VRCBC connection didn’t stop with our two local heroes. Club ‘alumni’ (and ‘monster’ Mini enthusiasts) Rachel and Andy Nelson (who now live in Ontario) were also heavily involved in the event. Andy took 14th overall in their beautifully restored 1965 Cooper S. He also loaned their very fast 1963 Cooper S to well-known British Mini tuner Nick Swift, who proceeded to take second overall and win his class. (Check out his story of the event on the Swiftune web site here.)

And last but certainly not least, Rachel was the lead organizer of the Mini-Challenge. It will not surprise VRCBC members who remember her great contribution as a member of our Executive, that this event was a huge success.

Click here to see a short video of the start of the race; Geoff goes by in 10th place and Bob in 12th. (Mission Raceway Road Course racers will be interested to know that there are no sound level restrictions at Mid-Ohio!)

The Can-Am Mini Challenge Facebook page (here) has many more photos and videos. And an online album with over 300 photos of the full SVRA event (not just the Minis) can be viewed here. That great ‘Montage of Minis’ below was created by Richard Coburn. You can visit his Facebook page here.

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July 8, 2014

Long time VRCBC member Tim Pickstone in his beautiful 1963 Porsche 356C leads the pack in one of the Historic Small Bore races at the Pacific Northwest Historics. - Brent Martin photo

Long time VRCBC member Tim Pickstone in his beautiful 1963 Porsche 356C leads the pack in one of the Historic Small Bore races at the Pacific Northwest Historics. – Brent Martin photo

Posted: July 8, 2014

SOVREN, our Vintage racing friends from just across the border held the 26th edition of their annual Pacific Northwest Historics event at Pacific Raceways over the July 4th-6th weekend. Our good friend Brent Martin was there and brought back some great photos of VRCBC members and friends in action (see gallery below). You can see lots more of Brent’s excellent photos on his web site (here).

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May 30, 2014

Whoops! Even 'Detroit Iron' is spooked by a 'Big Healey'! Dennis Repel (1974 Chevrolet Camaro) does a graceful pirouette in front of Ivan Lessner (1958 Austin Healey 100-6) leaving Turn 1. Dennis eventually recovered to win the race. - Glen Gibbons photo

Whoops! Even ‘Detroit Iron’ is spooked by a ‘Big Healey’! Dennis Repel (1974 Chevrolet Camaro) does a graceful pirouette in front of Ivan Lessner (1958 Austin Healey 100-6) leaving Turn 1. Dennis eventually recovered to win the race. – Glen Gibbons photo

Posted: May 30, 2014

VRCBC stalwart, Glen Gibbons had transmission troubles with his familiar yellow Alfa Romeo GTV early on during the first race day of the season. So, he ‘shifted gears’ (ahem) and became a photo-journalist. He sent us these photos of the soggy goings-on. Thanks Glen; you’re hired.

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May 28, 2014

John Elliott (1969 MGB) splashes around the track. - Brent Martin photo

John Elliott (1969 MGB) splashes around the track. – Brent Martin photo

Posted: May 28, 2014

The 2014 Vintage racing season at Mission Raceway Park Road Course got off to a very soggy start on May 25th. The weather was OK on the Saturday of the SCCBC’s “May-niacs” Weekend, but the Sunday – when the Vintage races were run – was a real west coast-style soaker! Not all of the VRCBC racers had the ideal tires for the conditions but nevertheless ‘a good time was had by all’ – sort of. After all, being out on the race track – no matter the conditions – is always better than doing chores at home!

The results are posted under the 2014 Race Results menu (here). Thanks to the SCCBC for making them available.

Check out Brent Martin’s photos below. As always, thanks Brent.

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