Austin Healey Tag

Updated: April 1, 2013 Brent Martin has posted some of his photos of the 'Brit Car Drive Up'on the VRCBC Facebook page here. They are great examples of the wide cross-section of cars that will be on display at the All British Field Meet at the Van Dusen Gardens on Saturday, May 18th. Posted: March 14, 2013 A press release from our friends at the All British Field Meet and Wilkinson's Automobilia.

Announcing The 'BRIT CAR' DRIVE UP

Brit Car Drive Up posterThe Olympic Torch Plaza at the Vancouver Convention Centre will come to life in a display of glorious British-built classic saloons and sports cars from the 1950's and 1960's as the Vancouver International Auto Show (VIAS) celebrates Brit Car Drive Up on Saturday March 30th, from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.There will be two free Auto Show Passes for all registered Drive Up entrants courtesy of the Automotive Dealers of B.C., and  you could also win A $100 Gift Certificate from Wilkinson's Automobilia. (web site)

The Brit Car Drive Up is presented by the All British Field Meet - The Greatest Show on British Wheels and will feature and promote classics from the ABFM. This year's ABFM will again be held at the VanDusen Gardens on Saturday May 18, 2013. (ABFM web site)

Please join us for a brisk Saturday morning drive to the Convention Centre followed by a visit to the big Auto Show. Cars will assemble between 9:30am and 10:00 am at the Vancouver Planetarium parking lot, Vanier Park, Kits Point, Vancouver. (location) From there we will convoy down Burrard Street to the Convention Centre.

We anticipate a good showing with at least one Aston Martin DB5 leading the parade to celebrate Aston's 100th anniversary. Also, we would like Austin Healey's 60th anniversary to be well represented as well. But all 'Brit' cars are welcome to join in the fun as we take over the streets of downtown Vancouver. Clubs are welcome to bring membership promotion material and banners, as the VIAS will be promoting this event and a large crowd of spectators and media coverage is anticipated.

[caption id="attachment_8150" align="aligncenter" width="490"]Long time 'Big Healey' racer, Ivan Lessner (L) is charged by Stanton Guy with the custodial responsibility for the Austin Healey Owners Club of Victoria (Australia) car badge donated to the VRCBC by Les Mathieson at the 2012 BCHMR. Ivan is also 'modelling' a 2012 Sandown Historics T-Shirt from Les. - VRCBC photo Long time 'Big Healey' racer, Ivan Lessner (L) is charged by Stanton Guy with the custodial responsibility for the Austin Healey Owners Club of Victoria (Australia) car badge donated to the VRCBC by Les Mathieson at the 2012 BCHMR. Ivan is also 'modeling' a 2012 Sandown Historics T-Shirt from Les. - VRCBC photo[/caption]

The VRCBC had some special visitors at our 2012 BC Historic Motor Races. Les Mathieson and his wife Zonda, Austin Healey enthusiasts from Victoria, Australia dropped by to cheer on our 'Big Healey' racers. They also presented the Club with an Austin Healey Owners Club of Victoria car badge. (Of course, they received a VRCBC car badge in exchange.)

[caption id="attachment_7249" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Pace Lap for the first race - Brent Martin photo[/caption]

The VRCBC's third set of REVS races of the 2012 season took place on the Sunday of the SCCBC's 'Long Time Running' Weekend on June 23rd and 24th. The Vintage racers consider themselves lucky to have avoided the dramatic weather conditions on the Saturday. It flooded, it rained, a thunderstorm passed overhead, and the wind blew bits of cottonwood trees all over the back stretch. Never mind the power outages!

Update - July 6th: The just- released SCCBC July Pit Pass has some excellent photos and stories about the 'wild and woolly Saturday'. You can find it on the SCCBC website (here) - click on the News - Pit Pass button and look for 2012.

Sunday's weather on the other hand, was perfect and the VRCBC gang enjoyed themselves - except for reigning REVS champion Mark Brown who had a rare DNF with a broken 'halfshaft'. The results are now posted on the SCCBC web site (here) or you can go directly to our 2012 Season Results page (here).

Next up is the BC Historic Motor Races (BCHMR) on August 4th and 5th featuring not only the usual set of exciting Vintage races but also two special features for this year, the Third Annual International Formula Vee Challenge and the Childrens' Charity Grand Prix. All this on only one weekend! Check it out at www.bchmr.ca

Thanks to Brent Martin for providing us with some of his photos of the on-track action.  (see below) You can see all of his photos from the weekend on his site (here) - Just look for  the 'Vintage Group' album.

Update - July 9th: Brent's photos have also been posted on the autocourse.ca web site (here). Look for the VRCBC logo and the 'Long Time Running Weekend' link.

[caption id="attachment_7034" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Getting ready: the VRCBC Booth before the gates open - VRCBC photo"][/caption]

Updated: May 23, 2012

The 27th edition of the All British Field Meet (ABFM) - 'The Greatest Show on British Wheels' - was held on Saturday, May 19th at Vancouver's Van Dusen Gardens. The weather was perfect and all of the cars looked great. The VRCBC display was in its traditional location, right inside the main entrance, greeting the very large crowd of visitors as they entered Memory Lane.

The VRCBC was very well represented by Mark Brown's two time REVS Champion Lotus Seven, Al Harvey's MGB, Al Reid's MGB, Ralph Zbarsky's MGB GT, Nick Woodhouse's Austin Healey, Ivan Lessner's multiple REVS Champion Austin Healey, and John McCoy's Lotus Cortina. There was a great deal of interest in the cars and in Vintage racing at Mission Raceway Park Road Course.

Update: The winners of the many awards and prizes are now posted on the Western Driver / ABFM website (here) soon. Our congratulations to VRCBC racers, John McCoy and Nick Woodhouse who took first and third places respectively in the Race Cars category.

The following few photos give you some idea of what was a very enjoyable day.