Most sanctioning bodies require that an entrant
be retired from non-vintage competition for at least five years. Of course
the cars must be safe and in most cases, adhere to a set of rules for the
class it competes in, just like any other racing series.
Vintage events attract hundreds of entrants and
tens of thousands of spectators, and the series have attracted major
sponsorship from the likes of Rolex, WorldCom, Chrysler and others.
A typical race weekend for
HSR will include an 8-12 lap sprint race on Saturdays and a 1-3 hour
endurance race on Sundays, and in between spectators are able to walk
through the paddocks looking at the historic cars and seeing the drivers,
many of whom are racing legends like Hurley Haywood or John Paul, Jr.
How good is the racing on the vintage circuit?
Older race cars typically don’t do anything as well as a new one does,
whether it be braking, shifting, steering or accelerating, forcing drivers
to be smoother and more skilled if they want to be fast. Those skills can
make drivers deadly competitors when they get in a more modern car.
In July, veteran vintage racer John Finger
proved the point, hopping into an ARCA Ford and winning the ARCA 150 at
Watkins Glen in his first race in the series. Will vintage racing become a
popular place for younger drivers to develop their skills? If Finger’s
experience is any guide, maybe it should be.
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