This is what you get when you combine a tiny Fiat X1-9 with a high powered Suzuki GSX-R1000 motor. It’s been called one of the most nimble hillclimb cars in the world.

It’s a 600kg rear wheel drive fiat powered by a screaming Suzuki GSXR-1000 motor and it’s one of the most nimble hillclimb cars we’ve ever seen.

MORE: The monsters of hillclimb (video)

The driver is Manganiello Vincenzo, and his aggressive, slippery style suits the 10,000rpm pocket rocket to a tee. He was reportedly a full eight seconds quicker than any other car on the day.

MORE: This record breaking GP hillclimb is complete madness (video)

Video: The Fiat X1-9 from hillclimb hell! is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Video: The Fiat X1-9 from hillclimb hell! appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

What an unbelievable sound! Let’s go for a blast in the M1.

We’ve written a little bit about the BMW M1 here at Motorsport Retro before. When it comes to awesome sounding sportscars, for us the wedge-shaped M1 is right up there. Whether on it’s own, facing off against other sportscars, or in a field of other M1s as part of the M1 Procar Series, the sound of these things is truly brilliant.

MORE: Widescreen gallery – BMW M1

In this clip from RACER, driver Randy Pobst is the lucky guy behind the wheel. The car is an IMSA GT spec BMW M1 built in 1980, and now being used in historic racing events such as the one you see here today. Amongst a field of its former IMSA peers, it’s clear that the M1 is right back at home. What a car!

MORE: What was the BMW M1 Procar Series?

BMW M1 – Onboard at Laguna Seca – Video is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post BMW M1 – Onboard at Laguna Seca – Video appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

In mankind’s timeless quest to cram the most power into the lightest frame, Alan Mann found a way to squeeze a 6.25-litre V8 Rolls-Royce engine into this one-off Marina Rolls Royce Special, and we’re glad he did.

The Marina’s multi-tubular spaceframe chassis was designed and built by Malcolm King and is a well-balanced little number. It employed some advanced ideas for the time, with straight tube runs in the chassis between junctions, and its longeron tubes carrying coolant to and from the big Rolls-Royce motor.

Suspension matched contemporary Formula 1 Cooper designs, and Girling disks are responsible for scrubbing off the Rolls’ hard work.

The motor itself is a 6.25-litre Rolls-Royce V8 converted to dry-sump lubrication, allowing it to be mounted much lower in the chassis. The two standard 1.75-inch SU carburettors were replaced with four big Weber twin-choke sidedraught carburetors which, combined with a Ford V8 distributor, allows a low rear deck line above the engine.

Cylinder heads were machined to push compression up, but pistons, con-rods and cranks were left standard.

Somewhere in the region of 360 to 380 horsepower makes its way to the rear wheels via a five-speed Colotti Type 32 transaxle, and all this weighs in at about 1500 pounds.

The car made its debut at the Easter Monday Goodwood meeting in 1963 with unpainted aluminium bodywork and raced again at the Aintree 200 Formula 1 meeting.

And then it stopped racing. It’s believed that Rolls-Royce were unhappy with their engines being used for racing at that level and that an agreement was reached which saw the car head to a garage and stay there.

The car returned for the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed and has been thrilling historic racing fans since.

Sit back, and spend a minute enjoying its subtle curves and the bark of that magnificent Rolls in this video from the Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

More than Adequate: Marina Rolls Royce Special V8 Volume is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post More than Adequate: Marina Rolls Royce Special V8 Volume appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

The fascinating tale of AMSCAR, an awesome albeit often forgotten touring car competition.

THE V8 Supercar Championship and its forerunner, the Australian Touring Car Championship, are known around the world for playing host to some of the top touring car drivers ever seen.

The likes of Peter Brock, Dick Johnson, Mark Skaife, Jim Richards, Craig Lowndes, Marcos Ambrose and Jamie Whincup are well known for their deeds in the domestic championship.

But in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s there was another touring car series that was penciled in to many of their calendars in between the championship events: the AMSCAR Series.

Not a rival to the popular ATCC, it raced on off-weekends for the high-profile championship and proved popular with local Sydney-based teams.

Check out this recently unearthed gem AMSCAR race from 1979 –when Ford hero Allan Moffat accepted a guest drive of Bob Morris’ second Holden Torana A9X.

Hosted solely at the now defunct Amaroo Park Raceway in Sydney by the Australian Racing Drivers Club (who also ran the famous Bathurst 1000 for nearly four decades), the series was perfectly made for television.

Channel Seven’s motorsport production unit was Sydney-based, the track was a shade under two-kilometers (which made it easy to cover with cameras) and the racing was always top notch.

And because every round was telecast, most of the big teams would arrive to give their sponsors bonus airtime outside of the regular ATCC.

The track regularly had hosted a track championship for small capacity cars but the AMSCAR (Amaroo Saloon Car) Series banner was first applied in 1979.

The series disappeared in 1980, was for under 3.5-litre cars in 1981 and resumed under the AMSCAR banner from 1982 to 1993.

Here’s a classic AMSCAR race from 1982 with Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and Allan Grice going head-to-head in a V8-only contest.

Australia led the world with in-car camera technology at Bathurst in 1979 – but Neil Crompton commentated his own start from inside the car in the AMSCAR Series in 1993 here.

The AMSCAR Series was revived for one year only in 1997 by the ARDC for V8 privateers and held at Amaroo and Eastern Creek prior to the closure of Amaroo a year later.

Former Bathurst winner Tony Longhurst was the most successful driver, claiming five AMSCAR crowns in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

The Series remains an important – yet sadly overlooked these days – part of Aussie touring car racing history.
Follow Aaron Noonan online via Twitter or Facebook.

AMSCAR: Australia’s “other” Touring Car Series is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post AMSCAR: Australia’s “other” Touring Car Series appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

In 1965 Barry Seton and Midge Bosworth won the sixth running of the Bathurst 500 in a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT500. Then Barry drove home. In that same Cortina.

The sixth running of what would become Australia’s great race, the 1965 Armstrong 500 was a much simpler, but no less exciting beast. In fact, it has plenty going for it which may give it the edge.

The race was open to Australian assembled or manufactured cars and the 1965 event was the first open to imported vehicles which met a quota registered in Australia. Classes were defined by the purchase price of the vehicle in Australian pounds, making it a real race for the punters.

And the action was intense!

Two Cortinas topped the podium, with one of those cheeky imports – a Morris Cooper S – claiming the final step.

This brilliant classic footage, complete with dramatic ’60s soundtrack and narration, and a massive field of absolutely mad racers, tells the adrenaline-fuelled story of the race. It’s magic, and you should check it out.

1965 Armstrong 500: A Great Race in the Making is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post 1965 Armstrong 500: A Great Race in the Making appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

There’s phenomenal sounding engines, and then there’s four-rotors. This is what it feels like to blast around Laguna Seca in a quad rotor RX7.

We love the roar of a good sounding racing engine here at Motorsport Retro, and it’s no secret that we’re romantically committed to the noises made by Formula 1 machines of old. That being said, there’s something intoxicating about the noise of Mazda four rotor engines, that perhaps even the years of V8 and V10 F1 masterpieces can’t touch. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re so uncommon, or that it’s a motor that never ‘really’ existed outside of Le Mans and experimental projects. For whatever reason, quad-rotor engines are one thing that most ear-equipped car nuts can’t get enough of, including us.

Today we’re strapping ourselves back into the same IMSA GTO quad rotor RX7 that we took you for a blast in earlier this year.

MORE: How does this years ride compare with last? Wind the clock back 12 months and decide for yourself! (Video)

The video was fittingly shot at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and sees the spectacular four rotor RX7 IMSA GTO driven by Jeremy Barnes as part of the 2014 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

Laguna Seca Screamer – Onboard a quad rotor RX7 is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Laguna Seca Screamer – Onboard a quad rotor RX7 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

He was the last Formula 1 driver to ever be personally selected to race for Enzo Ferrari. He spent two seasons with the team, during which he earned the nickname “il leone” – The Lion. This is the story of Nigel Mansell’s time at Ferrari.

Photos & insights courtesy of The Cahier Archive

Recently we ran a piece talking about Nigel Mansell’s time spent racing for Lotus during the earliest years of his Formula One career. Now, it’s time to fast forward a couple of years and reflect on his days in red; 1989, and 1990.

MORE: Nigel Mansell’s amazing career, Part 1: The Lotus Years

Mansell was forever humbled at his selection to drive for Ferrari by Enzo, who died soon after in August 1988. He attacked the 1989 season with figure, his fearless driving style soon earning him the adoration of Ferrari fans worldwide.

From behind the lens, Paul-Henri Cahier was there to see it all unfold. He sat down and afforded us his insight on Nigel Mansell’s days at Ferrari:

“After a successful spell at Williams from 1985 to 1988 where victories were numerous , but the World Championship still eluded him, Nigel headed to Maranello.

When Mansell switched to Ferrari, a fabulous and totally unexpected victory in the first ever race of the groundbreaking Ferrari 640 (First F1 car with Semi automatic gearbox), masterminded by John Barnard was the reward.

Team manager Cesare “Hollywood” Fiorio jumped in the air “à la Chapman” when the checkered flag fell, and it looked like a new conquering era was opening up for Mansell. Alas, the 640 was fragile…

Then in 1990 Alain Prost joined Ferrari, and totally destroyed Nigel, who finished the Championship in 5th position, while the little Frenchman nearly won the title.

So it was back to Williams for “Our Nige” (loved by the fans and hated by the press), at the wheel of the revolutionary active suspension FW14. He nearly won the 1991 Championship, and was absolutely unbeatable in 1992, when he scored 9 wins and the title.

On track Nigel was always spectacular, a ‘generous’ driver to photograph.”

MORE: Nigel Mansell – Most Memorable F1 Moments

Let’s take a look at Paul-Henri’s 10 personal favorite shots, from the countless he’s took of Nigel Mansell during his time spent at Ferrari:

The final countdown. Brazil – 1989

Racing. Brazil – 1989

On his way to victory during his first championship race for Ferrari. Brazil – 1989

Canada 1990 – Nigel would place third

England – 1990

England – 1990  Hungary – 1989. Nigel’s second, and final, victory of the year.

Imola – 1989.

With Alain Prost – 1990.

At the 1989 French Grand Prix

Gallery: Nigel Mansell – The Ferrari Years is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Gallery: Nigel Mansell – The Ferrari Years appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

It takes the crazy driver of this Fiat 131 Abarth a shade over ten seconds to demonstrate everything you’ve ever loved about rallying. Awesome.

This is what rally is all about; the fist-pumping onlookers in the foreground, the precariously positioned spectators huddled around the corner, and the precision maneuver of a driver who’s perhaps just that little bit more sideways than he absolutely needs to be in order to find the quickest way around the corner.

The car is the Fiat 131 Abarth of Italian madman Paolo Diana, a renown rally showman who’s famous for his completely sideways. Imagine the rush he feels as he screams past his fans, steering through the bend on the throttle before clicking his sequential transmission up a gear as he exits the apex and takes off into the distance.

If you enjoy this little 13-second treat, be sure to check out our previous videos featuring the same car and driver combination below:

MORE: Ride onboard with the madman Paolo Diana himself! (video)

While you’re here, take a look at what’s on offer through our newly released premium content delivery service, Motorsport Retro Premium;

Fiat 131 Abarth – Completely Sideways – Video is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Fiat 131 Abarth – Completely Sideways – Video appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Allan Simonsen laps Mount Panorama in a Ferrari 458 GT3, 3.5s quicker than the V8 Supercar record!

Take a look at this awesome video shot in Bathurst, Australia. It depicts Danish sports car master Allan Simonsen blasting around Mount Panorama at full speed, smashing the outright closed-wheel and GT3 records of the time.

Mount Panorama is a legendary track amongst Australian racing enthusiasts, and has gain notoriety all over the world. It’s most famous for it’s use in the Australian V8 Supercars touring car series, however this time ’round we’re riding in a Ferrari 458 GT3.

MORE: Glenn Seton slides around Bathurst in 1987

This video was shot in 2012, and unfortunately Allan Simonsen lost his life racing at Le Mans a little over a year later. He was Australian GT Champion in 2007.

MORE: Throwback to Bathurst 1984 (Gallery)

The Ferrari 458 GT3 featured in this video is the same car Allan drove from the pole at the 2011 24 Hours of Nurburgring. He was a very, very fast guy. RIP.

MORE: The 1981 Bathurst 1000 Top 10 Shootout (video)

The current GT3 record is held by Shane Van Gisbergen, who drove a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 around the track in 2:03.8506 in early 2014.

Ferrari 458 GT3 – Onboard Video:

Flat out around Bathurst in a Ferrari 458 GT3 – Video is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Flat out around Bathurst in a Ferrari 458 GT3 – Video appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Rich Fowler (enthusiast, founder and editor of Motorsport Retro) explains Motorsport Retro Premium.

In 2008 I started Motorsport Retro as a hobby because I couldn’t find one place showcasing all the bits I loved most about motorsport.

I love the legendary drivers, cars, races and rivalries. I love the human stories, the mechanical marvels, the sporting pursuit and bravery of years past.

Since that start we’ve come a long way, producing and curating amazing stories, photography and video every single day. We feel a wonderful sense of community and shared passion, and revel in your feedback and enthusiasm.

However, as the site has grown, it’s become a significant undertaking, and to be very honest, advertising is neither substantial, or our specialty.

So, we are launching a very, very low cost subscription model, where for the cost of less than one coffee per month you can have our unique combination of curated and exclusive content, with monthly subscriber only offers.

If the commitment is too much we understand, and limited free content will continue, but we hope you can respect our position, our passion, and support us by signing up today, so we can continue to do what we love, which is to bring you the things you love.

Yours faithfully, on full throttle, and a little sideways

Rich Fowler

Editor/ Publisher

Introducing Motorsport Retro Premium is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Introducing Motorsport Retro Premium appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

The 1989 Camel Lotus 101 is machine of incredibly beauty, however it’s perfect lines and striking colors mask a painful history reflecting on the brutality and political speed of the Formula 1 game.

Images: Jayson Fong - Form & Function

Wearing one of the most iconic liveries to have graced the Formula 1 scene, the Camel Lotus 101 is nothing short of eye catching in any paddock.  However, the beauty of the Camel 101 will forever be hindered by its somewhat lackluster performance in the 1989 championship. A year which Lotus would enter facing a handful of critical issues.Facing a new naturally aspirated formula for 1989, Team Lotus was left stranded without a heart to their cars after Honda entered exclusive deals with McLaren at the end of 1988. After exploring various power plant options, Lotus was forced to turn to Judd to supply them with a customer V8.However, the customer Judd powerplant supplied for the 101 (Judd supplied new engines for their primary customer, March) produced 610hp, approximately 80bhp less than the V10 Honda McLaren.  The 101 was immediately less competitive.Additionally, changes were being felt within the team after Gerard Ducarouge was replaced by Frank Dernie as chief designer. Recruited from Williams, Dernie was tasked with designing a new car to meet new F1 regulations. With less power compared to their turbo counterparts, Dernie’s designs for the 101 would be focused on reducing drag and maximizing down force.The result was a tightly packed design that was considerably longer, lower and narrower than the turbo monsters. The design was so compact that MOMO was asked to produce a special steering wheel to allow the drivers knuckles to clear the cockpits sides.Other features included a high intake behind the driver feeding cold air into the Judd V8 and a more open cockpit exposing the driver’s shoulders.

The Lotus 101 was piloted by Nelson Piquet and Satori Nakajima scoring 15 points during the season with four 4th place finishes between them. Piquet finished 8thin the driver’s championship.Although wearing one of the most memorable suits in F1, the Camel Lotus 101 will forever reflect the brutality and political speed of the Formula 1 game. One season is all it takes to go from being a championship contending team to grid filler.

Take a look at the remainder of this spectacular gallery below:

Gallery: Up close and personal with the Camel Lotus 101 is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Gallery: Up close and personal with the Camel Lotus 101 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Come for a ride flat-out on board some of the best sounding British Touring Cars to ever race – V6 Ford BTCC Super Tourers, Nigel Mansell and co.

This video is a quick fan-made tribute to one of the most exciting eras of the British Touring Car Championship – BTCC Super Tourers and the Ford V6 powered Mondeos that populated the field. Driven by the likes of Nigel Mansell and co, it was a time when absolutely anything could happen on track (who remembers the time Nigel knocked himself out?).

Take a look at these other awesome BTCC Videos:

MORE: Nigel Mansell stars in the best race in BTCC history

MORE: BTCC 1992 – Tin Top Tearaways

MORE: BTCC – Nigel Mansell knocks himself out

MORE: BTCC gets agro! “I’m gonna rip your f*** face off!”

BTCC Super Tourers – Screaming Ford V6s is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post BTCC Super Tourers – Screaming Ford V6s appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Watch as this rolling earthquake / rat trap dragster converts a mix of Nitro and Alcohol into tyre smoke at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Front engined dragsters are a thing of the past; a throwback to a time when drag racers weren’t as worried about having thousands of horsepower worth of screaming engine located right in front of their face as they screamed 402m into the distance.

MORE: Flashback – American Drag Racing in the 1950s and 60s

This particular rat trap dragster is a full on, nitro-methane powered big block monster that throws back to an original build from the mid 1960s. According to the driver it cranks out more than 3,000 horsepower, and it certainly sounds every bit as crazy as any modern Top Fuel competitor. These are the sort of cars which literally shake your eyeballs in their socket and assault your body with vibrations as they unleash down the quarter mile.

MORE: NHRA – Can you feel The Force? – The best of John Force (video)

Rat Trap Dragster – 3000 horsepower unleashed! is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Rat Trap Dragster – 3000 horsepower unleashed! appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

They were racing machines which truly portrayed the spirit of innovation. Here are 10 of the greatest Lotus Formula 1 cars ever built.

We recently had the chance to blast around in Lotus’ latest 2014 Exige S. It was a fantastic little machine, true to it’s roots and it really got us thinking about legendary Lotus boss Colin Chapman’s philosophy of ‘add lightness, innovate, win’. This same ideal is still alive and well in the DNA of today’s Lotus road cars, something all too rare amongst most modern-day manufacturers’ mantras. To celebrate, we’re looking back on ten of the most iconic Lotus Formula One cars, a staggering eight of which took Chapman’s philosophy to first place in the World Championship.

For now we’re indulging in a little bit of Lotus nostalgia, but we’ll be talking a little bit more about the awesome little Exige S soon. If you want to sample the race-bred glory right away, click to test drive a Lotus in Australia here. To arm yourself with the latest offers and all the information that you’ll need when pitching to your significant other and to work out exactly which car you need and how many go-faster bits you can order it with, download a brochure here.

For now, it’s time to look at ten of the machines which shaped Lotus as we know it today:

Lotus 18 – 2.5-litre, four-cylinder Coventry Climax ( Stirling Moss – Monaco 1960)

The lightweight and lean Lotus 18 was the car that took Lotus to the winners’ circle for the first time, courtesy of plucky privateer Rob Walker Racing and genius wheelman Stirling Moss on the streets of Monaco in 1960. Innes Ireland gave the works team its first win later that year, at Watkins Glen, before Moss cleaned up in Monaco again in ’61.

Lotus 25 – 1.5-litre V8 Coventry Climax (Jim Clark – Silverstone 1963)

The magnificent monocoque machine in which Jim Clark scored 14 GP wins over four seasons, including his dominant 1963 title year. The Scot and the yellow-and-green Lotus remains for many the greatest driver/car combination in the history of Formula 1.

Lotus 33 – 1.5-litre and 2-litre V8 Coventry Climax/BRM (Jim Clark – Holland 1965)

A more powerful, wider-tyred development of the all-conquering 25, the 33 helped Jim Clark to his second world title in 1965. Had it been more reliable, it might well have made Clark’s mid-60s stats even more impressive.

Lotus 49/49B – 3-litre Ford Cosworth DFV (Graham Hill – Monaco 1968)

With the all-new, Ford-funded, Cosworth-built DFV engine that would quickly became the ultimate off-the-shelf F1 powerplant bolted to the rear bulkhead, the 49 won first time out with Clark at Zandvoort in 1967. Its upgraded successor, the 49B won on its debut, too – at Monaco in ’68.

Lotus 72 – 3-litre Ford Cosworth DFV (Jochen Rindt – France 1970)

The innovative 72, with its wedge shape, inboard brakes and side-mounted radiators, first appeared in 1970 and, via its B, C, D and E successors, was still racing at the end of ’75. A hugely successful and iconic machine in Gold Leaf then JPS livery, it secured wins and titles with Jochen Rindt and Emerson Fittipaldi and helped secure Ronnie Peterson’s Super Swede status.

Lotus 79 – 3-litre Ford Cosworth DFV ( Mario Andretti, Ronnie Peterson – Holland 1978)

Taking advantage of full ground-effect aerodynamics, the stunning JPS-liveried 79 blew – or was it sucked? – the opposition away immediately, with a debut win at Zolder in 1978. Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson took a one-two in the drivers’ title that year, despite Peterson losing his life in the antepenultimate race, with Lotus taking a crushing constructors’ championship victory.

Lotus 88 – 3-litre Ford Cosworth DFV ( Elio de Angelis  – England 1981)

Showcasing Chapman’s free-thinking genius, the twin-floor 88 was conceived to circumvent the ban on sliding skirts that helped seal air under the floor to increase downforce. It was entered for the British GP in 1981 but banned, much to the chagrin of Chapman, who was convinced it was legal, so remains an unraced Lotus.

Lotus 97T – 1.5-litre V6 Renault (Ayrton Senna – Monaco 1986)

How could a car that allowed Ayrton Senna to pulverise the opposition in the rain at Estoril for his maiden F1 win in 1985 not be on anyone’s list of favourite Lotus cars? The Renault-turbo car, in JPS colours, with that yellow helmet poking out of the cockpit remains one of the trademark images of 1980s F1.

Lotus 99T – 1.5-litre V6 Honda (Ayrton Senna – Belgium 1987)

In garish yellow Camel colours for just one season, the 99T, now powered by a Honda turbo engine, gave Senna the first of his six wins at Monaco in 1987 and also marked the first victory for a car with active suspension. Lotus had experimented with the computer-controlled set-up in 1983 with the 92 but it finally came good four years later.

Lotus E20 – 2.4-litre V8 Renault (Kimi Raikkonen – England 2012)

So-called to mark 20 years of success at Enstone, where Benetton and Renault had won world titles, the 2012 E20 was an effective tool from ‘new Lotus’, as the team had become. The E20 gave Kimi Raikkonen, back after a stint in rallying, seven podium finishes and victory under the lights in Abu Dhabi.

Post sponsored by Lotus Cars

Images: The Cahier Archive

Just add lightness: 10 Iconic Lotus Formula 1 cars is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Just add lightness: 10 Iconic Lotus Formula 1 cars appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Countless beautiful historic racing cars descended on Laguna Seca for the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a mind-blowing whirlwind of all things fast.

If you think that racing cars should be driven rather than parked on golf courses, the pinnacle of Monterey Car Week is the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Forget the famous Pebble Beach concours, we’d rather spend Sunday at a track like Mazda Raceway Leguna Seca.

MORE: Stand-out cars from the 2014 Monterey Auction Week

…and that’s exactly what our man John Young went and did. Fully immersed in the event as part of Ron Goodman’s team and their Porsche 356, these were the ten things which surprised John the most.

MORE: Gallery – The 2012 Monterey Motorsports Reunion by Brad Fox

Hungry for more? Don’t forget to check out the 10 things we learnt at the Monterey Motorposrts Pre-Reunion.

Maserati was the featured marque. It’s 100 years since the brothers Maserati opened their garage in Bologna, Italy. It would be another 12 years before the first car to bear their name was made and proved its potency winning the Targa Florio in the same year.

So there were more Maseratis present than most people have ever seen in one place. Maserati put on a marvellous display of machinery, old and new. The modern MC12 looked and sounded amazing. The sole surviving Tipo 151 was as different as it is rare. Among the quirkier highlights, however, was a fabulous early fifties factory transporter, backdrop to the 4CL racecar. Very tasty indeed.

Plus, there were privately entered Maseratis… 250F, 300S, 450S, 3500GT… name your favourite Maserati and chances are it was there.

They do things differently in America. Vintage racing in America is gentlemen’s racing. What does that mean? It means exactly that. Rubbing panels is out. Gentle ‘love taps’ are a big no-no. Have a coming together of any sort, and there’s every chance you’ll get a 13-month ban, which means you won’t be running at the following year’s event. Passing isn’t easy. Diving under brakes is hard, because a pass isn’t deemed to be made unless you get right past the other car before the corner so its driver can maintain line. Goodwood, for example, is a much tougher school! The philosophy at Monterey is that the preservation of the cars is at least as important as racing them. They may just have a point.

To drive it home, the trophies presented on Sunday afternoon don’t go to the race winners. Instead, a Rolex Award for Excellence is presented to a driver from each of the 15 race groups.

That doesn’t mean they don’t drive them hard and fast. There are plenty of in-car videos circulating on YouTube that prove how hard, fast and well cars are driven. Check them out and you’ll be left in now doubt that Monterey is not just processional racing. Overstep the mark, however, and you’ll serve a drive through penalty for “attitude adjustment”. It actually happened to the first and second placed Ferrari and Corvette in Class 3A for GT Cars 1955-1962 as they started lapping slower traffic on Saturday afternoon. Respect your fellow competitors… or else.

The big end of town is out in force. And they bring some spectacular machinery along. Not just the aforementioned Maseratis. Ferraris galore. Rare Astons. Porsches you’re privileged to see, let alone see on a track. The morning after a Ferrari 250GTO sold for over $38 million, another was being raced by Tom Price (Mr Price was actually racing two cars at the event, the other being a Maserati 250F!). The Maserati Tipo 151 was there to be driven by Derek Hill, son of American F1 World Champion Phil Hill, not just looked at.

With the big end of town come big end transporters. At English and European meetings we’ve visited, the normal procedure is for teams to unload their cars outside the paddock. The racecars are accommodated in marquees, carports or garages alongside others in their class. It’s done that way at places like Goodwood, Silverstone or Le Mans. At Leguna Seca, the limited garage accommodation is occupied by manufacturers. The paddock area is jam-packed full of immaculately presented transporters, with canopies for cars, caterers for driver/owners and fully equipped mobile workshops. It’s all part of the show at Monterey, and some of the transporters would be right at home in the heady world of F1.

‘Arrive and drive’ reaches new heights. Chances are if you’re a highflying business or professional person, you don’t have much time to coordinate your racing activities. In America there are several organisations offering the perfect solution. You just roll up on the day and everything is ready for you. Companies like Dennison Motorsport provide a splendid service for those who an afford it. Even Porsche is getting in on the act with its own service for owner-drivers.

Great racing… or a great show? At times, the front-runners just go out and have a good time. The Trans Am race on Sunday afternoon was the most obvious example, where the top five drivers swapped positions with each other just a little too often for credibility. For all that they were still driving the cars very fast and well, and the sound of these almost totally unmuffled V8s is shattering. The commentators summed it up, however, when they suggested we should put our hands together for “a great show”.

Highlights of the driver’s meeting. “Among you are some real race car drivers,” said the circuit CEO Gill Campbell who added, “The rest of you are drivers of race cars.” Her point wasn’t lost on the audience. Nor were the remarks of the Race Director as he described the use of flags. “The blue flag with the yellow strip being shown to you means there’s a race going on, and you’re not in it.” In other words, get out of the way. It may be gentlemen’s racing, but it’s still racing.

Nine Tigers. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the introduction of the Sunbeam Tiger, the most affordable blend of British design, American iron and Shelby input money can buy. There were nine of them racing at Monterey, and the front-runners were pretty quick. Hardly surprising, considering the car’s size and the Ford V8 up front. Among them was the immaculate black Hollywood Sports Cars Tiger, a legend on the West Coast and a concours entrant at Carmel earlier in the week. But arguably the most valuable Tiger of all didn’t have a Tiger badge on it. The ’62 Alpine which Shelby turned into the Tiger prototype in a matter of weeks was there in tidy ‘survivor’ condition. The only clue to what lies within is a ‘260 V8’ badge below the Alpine badge on the fender.

A follow-up from our Pre-Reunion report. Cameron Healy finished on the podium in every event he contested in the Pooper and Porsche 908. Alex Curtiss received the Rolex Award for Excellence in Class 7b in his Mercedes-Benz 300SL, moving from 13^th grid position to finish 7^th in the final race for the category. Ron Goodman’s ‘ Outback garage’ won the award for the Best Paddock Display.

Should you go to Monterey? Absolutely. The hardest thing is deciding which of the other events you’ll go to. But be warned, some of them are quite expensive to get into. While the Tuesday Concours on the Avenue at Carmel-by-the-Sea is free, the headline Pebble Beach event will set you back 300 bucks to get in. The auctions aren’t free either. But it’s all part of the week’s excitement. If Monterey isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be.

John Young

Note: the writer travelled to Monterey with Ron Goodman’s team

10 things we learnt at the 2014 Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post 10 things we learnt at the 2014 Monterey Motorsports Reunion appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

We love historic racing; what could be better than a weekend at the track with your historic race car or bike and some good friends? So we’re taking a look at entry-level machinery that’ll get you going with something fast, competitive and fun.

And we’re kicking off where the racing is at its most rambunctious – tin-tops!

Image via Car & Classic UK

Something simple to start: Ford Escort

Introduced in the late ’60s, the Ford Escort was huge in Europe and the United States, and found success around the world.

The classic variations, Mark I and Mark II, Twin-Cam, RS 1600, RS 1800 and RS2000, were neat, quick and agile little rear-wheel-drive monsters. They tore up the rally circuit, with Mark I and Mark II Escorts dominating the category for a decade.

And while they’re probably best known for their rally prowess, they were no slouch in touring car, hill climb and GT racing.

Their popularity and variety means that you can pick one up to suit a range of entry-level budgets, and there’s plenty of knowledge, parts and expertise available for running, maintaining and developing them. You’ll also find plenty of places to race them, depending on where you are in the world and your preference for performance.

Take this little Escort Mk. 1 for sale at Car & Classic UK for example. It’s running a 200bhp dry sump Pinto motor through a Quaife gearbox and an LSD, has a genuine Mexico Type 49 shell, is currently competing in historic racing and can be had for £20000.

Allow us to escort you to more Escort action: Video: How to treat a Mk2 Ford Escort

Image via Car & Classic  UK

Something small: A Mini

They’re an obvious choice, and for good reason. Minis offer an amount of fun inversely-proportional to their stature, and they can throw a punch that’ll knock the smile off of cars boasting significantly more plentiful horses.

Every time we’re out enjoying some Group S and Group N racing, there are Minis up the inside of absolutely everything, inside rear wheel cocked. And that looks like a good time to us!

The ’60s were a glorious time – especially if you were, or were driving, a Mini. They dominated international rally racing, placing a particularly prominent stamp on the Monte Carlo Rally, blew everyone away at Bathurst, stomped the British Saloon Car Championship and more still.

And they haven’t let up since. They’re extremely popular in historic motorsport, making them well-supported opportunity to get into the sport. Plus they’re absolutely adorable, and we want our cars to bring a smile to our faces each time we catch a glimpse of them.

The Mini Cooper S up above, also up for sale through Car & Classic UK, will set you back £19500, or nearest offer. And that gets you a working FIA race car in good nick with a nice spec and tune. And like the Escorts, because they were so prolific, you’ll be able to find a Mini to match almost any budget, including some very, very nice cars with race history.

We all need more Minis in our lives, so check out: Video: Absolute Chaos – Mini Madness

Image via Racecars Direct

Something substantial: Ford Mustang

Who wouldn’t want a Mustang? Big power, big beautiful noise and a stance with the presence to match. These are the cars blasting past the Minis down the straights, and making sure everyone knows about it.

Ford have been building and racing Mustangs since 1964, wasting no time getting them out onto the track by organising one as a pace car for the 1964 Indy 500. From there they went on to find success in drag racing, road racing, Trans-Am, stock racing and pretty much any form of four-wheeled motorsport.

Since they’ve been built and raced for half a century, you’ll find plenty of these on the historic racing circuits of the word. And that means plenty of variations and options to suit your racing budget, along with a huge support network when it comes to maintaining and developing them, and learning the odd setup trick or two. It also means a good community to share the historic racing experience with!

They start a little more expensive than the Escorts or Minis, but you can pick a good one up around $40,000 and go a long way north from there, should you so desire!

The above 1965 Notchback Mustang up for sale at Racecars Direct is a great example. British racing green, obligatory go-faster racing twin-stripes and well-sorted, it could be yours for $52,000.

 This man rallied his Mustang around the world: Video: Rallying across the globe

Hopping in to Historic Racing: Three Timeless Tin-Tops is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Hopping in to Historic Racing: Three Timeless Tin-Tops appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Narrow tree lined roads, a life-long rally driver and the legendary Audi S1 E2.

Armin Schwarz is more than comfortable behind the wheel of a rally car, he’s right at home. The German born ex-WRC driver spent nearly twenty years rallying competitively. He was German rally champion for two years running in 1987 and 1988, and European Rally Champion in 1996.

For every other year between 1988 and 2005 he was a part of the WRC, winning the Spanish round of the 1991 season whilst driving for Toyota. Today however, we’re going to watch him in an Audi. It’s not just any Audi either.

MORE: Video – The incredible sounds of rally

This video takes us for a ride aboard nothing less than the legendary Audi S1 E2, driven by Schwarz at the 2005 Eifel Rallye. The onboard film was shot years before YouTube swapped to a widescreen format, so you’ll have to pay attention to the center of the screen. That being said, it’s pretty awesome.

Audi S1 E2 Rally – Through the forest with a WRC driver (video) is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Audi S1 E2 Rally – Through the forest with a WRC driver (video) appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

From the mother-load of beautiful Martini Racing photographs out there on their Facebook page, these are our favorites.

The Martini Racing stripes will forever remain as one of the most evocative designs known to motorsport. Most frequency draped over the shapes of beautiful Porsche and Lancia racing machines, they’re instantly recognizable to those with even a passing interest in classic rally and racing cars.

MORE: What do the Martini Racing stripes mean to you? (Video)

Of course their contemporary involvement in Formula One is a big deal too, however for many (including us), it’s hard to forget the golden years of old. These were times when stunning sports and Formula cars were draped in beautifully simple liveries, often including the unique Martini combination of blue and red.

MORE: These are the greatest Martini Racing liveries

Thankfully, the guys who run the official Martini Racing Facebook page seem to feel the same way. A seemingly endless stream of amazing photographs demonstrating the journey of the Martini stripes through the years is available via their page.

MORE: The beautiful Martini Porsche 911 RSR rep (Gallery)

Take a look at just some of our favorites:

Take a look at the rest of the striking gallery here:

While you’re here, take a look at what’s on offer through our newly released premium content delivery service, Motorsport Retro Premium;

Gallery: The best of Martini Racing is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Gallery: The best of Martini Racing appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

This is what Laguna Seca looks like when a Mazda 787 driver hunts down 17 positions in just a few laps of racing.

Watch as Sylvain Tremblay knocks off a whopping seventeen positions whilst piloting the  much quicker Mazda 787 at Laguna Seca.

MORE: Gallery – Three of Mazda’s four-rotor sportscars on track! 

Tremblay is most accustomed to racing Mazda LMP2 diesels as part of the Tudor United Sportscar Championship, so we’re wonder how long it took his ears to adjust to the ear-piercing wail of Mazda’s four-rotor monster.

 MORE: Mazda 787B – Full noise around Spa (video)

Not to be confused with the most frequently discussed and also four-rotor 787B, this Mazda 787 is a 1990 Le Mans Group C Prototype. It’s an incredible piece of Japanese sportscar history, so let’s strap in with RACER and go for a ride…

MORE: Living with Le Mans Supercars on the streets of Japan (video)

While you’re here, take a look at what’s on offer through our newly released premium content delivery service, Motorsport Retro Premium;

Mazda 787 – Raw noise – Aggressive Driving (video) is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Mazda 787 – Raw noise – Aggressive Driving (video) appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

F1 engineering boils down to one primary thing – going faster than the other guy. This Formula One documentary follows the march of technology through the years as constructors and drivers fight for the top spot.

Opening Image: Patrick Tambay at the 1986 Spanish Grand Prix, by The Cahier Archive

Originally presented by the Discovery Channel, this Formula One Documentary takes the time to map out the crucial turning points in the journey the sport has taken during it’s long history.

MORE: Celebrating 900 Formula 1 Grands Prix (gallery)

Enjoy.

While you’re here, take a look at what’s on offer through our newly released premium content delivery service, Motorsport Retro Premium;

Formula One documentary – The Limit is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

The post Formula One documentary – The Limit appeared first on Motorsport Retro.