VRCBC Vantage Cover Autumn 2014

Posted: October 6, 2014

Editor in Chief Tom Johnston has just released the Autumn 2014 edition of Vantage – the VRCBC Newsletter. In this issue, President Tedd McHenry reviews the Club’s progress this year. Mike Tate then reminisces on ‘his life with beautiful models’! (Don’t jump to conclusions!) Robin Fairservice tells the story of the legendary one-off, mid-engined Jaguar XJ13. Tom Johnston reports on this year’s road racing inductees to the Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society and there are some photo highlights from the BCHMR and other venues.

You can find this edition – and all of the previous Vantages – under the About VRCBC menu, or just download it directly by clicking here.

David Hogg (Porsche 911) holds off Ian Thomas (BMW 2002) and an almost hidden Mike Hawthorne (Porsche 944) through Mission's Turn 5 with Leigh Anderson (BMW 1600), Ian Wood (Volvo 142S) and Paul Haym (Datsun 510) in hot pursuit. - Brent Martin photo

David Hogg (Porsche 911) holds off Ian Thomas (BMW 2002) and an almost hidden Mike Hawthorne (Porsche 944) through Mission’s Turn 5 with Leigh Anderson (BMW 1600), Ian Wood (Volvo 142S) and Paul Haym (Datsun 510) in hot pursuit. – Brent Martin photo

Updated: September 17, 2014

The latest racing in the VRCBC’s REVS series took place this past Sunday, September 14th during the SCCBC’s ‘September Sizzle Weekend’.

The results are posted under the ‘Race Results – 2014 Season‘ menu tab or just click here to go directly to the page. As always, thanks to the SCCBC Timing & Scoring team.

Update: Jim Bradley has posted some photos of the weekend’s racing in the ‘Cars‘ section of his website (here). Look for the ‘SCCBC – Sept 14 – 2014’ album or just click here to go directly to the six pages of photos. The fourth, fifth and sixth pages have some great shots of our VRCBC ‘hero racers’.

Thanks to Brent Martin for the action photos below.

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Tony Carruthers (1986 Swift DB2), Jim Robinson (1967 Lotus Super Seven), Marty Knoll (1975 Johnston JM3 ), Ian Wood (1965 Fournier Marcadier Barquette) and - almost hidden behind Jim's Lotus - Ray Stec (Royale RP37) coming through Turn 5 at the Mission Raceway Road Course on Saturday. - Brent Martin photo

Tony Carruthers (1986 Swift DB2), Jim Robinson (1967 Lotus Super Seven), Marty Knoll (1975 Johnston JM3 ), Ian Wood (1965 Fournier Marcadier Barquette) and – almost hidden behind Jim’s Lotus – Ray Stec (Royale RP37) coming through Turn 5 at the Mission Raceway Road Course on Saturday. – Brent Martin photo

Posted: August 19, 2014

This year’s edition of the BC Historic Motor Races continued the great 27 year tradition of the VRCBC’s big annual event. The BCHMR has its own web site (here). Many photos of the weekend have already been added and the final results will follow soon. Check it regularly.

You can also see other photos and follow the ongoing serious (and not so serious) commentary among some of the racers, officials and fans on the VRCBC Facebook page (here).

The next regular VRCBC ‘River’s Edge Vintage Series’ races will take place on the Sunday of the SCCBC’s September 13th-14th weekend event at Mission Raceway. Full information will be posted on the Schedule page of the SCCBC web site (here).

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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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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