NHIS Vintage 5-22-04

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Vintage Racers


Pittsburgh PA is home base for 3 vintage racecars and their drivers. Dotti Bechtol #598, Thomas Grudovich #308and John Bechtol #599 travel the circuit as a group, competing between themselves and against the large assemblage of vintage racers. Dottie races a red 1959 Elva MK IV. Frank Nichels designed and built the car. It is thoroughly British with right hand drive. Per Dottie, “She is a great car, hugs the road.” “Elva” in French means “She Goes” and she does go. Tom also races a 1959 Elva that is white with blue stripes. It too, is a MK IV Sports Racer with a 1460 cc Coventry Climax Motor. Tom enjoys vintage racing and the friendships acquired along the way. John Bechtol races a green and yellow 1959 Lotus Type 18 Formula Jr. 1959-1963 Formula Jr was the racing class immediately below the Formula One, which raced in Europe. His 18 was raced in both Formula Jr and Formula One configurations. His racecar was revolutionary in 1959-60. Vintage Racing is a sport onto its own mixing a bit of the past with the technology of our current racing industry.

1970 Ford/Chev Super Modified Vintage Race Car

Jr. Prescoll built #24 1970 Red and white Ford/Chev Super Modified for the Beech Ridge RaceTrack In Maine. It also ran Star and Lee Race Tracks. The drivers were Howard Brown, Smokey Boutwell, Walter Prescott and Dick McCabe. This Super Modified finished second in points at Beech Ridge in 1974 and 75 and ran as a V6 at Hudson in 1984 and 85.
Frank Driscoll, from Keene New Hampshire, now owns and races #24 in the Vintage Shows. He enjoys the history and spirits that come with this Vintage racecar.

1959 Gemini MK II F Jr

Victor Pastore owns and races one of the last all metal bodied, front engine F Jr racecars. The F Jr class was “training wheels” for the Formula I drivers. Victor, from Chester New Jersey, races his 1959 Gemini MK II, single seat, open wheel #667 race car on the Vintage race tour.