The Vintage Automobile Racing Association has announced the schedule for it’s annual High Performance Driving School called VARA-U. It is held at the beginning of every race season as an opportunity to either get your provisional vintage racing license or enjoy a weekend of track-based instruction. Some drivers come every year for a fun and affordable weekend, [...]

This weekend I made the trip down to Buttonwillow Raceway to compete in VARA’s annual Octoberfest event (Septemberfest?). The turnout was quite healthy with over 140 competitors, and the wknd featured two special races: the All German Car race and the Formula Vee Challenge. VARA rekindled the Saturday night potluck dinner and it was a smashing success. While the weather [...]

This weekend VARA held their annual British Extravaganza race weekend at Buttonwillow Raceway near Bakersfield, CA. The event included the regular race series, as well as the British car only Challenge Race, the Classic Motorsports Magazine Small Bore Challenge Enduro, the Central Valley British Car Club carshow, lunchtime track drive-arounds, and the Saturday night BBQ and [...]

Wagons, wagons, everywhere… Maybe I’m just noticing old stationwagons more these days, but at this weekend’s race there were cool wagons everywhere! I’ve never been a trend setter, so it’s certainly not my doing, but I sure like this fad. These wagons were all cruising the pits at Willow Springs, except the last shot, that one’s [...]

Racing by the numbers This weekend’s race schedule was one of the busiest ever for me. Saturday included a 30 minute timed practice, a 40 minute qualifying race, a 30 minute enduro practice, and a 70 minute enduro. Sunday’s schedule added another 30 minute practice and a 40 minute flag race. 240 minutes, that’s 4 [...]

The Race Report This weekend I raced at the annual VARA Enduro weekend event held at Willow Springs Int’l Raceway, “The Fastest Track in the West”. This track certainly lives up to it’s name, in the Race Wagon it’s a two gear/two shift track. The first half of the 2.5 miles in 4th gear, one upshift and the second half in 5th. [...]

The racing gods must have figured out I deserved a great weekend after all the hard work and preparation on the Race Wagon, and who was I to argue. We went down to Buttonwillow Raceway for a Friday test day and got 5 half-hour test sessions in. No leaks, nothing fell off, started every time, I [...]

VARA had its annual Driver’s School and Test & Tune at Buttonwillow Raceway this weekend. Attendance was particularly good considering the weather and the economy. We had almost 100 attendees, and dozens of club members attended as volunteers to help out. I spent the weekend as a “Wall Monkey” (aka driving instructor) and “Cone Boy” (aka track layout [...]