Portland Historic Races To Celebrate Shelby Mustang GT350R 6/6/2005 - This year's vintage racing event will commemorate the legendary Shelby Mustang GT350R, of which only 36 competition models were built. Other racing highlights include a field of historic Winston Cup stock cars, and appearances by Brian Redman, a world-class race driver who competed at the highest levels of the sport in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The event is a fundraiser for the Children's Cancer Association (CCA), a not-for-profit organization based in Portland that works to positively impact the care and quality of life for seriously ill children and teens with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses throughout Oregon and the United States. This is the fourth year the racing event has associated itself with CCA. Carroll Shelby introduced the Mustang GT350 and its lightweight racing derivative, the GT350R, in 1965. The GT350R model was lighter than its streetcar version by 300 pounds and featured a 360 horsepower engine, racing suspension, and a fiberglass airdam that replaced the bumper. Only 36 competition models were built; the public raced 34 of the cars, and the factory team raced two prototypes. The GT350R won the SCCA B-Production national championships from 1965 to 1967. Additional highlights to this year's event include the return of the Historic Stock Car Racing Series, an organization dedicated to the restoration, preservation, and continued competition of historic Winston Cup stock cars. A field of nearly two dozen historic stock cars will race, including Jeff Gordon's Dupont Rainbow Warrior car, Richard Petty's #43 STP car, Rusty Wallace's #2 Genuine Miller Draft car, Bill Elliott's #94 McDonalds car, and Ernie Irvan's #4 Kodak car. This year's race chairman is Redman, a driver who was successful in all forms of road racing, including Formula One; the World Manufacturers' Championship; the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) with three championships in Formula 5000; and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), winning the Daytona 24 hours three times, and becoming the 1981 GTP Champion. Redman continues to race at historic events around the world. Unique cars scheduled to race include a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT LM, a 1958 Lister Jaguar, a 1963 Brabham BT6 Formula Jr., and a 1966 McLaren MIB. The Baxter Auto Parts Portland Historic Races features an open paddock, which allows the public the opportunity to view these legendary vintage cars up close and interact with the drivers. The event also presents a display of more than 900 collector cars and hot rods, a vendor midway, the Pepsi Kid Zone, and an upscale food and wine pavilion presented by Fred Meyer. The event is produced and sanctioned by the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA). Established in 1977, HMSA is an organization specializing in race events that feature historic cars through 1972. HMSA emphasizes the preservation and proper use of historic racecars. The association is also the sanctioning body for the world-renowned Monterey Historic Automobile Races. http://www.theracesite.com/index.cfm?pagetype=2&form_article=9569
Tickets are on sale now for this year's 29th annual Baxter Auto Parts Portland Historic Races, July 8 through 10 at Portland International Raceway. The event, which features high-speed racing by 250 prestigious vintage cars, runs daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets cost $40 for all three days; $10 for Friday; or $25 for Saturday or Sunday. Children under 12 are admitted for free. Advance discount tickets are available at all Baxter Auto Parts locations. Click here for tickets. http://www.portlandhistorics.com/spectators/about.html
