SONOMA, California – Corte Madera’s Tom Dyer returned to a familiar racetrack on Saturday and it paid off as he captured the win in qualifying at the Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races at Infineon Raceway.
Dyer was one of three Marin County residents to taste victory on the 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course, the others being Ross’ Tom Byrnes (1964 Brabham, Group 7) and San Rafael’s Arthur Hebert (1963 Lola, Group 5).
Dyer, who won the 2005 NASCAR Southwest Series event in the Sonoma Valley and is an instructor at the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at Infineon Raceway, piloted his 1974 Lola to victory in Group 6 (1968-1976 Formula 5000).
In all, 350 historic racecars, some dating as far back as 1915, took part in qualifying in 10 divisions on Saturday. Action returns on Sunday with 10-lap main events for all divisions. Gates open at 7 a.m., with feature races set to begin at 12:40 p.m.
For Dyer, it was a return to his home track and he didn’t disappoint with a strong run in his Lola. He won the seven-lap qualifying race in his Lola, which is owned by Sacramento’s Todd Reiners.
“This is the first time this car has seen this track in 10 years,” Dyer said. “It’s cool to win, but I think it’s more about representing the Formula 5000 class. They are true gems and really beautiful cars.”
Formula 5000, which like Infineon Raceway is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2008, is the featured class of the weekend. The cars had their heyday from 1968-1976 in this country with manufacturers like Lola and McLaren, to name just a few.
Dyer wasn’t the only Northern California driver with success on Sunday. Alamo’s Peter Giddings took the qualifying win for Group 1 (Pre-War and Post-War to 1952); Monterey’s Don Orosco won in Group 3 (1958 Lotus); and San Jose’s Peter Inshaw won in Group 4 (1963 Alfa Romeo, Group 4);
Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races
SONOMA, Calif. – Top-10 qualifying results Saturday from the Wine Country Classic Historic Car Races at Infineon Raceway. All qualifying races were contested on Infineon Raceway’s 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course. Car and hometown in parentheses:
GROUP 1 (7 laps)
Pre-War and Post-War Sports and Racing Cars to 1952
1. Peter Giddings (1935 Alfa Romeo, Alamo); 2. John Kerr (1932 Miller Scofield, San Luis Obispo); 3. Michael Cleary (1932 Studebaker, Carpinteria); 4. Jan Voboril (1924 Ford T, Topanga); 5. David Swig (1931 Chrysler, Sausalito); 6. John Fitzpatrick (1939 BMW, Redding); 7. Dick Cupp (1936 Austin Seven, La Canada); 8. John Kerridge (1926 Frazer Nash, Del Mar); 9. Dick Jeffery (1937 Triumph, Hillsborough); 10. Mick McNally (1931 Riley, Sacramento).
GROUP 2 (7 laps)
1948-1955 Sports Racing and Production Cars
1. John Buddenbaum (1949 Parkinson-Jaguar, Bend, Ore.); 2. Robert Manson (1952 The Schaghticoke, Redwood City); 3. Jim Herlinger (1949 Baldwin Mercury, Woodside); 4. Bernard Juchli (1955 Hagemann Jaguar, Palo Alto); 5. Leland Osborn (1955 Crosley, San Miguel); 6. John Shirley (1954 Austin-Healey, Sonoma); 7. Clint deWitt (1955 Porsche, Sacramento); 8. Don Baldocchi (1954 Nardi Crosley, Redding); 9. Don Martine (1950 MG, Pacific Grove); 10. Jim Brown (1955 Cooper, Fallbrook).
GROUP 3 (7 laps)
1955-1960 Sports Racing Cars
1. Don Orosco (1958 Lotus, Monterey); 2. Jim Lawrence (1958 Lotus, Lafayette); 3. Ed Nigro (1960 Lola, Las Vegas); 4. Richard Goldsmith (1958 Lotus, Pebble Beach); 5. Tom Hollfelder (1959 Devin, Covina); 6. Tom Malloy (1958 Lister-Jaguar, Villa Park); 7. Ron Federspiel (1964 Crusader, Bend, Ore.); 8. John Goodman (1958 Devin, Seattle); 9. Chris Orosco (1959 Lola, Monterey); 10. Nick Colonna (1959 Lister-Chevy, Palos Verdes).
GROUP 4 (7 laps)
1956-1962 Production Cars
1. Peter Inshaw (1963 Alfa Romeo, San Jose); 2. Scott Brown (1957 MGA, Redwood City); 3. Larry Bowman (1961 Ferrari, Redwood City); 4. Brian Howlett (1961 Morgan, Hacienda Heights); 5. Les Alexander (1957 Corvette, Woodside); 6. Mike Sweeney (1963 Porsche, Woodside); 7. Enrico Tenni (1962 Lotus, Mill Valley); 8. Tide Ebding (1961 Triumph, Martinez); 9. Ranson Webster (1961 Triumph, Reno, Nev.); 10. Damian Friary (1964 Morgan, Novato).
GROUP 5 (7 laps)
1958-1963 Formula Jr. and F-1 Cars
1. Arthur Hebert (1963 Lola, San Rafael); 2. Tom Byrnes (1962 Cooper, Ross); 3. William Cotter (1961 Scarab, Seattle); 4. David Zurlinden (1962 Brabham, Carmel Valley); 5. Reg Howell (1963 Brabham, Corona Del Mar); 6. Doug Mockett (1961 Cooper, Christiansted, Vir.); 7. Chris Locke (1963 Lotus, San Anselmo); 8. David Cooper (1962 Lotus, S. Lake Tahoe); 9. Jimmy Domingos (1960 Cooper, Carmel); 10. Marc Nichols (1960 Kieft, Grass Valley).
GROUP 6 (7 laps)
1968-1976 Formula 5000 Cars
1. Tom Dyer (1974 Lola, Corte Madera); 2. Roger Williams (1974 Lola, Auckland, New Zealand); 3. Paul Hoey (1973 McRae, Oly, Wash.); 4. Hamish Somerville (1974 Lola, New Milford, Conn.); 5. Bruce Leeson (1969 McLaren, Carmel); 6. Hal Whipple (1974 Talon, Aptos); 7. Tom Malloy (1974 Lola, Villa Park); 8. Nick Smith (1973 March, Rancho Santa Fe); 9. Steve Davis (1969 Eagle, Carmel); 10. Tony Adamowicz (1969 Eagle, Riverside).
GROUP 7 (7 laps)
1961-1965 Sports Racing Cars
1. Tom Byrnes (1964 Brabham, Ross); 2. Jeff Abramson (1966 Lotus, Danville); 3. John Morton (1964 Lotus, Los Gatos); 4. Mike Malone (1966 Elva, Seattle); 5. Al Nowocinski (1965 LeGrand, Huntington Beach); 6. Peter Stoneberg (1963 Lotus, Belevedere); 7. Larry Bowman (1964 Cooper, Redwood City); 8. Mike Blackie (1964 Genie, Prescott, Ariz.); 9. Richard Griot (1964 Webster, Milton, Wash.); 10. A.C. D’Augustine (1965 BMW Genie, Del Mar).
GROUP 8 (7 laps)
1963-1966 Production Cars
1. Jim Click (1965 Cobra, Tucson, Ariz.); 2. Terry Gough (1965, Reno, Nev.); 3. Mike Malone (1965 Lotus, Seattle); 4. Bruce Leven (1964 Corvette, Mercer Island, Wash.); 5. Fred Galloway (1963 Cobra, San Diego); 6. Jim Gallagher (1965 Mustang, Kirkland, Wash.); 7. Ken Adams (1966 Shelby, Gilroy); 8. Dwight Matheson (1966 Shelby, Meadow Vista); 9. Jim Reed (1966 Shelby, Newport Beach); 10. John Goodman (1964 Cobra, Seattle).
GROUP 9 (7 laps)
1966-1972 Historic Can-Am Cars
1. Jay Esterer (1970 McLaren, Edmonton, Alberta); 2. Steve Cook (1968 McLaren, Yountville); 3. Ilja Burkoff (1968 McLaren, Rolling Hills); 4. Tom Malloy (1971 McLaren, Villa Park); 5. Keith Frieser (1972 Lola, Nisku, Ak.); 6. James Freeman, 1967 Matick, New York); 7. Chris MacAllister (1971 McLaren, Indianapolis); 8. John Mozart (1972 Chevron, Palo Alto); 9. Tom Armstrong (1969 Lola, Issaquah, Wash.); 10. Todd Glyer (1968 Lola, Foster City).
Group 10 (7 laps)
1966-1972 Historic Trans-Am Cars
1. Phil Gallant (1969 Boss Mustang, Oceanside); 2. Jim Halsey (1970 Boss Mustang, Los Angeles); 3. Bruce Canepa (1970 Javelin, Scotts Valley); 4. Chad Raynal (1969 Camaro, San Jose); 5. Terry Miller (1967 Camaro, Simi Valley); 6. Gary Goeringer (1968 Ford Mustang, Nipomo); 7. Jim Click (1969 Boss Mustang, Tucson); 8. Michael Eisenberg (1963 Ford Falcon, Northridge); 9. Tim Brecht (1968 BMW, Escondido); 10. Arthur Miller (1967 Camaro, Santa Barbara).
###
Kawasaki AMA Superbike Showdown, presented by Supercuts
May 16-18
Wine Country Classic vintage car races
May 31-June 1
Toyota/Save Mart 350
NASCAR Weekend
June 20-22
FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals
July 25-27
NHRA Division 7 drag races, presented by Korbel
Aug. 1-3
Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma County
Aug. 22-24
PINKS All Out drag racing
Sept. 5-6
