A survey of Corvettes at the 53rd edition of the Rolex Motorsport Monterey Reunion (RMMR)
Pierce Marshall from Dallas raced in August in the RMMR at Laguna Seca, a month after July in the Brian Redman Classic at Road America. Pierce finished near the top in his # 3 2017 Pratt & Miller Corvette C7.R chassis 003 among 43 cars in Race Group 12 for the Scott Pruitt Trophy.
John Anderson from LA also ran in both races, finishing near the top in his # 15 1976 TA Corvette, Greenwood chassis 010 among 32 cars in Race Group 9 for the Peter Gregg Trophy.
Martin Hosek from New Hampshire faced off with Anderson in his # 39 1978 IMSA GTO Corvette; before heading back east to HF44 against 36 cars in the Big Bore Production Car Race at Lime Rock Park over Labor Day Weekend.
Patrick Byrne, a pro racer from Oregon repeated as the fastest Corvette in Group 9 in his # 40 1977 IMSA GTO. R.V. Schulnberg, a scrap metal dealer from Tampa originally ran it at Sebring. It was later configured as a Greenwood wide-body with a rich history here and abroad.
Patrick was also the top Corvette in his # 17 SCCA BP 1963 S/W/C among 30 cars in Race Group 3 for the Ken Miles Trophy.
Stuart Hanssen was further back in his # 26 SCCA BP 1965 roadster. Stuart keeps digging up history including the FIA Daytona 24-hour race in 1969.
Ed Schwartz raced his # 75 SCCA BP 1965 roadster, now fitted with a cage. Terry Gaugh rebuilt this car in 2002 and won at the Monterey Historic Races that featured the Corvette.
Ricardo Price raced his # 74 SCCA BP 1964 roadster. Dr. John Matthews originally raced it and qualified for the SCCA National Runoffs at Road Atlanta in 1974.
A.C. D’Augustine raced his # 75 SCCA BP 1965 roadster. Chuck Phillippi and Ralph Baldwin raced this car in IMSA and Trans Am in the mid-1970s.
Del Hardy raced his # 8 SCCA BP 1963 coupe, acquired from Don Haney, who previously raced it at the RMMR.
Michael Greene raced his # 151 SCCA BP 1963 roadster acquired from Bruce Miller who also previously raced it at the RMMR.
John Goodman from Seattle was the lone Corvette in Race Group 11 for the Tommy Kendall trophy. His # 5 1988 IMSA GTO Corvette tube-frame chassis was built by Protofab, surrounded by an aerodynamic C4 silhouette body. This coveted Corvette is part of John’s extensive collection including Corvettes he has raced in the Le Mans Classic in France.
The Monterey Historic Races, founded by Steve Earle in 1974 (today known as The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion) is overwhelmed by a circus of car shows, fancy events, auctions and the like. Hotels charge $ 1,200 per night during Monterey Car Week. Sad to report that Corvette entries are falling off because they are too costly to race and values are slipping away, all the while owners of more viable marques vie to fill the grids.
For instance, Pierce Marshall, referred to above, nabbed the historic # 4 1968 NART Corvette at the Monterey RM Auction with an eye on a gallery he has endowed to open shortly at the National Corvette Museum.
Photo credits: Dennis Gray, dennisgray711@me.com
