Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival_California Style, International Flair (Day 1)
Editorial-free photos attached. High resolution available. SonomaHistoricLOGOinsert.jpg FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: <http://us.mc842.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Barby.MacGowan@mediapronewport .com> Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int'l for General Racing, Ltd., +1 401-225-0249 (on-site mobile) Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival California Style, International Flair SONOMA, CALIF. (June 5, 2010) -Even though a good number of drivers here at the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival are from California, the event has a notable international contingent and a distinct worldly panache by virtue of having attracted the most extraordinary cars on the planet. The event got underway today with races for seven of 13 groups entered, and by weekend's end, 375 historic cars will have contested the demanding turns of Infineon Raceway, one of the most demanding race courses in America. Canadian Club Laurie Fraser and his wife made the trip to the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival from their home in Langely, British Columbia, with their beautiful 1960 Alfa Romeo SZ. Langley is horse country, but the Fraser's stables are home to a different kind of animal. In addition to his five Alfa Romeos, Fraser owns an Aston Martin, an AC Cobra, Lotus Super 7, two Morgans, and a Formula Junior. "I usually choose the Alfa to race because it keeps running and running, without any problems after 25 years of my racing it," said Langley, who began racing when he was 21, did different types of racing and hill climbs in the early '60's in an MG Midget, and began vintage racing in 1980. "We bought this car exactly 25 years ago from a retired military guy in Wiscasset Maine, sight unseen," added Fraser. "All my friends said we were nuts and there would be no car when we drove across the continent (to retrieve it), but they were wrong. The car was exactly as the gentleman advertised it. "I love this event because it reminds me of the racing I did years ago. My wife and I love to come here, and we make a holiday of it. We come here early to drop off the trailer, we do some wine tasting and have a good meal. It's all about having a good time." Brazilian Friends Fred Della Noce (Rio De Janeiro) and Andre Lara Resende (Sao Paulo) have brought a bit of Brazilian flair to the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival. The long-time friends have also brought a couple of significant Alfa Romeos to the event. Della Noce's 1967 Alfa Romeo GTAm and Lara Resende's 1965 Alfa Romeo GTA were fixtures at races in South America in the 1960s. As a teenager, Della Noce began his racing career in Go-Karts, Lara Resende his in motorcycles. The friends raced in Europe in a Porsche 908 in the mid-nineties, but the Alfas are what now give them the most satisfaction. "These are the cars we watched race when we were kids," said Della Noce, "and we loved them then but love driving them now more. " Della Noce has raced at Infineon Raceway three times but this is Lara Resende's first visit. "The whole atmosphere is wonderful and the track is exciting to drive," he said. "So many tracks become boring after a while, but this place keeps you busy all the time. The Sonoma Valley and the wine country have so much appeal with the good hotels, restaurants and especially the good weather this time of year. And I like very much the fact that you can go to San Francisco because it is so close. "There is a certain diversity of cars at this event that brings in all the history of racing in America, including the Grand National cars that you don't often see race in vintage events." Back from the Ashes Although he is from Salina, Kansas, Richard Morrison still adds an international story to the mix. He has brought a car that could easily have been lost to history but for someone's devotion to its magnificent restoration. His 1939 Lagonda V12 was one of the Lagondas that finished third and fourth at LeMans in 1939. During a German blitz later that year, the garage in which they were stored suffered a direct hit by a Nazi bomb. "The chassis survived the buzz bomb but the bodies were blown off of them," said Morrison, who is schedules to race tomorrow. "They also raced at Brooklands before the bombing and were able to run over 130 mph on the banking. This car was restored in England and the body is from an earlier restoration of one of the original team cars. I've had it since 1986." Highlights for Fans: Among the other attractions for fans at the Sonoma <http://www.sonomahistorics.com/> Historic Motorsports Festival is the special Celebrate Sonoma Day on Sunday, chat sessions with drivers and organizers, and the Wine Country Pavilion, which features some of the best food and wine Sonoma and Napa have to offer, with noted Bay Area chef Victor Scargle headlining. Another highlight of the weekend is tonight's Sonoma Valley Race Car Festival, which will feature 30 of the event's vintage vehicles on public display during a wine and food tasting at the Foley Family (formerly Sebastiani) winery at 389 Fourth St. E., from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The cars will have created a separate spectacle on their parade from Infineon Raceway to the venue. The event benefits the Speedway <http://www.infineonraceway.com/raceway/community/speedway_childrens_chariti es/> Children's Charities, and tickets ($35) can be obtained from Infineon Raceway or at Sonoma Plaza on the evening of the event. For tickets, visit www.infineonraceway.com or call 1-800-870-RACE. For additional information on the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival, visit http://www.sonomahistorics.com/. (end)