Annual MVRCA Summerfest set for this Sunday

By Phil Whipple

            While it has certainly been an eventful and often surprising season on the local short track scene, the time has arrived to give today’s cars a rest while reflecting on the men and machines that built the sport.

            Officials of the Maine Vintage Race Car Association (MVRCA) are busy preparing for the year’s annual Summerfest, a celebration of all things vintage auto racing in Maine.

            The event is set for this Sunday, Aug. 15, at the beautiful Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough.

            Spectator gates (the pit gates, actually) will open to the public at 10 a.m. Admission is just $5 and includes a picnic-style lunch of hamburgers, hotdogs, salad and cold bottled water (courtesy of Poland Spring Bottling).

            Lunch will be served in the tent from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. An autograph session featuring several Maine racing legends will take place next to the Maine Motorsports Mobile Museum from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

            Fans of all ages will have a chance to ride in a vintage race car beginning at 1:30 p.m. All track time will consist of slow laps in the interest of safety. For those who witnessed these men and machines compete in their heyday, these rides will surely stir many fond memories.

            Along with their annual Summerfest celebration, the MVRCA also handles the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame. Each year, a new class is inducted featuring former drivers, team owners, officials and others involved in auto racing’s formative years here in Maine.

            Whether you prefer the old pre-war Coupes, vintage Modified machines or even cut-downs, beautifully-restored examples of each will be on display this Sunday at Beech Ridge. Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity to celebrate the rich history of stock car racing in the

Great State of Maine.

            The Maine Motorsports Mobile Museum will draw a great deal of attention this Sunday, and rightfully so. It contains displays and memorabilia that tell the story of how stock car racing grew from a humble start to the thriving sport it is today. Countless hours have been invested to preserve Maine’s racing history, and the Mobile Museum is a fine example of those efforts.

            Everyone at the Maine Vintage Race Car Association who helps with this great event should be publicly thanked. It is through your work that those of us who appreciate racing history can reflect and pay our respects to those who laid the foundation.