The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is starting off this week, with the biggest racing events scheduled for next weekend. This is one of the best vintage racing events I’ve even seen in person (and I’ve been to the Monterrey Historics). If you’ve never been to the race, it’s definitely worth checking out. The cars race on public roads through Shenley Park, a beautiful location right in the city of Pittsburgh. Because it’s in a park instead of on a dedicated racetrack, the races have an authentic vintage feel to them. This is how those cars competed when they were new.

Unfortunately, other commitments are going to prevent me from attending this year. I’ve gone twice in the past and had a great time each year.


July 22, 2015

The field mostly consists of small-bore sports racers from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. There are few with larger engines, like this Bizzarini Strada, but frankly they always look like a handful on the relatively narrow course. There’s also some open-wheeled cars from the same period.



There’s always a good showing from the MG crowd, both pre- and post-war models.



This Fiat Abarth 1000TC has an air cooled four cylinder engine in the back. I guess once they tuned it up to race spec it ran a little too hot so now they trunk lid has to be open - permanently.





July 19, 2014

I went again two years later on a rainy day in July. My love of racing in the rain has been noted, and Shenley Park did not disappoint.


This is a 1959 Quantum Two, which is powered by a tiny Saab engine. It looks like someone needs to finish building it, but it’s really just missing fresh paint. It’s definitely the epitome of a car you sit on rather than in.






But PVGP is not just a race. The entire park is devoted all things automotive for the entire weekend. That includes a huge car show. The cars on display are grouped by country of origin and spread across the entire golf course, with both old and new stuff on display. The car show by itself would be worth the trip.

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