The Logbook

Buz McKim's presentation explores the origins of modified stock car racing in the illegal distribution of untaxed adult beverages, or "moonshine."

The mid-1950s were witness to a change in fortunes for a few people who were lured by the growing number of sports cars coming into America from Europe. It was from this group of people that a small number of owners in and around the New York area took it upon themselves to form a club. Firstly, because they enjoyed their cars, and secondly because it was their aim to enter them into races, and hopefully win monetary prizes - something that was not possible by being a member of the Sports Car Club of America. It was decided that the club would be known as the Sports Car Owners and Drivers Association.

Has Formula One left behind its gritty, dangerous and somewhat esoteric past to become a cross between the World Cup and Disneyland? How much of its new global popularity can summed up as (perhaps merely) "media spectacle?"

The International Motor Racing Research Center is pleased to announce the addition of Chris Dyson and Rob Roessel to the Governing Council. The IMRRC’s Governing Council guides the organization and is composed of racing aficionados, library professionals and civic and community leaders from across the United States.

The staff of the IMRRC is honored to have Michael Argetsinger's Elden Mk10B on the floor of our visitor's center. Michael championed this Elden in 1973 on some of the most legendary circuits in Europe, as well as some airport circuits on USAF bases.

“The best thing to do is to keep it quiet as long as you could.” Don Cox explained to an audience at the 25th Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, responding to the need to test, prepare, practice, and try out new ideas to improve performance or logistics before approaching The Captain.

The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), in partnership with the Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), will present the Sixth Annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium on International Motor Racing History.

While people more readily associate American race drivers as appearing in Europe after World War II, it is worth reflecting on one individual, who through circumstances that were not of his own making, took up the mantle in the 1930s. This was Whitney Willard Straight, born in November 1912 in New York. His parents had wealth beyond the dreams of most people, an asset that Whitney put to use in setting up his own race career as well as his own company.

This year’s Grand Prix Festival in Watkins Glen honors Mustang, the original American “pony car.” Ford Motor Company developed the experimental version of the Mustang in 1962 to test new innovations in design and styling, later producing the wildly successful street car that would carry the name and the model’s popularity through almost six decades.

In a bygone era on the African continent, when most southern African countries were colonies under the control of European powers, “Grand Prix” motor racing for sports cars flourished for a brief period of time. One such country involved was Angola, a Portuguese colony, and it was the Portuguese government that encouraged this action as it wanted to expand motorsport in order to build a sense of unity in its empire at a time when there were signs of unrest.