Novembre 1998

The October monthly gathering

Telling post-meeting lies in the parking lot.

Steve Karapetian gave a summary of the Corsa Rossa three day mountain driving event October 2nd-4th in which Steve and Miriam Karapetian drove a Ferrari 308GT4, Jim and Dorothy Clarkson drove a Ferrari 328, Bill and Janet Craig drove a Porsche Boxster, and John Hauser and Carol Loree drove an Austin Healey 3000. We enjoyed dinner at the Balsam Mountain Inn where we stayed both nights. In addition to the wonderfully relaxing Inn we enjoyed spirited and scenic driving Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a stop in Black Mountain on the return home.

European Car Festival October 1999

Three generations Ferrari gather at dawn.

Corsa Rossa’s First European Car Festival

Waiting patiently for registration.

At about 9:30am all the signs and volunteers were in place and the sound of the first registrant was heard driving his BMW 2002 past Blake Frazier and Curtis Jacobson waving in the entrants at the gate of the Reynolda Estate then the Beemer could be heard coming down past the polo field, through the woods and into the clearing at the registration table under the old Oaks where they were greeted by John Hauser, April Wood, Jeff Berg, and John Harrill . Shortly thereafter the 2 liter BMW was heard motoring past the manor house down the hill by the Gardens and into the Village. Parking the Alfa Romeo registrants at Reynolda House was Bill Bean and parking all the other marques in the Village were Jack O’Brien, Steve Karapetian, Jim Clarkson, Thor Mirchandani, Bill Craig, Charles Calkins. While in the Village participants and spectators enjoyed the beer garden and restaurant of the Village Tavern, the art gallerys, the variety of stores, the old fashioned soda fountain and so much more as they made their way from class to class.

1948 MG TC	1988 Ferrari 355 F1 Spyder
1981 Mercedes 380 SL	A lineup of "Big Healeys"

The cars ranged from trailered show cars to daily drivers, classics to current models, street cars to competition cars. The cars varied in age from a 1929 Bentley Speed Six drop head with a 4.5 Liter to a 1999 Ferrari 355 F1. Cars came from across Winston Salem and from afar. Ned Gallaher drove his 1965 Lamborghini from Asheville, Jim Salerno drove his 1969 Maserati from Virginia Beach, Mark Kingsbury drove his Audi from Gainesville Georgia, James and Lisa Uhl drove their Saab from Norcross Georgia, Von and Sally Patterson drove their 1960 Austin Healey from South Carolina to join our very diverse gathering of European cars.

11966 Alfa Romeo GT Jr 1300 cc	1998 Porsche Boxster
1981 Triumph TR8 Convertible	Alfa Romeo Spyders

Prior to the show 76 cars preregistered and upon closing registration at the show the total entry was 120. 101 cars passed through registration on Saturday between 10am and 1pm. The show started at 10am and the class sponsors selected their first choices for the awards at 2pm and the class awards were presented at 3pm by Jim Clarkson in front of Reynolda House amidst the fountain and a beautiful array of Alfa Romeos. Participating were a variety of clubs including the Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo Club with 29 cars in attendance, the Triad Austin Healey Club, the Carolinas Austin Healey Club, the Piedmont British Motor Car Club, the Triumph Club of the Carolinas, the Saab Club and members of the BMW, Porsche, MG clubs.

Alfa Romeo Coupes	and Spyders

The featured marque, Alfa Romeo was displayed in front of Reynolda House. The Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo Club made a most impressive showing with 28 street and 2 competition cars spanning the 1950s- 1990s.

Beauty: Walt Curl's pristine 1958 MGA	Beast: Jack O'Brien's firebreathing '59 MGA
1974 Ferrari 308 GT/4	1970 Ferrari 365 GT

At 3:30pm the rally drivers meeting commenced and rally master Robert Yokley flagged off the first car at 4pm. This was a fox and hound rally where the cars drove by clues. The rally was 29 miles long and ended up back at Reynolda Village. After the rally we celebrated with a European Dinner in the Historic West End for all the show volunteers, the personnel of Reynolda Village and House, and all the rally participants and their families. The dinner consisted of four different breads baked by Gordon Sparber of Ollies French Bakery, spanacopeta, baklava prepared by Nick and Mary Ann Kefal, and Greek salad, meatballs, and rice pilaf prepared by Carol Loree.

The Sweeneys won the rally in their white Austin Healey 3000 BJ7, Bill and Mary Wood placed second in their white Triumph TR6, and Cathey and Cliff Hudgins placed third in their Land Rover. The awards consisted of Champagne for the navigators and classic automotive books for the drivers.

"Gullwing" Mercedes	BMW galore
MGB GT V8 Competion car	Alfa Romeo and BMW competition cars

The show would have not been the success it was without the help of so many people. The members of Corsa Rossa would like to thank Reynolda House Museum of American Art and Reynolda Village and Gardens for co hosting the event. We would like to thank Nicholas Bragg , Judith Smith, Anna Marie Robins, Richard Murdoch and Dewy Yarborough of Reynolda House; Tom King, Susan McClellan and Ben Collier of Reynolda Village, the awards sponsors who selected the class winners and provided the awards including the merchants of Reynolda Village, Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Jarvis Battery, Von’s Restorations, Clarke’s & Associates, Mills & Hauser, the Triad Austin Healey Club. We thank Steve Barney for his support. We would like to thank Robert Yokley and Cathey Brown and the Triad Austin Healey Club for hosting the rally. We extend our appreciation to Peter Sachs of the Klemantaski Collection for providing the collection of automotive art presented to each registrant. Thank you to Nick and Mary Ann Kefal, Gordon Sparber and Carol Loree for cooking the great food for the after rally and volunteer party. Thank you to Allen Hendrix for supply the signs for each marque and to each and every registrant for sharing their special car.

November Meeting

After deciding to set next years show date for the second Saturday in October we watched a Ferrari show on Sports Racing Ferraris and then agreed to try and get together for the drive to VIR. Great showing of cars despite the rain! No gold chains here!

Virginia International Raceway

The next tour weekend is December 5th and 6th. They have approximately 4 tours a day on the designated weekend. Call Blake for more information 336 854 0391.
Ciao
John Hauser.