Posts tagged road america
Bentley Trip to Road America for the Pirelli World Challenge
Jun 30th
Dyson Racing, Bentley’s factory backed race team in the Pirelli World Challenge series, took to the track at Road America in Plymouth, WI this past weekend with two of their Continental GT3-R race cars. Bentley was also kind enough to extend an offer to some of our clients to join them for the weekend at the track to watch the race. We booked a private plane and luxury lodging and Bentley handled the rest, providing cars for us to drive to and from the track, a catered hospitality suite to watch the race from, as well as integrating us with the crew and drivers in the paddock.
For those that missed out, VIP accommodations for this trip included:
- Private airfare
- 2 nights at The American Club in Kohler, WI
- All food and beverages
- A round of golf on the famous Whistling Straits course, home of the 2015 PGA Championship
- Bentley vehicles, including a Continental GTC Speed, a Flying Spur V8s, a Mulsanne Speed, and a Continental GT3-R
- Complimentary tickets to the Pirelli World Challenge race at Road America
- VIP parking and access to the Bentley hospitality suite
- Private paddock tours and meet and greets with the crew and drivers
Everyone on the trip had a great time and we look forward to planning similar trips alongside Bentley for our customers in the future.
Hawk at Road America Race Car Concours Race and Parade
Jul 24th
If you’ve never been to the Hawk vintage races at Road America, you’re missing out on one of the coolest vintage car weekends in the country. Above and beyond all of the incredible race cars that take to the track during the four day event, one of the most memorable parts is the race car parade on Friday night.
Each year over 100 cars travel from the track to the quaint village of Elkhart Lake via a police escort. Seeing many of these cars on the track is a sight to see, but seeing them driving on public roads is something entirely different. Everything from open wheel cars to Le Mans prototypes to pre-war racers make the trip, often with grinning passengers tagging along. Locals and race fans reserve their spots hours in advance of the parade, akin to black friday bargain shoppers at Best Buy. Except the crowd is bigger, numbering in the neighborhood of 10,000, with many encouraging the parade cars to rev their engines, spin their tires and let it rip.
The spectator perspective is unlike any other car event you’ve seen and the view from the drivers seat is equally as exciting, but don’t take our word for it. Spend some time to watch our view from the driver’s seat of a 1971 Porsche 914-6 race car below:
Now continue and watch the spectators perspective that an attendee posted form this year’s parade:
Hawk at Road America – Saturday Update
Jul 19th
Despite wandering around Road America for the past few days, we keep running across new cars that catch our eye. Last night we enjoyed the race car concours where over 100 race cars were escorted from the track to the village of Elkhart Lake. Over 10,000 people showed up for the event and we’ll be bringing you video of the parade in the coming days.
In the meantime, enjoy these pictures we took today at the track and pictures from the street car concours that took to the streets of Elkhart Lake this evening.
Morrie’s to bring you coverage of the region’s largest vintage racing event, the Hawk at Road America
Jul 12th
The Hawk at Road America is one of the largest vintage race weekends in America, bringing together 400+ race cars ranging from 1926 Bugatti’s to Historic Formula 1 cars to everything in between. For many petrol heads it represents automotive nirvana and is the catalyst for an annual octane induced pilgrimage to the rolling hills of Elkhart Lake Wisconsin.
If you’ve never attended, you don’t know what you’re missing. You absolutely have to add it to your automotive bucket list. Fortunately if you can’t make it this year, we’ll be there providing live coverage from a few different perspectives.
In addition to getting a spectator’s view of all the action, one of our own will be participating in the event in a vintage Porsche 914-6. Our plan is to post photos, videos and other contents from a racer’s perspective before, during and after the race. We also hope to get some exclusive coverage of our friends from Mazda USA who will be running a historic fleet of significant Mazda race cars including a Mazda 787, RX7-92P and a RX-7 GTU car.
With such an amazing selection of cars to shoot we’ll certainly have a hard time determining where to start. This is where you come in. Take some time to thumb through the entry list, find a car that suits your fancy and tell us what you want to see by commenting on our Facebook wall. We’ll do our best to get photos, videos and other content that you request.
View the entry list here, then let us know what you’d really like to see pictures of.
Alos, be sure to stay tuned to the blog and the Morrie’s Luxury Auto Facebook page to see event updates beginning on Wednesday.
As a teaser, we’ve included a selection of pictures from last year and a video highlighting race car concours and associated parade into town from the track.
Bentley Racing Team at the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge
Jul 8th
The North American debut of the Bentley GT3 racecar was quite the show. Coming out for the Cadillac Grand Prix at Road America, all eyes were on the Bentley as it took to the grid for the first time. With Butch Leitzinger behind the wheel and a full Bentley support staff, it was no question that Bentley came prepared. Unfortunately, during the qualifying session the rain became a problem. Race officials determined to switch it to a practice session. And while the transponder was not properly functioning in the Bentley which precluded them from recording an official lap time, seeing the Bentley charge up the long straight through the finish line even in the rain was a pretty spectacular sight. Unofficially it was calculated that Butch Leitzinger was able to drive the Bentley in the 2:08.9 range at Road America.
Bentley had two races during its North American debut at Road America. The race on Friday provided for some intense battles between Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, and Bentley. Because Bentley had no points, what with this being their first race, they were staged at the back of the pack. Knowing they needed to really fire on all cylinders with minimal mistakes, Butch Leitzinger performed well under the rain conditions. During the 2nd race on Saturday, Bentley was able to secure a 2nd starting position and throughout the race fought hard against the competition. While they did not bring in a podium finish, it was still a great weekend of Bentley racing.
Powered by a V8 engine with around 600bhp, this GT racecar is unlike anything Bentley has produced before. To begin with it is the only Bentley Continental GT that is RWD, of course for racing this suits the car just fine. Included in the GT3 racecar we find an xTrac 6-speed sequential transaxle gearbox, racing clutch, and steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Looking to Bentley’s recent past the only thing that could come close with regards to power and handling would be their W12 Supersports, which sadly won’t be making a return to the production line. Clearly the production model, GT3-R, will fill the Supersports shoes nicely.
What sets the Bentley GT3 apart from other Bentley racecars is that Bentley has also produced a road-going GT3R, but only in a limited production run of 300 units. From what we are able to gather at Morrie’s Luxury Auto it appears that 100 GT3Rs were available for sale in the US, however they are all sold out.
For more race coverage make sure to visit our blog often.
Grand Am and American Le Mans Series at Road America
Aug 12th
This past weekend Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, hosted a memorable sports car double header featuring the Grand Am Sports car series on Saturday and the American Le Mans Series on Friday. The double billing brought out America’s top endurance racing teams and record setting crowds to “America’s National Park of Speed.”
