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TO: All Members
FROM: John Schieffelin
Tel. 413-584-4210 (reasonable hours please)
preferred contact method E-Mail:
jschieff@comcast.net
In recent issues of some of the national vintage motoring journals there have been articles and editorials
which demonstrate the contradictions inherent in the current spectrum of Vintage and Historic racing.
They seem to suggest there is a "right" way to move forward to ensure the future of our racing.
For some of us, cars prepared as closely as possible to the period in which they were built are the point
of the game. Who's going to "win" a race is secondary. For others, the point of the racing is to
finish first, and cars are prepared to that purpose. Theirs is more a story about today's modern
drivers and less about the cars and the period(s) they represent. That's ok.
The Vintage Sports Car Club of America, rather than being the "backwater of the sport," as one
opinion shaper wrote, is in fact the headwater for the mighty river that vintage/historic motorsport
has become in the United States. We continue to strive for period authenticity.
Our eligible cars are all pre-1960 in origin and a majority of our members live in the Northeast.
We have often been characterized as an old car Club that happens to race rather than a racing club that
happens to use old (or not-so-old) cars.
The distinction is clear. The VSCCA (and similar clubs) is a Club
Whose primary purpose is the preservation of old cars as they were and the use of those cars on road or track.
Other organizations exist for racing but happen to race in older cars.
A couple of months back a respected writer stated "In today's commercialized world of vintage racing,
the show is everything". Steve Earle knows this, and a few years ago when he took over the Vintage
Festival at Lime Rock, he invited the period prepared historic Trans Am cars to the event.
Sam Posey was being honored that weekend, and in the field was a car he had driven.
Who do you think was going to "win" that day?
Before the checker fell, there were multiple lead changes and passing and re-passing all through
the field. For those in the know, it was a superb display of high speed driving.
For the spectators, it was a great race.
Sure it was theatre, but in good theatre you can enjoy the performance, even if you know the outcome.
Lest one misconstrue these preceding remarks, there is nothing inherently wrong with Vintage/Historic
series that are highly competitive and accept cars that are not too far away from being contemporary
and/or are prepared far beyond original specification. Real races are fun to watch as is good theatre.
Different business models lead to different conclusions and in the broad spectrum of the current
Vintage/Historic scene there is something for enthusiasts of every stripe.
In the VSCCA, we continue to maintain our enthusiasm for and focus on the pre-1960
and pre-1940 eras of motorsport, keeping the great old cars in as close to their
original specification as possible.
We don't really care about finishing order, since we can usually predict that pretty
accurately prior to the green flag dropping. We do care that everyone finishes safely.
We are fortunate to be able to swim in the big river of Vintage/Historic motorsport,
whether at the headwater or way downstream. We should celebrate the different choices we have rather
than demanding all conform to a single vision.
Wherever one chooses to swim - enjoy it.
John
Statement of Mission: William F. B. O'Donnell - VSCCA "the cars are of paramount importance." 
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