2019 Put-In-Bay Vintage Sports Car Races & Reunion
Put-in-Bay (Airport Course)About this event
2019 Put in Bay Cup "KING of the ROCK" ~ Sam Halkias
"Tin Tops" in action
Sedans were known as Saloons, Touring Cars or "Tin Tops" in Europe and racing "Tin Tops" was hugely popular, especially in Great Britain and its colonies.
In the United States early on, when wealthy enthusiasts started to hold organized road races on public highways, sedans were not considered "sports cars." Put-in-Bay was pretty much a low-key event put on by the unwashed mid-westerners, so sedans were permitted to fill in the classes. If you look through the old entry lists and period photos you will see all sorts of small-bore sedans. Volvos, Fiats, Fiat-Abarths, Morris Minors, Mini Coopers, Renaults, Simcas and VWs were quite popular at PIB when they were rarely allowed to race anywhere else until SCCA initiated their Sedan Category in 1965. The Waterford club near Detroit was another non-SCCA venue which embraced sedan racing early on.
The 2019 Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races & Reunion provides Two full days of racing on the Put-In-Bay Airport as well as a full day of pre-racing events preceding the races.
Much more than just a vintage race, the Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races and Reunion also welcomes owner-drivers of non-racing, vintage sports cars of types similar to the race cars.
These "street cars" participate in all the various events and activities, except the actual races.
Beginning with a small event in 2009, the Put-in-Bay Road Races Reunion celebrates sports car races that were held on the streets of the town of Put-in-Bay on Ohio’s South Bass Island from 1952 to 1959 and in 1963. The three-day reunion engages racers and non-racers alike in an event that reaches back in time to capture the history and re-create the atmosphere of sports car racing of that era in a uniquely beautiful setting. Book-ended around two days of Vintage sports car racing at the island’s airport, is a balanced mix of events honoring the island’s racing history, a few social gatherings, a car show, original course controlled laps and airport-track lapping, self conducted island rally, rocker cover races and plenty of unstructured time as well.
Put-in-Bay is a nostalgic island enclave and a short ferry ride off the shore of Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio. A summer resort community little changed from the ‘50s, it is one of the very few places in North America where post-war sports cars raced through towns and countryside on public roads and where those roads exist today virtually unchanged.
GREAT LAKES VINTAGE CHALLENGE 2019: Put-in-Bay production class and F-Vee race entrants who ALSO enter and race at the 2019 Waterford Hills Road Race Club's vintage race (July 26-28) and/or VSCDA's 2019 Grattan event (August 16-18) are eligible to compete for our second annual "Great Lakes Vintage Challenge" award. Points for finishing positions in feature races (not qualifying races) for all three events will be added up and awards presented at the Put-in-Bay post-race awards ceremonies on Thursday night, September 26. Our thanks to Ed Murray (murrcraft@gmail.com) of the Waterford Hills Road Racing Club who for the second year will monitor and tally up the scoring.
Put-in-Bay VW Challenge: This group is intended to be an entry level, fun class, that can race at PIB on an annual basis. The rules are pretty basic with a certain amount of leeway with respect to easy, bolt-on accessories.
Official Schedule.pdf updated 9/16/19
Official Racing Schedule.pdf updated 9/16/19
Put-In-Bay Road Race Heritage Society Website
Click here for CITR FaceBook site
Put-in-Bay Road Races Facebook Group
Previous Event Photos Provided by Official PIBRRHS Photographer ~ Dan Mainzer
2018 Road Race Reunion Photo Gallery Provided by Island Photographer ~ John Rees
Put-in-Bay weekly Sunday car parade
Street Car Activities Lunch Track Touring & Laps around the original Race Course.
Autoweek Article about 2017 event
Dave Roberts Testimonial from a recent competitor.
All attendees who arrive by 1PM Sunday September 22 are encouraged to participate in the Sunday Island Car Parade. It is free and is a good way to get a preview of the island and it always ends at a picnic or gathering of some sort.
Event requirements
Provisional Overview of Events ~ What to Expect
Sunday, September 22 - Weekly Island "Antique" Car Parade
Monday, September 23 - Load-in to paddocks, Registration, Tech Inspection.
Tuesday, September 24 –Load-in to paddocks, Registration, Tech Inspection, All-Entrants Meeting (Island Rules of Engagement), Entrants Car Show, Laps of Original Put-in-Bay Race Course, History Recollections Roundtable, Wine & Cheese Welcome Party.
Wednesday, September 25 - Driver's "School", Racing/Exhibition Driver's Meeting, Racing orientation and practice sessions commence at the airport after lunch, Rocker Cover races at the Goat Soup & Whisky Tavern. Ladies Luncheon at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club.
Thursday, September 26 - Race Day 2 at the Put-in-Bay airport. Featuring qualifying races in the morning, track "Lunch Lapping" for Street Car participants, followed by feature races and the Put-In-Bay Cup race. Racing awards party following the on-track activities, at the iconic "Joe's Bar."
Friday, September 27 - Farewell morning brunch and departure.
2019 Race Car Eligibility List of car types that normally are accepted for racing. Cars not listed will be considered on a case by case basis.
2019 PIB Street Car Eligibility While the Put-in-Bay Road Race Reunion celebrates the sports car racing that took place on South Bass Island, we always have a large contingent of street car participants. The street car categories participate in all the activities except the actual wheel-to-wheel racing, at a reduced entry fee. Street cars are accepted on a case by case basis and should be makes and models that embrace the spirit of racing at Put-in-Bay.
There are two Street Car Categories; Heritage: pre 1964 and similar continuation models Guest: 1964 ~ 1972 and similar continuation cars.
2019 PIB General Rules & Regulations Preparation and Licensing requirements for Race Cars and drivers.
2019 PIB Exhibition Regulations Rules and requirements for the Exhibition category participants.
PIB 2019 Entry Form Use if you want to mail your entry and pay with a check.
Race Car Information Sheet (RCIS) Basic car information required for all first time PIB racers.
RACE COURSE IMAGE (1.2 Miles)
OFFICIAL EVENT SHIRT Every year we have a commemorative shirt with the year's logo embroidered over the pocket.
Shirts are $40 each in S/M/L/XL/XXL
Ladies, kids and larger men's sizes may be special ordered the same price.
PADDOCK MAP
Paddocks will be assigned on a first come/first served basis. We will do our best to accommodate your preference.
Ladies Luncheon A special gathering and luncheon for all the ladies (and others) who support the Road Race Reunion and Sports Car Races. Specific details will be posted at a later date. Last year's luncheon was held at the Put in Bay Yacht Club and hosted by Loreen Mooney and Karen Diehl.
Rocker Cover Races Rules Rocker cover race car rules; a fun event with lies, drinking and some semi-serious technology on display.
Miller Boat Line Ferry from Catawba to Put-In-Bay This is how you get there! They can handle all size rigs up to 80'.
Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce General island information and lodging tips.
Put-In-Bay Lodging Non-judgmental list of places to stay. You can camp at the State Park or stay in anything from a nice B&B, modern hotel, cottage in the woods or a mom and pop cabin, to sleeping on the beach near the paddock! We do not make recommendations, however.
Contact Information:
Manley Ford Overall Event Coordinator, Media Relations, Advertising, Program Editor.
Jack Woehrle Co-founder, Race Director, Eligibility, Technical Information.
Rich Hahn Island Liason, Car Show, Event Coordination.
Chris/Adrienne Wilson Registration, Hospitality.
NOTE: Click "Continue" to see registration options. When the form asks for your "Member Number" just click past it.