Join the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association

Posted by Steve White on Aug 30, 2010

If you are residing in the Midwest and you are a vintage car racing enthusiast, you should consider joining the Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association, or VSCDA. This club provides excellent opportunities for you to test your driving skills regularly, as well as meet with other racing enthusiasts to share your passion and exchange racing tips.

The VSCDA was established in 1978 by an ardent vintage car racing enthusiast called John Kleen. Over the years, it has organized numerous races and social events, and it has trained close to 800 amateur drivers. Presently, it has a total membership of about 600. The VSCDA holds wheel-to-wheel competition races at major race tracks in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin during the weekends. By joining these races, you will get ample opportunity to take part in practice and qualifying sessions, friendly sprint races, enduros, and handicap run. The association focuses on building good camaraderie among drivers both on and off the track to give amateurs an encouraging environment to improve their racing skills.

As a VSCDA member, you will also get the chance to participate in a number of major vintage car racing events in the Midwest, including the Gingerman Spring Brake Drivers’ School and Races, Blackhawk Vintage Classic, Continental Grand Prix, Vintage Grand Prix Au Grattan, and Elkhardt Lake Vintage Festival.

Become a Racer with the Vintage Auto Racing Association

Posted by Steve White on Jun 09, 2010

While some classic car enthusiasts enjoy driving and exhibiting their prized possessions, others take their passion to another level by taking part in classic car racing. Those who are interested in racing should try to join a vintage auto racing club or association. In the United States, the largest classic car racing organization is the Vintage Auto Racing Association, or VARA.

VARA was formed in the year 1973, and it has contributed significantly to the advancement of classic car racing as well as the preservation of historic and classic vehicles in the US over the years. The association organizes a number of exciting racing events every year, including the Oktoberfest at the Buttonwillow Raceway Park, which features German cars only; Jeff Saltman Memorial Race in Las Vegas, with the Porsche-Datsun Shootout; and the Big Bore Bash in Willow Springs, featuring the Ford vs Chevy Challenge. A wide range of automobiles will compete during the races, including racers, sport cars and Formula 1 cars from the 1940s to 1970s. VARA events are mostly family-oriented, and they feature many husband-and-wife and parent-and-child racing teams.

The Vintage Auto Racing Association offers membership to all classic car racing enthusiasts. If you want to become a VARA racer, you can check out the association’s website and fill in a membership application form. All members will receive a subscription of The Vintage Voice magazine and the VARA newsletter.

Choosing the Best Classic Car Club (Part 2)

Posted by Steve White on Jan 13, 2010

When choosing a classic car club, you should consider the quality and frequency of club activities. Car club activities provide great opportunities for members to get together and share their knowledge and interest in classic cars, and they are the main reason why most people join a car club. A club that offers good activities will promote its members’ appreciation of classic cars and help them gain better technical knowledge.

Most car clubs hold monthly meetings, and they also offer activities such as brunch cruises and cruise nights. Before you join a car club, you should find out if the club’s meetings are beneficial to its members. Good car clubs usually have classic car experts speaking at their meetings, or they may even present demonstrations of new car products. Such clubs are worth joining, because they are truly committed to educating their members.

Brunch cruises and cruise nights are important activities that can promote camaraderie among members and gain popularity for the club. You should choose a car club that organizes such activities at least once a month. If you are interested in exhibiting your car or taking part in a competition, it is best that you opt for a club that holds rallies and car shows at least once or twice every year.

You will only know if a certain classic car club is the right one for you after you spend some time getting to know its members. Try to speak to a few of them, and see if they can motivate you to show greater care for your classic car.

Choosing the Best Classic Car Club (Part 1)

Posted by Steve White on Jan 11, 2010

If you are planning to become a member of a classic car club, you have to make sure that you join the right club. There are different types of car clubs, and they range from general clubs for owners of all types of classic cars to marquee clubs that are exclusively set up for those who own a specific make of automobiles. Also, the activities that are offered to members vary from one club to another. Therefore, you should do thorough research on several car clubs in your locality before you decide which one to join.

First of all, you have to consider the size of the classic car club. Bigger clubs usually offer more activities and benefits for club members, and most of them have a newsletter to inform members about club events and activities. However, members of such organizations may have to follow a stricter set of rules. If you prefer a more casual club environment, you should join a smaller car club. In a small club, relationships among members are usually more personal, and some of the club members may even become life-long friends.

If there is a marquee car club for your kind of classic car in your locality, you will benefit greatly by becoming a member of that club. Such a club will provide very complete maintenance and technical advice, and all the members are genuinely passionate about the same make of car.

Why You Should Join a Classic Car Club?

Posted by Steve White on Jan 08, 2010

Becoming a member of a classic car club can be a rewarding experience for a classic car owner. There are car clubs in every state in the US, and these clubs provide great opportunities for owners and enthusiasts from the same locality to come together and share their interest in classic cars. Here are some of the benefits of joining a car club.

After you become a member of a club, you will be introduced to many people who share the same passion as you. Other than making new friends, you will also get valuable car care tips and technical advice that will help you deal with the common problems that come with owning a classic car. Also, your club may have a newsletter that provides the latest news about classic cars, including notable auto events and new car maintenance products that are available in your locality.

Every classic car club organizes activities and events throughout the year to promote interest in classic cars, including club meetings, auto shows, car rallies, and cruises. Some of these activities are family-friendly, and you can take advantage of them to have a fun outing with your family. Car club activities also help to build camaraderie among club members, and they will certainly make you feel prouder to be a classic car owner. Many car clubs donate proceeds from their activities to charity, so you may be contributing to a good cause by being a member of a club.