We’re using the uber-reliable MotorsportReg website for registration, so you can get yourself signed up and paid for over there. For a little more information, you can visit the event page for what you need to know regarding car rules, driver rules, and the HVR licensing process.

These two events are being hosted in conjunction with the SCCA, and there will be a special set of supplemental rules for the vintage group. In addition, there will be a  total of four races that will qualify racers to be the first to win the Region’s new “St Louis Vintage Road Racing Series Championship”!

There will be Four Class Championship Awards:

VP1 – Production cars up to 1900cc
VP2 – Production cars 1901cc up to 3200cc
VP3 – Production cars over 3200cc
VFSR – All Formula and Sports Racers (no displacement split)

Generally, cars originally manufactured in 1988 or earlier that have been prepared to, restored to or preserved in vintage/historic racing condition as far as possible are eligible for the vintage classes. Continuation model years later than 1988 may also be accepted in vintage if they meet the above requirements. For more information, click on the Event Info page, or contact Chuck Udell  at 636 236 5709 or via email at cuenterprises@aol.com.

• Driver eligibility age now sixteen (16).
• Hoosier DOT bias-ply Dirt Stocker tires can be used as rain tires only.
• A-Sedan class dry sump tanks must be mounted forward of the fire wall or be mounted so as to pass a safety inspection by the HVR Chief of Tech.

Other updates to previous rules for electrical cut-off switches, eye bolts, fuel cells, and window nets have been made, so if you are prepping a car or planning on racing in an HVR event, please be sure to download and review the new HVR Rules document, which you can do here or on the Racer Info page.

The first race happens on June 1-2 at Heartland Park Topeka, and will be hosted in conjunction with our friends from the Kaw Valley Race Group (KVRG). The second events partners us back up with the fun gang from the Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing club (RMVR), and goes down August 31-September 1 at the Motorsport Park Hastings track.

A lot more information, as well as links to get registered, will be posted soon on our Event Info page – so please stay tuned! In addition, more info is forthcoming about other regional races that HVR may be supporting or participating in.

Want to stay up-to-date on all the latest Heartland Vintage Racing happenings? Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Facebook.

If you haven’t seen it yet, we highly recommend it. It is a well-done behind-the-scenes look at our hobby, which highlights not only the wonderful vintage cars, but the camaraderie and family aspect that most outsiders don’t see. And the racing footage is good too.

The video we’re featuring here is just the trailer, so if it’s enough to wet your appetite, you can get more info and by the DVD at the Vintage Racing Today website. You can also correspond with Mr. Cissell and other vintage racing fans on his Facebook page.

Labor Day Vintage race at Motorsports Park Hastings with NASA Central. Vintage race hosted by Heartland Vintage Racing. Great facility, great folks running the place, fun race. We were geared wrong, had a 3.9 needed a 4.22. We had nothing for the Mustang. Ended up breaking a ring and pinion, same as we did at Road America. Ran out of memory and lost the video for the front camera for the last race.

1974 Triumph TR6

Not everyone considers cars from 1974 to be “vintage” just yet, but from just looking at the internet listing, this appears to be one clean version of the 38-year old TR6. We’ve seen some very neat TR6 race cars, but some purists might go ape for converting one this nice.

1969 Fiat 850 Spyder

Might not be a great candidate for the race track, but would be a fun paddock cruiser. However, the listing should be an example for all other sellers: when you want to get the most value for your car, try washing & detailing  the engine compartment, or at the very least, sweep the carpets.

1968 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa

Calling this one a “sports car” is a bit of a stretch, but what the heck. The Corvair was accused of being “Unsafe at Any Speed”, so luckily this example wasn’t driven very much. With only 27,000 miles on the odometer, this is one fine example of the mid-engined compact. Candidate for a vintage race car? Possible but doubtful. But the wife would love pulling up in the pits behind the wheel.

1966 Sunbeam Tiger

This super-clean example of “the poor man’s Cobra” has real potential as a vintage racer, but much like the Triumph, this one is so nice that most folks would have a hard time transforming it into a track-terror. It’s got power and it’s got pedigree. The only thing wrong with the listing is the fact that somebody in Mecum’s web department doesn’t know how to properly spell “Carroll Shelby”. C’mon guys.

Also crossing the block are no less than 32 pre-1972 Chevrolet Corvettes, so you fans of America’s sports car should have plenty of eye candy. The auction takes place December 7-9, 2012 at the huge Bartle Hall Convention Center in downtown Kansas City. For more information, visit the Mecum Auctions website.

‘Twas a dark and stormy night – Well, I arrived in Topeka on Thursday afternoon, May 3, and checked into the RV park. About 5 0’clock Friday morning I was rudely awakened by an extremely loud clap of thunder. Then lightning, more thunder and raindrops playing a tune on the roof of the camper. The rain was gone and the sun was shining when I began my day with a 5 minute drive to Heartland Park Topeka about 7 o’clock.

This is the first time I have visited this great 2 ½ mile road course in two years. I found the SCCA workers involved in the Crash/Fire and Rescue School which is required every two years for corner workers. I have attended that school about 10 times and this time I was pleased to again visit with many corner worker friends.

This weekend had a full schedule of activity including vintage races, SCCA regional and national races, Solo races in the south paddock, SCCA driver’s school, performance driving experience and Saturday night dirt track stock cars.

SCCA and vintage race drivers began filling the paddock with their race cars and support trailers. The vintage drivers all parked together and were quite close to where Kent Prather had his (very professional) trailer equipped to support the three cars that he brought to this event. Kent is a well- known builder of race engines and is a 7-time SCCA National Champion. He brought his championship MGA 1600, Bob Bramlage’s Ginetta G4 and Rick Fiske’s Elva Courier. Jesse Prather, Kent’s son and a 3-time SCCA National Champion himself, was signed up to drive the Elva.

Thirteen vintage race cars arrived during Friday and the camaraderie began with the usual jokes and tall tales. We all joined the SCCA folks for the Friday night social which included food and drinks. Really was good.

The vintage race cars were divided into open wheel and closed wheel groups which were to run separately, however, only one open wheel car, a Formula V, was present so it was placed on the track with the closed wheel cars on Saturday.

The qualifying race for vintage cars began at 8 a.m. Saturday morning under a rapidly warming and very bright sun. Kent Prather posted the best time in his MGA at 1:56.182 followed by Jesse Prather in the bright red ’61 Elva. Tony Shores drove his ’70 Ford Boss 302 Mustang to third fastest, followed by Dave Williams Bugeye Sprite, Greg Reynolds Shelby Mustang, Harvey Kinnard’s TR-4, Jeff Nethery’s Mustang, Russ Noblett’s Sprite, Wayne Miles Bugeye Sprite, Klaus Selbert’s Porsche 911, Jeff Yergovich’s Mustang, Terry Davis’s Bugeye Sprite and Chuck Singletary’s Formula V.

During the very fast qualifying laps, Harvey Kinnard managed to spin a couple of times and Wayne Miles Sprite broke a throttle cable.

The first vintage race began right after the National Anthem was played at 1:00 p.m.. Within seconds after the drop of the green flag, Tony Shores big, blue, Ford Boss 302 spun in the middle of the track. Huge clouds of white smoke billowed up from the tires as they searched for traction. The Boss disappeared in the smoke and could not be seen by drivers behind, and they all took evasive action. Bob Bramlage and Dave Williams found themselves fighting for control as they both were at speed in the grass. Everyone got around Tony and continued the race. Tony, however, discovered that his transmission had locked up in third gear which is what caused the spin.

A spirited dual between Jesse Prather in the Elva and Bob Bramlage in the Ginetta ended with Jesse coming home with the win. Close behind was Greg Reynolds and Kent Prather. The finishing order of each race determined the starting position for the following race.

The SCCA, the Kansas Kaw Valley Race Group and the Kansas City Regions provided a catered BBQ dinner for all the drivers, their crew and all of the race workers on Saturday evening. While enjoying the BBQ we could hear the stock cars and modifieds warming up on the Heartland Park dirt track.

Sunday morning was very cloudy and the temperature was down to 70 degrees when the twelve lap vintage race began at 8 o’clock . Once again, Jesse Prather had the field covered in the very fast Elva Courier. He was followed by Greg Reynolds, Kent Prather, Jeff Neathery and Tony Shores in his quickly repaired Ford.

Dave Williams posted a 6th place finish in his very fast, silver Bugeye Sprite. He was followed byJeff Yergovich, Harvey Kinnard, Russ Noblett, Klaus Selbert, Terry Davis, Chuck Singletary and Wayne Miles. Wayne was doing all he could to catch & pass Terry Davis and was very close to doing so when he went a little bit wide coming out of turn 14, hit the marbles (rubber debris), spun and hit the wall (which luckily was covered with the new Safer Barrier). A piece of the barrier ended up lying on top of Wayne’s car. The corner workers allowed Wayne to sit there until the race ended just two laps later. Almost no damage to the car and Wayne was just fine.

The final May Daze vintage race began about 1:00 p.m. Sunday and was scheduled to run for 15 laps. This is a long time for these old cars to be put to the test, and they all managed to survive while giving a very competitive show.

Jesse Prather and Greg Reynolds exchanged leads during the first two laps of the race. As the race wore on and the Shelby GT350′s tires wore down, Jesse had the field behind him the rest of way to the checker. He was followed by Greg Reynolds, Kent Prather, Jeff Neathery and Dave Williams. Tony Shores managed a 6th place finish with a transmission that had all gears except the third one. Harvey Kinnard finished 7th and was followed by Jeff Yergovich, Klaus Selbert, Terry Davis, Chuck Singletary, Wayne Miles and Russ Noblett.

A great time was had by all and most drivers are looking forward to doing it again at Hastings, Nebraska Motorsport Park on September 1 and 2. The May Daze event will be an annual event on our race calendar.

To see more event photos, visit the gallery page.