15.2.05

As in previous years, the Classic was held over six days, from the 18th-23rd January – this year’s celebrated tipo’s were the 4 cylinder sports racers of the ‘50s and the more recent 328GTB/S.

Describing itself as a convention for automotive enthusiasts the programme had something for everyone – track action, art exhibition, a road tour of West Palm Beach, ”Classic” lectures, the traditional “Jet Hop”at the nearby West Palm Beach airport and the Breakers Hotel-based Concours D’Elegance.

The three day circuit action was based at the 10 turn 2.25 mile Moroso Motorsports Park, consisting of enthusiastic track days combined with practice, qualifying and culminating in Round 1 of the Shell Ferrari Historic Challenge for drum and disc brake cars. As in previous years, the participation of pre war Alfa Romeos and classic Maseratis was invited – but in ’05 it was official. This years Challenge will feature racing on some of North America’s most celebrated circuits – Road America (Elkhart Lake), Lime Rock, Mont Tremblant, Fontana, Las Vegas concluding at the World Finals in Vallelunga Italy in October.

A very welcome addition to the paddock in Florida was London based Brazilian Carlos Monteverde’s 250TR, 250SWB and 206SP. Carlos had attempted to ship his cars to the Classic via Miami in ’04.…only to encounter that port’s notorious customs officials!! Undeterred and complete with his ’66 OM ex-F1 transporter, he had shipped the whole unit from Southampton to Brunswick and his team had a trouble-free 9 hour drive to Moroso - assisting in driving and preparation was UK “Historic” ace and Monteverde’s Tour Auto partner Gary Pearson.

[roll mouse over pic for caption, click to enlarge]

Was it worth the trip? – well judging by the look on Carlos’s face after winning the drum brake race – definitely! He had qualified second and was racing hard behind expat. Peter Giddings's Maserati 250F when Giddings stopped with mechanical gremlins on lap 6. Monteverde won by almost 60 secs with Ed Davies 2nd in his 375MM and wife Leslie third in her 250TR. Elsewhere the aforementioned Alfa 8C and Monzas lapped consistently in 6th and 7th , ex-Renault F1 team manager Jean Sage raced Ed Davies's Alfa Monza and Steve Dudley’s 166 Vignale was 13th.

In the disc brake race Ed Davies (512M) led from pole with an equally fast starting Todd Morici (512BBLM) – this was a real dice. The lead changed on several occasions, sometimes more than once per lap! They were split by 1.86 at the checkered flag with victory going to Ed Davies in the older car – he completed 14 laps at an average of 87.78 mph. The grid featured three 512BBLMs, two Competition Daytonas, three 250GTOs and three 250 SWBs – the quickest of which was Gary Pearson in Carlos Monteverde’s giallo example. Elsewhere, Monteverde himself lasted 11 laps in his pretty 206SP before the throttle cable snapped. Jean Sage wasn’t having a good day either retiring Ed Davies's 250SWB, but Chuck Wegner’s original 196SP made the trip worthwhile.

Despite suffering the rigours of last September’s hurricanes the Breakers Hotel was at its immaculate best – manicured to perfection! The croquet lawn and adjacent 18 th hole always hold surprises ….. pride of place, and justifiably so was Steve Dudley’s highly original 166 Vignale – complete with chipped paint and Tour Espana stickers from ’04; it was deserving of the pre ’72 originality award. PMFC supporters will be familiar with Preston Henn’s F50 – it was the car owned and raced in the UK by Ian Hetherington. Its well documented, complex and prolonged export to Florida via broker Mike Sheehan and subsequent repaint in giallo, even included a congratulatory message to Donald and the new Mrs Trump who were married the same day just down the road!

A recently restored 375MM Speciale and John/Mary Shirley’s 1953 340/375MM were a reminder of how effectively Enzo combined “grace with pace” in the design of his ‘50s sportscars. Along with the 1955 166/250MM silver Abarth Spyder, this trio attracted significant attention, not least because the latter two were both campaigned in period by Scuderia Guastalla.

Thanks to Chief Classic Judge Ed Gilbertson the overall and class winners of 2005 appear below…..but undoubtedly the unofficial award for “Spirit of the Cavallino” must go to Carlos Monteverde and his team.…thanks, it would have been quiet without you!!

 

Results
Category	Tipo	s/n	Entrant
Best of Show -GT	375 MM	0490AM	Manny del Arroz
Preservation Cup - pre-1975	166 Inter	071S	Steve Dudley
Preservation Cup - 1975-1990	328 GTB	63333	Charles Scardina
Best Four Cylinder Ferrari	750 Monza	0502M	Bruce Perrone
Best Six Cylinder Ferrari	246 GTS	05816	Cheryl Scardina
Best Eight Cylinder Ferrari	355 F1	115937	Bill McLaughlin
Best Twelve Cylinder Ferrari	250 LWB Zagato	0665GT	Lee Herrington
Judges' Cup	250 GT Series I Spyder	0777GT	Peter Kalikow

 

[roll mouse over pic for caption, click to enlarge]

 

 

 

500TRC of Nick Colonna, s/n 0670MD TR

The engine of Leslie Davis's 250 TR s/n 0748TR

Superamerica s/n 0490 of Manny del Arroz

The Davies stable: SWB, GTO, TR and 375MM

This 375 was on display only

Chuck Wegener's 196 SP s/n 790 ran in the disc race

The Davies GTO s/n 3705 GT

Bob Bodin's 250 LWB TdF, s/n 0881 GT

330 GT was only there for display

Lightweight Abarth-built 166/250 MM

625 LM of Chuck Wegener, s/n 0642 LM, on the Breakers lawn

Another view of the LWB TdF s/n 0881 GT

Ace photographer Maureen Brown inside the splendid Breakers