Dear Zcarblog readers, it’s been a busy year and we are catching up on blog posts, so please enjoy our belated race report from November 2021.

WE LOVE RACING! On November 11-14 we attended the Velocity Invitational at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage had a blast racing and supporting several client’s IMSA GTU Z cars running in Group 7A (1966-1977 IMSA GT). This vintage racing event was just as fun for spectators with a friendly, immersive vibe. Enjoy our report from the weekend with photos and in-car video of the action.

 

Z Car Garage IMSA Race Car Support!

 

If you missed our earlier post, we prepared and supported three IMSA race cars for the Velocity Invitational (VI). Here’s a quick review:

#49 IMSA Joel Anderson GTU Z

Rob Fuller in the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z:

 

#47 Brad Frisselle IMSA GTU Z

We supported our client Randy Jaffe who recently acquired the Transcendental Racing Datsun 240Z. This famous 1976 IMSA-GTU Championship-winning 240z will be driven by ex-driver Brad Frisselle’s son, Brian Frisselle. Randy recently had the Z re-painted by William with correct graphics and hand-applied livery by the Real Ralph.

  

#93 Different Drummer Racing Datsun 260Z

Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his  Ex-Greg Sorrentino IMSA 260Z. Glenn built and prepared this race car by himself, ZCG simply dyno-tuned it prior to race week.

  

Ready for some L-series music from these historic race cars on the dyno? Check out the video below and turn those speakers up!

 

We also prepared our client Kelvin Tse’s Porsche 911 RSR, because if it’s not the Z-car, it’s the P-car!

 

Epic Racing With Group 7

 Group 7’s IMSA GT and FIA race cars (1966 and 1977) was dominated by big-power Porsche 911 RSRs with a few BMS CSLs and 4 S30 Datsuns. Speaking of powerful Porsche’s, the organizers did not allow turbocharged cars to run so we thought an NA motor race would make things interesting. Read more about Group 7 here with driver Jeff Francis in Larry Oka’s 1970 Ex-Glemik IMSA Datsun 240Z (#54):

 

Friday’s qualifying race was eventful. Rob and Brian Frisselle were doing well and putting down some great lap times. Unfortunately, a Porsche oiled down the track between turns 4 and 5 and both Z cars skidded off the track. They recovered under their own power but the Frisselle Z sustained minor body damage from hitting the tire barrier. Good news: Glenn, Jeff and John Murray avoided the mess and Rob Fuller qualified on Pole Position!

Racing in to the Night

 

Saturday’s Group 7 would start at dusk, a rare exhibition for both drivers and spectators. I zipped up to my favorite vantage point at Turn 6 to catch the sunset. Auxillary lights were placed at each apex and few cars had headlights of their own to navigate the evening’s race. It was magical to watch. Here is Rob Fuller re-capping his sessions from the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU 240Z:

 

“We had a great first session, made some adjustments to the cars and clicked-off good times. The qualifier was pretty scary as I lost control from a Porsche’s oil spill but I made it out ok. Brian Frisselle is an ex-IMSA professional driver and he safely negotiated the oil slick, avoiding a potentially severe impact with the sitting Porsche and softly hitting the tire barrier. I was surprised to make Pole-Position. Saturday’s evening race was intense. Though I started on Pole, by Turn 2 the Porsche gapped me 3-4 car lengths…

…We were racing our Datsuns with skilled drivers like Ned Bacon, Alan Terpins, and Martin Lauber in their multi-million $ Porsches. I was able to hold on to 2nd place, trying hard to reel Ned in but caution struck again, another Porsche had oiled down the track between Turn 5-6. Now its really dark and I’m trying to stay with Ned then I see these lights coming up hard on me and I know it’s Terpins. Tried to defend but he got around me. Honored to be amongst these guys who never let up. We finished the race in 3rd place.”

Enjoy this video we made highlighting the Group 7 races with in-car, Turn 6 and Goodwood livestream footage mixed in. Volume up!

You can see full, in-car footage from Rob in  the#49 Joel Anderson IMSA 240Z over on his YouTube Channel, check out the Qualifying and Saturday Evening sessions. Here is Rob recapping the Sunday race from Group 7:

“Final race was midday with plenty of sunshine. Frisselle started 4th. Three lead Porsches took off,  while Brian and I battled for P4. He then got around me and we both enjoyed the magic of driving our IMSA cars. Drivers around me were in expensive machines giving it 100%. Really happy to see 4 Datsuns in top 10 places. Honorable mention to John Murray (narrow body 260Z), Glenn Chiou did a really good job (Greg Sorrentino IMSA 260Z) and Jeff Francis (Ex-Glenn Klemik IMSA Z).“

 

Joel Would Be Proud

  

You might recall the story behind this special, 1972 IMSA GTU 240z as it was owned, built and raced in the 70’s by none other than Joel Anderson.  ZCG restored #49 back to its former glory and it debuted at RMMR 2014. John Morton would drive #49 at RMMR 2015. Rob Fuller would drive #49 for the first time at the RMMR 2018. Joel was present at all of those events but sadly passed away March 2021 and we miss him dearly.

“This was unbelievable…driving the Z without Joel around was so emotional. Thinking about the fact that all of the vintage race support and seat time we have is all because we met Joel. He taught us how to be racers. His memory was shared by us all at the race.”

 

Privateer Spirit

Our friend and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his Ex-Greg Sorrentino IMSA 260Z. It’s worth noting that not unlike privateers of the period, Glenn builds his Z cars, maintains and manages his racing efforts himself. Not an easy task so we applaud his work ethic.

 

A Fan-Friendly Race Event

Formerly known as the Sonoma Speed Festival (2019), the Velocity Invitational re-imagined the vintage race experience with a Goodwood-inspired vibe. One of the best experiences for spectators is the paddock and organizers made access to drivers and their machines seamless. Fans could get up close and personal with race cars without the typical ropes or 45-foot RVs in the way. It was a dream come true for me to share vintage racing with my family, they loved it!

 

The hot pit area where all run groups stage before heading out to the track is an amazing place to be. Typically, access is only granted to pit crews and media. At the Velocity Invitational however, organizers staged a “false grid” where any spectator could walk amongst the race cars. Our family loved the artificial turf and hay bale seating lining the grid:

 

Though the fresh format was immediately enjoyable for spectators, it did come as a surprise to drivers and race teams. Rob’s initial reaction was met with eventual praise:

“Upon arrival to ‘Seca we knew this was going to be a different kind of event. All race cars were displayed together under white tents in the paddock for a Goodwood-like experience. It allowed spectators to see all cars within each race group but it was challenging for the team as our tools and support vehicles are usually near us. Initially we were intimidated but got the hang of it with just our essentials.  The layout encouraged interaction and it was super fun to meet other racers, new folks and see old friends. Kudos to the organizers for doing something new and absolutely knocking it out of the park!”

Enjoy this video we made showcasing the sights and sounds of the Velocity Invitational. Rob Fuller gets interviewed by the Goodwood Livestream just before the evening race, and I included the lineup from my favorite vintage race group (other than IMSA), the Trans Am cars!

 

If you want to see action from the event in its entirety, check out Goodwood’s live streaming coverage Day one and Day Two.

 

Paddock Finds

At each corner there was something special in the paddock to see like exotics, Muscle Cars, personal sports cars and even Ragtime racers. The paddock never disappoints. Here’s a few of my favorites, more in the gallery! Where else can you see a brace of McLaren Speedtails, Lamborghini Mirua, Mercedes Benz 300 SLR and Lotus Cortina in one place!

 

Exotics abound with Bugatti and McLaren hypercars:

 

Really excited to spot this Datsun 240Z in the car corral…it is Z Car Garage client Matt K. Full report soon on this pretty Z car that features our Z Car Garage Big-Brakes (for small wheels) and Z Car Garage CV Axles!

 

We have more photos in the gallery below. ZCG would like to thank the following photographers for sending us photos from the event, you can click on their name to see their photo albums or Instagram handles: Kristina Cilia, Larry Chen, Pall Kornmayer, Todd Lapin, PnutProductions and Paul and Ann Devor, enjoy!

ZCG Race Crew

 

Huge shoutout to the Z Car Garage race crew including the Corwins, Meghan, Nick and Josh. We are grateful for your support, keeping us safe and on the track!

RADWOOD

The weekend of racing also included the popular RADWOOD car show. On Saturday and Sunday they are took over the famous island in the center of all the action at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca with a curated display of 50 of the most iconic, unique, and RADical rides of the era. Check out ZCG client Pall Kornmayer’s coverage in his photo album HERE:

 

People

 

We enjoyed spending time with friends and meeting new folks. The Velocity Invitational really helped create such a friendly atmosphere. Below: Larry Chen, Randy Jaffe with Brian Frisselle.  Rob, Anna, Randy Jaffe, Brian Frisselle and his Dad Brad Frisselle. Brad is the original builder/racer of the Transcendental Racing IMSA GTU 240z!

 

Racing Legend John Morton and Sylvia Wilkinson were both present and having a blast. Yes, that’s Jim Froula of Racecraft photo-bombing us in back:

 

Meghan sporting the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU livery shirt. More pictures in the gallery below!

Racing into 2022!

 

Z Car Garage is amped for this year’s race season. Here is list of events we will be attending. Please join us!

April

4/1-3  Sonoma with CSRG

4/21-24 Laguna with SVRA

4/28-5/2 Sonoma with SVRA

May

5/21-22  Laguna with CSRG

August

8/13-14  Laguna with HSR Pre Reunion ( NOT CONFIRMED)

8/17-20 Laguna  with HSR  Reunion ( NOT CONFIRMED)

October

9/30-10/2 Sonoma with CSRG Charity Challenge

9/13-16 Laguna   VI

November

11/4-6   Thunderhill with CSRG

 

Thank you Velocity Invitational for an incredible event. We look forward to running with you again! LONG LIVE THE Z!

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The Sonoma Speed Festival is now the Velocity Invitational

Join us November 11-14 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for some historic sports car racing hosted by the Velocity Invitational. Z Car Garage will be participating and providing support for several client cars. We are excited to be racing in Group 7A (1966-1977 IMSA GT):

#49 IMSA Joel Anderson GTU Z

Rob Fuller will be driving the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z:

 

#47 Brad Frisselle IMSA GTU Z

We will be supporting our client Randy Jaffe who recently acquired the Transcendental Racing Datsun 240Z.  This famous 1976 IMSA-GTU Championship-winning 240z will be driven by ex-driver Brad Frisselle’s son, Brian Frisselle:

 

 

Check out www.my240z.com. Our friend Glenn Chiou created this website to document the racing provenance for previous owner David Martin (RIP):

  

Look for a full update on the Frisselle Z as it just got fresh paint and livery!

 

#54 Glen Klemik IMSA GTU Z

Our friend Larry Oka’s Z will also be running with Jeff Francis behind the wheel.

 

#93 Different Drummer Racing Datsun 260Z

 

Race car driver, restorer and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou is running his  Ex-Greg Sorrentino IMSA 260Z:

 

 

Fresh off a full restoration performed himself, you might remember our previous blog post highlighting the ZCG CV Axles Glenn installed and dyno tuning session before this year’s Rolex event.

    

RADWOOD is at the Velocity Invitational!

The weekend of racing also includes the popular RADWOOD car show. On November 13th and 14th, they are taking over the famous island in the center of all the action at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca with a curated display of 50 of the most iconic, unique, and RADical rides of the era.

 

Visit the Velocity Invitational website for ticket and event information. You can enter the code DRIVER20TIX for a special discount. Z you at the race track!

 

On June 5-6, the Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) hosted the Vintage Races at Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage was fortunate to participate and support several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 9. It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our report with photos from photographers Raj Narayan, Nick Dockery and Jim Rose plus exclusive in-car footage!

Z Car Garage Supports Two Datsun 510s!

 

It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services do include full race support and car-preparation to help make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. One of our specialties is dyno tuning. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno. Below is a video of two Datsun 510 B-Sedans (Rob and Tom) on the dyno prior to the Speedfest weekend. Enjoy the sweet L-series music!

 

 

510s Galore!

 

Plenty of Datsun 510s in Group 9, it was a Dime-lover’s dream to be in the paddock and watch the races. Although the event did not officially allow spectators, we’ve got you covered! Let’s take a look at the Datsun 510s that we supported, beginning with our clients. Both cars ran flawlessly:

#72 Tom Dockery

Tom Dockery drove his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510. This car made its debut in May 2019 and we are excited to share its full story and profile Tom’s journey into racing.

Tom had a blast here are his thoughts on the race weekend

“Overall, the weekend was great.  Smaller field but the top half of the field was equally fast. I had some good exchanges with Jon Normal, whom I never expected to be able to keep up with, so that was fun. Some dicey moments with Daniel Cagginao, thought his lines were a bit off (Sun race 2). I managed to set a new personal best lap time of 1:46:09 which was great.

My other comment would this ….Every time I watch these in car vids ….and I watch them all the time just to hear the noise/sound, I see places I gave time away and I just want to go back out again. It’s intoxicating. My car was perfect, no issues and ran in top form all weekend long thanks to Josh and Rob.”

 Enjoy this in-car video from Tom’s 510:

 

#7 Rob Fuller

With the assistance of ZCG crew Josh and Keith we also supported ZCG owner Rob Fuller in the Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute car:

  

Rob performed admirably with a fastest time of 1:41.837, here is his experience:

“CSRG is one of the oldest race groups that we run with. It’s been 20 years since they had a Laguna Seca event so we were excited to participate. They had 9 different run groups and I have been pushing to make Spec Miata part of vintage racing. We tried to get a big group out, but only two Miatas raced with Group 8 (Tim Wright and myself). Despite this, it was fun to start at the back and move through the cars”

   

“The big excitement of course was B-Sedan group. Tom Dockery was quicker than ever, and I was getting closer to Troy Ermish. We really had fun, dramatic racing. First race out (qualifying) I was close to Troy. He and I were a good 3-4 seconds ahead of the field with a nice battle. Race 2 I had a good start and took off, then about lap 4 my car’s transmission got stuck in 3rd gear. We  were so far in front that even with 5-6 laps left in race I was able to adjust my driving style and finished in 2nd place. Pretty proud of that.”

 

 

Race 3 on Sunday was dramatic. Troy and Rob were just .033s apart at the finish!

“In the 3rd and final race (afternoon feature) Troy and I battled again. He started to gap me but car issues slowed his pace. I started to reel him in. The last lap was the closest I’ve ever been to Troy (see video below), and it’s no secret that he’s a phenomenal driver. I definitely want to catch cup to him and race with him when our cars are both 100%.”

 

You can see in-car footage of Rob below:

 

 

Catch more of Rob’s sessions on his Youtube Channel. Race Results from the Group 9:

 

Datsun Car Corral!

 

CSRG is awesome. Since the general public was not allowed to spectate, they hosted a vintage Datsun Car Corral! Participants were spoiled with FREE parking in the paddock area and full access to the race for the weekend.

 

 

Willie Gutierrez brought his Datsun 510 along with a few friends. My roadster friend Raj Narayan (photo contributor) also attended in his 2000.  They got to enjoy the beautiful weather and day of racing without crowds…amazing!

 

Cool Cars

The paddock was filled with wicked metal. This special Datsun Roadster is a factory “lightweight” model, piloted by Michael Sweeney. More pictures in the gallery!

 

 

 

Thank you!

 

We hope you have enjoyed our report from the 2021 CSRG Vintage Race event! CSRG did an amazing job with the event. Rob’s parting words:

“It was fun to catch up with friends like the crew from Racecraft.  Ex-driver of Tom Dockery’s 510 John Koobation was there. I enjoyed racing Miatas and hangin out with Tim Wright, a famous musician from 3rd Eye-Blind and Primus. We hope October’s event with CSRG will be open to spectators!  Our client Kelvin missed this event but assures us he’ll be racing at Sonoma. None of this would be possible without the help of our ZCG crew Josh and Keith Corwin. If you haven’t experienced a Historic racing event I encourage you to come out, it’s a blast!”

 

*See you in October for the CSRG Charity Challenge in Sonoma!*

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On Sunday 6/13 we attended the Morning Motors Cars & Coffee event hosted by DrivingWhileAwesome (DWA) in Santa Cruz, CA. The event impressed us again with a fun vibe and superb variety of cars. One of the many perks of DWA Morning Motors is its location surrounded by the best driving roads. This morning however, I ran solo in my Datsun Roadster straight to the venue in front of the Old Wrigley Building.

 

It’s smart to arrive before 8:30am to grab a shaded parking spot and coffee/donuts (thanks DWA!) before they run out. The event is so close to downtown Santa Cruz and HWY 1 I invited my family to enjoy the cars and visit our favorite beach afterwards.

 

Mandatory Nissan/Datsun

I was happy to see so many Nissans and Datsuns at Morning Motors.

 

There were a three Datsun 510 wagons and one 510 2-door! This is Mark G’s 510, a client we’ve been lucky to work with, you can see more details about his Dime HERE

 

 

Our very own Nick F. in his 1972 510 wagon on SSR wheels:

 

Ray’s Hakosuka Skyline, now sporting  our Z Car Garage CV Axles! We look forward to seeing Ray for more upgrades on this already stunning Skyline that gets driven everywhere:

 

Pall’s R32 Skyline in (AH3) Pearl Red. Pall K acquired this Pearl Red (AH3) R32 from our friend Sean and his team at Toprank International Vehicle Importers. We love the gorgeous paint color and Volk TE37SLs. He is also a ZCG client!

 

Todd’s R32 Skyline GTS-T. I just saw him on the Breakfast Club Rally yesterday!

 

Another ZCG client, Eric’s Infiniti FX35 sporting upgraded suspension and R35 GT-R wheels.

 

350Z and G37 sedan on Z34 wheels:

 

I counted five (!) Nissan 240SX in both S13 and S14 trim. This S13 was my favorite:

 

 

S14 with “Silvia” badging:

 

Lone Z32 (NA), Q45 and a bagged Q60:

   

In Search of J-Tin

Morning Motors did not disappoint if you are Japanese Classic fans. Honda S800:

  

NA Miatas!

  

 

EG Civic, EM1 Civic Si and S2000 CR:

  

90’s icons…Supra and NSX and FD RX-7 (on FIKSE wheels)!

   

So much variety! Enjoy this short video:

Euro Classics

Yearning for Porsche’s? Or something a bit less “mainstream”? DWA CnC did not disappoint. Rosso Dino 246:

 

308, 4C and Chris’ “Rat Alfa” GTV:

 

Spotted my first, local Porsche 911 by Singer. It was impressive with so many details to enjoy:

 

 

Sweet 993 C2S with sexy multi-piece Turbo Twists:

 

 

Naveed’s new 964 911 GT3 RS (991)

  

A trio of cool BMW 2002s, one powered by an M20 6-cylinder!:

  

American Muscle

From 60’s to 80’s. Mike Garret’s familiar purple Mopar with late-model drivetrain and really wild Plymouth Fury race car tribute:

 

Eclectic

  

DWA CnC is definitely my kind of cars and coffee. It’s a great venue with amazing driving roads nearby and the cars were so diverse. We highly recommend checking it out! Thanks to the DWA crew for hosting. If you haven’t already, listen to their podcast and make sure you give them a follow on Instagram.
More pictures in the gallery below!

 

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On Saturday, June 12 I attended the Breakfast Club Rally. This was my second time at the monthly event and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to enjoy the beautiful Northern California roads and scenery. I took my Datsun Roadster and left San Jose Saturday morning, driving 80 miles North to the starting point in Mill Valley. I spotted this MGA buzzing along the freeway, and many more vintage cars were on their way. Enjoy this report from the event.

 

Cars & Coffee? Yes Please!

 The Breakfast Club Rally (BCR) started almost 1 year ago, now running its 15th rally event. What started out as a small group enjoying weekend drives blossomed into a full-on Cars and Coffee (still unofficial) meet just before rally participants head out according to run group (rally map available to pre-registrants only).

I arrived at 8:30am to an already packed parking lot. BCR is mostly vintage, “brand agnostic & 100% anti-snob”…and the scene was just as advertised. Cool cars everywhere. Of course, yours truly is always on the lookout for Nissans and Datsuns:

 

First up, this 1967 Datsun 2000, owned by Ian S. One of the most sought after Datsuns, these “half-year” models were introduced mid-1967 offering a 5-speed transmission and 150hp twin-Mikuni carb’d 2L engine…hot stuff for the era. This is SRL #601 (out of ~1000 cars) and it was fully restored years ago by Les Cannaday in San Diego. Ian is meticulous about maintaining this car, but it is no garage queen. The (655) Off-white paint with red interior is one of my favorites.

 

Met a fresh Datsun Roadster owner! This is Michael’s ’70 2000. He purchased and drove it from SoCal to San Francisco.

 

Two vintage Datsun Z cars. (top) is BCR founder Graham’s personal 280Z:

 

Two Datsun 510 wagons and Nissan 720 truck!

  

This was a total surprise…our client Mike’s R32 Skyline GT-R!  Fresh from our shop with turbo, fueling and exhaust upgrades he is out Enjoying the Boost! Watch the video below for the sounds this beast makes…full report soon.

 

So many cool cars please check the gallery for more photos!

 

Rally On!

 

The rally started at 9am and somehow all of the cars gracefully exited the lot, heading towards the coast to Point Reyes Station.  Weather and terrain changes abound and even a few route changes kept things interesting. Crazy machinery was always fun to see!

 

Arriving at Point Reyes Station was another opportunity to see cars I missed at the starting point. Folks took a snack/coffee break here in the quaint town. I sat down near the sidewalk, just admiring each vintage ride cruise by…like this Ferrari 250GT!

  

This is a grand, picaresque part of Northern California with rolling hills, pastures and Eucalyptus-lined blacktop. Coastal fog could be seen creeping into valleys and gentle rivers meandering through hillsides had me fighting to keep my eyes on the road!

 

One of BCR’s clever mottos is #DoneByNoon, and we eventually found our way to downtown Petaluma for lunch. I joined fellow roadster owner Ian (with his son) and Graham at Brewster’s Beer Garden in the historic district. Good food on the patio with great company.

 

Another perk of the BCR is the many talented photographers they have enlisted to capture rally goers in action. Your ride may have been immortalized so check out their work HERE! As we parted our ways, I snapped some rolling shots of Ian’s ’67 Datsun 2000 on the freeway. It’s hard not to take many photos of this roadster, it’s that pretty.

 

I headed back home to San Jose to complete the almost 270-mile trip. Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and through San Francisco is always a treat.

 A short video capturing the day:

 

Thanks BCR!

Many thanks to the organizers, I had a blast with Breakfast Club Rally. I urge you to register for their next event, especially if you are in the South Bay area like me and want to see what driving bliss lies North.  #DoItInADatsun

 

More pics in the gallery!

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