SVRA celebrates 10 years at IMS, welcomes back Trans Am
The REPORTER
The Indy SpeedTour returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway over Father’s Day Weekend with racing from the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and the Trans Am Series Presented by Pirelli.
More than 300 vintage race cars will take on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18 as part of the Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational, a passionate display of history from all disciplines of auto racing.
In 2014, SVRA became the first and only organization to host vintage racing at IMS. This year will mark SVRA’s 10th event at IMS. In addition, Trans Am returns to IMS for the first time since 2019 with racing from its TA, XGT, SGT and GT classes.
The action kicks off Saturday with a host of group qualifying sessions in the morning, followed by group races in the afternoon and continuing Sunday.
The Father’s Day Weekend entry list is full of fan-favorite drivers from other series, including INDYCAR and NASCAR. Notable father-son duos competing in the event include IMS President J. Douglas Boles and his son Carter Boles as well as 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Geoff Brabham and his son, Trans Am competitor, Matthew Brabham. Both of the Brabhams are Indianapolis 500 veterans.
The stout Trans Am Series field will contest its fifth round of the 2023 championship at the circuit. Fans will recognize names like Andretti, Brabham, Marks and Menard on the entry list.
Indianapolis native Adam Andretti competes against the next generation of Brabham with Matthew Brabham in the mix. 2011 Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard returns to the site of his first NASCAR Cup Series win, where he takes on NASCAR Cup Series’ Trackhouse Racing team owner Justin Marks.
The Trans Am Series feature race is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.
More than 20 Pre-War cars will perform exhibition laps, showcasing the old cars that paved the way for the future of racing at IMS and in the Indianapolis 500. The group includes cars as old as a 1909 EMF 30, those made locally in Indianapolis by National Motor Vehicle Company and even a car that competed in the very first Indianapolis 500. The group will be showcased during a Fan Walk, which is open to all ticket holders at 12:50 p.m. Saturday.
The Forgeline Yenko Spirit Class feature race allows fans to get an up-close look at the cars during another pre-race Fan Walk at 1 p.m. Sunday before the Classic at 1:30 p.m.
With approximately 20 Corvairs competing, the command will be given by Jim Schardt, the father of Forgeline owners Dave and Steve Schardt, as well as his extended family members. Lynn Yenko, the daughter of race car driver and car dealer Don Yenko, who gained recognition for modifying and creating high-performance versions of Chevrolet Camaros, Chevelles and Novas, also will be on hand to present the trophy to the winner of the race.
The weekend also features a pair of special anniversary celebrations with more than 25 Formula Vee cars on hand to commemorate the 60th anniversary of that class. The pre-1963 Volkswagen Beetle chassis is always a crowd favorite, and the Formula Vee feature race is at 2 p.m. Sunday.
There also will be an all-stock car feature to celebrate NASCAR’s 75th anniversary, with 1992 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and longtime NASCAR team owner Joe Nemechek in the field.
The Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational is more than a racing weekend. There also will be a massive car show happening in the infield of the IMS road course.
Hundreds of vintage racers and classic cars will be on display during the Hagerty Cars & Caffeine car show, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday. These events showcase a wide variety of vintage, historic and exotic cars, as well as vintage motorcycles and collector cars of interest.
Gates are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $30 each day, and kids 15 and under are free with a paid adult ticketholder. Click here for more information on schedules, open gates and stands, gate regulations and more.