Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
First race September 3, 1983

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is a vintage motor sports car race and 10-day motorsport festival that takes place annually in mid-July in Schenley Park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. With an estimated 250,000 spectators during the 10 days, the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is the largest vintage sports car race in the United States.[1][2] The race originated in 1983 and is now the longest-continually-running vintage road race in the nation, with an ever-widening national and international recognition as one of the premier vintage motorsports events.[3][4] The race is the highlight of a 10-day Race Week that includes the Historic Races at Pitt-Race Complex for faster vintage cars on the opening weekend, various car shows, cruises, galas, and the Kick-Off Rallye. Funds raised by the event benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School, which care for individuals with mental and physical disabilities.[1]

The event at Schenley Park hosts 150 vintage racers, over 2,000 show cars and 200,000 weekend spectators.[5] The course, considered to be one of the most challenging in the world, traverses Schenley Park's Serpentine Drive and consists of a 2.33 mile circuit that has 23 turns, haybales, manhole covers, phone poles, and stone walls.[5] 2015 marked the 33rd consecutive year of the races. Qualifying races were staged on Saturday, July 18 and the Featured Races took place on Sunday July 19 with 7 races each day. A record $360,000 was raised for charity. Since 1983 the event has donated $3.9 million to autistic and developmentally disabled individuals through the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Valley School.[3]

The Grand Prix has grown into a 10-day celebration of motorsports and in addition to two weekends of racing it now includes a blacktie gala, a road rallye, a downtown parade & car display, Hard Rock Cafe concert, Countryside Tour and three distinct car shows.

References

  1. 1 2 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Association: Welcome, accessdate=2009-02-28
  2. ↑ Walt and Louiseann Pietrowicz, A Race with a Silver Lining, Vintage Motorsport, Nov/Dec 2007, accessdate=2009-02-28
  3. 1 2 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Association|PVGP Association, accessdate=2009-02-28
  4. ↑ Larry Sanata, Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix at BeaveRun with VRG and VDCA, Victory Lane, Vol 23, No. 10, October, 2008, accessdate=2009-02-28
  5. 1 2 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Association: Schenley Park Races & Car Shows
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