Celebrate Put-in-Bay Road Races 19-21 September 2023 at Put-in-Bay Airport!
While Datsun/Nissan, Honda, Mazda, and Toyota are featured marques this year, you can expect to see BMW, VW, Mini-Cooper, Saab, Triumph, Porsche, MG, and Austin Healey cars as well. “By opening entry eligibility to enthusiasts of the next generation of small-bore sports cars and sedans we feel we are staying true to the concept of the original Put-in-Bay Road Races while also expanding our ‘reach’ to a broader group of vintage racers,” said event coordinator Manley Ford. Adding that the annual Put-in-Bay event has entry options for both racing- and non-racing participants, Ford notes, “We also expect to attract a broader slate of street-car entries and spectators as well.”
The first race on the 3.1 mile road course at Put-in-Bay was held in 1952 and continued through 1959; an attempt to resurrect the island race occurred in 1963. The race was popular and was limited to Sports Cars under 2 liters and a field of 100 cars (they were turning cars away). Contemporary races are held at Put-in-Bay Airport (3w2).
Past marques included production cars from makers such as MG, Triumph, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, and race-bred cars such as Elva and Cooper as well as a host of home-bred varieties. The drivers were strictly amateurs, racing for the fun of it, but many went on to make significant names for themselves in racing. These include Carl Haas, Chuck and Susie Dietrich, Chuck Stoddard, Tom Payne, Ralph Durbin and a long list of others.
The reunion events are conducted by the Put-in-Bay Road Race Heritage Society, which aspires to honor the Put-in-Bay Road Races and ensure the history of those races is captured and preserved. See the 2023 entry list HERE!
