Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races, Tuesday through Thursday September 19-21, 2023, will honor Japanese marques with expanded vehicle eligibilities for the very first time. Held on an historic Lake Erie island, this unique vintage racing event has always featured a heritage focus.

For 2023, organizers plan a celebration of Japanese car brands and their collective role in motorsports, in addition to the traditional lineup of entries.

Datsun/Nissan, Honda, Mazda and Toyota entrants built 1990 and prior will be eligible for a “featured marque” discount and join the traditional Put-in-Bay race groups generally comprising 1973 and earlier cars. Hence first-generation Mazda Miatas, rotary powered RX7s, Toyota MR2 coupes and similar under-3 liter, pre-1991 cars driven by experienced vintage racers will now be able to take part in “the Holy Grail of Old-School Vintage Racing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[images courtesy SVRA and Classic Motorsports]

“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.”

For those not familiar with the Put-in-Bay event, here are a few things that make it unique:

• Small-bore sports cars raced the narrow streets of the island from 1952-1959 and one ‘last time’ in 1963.
• Vintage Races held at the Put-in-Bay Airport since 2012 (except 2020).
• Today’s challenging and competitive 1.2-mile hay-bale lined course rewards precise braking and nimble handling on a pristine surface that offers excellent grip, numerous passing opportunities, and varieties of racing lines.
• Besides two days of racing, there is also an all-entrant’s car show, police-escorted tour-laps of the original 3.1-mile road course, social gatherings. and the highly competitive and entertaining “rocker cover races.”

Registration is now open.  See www.pibroadrace.com for registration materials and further details about eligibility.  Early registration discount expires June 1, 2023.

The 2022 Put-in-Bay Vintage Sports Car Racers  compete on Ohio’s South Bass Island September 20-22, with racing at the Put-in-Bay Airport on Wednesday and Thursday, September 21 & 22. Featured marques for the event, as announced in late November, are MGs and Triumphs–including “specials” running MG or Triumph engines.  86 entrants aim to thrill observers in racing and exhibition events this year!

Small-bore sports cars raced through the streets of the village of Put-in-Bay from 1952 to 1959 and one last time in 1963. Today’s races take place on a challenging 1.2-mile hay bale-lined course at the island’s airport. Unique in vintage racing in many ways, the Put-in-Bay event offers entry options for racing-, exhibition- and non-racing enthusiasts plus an entrants car show, tours of the original street course, social events and the unexplainable and often hysterical “rocker cover races.”

Click images below for event and racing schedules!

Put-in-Bay, OH 11/29/21 – Officials of the Put-in-Bay Vintage Sports Car Races today officially announced that their 2022 event is planned, once again, for the last full week of September, from Tuesday September 20^th to Friday morning September 23^rd.

The Put-in-Bay Sports Car Races take place on Ohio’s South Bass Island where small-bore sports cars raced through the streets of the village of Put-in-Bay from 1952 to 1959 and one last time in 1963. Beginning in 2009 with a modest “reunion” then real racing in 2012, today’s Put-in-Bay Vintage Sports Car Races take place on a challenging 1.2-mile hay bale-lined course at the island’s airport.

Featured marques for the 2022 event will be MG and Triumph, and the event will be an official MG Vintage Racers “Focus Event” meaning that group will pull out all the stops to entice MG drivers from far and wide to make a special effort to come and enjoy the “Holy grail of old school vintage sports car racing.”

Notes long-time PiB event coordinator and MG racer Manley Ford, “2022 will mark 70 years since the first Put-in-Bay Road Race back in the fall of 1952 when most of the entries were MG TCs and TDs.”  Manley quickly adds, “Then by the mid-‘50s Triumph TR2s and TR3s became the preferred British entry, dominating E production, so it just made sense to add the TRs into the mix for 2022.  Should be a blast!”

Following the event’s traditional pattern, Tuesday September 20 will comprise an all-entrant’s car show and tours of the original 3.1 mile road course, then racing will take place on Wednesday and Thursday the 21^st and 22^nd at the Put-in-Bay Airport.  Mixed in to the event are numerous social gatherings and the not-to-be missed “rocker cover races”.

Renowned for its unique island setting, relaxed atmosphere and “competitive but respectful” race environment, one entrant recently remarked, “It’s like they threw a party and a race broke out.”  Look for registration to open in early January 2022.