Dear Zcarblog readers, it’s been a busy year and we are catching up on blog posts. Please enjoy our belated race reports from October and November.

WE LOVE RACING! Z Car Garage attended two events with Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG): the Charity Challenge at Sonoma Raceway 10/2 and the CSRG Finale at Thunderhill Raceway 11/4. We raced and supported several client’s Datsun 510s running in the B-Sedan Group (John Morton Cup). Everyone had a blast, enjoy our race report with in-car video and photos below.

  

CSRG Charity Challenge

Z Car Garage Supports Six Datsun 510s!

 

The 19th Annual CSRG Charity Challenge was held on October 1-2 and we had one of our largest ZCG client groups with 6 B-Sedan 510 race cars. It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Z Car Garage trackside services include full race support and car-preparation to make client’s race days seamless and worry-free so they can focus on driving. Before a race weekend we confirm that your car is running well and make necessary adjustments while on the chassis dyno:

 

#88 Todd Rueppel

Todd had his first Z Car Garage trackside support experience with us at the Laps For Laguna event!

 

#7 Kelvin Tse

Kelvin and his brother Kenny are regular ZCG trackside support clients…

  

#71 Ed M

Ed M is also a regular ZCG trackside support client, we also prepare his Porsche 911 for vintage events!

  

Gabe’s B-Sedan. Full report on our race preparation of this 510 soon!

  

Kelvin’s Ex-Ted Gruner TransAm 510, driven by his brother Kenny:

 

#7 Rob Fuller

ZCG owner Rob Fuller in the Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute car

     

Enjoy this video of the B-Sedan Datsuns in action at the Charity Challenge with photos and race recap from Rob below:

 

Rob recaps the Charity Challenge B-Sedan races:

“Everyone had a great time at the Charity Challenge. Gabe unfortunately had an engine failure, but before that he was putting down some good times. The Tse brothers Kelvin and Kenny did really well and Ed was rocking and rolling. In the B-Sedan class I had really good racing with Parker McKean in his Alfa Romeo. The group wasn’t as large as it usually is, but still fun!”

 

“Another mechanical was in the afternoon race where Parker got a really good start but I noticed my 510 was down on power. Coming out of Turn 10 I noticed my temperature gauge was higher than I’d ever seen it. Pulled in and unfortunately I had a failed head gasket. So, double mechanicals (IMSA Z, below) for me. Very rare but still had a great time racing with the group.”

Photo by Kevin Gray

The 2023 Nissan Z as Pace Car!

 

Z Car Garage has been fortunate to spend some time with the 2023 Nissan Z prior to its public reveal. We asked Nissan if they would lend us the New Z for a good cause at the Charity Challenge and they happily obliged with a Performance model in Two-Tone Ikazuchi Yellow TriCoat / Super Black:

Photo by Josel Cobangbang

Rob was happy to wheel the New Z around the track:

“One of the coolest things about this years’s Charity Challenge was that Nissan lent us the new Z for a pace car and charity rides. We loved seeing Nissan’s new sports car before its release leading the field of vintage cars in every run group. Even the pace car driver was super stoked. In its 19th year the Charity Challenge has raised millions for children’s charities and they allowed me to be a driver on Sat/Sun to give 4-5 rides which included a warm-up lap, race lap and cool-down lap.”

Photo by Bryan Delohery

 

“I really enjoyed driving the new Nissan Z at speed, granted it certainly wasn’t at 10/10ths but I was to able entertain riders that donated for charity. It did really well and it is powerful, and I gotta tell you all weekend long there was crowd around that new Z car. I really appreciate Nissan believing in us..bringing both the new and old sports cars together and thank them for their support. Can’t wait to have our own 2023 Z at Z Car Garage.”

 

Enjoy this video with in-car action from the New Z with Rob Fuller giving charity rides around Sonoma Raceway:

 

The #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU 240Z

 

Rob also raced the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z for the first time at Sonoma Raceway:

“My IMSA car has pretty good history at Sears Point (now Sonoma Raceway); it came from the Bondurant School and actually held a record there. This was my first time behind the wheel of the Z at this track and unfortunately we had transmission issues. On Sunday’s race I was 3rd in Group 8 against an IMSA Z and 911. Both drivers were fast. We had made some changes to our Z between Sat/Sunday so I was excited for the big feature race. On lap 3 I had sheared the roll pin in 3rd gear so it would no longer go in to 3rd. Exited at the carousel, to avoid contact with other racers. We look forward to developing the IMSA car further.”

 

The Charity Challenge was fun with the usual group of folks, Tank, Meghan, lots of snacks and good times. We are excited for next year’s event!

 

The CSRG Finale

On November 4-6, Classic Sport Racing Group (CSRG) hosted the finale of The John Morton Cup. The 3-race series, named after legendary Datsun racer John Morton features the Historic B&C Sedan class battling at Thunderhill Raceway.

 

Every year CSRG ends with the finale event at Thunderhill and it’s frequently missed due weather/rain conditions. We always try to make it out for the club. It’s a fun-filled weekend that is super laid-back with a great dinner party at the end.

The Return of #72 Tom Dockery

 

We have helped Tom build and prepare his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510 for several years. Unfortunately the car was wrecked at Sonoma Raceway back in March from oil on the track. Z Car Garage rebuilt the 510, making a triumphant return to last year’s Velocity Invitational event with Rob Fuller as driver. For the CSRG Finale however, it would be Tom’s first time back at the helm of his very own B-Sedan 510:

   

“I came into the race weekend with a lot of apprehension. Rob had shown the Vintage world what the car can do in the right hands and now it was my turn to put up or shut up, at least that was part of what was playing in my head. Also playing the background was my fear of damaging the car. So many people had given so much time, priority and resources, I had a lot of angst around preserving its current condition.”

 

“But what really played out once behind the wheel was the loss of Race mentally/conditioning. Physically I was all there and even though there was some proper racing line adjustment needed, the biggest issue was getting comfortable with the car’s REAL limits. It was a head game for sure. I spent Friday and Saturday working with Rob to better understand this and by Sunday, I could start to see a difference. On Sunday I was able to trim 4-5 seconds off my lap times from the previous days. I am still a little off and like getting fit again on my bike, I have to continue to get fit behind the wheel. It took me almost 3 three years to get to the front half of the racing pack, now I have to accelerate that level of conditioning in 2023.”

  

“As always, the ZCG team support at the event went well beyond just the car. Had a blast throughout the 3-day event.”

Thanks Tom, we were proud to see you back on the track! Enjoy this video with in-car action from Tom’s Ex-Balzer/Koobation Datsun 510:

Gabe’s Datsun 510

Gabe R. has been an avid track day weekend warrior for five years and we will highlight our preparation of his B-Sedan 510 soon. Let’s hear his race report from the CSRG Finale:

“I was beyond excited to get some legitimate wheel to wheel action after acquiring a Datsun 510 last September. Unfortunately, mine is a chapter in the long and storied history of the “race ready” race car. In my first event at last year’s Charity Challenge I found the car to be extremely driver friendly, and was even able to put down a few pretty quick laps. That pretty much sums up the good parts. On the not so good side, in my second session of the weekend, the gearshift lever broke off in my hand going into turn seven. In my third session, a spark plug wire popped off the distributor and ended my session prematurely. And immediately before my last session of the weekend my starter motor died, causing me to miss it entirely.”

 

“Fortunately for me, the vintage racing community is a wonderful group of friendly, helpful people. Over the course of the weekend, I was lent a hand by the likes of Larry Oka, Jim Froula, and the Z-Car Garage crew. My second weekend out was at this year’s David Love Memorial, and my fortunes did not improve. Not realizing how quickly Hoosiers wear out, combined with my car’s unfortunately welded diff, I spent the majority of my time on track over the weekend just trying to prevent the car from snap oversteering into a wall. Even worse, I blew a head gasket in the first session on Saturday, At that point, I sent the car down to Z Car Garage to have Rob’s team transform it into a proper competitive car. Engine rebuild, limited-slip differential, suspension overhaul, new clutch, new transmission, as well as a slew of other upgrades and improvements have transformed the car into a beast.”

 

“Finally equipped with a seaworthy vessel, I spent the last two CSRG events — the Charity Challenge, and the season Finale, being supported by the Z Car Garage guys, culminating in a fantastic weekend at the season finale. With the support of Rob and his crew I ran the 4th fastest time of the weekend – behind only Troy Ermish, Rob Fuller, and Jim Froula, and finished 3rd in the Sunday feature race despite starting in 7th due to a spin in the Saturday feature race. Most of all, I had an absolute blast hanging with Rob and his entourage. Rob’s infectious positive attitude makes it impossible to have anything but a good time.”

Enjoy this video of Gabe putting in work at Thunderhill and achieving a personal record!

 

“From their impeccable car preparation standards, to their attention to every detail, to helping their drivers get prepared to head out on track, as well as Rob‘s exceptionally helpful driving tips Z-Car Garage consistently exceeds my expectations in every way. I absolutely cannot wait to get back out on track with Z-Car Garage in 2023!”

Privateer Spirit

 

Special shoutout to our friend and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. It’s worth noting that not unlike privateers of the period, Glenn builds his race cars, maintains and manages racing efforts himself. Not an easy task so we applaud his work ethic. Glenn builds some beautiful Datsuns and we will highlight this 510 soon as it features our  Z Car Garage CV Axles and dyno tuning.

 

Rob in the BADD 510

For the CSRG finale the ZCG crew included Rob, Tom Dockery and Gabe R:

“Both Gabe and I had mechanical failures in last event’s Chartiy Challenge. My engine lasted two seasons at full-tilt boogie and it had a compromised head gasket so my friends at Rebello Racing were able to refresh it in between events so the BADD car was ready to rock. Gabe’s engine had a pretty horrific failure and Rebello was also able ot get him back on the track too. Special thanks to the team at Rebello Racing including Dave, Mark and Brian for giving us the best hp/tq that we could ask for and keeping us on the track. I was driving the Miata in vintage Spec- Miata group and BADD car in Group 9 John Morton group B-sedan.”

 

“Tom and Gabe were doing great. Gabe is really picking up the pace. We did some downloads and he is getting fast, finishing on podium in the feature race. Tom was just getting reacquainted with the car and he was really stoked to be able to do well at the end of the season. Unfortunately Josh and Troy Ermish were not in the run group so there were not many people to run with. I started in the back it was a challenge and also fun to go through traffic. Another highlight was being in group 8 with my Miata amongst the big-boy v8 cars it was an awesome vintage race in the rain.” 

Enjoy this in-car video of Rob in the BADD 510 at Thunderhill:

A different perspective: Steve Walker also posted this cool in-car video of Rob and the from his BMW 2002:

 

CSRG hosted a Saturday night night banquet and it did not disappoint. They had folks dress up in costumes since it was close to halloween. Ross Lindell dressed up as Rob Fuller and it was quite funny. Side note: Rob actually did SCCA drivers school in the Randy Pobst Miata that Ross brought to race. The evening included  awards, and great conversations recalling the highs and lows of another year of vintage racing gone by. Can’t wait for next year!

 

Join us for the 2023 Vintage Racing Season!

Z Car Garage is amped for more racing this year. Here is list of events we will be attending in 2023, including CSRG and SVRA . Please join us!

March

March  3^rd to the 5^th    SVRA  Thunderhill

March 24 to 26^th          CRSG   Sonoma

April

April 27^th to 30^th           SVRA   Sonoma

May

May 4^th   to 7^th               SVRA   Laguna Seca

June

June  23rd to 25^th           CSRG   Laguna Seca

August

August 12-13                    Monterey Pre-Reunion
August 16-19                    Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

September

Sept 8^th  to 10^th              CSRG   Sonoma

Novemeber

Nov  3^rd to 5^th                 CSRG   Thunder hill

Nov 10^th to 12^th              Velocity Invitational

 

More photos in the gallery below and special thanks to contributing photographers Meghan Fuller, Josel Cobangbang, Bryan Delohery, Blaine Olguin, Ann Devor, and Linda Williams. We can’t forget to thank the ZCG crew for keeping us safe for both events: Joshua Corwin, Meghan Fuller, Nick Filip, The Corwins we couldn’t have done it without you!

 

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We love motorsport and it is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Z Car Garage offers full trackside support and race car-preparation so you can focus on driving. Our client Todd R is a great example of ZCG trackside support in action. He’s been racing his Datsun 510 privateer-style for the last few years and hired us for the first time at the Laps For Laguna event back in May.

Z Car Garage had a blast racing and supporting Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 9 (John Morton Cup). We were super proud of Todd: he was able to concentrate on his driving, achieving his highest placing (p6) and personal best lap (1:48.3) time. You can see our full report from this HERE, and let’s take closer look at Todd’s experience with Z Car Garage trackside services.

 

Race Prep for Todd

 

Todd had us prepare his B-Sedan 510 prior to the Laps for Laguna event with standard track-event services including dyno tuning and alignment. He also purchased a set of 13×7 Panasport Wheels from ZCG. We are proud to offer 13×7 Panasport racing wheels in perfect fitment for your B-Sedan/TransAm series Datsun 510 running vintage-class spec 205/60/13 Hoosier R7 (and other) tires:

 

The welded diff was replaced with OS Giken limited-slip (4.38) unit. Diff services are performed in-house at ZCG:

   

We changed the ignition, spark plugs and dyno tuned the L-Series engine for 110 race fuel.

 

Enjoy this video the dyno tuning sessions at Z Car Garage and in-car race footage from Todd, volume up!

 

510 Beginnings

Let’s take a look at how Todd got into 510s…

“My history with the 510 begins in my childhood. We had a 4 Door 510 as a family vehicle and went everywhere in it. I have many memories of tinkering on cars with my dad in the garage. My first car at 15 yo was a Datsun 1200 I bought with my twin brother for $200. Engine was dismantled and all parts in a box under the hood sitting on the engine block. We put it back together w/Dad at night after he got home from work using the Haynes manual. My first car I bought myself in 1988 out of the classifieds was a 1972 Datsun 510, Lowered, L18 and a webber carb, 5 speed painted white. Great car, went everywhere especially to the Santa Cruz Beach. I lived in Livermore at the time. Sadly it got smashed into in front of my parents house and that was the death of it.”

 

“I received my racing license in 2015 in a rented 510 from Larry Oka (The One and Only)( nicknamed the THRASHER) I subsequently bought that car to continue racing for 2015 and 2016 in SCCA ITC SFR region racing at Laguna, Sonoma and Thunderhill. I became the 2015 San Francisco Region Champion in ITC for SCCA that year. At the end on 2016 I was handed an opportunity to purchase a Vintage racing ready 1971 Datsun 510 again thanks to Larry Oka. I made the deal and started racing with CSRG in Vintage sedan racing. This was where my heart was. I had been attending Monterey historics for 30 years and finally was going to be a Vintage racer. I raced and learned with that car but it needed to be better prepped for vintage, its livery was a bit contemporary and the car was Street/ITC built.”

 

“I had the car painted to its current day Black over White #88. I wanted to make it my own. I modeled it after the F.A.R Performance Datsun 1200 Livery of the early 70s to pay homage to the bay area Datsun performance shop in the 70s and 80s. The ZCG of its day. They had a successful racing history with Roadsters, 1200s, 510s and Z cars. I then brought the car to Troy Ermish who performed all the proper B Sedan Upgrades at his shop over the course of a few months. As more 510s started showing up in Vintage racing…Like Troy, I was left in the back. I knuckled down and raced as hard as I could. I reminded my self of a saying by the great Paul Newman..”Its more fun to make a slow car go fast than a fast car go slow”. The prize at the end of the day in Vintage racing is returning home ALL in one piece. I sourced a Rebello L1800 and installed it, and was able to race two races in 2021 after install  at Sonoma and Thunderhill.”

 

“As for Rob…We met at racing school in 2016 when he attended and I was working for Larry Oka racing for the weekend. He had that contagious energy of course and that’s where I learned of Z Car garage. As a Datsun owner racer I knew I I would need his services in the future, and of course we ended up racing together on a regular basis with CSRG. We would always be staged together in the Paddocks since all the 510s typically parked together.”

 

“I have always been a Do it yourself’er and was able to take care of all my needs up to this point, but at that Sonoma race in 2021 I had issues. I sorted out some problems but had a persistent misfire. Thankfully Magic Hands Joshua Corwin of ZCG was providing Track Support to Rob and others that day and my problems caught his interest because he’s a fixer.  Rob had allowed him to step away for a moment and he was able to determine my ignition plate in the distributor was loose and causing a misfire. They also supplied me with a Coil and plugs as part of the fix. Without Z Car my weekend would have been over if not for them. THIS WAS MY AH HA moment. With Rob’s thorough knowledge Datsuns and racing and the skills of his guys, Thats a win.”

 

Success at Laguna Seca with ZCG Race Support

 

Todd’s experience with us at the Laps for Laguna race event was so good we had to share it with our readers and anyone looking to join the fun…

“My first race this year was in May at Laguna Seca. I hadn’t had my car out of storage all winter and because of a crazy busy work schedule I couldn’t do my own prep and services prior to racing. I got my car into Z Car Garage and they more than dialed it in in just a few days. Nut and Bolt check, Dyno tune, alignment, scales. My car had never been better. I also enjoyed track side support that day at Laguna. I had to worry about NOTHING when parked under that ZCG EZ up. It was a difficult adjustment and I didn’t know what to do with myself. Rob told me to worry only about me, the car is covered. That security knowing Z Car was on the job simply made me faster, finally everything was dialed.”

 

“First session I finished 14th, second timed session I finished 10th and For the First Time ever, Sunday afternoon race I finished 6th overall in group 9 B Sedan group. This was possible because ZCG had me covered, the car ran and preformed better than it ever had. I was more relaxed going onto each race, AND iIdiscussed every session with Rob to preform better for the next race to come. Simply the best. I would recommend Z Car Garage Track Support to everyone.”

 

Thanks for trusting us with your race preparation Todd. We are very proud of you and happy to have you part of our group!

Join The Vintage Racing Fun

 

Interested in joining the vintage racing fun? Z Car Garage can help you prepare and support your race car at the track. We can also help you find a vintage race car! Contact Rob at the shop at 408-452-0350 or e-mail rob@Zcargarage.com for more details. Catch all of our race reports on zcarblog HERE and stay tuned for our final 2022 race report from the CSRG race events in November!

 

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WE LOVE RACING! On October 14-16 we attended the Velocity Invitational at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage had a blast racing and supporting several client’s Datsuns in Group 5 (IMSA GT) and Group 8 (Under 2-liter Trans-Am, B-Sedan). This vintage racing event was just as fun for spectators with a friendly, immersive vibe and guest appearances from racing legends Pete Brock and John Morton. Enjoy our report from the weekend with photos and in-car video of the action.

 

Celebrating the Trans Am 2.5 Challenge

Below, our friend and fellow racer Glenn Chiou describes the significance of having a dedicated race group for Trans Am sedans at the event. Enjoy the walk-through video!

The 2022 Velocity Invitational was the first time since the 2010 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, over twelve long years, where historic B-sedans had the opportunity to compete in a large spectator event to celebrate the Two Five Challenge. 2022 marks the 50 year anniversary of the end of the Two Five Challenge, and coincidentally, one of the final races was held at Laguna Seca Raceway where John Morton took the top podium spot. What better way to celebrate the 50 year anniversary than with many of the original cars on the track?

 

Velocity Invitational, in partnership with Historic B and C Sedan, formed the event’s dedicated run group of cars, a majority of which had in-period racing history. Historic B & C Sedan was formed by Dave Stone and Glenn Chiou in 2018 with the purpose of partnering with renowned US-based vintage racing organizations to field a racing exhibition of historic small bore sedans. While many events across the country celebrate B sedan, gathering an entire group of the actual sedans that raced in-period is very uncommon. Historic B & C Sedan hopes to change that!

The “Celebration of the Two Five Challenge” display was organized by Historic B & C Sedan and Velocity Invitational. Special thank you to Rob Fuller, Jonathan Buhler, Dan Passe, and Bill Ockerlund for helping arrange for the two most iconic cars to be present: the ex Morton #46 BRE Datsun 510 and ex Kwech #3 Wetson’s Alfa! Outside of having these two historically significant race cars at the track, many of the original Two Five Challenge cars that raced in period were reunited: Ed Matsuishi’s ex-Maas #96 Porsche 911, Rial Barnett’s ex-Kline #34 BMW 2002, Tim Brecht’s ex- Fredricks #35 BMW 2002, Glenn Chiou’s ex Finn/Harris #33 Datsun 510. The cherry on top was having original drivers like John Morton, Jon Norman and Corky Bell present to witness this spectacular weekend!

 

Above all else, to be on track with these legendary cars and drivers was truly a sensational and life changing experience. The wonderful part of vintage racing is not the racing, it’s spending time with these racing legends, family and friends, sharing the passion and making more history!

Thanks Glenn! Enjoy this video we made highlighting the 2.5 Challenge display and paddock action from the Velocity Invitational:

 

The BRE Datsun 510 at Z Car Garage

 

The Datsun 510 is very close to our heart and we prepared the actual Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Datsun 510 #46 race car at Z Car Garage for the VI event. Despite being  against all odds, our hero John Morton drove this 510 to SCCA Trans-Am series championship victories in 1971 and 1972, putting Nissan on the map and fueling every Datsun enthusiast’s passion for hot-rodding the humble economy car. Rob Fuller comments on this remarkable occasion:

“It was super cool to display these impactful Japanese vintage race cars at the VI event. Huge shoutout to Dave Stone and Glenn Chiou for organizing the Trans Am group. We spoke to our friends at Nissan to bring the most important (to me) car in racing, the  1971 #46 BRE Datsun 510. Nissan allowed us to prep the car and dyno it. It was just unreal to watch that tachometer go up to 7500 rpm and imagine that I was following John Morton in those races decades ago. I took it a step further and called John Morton asking for him and Sylvia to join us at the event. The BRE 510 is my hero car. This is the car everyone wanted their 510 to be like when they were young. Thanks to Jeff O’Neill, Ryan Turri and Ardelle Lind for accommodating our guest’s needs. The Velocity event was a homerun, we loved it.

 

The 2023 Nissan Z

The new Nissan Z was still at Z Car Garage for the CSRG event(report coming) and once again Nissan allowed us to display it at the Velocity event. We had the Z staged in a great spot and it event made in appearance in the Group 8 starting grid next to the BRE 510. It was so cool to see photos of the new z re-posted on social media. Enthusiasts are excited for this next generation sports car.

 

Z Car Garage Racers

Z Car Garage provided trackside support for several client cars. We were excited to be running in Group 5 (1972 – 1977 IMSA GT Cars) and Group 8 (1966 – 1979 Under 2-liter Trans-Am, SCCA B-Sedan, C-Sedan cars). As mentioned above, Historic B and C Sedan arranged for a spectacular field of cars including notable Datsun 510s. Let’s take a look at our clients and hear about their racing experience from the Velocity event…

 

#66 Gordon McCall

Gordon joined Z Car Garage for the first time at the Velocity Invitational with his vintage Datsun 510. He is the co-founder of The Quail- A Motorsports Gathering and “McCall’s Motorworks Revival” at the Monterey Jet Center, the “Kick-Off” party (which we attended) for the iconic August automotive week in Monterey, California. This 1972 Datsun 510 was first ordered from the Nissan Motor Corporation by Garrison Datsun of Florida and subsequently converted into a race car, and it was sponsored by the dealer and raced in SCCA competition through 1977. After 20 years it was returned to its original livery.

“After spending a few months getting my old race car back to its original livery, and prepping it for the Velocity Invitational, I was hoping to get a little shake-down time leading up to it. Sadly, time ran out…….and my sorting out time turned out to be on track at the event. What were my initial apprehensions in doing so, were soon calmed, as Nick, Josh and Rob could not have been more helpful with their trackside support. I improved my times with each session, and most importantly, ran all weekend with no issues. At least no issues that the Z Car Garage can’t take care of off-season with some further sorting, and hopefully, some more horsepower!

A real weekend highlight was the support from not only Rob & Co., but also that of my wife Molly, along with dear friend Wayne Rainey (3x MotoGP World Champion), and of course Datsun Legends Peter & Gayle Brock, and of course John Morton. Seeing the BRE 46 car, along with Horst Kwech’s Alfa was amazing as well, along with Adam Carolla and his ex-Greg Sorrentino 510. Getting to know the other B Sedan competitors was a real highlight too….it is such a great group of wonderful people, for which I am grateful to be associated with. Dave Stone and Glenn Chiou, along with Rob and Troy, really deserve a big shout out for pulling the group together. None of this existed 20 years ago, which is one of the reasons why I sold my 510 back in the early 2000’s. So happy that it has all changed now!”

#64 Kelvin Tse

Kelvin is a steady ZCG trackside support client, running his Ex-Ted Gruner 510. His brother Kenny has also raced with us and it was great to see the family having fun at the VI.

“The velocity race is a festival for car nuts. Jeff O’Neill once again has hosted an unbelievable event with McLaren Formula One cars present on the track, the Petersen Museum’s Formula One cars, first class vintage race cars and of course the B sedan group! It was awesome to see John Morton and Corky Bell at the track. With only has four sessions on the track each session had to be used carefully. This year we brought out the number 64 Dragonetti car driven by Jim Miller and Ted Gruner.”

“We struggled through the whole weekend with brake issues. The Z Car crew was certainly busy adjusting brakes, changing master cylinders and race prep all weekend. The car was running in the rear of the pack all weekend long because of a brake pedal that needed to be pumped up, but that still did not distract from me having the time of my life. It definitely was one of the hardest races I’ve been in working the car. I struggled and wanted to give up, but I somehow survived til the end. And that to me was a win. What a way to end my season, thank you ZCG for all the love and support! You make racing FUN!”

#72 Tom Dockery

We have helped Tom build and prepare his Ex-Norm Balzer/Koobation 510 for several years. Unfortunately the car was wrecked at Sonoma Raceway back in March from oil on the track. Z Car Garage rebuilt the 510, making a triumphant return to this year’s Velocity event.

While preparing Tom’s 510 we found the front hubs had failed so we actually used parts from the Corky Bell Datsun 510 restoration. Our client cars come first so this meant the Bell car stayed back. Corky’s 510 will be restored, and he still happily attended the VI event.

 

At the last minute Tom Dockery was not feeling well and asked Rob Fuller to drive his 510 in Group 8. It wasn’t hard for Rob to say “yes”, while offering to take care of the car and make him proud:

“In practice and qualifying we were the fastest car out there. It needs a few things but this is exactly how it was raced back in the day…just a brilliant, brilliant vintage race car. So much fun to drive!”

 

The Group 8 feature race was fun to watch. Rob Fuller and John Murray (BMW 2002) had a great battle and we have in-car video of the duel below. You can also see John Morton leading pace laps in the BRE Datsun 510 along with the Kwech Alfa. Enjoy!

 

Privateer Spirit

 

Our friend and Datsun Historian Glenn Chiou raced his Ex-Finn/Harris U2.5L Trans-Am ’68 510. It’s worth noting that not unlike privateers of the period, Glenn builds his race cars, maintains and manages racing efforts himself. Not an easy task so we applaud his work ethic. Glenn builds some beautiful Datsuns and we will highlight this 510 soon!

 

Podium Finish!

 

After a heated battle in the Group 8 feature race John Murray placed P1 (BMW 2002), Rob Fuller placed P2 (Datsun 510) and Alan Benjamin placed P3 (Porsche 911). John Morton and Pete Brock joined in the celebration and there hugs all-around. Rob was ecstatic:

“Our hero John Morton was in the BRE car leading Group 8. I was able to drive the BRE car onto the front straight for the photo shoot and it was just unreal. We qualified pole in Tom’s car and won Saturday. John Murray and I battled it out on Sunday. Love his car and passion. Loved being in a field of sedans and hearing how much the fans loved the event. To be so close to the cars, personalities, legends and action was just epic. Can’t wait to do it next year.”

 

Racing With Group 5 IMSA

 

#49 IMSA Joel Anderson GTU Z

Group 5’s IMSA GT and FIA race cars (1966 and 1977) was dominated by big-power Porsche 911 RSRs with a few BMS CSLs and 3 S30 Datsuns. Rob Fuller ran the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z joining Dave Stone’s 260Z and Bob Clucas’ 240Z:

 

The field was filled cool cars including Mclaren CEO Zak Brown piloting a mean-looking Capri. Rob battled with Brad Briscoe’s Corvette and fought to stay in the top 4-5 positions, making chassis changes throughout the weekend:

 

“The IMSA Z car…we’ve run it the way Joel ran it back in the day but now it’s our turn to make some adjustments. With changes to suspension, rear gear and transmission we were struggling a bit to be on pace. More tuning time needed, but we still placed well in the top 5. Huge shoutout to Rebello for making sure our engines are always performing the best. The engine in #49 car is the same since 2014…every race weekend it we demand 100% and it performs consistently with no issues.”

 

We have in-car video from Rob in the Joel Anderson IMSA GTU 240Z and Group 5 racing action in the video below, enjoy!

 

Living Legends at the Velocity Invitational

 

Fans were treated to an autograph session with racing legends like John Morton, Pete Brock, Mario Andretti and Mika Hakinnen:

 

Cruising through the paddock even more greats could be found enjoying the race weekend. Here is Wayne Rainey with Pete Brock and John Morton:

  

Famed race car driver and engineer Corky Bell made our day by showing up in his 1972 Datsun jacket with his name on it. We really enjoyed chatting with him and look forward to putting him behind the wheel of his Trans Am 510.

 

John Morton bestowed his LeMans race suit to Rob after the Group 8 feature race:

Exotic cars

 

There was no shortage of rare and exotic cars from well-known and upcoming supercar marques. Ferrari had “generations” display and McLaren showed off an incredible display of F1s mixed with newer models:

 

Ragtime Racers

The Special Exhibition Group “1907 – 1920 Pre War Ragtime Racers” entertaining to watch in the paddock and out on the track!

 

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 debuting last year. 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. A play area for kids and families was also welcome.

 

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:

   

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 and personal sports cars. Here’s a few of my favorites, with more in the gallery. Where else can you see a brace of McLaren F1s, Ferrari F40, Mercedes Benz 300 SLR and CTS-V Speedvision Challenge car in one place!

     

Just a McLaren P1 and Ferrari Enzo casually fueling up:

  

Incredible race cars mixed with street cars:

  

We have more photos in the gallery below. ZCG would like to thank the following photographers for sending us photos from the event: Alex Trang, Kristina Cilia, Christopher Hauf, Kris 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!

 

People

 

We enjoyed spending time with friends and meeting new folks. The Velocity Invitational really helped create such a friendly atmosphere. Above, Sylvia Wilkinson with Meghan Fuller, Jim Froula of RacecraftNW with Rob and Brad Briscoe with Rob. Below: Glenn Chiou with Lloyd and Erich, Alvin with Bruce Canepa, Pete Brock with Nick Filip and Jon Norman with John Morton:

 

Good times with the B-Sedan folks in Group 8, below: Dave Stone with Ed Matsuishi, Alvin with Kyle Von Hoften of B-Sedan B-Sedan Racing.

   

Racing into 2023!

 

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

 

…[read more]

 

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 May.

WE LOVE RACING! On May 21-22, Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) hosted Laps for Laguna at Laguna Seca. Z Car Garage had a blast racing our IMSA GTU 240Z and supporting Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 9 (John Morton Cup). It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our report with in-car footage and photos.

 

This is a new vintage racing event created by the Laguna Seca Raceway Foundation and California Sports Racing Group (CSRG) to raise money for charity. It is an open sound event with multiple races for each race group, charity rides and more. We hope Laps for Laguna becomes an annual affair.

 

Z Car Garage Supports Two Datsun 510s

It is our pleasure to bring more enthusiasts into the world of vintage racing. Our services 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.

#88 Todd R

 

Todd R has been racing his 510 privateer-style for the last few years. Prior to Laps for Laguna he had us work on his 510 and hired us for the first time doing trackside support. Todd was able to focus on his driving, achieving his highest placing (p6) and personal best lap (1:48.3) time. We will highlight his experience in separate blogpost on zcarblog.com, go Todd!

 

#7 Rob Fuller

 

Rob Fuller piloted the Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute 510. With the back-to-back SVRA events just before Laps for Laguna unfortunately Ed an Kelvin could not make this event so it was just Rob and Todd. Here is Rob’s report from the race weekend with in-car video:

“In Saturday’s first race my 510 had a mechanical and had to pull off to the side. I was not able to finish race according to CSRG rules and we had to start in the back for the remainder of weekend. Thanks to ZCG crew we got the car up and running. It was a different experience starting p23 but we finised 3rd (1:41.7). I received the “Hard Charger Award” and we were right behind Troy Ermish and Parker McKean (fast Alfa)). It was great fun mixing it up with them.”

In-Car video from Rob’s 510

 

The Joel Anderson #49 IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z

 

Rob also be raced the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z at the Laps for Laguna event. The Z got a fresh set of Hoosier slicks to replace the AVONs.

“After Joel’s passing last year we decided to get the GTU car out a little more and Laps for Laguna was great prep for the upcoming Velocity Invitational. Group 8 was filled with Porsche/c-Sedans, IMSA Corvettes, Jim Froula’s GT3  Nissan 240sx. Out of 20 fast cars we did pretty well in both races placing 3rd overall. The two leaders Mike W and Froula (full blown GT3 tube-frame car) were running 1:37s while we did 1:39s. I got a personal best lap time of 1:38.3.”

 

In-car video of Rob racing the #49 Joel Anderson IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z, volume up!

A weekend of great racing and good times

 

The best part of weekend was hanging out with people we haven’t seen in a long time. Cool to see Todd have a great racing weekend and know he’s getting better. Really hope Laps for Laguna becomes a regular event on the CSRG program. Cant wait for the Charity Challenge 9/30 as we’ll be in the John Morton Cup and GTU car in Group 8. Special shoutout to ZCG crew including the Corwin’s and Josh C for keeping all of the cars running so we can race!

 

 

Paddock Highlights

Big thanks to Meghan for taking photos and video around the paddock. Here is a highlight reel of what it’s like at a vintage race…you should join us next time!

 

Thank you CSRG for hosting great event, see you 9/30-10/2 at Sonoma Raceway for the Charity Challenge!

 

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 (Finished, report soon!)

4/21-24 Laguna with SVRA

4/28-5/2 Sonoma with SVRA

May

5/21-22  Laps for 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

10/13-16 Laguna   Velocity Invitational

November

11/4-6   Thunderhill with CSRG

…[read more]

 

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 April.

WE LOVE RACING! On April 1-3, Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) hosted the David Love Vintage races at Sonoma Raceway. Z Car Garage had a blast racing and supporting several client’s Datsun 510 race cars running in B-Sedan Group 9 (John Morton Cup). It was a great weekend filled with competition, camaraderie and plenty of Alfas, BMWs and Datsuns sharing the track. Enjoy our report with in-car footage and photos.

 

Z Car Garage Supports Three 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.

Video of two Datsun 510 B-Sedans (Rob and Tom), Enjoy the sweet L-series music!

ZCG clients running at the David Love Vintage races included:

#7 Kelvin

Kelvin’s 510 features our Z Car Garage CV Axles and dyno tuning. He achieved a personal best lap time at Sonoma:

   

#71 Ed M

 

Ed is friends with Kelvin and started joining Z Car Garage last year. He also achieved a personal best lap time at Sonoma.

 

#7 Rob Fuller

 

Rob Fuller piloted the Bay Area Datsun Dealers tribute 510. Here is his report from the race weekend with in-car video:

“First CSRG race of the season and our favorite events to go to with a relaxed atmosphere and super cool people. This is one of the oldest vintage racing groups in the US and we love watching the B-sedan group grow. As we continue to report on these events it makes u happy to see more and folks racing and spectating. We want this sport to grow and be alive for the next generation of enthusiasts and drivers!”

 

“We headed to Sonoma Raceway, missing our buddy Tom Dockery in his Ex-Norm Balzer 510. It was involved in an incident on test day preparing for the event and will return soon. It was a superb race weekend for myself, Kelvin and Ed. We were cutting it up with Troy Ermish and Parker McKean (son of Bruce from PNW) in his fast Alfa.”

“Our buddy Josh Moriarty in his 510 had engine failure so Dave Rebello made a guest appearance visiting the track. We installed Rob’s back up engine into Josh’ 510 and he was able to finish the race weekend…that’s the spirit of vintage racing. We are all there to support each other and have a good time. Sure, it’s fun to be competitive but at the end of the day it’s more important to spend time with friends and family. It was a great weekend.”

 

Enjoy this in-car video from Rob’s 510 chasing Parker and Troy:

You can see more of Rob’s race videos from the CSRG event (and other race) on his YouTube Channel. Give the guy a thumbs up and subscribe while you are there!

 

More photos in the gallery below!

 

Z Car Garage is amped for more racing this year. Here is list of events we will be attending. Please join us!

April

4/1-3  Sonoma with CSRG (Finished, report soon!)

4/21-24 Laguna with SVRA

4/28-5/2 Sonoma with SVRA

May

5/21-22  Laps for 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

…[read more]