Nostalgia at the Portland Historics

This weekend the Portland Historic Races took place at P.I.R.  With the sun finally showing, it was the perfect excuse to take out the 1965 Alfa spider, while my dad attempted to keep up in the new-to-him 1972 Saab Sonnett. As we entered the corrals to park, the sound of vintage Formula cars filled the air. The cars racing along the speedway instantly reminded me of watching my father race around that very same track during my childhood.

As we walked around all the different club sections, I pointed out an E30 that I thought should be added to our collection. My father asked, “Would you rather spend your college tuition on that?” He doesn’t realize that when I tell him I’d be fine living out of my car, I’m actually dead serious.

Toward the end of the day, while we watched the last races, I practiced my car knowledge by pointing out the cars I knew and guessing on the ones I didn’t. What was different about watching this race, compared with ones in the past, was that I was able to point out the correct lines and apexes—as well as noticing whether the drivers were hitting their marks or not—from my driving classes last summer.

One of my father’s friends pointed out that 15 years ago, the grandstands would be completely full, compared to the slight emptiness they had this weekend. It made me wonder what will happen to vintage racing. Does anyone from my generation even care? Will 356s slowly disappear from the tracks, only to be replaced by a “vintage WRX”? Wondering about what is going to happen to classic cars is a popular discussion—and now I’m starting to wonder as well.