The Vintage Sports Car Club of America’s Spring Rallye
A vintage Gimmick Rally through upstate New York and Vermont’s southern tip.
Where: Williamstown, Massachusetts
When: Friday, June 24th through Sunday, June 26th, 2016
Information: vscca.org
Contact: (203) 788-3956
Cost: $95.00 per vehicle, double occupancy. Meals and lodging separate.
Eligibility: Models raced prior to 1959
Image Source: Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (sportscardigest.com)
Vintage Cars Driven as Intended
This Friday, June 24th, marks the Vintage Sports Car Club of America’s annual Spring Rallye, with an extra E for elegance. Similar to its youthful cousin, the Sports Car Club of America, the VSCCA is a venerable institution that promotes the acquisition, use, and appreciation of sports cars. It also holds races and rallies across New England, the only difference being that members drive cars with a bit more age – not to mention value – than a stripped-down first-gen Miata.
Image Source: Spring Rallye (vscca.org)
A more relaxed affair than most, the Spring Rallye is open to VSCCA members and friends with street-legal vintage or antique sports cars. Members are welcome to drive any sports car of their choice, including the modern ancestors of classics like the Porsche 911 and Mercedes SL. This year’s route traverses southern Vermont into the uppermost reaches of New York State, over some of the most scenic and topographically dynamic roads the Northeast has to offer.
Image Source: Spring Rallye (vscca.org)
Rather than a TSD rally, where the goal is to race from checkpoint to checkpoint maintaining a designated average speed, this event is known as a Gimmick Rally. In these lighthearted affairs, drivers are encouraged to solve puzzles, accumulate clues, or just visit every point of interest along the way. Fine dining and accommodations over the course of the three day event help entrants unwind and fosters a sense of camaraderie.
Image Source: Frazer-Nash (passionatspeed.blogspot.com)
If you’re an owner or aficionado of cars built and raced before 1959, consider joining this group of like-minded enthusiasts for a tour through New England at its verdant peak. Membership in the club requires recommendations from current members, so whether you drive a 1915 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost or a Maserati 3500 GT, the Spring Rallye is a perfect opportunity to make friends and set yourself on a path to join one of the nation’s oldest and most respected automotive organizations.