HSR: Classic Motorsports MITTY Road Atlanta Friday notes

Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Celebrates Reunion at the Classic Motorsports MITTY Presented by Mazda Race

It was a walk down memory lane at Road Atlanta Thursday evening when Peter Brock, owner and originator of Brock Racing Enterprises, the American racing team who first put Datsun (now Nissan) in victory circle in the 1970s. The BRE Reunion was one of the featured events during this weekend's 34th annual Classic Motorsports Mitty presented by Mazda, April 29-May 2 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA.

Peter Brock is the grand marshal of this year's event and was honored by over 200 people, along with several members of his BRE race team, Thursday evening at the BRE Reunion Dinner. Invited guests included former BRE drivers John Morton, John McComb and Bobby Allison, a six time NASCAR" most popular" driver. Additionally BRE team members Kirk Allegro, Trevor Harris, John Knepp, Joe Cavaglieri, and John Caldwell participated. Bob Lyon, Brock's former Baja 1000 race co-driver, was also an honoree.

Brock, the 73-year-old designer of the World Championship Shelby Daytona Cobra and a former racer himself, was humbled by the many fans that came out to honor his legend.

"I'm just so honored that so many people turned up. I'm absolutely blown away that there is such a following. This is a completely new generation. A lot of these guys that came out today weren't even born when these cars were running. To find this following and that the cars have turned into a real classic is an honor both to the team and to Mr. Katayama, who was the guy that developed the car for Nissan Motor Corporation, (the Datsun brand in the U.S.)

"At the time we were running these cars, it was just great fun racing and a great team but you never look far ahead to a day like today to contemplate how much appreciation there might be one day in the future. That is just really great to see that here tonight," added Brock, who got his start as a designer for General Motors.

John Morton, one of the winning BRE Datsun drivers, was also overwhelmed by the BRE Reunion festivities. "Any time old, old friends get together its fun, especially when we have this much enthusiasm. It's pretty amazing to me that after 40-something years there are this many people and some of them were not even born yet when we were racing. There's so much enthusiasm, it's gratifying."

BRE guest driver Bobby Allison drove the No. 85 BRE Datsun 510 in several sports car races and was reunited with his former teammates at the reunion. "I'm just really, really pleased with the whole thing. I was honored to be asked to even come and to have people remember stories and things about some good ol' days and stuff like that. It was a really fun afternoon and evening for me. I really enjoyed the whole reunion event."

"Racing with the BRE team really helped clue me in about how to do the road racing part right. That really worked good for me in my career as time went on," added Allison, a three-time Daytona 500 winner.

The magical team that won many races for Datsun and put them on the map of American motorsports were not the only stars of the night. The other stars were the many BRE cars from yesterday. They included:

* 1969-70 BRE Datsun 2000 Roadster- SCCA D Production Champion (car owned by Adam Carolla)
* 1969 Mexican 1000 Datsun 510 - unrestored and given to Peter Brock by his wife Gayle at the party
* 1970-71 BRE Datsun 240Z -- No. 46 SCCA C Production Champion
* 1970-71 BRE Datsun 240Z - No. 3
* 1971-72 - BRE Datsun 510 - Trans-Am 2.5 Series No . 85 car driven by Bobby Allison
* 1971-72 BRE Datsn 510 -- No. 46 Trans-Am Championship car
* 1972 BRE Lotus 70b-Ford - SCCA F5000 car
* 1973 BRE Baja 240Z - Baja 500 SCORE International car driven by Peter Brock and Lee Nudgley
* 2010 Nissan 370Z BRE Tribute car - matches the 1970 BRE 240Z livery scheme

The 2010 MITTY Speedfest features more than 20 car clubs representing clubs from throughout the South and various makers such as Datsun/Nissan, Cobra, Volvo, Jaguar, Porsche, Alfa Romeo, Lotus and Fiat-Lancia, to name a few. The race-filled weekend will also feature a 20-lap battle of historical Formula 5000 racers, the Concours d'LeMons, a light-hearted gathering of orphaned or unwanted vintage cars, the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, the Classic Motorsports Cup race for small-bore cars produced before 1965, the HSR Historic Stock Car event feature former NASCAR racers, and vintage motorcycle races featuring nostalgic marquees like Triumph, Vincent, Matchless and Norton and so much more.

For more information, go to www.themitty.com or www.hsrrace.com.

-source: hsr/Burns Group Unlimited