No more Coronado Speed Fest

[TimBer]

I was disappointed to read that the foundation that puts on Fleet Week, which includes awesome vintage racing on the runways of Naval Air Station North Island, will not longer put on the Speed Fest.

Military News - San Diego Union Tribune

[Amail]

First the Chargers leave, now this. I'm moving to Montana.

[flipper35]

Do you have a link? All I have heard is there won't be one in 2017 because of construction.

[TimBer]

Foundation goes broke celebrating Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - The San Diego Union-Tribune

This is the article I was referring to. There was also an article in the Coronado Eagle paper, but it is not on their website.

[flipper35]

Thanks.

[TRE Cup]

That is a bummer. It was a great fun end of season race for classic cars. The hospitality of the Navy was tremendous. Since there was no air show (San Diego Airport was right next door), the races , and car shows were the substitute for years

Sniff , gonna miss it

Me coming up the inside with the evil cockaroach

[Ferraripete]

never miss this event. sadly it went terribly downhill after steve earl lost it. I will still miss this despite the sanctioning group. this was the best ticket in san diego.

[chapo]

Bummer, close to home, my girl actually was excited to go there ( not like Willow or Buttonwillow) good friends and fun

[John Rogers]

According to the folks at one of the Porsche shops they were told it was because they could never find a deep pockets sponsor over the past several years. They enter several cars each year and it was getting set up for their entries this year. The folks who run it do spend money like crazy and must have never had a real accounting person keeping track of the cash flow.

[ted]

It was my favorite local event too!
Always nice to see all the So Cal guys racing on track or roaming the pits.
One of my favorite Coronado videos.
https://youtu.be/Qt_7KE-JcPI?list=LLg-RSqhJ6zXfIbmssh46Q0w

Honoring the military with a car race seemed to give our racing more purpose.

Here we met a nice Navy petty officer and he did our morning warm up.
https://youtu.be/R90CRp6e8P0

Short story I was a Navy Air Traffic Controller at North Island so racing on the Navy runways and taxiways was bucket list stuff for me.

In 2016 at the last race we were the last run group to race On Sunday afternoon.
So our's was the last race ever to be run at Coronado.
In true vintage tradition we kept it close and the announcer, race director and the fans that stuck around enjoyed the show.
https://youtu.be/Qw-K3fhkSjA

Sunday morning last to 2nd.
https://youtu.be/UR04l6sAj64

Photo by John Straub.


The airport runways were crowned with a variety of surfaces/grip levels and some hefty bumps here and there. Tricky surface.
When race cars got around 600hp and with sticky tires the rough airport tracks became less popular.
The choppy tracks were hard on drivetrains, suspensions and frames too.
In 2014 we had had a right front upright failure but were able to make repairs overnight and race on Sunday.
https://youtu.be/SUXI_w7Nil0?t=7m40s

Drifting a bit on a perfect morning in Coronado.
https://youtu.be/JcTHKozg244


In 2012 a historic LeMans top ten RSR missed a shift in front of me twice...
The first time I was surprised the second time I anticipated the missed shift.
Drag racing this valuable and historic RSR to the Tire wall was a thrill too.
First time.
https://youtu.be/HVw7MTTYZ3s?t=15m23s
second time.
https://youtu.be/HVw7MTTYZ3s?t=16m40s


It was a scenic location, a race track surrounded by San Diego Bay, Pt Loma and the Downtown skyline.

[tevake]

Woohoo! A pelican won the last race, good going Ted!
It was so fun watching the cat and mouse game between you and the other front runner. Deciding where each had the advantage and where to make the move to be in front where it would count.

Cheers Richard

[ted]

Cheers Richard!
In vintage racing we don't adulate over winning, its about presentation.
But I like your enthusiasm, next race planned for #10 Monterey Reunion.
They are hosting an IMSA GTO race group.
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Cheers to the crew too!

[flipper35]

My daughter and I went all the time when we lived out there. Now we all go to Road America. Lots of pics and video from there somewhere around the house.

[Cory M]

Sucks. It was a great event to take the kids to. I drove the Friday practice with the pca back in 2009, the economy was down so they opened it up to other groups. We've got a svra eligible car now that I wanted to enter this year. Too bad.