Vintage Auto Racing Home Page
26th Annual "Fall AutoFest"
November 11-14, 2010
Vintage Auto Exhibition Racing
Dear Racing Enthusiast:
Photos of vintage racing at Zephyrhills can be viewed in the Zephyrhills AutoFest Photo Gallery.
Like many racing enthusiasts, you will really enjoy vintage racing at Zephyrhills on the 1/3 mile unbanked dirttrack. As a spectator, your daily admission into the overall event at Festival Park entitles you to enjoy all the racing action from the grandstands.
Warm-ups begin Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Racing begins Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
The awesome variety of racecars running at Zephyrhills includes three main categories of racing machines:
Stockcars- From the '30's, '40's, '50's & '60's featuring modifieds, late models and sportsmen cars such as Ford coupes and coaches ('33-'34 & '37-'40 are most popular) and similar Chevy and Plymouth models. Body styles are both full-fendered and open-wheeled. You'll see lots of flathead Ford V-8's plus many Ford and Chevy inline 6's and plenty of Chevy V-8's (mostly small block with an occasional big block). There are also a few inline flathead motors. Another type of stockcar, typically 4 cylinder powered, is the 2-seater speedster. These are typically stripped down Model T and Model A Fords.
Sprint Cars, Champ Cars & Big Cars- These single-seater open-wheeled racing machines at Zephyrhills are also widely varied. You'll see everything from older vehicles with skinny tires mounted on wire wheels to newer '60's vintage bruisers with much wider rear tires and rims. Power plants include Ford flathead V-8's, Ford, Chevy and GMC inline 6's & 8's, and big thumpin' overhead valve V-8's, mostly of Chevrolet origin, some of these running carburetors and others with impressive injectors pointing upward.
Midgets- These compact open-wheeled single seaters tend to be narrower and taller, the older they are. Most midget racecar engines have 4-cylinders. These include the exotic alcohol burning high compression twin-cam Offenhauser, the twin-cam Alfa-Romeo, the single overhead cam Ford 2.0 and 2.3 litre, the overhead valve Chevy II and the flat air-cooled Volkswagen. Some midgets run the little flathead Ford V-8 60.
ZAARA Saftey Rules:
1. Car, body and chassis represenative of at least 30 year old car.
2. Roll bars or cage on open cars. Full roll cage on stock cars.
3. Easily accessible kill switch or button and shut-off valves required. Toggle switches and valves must be clearly marked "ON" and "OFF". Fluorescent tape around valve.
4. Race cars (excluding speedsters) must have saftey hubs on the rear to prevent the loss of wheel.
5. Drivers must wear approved helmets, fire suits, gloves and shoes. Drivers name, date of birth, blood type, medications,plus other pertinent information the driver deems necessary, must be posted on the back of the drivers helmet.
6. Double (2) springs on the throttle linkage.
7. Open wheel cars must be equipped with at least aircraft type seatbelts. Stock cars must have a minium 4 point harness. Seat belts must be clearly attached to a chassis component.
8. Brakes must be operable. No copper tubing for hydraulic brakes.
9. Steering must be secure and in good working condition.
10. Cooling system will have an overflow catch tank.
11. All installations must be securly fastened with adequate hardware, including hood and hood pins, trucn lids and bumpers.
12. Tires must be in good condition with adequate "live" rubber.
13. Gas tanks and batteries must be securely strapped and/or bolted to the frame.
14. Cars must have rear pusk bumpers.
15. Each car must have a fire extinguisher.
16. Skid bars on right side front axle on open wheel vehicles. Safety chains on all open tube rear axle cars. Safety chains or cable to frame and front end of rear radius rods. Stock cars are exempt.
17. Cars that run on alcohol must have the letter "A" clearly visible on the rear of the car.
18. Tires must be 10" foot print for midgets, 12" for big cars and sprints, 13" for stock cars.
As you can imagine, with the incredible number of different types of engines listed above (and this is just as partial list), the various sounds that you'll hear on the Zephyrhills track will be music to your ears.
While stock cars at Zephyrhills have starter motors, most other racecars follow tradition and need to be pushed off to get started. This adds to the vintage flavor with push Jeep drivers getting these racecars running.
If you're the type of racing enthusiast who enjoys getting strapped into the cockpit of a race car and getting out on the track with lots of wonderful vintage race cars and drivers, please read and consider the invitation below.
You are invited to participate in Antique Auto Exhibition Dirt Track Racing to be held at Festival Park, in Zephyrhills, Florida. The exhibition racing will feature sprints, midgets, two-man speedsters and stock cars. The event will be governed by the Rules of the Zephyrhills Speedway, who will sanction and officiate the event.
Participants will enter at the Vendor Gate (between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.). They will be routed to racer registration. The tow vehicle will receive a racer decal. The vehicle towing a participating race car and two people will be admitted complimentary to the camping area. Additional camping space or swap meet space is available for purchase. Call for more information (813) 258-6726.
Everyone entering the pit area during warm-ups or racing must sign a waiver, release of liability and indemnity agreement, and will be charged a fee of $35.00. An armband will be placed securely on their wrist which must be worn to gain entry into the pit area and raceway.
 Printable Auto Racing Registration Form [pdf]
Zephyrhills Fall & Winter AutoFest Photo Gallery (racing & other photos)
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