The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC) located in Watkins Glen, New York, announced Wednesday that it will be honoring the Elva during Watkins Glen International's opening weekend, April 21-22, 2012.
Janos Wimpffen, race historian and author of Elva: The Cars, The People, The History, will be on hand at the IMRRC Saturday at 1:00 p.m. to give a talk about the car. The Elva, a marque with a name meaning "she goes," is described by the book's publisher as "deceptively simple--and surprisingly competitive." The book won the prestigious 2011 Motor Press Guild’s Dean Batchelor Award, and copies will be available for sale and signing at the event.
According to the IMRRC, Mr. Wimpffen will talk about "the Elva company’s origins in the 1950s in the south of England, its successes and failures at the track and its influence on better-known marques. For example, Elva helped Bruce McLaren establish the seeds of a racing dynasty by building the first McLaren-Elvas." Mr. Wimpffen was recently interviewed on "Jay Leno's Garage" about his book.
Notable drivers of Elvas include Sir Stirling Moss (as a historic racer) and Bobby Rahal and Mark Donohue back in the day. Mr. Donohue drove an Elva Courier as his first racer, winning the 1961 SCCA national championship.
Also on Saturday, the IMRRC will display Elvas at its 610 S. Decatur Street location.
On Sunday, the Elvas will be displayed at the start/finish line and Victory Circle at Watkins Glen International and will participate in a few parade laps around the famous circuit.
The talk and display at the IMRRC are free and open to the public. Elva owners are encouraged to contact the center's administrator, Max Neal at max@racingarchives.org or (607) 535-9044 to register or for more information.
The International Motor Racing Research Center is dedicated to the preservation of the history of motorsports. For more information about the Center’s work, visit its website at www.racingarchives.org.
Watkins Glen is located approximately 80 miles south of Rochester, a scenic drive along Seneca Lake.
VIDEO: Check out Jay Leno's Book Club interview of Mr. Wimpffen about his encyclopedic book on the Elva here or at the left side of this page!
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