MOORESVILLE, N.C. — When one thinks of iconic race car liveries, many come to mind.
There’s Richard Petty’s STP NASCAR stock car, Dale Earnhardt’s black Goodwrench machines and the Marlboro-clad Team Penske Indy cars among hundreds of others.
Fifty years ago, one of the most-iconic designs in sports car and open-wheel racing was unveiled. Jågermeister’s bright-orange paint scheme adorned with the Hubertus stag head logo quickly became a fan favorite around the world.
These machines also became regular visitors to victory lane as the popular look graced Porsche 956s, Ford Capris, BMW 320s and Porsche RSRs with drivers such as Hans-Joachim Stuck, Niki Lauda and Jochen Mass.
Jågermeister officials have lovingly restored and maintained these high-speed works of art.
With its new Rennmeister brand, Jågermeister is once again bringing these stunning machines out for race fans to enjoy as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of this highly successful marketing program.
They will do this in a wide variety of ways, including photo shoots, videos, pop-up displays and exhibitions at race tracks around the world to help celebrate these iconic race cars.
• This year’s West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner was the first event held inside Sonoma Raceway’s new hospitality building, located in turn 11 of the famed California road course.
Congratulations to Sonoma Raceway President Jill Gregory and the entire staff at Speedway Motorsports and Sonoma Raceway on a spectacular build. The gorgeous dark wood and black exposed metal along with the massive windows make for a comfortable and gorgeous trackside setting.
Located on the outside of turn 11, the facility provides amazing views of the Wine Country hills and one of the most popular passing points on the race track. The cocktail party prior to the Hall of Fame ceremony was held outside on the lawn right next to the race track. I was once again honored to be the emcee for the dinner that recognized numerous West Coast racing luminaries.
Sonoma Raceway and Speedway Motorsports have definitely raised the bar on the style and type of hospitality buildings that major speedways and race tracks now need to compete with other professional sports leagues for marketing dollars.
The days of rows of hot and stuffy hospitality tents may be over.
This year’s dinner was one of the biggest happenings during the extremely popular Wine Country racing weekend. The prestigious event was attended by a who’s who of motorsports industry insiders and leaders, including NASCAR President Steve Phelps and NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell.
The West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees included Greg Biffle, Brendan Gaughan, David Gilliland, Jimmy Sills and Garrett Evans. It was a tremendous evening celebrating some of the West Coast’s greatest racers in a great facility that will host the induction dinner for years to come.
• The announcement of Formula 1’s return to Las Vegas was timed perfectly with the arrival of a very interesting book to our desk — “Caesars Palace Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Organized Crime and the Pinnacle of Motorsports” by Randall Cannon.
This is a very well researched book in every aspect. If you are intrigued by the back story of how the Caesar’s Palace parking lot became a stop on the Formula 1 calendar, or if you like “The Sopranos,” this is a book you will find very intriguing.
It’s a great read leading up to the lights going out in Vegas next season! Get your copy from Amazon.com or mcfarlandbooks.com.
Well done, Randall!