100 Year + - Ventura Motorsports Gathering

VENTURA MOTORSPORTS GATHERING
VENTURAMOTORSPORTSGATHERING.COM
2 0 0 9
Mission Park
Downtown Ventura
July 11 & 12
Sponsored by
Ventura Sports and Race Car Club-VSRCC.COM

“Jaguar, the MOST
DEPENDABLE car.
Really.” THE NEW YORK TIMES, MARCH 19, 2009
1950 Jaguar
2010 Jaguar XFR
2009 Land Rover LR3 1950 Land Rover
Browse Our Selection of Pre-owned Vehicles
Concierge Service Available
www.jlrventura.com
3190 Perkin Ave. • Ventura Auto Center
101 Freeway • Johnson Drive Exit • 805-654-0100

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Credits
1
2
President’s Letter
3-5
FEATURED AMERICAN VEHICLES
6 & 7
SPECIAL FEATURE: Morgan Motor Company Celebrates 100 Years
8 & 9
FEATURED BRITISH VEHICLES
10
SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Cory Kruseman
11 &14
FEATURED GERMAN VEHICLES
12 & 13
SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Ernie Nagamatsu
15
SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Mike Taggart
16-18
FEATURED ITALIAN VEHICLES & MOTORCYCLES
19
SPECIAL FEATURE: 2009 Featured Marque
27
SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Bill Erickson and Will Kalbermatter
Herald Printing, Ltd.
STEVE COOK
Cover Art: Bill’s 308 GTB
Cook created
the cover piece,
titled “Bill’s 308
GTB,” in less
than one week
at the request of Club vice president Bill
Erickson. Steve Cook has lived, surfed,
and painted the coastal communities
of San Diego and Ventura counties his
entire life. He cultivated his artistic eye
through the exotic locales his passion
for surfing has taken him: from the Indian
Ocean to Ventura’s own Pierpont
Beach, where Cook maintains his studio.
In May 2007, Cook was featured as a
juried artist in the Focus on the Masters
Ventura Studio Artists Tour. He has studied
plein air oils under Ken Auster in
Taos, NM and with John Comer in Santa
Barbara. He has pieces in multiple venues
in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties
and is in several private collections
both here and abroad. He is a member
of the Buenaventura and Santa Barbara
Art Associations. Cook’s paintings can
be seen in his studio or on his website,
www.stevecookfineart.com.
SERGIO ORMACHEA
The Painting- “Welcoming”
For me Ventura has a
natural beauty that extends
from the whispers
of the crashing waves
on the beach to the soft
hills that seem to float
like kites above the
town. I tried to capture
the feeling I get when I
drive south on the 101 and reach Ventura,
and I see the beach and the pier,
it’s a soft welcoming. Sergio Ormachea
was born into an artisan family, in the
most beautiful artisan town of all, Cusco,
Peru, in 1982. He immigrated to the U.S.
with his family in the mid 1990’s. His
parents own and run Ormachea Jewelry
in Ventura, California. He is currently
a graduate student of architecture at the
Academy of Art University in San Francisco,
exploring his internal creativity
through architecture, painting, sculpting,
woodworking and of course jewelry.
VENTURA
MOTORSPORTS
GATHERING
JUDGING CRITERIA
The unique judging formula
for the Ventura Motorsports
Gathering considers every
aspect of each entry car’s
present condition, authenticity
and provenance.
The Ventura Motorsports
Gathering coordinators
regard entrants as possessing
the unique knowledge to
qualify and verify the many
automobiles before them,
and therefore ask that they
participate in the judging
process. By appointing our
own entrants as the judges,
we not only rely on their keen
discernment of fine motorsports
vehicles, but also their memory
of events surrounding each
entered vehicle and its place in
history.
Trophy Categories:
American/British/German/
French/Italian/Ferrari. Within
each category: Best Sports
Car, Best Race Car, Best
Classic Car, Best Motorcycle
and Best in Class. Special
trophies for Best in Show and
Ventura Sports and Race Car
Club Chairman’s Award.

THE POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE (P.A.L.) FOUNDATION PROJECT
ATTENDING CAR CLUBS:
Ventura Sports & Race Car Club
Jaguar Owners Club
British Car Club
Mustang Club of America
Ferrari Club of America
Ferrari Southern Region Club
Corvette Owners Club members
Maserati of North America
Porsche Club of America, S.B. Region
Simi Valley Corvette Club
VENTURA SPORTS & RACE CAR CLUB
Don Greene - President
Bill Erickson - Vice President
Howard Ashe - Board Chairman
Kathy Aschoff
Guy Browning
Tom Egidi
Jerry English
Quinn Fenwick
Robert W. Garven Jr.
Leonard Halpin
Judy Halpin
Bruce Holley
Martin Jansen
Roy Lane
Davina Lane
Maria Lopez
John Masterson
Jim Monahan
Teresa Romney
Harvey Wilson
2008 WINNERS
BEST OF SHOW
Spanish: Jack & Vi Vopal, ‘56 Pagso
SPECIAL AWARD
American: Michael Brennan, ‘31 Ford
SPORTS CARS
American: Tony Rodriguez,’64 Cobra
British: Bob Ives, ‘55 MGTF
German: Harvey Wilson, ‘55 Mercedes Gullwing
French: Erik Barthelemy, ‘57 Facel Vega
Italian: George T. Elerding ‘72 Ferrari 365 GTB
Jaguar: Ron Toni & Donna Avery, ‘65 Jaguar E-Type
MOTORCYCLES
Mike Frustere, ‘70 Triumph 650CC Tiger
Paul De Meester, ‘93 Zyborg B18VV2H Custom
This year, (Members of the Ventura Sports & Race Car Club) are donating
a 1965 Triumph GT-6, to the P.A.L. organization as a restoration project.
The concept is that P.A.L. members relying on community support and
donations will completely restore the GT-6 over the next 12 to 24 months.
Once completed, the GT-6 will be auctioned at the Ventura Motorsports
Gathering in July of 2010. All proceeds will go to P.A.L. This promises
to be a great project for building skills and teamwork within the P.A.L.
membership and to involve the community.
SIGNATURE SPONSOR:
Ventura Jaguar and Land Rover
SPONSORS:
AAA Clocktower Inn
Erickson Auto Ferrari
Hagerty Insurance Agency Herald Printing
Herzog Wine Cellars Island Packers
Jaguar Land Rover Ventura Moss Motors
XK’s Unlimited
EVENT COORDINATORS & CREDITS:
Co-Chairmen - Don Greene, Bill Erickson, Howard Ashe
Advertising, Promotion and Production - Maria Lopez
Master of Ceremonies - Bruce Holly
Rally Master - Martin Jansen
Vendors Coordinator - Guy Browning
Event Photographer - Vic Alvarez
Art Photographer - Kim Stevenson
Graphic Art - Kim Stevenson and Silvia Huerta
Poster Art - Steve Cook and Sergio Ormachea
Merchandise - Judy and Leonard Halpin, Gary and Juni Cooper,
Davina Lane and Karen Behnke
Trophies, Art/Design - Roy Lane, Don Greene
Production Assistance - Jewelias
Program Design and Production - Silvia Huerta
Articles and Interviews - Kevin Clerici, Anne Hallock
Downtown Ventura Organization - Rob Edwards
Website - Jean Renee’ Branaa’
Program Printing - Harold Printing
Social Host - Kathy and Mark Hartley, Jim Rice, Watermark
Wine Tasting Host - John Whitman, Old Creek Winery
RACE CARS
American: John Richards, ‘67 Edmonds Sprint Car
British: Jim Belardi, ‘52 Morgan +4
Italian: Bob Callahal, Challenge Stradale
German: George Carrol,Z-8 BMW
Jaguar: Winning Makes, Jaguar XKE
CLASSIC CARS
American: John Whitman, ‘66 Ford F-100 with ‘69 Norton
British: Rob Steinmetz, ‘51 Bently MK VI
German: James Reynolds, ‘79 Porsche 930 Turbo
Italian: Jeff Meier, ‘70 Miura S Lamborghini
Jaguar: Dale Buss, ‘69 Jaguar XKE
1
C R E D I T S

Welcome, Automobile Enthusiasts!
The 2009 Ventura Motorsports Gathering marks the second year that owners, aficionados, and
gearheads alike have come to Mission Park to celebrate their passion for sports and race cars.
We come together to honor a heritage of speed.
As sponsor of the event, The Ventura Sports & Race Car Club hopes to furnish participants and
guests with a top-tier weekend experience in this priceless coastal setting. Saturday offers a
rally up the Pacific Coast Highway; a tour of an exclusive, private automobile and motorcycle
museum in scenic Ojai and lunch under the oak trees at the famous Ojai Valley Inn. The tour will
then depart via backroads to the Old Creek Winery for a private wine tasting. Drivers can then
choose between the long scenic drive on Highway 150 out through Santa Paula and back to Ventura, or a short hop down
Highway 33 to Ventura. After dinner, there will be a social with entertainment for the Gathering hosted by the Watermark
Restaurant.
On Sunday, participants in the Motorsports Gathering will enjoy a true Concours d’Elegance in grassy Mission Park, the heart
of Downtown Ventura’s cultural district. Much like the autos that will be on display, Ventura enjoys a rich history of its own,
with a community that keeps its traditions alive and shapes its image even today. It is because of this great respect for our
host city that we are pleased to contribute a portion of the proceeds from this event to the Ventura Police Activities League
Foundation (PAL), which mentors underserved youth in the community, as well as other non-profit organizations serving the
Central Coast.
This year, we chose Ferrari as the featured marque. Since its humble beginnings in Modena, Italy, Ferrari has epitomized the
spirit of excellence in motoring: beautiful machines moving at top speeds. Founder Enzo Ferrari built a racing legacy on his
love for competition. It drove his Scuderia Ferrari to win more Formula One Grand Prix than any other name in racing, and
his Ferrari automobiles to be considered among the best engineered autos in the world.
This weekend, Ferraris will be on display along with nearly 200 other classic, antique, modern and unique sports and race
cars. In the following pages, you’ll see profiled racing legends such as 1949 land speed record holder Spurgin-Giovanine,
as well as entrants in internationally notable races such as Peking to Paris 2007; Italy’s Mille Miglia, The Carrera Panamericana,
and East Coast meets West Coast.
We hope you enjoy your time here at the 2009 Ventura Motorsports Gathering. See you on the track!
Sincerely,
Don Greene
President, Ventura Sports & Race Car Club
P r e s i d e n t ’ s L e t t e r
2

Howard Ashe
2006 C-6 Corvette, Convertable
Owned by Howard Ashe, the C-6 Corvette with 400 hp,
400 ft lbs of torque, amazing handling and acceleration and
a civilized ride, helped smooth the transition from a lifetime of
British sports cars to an American Icon.
Michael Brennan
1931 Ford Roadster
The Sandy’s Muffler Shop roadster was originally built in
1937 by Sandy Belond and Sam Hanks. Now as it sits
fully restored it is considered to be one of the finest authentic
pre-war dry lakes racer in existence, recently winning the
prestigious Pasadena Roadster Club’s Best Roadster Award,
a trophy that dates back to 1949. Rebuilt by Michael Brennan
an excellent restorer whose unprecedented research and
years of experience were instrumental in returning this car to
its original 1942 race day condition. Brennan “Every mechanical
element was rebuilt to absolute period perfection. I
went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the car’s authenticity,
without over-restoring it. I studied the techniques and mechanical
abilities of Belond and Hanks at the time, then utilized period
correct tools, equipment, replacement components and
raw materials to painstakingly restore the roadster. Very few
early hot rods have survived their journey to the present day
unscathed and this roadster is fortunate enough to be one of
them. The Belond represents a fleeting remnant of our country’s’
glorious dry lakes racing history; I see this roadster as
a beautiful artifact from a transitional time in America. When
people see Sandy’s roadster driving down the road today I
want them to have a glimpse of hot rodding in 1942; she is
just the way Sandy prepared her for his last dry lakes meet in
May of 1942.” The Sandy’s Muffler Shop roadster was 1 of
fewer then 100 racecars to be clocked exceeding 100 mph
before 1940. The roadster was also an Idlers Trophy Champion
in 1938 and 1939. And The Sta-Lube Oil Company
Trophy winner in 1939.
AMERICAN
3
Randy Des Baillets
1929 Ford Fairgrounds Racer
Particapant La Carrera Panamericana 1995 and2005
Particapant Great American Race 2000, 2001 and 2002
Entrant New York to Paris Race 2008 DNS
Robert Constable
1966 Chevrolet Corvette
Steve Dole
1954 Buick Century
This car ran in the 2003 La Carrera PanAmericana rally. It
is a replica on one of 6 identical Coca-Cola Buicks entered
in 1954.
William Erickson
1925 Buick Pick up Roadster
I drove this Buick with my friend Steve Dole in the 2007 Peking
to Paris Rally. It ran perfectly for most of the trip with only
a few structural problems along the way. After the rally we
shipped it to New Jersey, where another friend, finished the
last leg to Carmel, California. A great adventure around the
world!

Jeff Gean
1968 Chevy Corvette
1968 Chevrolet Corvette convertible owned by Jeff and
Kathy Gean.
Curt Giovanine
1925 Chevrolet Roadster
This car was built as a more advanced version of the land
speed record holder in 1948 by the builder of the original
and his son.
Jim Harris
1995 Ford F 150 Pickup
Rear engine 14L Diesel
AMERICAN
4
Steve and Marsha Johnson
1960 Chevrolet Corvette
Classic red with white cove first generation Corvette. Recently
used in a music video in Ojai. Car is driven daily and
has made two trips to Reno for Hot August Nights, and will
be driven up again this year.
Ernie Nagamatsu
1959 Buick Special
This Special was built by Max Balchowsky in 1959. It was
driven by some of racing’s greatest drivers; Carroll Shelby,
Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, Billy Krause, Bob Drake, Paul
O’Shea, and Max Balchowsky. This car broke many track
records and competed against some of the best.
Ernie Nagamatsu
1925 Chevrolet Roadster
This car was the land speed record holder in 1948 in it’s
class. This event is the first time it will be seen in public since
it was retired. Please see story on page 12.

Bob Schofield
2005 Ford GT
Scott Takasugi
1973 Porshe 911 T International Racing PVT
This car is a 935S replica built by American International
Racing. A 1973 chassis was chosen to avoid California
Smog laws in order to one day transplant the carbureted 3.2
liter Carrerra motor. It was used in the 1987 movie “No
Man’s Land” with Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney. The
Car’s famous scene was being driven away on Rodeo Drive
with a close-up of the license plate PVT DNCR. Like the 1984
Tina Turner song, Private Dancer, after‚ you buy her, she’ll do
what you want her to do. Charlie Sheen screams, “This car
handles!”
Peg Thomas
2002 Ford Thunderbird
Owned by Pegi Thomas, this 2002 Ford Thunderbird Roadster
was the first year of the “retro” of the classic 1956 Thunderbird.
This car was only produced from 2002-2006 and
2002 was the only year using the original Thunderbird “blue”
color. It is equipped with a 3.9L DOHC V-8 engine, has a
removable hardtop and after market upgrades.
AMERICAN
5
Richard Turner
1966 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Risher
I Have owned Corvairs most of my adult life. I started with
a 62 Monza When I was about 20 years old. I was drawn
to the sporty (buckets seats with a 4 spd manual) small car.
Despite what you may have heard they handel well especialy
for an American car of the 60’s. I bought this car in 2002, It
has been an on going project since then. My wife and I enjoy
driving and showing it.
Brett Becker
1995 Mazda Miata
Having been a car guy his whole life, Brett Becker has owned
lots of muscle cars, German sports sedans and Japanese sports
cars and sport bikes, among other vehicles. They haven’t all
been the prettiest cars, but they have always been reliable
and mechanically stout He races his Mazda Miata once a
month with the National Auto Sport Association at racetracks
around Southern California.

Santa Rosa Valley, Calif. resident Jim Belardi has
loved Morgans since before he could even call himself
an owner. Belardi has been racing his beloved
Morgan +4 flat-rad roadster -- which he affectionately
calls “Butterscotch” because of its color -- since 1979.
But he counts himself a member of the Los Angelesbased,
“Morgan +4 Club” for more than 50 years.
The passion Morgan owners, racers, and enthusiasts
have for the brand is no small piece of the secret that’s
kept the family-run company going for a century.
The speed pedigree Morgan Motor Company enjoys
today began 100 years ago across the pond, when a
Brit named Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan wrecked
his first car, a 3.5-horsepower Benz, and couldn’t afford
to do anything but build his own replacement.
Morgan scraped together enough money to buy a
seven-horsepower, twin-cylinder Peugeot engine, and
mounted it into a light, three-wheeled tubular chassis of
his own design. His “Morgan Runabout” single-seater
caught immediate notice for its rigid frame, light weight
and independent front suspension. Although he created
it as a personal project, Morgan received such
public interest that he patented the design and moved
into limited production with the help of his father.
Counting on racing credentials to drum up business,
Morgan and his first patrons audaciously entered early
models in trials, hill-climbs and races, often taking the
A HERITAGE OF SPEED: MORGAN
Local Racer, Owner, And Enthusiast Jim Belardi Looks Back On
6
top spot. Morgan himself broke records in the Roundabout,
including a time trial at the famed Brooklands racing circuit
in Surrey, England, where he was clocked exceeding 60
miles per hour in an 1100cc model.
After patron/journalist WG McInnies took first at the 1914
French Cyclecar Grand Prix with a longer-chassis version
of the Roundabout, the Grand Prix model was born and
Morgan Motor Company’s reputation grew. Within two
years, the father-son duo was producing a two-seat, eighthorsepower
version around the clock.
Success came quickly. By the mid-1920s, Morgan’s
three-wheeler was so consistently walloping the competition
that a 1925 Brooklands race required them to start a
lap behind their four-wheeled competitors. The Company

MOTOR COMPANY CELEBRATES
50 Years With Morgan
was producing up to five hundred vehicles annually but
saw sales of its three-wheeler dwindle at the turn of the
decade as light, speedy, and low-priced four-wheelers saturated
the market.
By the time the 4/4 Series 1 came around in 1936 -- a
four-cylinder, 1122cc Coventry Climax engine on Morgan’s
first four-wheeled body -- the company had seen
racer Gwenda Stewart break 100mph in a Morgan
Roundabout, and had earned a reputation among speed
enthusiasts as a lightweight, solidly built racing machine.
Strong finishes at Le Mans in 1938 and 1939 secured this
reputation among the international racing community, and
government-prompted export requirements pushed Morgan
automobiles to distribute for the first time to an eager American
audience.
Morgan’s commitment to constant improvement led to the
4/4’s successor, the larger, 2088 cc Standard Vanguard
engine, +4 in 1950. Peter Morgan, son of founder HFS
Morgan, drove the +4 to RAC Rally team prizes in 1951
and 1952.
In 1962, racers Christopher Lawrence and Richard Sheppard-Baron
won the two-liter class at “24 Heures du Mans”
(the 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans) in a +4 “Super
Sports,” averaging 97 miles per hour.
If the British loved their Morgans, their Yankee counterparts
showed equal enthusiasm. Between 1950 and the end of
100 Year +
the 1960s, American distribution
accounted for more than 80 percent
of Morgan Motor Company’s
production. Belardi, who had moved
from Wisconsin to attend an engineering
master’s degree program at the University of
Southern California, bought his first Morgan
around this time. His Morgan 4/4, a 1964
model that he purchased in 1967, was the first
in a love affair with the British autos that has
spanned more than 40 years and led to a collection
of four Morgans helping to populate his 15car
garage, including the 1952 “Butterscotch” +4
roadster, his 1956 Morgan +4 drophead coupe
(DHC), and his 1969 Morgan +8, which was the
first V8 Morgan to enter the United States
Belardi is a car enthusiast who counts a 1975 Ferrari
308 GT4, a 1979 308 GTS, and a 1960
Fiat Abarth Zagato among his collection of 12 rare,
vintage autos. He spent his career and met his wife
working in the aircraft industry of southern California,
helped her buy her first Alfa Romeo, a 1974 Spyder,
and proudly proclaims Morgans to be unique among
their peers. “As I’ve owned Morgans, I’ve come to
realize: it doesn’t look, it doesn’t feel, it doesn’t drive,
it doesn’t sound, it doesn’t smell like any other car.”
This summer, Moggies, as Morgan Motor
Company enthusiasts are affectionately nicknamed,
will observe the Centenary Celebration at
Cheltenham Racecourse in England. They will
gather to celebrate founder HFS Morgan and the
spill he took in a Benz as a youth. They will gather
to race, hill-climb, share stories, and mark the
importance of 100 years of speed and excellence
in auto-making.
Belardi considers the feat. “It’s amazing they’ve
lasted this long, making only 500 cars a year.
They’re family owned; the grandson of the
founder is running the company... it’s quite
amazing.”
“People live and die by their Morgans,” he muses.
Then he laughs. “I’m one of them, I guess.”
7

Greg Ashe
1971 Jaguar E-Type Series II
Jack Fish
Jaguar XK 120 Roadster
Don Greene
1960 Austin Healey 3000 MK I BT-7
Don Greene
1948 Jaguar MK IV
One of 179 prewar 3.5L Jaguar drophead designs that were
built between 1947 and 1949.
BRITISH
8
Don Greene
1962 Morgan +4
This 62 Morgan +4 is one of only 298 dropheads produced
between the years 1935 and 1967, which makes this one
of the more rare models. Morgan ran Le Mans in 1962 and
won their class. this Morgan was produced with the same
TR-4 engine and Moss Box Transmission that was used for
Le Mans. They are fast and rigid like a buck board and are
great fun to drive on curvy roads.
Bob Hawk
2001 Aston Martin DB7
Vantage Canne di Facile
Leonard Halpin
1963 MGB
In the fall of 1963 we went looking for a second car, and
found this little black beauty with red leather interior at Burbank
Imports. My wife, Judy, became an expert at tuning dual
carburetors, and I could change a fuel pump in 10 minutes.
Our son, Rob, learned to drive in the MG, and it became his
through college, and marriage. When Rob and Patti where
blessed with twin girls, Nicole and Elizabeth, dad finally got
his MGB back.

Darleen and Bill Lyons
1956 Jaguar XK 140 MC Fixed Head Coupe
Darleen and Bill Lyons are the second owners of this ‘56 Jaguar
XK 140, one of only 691 built. Purchased in 1964,
it is slowly being restored and has won several Concours
d’Elegance competitions and is seen at many local cruise
night events. The car has a double overhead cam, 210
horsepower engine that propels it to a top speed of 140
MPH. A burled walnut dash and interior trim, accented by
leather, provide luxurious motoring.
John Richards
2006 Aston Martin V-8 Vantage
BRITISH
9
Carol and Bill Rogers
1965 Sumbeam Tiger
This car was purchased by Jim LaFaver in Santa Ana, California
in ‘66 and modified with a Ford 4-V carburetor, hipo
manifold & 5.5” steel wheels. The car saw little use due to
Jim’s trip to SE Asia with the US Navy. In 1977, he sold it
to his sister, Carol, with 36,000 miles. It sat with flat tires,
no top and 2 inches of leaves, until she had to move. In
July 1988, renovation commenced as all fluids had, by then
turned to solids. It is now used for autocross.
Daisy Tatum
1968 Jaguar XKE 2+2
I am the original owner of the Jaguar XKE 2+2 purchased
new, December 17, 1968 at Encore Motors, Oxnard, CA. I
first saw a Jaguar at age 15 and knew at the time it would be
my first car. After college, I started teaching in Little Rock and
returned to Oxnard where I purchased the Jag. I drove back
to Little Rock where it was the only Jag in the state. I have
driven the car regularly and have many, many stories to tell.

I N T E R V I E W
BREAKING LOCAL SPEED LIMITS
Cory Kruseman’s Sprint Car and Midget Driving School at the Ventura Raceway
Cory Kruseman is smiling. And why not?
He’s on the verge of history: The “Kruser” is just 13 wins
shy of overtaking legendary driver Dean Thompson as
the winningest open wheel sprint car racer of all time.
At just 38, Kruseman has his own sprint and midget car
driving school -- the only official school of the United
States Auto Club -- and a spacious garage full of toys
and tools. His wife Carri, his high school sweetheart,
just started her own pet kennel business and the couple
have a precocious 8-year-old daughter, Casey. “I live
a charmed life,” says Kruseman, who started racing a
quarter century ago at a fresh-faced 13 and still has the
fire inside to buckle in for 40 to 50 races a year.
It would be fitting if the Ventura native and former member
of Tony Stewart Racing set the record at Ventura
Raceway, the venerable hometown dirt track where his
racing career started. It’s still his favorite. This from a guy
who has burned rubber on tracks all over the world, from
Paris to Australia. The raceway is also home to the Cory
Kruseman’s Sprint Car and Midget Driving School. He
gives credit to the raceway’s longtime owner, Jim Naylor,
who doubles as track announcer.
“There is not a better dirt track out there,” Kruseman says
of the 1/5-mile, high banked clay oval at Seaside Park
at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. “It’s a technical track.
The surface is nice. The amenities are top notch. And Jim
cares about the racers. He cares about the fans.” Kruseman
cares about winning, and always has. He won his
first race at 14. In a go-kart. In the third race he ever
entered. After graduating Buena High School in 1989,
Kruseman moved from go-karts and stock cars to USAC
Three Quarter Midgets. In less than six years, he earned
such titles as Non Winged World Champion, Chili Bowl
Champion, Western States Dirt Track Champion, ESPN
Points Series Winner, TQ Midget Fall Nationals Champion
and set numerous records, some of which still stand.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, he traveled to Paris for
the “Le Midget Grand Prix,” competed in the Australian
Grand Prix, launched his illustrious sprint car career, and
participated in his first IRL race at Texas Motor Speed-
10
way, where he clocked
in at 219 mph. It remains
the fastest speed he’s ever
reached. As for his proudest
accomplishments, he
points to his major wins —
he’s won the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. twice
— but most of all he appreciates being respected in the
sport. During one stretch, he was selected most popular
driver six years in a row. “That meant a lot,” he says.
While race cars have brought some of his greatest highs,
they’ve also brought pain. His father was killed in a
race car accident in El Centro when Kruseman was a
teenager. It was traumatic, but didn’t deter the youngster
from following his father’s footsteps. At the time, being
around tracks was familiar, and it was where his family
and friends were. “For some reason, I decided racing
was something that I needed to do. I wanted to be behind
the wheel.” Later, in 1995, on a mile course in
Sacramento, he was racing a midget when it flipped 14
times, shattering several of his bones.
Walking away from Tony Stewart wasn’t easy, either.
He described the NASCAR great as a stellar boss who
treated everyone with respect. But it came down to his
addiction to dirt tracks and his family. He had spent less
than 70 nights in his own bed that year. He couldn’t afford
to bring his wife and daughter with him on the road.
And he felt he couldn’t afford to miss any more time being
away from them. “It was a good decision for me,”
he recalls. “If I looked back and had anything to change,
I would not change anything.”
Kruseman’s latest venture is actually a return to his roots.
This year he added go-kart classes, one of the more
affordable forms of racing, to his school, which serves
about 400 students annually, many who cross oceans
to get there. Even for a guy who has made a living
flinging 870-hp sprint cars on bullrings around the country,
driving karts never gets old. “My karting days were
some most of the most fun I’ve ever had racing,” Kruseman
says. He still competes in karts, often against his
students. “Some of today’s best drivers got their start
in karting and it’s one of the best training tools you
can run.”
So how long will he keep racing?
“Until I quit having fun, I guess,” he says, again breaking
into a smile. “I have the best wife in the world and
a beautiful daughter. As long as I stay competitive and
as long as my family support is there, I will stay at it. My
desire for winning has been everything. But I also feel
like I have a lot to share.”

Roy Charles
1996 Porsche 911
Porsche Carrera GT2 aero package, custom stereo system,
custom interior and much more. PCA-SBR member.
Tom Egidi
1993 Porsche RS America
The RS America is a lightened, limited edition, performance
version of the venerable Porsche 911 Carrera. According
to Porsche it was developed to both commemorate the 20th
anniversary of and capture the spirit of the original Porsche
911 RS. It is distinguished from a standard Carrera of the day
by lacking many of the usual luxury features, fitted with the
sport suspension from a 911 C2 Turbo, as well as upgraded
struts, stiffer front stabilizer bar and 17inch wheels. This all
original example is #437 of only 701 produced for model
years 1993 and 1994 for export to North America. For more
information on this model visit: rsamerica.net
Susan Grasso
1964 Porsche 356 C
Originally a California car this 1964 Porsche 356C sunroof
coupe was restored as per the factory build sheet in Ivory and
red leather.
GERMAN
11
Sam Grasso
1971 Porsche 911S
We are the second owner of this 1971 Porsche 911S. The
car has not been restored and is complete with “S” options
including Recaro sport seats, aluminum engine cover, etc. The
car is finished in Metallic Silver over a black interior.
Mike Hernandez
1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SL
BEAUTIFUL, all original 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SL. One
of the nicest 450SL’s around. Original California car, owned
by the original owner up until recently. This car has very low
miles, and has records supporting this. The car is completely
original inside and out! The paint and body are in excellent
condition and the interior is absolutely like new! The carpets,
seat, dash and door panels are in pristine condition. This SL
also has both tops. The original owner took excellent care of
this car. Mechanically, the car needs nothing at all - it runs
and drives as good as the day it rolled off of the showroom
floor.

I N T E R V I E W
Ernie Nagamatsu
Owner, 1948 Landspeed Record Holder Spurgin-Giovanine
Ernie Nagamatsu has spent five years on a dream project
that quickly became bigger than him: restoring the
1948 Dry Lakes champion Spurgin-Giovanine roadster.
When the Chevy hot rod first came into his possession,
it was in rough shape and had undergone a dramatic
make-over. The front-engined racer now had its motor in
the back. Nagamatsu never blinked. The project, from
the outset, was about honoring its original builders. His
role, as he likes it say, is to be a “keeper the flame.”
That meant there was only one way to go: Restore it
to is graceful splendor when it captured the El Mirage
Season Championship more than 60 years ago. And
to do that right, he had to scour every periodical, every
grainy photo, every memory. He also went on a search
to find and involve descendants of the Giovanine and
Spurgin families -- and in the end he got more than he
ever anticipated.
Nagamatsu, who will unveil the fully restored roadster at
the Motorsports Gathering, hired veteran mechanic Bill
Erickson and metal shaper Will Kalbermatter of Ventura,
Calif. to do the lion’s share of the restoration work. Terry
Baldwin, another local to the Ventura area, leveraged
his extensive knowledge of racing history -- as well as
an expansive network of friends and fellow enthusiasts
-- to track down key details about the car. “I understood
right away from reading its history that no other car could
have done what it did, even today,” said Nagamatsu,
68, a dentist who grew up in Orange County. “It broke
the speed record at every meet in one season for a SCTA
Class A roadster.” It was a feat unheard of at the time.
There is something very special about car restorers.
They are historians, mechanics, researchers, artists, and
above all else, they are true believers, says historian and
author Richard Parks, who compiled a massive history of
the storied car.
Nagamatsu, and all the other car restorers who ever bent
metal and worked on an engine, are part of a fraternity
of brothers who seem more like knights of honor than car
builders, he said. “They have a quest, a desire to find,
to learn, to bring back to life that which was once great,
but is now forgotten.”
In early 1948, getting a Chevy 4-banger roadster to
eclipse 120 mph was a Herculean task. Yet, that is
exactly what the team of Chuck Spurgin and Bob Giovanine
did with their Chevy 4 at the SCTA Lake meet that
October, topping out at an average speed of 123.655
mph -- a record that stood for two years.
Hot Rod Magazine made the champion roadster a cover
12
story. Other accolades soon flooded in for Giovanine
and Spurgin, both Southern California residents and
members of the Albata Club of the SCTA who had tinkered
together on hot rods, on and off, since the late
1930s.
Giovanine credited some of the Chevy 4’s champion
performance to Bob Rufi and Duke Hallock. Rufi was responsible
for many of the basic ideas, while Hallock contributed
his technical knowledge on carburetion. Nearly
60 years later, Nagamatsu admires their collaboration.
Land speed racers, he recalled, were known to help
each other out, even among the fiercest competitors.
Nagamatsu bought the roadster from Lawrence, an art
dealer who had rescued the Hot Rod from a back yard
-- where it had sat for over 40 years -- in Apple Valley
after a fortuitous encounter at a Long Beach Auto
Memorabilia Show. Historical accounts show the car
had changed hands a couple times, and never again
achieved a record-setting pace for its class. Carl Borgh

aced the roadster at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1954 and
1955. By then, the engine was placed at the rear and the
driver was in a cockpit towards the front of the car. In 1956,
it raced under the name “Mothersills Special,” once again
drawing the spotlight by Hot Rod Magazine. Rarely does a
car compete in the highest level of competition for such a long
period of time.
Wanting to restore the Hot Rod to its peak racing iteration
spurred Nagamatsu to hunt down black and white photos,
oral histories, articles, and anyone connected to the roadster’s
storied past who could help bring the car to its 1948 configuration.
Baldwin was key to the restoration effort, including tracking
down the original engine block that was used to set the record.
About 10 years ago, Baldwin had discovered that a
man named Doc McDougall held the piece among a personal
collection of vintage-raced equipment above his welding shop
in Long Beach, Calif. McDougall had been given the motor
after it had blown during a subsequent record attempt on the
13
flats; it remains a treasured keepsake of his all
Spurgin-Giovanine
these years later.
The search led Nagamatsu to guys like David
Lawrence, Kent Borgh, Parks, Jim Miller, and
Keith Loomis of Ojai, who witnessed the Spurgin-
Giovanine roadster’s record-setting race at the
Dry Lakes as a young man. He also connected
with the original owners’ children: Karin Spurgin
Elda and Curt Giovanine.
“Connecting with them has meant the world to
me,” Nagamatsu said of the grown children,
who provided invaluable photos and historical
materials. “It’s the wonderful human elements that
has made the journey with the car so interesting.”
Restoring cars is not new for Nagamatsu, who
became interested in auto racing as a kid in
Orange County when he wrote a report on La
Carrera Panamericana, an annual road race
through Mexico.
The former Formula car racer restored Max Balchowsky’s
famous Old Yeller II, affectionately
called the “Junkyard Dog” of road racing.
To him, there is something magical about touching
a famous car from the past. He sees himself
not just as a fan, but a custodian who has a
duty to take care of the heritage of hot rodding
and pass it to the next generation for equal safe
keeping.
He hopes the legendary restored racer will be
accepted in the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance, where the Spurgin-Giovanine could
compete in the first-ever Legends of the Lake category.
“You don’t get chances like this too often,” said
Nagamatsu, who with his wife Elaine, owns
homes in Los Angeles and Oxnard Shores. “Because
all the storied cars have been discovered.
This is our chance to carry on some history.”

Ernie Nagamatsu
1955 Porsche 356 Speedster
General, James Killpatrick raced this famous, 356 Speedster
for more than 33 years. Please see story on page 12.
James Reynolds
1979 Porsche 911 Turbo
James Reynolds 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo 4 Speed manual
transmssion. Turbo charged air cooled flat six. Displacement
is 3.3 Liter Produces Stock 260 hp Pushing 2900 Lbs. Originaly
sold in 1983, James tracked the car in the late 80’s with
the help of Andial the performance experts. Made upgrades
such as: Race cylinders, piston sets, cams, custom full exhaust
system, sport turbo, extra large intercooler, ported intake, all
tied together with a fuel enrichment system boosted at 1.1 Bar
producing well over 400+ HP.
GERMAN
14
Jim VanVoorhis
1968 Porsche 912
This car was originally purchased by my Uncle, Robert Van-
Voorhis, in Northern California. I acquired the car 18 years
ago. The paint is mostly original and the interior has been
nicely prserved. Still a blast a to drive after all these years!
Harvey Wilson
300 SL Mercedes
This 62 300 SL mercedes is original,unrestored, and is maintained
in show condition.
Martin Hochman
2001 BMW 740i Sport
I share the opinion that many reviewers have expressed that
the BMW 740i Sport is a great driving cars for the highways
and byways. The 2001 is the last year of the E38 series -
before the body style changed to one widely considered less
attractive. This is one of those cars that combines excellent
handling with comfort, and is also fun to drive. And interestingly
enough, at speed on the Interstates on trips it consistently
gets 24 -25 mpg, not bad for a substantial car with a V8 and
sport gearing traveling at higher speeds.

LIVING HISTORY IN THE TOPA TOPAS
Mike Taggart and Guy Webster’s Motor Museum
Tucked inside a nondescript cinderblock industrial park
in Ojai, Calif. are some of the finest British sports and
race cars ever engineered.
Michael Taggart has spent half a lifetime acquiring his
prized possessions, including a 1956 Jaguar D-type and
an impeccably maintained 1970 Lola T165 Chevrolet,
a Formula One racer still emblazoned with No. 61.
The last person to drive
it, according to the log
book? Actor Paul Newman.
Taggart built the 6,500
square foot garage,
with panoramic views of
the majestic Topa Topa
Mountains, to house his
collection of classic race cars from the 1950s, 60s, and
70s. He shares the space with celebrity photography
Guy Webster, who has a passion for Italian motorcycles
and one of the premier collections on American soil.
Webster likes to refer to them as works of art.
Though there is no charge and little to draw attention
to its doors, the garage is commonly referred to as a
“museum.” And for good reason, given the pedigree of
what’s inside. The pair agreed to roll up the doors and
offer a rare viewing as part of this year’s Motorsports
Gathering. Car lovers are likely to be awestruck.
“There is a story for every car in here,” said Taggart, who
grew up within earshot of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
He said when he was young he couldn’t pay attention to
school because he could hear the cars on the track. One
day, he just walked out of school, made his way to the
raceway, and a passion was born.
For a guy who has spent years building his collection,
the breadmaker’s son and retired educator still relishes
how he came to own his first. It was in 1971. He spotted
a cherry red 1959 Austin Healy Sprite. It was love
at first sight. “I saw it and I said, ‘I have to have it’.” It
had run 500 drag races, and finished undefeated, once
reaching 138 mph on a quarter-mile track in Orange
County, he recalled. It cost $8,500, a small fortune for
an English teacher earning $460 a month. He called
the bank manager in town and pleaded his case for
a loan. He wasn’t to be denied. “The manager said,
‘Pay me back when you can’ and I walked out with a
check. That’s what it was like then,” he says, bursting
into laughter.
Parked nearby is a John Player Special Team Lotus 1984
with a 1.5 liter Renault engine that generates an ungodly
1,000 hp. It’s one of the first carbon fiber race cars ever
built. Taggart believes it’s the only one of its make and
model year still running in mint condition. “It goes zero to
60 in three seconds flat,” said Taggart, whose collection
was featured in Sports Car Illustrated in 2003.
At first Taggart, who has donated to various causes, including
a pair of annual tennis scholarships to the Weil
Tennis Academy, just bought the cars to admire and pleasure
cruise. Then, he said, friends started to urge him to
race. Now 78, Taggart says he enjoys the thrill of driving
the cars but he’s too old to go very fast.
Taggart readily admits he lived a charmed life. After
coming west after high school, he stopped in Ojai on
his way to Stanford University. He met the headmaster
at Ojai Valley School who, apparently being impressed,
offered him a teaching job that fall. Taggart accepted
on the spot. He later taught at Ventura College. His collection
really started to blossom when he inherited “Budweiser
money” after Anheuser-Busch bought his father’s
breadmaking business in the early 1980s. The collection
has been evolving ever since.
Taggart said the thrill of his life happened one day
a few years ago when he had a car racing at
Sears Point. Looking back over his shoulder at the
grandstand, he saw his family, including his grandchildren,
waving at him as he stood trackside next
to cars zooming by at high speeds. “I’ve got all
kinds of pictures of it.”
15
I N T E R V I E W

Ron Avery
2003 Maserati Coupe GT
19” Gran Sport wheels., Gran Sport seats, 1” lower sport
springs, Deleted rear mufflers. DBW upgrade It is a rare
6.speed manual. I have owned the car for three years, and
also have all of the records from day one including the window
sticker.
Bob Beck
2000 Ferrari Maranello 550 TDF
Bob Beck is the owner of Seaco Technologies, Inc and an
avid collector of motorcycles and cars.
Guy Browning
1984 Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer Scaglietti
This was the first Ferrari to use a boxer engine in a road car.
The boxer was the last of the hand built Ferraris. Scaglietti
was hired by the Ferrari factory to hand build these great
mid-engined super cars. The panels were put onto wooden
bucks and hammered to shape by very talented craftsmen.
No Ferrari has been built this way since the Boxer went out of
production in 1984.
Clifford Crane
2008 Ferrari 599 GTB Pinin Farina
This is my 4th Ferrari since 1980. This 599 has built-in radar/Laser,
navagation, DVD, backup camera, IPod. satellite
radio, and a 1200 watt sound systems. This is by far this best
sports car I have ever owned or driven.
ITALIAN
16
Gerald Cooper
1986 Ferrari Mondial Pinin Farina
George T. Elerding
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4A
I have been into sporty cars all my life. This is my third Ferrari
and one that has been the most fun and work! This Euro “A”
version, completed in 11/72 was originally sold by Motor
Roma and imported to California in 1973. I purchased the
car four years ago and rebuilt everything mechanical on the
car. The engine was done by Carobu Engineering in Costa
Mesa and puts out 415 HP on the dyno.
William Erickson
1978 Ferrari 308GTB Pinin Farina
William Erickson
1985 Ferrari Mondial Pinin Farina

Bob Faeber
2006 Ferrari F430 Coupe
6 Speed, Red With Tan Interior
Sheila and Aldo Fattarelli
1974 Alfa Romeo GTV
This Alfa was purchaced new in Rome Italy. It remains to this
day in the family. Still have the canceled check from when it
was delivered new!
Arnie Friedman
2008 Ferrari F430 Spider
Robert W. Garven Jr.
Ferrari Dino 308 Bertone
Introduced at the 1973 Paris Auto Salon, the Dino 308 GT4
was a ground breaking car for Ferrari - the first mid-engine
V8 production car built by Maranello, and the first Ferrari
production car designed by Bertone. Owning this car was
lifelong dream come true and I am most proud that I do all of
the work on this fine automobile myself.
ITALIAN
17
Martin Janzen
1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4
One of less than 275 Dino 308 GT4 models built in 1975,
this car was the replacement for the Dino 246, both named
after Enzo Ferrari’s beloved son Alfredo. Designed by Marcello
Gandini for Bertone, this car was the first mid-engine V8
production car built by Ferrari. In 1975 this model was the
only Ferrari imported to the U.S.
David Jones
1987 Ferrari 328 GTSI Pinin Farina
Will Kalbermatter
1978 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer
The Ferrari 512 Belinetta Boxer is one of the most beautiful
and aggressive Ferrari’s ever produced. The 512BB was the
replacement for the 365 BB, and was designed by Pininfarina’s
Leonardo Fioravanti. There were 929 examples built
between 1976 & 1980, unfortunately none for the US market,
which had to wait until European cars were imported and
federalized. This magnificent example is owned by Will Kalbermatter.
Will is a master metal fabricator whose other interests
include; vintage aircraft, automobiles, and motorcycles.

Jim Oldham
1988 328 GTSI Pinin Farina
The 328 series, built through model years 1986-89, was
the final iteration of the 308 series. This example, #78291,
was built in June of 1988. It has the upgraded suspension,
hence the convex wheels. I acquired this car in November of
1999, with only 16k miles on it. Since then I’ve put over 28k
miles on it, and I drive it weekly.
Melody Reid
2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe
Drove lots of different types of exotic cars in car clubs and decided
I liked this one the best. LADYS BUL has 512 Hp and
is a high option Lamborghini Gallardo. It has e-gear (paddle
shifting), rear camera, plus so many other options. My favorite
part aside from its stunning Italian design is the superb
handling and when you downshift, it roars. Life is good!
ITALIAN
18
John Richards
1981 Ferrari 308 GTSI Pinin Farina
John Vache
1995 Ferrari 456 GT Pinin Farina
John Voboril
1916 Lancia Theta
Participant in the 2007 Peking to Paris rally.
M O T O R C Y C L E S
William Erickson
1968 MV Agusta 125
GT-I bought this motorcycle
to look at. I have
never ridden or started
this beautiful machine.
Sitting on it is as close as
it will get to being ridden
by me.
John Whitman
1966 Bultaco Metralla,
200 cc displacement,
race tuned engine. This
is one of 3000 Metralla
models built by the Spanish
factory. The frame
and engine numbers
match. It is a complete
cafe racer version of this
motorcyle.

2009 FEATURED MARQUE: Ferrari
Perhaps no name is as synonymous with speed and endurance
than this year’s featured marque, Ferrari.
Founder Enzo Ferrari enjoyed during his lifetime the close association with the brand that its
naming afforded him, as well as a lifelong commitment to the cars that is mirrored in the passion
its enthusiasts demonstrate today.
As the featured marque, Ferrari represents the spirit of the Ventura Motorsports Gathering: a concours
d’elegance where collectors, aficionados, and amateur car fans alike can come together to celebrate quality
racing machines and road vehicles, and honor excellence in competition. The Scuderia Ferrari -- a stable
well represented by its stallion logo -- has pursued and achieved competitive success since its birth in the 1920s as a sponsor
group for young racers. But it wasn’t always about building a model machine.
Before the carmaker began its reign over Le Mans in the 1950s and 60s, and Formula One later in the century, Enzo Ferrari
came of age under Alfa Romeo as a racer. As head of their racing department for more than two years, Ferrari learned the
trade and developed a love of competition. Prevented from racing by contract after his departure, Ferrari turned to production.
In the face of Italy’s imminent entry into WWII, Ferrari created the Tipo 815, his first racing vehicle. And with that, an
eventual empire of speed was born.
When Ferrari moved his factory to Maranello, Italy in 1943, he couldn’t have guessed that the site would remain the company’s
factory location more than 60 years later, still standing today. The location survived the ravages of WWII, including
being bombed by Allied Forces, and produced the first Ferrari road car in 1947, a 1.5-litre V12 engine model called the
125 S. Perhaps it was the early challenges that Ferrari encountered that spurred it toward
such notable and enduring success. But even in producing top-quality automobiles, Ferrari’s
first love was racing. His Scuderia launched into success as the 1940s closed
with a Mille Miglia win in 1948, first at Le Mans in 1949, and a 1951 Formula
One Grand Prix victory.
Trofeo Pirelli, runs the Shell Ferrari
Historic Challenge, and helps clients
racing in other GT championships.
Corse Clienti dovetails with the F1 Clienti
program, a workshop that allows owners to enjoy a Formula One
experience, and the elite FXX program, which allows owners to act as test
drivers for the FXX supercar.
Ferrari runs its own Scuderia Ferrari Club to encourage its community to
gather for races, rallies and concours d’elegance, but it is no wonder that
formal Ferrari Owners Groups carry the mantle on four continents and in
more than 30 countries. And so it is here, that we gather today, to celebrate
the featured marque of Ferrari and its heritage of speed.
Ferrari enthusiasts are passionate about the pedigree of their vehicles, and even
prouder of their rich opportunities to be involved in maintaining the life and spirit
of the brand. Ferrari publicly praises its private owners for many course wins,
and in 1993 it brought owners into the fold of the Ferrari racing dream: amateur
owners were welcomed on the track to compete in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo
Pirelli, a race specifically for owners and their beloved GT cars. Less than 10
years later, Ferrari took another step forward with its committed following, launching
the Corse Clienti in 2001. On behalf of its clients, the Corse Clienti manages
international participation in the
19
The legacy of Ferrari wins speak
for themselves:
15 Formula One World Drivers
Championship titles; 16 Formula One
World Constructors Championship
titles; 209 Grand Prix victories; and
more. The Ferrari marque can claim
credit for more than 5,000 wins in
official competition since its humble
beginnings in Modena.

Richard Glass ad 6-10-09:Layout 1 6/9/2009 8:08 AM Page 1
A driving experience
like no other.
A banking experience
like no other.
20
RICHARD GLASS
Senior Vice President
Commercial Loan Officer
AL JONES
Regional Vice President
Banking Services Manager
Oxnard Office
300 Esplanade Drive. Suite 102
Oxnard, CA 93036
805.485.6682
FIRST CALIFORNIA BANK
Our People. Your Success. ®
www.fcbank.com
Member FDIC

In the heart of historic downtown Ventura,
beautiful park-like setting.
The State Beach, restaurants, antique shops,
boutiques, County Fairgrounds and Amtrak are all within easy walking distance.
Adjacent to Mission San Buenaventura and the Historical Museum.
•
•
•
•
A healthy deluxe breakfast daily
Wine and cheese reception every evening
Room service
Free local calls
Same-day dry-cleaning
Banquet and meeting facility
can accommodate from 10 to 150 persons
High-speed Internet in all rooms
805-652-0141 FAX: 805-643-1432 | 181 E. Santa Clara Street | Ventura, CA 93001 | Reservations: 800-727-1027
•
•
•
23

REBUILDING A PIECE OF HISTORY
Bill Erickson and Will Kalbermatter on the Spurgin-Giovanine Restoration
Bill Erickson and Will Kalbermatter enjoy a little pressure.
When asked about their history of working together restoring
historical autos such as the Old Yeller, the 2008
Ventura Motorsports Gathering featured vehicle, and this
year’s featured 1948 landspeed record holder Spurgin-
Giovanine, they exchange a conspiratorial glance.
Erickson and Kalbermatter have been friends for nearly
20 years, sending each other projects when the occasion
arose. But it wasn’t until a year ago that they partnered on
a particularly ambitious project: restoration of the famed
Old Yeller roadster from pieces in boxes to racing condition
in less than five weeks. Kalbermatter, a metal shaper
who learned his craft growing up around the airfields of
Redland, Calif., was equal to the task. Fortunately for
him, so was Erickson. They worked around the clock and
tightened the final screw on the roadster the day before
it made the trek from LAX to London to race in the Goodwood
Revival.
When owner and racing historian Ernie Nagamatsu
approached with a similar request for the storied 1948
landspeed record holder Spurgin-Giovanine, Erickson
and Kalbermatter were ready. The two set off with the
help of their friend Terry Baldwin,
a local auto collector
and enthusiast who Bill calls
“a historian in our pocket,”
and began tracking down
details about the dry lakes
racer. Says Kalbermatter,
“We’ve been blessed with
photos because the car is so
famous. Deciding, how are we going to do this? hasn’t
been much of the issue. There are photos of everything.”
And while the black and white photos are a help, oral
histories and articles written about the car fill in the blanks.
Erickson characterizes its rich history as an advantage
and a responsibility: “We’re recreating something that existed,”
he says. “It’s not entirely up to us.”
Erickson’s task lay in rebuilding an engine akin to Frankenstein’s
monster -- it had been modified weekend after
weekend to pursue maximum speeds -- as the record-setting
car drove on an Oldsmobile cylinder head; a Model
C Ford crankshaft; OX5 airplane rods; and a Mallory
distributor/ignition. He’s taking it on with the help of
a friend named Pat Gary in Paso Robles. Kalbermatter
had to be equally careful in shaping the nose and grill,
a responsibility he purposely shared with Erickson and
Baldwin when the time came. Using a method they call
comparative measuring, they translated the photos into a
rebuilt body. “You know a tire is a set height,” Kalbermatter
explains. “You go from there.” The friends came
together and literally trimmed a cardboard dummy of the
nose, bit by bit, until it matched up to photos just right.
I N T E R V I E W
Erickson says that anyone with enough resources can have a car built.
But in the world of historical restoration, his curatorial sense outweighs
the motorhead in him: “It’s the patience, the mindset that it’s important
that it be done right,” Erickson muses. “Ernie is the catalyst here. There’s
a whole landspeed society that keeps the history of that era. We’re
doing our part.” Rebuilding a car back to its original configuration is
the particular challenge he and Kalbermatter aspire to. They’re already
looking ahead to entry in the esteemed 2010 Pebble Beach Concours
d’Elegance, where the Spurgin-Giovanine could compete in the first-ever
Legends of the Lake category. And this time, they’re starting early.
27

S P U R G I N - G I O V A N I N E