Annual Summerfest set for Sunday at Beech Ridge

It’s the day fans of Maine’s rich motorsports history wait for all year.

Officials of the Maine Vintage Race Car Association (MVRCA) will host their 12th annual Summerfest this Sunday, Aug. 2, at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough. 

Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults ($3 for children ages 7-12) which, unlike any other event of its kind, includes a delicious lunch. A large-scale cookout is part of the day, with lunch served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

Every August since 2004, the MVRCA has played host to one of New England’s largest vintage auto racing celebrations. The event includes displays of nearly every type of car that has competed over the years here in the Pine Tree State. 

Among the highlights this year is a newly-restored beauty owned by George Libby, called the “Blue Deuce,” a replica of the famous car Ralph Cusack drove to multiple wins and titles at Beech Ridge. Other cars expected to draw crowds of fans include the No. 61 Pinto-bodied Modified restored by Mel Dobbins. Cusack also had a great deal of success in that machine with owner Dave Coutemarche. 

One of the latest restorations set for display is Steve Pellerin’s NASCAR Modified Coupe, which was driven by Ernie Gahan and Rick Zemla. The car has a unique split-color paint job, with the No. 29 on one door (Gahan) and No. 43 (Zemla) on the other. This vintage beauty will be joined by close to 100 other original or replica racers on display. 

Fans will also enjoy the Maine Motorsports Mobile Museum, a large enclosed trailer filled with vintage racing memorabilia and plaques dedicated to members of the Maine Motorsports Hall of Fame. A walk through the Mobile Museum is a visual history lesson unto itself. 

Several of the restored vintage race cars on hand will make parade laps around the speedway after lunch. It always brings back wonderful memories to see the old cars touring the oval once again. 

Photo opportunities, conversations with some of racing’s early pioneers and a lesson in Maine motorsports history are a few of the key features that make the MVRCA Summerfest such a wonderful experience.  

pwhipple@sunjournal.com