Greetings from the PittStop Mini Club and the 2004 Pittsburgh Vintage Grandprix (PVGP)!

Event Dates: July 10th - 18th, 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Web Sites Associated with PVGP:
PittStop Mini Club (Recently Updated!!)
Pittsburgh Vintage Grandprix
BeaveRun Motorsports Complex
Marriot Hotel - North
Mini of Pittsburgh

If you aren’t familiar with the PVGP, it is one of the largest and diverse vintage/modern day automobile event in the United States. This annual event draws many thousands of car enthusiasts and event spectators to Pittsburgh, PA for an enjoyable and educational 10 days of races/car shows/auto-cross/driving schools and various other events.

Now here's the exciting part.....the Mini Cooper has been named the Marque car for the 2004 PVGP! Even Mini USA is excited about this event!

Our goal is to have a total of 1000 MINI/Mini's at the event. Many people from several hundred miles away travel annually to attend this event. We already have 2 Mini racers from California coming to attend this years PVGP! We have even initiated a "Mini Club Challenge" to see which club can bring in the largest contingent to the event (you could win some cool prizes if you are the biggest club!).

Here's some even more exciting news. There is a %70 chance (and growing) that the Mini Cabrio will be at the PVGP. This will be the first time since the New York Auto Show that you will be able to see this vehicle on American Soil.

It is important to note that the Pittsburgh Vintage Grandprix’s main goal each year is to raise money for two charities in the local area; The Autism Society of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Valley School. With the help of the event participants and spectators the Vintage Grandprix is able to donate many thousands of dollars ($110,000 last year alone) to these charities each year.

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To raise money for these charities we are looking for sponsors to advertise and/or help host events. Please PM me or email me at driving_hamster@yahoo.com for more details and options.

We are also raffeling off a new Mini Cooper Cabrio during the final Sunday of the PVGP. Raffle tickets are $10.00/each and no more than 10,000 are to be sold. Proceeds benefit the charities of the PVGP. Winner does not need to be present to win. If you win, you will likely have one of the first Mini Cooper Cabrios in the United States! Please PM me or email me driving_hamster@yahoo.com for a ticket. You can also get them from any other PittStop Mini Member who is helping to plan the PVGP.
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How to Register
There will be a two registration forms for this event. The first is here. This is for the final weekend of the PVGP at Schenley Park. This includes access for the Saturday and Sunday and 2 meals for two people (in one car) on those days. There will be a second registration form posted shortly where you can select which events you would like to attend during the week. I will let you know when that is posted.

We invite you to attend the PVGP for a day or for the whole 9 days. Discount Hotel accomidations have been set up just for Mini Owners, sort of Mini headquaters if you will (see below for details). Also included below is a tentative list of events. (*) = An Official PVGP event which participation is usually by invitation only. Spectators are always welcome though!!

Saturday, July 10th
- Vintage Car Races at BeaveRun Motorsports Complex (*)
- PVGP/SCCA Autocross at BeaveRun (*)
- "Welcome BBQ" at BeaveRun for MINI/Mini Attendee's. Come and eat while you watch the above races.

Sunday, July 11th
- Vintage Races at BeaveRun (*)
- PVGP/SCCA Autocross at BeaveRun (*)
- BMW Club Race at BeaveRun

Monday, July 12th
- Phil Wicks Advanced Street Driving Course at BeaveRun
- Tech talks at BeaveRun/Marriott
- Walnut Street Car Show (vintage high end vehicle car show) (*)

Tuesday, July 13th
- Mini Autocross at BeaveRun
- Phil Wicks Track Driving School at BeaveRun
- Kart racing and rentals (this little suckers are fast.
- (?) golf outing
- Vendor Displays at BeaveRun/Marriott

Wednesday, July 14th
- Pittsburgh Walking Tour
- Golden Triangle Car Show (*)
- Evening Meet and Greet at Mini of Pittsburgh. Food will be available (as well as the Mini Cabrio if it's present at the PVGP)
- Vendor Displays at BeaveRun/Marriott

Thursday, July 15th
- Phil Wicks Mini Track School at BeaveRun
- Gymkhana at BeaveRun
- Khumo Tires Mini Autocross at the "Waterfront" (Come try 3 autocross laps with the Khumo tires MINI's. Each MINI has a set of different tires on so you can see the differnce that tires can make on a car!).
- Vendor Displays at BeaveRun/Marriott

Friday, July 16th
- Andy Warhol / Carnegie Science Center Tour
- Khumo Tires Mini Autocross at the Waterfront
- Kart Racing Tournament at BeaveRun
- Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Florida Marlins baseball game at PNC Park

Saturday, July 17th
- MINI/Mini Concourse drive from the Stadium parking lot to Schenley Park for the big car show.
- Huge car outdoor car show at Schenley Park. Come see the 1000 MINI/Mini's all parked together! Don't forget your camera!
- VSCCA Race Qualifying at Schenley Park (come cheer on the classic mini's!) (*)
- Mini Only "Invisible Tie" Banquet at Schenley Park (there will be a silent auction for some great items!)
- Mini (and many other vehicles) Vendors available at Schenley Park
- Night time viewing of the Classic and Recent "The Italian Job" in the grass of Schenley Park (Will be held after the Invisible Tie Banquet. It's free, just bring a lawn chair/blanket.)

Sunday, July 18th
- PVGP Races at Schenley Park (*)
- Marque Car (that's us!) Parade lap around the Schenley Park Race Course (then park to watch the races)
- Mini Race at Schenley Park (Come watch the Classic Mini's vs the New Mini's) (*)

Hotel Accomidations
Marriot Hotel - North. This is a brand new hotel and will serve as the MINI/Mini headquarters for the PVGP. Room rates of $99/night have been set up with the hotel. If you wish to stay here please call the hotel directly at 724-772-3700. Tell them that you are with the Mini Coopers for the PVGP to get the discounted rate. FYI: Hotels are usually near %100 capacity during the week of the PVGP due to all the out of town guests that attend so I would book early! The hotel is located within a very short drive of BeaveRun (also close to Schenley Park).

Marriott North Address:
100 Cranberry Woods Drive
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
Phone: 724-772-3700 Fax: 724-772-3731

If you would like anymore information on these events please post here on PM me. This list will be adjusted/updated as more information becomes available.

Hope you can attend. It promises to be a great event!

- Brian

PittStop Mini Club Member
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We are going to try to come up for the last weekend. The advanced street driving the previous Monday sounds neat, but I can't make it for that..

 

Brian,

I just took delivery of my MCS and I am planning to attend many of the PVGP events.

One clarification that I would like to make is that the PVGP/SCCA autocross at BeaveRun is a Steel Cities Region autocross and is open to entrants per the standard SCCA regulations. I have run in this event several times and it is a fun, well-run event that provides quality trophies for the weekend's leaders.

BeaveRun is an excellent place to run with its expanse of grippy, yet tire friendly asphalt. I would recommend this event if anyone is thinking about it, but has doubts.

Jeff

 

As a Pgh. native, I have attended the Vintage Grand Prix many times. It is a hoot, and the vintage cars are fabulous. I'm going to try to come for at least the final weekend.
Schenley Park is beautiful and the course through it is very twisty, which makes for interesting races.
Here's hoping the weather co-operates!

 

I've heard tha they are planning on having a Classic Mini vs. New MINI race through Schenely park on that final weekend. Rumor has it that the classic are heavily favored to put a whooping on the current model.

Should be a hoot to see.

Hope you guys can make it. It will be a great time!

 

>>I've heard tha they are planning on having a Classic Mini vs. New MINI race through Schenely park on that final weekend. Rumor has it that the classic are heavily favored to put a whooping on the current model.

Kinda shocked to say it, but expecting there will be some race spec old Minis, I expect them to clean up. The Schenley Road course is extremely tight and favors the smaller Minis. Theres one long straight. I remember when Jaguar was the Marque, they brought the LeMans car (the Wilkinshaw one) and said it hit 200 on the straight.

I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to this. I hope alot of old Minis make it to generate the appropriate angry beehive sound.

I wonder where they're going to put all of us.

 

I remember all the corvettes last year being right near the vehicle entrance. That is where the marque goes appartently. Seeing litterly 500-1000 Mini's in that spot will be a sight like no other. I guess you can fit two mini's in the space where one corvette is

 

There used to be a very potent autocrosser who raced Minis in the early 80s from Cranberry. I don't know if he still has the little beasties but I hope so. They could tear up a cul de sac.

 

I can't wait for this event. I live in MI and drive in for this every year! I have been there 3 years now, 2 with a MINI, 1 without. See you then!

-Loren

 

I'll be there the weekend of the 16th-18th. Staying at the Hampton Inn University Center with some other SVVSCC (Susquehanna Valley Vintage Sports Car Club) members. :smile:


Guess I better send in my Car show registration!!

 

I'll pass this on to my club. Maybe I can get like 2 of the 120 people to actually go to an event outside of our area, lol. Us Ohioans are homebodies!

 

The PittStop Mini website has been updated the include some additional information about the vintage grandprix and exactly what events will he held. The registration form for these events is also up and running.

Hope many of you can make some/all of these events. It should be an absolute blast!

- Brian

 

I just registered, and got the package deal. I also signed up for the black-tie thingy. I won't be staying in Cranberry, but rather, in Monroeville as my family lives in Shadyside. One can get a studio, complete with kitchen at ExtendedStay for @ $300/wk. True, it's not at the MINI epicenter of things, but it's convenient to all the venues. Anyhoo, I'll be there during the PVGP and the following week to see family. Can't wait!