The inaugural Springfield Vintage Grand Prix, which had been scheduled for July 22-24, has been postponed by a year, with the organizers citing legal and safety obstacles. Springfield, Massachusetts, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, city officials, and organizers met privately for more than an hour on Monday before making the announcement.
“We’re a little disappointed, of course, but it’s in the best interests of the city and the community to postpone until 2012,” organizer and Springfield resident Mike Hall told public radio station WFCR. “It’s been a race since the beginning to try to pull this off. The [Springfield] law department had to write special legislation for us to even make this legal in the state of Massachusetts, not just in the city of Springfield.” The Republican newspaper of Springfield has also been following the story.
Organizers envision a vintage race that takes place on a 1.6-mile course through the city’s downtown. One of the sticking points, apparently, is a 1915 Massachusetts law prohibiting racing in the streets. Organizers also referred to unspecified, unresolved issues with the city.
Springfield had been chosen for its pioneering role in the automotive industry; the Duryea brothers built their first car here, and a tiny sampling of the the city’s notable manufacturers includes Knox, Rolls-Royce and Indian Motocycle. The race is being organized in cooperation with the Vintage Sports Car Club of America.