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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

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Dr. Raymond Boniface and His Car Shows

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Dr. Ray Boniface in 2013. Photo by Carl Goodwin.

It is with a heavy heart that I inform fellow Alfisti of the passing of my father Raymond S Boniface. He will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of his company. His passion for life was felt by all who knew him. Although his health prevented him from enjoying his passion for driving cars, he continued to read, discuss and ruminate about his love of Italian cars right to the end.-James Boniface, March 2020

Below is a article from the archives about the Boniface Picnic, written in 2010 by Carl Goodwin. It provides a good background to the car shows Mr. Boniface organized every year. [Read more…] about Dr. Raymond Boniface and His Car Shows

Put-in-Bay 1957-58 in Color

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Alfa #78 exits Cemetery Turn with Al Allin at the wheel. Note the fabricated headrest. Collection of Robert Pauley

Color slides courtesy Robert Pauley: Click to enlarge
Text and captions by Carl Goodwin

Chrysler engineer Robert Pauley, who attended the 1957 Cuban Grand Prix, (see review) also made a habit of going to local sports car shows and events. Only 80 miles from his home base in Detroit, Pauley went to Put-in-Bay in 1957 and 1958. The following are his photos taken on Kodachrome slides.

Carl Goodwin was also there, albeit bit younger, and this year finished his book about the event (see review). Pauley’s photos arrived too late to be included in the book, so we present them here, along with informative captions from Goodwin.

Put-in-Bay, June 8th, 1957

The feature race in ‘57 included a couple of Porsche Spyders along with the Lester MG of Ted Jayne and the fast MGTC of Detroit’s Bill Bradley plus several 2-liter production sports cars: ACs, Morgans, Triumphs and then Siatas powered by Porsche and Offenhauser engines. The winner was Tom Payne’s Spyder followed closely by Ted Jayne in the Lester MG. [Read more…] about Put-in-Bay 1957-58 in Color

Ray Boniface: Show for a Cause

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Lined up in a row are this dark blue Lancia Flaminia coupe, a black Maserati 3500 GT coupe and two Touring-bodied Alfa Romeos – in other words, all cars in the picture were designed and bodied by Carrozzeria Touring.

By Carl Goodwin and Chuck Hazle
Photography by Chuck Hazle

September 15th. The annual Boniface Picnic just passed, marking the beginning of autumn in eastern Ohio…specifically Poland, Ohio a pleasant small town in the Warren/Youngstown area. It’s one of the better car shows in and around Cleveland, especially if you like Italian cars. Hosted by Dr. Ray Boniface, it’s a benefit fundraiser for a free clinic in Youngstown. [Read more…] about Ray Boniface: Show for a Cause

Goodbye, John

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John Fitch

Elizabeth and John Fitch celebrate a win with the Cunningham C4R. Photo John Fitch collection.

John Fitch, one of America’s greatest drivers, died on October 31st at the age of 95. Shortly after, I received two short remembrances, one from Carl Goodwin and the other from Eric Davison. I was struck by how similar both sketches were in scope and nature; both Carl and Eric captured his kindness and sincere, warm personality. John’s racing life is well known by our readers and also covered in Carl Goodwin’s book “They Started in MGs”.
Below, a side of John Fitch rarely seen from two of our finest contributors.

By Carl Goodwin

It was a great pleasure to know and work with John Fitch for the last 28 years of his life. Some of it was for magazine articles but most of it was as the volunteer publicist for his company Impact Attenuation LLC, which held and developed John’s designs for energy-absorbing safety barriers to be used in racing (www.racesafety.com).

It was not always glamorous. But all of it was interesting. In fact Fitch was the most interesting person you could ever know. If only you could have been with us.

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Carroll Shelby and the OSCA

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carroll shelby portrait

A Shelby portrait taken in about 1956 by racing photographer Alix Lafontant. It is inscribed “The very best to my good friend Alix. – Carroll Shelby.”

By Carl Goodwin

Photos by Alix Lafontant copyright Carl Goodwin.

1956 was a great year for Carroll Shelby driving the Italian cars he loved. Up until a late-season off-course excursion in the sand at Thompson Raceway, he had notched 19 wins at road courses from coast to coast, driving a Ferrari 4.4, Ferrari Monza, Maserati 300S, and a Maserati 450S.

We were accustomed to seeing Shelby toss around the big Ferraris and Maseratis owned by John Edgar and Tony Parravano, but he was also a great driver in under two liter Italian cars such as the OSCA. One such race was at Road America.

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Frank Bott: OSCA Driver

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Frank Bott sails over the start/finish line as Nil Mickelson waves the checkered flag. Frank has just won the Queen Catharine Cup at the 1954 Watkins Glen race. Photo by Alix Lafontant.

There was a driver from Chicago, not as well known as he should have been. But long before Kimi Räikkönen, they called him the “Ice Man” – for he was as cool as could be out on the track. Racing driver Frank Bott died November 25th, 2011 and we followed the rumors until we confirmed it recently. He was born on August 25th 1921. He was one of the sport’s more under-rated drivers.

During World War II, Frank was an air transport pilot. Afterward he worked as a service mechanic at the Mercedes-Benz distributorship of importer Max Hoffman.

Bott at Bridgehampton in 1952, where he won the Mecos Trophy with his OSCA S/N 1112. Photo credit Bill Harkins.

In the immediate postwar years, Frank became interested in circle track racing and then moved on to sports cars. He knew TV personality Dave Garroway through the Chicago Region of Sports Car Club of America. Garroway had an early Jaguar, an SS 100, and he wanted a little more performance for it. So Frank installed a twin-cam XK 120 engine. Garroway was going to race it at Elkhart Lake in 1951 but was called back to New York for contract renewals. Frank said “I’ll put it back in storage then.” And Dave replied “Oh no, Frank, you race it.” Frank placed second ahead of all the XK-120s except that of Roger Wing. [Read more…] about Frank Bott: OSCA Driver

Boniface Picnic Benefits St. Elizabeth Health Center

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By Carl Goodwin
Photos by Chuck Hazle

The Annual Ray Boniface Picnic is more than a car show. It’s a way to make free breast cancer exams available to women in eastern Ohio who could not otherwise afford one. The Picnic raises money for and schedules two yearly programs providing free mammograms for women in the Warren and Youngstown area of Ohio.
[Read more…] about Boniface Picnic Benefits St. Elizabeth Health Center

Alfas on the Track Part I

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Hezemens, de Adamich, Vaccarella? Find out below. Photo by Jeff Allison

Jeff Allison presents the first of a two-part tribute recognizing Alfa Romeo’s 100th anniversary with a selection of images of Alfas on the track at races from 1959 to 1974.

Words and Photos by Jeff Allison

Before I go further, I should disclose I’m the editor of Prancing Horse, the quarterly magazine of the Ferrari Club of America. Okay, give me a break—Ferraris are Italian aren’t they? In writing about Alfa Romeos, I’m exposing a long lingering soft spot in my heart. In Alfa’s 100th year, I wanted to do my part to recognize the cars with the unlikely name in Italian of Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili or A.L.F.A. that later joined forces with Società Anonima Ing. Nicola Romeo & Co. to become Alfa Romeo. [Read more…] about Alfas on the Track Part I

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