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Every spring, the Copperstate
1000 vintage rally kicks off from Phoenix with
a fantastic array of sports, grand touring and classic
cars for a motoring adventure. The route makes a
1000-mile loop on scenic Arizona back roads and,
for the last two years, the tour slipped over the
state line into Utah, driving in style of the famous
Mille Migila Rallye in Italy.
While there are many ways to experience the Grand
Canyon, Zion National Park and the Red Rocks of Sedona,
for a car enthusiast touring these magnificent locations
in a vintage automobile cannot be topped!
The event opened this year with a "Field of
Dreams" weekend with an exotic car showcase
organized by the Ferrari Club of America at Tempe
Diablo Stadium (see opening photo). The event celebrated
the 60th anniversary of Ferrari cars and Concorso
Arizona lined the stadium with 120 exotic Italian
vehicles, including all the entries registered for
the Copperstate 1000 Rally.
Charities such as Ronald McDonald House and the
Phoenix Art Museum benefited from the events.
The Best of Show honors went to Matt Frankel with
his beautiful red 1971 factory Daytona Spyder that
he also piloted in the Copperstate (below).
The four-day sojourn brought together a mix of exotica
including a 1970 Alpine Renault (below, driven by
Mitch McCullough), Aston Martin, Austin Healey, Bentley,
Bizzarrini, Bugatti, Facel Vega, Ferrari, Ghia, Italia,
Jaguar, a cute 1960 Lotus Type 14 Elite driven by
Jess and Eddie Marker from Tacoma, Washington, Maserati,
Mercedes Benz, Morgan, Porsche, and Triumph.
The American contingent consisted of Ford Mustangs,
two Hudson Hornets... one being a 1953 NASCAR racer
driven by Ed and Star Herrmann, the other a 1952
(below left) driven by Sam and Toby Haberman), a
1949 Lincoln Coupe once driven by Jimmy Hicks and
Knobby Amos in the Pan-America and now owned by Terry
O'Reilly from San Mateo, California (below left),
a Pontiac, two Shelby 289 Cobras and three Shelby
GTs as well as a 1935 Auburn 851 driven by R. Dale
Lillard (No. 20 below)..
 
The journey started in typical Italian style and
guided these fabulous automotive treasures through
the wonders of the Grand Canyon, the breathtaking
geologic creations of Zion National Park, the mysterious
majestic beauty of the Red Rocks in Sedona and then
back to civilization in Scottsdale. By the end of
the day, Michael Leventhal was awarded the Louis
E. Laflin lll Sprit Award (best embodies the sprit
of the Copperstate) at the awards banquet. It's all
about the people who make this event truly memorable
for they are the ones who preserve, treasure and
bring the magnificent automobiles.
 
(Top photo, car No. 62) is a 1927 Bugatti driven
by David Duthu. Above left is is Billy Hibbs 1968
Bizzarini and above right is Sidney and Doug Allen's
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB. Below is Dennis Fortino's 1960
Jaguar XK150.)
(From iZoom.com, a big thanks to Mo Durand from
Mitsubishi Motors North America in Cypress, California
for lending us a 2007 Outlander 4WD (below) to cover
the Copperstate 1000 Rally. The car ran perfectly
and our particular model had rally-inspired Paddle
Shifters behind the steering wheel, putting control
of upshifts and downshifts at your fingertips. It
was great fun to drive the twisty back roads and
elevations of Arizona and Utah and by the finish
of the rally the mileage was excellent.)
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