1958 Scarab MK 1 Recreation
On Display Now
1958 Scarab MK 1 Recreation
An American sports car designed and built by California hot rodders, the Scarab holds a unique place in American road racing history. Funded by Lance Reventlow, heir to the Woolworth fortune, and built by Troutman and Barnes, the Scarab is powered by a small block Chevy from Traco Engineering. The car’s mission was to compete and win against the best European sports cars of the era.
Only three front-engine Scarabs were built in 1958, and they were immediately competitive, winning the SCCA National Championship in 1958. Driven by such notable drivers as Augie Pabst, Chuck Daigh, Reventlow himself, and the legendary Carroll Shelby, the Scarab competed – and won – at road courses around the country from the late 1950s to the mid-1960s.
Our MK 1 “Recreation” was originally owned by a noted collector, Larry Wilson of Jupiter, FL. We want to thank the current owner, John Petris of Tyrone, NY, for the opportunity to have this spectacular example of sports car racing history on display here at the Research Center.
Past Display Cars
When the founders of the International Motor Racing Research Center were working on the details for the new archival and research facility they knew they wanted the look and feel of a library. Some exhibit space was important, and, foremost, they envisioned space for a race car. Wide double doors have accommodated the rolling in and out of dozens of different cars since the IMRRC opened in June 1999. The cars are displayed for a few months, often complementing a Center Conversations talk or another event.
If you have an interesting race car you’d be willing to display at the IMRRC in Watkins Glen, NY, please email Kip Zeiter, the Coordinator of Visitor Services and Outreach.
Among the cars the IMRRC has hosted:
Walt Hansgen's Jaguar Special
Vic Franzese's Can-Am Champagne Car
Rusty Wallace's Dodge
Porsche 917
Phil Hill's Ferrari
McLaren M19
Mark Donohue Sunoco Eagle
Lotus 49C
Jaguar XKE
Gary Balough's Batmobile DIRT Modified
Ford GT 40
David Loring's Denali
1975 McLaren M23
2003 Dallara Chassis side
Pre-WWII flat tail midget with Ford flathead V8-60 engine owned by Al Isselhard
1957 Indy roadster
1956 Corvette
This stunning 1956 Corvette is owned by Gary Fickeisen of Moravia, N.Y.
The 1968 Shelby Mustang
1966 GT40 Mk II
1956 Jaguar XK140
1956 Jaguar XK140 at Racing Research Center
Fitch Phoenix
Bojangles' No. 98
Chinook F5000
Ford Boss 302R
The original Boss 302R built in 2009 for JBS Racing, Montour Falls, NY.
Poison Lil
Maserati V8RI Built in 1936 "Poison Lil" led the very first competition lap at Watkins Glen in the 1948 "Junior Prix".
1960 MGA Twin Cam Roadster
Sprint Midgets
1967 Alpine-Renault A110 Berlinette
Chevrolet SS
Triumph 2
1977 Monza GT
1977 Monza GT Driven by Upstate New York driver Warren Agor and on display through January. Agor was the SCCA Rookie of the Year in 1969 and A-Sedan Champion in 1972. He competed in 71 professional races between 1970-1977: 36 Trans-Am, 24 IMSA GT, and 11 Can-Am. He won the 1973 Trans Am race at Sanair Internationale. Agor was a member of the Road Racing Drivers Club and posthumously inducted into the Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame in 2015. Throughout his career, Agor Racing never had the budgets of the bigger teams, and usually came to the races with a volunteer crew, but he was always competitive. It is said that his team accomplished more with less than any of his era. The Monza on display was designed and built totally in-house utilizing the latest design trends for the All-American GT cars. Tube frame chassis, aerodynamically slick bodywork, a super wide track with 14” and 18” tires, rear wing specially designed and built at Penske, and powered by a stout 350 c.i. Chevy producing 450+ horsepower, it’s a great example of an exciting era of IMSA racing.
Peter Argetsinger’s 1955 MG-TF sports car
In honor of Peter Argetsinger, race driver, racing coach and IMRRC Governing Council member, the Research Center is displaying Peter’s 1955 MG-TF sports car. He purchased the car as a teenager in 1967 for $200. It was his principal mode of transport throughout his college and early married years, remaining a treasured friend and favorite ride throughout his life. Pete and his wife Sjoukje had many adventures in the stylish but (of course) temperamental British racing-green roadster, including a harrowing trip through the eye of Hurricane Agnes and Christmas-time trips to upstate New York with only side curtains to fend off the ice and cold. Peter sadly died in February 2020 at his home in Watkins Glen and the Center is thrilled to host his beloved MG as a memorial to his extraordinary personality and remarkable talent.
Entropy Racing’s Electric Vehicle Sports Racer
Arnie Carbaugh's Formula Vees
Arnie Carbaugh's Formula Vees Formula Vees are an inexpensive way to get into the racing world. They originated from the pre-1963 Volkswagon Beetle and utilize a collection of stock parts to form a competitive race car. The VW engine, transmission, front suspension, brakes, and wheels are stock or modified stock parts. The chassis is a tube frame design and the body is fiberglass or carbon fiber. The intention of this class is for the average person to build and maintain the car. Speeds of a Vee will go to about 120 miles per hour. The minimum weight of the car to run for SCCA is 1,025 pounds. Each year, Formula Vee is one of the classes at the SCCA Runoffs, which awards a national championship. With the support of his family and friends, Arnie has been very fortunate to win many awards over the last 40 years: His first win was in 1989 at Limerock Park, CT NYS Road Race Championship First place in 1991, 1994, 2003, 2011, and 2012 Second place in 1989 and 2004 Third place in 1988, 1992, and 1994 Glen Region SCCA Driver of the Year in 1991 and 2014 Eddy Whitmore Award for Sportsmanship in 1994 Challenge Cup Series Winner in 2013
1967 Lotus Formula Ford
2008 Mini Cooper B-Spec Race Car
PXL_20220513_182328612.PORTRAIT
2002 Lola EX257-MG AER #20
1985 Mustang GTO
Michael Argetsinger's Elden Mk10B
1973 BMW 2002
