On the Grid

Featured Photo:

2008 Mini Cooper B-Spec Race Car

On Display Now

2008 Mini Cooper B-Spec Race Car

Custom livery inspired by the Frank Stella 1975 BMW CSL Art Car
As raced at the 2021 SCCA Runoffs at Indianapolis – 4^th place finisher
Built by Grass Paddock Motorsports
Created, owned, and driven by Frank Schwartz

Using the Stella car as an inspiration, the livery was created through the hand application of almost one-half mile of traditional automotive pinstriping tape in three different widths. The creative process started on July 1st, 2021 with a proof of concept and size investigation to identify the proper scale on the hood. After many hours of experimentation, Schwartz settled on a 5” square pattern utilizing 1/4” and 1/8” pinstriping for the main design. The graphics were started on the passenger door and the car made its debut on July 10th, 2021 at Nelson Ledges Road Course in northeast Ohio while in an unfinished state. Over the next month, the livery was completed in patches at Schwartz’s home in the evenings and at the race tracks in between on-track sessions. A total of 40-50 man-hours were used to complete the design with the most difficult elements being the three-dimensional multi-surface wing at the rear of the roof and the front and rear corners where the square grids were morphed into triangular elements to compensate for the rounded shapes that were not found on the original. The livery and car are displayed in their “as raced” condition and showcase a “tire donut” aft of the driver’s door, compliments of being squeezed in the middle of the field of 61 cars converging into Indianapolis’s tight Turn 1 corner on the opening lap, a broken windshield that resulted from a loose piece of race tire that was discarded on the track. There are also various dark marks on the car where these pieces of rubber impacted the car during the race and a few can be found stuck in the lower radiator grille.

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: