At the Heacock Classic Gold Cup: Full circle for Ford Heacock

For the founder of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, Ford Heacock III, life, he says, has "come full circle" at Virginia International Raceway. This weekend the company he owns and leads – Heacock Insurance – is the title sponsor of the SVRA race meet: the Heacock Classic Gold Cup. Moreover Ford will be one of the competitors, driving his 1960 Porsche 356B Super 90.

Born in Sebring, auto racing and sports cars have been inextricably woven into the fabric of Ford's life from the day he was born. His grandfather, Ford Heacock Sr., was one of the principal organizers of the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1950.

After World War II the U.S. Government decommissioned the Sebring air base and turned it over to the city. The elder Heacock, already active in the community as head of the Sebring Fireman's Association, took on the task as local chairman for the race coordinating with the event's founder, Alec Ulmann.

Heacock III was born in 1950, the same year as the first 12 Hours of Sebring. The post-war timing was magic for sports car racing. New levels of American prosperity, technological advances in mechanical engineering and young men looking for excitement coming out of the global conflict proved a potent formula for thrilling – and dangerous – motorsport.

In addition to his grandfather's role with the Sebring race, young Ford's father, Ford Heacock Jr., became CFO for the event. With his family smack in the middle of what quickly became America's premier sports car race, young Ford was constantly in the mix with racing gods like Stirling Moss, Bob Bondurant and Jim Hall. He recalls meeting Moss for the first time at the impressionable age of just eight years.

"I remember standing at the side of their cars," Ford (LEFT) reflects. "There they were, climbing out, flushed and perspiring. My memories are so real, so vivid."

It was only natural that as Ford Heacock III grew into adulthood his thoughts would turn to racing cars. By 1975 the 12 Hours of Sebring had enough history that people naturally became interested in celebrating. Ford took on organizing a parade of cars significant to the event from the 1950's and '60's. It wasn't long before the idea of starting a club and racing them was hatched.

By 1981 Ford founded the SVRA and the group staged their first race at Road Atlanta. He could not resist racing himself, driving a Healey 100-4 sports car. That stint at racing lasted four seasons. By that time Ford had seen about everything from the exhilarating to unspeakable tragedy at Sebring in 1966 - an event he prefers not to discuss. Nonetheless it left a lasting impression.

After racing himself he says he became concerned that people were, at the time, losing the spirit and his original intent with vintage racing. He thought drivers were taking too many chances and the cars being raced were not the most valuable and important ones. He eventually sold the SVRA in 1989.

Still, he insists, he never really left the sport or collector car hobby. He lived it by providing the indispensible services of Heacock collector car and vintage racing insurance. Throughout that time as the company president he grew the business his family started in 1922. Heacock Insurance remains very visible through sponsorships large and small such as this VIR weekend and support for the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, the Mustang Club, SVRA and a road team that covers over 50 events a year.

Certainly VIR agrees. In 2009 the track awarded Ford Heacock III their coveted "Gold Cup" award. The prize, described as a "spirit award," has recognized some of Ford's original heroes such as Jim Hall and others of such lofty stature. It recognizes people for their sportsmanship, love of healthy competition and camaraderie.

Today Ford Heacock III, having raised a family and seeing positive change in vintage racing, is back in the sport racing his Porsche. He likes what he sees with the SVRA under the leadership of CEO Tony Parella and his vision of protecting the participant's experience while raising the sport's profile with race fans.
"I guess you could say my life is coming full circle," Heacock says. "I was a racer and then a focused businessman for vintage racers and collectors. Now I am back racing again. Through it all, though, I have always held the opinion this is about having fun. It's about experiencing the car, the track and sharing with others."