Peter's racing activities through the years:
This section includes information about Peter's racing and some short articles about Peter.
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2008
Jan 25-26 -- Cavallino Classic
The Ferrari-Maserati Historic Challenge drum brake race was won by Peter Giddings who absoloutely flew away from the opposition in his Maserati 250F, the nose somewhat dented by an "off" the previous day. Second belonged to the 300S of Jon Shirley. Kidston News
May 30 - June 1 --Wine Country Classic
Group 1 featured cars of the 20s and 30s, starting Sunday's racing. Peter Giddings in a 1935 Alfa Romeo was the runaway winner, jumping two laps ahead of some of the field.
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Oct 13-14 - Sears Point CSRG Charity Challenge
For a charity donation, Marty Greenman received a ride in a vintage sports racing car. He was able to get a ride in the 1957 Maserati 200SI of Tom Price, driven by Peter Giddings.
"I've never gone that fast in my life, he exclaimed. The Maserati is an open car and you really get the full effect - the wind, the sound, the smell of hot oil and lacquer. Peter had that car doing things in the corners that I couldn't begin to describe. Wow!" "A ride in any of these cars is really the experience of a lifetime. I'll never forget this weekend." (excerpt from an article by Peter Darnall, Victory Lane, January 2008)
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2007
Oct. 5-7 - Coronado Speed Festival
Group 1 was for pre-war sports and sprint cars. The cars are so different and unique from each other that one should declare each one a class winner. Peter Giddings in his magnificent 1935 Alfa 8C-35 took the checkered flag first. (Victory Lane, January 2008)
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September 7 - Fontana Speedway - In his Maserati 250F, Peter won the first race, finishing first in class and first overall. In the second race, Peter led until the last lap when the transmission failed.
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At the Bugatti Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, Peter in his Bugatti 35B just defeated Charles McCabe in the Bugatti Type 59 Peter previously owned. Rain is such a great equalizer!
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June 23 - Mont Tremblant - Ferrari Challenge - Peter driving his Maserati 250F in the Drum Brake class won two races, had two class wins and two overall wins.
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April 14-15 - Shell Ferrari Historics, Infineon Raceway
The Shell Historics separates entries into two groups for racing, by drum brakes versus disc brakes, and further by classes for similar cars within those groups. Peter Giddings had qualified his Maserati 250F on pole for the event. There had been rain earlier on Saturday morning, but Giddings is well known to enjoy a wet track, and he had little trouble taking immediate command of the race. The sun and wind were out on Sunday, and the track was completely dry for the Historics. That improvement seemed to have little effect on the racing, and in the Drum Group, Giddings, on pole from his Saturday win, again led every lap ... (Victory Lane, July 2007)
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March 2007 - Peter raced is Talbot Lago Grand Prix car at the supporting races for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Melbourne, Australia.
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January 30 - Cavallino Races at Palm Beaech - Peter in his Maserati 250F won the Drum Brake class by over 40 seconds.
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2006
September 2-4- Lime Rock Vintage Festival
Group 1 for Pre-war sports and racing cars had a mixed field of European entries and early American racing machines going head to head. Scott Ebert driving his 1939 Ford Dreyer Special had the lead for the first 13 laps until Peter Giddings, in his 1926 Bugatti T-35B took over and held until the end for the win. (Victory Lane, Nov. 2006)
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July 25 - Lime Rock Park - Ferari Challenge - Peterdrove his 1934 Maserati 8CM #3011 but DNF due to mechanical failure.
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June 20 - Ferrari Challenge - In the Drum Race Rob Walton finished first in a Maserati 300S, Peter finished second in his 1934 Maserati 8CM #3011.
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February 26 -- Southern Festival of Speed, Dunedin, New Zealand
Peter Giddings brought his glorious Talbot-Lago -- a Grand Prix car from the immediate post-war era. Giddings is regular visitor to Dunedin and over the years he has brought some of the world's finest cars here.
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2004
January 23 - Ferrari Historic Challenge at Cavallino, Moroso Motorspports Park
Perennial winner Peter Giddings, also a past champion, won the Pre-War class in the Drum Brake group driving an Alfa Romeo 8C35. (Victory Lane, April 2004)
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March - Peter again drove his 1948 Talbot Lago Grand Prix car in the supporting races preceding the Australian Formula One Race at Melbourne, Australia.
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May 8-9 - CSRG Rolling Thunder - Thunderhill Raceway
Peter Giddings' 1935 Alfa romeo 8C-35 led the first two laps of the Group 3 race unitl he was passed by Randy Arbogast on lap 3. Peter retook the lead on the next lap and finished first. (Victory Lane, vol. 19, no. 8)
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May 15-16 - Buttonwillow British Extravaganza
A parade of venerable racers roared or putted around Buttonwillow in a grand display of history (in Group 4). Peter Giddings - dirt-tracking his priceless ex-Scuderia Ferrari 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo C car around the course at a pace that would have won the Group 1 race - led the way, with Myron's Reichert's XK120, Kent Wakefords's Elva and Joe Harding's Lagonda V12 in vain pursuit. They were followed by drivers at more modest speeds. (from the Vintage Voice, vol. 30, no. 2).
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June 5-6 - Wine Country Classic - Sonoma Raceway
Peter Giddings' 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C dominated the Group 1 race made up primarily of Pre-War cars. He began the race in the last place position and had moved into first by the end of the second lap, which is where he stayed for the rest of the race. (Victory Lane, vol. 19, no. 8)
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September 3-6 -- Lime Rock Vintage Festival 22
Peter Giddings was the recipient of the inaugural Charlie Gibson Memorial Trophy in "the spirit of the sport and of Charlie Gibson." (Vintage Motorsport, Jan/Feb 2005, No. 1)
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October 8-10 - CSRG Charity Challenge, Sonoma Raceway
In the Group 3 race ... Third place went to the '35 Alfa Romeo 8C-35 piloted by Peter Giddings. (Vintage Motorsport, Jan/Feb 2005, No. 1)
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2003
February 8 - Teretonga Park - Leitch Classic Speedfest
Peter finished 6th overall in his Bugatti Type 59 with a time of 1:18.77, a new pre-war record!
March 1-3 -- Phillip Island Classic Motor Races, Victoria, Australia
Peter entered both his Lago-Talbot T26C and his Alfa Romeo Tipo C 8C35 in the Phillip Island Classic motor races. Peter Giddings has been coming to Australia to compete in historic events for nearly twenty years and once again brings his rare racing cars for us to enjoy. (from the Phillip Island Classic Motor Races Official Programme, 2003)
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17th Annual Wine Country Classic, Sears Point Raceway
On Sunday, things got under way with a real David vs. Goliath battle between Peter Giddings, in his '32 Alfa Romeo Monza, and Rob Walton, who had a 285 hp advantage with his '40 Maserati 8CL. Even with the twisty 12-turn 2.52 road course limiting the power advantage, it still took every bit of Giddings' considerable skills behind the wheel to keep the Monza ahead, earning him not only a 10 second margin of victory, but also the coveted silver cup for best performance in his group. (excerpt from an article by Kyle Burt, Vintage Motorsport, Sept/Oct 2003)
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2002
March 23-24 - CSRG at Sears Point
The first race of the day was the Pre-War cars of Group 6. The '32 Alfa Monza of Peter Giddings led flag to flag and was flying around the track. (Victory Lane, June 2002)
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2001
Peter ran his 1933 Alfa Romeo P3 at the Tattersall's Historic Demonstration preliminary race before the Australian Formula One Race at Melbourne, Australia.
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2000
In the Bugatti Grand Prix at Road America, Peter took first place in his 1934 Bugatti Type 59.
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1999
VARA British Extravaganza, Buttonwillow Raceway
On a lovely San Joaquin Valley Saturday, the Buttonwillow Raceway track seemingly transformed itself into a European road course of old as more than a dozen historic racing machines set out to qualify in the annual British Extravaganza pre-war event. The session was commandingly led by Peter Giddings as his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza, wearing the famous logo of then Alfa team manager Enzo Ferrari, as he opened up an early lead. ... By the final lap, the Monza had streaked away to a 43-second margin over second place.
... the grid waited in anticipation for the start of Sunday's pre-war flag race. ... From pole position, the #31 Alfa Romeo Monza [of Peter Giddings] once again blew away from the field, lapping nearly a third of the competition twice, to take the checkered flag in a victory reminiscent of the design's stunning one-two-three finish in its maiden outing at Monza in the 1930s. (excerpt from an article by Cheryl A. Jones, Vintage Voice, Spring 1999)
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1998
March 8 -- Historic Racing at Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia
Attracting a lot of attention in the Historic Garage was the 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo C 8C-35 recently restored to its 1935 configuration and brought out of retirement by Peter Giddings. The car also displays the Ferari prancing horse as it was part of the Scuderia Ferrari team. It was driven to a win at the coppo Cieno when Nuvolari, in what has been described as his greatest drive, took it over from his teammate when his own car failed after two laps.
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March 15 -- Phillip Island Classic, Victoria, Australia
Peter Giddings is a regular visitor to Australia and with the help of Penrite Oils he continues to bring a variety of cars from his growing collection. If you missed seeing his latest restoration, the Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo Tipo C 8C-35 at Phillip Island or the Grand Prix, get along to the Winton Historics in May where he will be competing before shipping the car overseas again. Although his cars are rare, Giddings believes in racing them as their designers intended and although he wasn't in the outright results in the combined J, K & Lb class, he was ceertainly the top group K driver. (from Australian Classic Car, No. 58, May 1998)
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British Extravaganza at Buttonwillow on May 2-3, 1998
In the Historic Group, over a dozen pre-war machines sputtered to turn one and sudenly had to sort themselves out ot get through it without contact. These guys came to Race! Eventual winner Peter Giddings took off and bested everyone's lap times by twenty seconds.
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1996
March - In the supporting races preceding the Australian Formula One Race at Melbourne, Australia the highlight was the racing of Sir Stirling Moss in his 1957 Maserati 250F being challenged and passed by Peter Giddings in the 1954 Maserati 250F in which Moss had won the 1956 Formula One race at Melbourne. Peter's Talbot Lago Grand Prix car also participated, being driven by Peter's friend Barry Jupp of Melbourne.
Next weekend, Peter took his 1954 Maserati 250F to the historic races at the Philip Island circuit where he was able to hit 170 mph on the long straight there.
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1995
This was a busy year for Peter. He raced his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza at Sears Point in the Wine Country Classic. Then he ran the Whitney Straight 1933 Maserati 8CM at Reno and at Seattle. Unfortunately Seattle was a DNF due to a broken gear in the rear axle. The Maserati 8CM was repaired in time for Portland in July, but it was the year of the "great flood" which limited racing.
At the Monterey Historics in August, Peter finished 3rd in class 2A in a borrowed Bugatti 35C, following Phil Hill in a Bugatti type 54 and SteveMeyer in a Bugatti type 51. Peter also drove his Maserati 250F and finished on the podium in class 3B.
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1994
Historic Winton, 28 May 1994
In the J & K class ... almost quietly, the 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza, driven by Peter Giddings, went about its business efficiently by taking third fastest with a time of 1m 17.56 sec. It sounded and looked wonderful and smelled great. Peter took third overall in the race for the class. (from The Oily Rag, Historic Sports and Racing Car Assn of New South Wales)
In the Bugatti Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway, Peter came in second in his Bugatti Type 51 even though he finished on only seven cylinders.
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1993
Historic Winton, May 1993
Among this group (J & K class) Peter Giddings Monza was having a return of its misfiring, and I liked the way the team's Alfa Monza and 250F Maserati were jammed in the pits like everyone else.
The rains came ... Guest driver from the States, Peter Giddings, puts through a long distance call to his accountant in California and asks what he thinks. The accountant does some quick sums and tells Peter that a good, straight 1956 GP Maserati 250F is still worth $1.5 million and, unless he really wants to spend $1 million in the next fifteen minutes, to leave it in the garage. (from The Oily Rag, Historic Sports and racing Car Assn of New South Wales)
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1991
August 17-18 - Monterey Historic Races - Peter raced his Talbot Lago #110054 in Group 4A while Peter's 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza was driven by Si Robin. The next day, Peter drove his Maserati 250F #2501 in Race Group 1B.
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1990
March 10 - Phillip Island Historic Races, Victoria, Australia
Some wonderful historic car racing took place on the equally historic Phillip Island circuit, which was attended by the very busy Peter Giddings. (from Maserati Classics, number 2, April 1990)
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April - Seattle Raceway - At the SOVREN Spring Opener, Peter raced his 1959 Coooper-Maserati Formula One car.
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June - CSRG Summer Races - Sears Point Raceway
The first race of the day (Sunday) began with the Group 3 cars ... fifteen revving motors blending into that familiar pulsing thunder as Peter Giddings leads the group away in the 1932 Alfa Monza. Finally, the Lotus XI has managed to get by Giddings' Alfa and it remains that way to the end, separated by a gap of 3 seconds and 24 years. The last race of the morning is also dominated, start to finish, by Peter Giddings' wonderful Maserati 250F.
The second afternoon race features Group 3 cars. When the flag drops, Giddings lets everyone know that his fifty-eight year old horses are still eager to run and he sneaks up the outside to be first into turn 1 and up the hill. After a spin that brings out the pace car, the green flies again with only two laps to go, both of them led handily by the Alfa Monza.
Only twelve Group 2 cars made it to the grid for the seventh race of the day. As the green drops, Giddings' Alfa Monza immediately assumes the position he has become accustomed to this weekend -- at the front. After two laps it is clear that the gap from first to second is going to stretch. Indeed after five laps the gap is nearly 30 seconds. (from CSRG News, Summer-Fall 1990)
September 29-30 - Peter raced his Cooper-Maserati F2-22-59 at the CSRG Fall races.
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November 16-18 - Palm Springs Road Races
Saturday: First in G class and 5th overall was Peter Giddings' 1932 Alfa Monza. Sunday's main event was viewed form the esses, where the sight of Peter Giddings' Monza sawing through the turns alongside much more modern equipment on state of the art tires brought a smile to this boy's face. (Peter's fast lap was 1:24.557) I've never thought of driving being terribly physical, but the big wheel on the Monza got a hellacious workout. (The Vintage Voice, Vol. XVI, No. 4, Fall/Winter 1990)
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1989
April 13-14 - VARA - April Races - Riverside Raceway
Race #4 had twenty starters, Alfa, Porsche, Lotus, etc. Tor McPartland won in his Alfa. The exciting race was for second spot, between Peter Giddings and Joey Mazzotta, both in Alfa GTAs. Mazzotta lost the spot on lap 13, but reclaimed it. It may not be necessary to have one to win, but Class D looks like the Alfa's playground this year. (excerpt from The Vintage Voice, Vol. XV, No. 1, Spring 1989)
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July - Peter brought his Maserati 250F to the vintage races at Portland Internationl Raceway
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August 19-20 - At the Monterey Historic Races, Peter raced his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza #2311281 in Group 2A and his Maserati 250F #2501 in Group 4B.
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November 5 - Australian Grand Prix, Adelaide
A good friend and now regular visitor to our shores, Peter Giddings, wrote recently and enclosed photos of his Maserati 250F at the AGP at Adelaide. We had last seen Peter and Maserati 2501/2523 at Amaroo Park in January 1988. Peter writes: "As you may have heard I had magneto trouble at the GP. Nevertheless, once the engine cleared itself coming out of the corners, it bellowed away quite merrily on all cylinderss, and was described by many as the best sounding car of the weekend. Thanks to David Rapley's efforts, the faulty mag was rebuilt in between the GP and Geelong, thus the 250F ran very well there. Although, not built for sprinting, it won its class and came within 2/10ths sec of fastest time of the day. (from Maserati Classics, No. 2, April 1990)
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1988
March - Australian Grand Prix - in the historic race leading up to the Formula One race, Peter won in his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza. He also ran the Monza at Geelong and Sandowne in Australia
July 17 - Portland International Raceway. Peter ran the Talbot Lago #110054 in its first race after a mechanical restoration.
August 19-20 - Monterey Historics - Peter raced his newly acquired 1933 Maserati 8CM #3011 in Group 2A, but did not finish as a carburetor fitting fell off and the car ran out of fuel while in the lead. In Group 7A, Peter raced his Maserati 250F.
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1987
Peter was back in Ensenada for the 1987 running of the San Felipe Grand Prix, this time in his Bugatti 35C. This car also had magneto problems, but after deducting the time spent in repairs, Peter and the Bugatti averaged over 86 mph for the event.
May 23-24 - Peter raced his 1954 Maserati 250F at the Sears Poiont races.
May 31 - Riverside Raceway - Peter in his second time out in his recently acquired Maserati 250F achieved a 1:43.452 lap time in the race, the fastest ever for a 250F there
August - Monterey Historics - Group 1 - First, and slowest, were the pre-war cars up to 1935.....There were 7 "Bugs" entered, and two of them driven by VARA's own Richard Riddell and Peter Giddings, finished in 4th and 5th places overall and they were the last cars on the same lap as the leader. (excerpt from an article by Bob Ewing)
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1986
Peter drove his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza in the San Felipe Grand Prix, a tribute to the Mexzican Road Race. Peter had a very fast time throught the mountains and curves, but magneto problems ensued.
August - The Monterey Historic Races were a big event for Peter and his cars. His friend and mechanic John DeBoer drove Peter's Talbot to a first place overall in the pre-1950 class. Phil Reilly drove Peter's Alfa Romeo Tipo B P3 #50001 to a second place in the class. Peter was fortunate to drive the 1937 Mercedes W125 Grand Prix car of Yuko Hayashi in the event, but ran out of fuel while leading the race.
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1985
March - At Sears Point Raceway Petger finished second overall on the first day; he finished third overall on the second day due to lack of brakes.
July - Peter raced his Talbot Lago at Portland International Raceway.
August - Peter finished in First PlLace in his group in his 1932 Alfa Romeo Monza
October - Peter raced at the CSRG Fall races with the Talbot Lago.
December - Peter took his Talbot Lago #110054 to Palm Springs for the vintage races. On Saturday Peter finished 7th in Race 1. On Sunday Phill Hill drove the Talbot Lago to 6th in Race 2.
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1984
June - In June Peter ran the Claifornia Classic races at Sears Point with his Talbot Lago.
July - Peter was again at Sears Point Raceway in his Talbot Lago for teh CSRG races.
August - At the Monterey Historic Races, Peter finished 5th overall and was first in the pre-1950 group in the Talbot Lago # 110054.
December - Peter took the Talbot Lago #110054 to the Bahamas for the "Grand Bahama Vintage Speed Week."
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1983
July - Peter raced the Talbot Lago at Portland International Raceway.
August - At the Monterey Historic Races, Peter finished first overall and had the fastest lap in his Talbot Lago.
September - Peter raced at Sears Point Raceway with his Talbot Lago in the CSRG races.
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1982
March - Peter raced the Talbot Lago #110054 at the spring races at Laguna Seca.
April - Peter again raced the Talbot Lago in the L.A. Times Historic races at Riverside International Raceway. He finished 1st overall in his class and had fastest lap.
June - Peter raced in the Wine Country races at Sears Point where he finished 12th overall in the Talbot Lago.
July - At the vintage races at Westwood, British Columbia, Peter finished in first place and had the fastest lap.
July - Portland Historic races, Peter in the Talbot Lago finished in first place and had the fastest lap.
August - Monterey Historic Races - Peter finished in first pace and had the fastest lap in his Talbot Lago #110054.
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1981
April - Peter raced in the Talbot Lago #110054 at the L.A. Times Historic races at Riverside Raceway.
July - Peter raced the Talbot Lago at the historic races at Portland International Raceway.
August - Peter entered the Talbot Lago, but actually drove a Ferrari 250 GT prototype.
September 20 - CSRG Autumn Races, Sears Point Raceway - Peter Giddings raced with his 1962 Ferrari 250 SWB in Group III. (from CSRG News, Fall/Winter)
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1980
March 23 - CSRG at Sears Point - Peter finished 4th overall in race one.
March 30 - Long Beach Grand Prix Historic race - In this maiden outing of Peter's newly restored Talbot Lago # 110054 he finished in sixth place overall.
April 26 - Warner Hodgdon Historical Sports Car Races - Riverside Raceway - Peter finished 8th overall in the Talbot Lago. Race # 6 was for sports/racers from 1956-61. Fifteen cars of varying ages and pedigrees took the green flag, including Peter Giddings' 1948 Talbot-Lago 4.5 liter Grand Prix car, Bob Sutherland's 1954 Maserati 250F and a host of varied racers such as Lister-Chevy, Old Yaller, Devin SS, Birdcage Maserati, the Pooper, etc. The Lister-Chevy was the winner and lapped all but the first seven cars. (excerpt from the Vintage Voice, May 1980)
August 23 - Monterey Historic races. - Peter had fuel line problems with the Talbot Lago and had to stop after Lap2.
October 4-5 - Peter ran at the VARA races at Willow Springs with the Talbot Lago.
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1979
Oct 13-14 - Riverside Historic Races - Peter raced with his Talbot Lago # 110007
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1978
Aug 27 - Monterey Historics - Peter in Talbot Lago #110007 finished in first place in Race Group 2.
Oct 14-15 - CSRG at Sears Point, Peter finished in first place in race 2
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1977
May - Raced Talbot Lago at Sears Point CSRG race.
Aug 27 - Monterey Historics - Peter in the talbot Lago #110007 finished 3rd overall in Class A for Pre-war cars.
Sept 30 - U.S. Grand Prix - Watkins Glen - Peter qualified 13th on the grid with his little 1959 Stanguellini Formula Junior, #CS00159
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1976
Peter purchased Talbot Lago GP 110007 from Dan Margulies and entered at Watkins Glen in October 1976. He retired from the race in 6th or 7th lap due to mechanical problems.
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1975
June 27-29 - Mt. Equinox Hill Climb
At the 23rd running of the Mt. Equinox hill climb, Peter was 2nd overall with his 1960 Ferrari 250 SWB, with a best time of 5:19.06. (from Vintage Sports Car, No.2 1975)
September - Peter raced at Lime Rock Raceway Park in his 1960Ferrari 250 SWB, # 1811
September - Peter raced at the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in his Taraschi Formula Junior #BT-055
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1963
July 1963 - Firle Hill Climb
The big GT class comprised no fewer than 22 competitors and all seemed set for a dice between John Sharp's MG B engined MG A and the incredibly rapid supercharged Elva Courier of Danny Gladwin. However, two unlikely cars were to relegate them to second and fourth positions respectively, although, of course, this was no disgrace. M. Knight's immaculate Aston Martin DB4 stormed to the top in 27.65 secs, to annex the class. Last May, P. H. Giddings had rocketed up in 28.69 secs in a 1928 Frazer Nash fitted with a 1926 A.C. engine and on Sunday this incredible device did 28.66 secs to take third place in the most hotly contested class of the day. How this chain-drive car can be coaxed up Firle so quickly only Mr. Giddings knows! (from Autosport, July 19, 1963)
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