ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Vintage race cars rumbled down Lake Street about 6 p.m. and parked in front of Siebken’s Resort, one of the most legendary bars in motor racing. Throngs of fans milled up and down the street as the hot cars cooled down. The atmosphere felt like 1954 instead of 2004.

 Gathered under the leafy shade of early evening, the cars sat for a couple of hours. Passers-by regarded them as much like art objects as aging racers. Some wore the stone chips and bug splats that come from being driven at high speed on the track, while others glistened as if they had just been constructed. All were a window to another time, when racing was gentlemanly and much less commercial.

 At evening’s end, the cars made their way back to the track. The cars left town by roaring and squealing their way through a tunnel of wildly waving spectators who exhorted each driver to punch the gas and spin the tires

 The next night was quieter as highly polished classic sports cars posed on the same street for the concours d’elegance. The scene was Gatsby-esque.

 Vintage racing is a great equalizer. The cars are the stars. You find high-buck multi-car transporters parked next to single-car trailers. Wealth or stature is not as important as sharing an interest in the cars. Walking through the paddock at Road America road course is like touring a living history museum. Refurbished race cars, driven mostly by amateur drivers, hit the track in full flight. Exercising  the cars at high speed is more important than who wins or loses, although competition is still present. You could almost sense the joy in each car’s exhaust note as they screamed along the winding track of Road America.

 The cars were in Elkhart Lake on July 17-18 for the Brian Redman International Challenge at Road America, an event sponsored by the Vintage Sports Car Driver’s Association. Road America is one of the most beautiful and challenging road racing courses in the country. More than four miles in length, it twists and winds up and down the wooded hills a little more than an hour northwest of Milwaukee. Road America is one of the country’s premier racing circuits and host to three vintage race weekends each year. The next similar event is the Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival Sept. 17-19.

Vincent Dean of Leawood, Kan., left, drove a Cobra.

John Rische of Sheboygan, Wis., raced this Corvette painted like it was when it was raced by Ron Stafford, a carrier for the Kansas City Star newspaper.