Carpe Viam

Many are familiar with the Latin term “Carpe Diem” meaning “Seize the Day”. Here at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix we are glad to be a part of Dwight Knowlton’s  Carpe Viam! which translates to “Seize the Road”. Dwight is the artist who created the PVGP’s  poster in 2015 and again in 2021. We are thrilled  to support Dwight with this initiative.

According to Dwight “the two words “Carpe Viam!” say a lot. Literally, Carpe Viam means “seize the road”. So for a car fan it means “Enjoy the exhaust note as you grip the wooden wheel and blast through a curvy canyon.” The theme is important for the viable future of vintage cars and vintage racing. According to Dan DelBianco, PVGP Executive Director “we share Dwight’s enthusiasm for all cars and for vintage racing. As the nation’s largest vintage race, with over 200,000 spectators, the PVGP makes vintage racing available to all generations including the very young. Fans, aged from 6 to 96 come out to Schenley Park to watch the races from behind the snow fences and walk the car shows. I personally know of a dozen current vintage racers that were introduced to the sport through our event. They came as spectators and were immediately hooked on the sights, sounds and smells of vintage cars. Together with Dwight’s inspirational books we can all continue to keep the sport of vintage racing and car collecting thriving so that future generations can appreciate these magnificent machines and the people that created and drive them.”

Carpe Viam was born out of Dwight’s automotive passion and desire to bring higher quality, more authentic automotive books to kids and their grown-ups.”Carpe Viam! is a publisher with an emphasis on automotive history and tradition. In just two years, Carpe Viam has gone from a name scribbled on a sheet of paper, to a publisher with multiple international contracts, multiple translations, and international retail reach to more than 120 countries through one of the top distributors in the world.

2015 POSTER

Here at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix we are thrilled to announce that Dwight Knowlton, author of The Little Red Racing Car, has been selected as our Official Artist for 2015. Dwight created our poster art to the right and is joining us at Schenley Park as our Grand Marshal to help celebrate Italian Cars. He was here all weekend to sign his books and our poster.

Dwight is excited to be a part of the event saying “I’m thrilled to be the Official Artist of the 2015 Pittsburgh Grand Prix. And not just designing the poster, but developing additional designs for branding, t-shirts, and merchandise. I look forward to creating a truly timeless look for this year’s event. I’ll also be there for the PVGP in July signing posters, books and taking in this awesome event – the only vintage racing grand prix on public streets. I hope to see you in Schenley Park.”
We believe that Dwight is the perfect fit for the PVGP, as he too wants to share this passion with the younger generations. He wanted to share his enthusiasm for cars with his son. He explains his choice to create The Little Red Racing Car this way. “When my son was born, I went looking for the perfect Father/Son/Car book and I couldn’t find it. So I created one. It’s a gift for my son, but ultimately, for all sons, daughters and car-loving families.”

2021 POSTER

Dwight was back for 2021 creating our poster featuring a 1957 Corvette racing past Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park. Few people know that the C1 Corvettes made from 1953 through 1962 with engines under 283 cubic inches are eligible to race in Schenley Park and we had one with us in 2021!

Dwight is a dad, husband, and passionate car guy. He is also a big PVGP supporter.

The PVGP has adopted Dwight’s Carpe Viam campaign. You will see the logo on our hats, t-shirts, pins, and even on the race cars.

DWIGHT KNOWLTON AND THE LITTLE RED RACING CAR

Dwight is a dad, husband, and passionate car guy. According to Dwight “eight months of the year, I drive with the top down. I live in sunny Phoenix, AZ with my wife, son, and new baby girl. We share the house with our dog Tess and an occasional scorpion. When my son was born, I went looking for a father, son, car book for the two of us to enjoy – a book that could help me introduce him to the love of cars. I couldn’t find what I was looking for – so I decided to create one. The Little Red Racing Car is a gift for my son – and for everyone that loves cars, family, and vintage artistic style.

The Little Red Racing Car mixes some of the best things in life: family, discovery, sports cars, working with one’s hands, and a dream realized. While the look has evolved throughout the process, it’s inspired by vintage transportation art and features one of the greatest sports-racing cars of the 1950′s – the Maserati 300S – a favorite of legendary racing driver Sir Stirling Moss.

In fact, while writing The Little Red Racing Car, I wrote Sir Stirling and shared the project with him. He liked the idea so much, he lent his name to the story! He’s been incredibly kind and supportive of The Little Red Racing Car since it’s release, so much so that I would now count him a friend.

The Little Red Racing Car has been featured in various articles and interviews including Road&Track, MotorTrend, Sports Car Digest, and more.  It’s no wonder Yahoo Autos raves it’s “The Best Kids’ Car Book Ever.”

SIR STIRLING MOSS IS COLLABORATING ON DWIGHT’S NEW BOOK “THE GREATEST RACE”.

The Greatest Race is the story of Sir Stirling’s record setting 1955 win of Italy’s great race, the Mille Miglia. Side by side in the Mercedes Benz 300 SLR with his navigator Denis Jenkinson, Stirling Moss piloted the car 1,000 dangerous miles – through public roads and cobblestoned towns – in less than 10 hours, setting a record that still stands. It was the first win of the Mille Miglia by a non-Italian, and a first in a non-Italian car.
According to Dwight “It goes without saying that it is incredible to have Sir Stirling along for this ride. His first-person additions to the known accounts of the race have been incredibly valuable. It’s been amazing telling the story for the first time from not a technical perspective, but in an emotional and storybook style.”
The book is written and illustrated in a style similar to The Little Red Racing Car, and is getting it’s final edits from Sir Stirling.. Look for updates on the Carpe Viam blog and on Facebook as the book goes to press and is released in spring 2015.

SEIZE THE ROAD… AND ENJOY IT.

According to Dwight Knowlton the two words “Carpe Viam!” can say a lot. Literally, Carpe Viam means “seize the road”. So for a car guy, it means “Enjoy the exhaust note while you grip that wooden (or leather) wheel and blast through a curvy canyon.” But it can also means “enjoy the path you’re on,” which is something that I very much try to do while building this brand. Look for more on Carpe Viam this summer.