Darrell Floyd wrote:
In spite of the crap that has been written previously I as Chief Judge
of VTR took the advice of the Triumph List and expedited The Charles
Macartney Daily Driver Award thru the VTR board and received unanimous
approval to institute it. The first award was given to Bill Alt at
the TRF/VTR Convention. A very deserving non-Concours car that had
been driven over 130,000 miles. In 2004 this award went to none other
then Herman VanDenAkker who drove his TR250 to Richmond Virginia all
the way from California. Now to me - that is the definition of daily
driving. His car exhibited all the qualities set forth in the
guidelines for this award given to me by John Macartney himself. To
tell you the truth that I went to all the effort to get this award
instituted and personally provided the trophies for this award at my
own expense I felt a little offended by no discussion of this award on
the Triumph List.
As Darrell responded to Michael Porter and the List as a whole on the CMA,
it's necessary for me to reply to the same audience. I'd have much preferred
to have kept it off-list.
1. Michael Porter did make a deputation on my behalf to VTR in 2001. I
wasn't there, so I don't know what was said. I cannot and would not comment
on his further views about VTR.
2. I did enter into a dialogue with Darrell Floyd the following year, and
thank him for following the process through the VTR Board.
3. However - "and personally provided the trophies for this award at my own
expense" is seriously misleading, even though it may be a reality. I want to
go on record and make it clear to every North American Triumph owner on this
list that at no time was VTR or a Board member expected to or required by me
to stump up the cost of the prize out of his or her own pocket. By offering
the prize in the first place, I felt it was incumbent upon me and I was more
than happy to provide that myself - and that is what I have done, TWICE -
and it seems I've now got to do it a THIRD time!!!!!
4. The first silver salver was sent by registered and insured mail to Vernon
Brannon. He told me he never received it, so I was eventually able to
process a late claim to get my money back and buy another salver. This was
sent to via UPS to Darrell Floyd over a year ago in time for Van den Akker
to receive it. Clearly he didn't. I must say it struck me as odd that I
received no acknowledgement but then I argued that perhaps a silver salver
wasn't the sort of prize that VTR awards and VTR personnel had other more
important fish to fry? In the last 24 hours since reading Darrell's post,
I've contacted UPS and been told that even if the package was never
received, it's too late to file a claim.
5. Frankly, I WANT to provide the prize that commemorates my Dad but at 100+
bucks a throw, it's getting costly. I am today visiting the same shop to buy
yet another salver but no way am I entrusting it to Royal Mail/US Mail or
UPS. If any VTR member is likely to be visiting the UK in the near future, I
will be happy to meet them and hand it over in person. That way, I think
there's a reasonable chance of it getting to where it belongs.
6. It would have been nice to have received a digipic of the winning car in
2003 and 2004 but probably that's something else that got overlooked. Maybe
I'll be luckier this year?
As for the 'expression of views' by Mike Porter and the reply by Darrell.
Please guys, I don't want my Dad's name being used as an instrument of
acrimony - even though you both may feel you have sound arguments to make.
Dad was an English Gentleman in the truest sense and he would have found
such a public exchange of words extremely offensive, especially if he was in
some way involved.
In conclusion and to set the record straight, a prize provided by me to
support the Charles Macartney Driver Award has been in place from the
outset - and has so far been confounded in its delivery. That prize is still
here - even if it is version three and I would be most grateful for this to
be communicated to the VTR Board. I do not expect any enthusiast or VTR
member to provide it in my stead and I never offered the award with that in
mind.
Jonmac
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