Interesting week following the Mid-Ohio event...I am still not under control.
For my report on Mid-Ohio, read the following that will go into the English
Channel...editor Kent Howard.
In the future, if you want to submit short racing reports, I will try to edit
them into the column. Should have included some more information from CVAR
and points east, this time, but it got a bit long.
Here goes...hope it all transmits like it should...and I wish I were more
like Peter Egan......
TRIUMPH ON TRACK
There is gong to be a some Triumph racing reporting going on in this
column. Let me tell you what I am going to tell you. There was a great
Vintage Race in Illinois at Blackhawk Farms on Father's Day weekend, the
Blackhawk Classic. There was SVRA's MG/TR Challenge at Mid-Ohio the following
weekend. There was also the Hedke's paticipating (and placing) in the
History Channel's Great Race.
Then there is a big announcement to be made about Mid-Ohio in 2002. That's
enough information for sensory overload and I'll try to be brief....
Blackhawk Farms Raceway-Rocton, Illinois
The Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association has sanctioned this event for
several years and it is a good one. It is a 2.0 mile course that has user
friendly facilities and free camping.
There were at least 9 Triumphs represented. It was mostly the TR3/4
series, with a Tornado and two Spitfires, as well. A Mall of Triumphs under
canopies were seen down the main straight. Triumph entries were: Tony Drews
(TR4), Joe Alexander (TR4), Gary Wiezorek (TR4), Bill Dentinger (TR3), John
Houlton, (TR4), Irv Korey (TR4), Don Brick (TR4), Bob, Wismer (Tornado) Cliff
Eastman (Spitfire) Fred Lapham (Spitfire)
There was an Illinois Sports Owner Association encampment, there to
support the Triumph racers, particularly their favorite son Irv Korey. I
think ISOA plans to make this an annual event. Good bunch of folks.
Tony Drews kicked butt with a run to 4th place in a field of 40 plus cars.
The father & son Factory Rallye Replica Coupe TR4 ran well all weekend.
Impressive. Very impressive.
This writer launched himself off of the track on the first lap, watched
the entire field go buy, was pointed back to the track, and then passed my
way back to 12th place. Enormous fun, but not the way it is supposed to done.
Nor should it be in the future, methinks.
There was some great and close racing among friends, a little damage here
and there, and one Spitfire terminal due to being smacked by Midget with
mechanical failure while Spitfire was sitting disabled off of the track.
These things do not not happen often. Sad when it does. Driver sitting in
disabled Spitfire uninjured as well as Midget pilot. The owner of Spitfire
was seen the following weekend at Mid-Ohio Race Car Course with smile on his
face. Body parts located and a plan for rebuild.... Indomitable spirit here.
Normal for Triumph guys, eh?
BTW, the other Spitfire owner/driver is 75 years old...there's hope out
there.
There was a great party Saturday night, hosted by a group known as Team
Thicko. We are kind of adjunct members of this group, who largely run Sprites
and such. Food and live music and dancing. Adults and children...Father's Day
weekend, you know. It was a people and family thing, as it should be with
Vintage Racing. Burt Levy, the author/ride mooch, was seen cutting loose on
the floor. Small (under five) children of Sean Alexander seen dancing with
the small children of Porsche 356 driver "Dr. Dreadful" Gurlonick....and it
was not considered consorting with the enemy.
Mid-Ohio Racecar Course-Mansfield, Ohio
First things first....TRIUMPH PREVAILED AT THE MG/TRIUMPH CHALLENGE!!! Ok,
so an MGB crossed the finish line first. We had them on numbers and this is
the way the "Team" scoring was set up. Don Munoz was the fastest (and first)
MGB. Florida's Mike Jackson was the quickest TR3A. Another award was given
for the oldest car on the track and that was a MGTD.
Two TRF certificates were given to the Triumphs and two to the MGs. Our guys
were Henry Frye and Bill Dentinger. Henry had some mechanical challenges
throughout the long weekend and was equal to all of them with some help from
his friends. He made the important grids and prevailed. I called this the
Pain & Perserverance Award and he deserved it. The other award went to
Wisconsin's Bill Dentinger in honor of his 20 years of vintage racing in the
same TR3 small mouth. Bill's Beady Racing Team is also partly responsible for
the strong TR numbers we have vintage racing in the midwest. We look at Bill
and think that if HE can do it, WE can do it.....
The Bill Ames Memorial Award was passed by (TR Vintage Race Car Builder)
Glen Effinger to John Harkness (TR3A) in a compelling presentation by Glen.
Bill Ames was the co-builder of some very important Triumph Specials, the
Peyote and the Ambro. These specials go back to the late 50s and early 60s.
He passed away a few years ago while still actively engaged in racing his own
Ambro. I was pleased to see Ohio's John Harkness get this award. He is always
a gentleman and alway fast.
Notes: The Peyote is in Portland and owned by Bill Babcock and perhaps it
will be seen at the VTR Convention in August. It is a veteran of the Monterey
Historics...rare for Triumphs. Ambro #001 is owned by Doug Karon of Minnesota
and Doug was there to run at Mid-Ohio.
I'll try to hit a few other highlights:
The Grassroots Motorsports TR3 with Daytona history was co-driven by
publisher Tim Suddard (Ormond Beach, FL) and Triumph Guhru J.K. Jackson
(Tallahassee, FL). They also co-drove the one hour enduro and did well. I'm
sure you will read about in GRM. Get a subscription, if you dont have one
already.
Ted & Doris Schumacher know all of the great places to eat and did not
disappoint us. Bar & Pizza Pub with great local flavor.
What a group!! When not racing and wrenching, a large group of us were
under the canopy, sometimes late at night. Imbibing, telling stories, and
being entertained by JK Jackson. Long distances were traveled by Bob Lang of
Boston and Susan Hensley of Dallas and this should be duly noted.
Kent Howard's car was the featured car on Mid-Ohio programs, T-Shirts, and
posters...but most did not know it as he changed the color of the car over
the winter from white to red. Still this was very special and a bit of an
honor.
Illinois' Jack Drews was not there, as his family was in Hawaii,
celebrating 40 Years of Marriage. But, the TR4 Rallye Replica Coupe was
pictured in the program along with very historical Group 44 TR6 owned by Bill
Warner.
Chicagoland's Irv Korey was there. Irv was a virgin (camper, that is) until
this weekend. Having never slept in a tent before, he was a trooper. Yes, he
was my tentmate, which is testimonial to the fact that he can put up with
just about anything.
Ken Gillanders also flew in from California and held court under the Triumph
canopy. Glad he did as it has led to a cam selection for my new engine. Long
way to travel to sell a cam.
Enough of this mindless rambling. I am sure you get the idea. It's about
people. When so many folks converge at a common point, with or with out a
race car, there must be something good going on.
Triumph 2002-Mid-Ohio
SVRA's All Triumph Race in 1992 was the big one that is still talked about.
It was the 40th Anniversary of the Triumph Sports Series. While on the phone
with Mid-Ohio a few weeks ago, I suggested that we launch a plan for the 50th
Anniversary and do it again...big time. It was announced at the track on
Saturday night's Welcome Dinner. It will happen again with SVRA and Mid-Ohio.
2002 gives folks plenty of time to put it on their calendars, right? More on
this as time passes....
History Channel's Great Race-Steve and Janet Hedke
Believe it! A TR3 did this cross country event. Reports and sighting were
coming in as we sat under the canopy at Mid-Ohio. A few of our TR folks were
able to meet and greet the Hedkes.
It was also reported that the TR3 sported the crest of the "Friends of
Triumph". Not sure who got them the decal but very pleased about this. For a
running account, check website:
http://www.britishpacific.com
Congratulations Steve and Janet Hedke...see you at Triumphest in October!
That's all folks....next issue will be a report on Brian Redman International
Challenge and more. Any field reports on racing elsewhere in the world would
be appreciated. Submit to me and I will edit into the colmn.
Joe Alexander
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