Amici...
After completing 111 race events since coming to North America, our Tornado
Thunder Bolt sang its swan song yesterday at Road America in the Kohler
International Challenge Group 3 (Vintage Sports Racers) feature race. Bob
Wismer was driving and finished first in class (Vintage B/D Modified). While
the Thunder Bolt is a production based car, it was often asked to run with the
sports racers to fill out a light grid. I'm not sure what Vintage B/D
Modified means, but I think it was an effort to enhance our chances...and we'll
take that. The Thunder Bolt is a pretty car, and looks great running with
the sports racers.
Some frosting on the cake was the fact that in the Friday night Race Car
Concours de Elegance contest the T-bolt earned its second straight 'RESERVE'
award. The Road & Track Race Car Concours de Elegance is probably the
largest, and arguably the finest Race Car Concours in the USA. I am not sure
what
the 'RESERVE' award means, but I think it is something like, "Yeah, your
car is gorgeous, but you can't win every year." Down through the years, the
Thunder Bolt has
won four trophies in this prestigious race car Concours.
Interesting to our partnership is the fact that without our keeping close
tract Bob and I ended up each running exactly fifty-five race events in the
car. The guy we bought it from ran one, for a total of 111 race events since
coming to North America.
The Triumph drive train is heavy, and the Thunder Bolt chassis is very
light. Stress cracks in the bucket are a concern. We've decided that 111 race
events is enough. Bob's son-in-law, Doug Allison, will take over the car,
detune it, and freshen the cosmetics. It'll now start a life as a street
car, and probably go on winning beauty contests.
The car is very popular at Road America, where it has completed thirty-nine
events. So we got lots of, "Say it ain't so!" comments from fellow racers.
We were asked often about our feelings now that the Thunder Bolt is being
retired from racing. I think most thought our reaction would be sadness.
But not so. Satisfaction would be far more descriptive. It's been a great
run. Very satisfying.
Bill Dentinger
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