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[Fot] My Spitfire at Bryar, NH around 1974 and a great back story

To: FoTTriumph <fot@autox.team.net>
Subject: [Fot] My Spitfire at Bryar, NH around 1974 and a great back story
From: Mike Harmuth <ofracer@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2020 08:29:04 -0400
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: fot@autox.team.net
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I just received this clip of my car, 63 Triumph Spitfire, racing at Bryar
around 1974. It was driven by Dave Belden and at this event, a school, by
Flagger Ralph Gilman. The video clip is from his son Chris Gilman.

Great story behind the school part.
Ralph Gilman was a welder at the Groton, CT submarine works. He and his
wife were regular workers at SCCA events, he flagged, she did registration.
Ralph wanted to be a racer and was always working on converting car, a
Fiat, but never got it done. As a master welder, he could weld Aluminium
and Magnesium and was always helping out racers with bent wheels etc.

When he showed up to flag a school at Bryar (Now Louden), he found out some
racers had gotten together and bought him entry into the school. One driver
was a doctor and gave him the physical under the bleachers. Other drivers
lent him driving gear. Dave Belden, long term (25 years) owner of my car
lent him the car (#7) to drive. It was the only time he was in a race car,
he passed away before completing the Fiat.

Ralph's son, Chris, came up to me at a vintage race at Thompson a few years
ago, recognized the car and told me the story. We reconnected a few weeks
ago on Facebook and last night he sent me this film clip from the event. He
also sent a second one with just Dave Belden driving the car in a race that
weekend.
short clips, no sound, but enjoy.

Ralph Gilman, school, in #7
https://youtu.be/9yLm7mMh1Sw

Dave Belden racing in #7
https://youtu.be/zuHpOTYgh3U

mike h

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail-" style=3D"font-family:Helvetica,Arial=
,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-size:14px;white-space:pre-wrap"><div c=
lass=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"direction:ltr;font-family:inherit">=
<span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit">I j=
ust received this clip of my car, 63 Triumph Spitfire, racing at Bryar arou=
nd 1974. It was driven by Dave Belden and at this event, a school, by Flagg=
er Ralph Gilman. The video clip is from his son Chris Gilman.</span></span>=
</div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"direction:ltr;font-fami=
ly:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:=
inherit"><br></span></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=
=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D=
"font-family:inherit">Great story behind the school part. </span></span></d=
iv><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span=
 style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit">Ralph Gi=
lman was a welder at the Groton, CT submarine works. He and his wife were r=
egular workers at SCCA events, he flagged, she did registration.  Ralph wan=
ted to be a racer and was always working on converting car, a Fiat, but nev=
er got it done. As a master welder, he could weld Aluminium and Magnesium a=
nd was always helping out racers with bent wheels etc. </span></span></div>=
<div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span st=
yle=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></span>=
</span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inhe=
rit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit=
">When he showed up to flag a school at Bryar (Now Louden), he found out so=
me racers had gotten together and bought him entry into the school. One dri=
ver was a doctor and gave him the physical under the bleachers. Other drive=
rs lent him driving gear. Dave Belden, long term (25 years) owner of my car=
 lent him the car (#7) to drive. It was the only time he was in a race car,=
 he passed away before completing the Fiat. </span></span></div><div class=
=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"fon=
t-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></span></span></d=
iv><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span=
 style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit">Ralph&#3=
9;s son, Chris,  came up to me at a vintage race at Thompson a few years ag=
o, recognized the car and told me the story. We reconnected a few weeks ago=
 on Facebook and last night he sent me this film clip from the event. He al=
so sent a second one with just Dave Belden driving the car in a race that w=
eekend. </span></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"f=
ont-family:inherit">short clips, no sound, but enjoy.</div><div class=3D"gm=
ail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"direction:ltr;font-family:inherit"><span styl=
e=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></span></=
span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inheri=
t"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit">=
Ralph Gilman, school, in #7</span></span></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-" =
style=3D"font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,33,41);font-si=
ze:14px;white-space:pre-wrap"><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D=
"direction:ltr;font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><sp=
an style=3D"font-family:inherit"> </span></span><a href=3D"https://youtu.be=
/9yLm7mMh1Sw">https://youtu.be/9yLm7mMh1Sw</a></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1m=
f gmail-_1mj" style=3D"direction:ltr;font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"fo=
nt-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></span></span></=
div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><spa=
n style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=3D"font-family:inherit">Dave Be=
lden racing in #7</span></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf gmail-_1mj" s=
tyle=3D"font-family:inherit"><a href=3D"https://youtu.be/zuHpOTYgh3U";>https=
://youtu.be/zuHpOTYgh3U</a><span style=3D"font-family:inherit"><span style=
=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></span></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf g=
mail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail-_1mf=
 gmail-_1mj" style=3D"font-family:inherit">mike h</div></div></div>

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