Perhaps the metallic blue TR4 was Larry Rossi (Vermont)...I hope so. This is
a significant car originally from Wisconsin with a lot of interesting pieces
on it.
Perhaps the white Jaguar was Max Heileman...if so, this car is very well
prepared and is on hormones in addition to being well driven.
Thanks for the report, Kevin. Would have liked to have been there...and will
go someday. Stopped in at Lime Rock during 96 convention in Albany and had a
nice visit with John Fitch, to boot.
This event is usually edited and televised later in the year on Speedvision.
Getting so popular with advertisers that there is now about 15 minutes of
track time and the rest is commercial stuff...better than nothing, however.
-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin O'Driscoll [mailto:ko3@columbia.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 12:17 PM
To: Triumphs@autox.team.net
Cc: FOT@autox.team.net
Subject: Lime Rock Vintage Racing (fwd)
Dear Folks,
When the bug bites, it bites hard, and in this case the itch
really needed to be scratched. After almost two years spent on my TR4A
restoration and in need of some extra enthusiasm to keep me going, I took
my five-year old son and headed out to Brian Redman's Vintage Races. We
were able to see about half the races in Monday's Labor Day Lime Rock
Vintage Festival. Unfortunately we arrived with the afternoon rains. The
morning racing had featured at least three Bugattis, at least one Jaguar
SS100, and several more obscure vintage vehicles including a '30's Fraser
Nash (For Sale, New England Sports, and Classic Racecars). There was
plenty of exotic machinery in the pits including, Porsche 9** series,
several Lola sportracers, and multitudes of Lotus automobiles from Type
7's all the way to Formula 1's. Of course there were a few nice roadracing
Spitfires and one '64 TR4 and one '58 TR3 going round at speed too.
Despite the inclement weather later in the day a majority of racers still
put it on the line. Most spectacularly the sportsracers fielding too
many Lotus Type 23's and 17's to keep track of, and they flying down the
straight at well over 100. The driver of a rare Lister/Jaguar actually
hydroplaned off the straightaway at spinning into a tire wall with minimal
damage. Some of the best racing I saw was among two MGA roadsters, two
Lotus Type 7's and an Alfa Romeo Guiletta Sedan which had the pole from
the start. A blue MGA #358 prevailed eventually with Loti and Alfa
trailing while a couple of Spitfires continued dogfighting in the pack
with assorted other small displacements. In the E-Prod race, a gorgeous
white Jag XK140 was untouchable, even despite a good chase from a British
Racing Green Aston Martin DB4. Despite the presence of several buff 356's
and a 912 Porsche, and in addition a couple of TR-powered Morgans, the
real race in E-Prod was between the metallic blue TR4 #7 and an aluminium
Twin Cam Lotus Type 7 who were neck and neck through at least 8 laps, the
Lotus eventually taking third or fourth. From my perspective in the
infield paddocks, the British iron seemed to rule a lovely day of truly
British weather, in the scenic New England countryside of Connecticut.
Sincerely,
-Kevin
CT74,666
PS> I think Jack (my Kindergarten kid) has been biten now as well...
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