----- Original Message -----
From: Frank Axelrod <Frankster@mindspring.com>
> I'm lost when it comes to the mentality that only pre '72 cars are
vintage.
> This has been frozen in time since the early eighties when some of these
> cars where less than 10 years old. My car is nearing thirty years old and
> because it doesn't have steel fenders its not vintage. Whats with that?
Frank,
I personally think that ALL racing TR's should be involved in this FOT event
if it happens, not just the older ones. Those of us that race in vintage are
limited in our preparation to the rules of the day (no flares, no slicks, ne
rear disc brakes, no coil overs, etc). We also have more severe restrictions
regarding on track conduct (NO contact permitted, for example or we
immediately go on probation, and we are suspended if we do it while on
probation) than in SCCA. In the eyes of the SCCA, any TR (I include
Spitfires, GT-6's, etc in my definition of TR) that is prepared to today's
rules is an old current era car, not a vintage car.
> Time is fluid and keeps moving for SOME of us....wouldn't that mean that
the
> classification for vintage should also be fluid. Or is that 1972 date
> frozen for all to stubborn to change. The so called purists have to
> remember that as their museum pieces begin to disappear your going to need
> new blood...and that's going to come from the scca. We as a group should
> encourage not discourage those so called Frankenwhatevers. Hell that's
> where those pre '72 cars came from in the first place.
Totally agree that time is fluid and nothing is so constant as change. But
the rules for vintage racing are dramatically different than for current era
racing. That being said, the FOT is NOT limited to vintage racing and/or
vintage rules. FOT is for ALL racing TRiumphs. I believe that when Cary
brought this topic up, he intended it to cover ALL competition TRiumphs,
whether that competition be autocross, vintage racing, drag racing (for Ken
G of course), current era SCCA racing, hillclimbs, whatever. I believe that
most of us that would like to see this event happen want to see it in some
format that will allow this to happen. I personally am thrilled that there
are some of us campaigning TR's as current era cars, especially since SCCA
is deliberately making it so difficult to do so and be competitive today. I
made a point of visiting Blackhawk Farms for a SCCA National earlier this
year just to visit with and support a FOT member campaigning an EP TR6 (Hi
Dave).
Cary has posted his thoughts for an event for FOT members. He is soliciting
responses and opinions. Only one of those responses expressed a personal
opinion that he would prefer not to see the post 72 current era cars
involved. I am posting my opinion that I would love to see the current era
attend. Vintage racing is different than current era racing. It isn't
better, and it isn't worse. It is just different. There aren't that many of
us TR racers. There is room on the track for all of us. My $.02.
Irv Korey
74 TR6 CF22767U
TR4 VSCDA Group 2 #58 now improved to mid pack (sometimes).
Highland Park, IL
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