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Re: [Fot] TR-MG Challenge race at the VARAC Vintage Gran Prix

To: yellow04 <yellow04@tr4racer.com>
Subject: Re: [Fot] TR-MG Challenge race at the VARAC Vintage Gran Prix
From: Shawn Frank via Fot <fot@autox.team.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:34:59 -0500
Cc: Friends of Triumph <fot@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: fot@autox.team.net
References: <ccad61be3547a30d520d88b99ddbfd26@tr4racer.com>
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We really should have a section in The Vintage Triumph Magazine with race
reports and coverage of FOT friendly events... The FOT 411 or something to
that effect...

Henry Frye coverage in issue #199, in mailboxes in the next few days...

Shawn Frank
The Vintage Triumph Magazine - Editor VTR #94692
North American Triumphs (FKA Spitfire & GT6 Magazine) - Owner
Continued Legacy Photo - Owner
Iowa British Car Club
Friends of Triumph - Media
515-339-4228

1971 Triumph Spitfire MKIV "Gertrude"

On Tue, Jun 20, 2023, 8:17 AM yellow04 via Fot <fot@autox.team.net> wrote:

> The weather threatened to soak us all day, but other than an occasional
> sprinkle that didn't slow anybody down, the rain held off until the last
> race of the day. As the Triumphs and MGs made their way to the grid, the
> sky started to look a little threatening, but nothing to tip us off to
> the unbelievable deluge that was to come. As the grid marshal held up
> the one minute to go sign, a little sprinkle appears. The pace car is in
> position, the lights come on, and suddenly the rain starts bucketing. It
> was a downpour of incredible volume, but nothing stops the grid marshal
> from giving the signal, it=E2=80=99s time to go! More than half the cars =
lined
> up either don't go out or follow the pace car back to the pits and never
> take the green flag.
>
> The competitors are for the most part in open cars, and by turn two on
> the pace lap those of us exposed to the elements are completely soaked.
> Nobody to my knowledge is on rain tires, and grip is as expected for
> conditions, good luck finding any!
>
> As the field takes the green flag, the rain continues to pour down. The
> TR250 starts on the pole, with Canadian Nick Pratt in his uber-fast
> Midget on the outside. Knowing visibility will be key, I stomp the go
> pedal when the green drops, and keep my eyes up and on the Midget. Nick
> can't put the power down and falls in behind in P2. I can't comment on
> anything further back in the field, visibility in the mirrors during the
> downpour was negligible!
>
> As the field slogs around the Mosport's 2.5 mile track, it is your
> typical go as fast as you dare on the straights, get 'er whoa'ed up and
> try to find grip around the turns. Great fun... The Midget disappears
> into the misty cloud in the rear-view mirror on the straights, only to
> reappear on the corners, Nick is doing an amazing job outbreaking me
> with tires barely suitable for the dry, but nobody expected these
> conditions!
>
> Talking to others, the rain stopped as abruptly as it started after
> about 8 minutes. But it came down so hard and fast that we had rivers
> crossing in places nobody expects unless you have inherent track
> knowledge. Enter Stefan Wiesen, Elva Courier Coupe driver
> extraordinaire, and Mosport expert. Those paying attention are going
> "Wait, how can an Elva gets to run in the TR-MG Challenge race???"
> Stefan's coupe runs an MGB engine, he asked to join the fun, and
> naturally the Race Director says yes!
>
> After a couple laps and the rain had moved off the track and I could
> actually see more than 50 feet in the mirrors. I see the Midget,
> rain-meister Mark Wheatley's TR4 and the Elva. There is not a chance the
> track will get anything that resembles decent grip in the remaining
> laps, and we continue to contend with the aforementioned river crossings
> and a track that, in theory at least, is drying. Stefan is just tearing
> it up, having started from the back he has already passed all the
> runners and has the caught up with the lead group of cars. He has gotten
> around Wheatley's TR4, but I glance in the rear-view mirror to see the
> side of Stefan's car, he is spinning. I think to myself oh boy, Stefan
> is done. I continue my task, and two corners later Stefan is back! He
> has gathered it up and is back in the hunt working on the Midget, he
> didn=E2=80=99t even lose his position to Mark!
>
> By this point, Nick realizes the Midget does not have the tires to make
> a pass for the lead and he backs off a bit. As Stefan working to get
> into position to pass Nick, I glance in the rear view to see the Elva
> going around a second time! But sure enough, a couple corners later, my
> gaze in the rear-view shows Stefan is passing Nick and I realize I'm
> going to have to deal with Stefan after all! The next lap Stefan is on
> my tail and trying to figure out his move to get around me. He makes two
> good attempts to get by in the corners, but just does not have what he
> needs to pull it off. As I work my best to hold off Stefan, we get the
> one to go sign. I glance in the rear view going up the back straight for
> the last time to see Mark has passed the Midget and is motoring past
> Stefan who apparently lost a cylinder! It looks like we were heading for
> a Triumph One/Two finish! Then, I bobble turn 9 and find myself out of
> sorts for the last corner leading to the checkers. Mark is there, got a
> much better line through 10, and it was the drag race to the finish.
> Mark almost catches me, we finish side by side with a gap of .097
> seconds!
>
> Epic Triumph finish!
>
> Nick shared a link to some great pictures of the battle in the rain from
> Moss Corner, take a look!
>
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059
>
> Henry Frye
> _______________________________________________
> fot@autox.team.net
>
> http://www.fot-racing.com
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://autox.team.net/archive http://www.team.net/pipermail/fot
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> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/continuedlegacy1@gmail.com
>
>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">We really should have a section in The Vintage Triumph Ma=
gazine with race reports and coverage of FOT friendly events... The FOT 411=
 or something to that effect...<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto=
">Henry Frye coverage in issue #199, in mailboxes in the next few days...<b=
r><br><div data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature" dir=3D"auto">Shawn Frank<br>T=
he Vintage Triumph Magazine - Editor VTR #94692<br>North American Triumphs =
(FKA Spitfire &amp; GT6 Magazine) - Owner<br>Continued Legacy Photo - Owner=
<br>Iowa British Car Club<br>Friends of Triumph - Media<br>515-339-4228<br>=
<br>1971 Triumph Spitfire MKIV &quot;Gertrude&quot;</div></div></div><br><d=
iv class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun =
20, 2023, 8:17 AM yellow04 via Fot &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:fot@autox.team.net=
">fot@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quo=
te" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"=
>The weather threatened to soak us all day, but other than an occasional <b=
r>
sprinkle that didn&#39;t slow anybody down, the rain held off until the las=
t <br>
race of the day. As the Triumphs and MGs made their way to the grid, the <b=
r>
sky started to look a little threatening, but nothing to tip us off to <br>
the unbelievable deluge that was to come. As the grid marshal held up <br>
the one minute to go sign, a little sprinkle appears. The pace car is in <b=
r>
position, the lights come on, and suddenly the rain starts bucketing. It <b=
r>
was a downpour of incredible volume, but nothing stops the grid marshal <br=
>
from giving the signal, it=E2=80=99s time to go! More than half the cars li=
ned <br>
up either don&#39;t go out or follow the pace car back to the pits and neve=
r <br>
take the green flag.<br>
<br>
The competitors are for the most part in open cars, and by turn two on <br>
the pace lap those of us exposed to the elements are completely soaked. <br=
>
Nobody to my knowledge is on rain tires, and grip is as expected for <br>
conditions, good luck finding any!<br>
<br>
As the field takes the green flag, the rain continues to pour down. The <br=
>
TR250 starts on the pole, with Canadian Nick Pratt in his uber-fast <br>
Midget on the outside. Knowing visibility will be key, I stomp the go <br>
pedal when the green drops, and keep my eyes up and on the Midget. Nick <br=
>
can&#39;t put the power down and falls in behind in P2. I can&#39;t comment=
 on <br>
anything further back in the field, visibility in the mirrors during the <b=
r>
downpour was negligible!<br>
<br>
As the field slogs around the Mosport&#39;s 2.5 mile track, it is your <br>
typical go as fast as you dare on the straights, get &#39;er whoa&#39;ed up=
 and <br>
try to find grip around the turns. Great fun... The Midget disappears <br>
into the misty cloud in the rear-view mirror on the straights, only to <br>
reappear on the corners, Nick is doing an amazing job outbreaking me <br>
with tires barely suitable for the dry, but nobody expected these <br>
conditions!<br>
<br>
Talking to others, the rain stopped as abruptly as it started after <br>
about 8 minutes. But it came down so hard and fast that we had rivers <br>
crossing in places nobody expects unless you have inherent track <br>
knowledge. Enter Stefan Wiesen, Elva Courier Coupe driver <br>
extraordinaire, and Mosport expert. Those paying attention are going <br>
&quot;Wait, how can an Elva gets to run in the TR-MG Challenge race???&quot=
; <br>
Stefan&#39;s coupe runs an MGB engine, he asked to join the fun, and <br>
naturally the Race Director says yes!<br>
<br>
After a couple laps and the rain had moved off the track and I could <br>
actually see more than 50 feet in the mirrors. I see the Midget, <br>
rain-meister Mark Wheatley&#39;s TR4 and the Elva. There is not a chance th=
e <br>
track will get anything that resembles decent grip in the remaining <br>
laps, and we continue to contend with the aforementioned river crossings <b=
r>
and a track that, in theory at least, is drying. Stefan is just tearing <br=
>
it up, having started from the back he has already passed all the <br>
runners and has the caught up with the lead group of cars. He has gotten <b=
r>
around Wheatley&#39;s TR4, but I glance in the rear-view mirror to see the =
<br>
side of Stefan&#39;s car, he is spinning. I think to myself oh boy, Stefan =
<br>
is done. I continue my task, and two corners later Stefan is back! He <br>
has gathered it up and is back in the hunt working on the Midget, he <br>
didn=E2=80=99t even lose his position to Mark!<br>
<br>
By this point, Nick realizes the Midget does not have the tires to make <br=
>
a pass for the lead and he backs off a bit. As Stefan working to get <br>
into position to pass Nick, I glance in the rear view to see the Elva <br>
going around a second time! But sure enough, a couple corners later, my <br=
>
gaze in the rear-view shows Stefan is passing Nick and I realize I&#39;m <b=
r>
going to have to deal with Stefan after all! The next lap Stefan is on <br>
my tail and trying to figure out his move to get around me. He makes two <b=
r>
good attempts to get by in the corners, but just does not have what he <br>
needs to pull it off. As I work my best to hold off Stefan, we get the <br>
one to go sign. I glance in the rear view going up the back straight for <b=
r>
the last time to see Mark has passed the Midget and is motoring past <br>
Stefan who apparently lost a cylinder! It looks like we were heading for <b=
r>
a Triumph One/Two finish! Then, I bobble turn 9 and find myself out of <br>
sorts for the last corner leading to the checkers. Mark is there, got a <br=
>
much better line through 10, and it was the drag race to the finish. <br>
Mark almost catches me, we finish side by side with a gap of .097 <br>
seconds!<br>
<br>
Epic Triumph finish!<br>
<br>
Nick shared a link to some great pictures of the battle in the rain from <b=
r>
Moss Corner, take a look!<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059"; r=
el=3D"noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://www.flickr.com/photo=
s/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059</a><br>
<br>
Henry Frye<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:fot@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"noreferrer">=
fot@autox.team.net</a><br>
<br>
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=3D"_blank">http://www.fot-racing.com</a><br>
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errer" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br>
Archive: <a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive"; rel=3D"noreferrer norefe=
rrer" target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/archive</a> <a href=3D"http:/=
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<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div>

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