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

To: yellow04 <yellow04@tr4racer.com>, Shawn Frank <continuedlegacy1@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Fot] TR-MG Challenge race at the VARAC Vintage Gran Prix
From: Erik Jacobsen via Fot <fot@autox.team.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2023 13:49:58 +0000 (UTC)
Cc: Friends of Triumph <fot@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: fot@autox.team.net
References: <ccad61be3547a30d520d88b99ddbfd26@tr4racer.com> <CAJRV2eaFi6_LnRXuddUGPmZx-WU2_6txkq=pjAVwLeW5tO7JOA@mail.gmail.com>
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 Shawn,Sounds like a great idea! I spent a lot of this weekend behind Trium=
phs at Blackhawk! The Alexander clan was in full force, and proceeded to ki=
ck my butt all weekend!
Jake
    On Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 08:44:19 AM CDT, Shawn Frank via Fot <fot@=
autox.team.net> wrote: =20
=20
 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=20
sprinkle that didn't slow anybody down, the rain held off until the last=20
race of the day. As the Triumphs and MGs made their way to the grid, the=20
sky started to look a little threatening, but nothing to tip us off to=20
the unbelievable deluge that was to come. As the grid marshal held up=20
the one minute to go sign, a little sprinkle appears. The pace car is in=20
position, the lights come on, and suddenly the rain starts bucketing. It=20
was a downpour of incredible volume, but nothing stops the grid marshal=20
from giving the signal, it=E2=80=99s time to go! More than half the cars li=
ned=20
up either don't go out or follow the pace car back to the pits and never=20
take the green flag.

The competitors are for the most part in open cars, and by turn two on=20
the pace lap those of us exposed to the elements are completely soaked.=20
Nobody to my knowledge is on rain tires, and grip is as expected for=20
conditions, good luck finding any!

As the field takes the green flag, the rain continues to pour down. The=20
TR250 starts on the pole, with Canadian Nick Pratt in his uber-fast=20
Midget on the outside. Knowing visibility will be key, I stomp the go=20
pedal when the green drops, and keep my eyes up and on the Midget. Nick=20
can't put the power down and falls in behind in P2. I can't comment on=20
anything further back in the field, visibility in the mirrors during the=20
downpour was negligible!

As the field slogs around the Mosport's 2.5 mile track, it is your=20
typical go as fast as you dare on the straights, get 'er whoa'ed up and=20
try to find grip around the turns. Great fun... The Midget disappears=20
into the misty cloud in the rear-view mirror on the straights, only to=20
reappear on the corners, Nick is doing an amazing job outbreaking me=20
with tires barely suitable for the dry, but nobody expected these=20
conditions!

Talking to others, the rain stopped as abruptly as it started after=20
about 8 minutes. But it came down so hard and fast that we had rivers=20
crossing in places nobody expects unless you have inherent track=20
knowledge. Enter Stefan Wiesen, Elva Courier Coupe driver=20
extraordinaire, and Mosport expert. Those paying attention are going=20
"Wait, how can an Elva gets to run in the TR-MG Challenge race???"=20
Stefan's coupe runs an MGB engine, he asked to join the fun, and=20
naturally the Race Director says yes!

After a couple laps and the rain had moved off the track and I could=20
actually see more than 50 feet in the mirrors. I see the Midget,=20
rain-meister Mark Wheatley's TR4 and the Elva. There is not a chance the=20
track will get anything that resembles decent grip in the remaining=20
laps, and we continue to contend with the aforementioned river crossings=20
and a track that, in theory at least, is drying. Stefan is just tearing=20
it up, having started from the back he has already passed all the=20
runners and has the caught up with the lead group of cars. He has gotten=20
around Wheatley's TR4, but I glance in the rear-view mirror to see the=20
side of Stefan's car, he is spinning. I think to myself oh boy, Stefan=20
is done. I continue my task, and two corners later Stefan is back! He=20
has gathered it up and is back in the hunt working on the Midget, he=20
didn=E2=80=99t even lose his position to Mark!

By this point, Nick realizes the Midget does not have the tires to make=20
a pass for the lead and he backs off a bit. As Stefan working to get=20
into position to pass Nick, I glance in the rear view to see the Elva=20
going around a second time! But sure enough, a couple corners later, my=20
gaze in the rear-view shows Stefan is passing Nick and I realize I'm=20
going to have to deal with Stefan after all! The next lap Stefan is on=20
my tail and trying to figure out his move to get around me. He makes two=20
good attempts to get by in the corners, but just does not have what he=20
needs to pull it off. As I work my best to hold off Stefan, we get the=20
one to go sign. I glance in the rear view going up the back straight for=20
the last time to see Mark has passed the Midget and is motoring past=20
Stefan who apparently lost a cylinder! It looks like we were heading for=20
a Triumph One/Two finish! Then, I bobble turn 9 and find myself out of=20
sorts for the last corner leading to the checkers. Mark is there, got a=20
much better line through 10, and it was the drag race to the finish.=20
Mark almost catches me, we finish side by side with a gap of .097=20
seconds!

Epic Triumph finish!

Nick shared a link to some great pictures of the battle in the rain from=20
Moss Corner, take a look!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059

Henry Frye
_______________________________________________
fot@autox.team.net

http://www.fot-racing.com

Archive: http://autox.team.net/archive http://www.team.net/pipermail/fot
cy1@gmail.com



_______________________________________________
fot@autox.team.net

http://www.fot-racing.com

Archive: http://autox.team.net/archive http://www.team.net/pipermail/fot
ahoo.com


 =20
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<html><head></head><body><div class=3D"ydp6fb2615byahoo-style-wrap" style=
=3D"font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px=
;"><div></div>
        <div dir=3D"ltr" data-setdir=3D"false">Shawn,</div><div dir=3D"ltr"=
 data-setdir=3D"false">Sounds like a great idea! I spent a lot of this week=
end behind Triumphs at Blackhawk! The Alexander clan was in full force, and=
 proceeded to kick my butt all weekend!</div><div dir=3D"ltr" data-setdir=
=3D"false"><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr" data-setdir=3D"false">Jake</div><div>=
<br></div>
       =20
        </div><div id=3D"ydpeda784fcyahoo_quoted_8254813617" class=3D"ydped=
a784fcyahoo_quoted">
            <div style=3D"font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, s=
ans-serif;font-size:13px;color:#26282a;">
               =20
                <div>
                    On Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 08:44:19 AM CDT, Shawn Fra=
nk via Fot &lt;fot@autox.team.net&gt; wrote:
                </div>
                <div><br></div>
                <div><br></div>
                <div><div id=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839"><div><div>We real=
ly 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 eff=
ect...<div><br clear=3D"none"></div><div>Henry Frye coverage in issue #199,=
 in mailboxes in the next few days...<br clear=3D"none"><br clear=3D"none">=
<div>Shawn Frank<br clear=3D"none">The Vintage Triumph Magazine - Editor VT=
R #94692<br clear=3D"none">North American Triumphs (FKA Spitfire &amp; GT6 =
Magazine) - Owner<br clear=3D"none">Continued Legacy Photo - Owner<br clear=
=3D"none">Iowa British Car Club<br clear=3D"none">Friends of Triumph - Medi=
a<br clear=3D"none">515-339-4228<br clear=3D"none"><br clear=3D"none">1971 =
Triumph Spitfire MKIV "Gertrude"</div></div></div><br clear=3D"none"><div c=
lass=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839gmail_quote"><div id=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv30067=
59839yqtfd76092" class=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839yqt8076524371"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839gmail_attr">On Tue, Jun 20, 2023,=
 8:17 AM yellow04 via Fot &lt;<a shape=3D"rect" href=3D"mailto:fot@autox.te=
am.net" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank">fot@autox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote=
:<br clear=3D"none"></div></div><blockquote style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;bord=
er-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;" class=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839=
gmail_quote"><div id=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839yqtfd69524" class=3D"ydpeda=
784fcyiv3006759839yqt8076524371">The weather threatened to soak us all day,=
 but other than an occasional <br clear=3D"none">
sprinkle that didn't slow anybody down, the rain held off until the last <b=
r clear=3D"none">
race of the day. As the Triumphs and MGs made their way to the grid, the <b=
r clear=3D"none">
sky started to look a little threatening, but nothing to tip us off to <br =
clear=3D"none">
the unbelievable deluge that was to come. As the grid marshal held up <br c=
lear=3D"none">
the one minute to go sign, a little sprinkle appears. The pace car is in <b=
r clear=3D"none">
position, the lights come on, and suddenly the rain starts bucketing. It <b=
r clear=3D"none">
was a downpour of incredible volume, but nothing stops the grid marshal <br=
 clear=3D"none">
from giving the signal, it=E2=80=99s time to go! More than half the cars li=
ned <br clear=3D"none">
up either don't go out or follow the pace car back to the pits and never <b=
r clear=3D"none">
take the green flag.<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
The competitors are for the most part in open cars, and by turn two on <br =
clear=3D"none">
the pace lap those of us exposed to the elements are completely soaked. <br=
 clear=3D"none">
Nobody to my knowledge is on rain tires, and grip is as expected for <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
conditions, good luck finding any!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
As the field takes the green flag, the rain continues to pour down. The <br=
 clear=3D"none">
TR250 starts on the pole, with Canadian Nick Pratt in his uber-fast <br cle=
ar=3D"none">
Midget on the outside. Knowing visibility will be key, I stomp the go <br c=
lear=3D"none">
pedal when the green drops, and keep my eyes up and on the Midget. Nick <br=
 clear=3D"none">
can't put the power down and falls in behind in P2. I can't comment on <br =
clear=3D"none">
anything further back in the field, visibility in the mirrors during the <b=
r clear=3D"none">
downpour was negligible!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
As the field slogs around the Mosport's 2.5 mile track, it is your <br clea=
r=3D"none">
typical go as fast as you dare on the straights, get 'er whoa'ed up and <br=
 clear=3D"none">
try to find grip around the turns. Great fun... The Midget disappears <br c=
lear=3D"none">
into the misty cloud in the rear-view mirror on the straights, only to <br =
clear=3D"none">
reappear on the corners, Nick is doing an amazing job outbreaking me <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
with tires barely suitable for the dry, but nobody expected these <br clear=
=3D"none">
conditions!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
Talking to others, the rain stopped as abruptly as it started after <br cle=
ar=3D"none">
about 8 minutes. But it came down so hard and fast that we had rivers <br c=
lear=3D"none">
crossing in places nobody expects unless you have inherent track <br clear=
=3D"none">
knowledge. Enter Stefan Wiesen, Elva Courier Coupe driver <br clear=3D"none=
">
extraordinaire, and Mosport expert. Those paying attention are going <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
"Wait, how can an Elva gets to run in the TR-MG Challenge race???" <br clea=
r=3D"none">
Stefan's coupe runs an MGB engine, he asked to join the fun, and <br clear=
=3D"none">
naturally the Race Director says yes!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
After a couple laps and the rain had moved off the track and I could <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
actually see more than 50 feet in the mirrors. I see the Midget, <br clear=
=3D"none">
rain-meister Mark Wheatley's TR4 and the Elva. There is not a chance the <b=
r clear=3D"none">
track will get anything that resembles decent grip in the remaining <br cle=
ar=3D"none">
laps, and we continue to contend with the aforementioned river crossings <b=
r clear=3D"none">
and a track that, in theory at least, is drying. Stefan is just tearing <br=
 clear=3D"none">
it up, having started from the back he has already passed all the <br clear=
=3D"none">
runners and has the caught up with the lead group of cars. He has gotten <b=
r clear=3D"none">
around Wheatley's TR4, but I glance in the rear-view mirror to see the <br =
clear=3D"none">
side of Stefan's car, he is spinning. I think to myself oh boy, Stefan <br =
clear=3D"none">
is done. I continue my task, and two corners later Stefan is back! He <br c=
lear=3D"none">
has gathered it up and is back in the hunt working on the Midget, he <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
didn=E2=80=99t even lose his position to Mark!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
By this point, Nick realizes the Midget does not have the tires to make <br=
 clear=3D"none">
a pass for the lead and he backs off a bit. As Stefan working to get <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
into position to pass Nick, I glance in the rear view to see the Elva <br c=
lear=3D"none">
going around a second time! But sure enough, a couple corners later, my <br=
 clear=3D"none">
gaze in the rear-view shows Stefan is passing Nick and I realize I'm <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
going to have to deal with Stefan after all! The next lap Stefan is on <br =
clear=3D"none">
my tail and trying to figure out his move to get around me. He makes two <b=
r clear=3D"none">
good attempts to get by in the corners, but just does not have what he <br =
clear=3D"none">
needs to pull it off. As I work my best to hold off Stefan, we get the <br =
clear=3D"none">
one to go sign. I glance in the rear view going up the back straight for <b=
r clear=3D"none">
the last time to see Mark has passed the Midget and is motoring past <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
Stefan who apparently lost a cylinder! It looks like we were heading for <b=
r clear=3D"none">
a Triumph One/Two finish! Then, I bobble turn 9 and find myself out of <br =
clear=3D"none">
sorts for the last corner leading to the checkers. Mark is there, got a <br=
 clear=3D"none">
much better line through 10, and it was the drag race to the finish. <br cl=
ear=3D"none">
Mark almost catches me, we finish side by side with a gap of .097 <br clear=
=3D"none">
seconds!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
Epic Triumph finish!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
Nick shared a link to some great pictures of the battle in the rain from <b=
r clear=3D"none">
Moss Corner, take a look!<br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
<a shape=3D"rect" href=3D"https://www.flickr.com/photos/evangcan/sets/72177=
720309161059" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank">https://www.flickr.com/pho=
tos/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059</a><br clear=3D"none">
<br clear=3D"none">
Henry Frye<br clear=3D"none">
_______________________________________________<br clear=3D"none">
<a shape=3D"rect" href=3D"mailto:fot@autox.team.net"; rel=3D"nofollow" targe=
t=3D"_blank">fot@autox.team.net</a><br clear=3D"none">
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ofollow" target=3D"_blank">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a><br clear=3D"=
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ss=3D"ydpeda784fcyiv3006759839yqt8076524371">
</div></div></div><div class=3D"ydpeda784fcyqt8076524371" id=3D"ydpeda784fc=
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