Subject: [Fot] Triumphs at the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix - Mosport

From: yellow04 via Fot <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2024 09:19:55 -0400

Triumphs invaded the Great White North earlier this month, with many in 
attendance at the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix at Mosport, otherwise known 
as Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. In my opinion, VARAC has turned this 
race into the premier North American Vintage Racing event of the season. 
They have built this event into the most enjoyable, low key festival 
event imaginable.

Can you name another event that puts on a dinner and live music every 
night, including the load-in on Wednesday? Yes, that's 4 nights of food 
and entertainment, which includes free beer every night! Canadian 
hospitality can't be beat, want to load in on Wednesday and not run the 
test day, no problem. Want to stay over Sunday night and get a fresh 
start at your drive home Monday morning? No problem. Mosport is a bucket 
list track that is worth the tow from just about anywhere, and you are 
treated to 8 sessions over 3 days.

Much to the chagrin of the VARAC's race director and MG pilot Dave Good, 
a Triumph won the annual MG/TR Challenge, again. We have a bit of a 
streak going here. I didn't get a qualifying time because of a minor 
suspension snafu, so I started from a grid position of 27th. 
Unfortunately, my good friend and on-track nemesis Nick Pratt broke in 
Practice, so I didn't have the blue Midget to play with. When the green 
flag flew I saw a hole and it felt like I got by half the field before 
turn 1, then on lap 2 I motored by the leaders on the back straight to 
take the lead and run uncontested. Mike Moore took second spot on the 
podium with a great run in his TR4.

In the Porsche vs. the rest of the world "All Comers" race, I did my 
part keeping the podium Porsche-free by running third overall. VARAC 
runs what is best described as bracket racing, you pick the lap time you 
are comfortable with and that is where you are scored. I just happen to 
have a car that runs towards the top of the Over-1:40 bracket, and I 
took the top podium spot for VH3. Yup, a good weekend for the yellow 
TR250.

Mike Deweerd ran the ex-Peter Bulkowski TR8, and with every session more 
and more seconds fell off the lap times. Once Mike gets a handle on this 
beast, watch out! He was two-timing it, with his faithful Green Bean TR4 
running with Vintage Historic grid and the TR8 joining the Classic grid. 
Peter came to offer support and encouragement, and it is always a good 
time when Peter is around!

This was Jason Sukey's first outing at the storied Grand Prix track, and 
he confidently shaved seconds off every session as well, looking awesome 
in his GT6 in the Sunday morning race. Dad Marty's Spitfire didn't fare 
quite as well, but he was all smiles as usual all weekend.

Brian Schirano joined the fun and ran well with his GT6, as did Stewart 
Wigg rounding out the GT6 contingent. Tim Slater towed his Spitfire up 
from rain ravaged South Florida with his dingy strapped on the second 
story of his trailer, (not a joke) and ran as strong as a mortal 
Spitfire can go.

Mark Wheatley didn't have the weekend he had hoped for with his TR4, but 
in the feature race on Sunday afternoon we are pretty confident the 
issue has been identified. The sole sidescreen car at the event was John 
Styduhar with his TR3B, John ran strong all weekend never missing a 
beat.

Mike Moore convinced himself he had enough grip on old tires to not put 
his new ones on, but after spinning in the very high speed turn 8 he 
realized that was not the way to go! No harm, no foul, and hopefully 
lesson learned! Mike ran well when all wheels were pointing the right 
way, he also had a great weekend.

It seems every year we get more Americans to venture north across the 
border to race with us, and every one of them that races this event 
assures me they have put the VARAC Vintage Grand Prix on their permanent 
race schedule! To me, the Mosport experience is what I gauge all other 
tracks by, and to have VARAC put on such an amazing event at a world 
class track, it just doesn't get any better than this!

Cheers

Henry Frye
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