[Fot] CVAR Feb race weekend report Part 2

[Bob Kramer]

Part 2

 

Sunday was also exciting. Our DNF's put Andrew out front and Bobby
behind me. I raced Bobby as hard as I could and held him off until the
7th lap of an 8 lap race. Four of those laps were with Andrew directly
in front of us so we put on a great Triumph show until Andrew
accidentally hit the ignition switch on his car, causing a backfire
while killing the engine. He made the safe choice and pulled behind the
wall. The second race also had a spin near the start. TWS races start on
the NASCAR front straight and we pull off to the infield on a wide high
speed sweeper into Turn 2, run a short straight to a 90 degree right
after significant braking. Race starts usually go well until the tire
smoke at Turn 3. This time, another 911 spun going off track at the apex
in turn 3 bringing dirt onto the track along with the requisite smoke. I
was a few rows back, on the inside (planning the same move the 911
missed on) and ended up headed right for his tail. I quickly decided
that if I squirted to his right, he, being a Porsche guy, would not stay
put and he would hit me or I'd hit him. I tucked in behind, squeezing a
Fiat to the outside and giving myself the inside for Turn 4. Bobby was
right in front of me and soon Andrew caught up and we finished I that
order. We had the trailer set up and drove right in. Success.

 

Greg had his own fun in Group 4 spending the weekend leading his class
and dicing mostly with an early Corvette 283. I watched one race from
the TWS carousel and you could hear how much the Corvette wanted to keep
the TR3 behind him. He squealed his way through the 180 every lap and on
the last lap he got on the brakes too late. Greg had him on the exit but
the Vette guy couldn't hold his line on the exit and Greg had to get out
of the gas. Duncan Charlton's Tr4 powered Morgan wasn't far behind Greg
all weekend and it was cool to watch him and Piers Gormly in the other
Morgan besting the Healey's and MGA's.

 

The TxFOT bunch is pretty much ready for the Mitty. My car needs tires
badly. I stretched them out by only racing three times a year. You know,
they last longer when the get old but the lap times go up. It was
obvious that both Bobby and Andrew had more power down the straight than
I did so I guess the engine is a little tired too. I may have to freshen
that baby up between now and April. Greg is ready, Bobby is too. We are
not taking Andrew's car, so that frees up trailer space for Bob Blake's
TR4, currently getting a new engine. The Spit's of Joe Hovey and Bill
Collins also skipped the Feb race so they have no excuses. I'm not sure
about the CVAR Morgan's, but I'd be happy with 6 cars making it from TX.

 

Bob Kramer