[Fot] Kastner Cup Photos and a first question

[Bill Babcock]

Absolutely is a ghetto, both as Bill describes and for what it represents. The idea that racing isn't just for the wealthy, it can be for anyone that is willing to make the effort and the economic choices to participate. 

Triumphs and cars like them continue to change racing. When I started vintage racing a lot of the cars were exotics. Now they're rare, both because they are so valuable and because they aren't competitive. Who likes to have their zillion dollar Testarossa lapped by a TR3/4/6?  With the information in Kas' books and a little modern tech our Triumphs can turn lap times that would have put them in the front row on almost any grid in the 60's. And yet they're still Triumphs. You can't change anything substantive in an exotic car without decreasing the value and spending a fortune on unobtainium parts. We might think $10,000 to do a trick motor is a lot of money, but try something similar with a Ferrari, or even an Alpha. 

There's also a big change in skill level of drivers. When I started racing (motorcycles) there were a handful of riders that took it seriously and learned the ropes, and a small subset of those folks that had talent and nerve enough to go really fast. The vast majority was just screwing around and didn't have a clue about how to go fast. It was true when I started racing cars too. Now everyone is pretty serious about their driving.

On Sep 10, 2013, at 7:25 AM, BillDentin at aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 09/09/2013 9:05:21 PM Central Daylight Time, joeg at neb.rr.com writes:
> 
> 
>> I have many questions after attending this event; but I'll start with one.
>> Why do we call it the "Triumph Ghetto" when high class operations like the
>> West Coast Crew in Tony Garmey's Ferrari Transporter, and so many others are
>> there?  And then you add high class people like Peggy and Kas? This is no
>> "ghetto" scene, my friends.
> 
> 
> Of course not, and for sure...there is no shortage of Class in the Triumph Paddock.  But 'Triumph Ghetto' is certainly not used in a mean spirited manner.  It is just an attempt at some self-depreciating, tongue in cheek humor, as well as a reference to our humble beginnings.  
> 
> My dictionary defines ghetto as "a section of a city, especially a thickly populated slum area, inhabited by members of an ethnic or other minority group often as a result of social or economic restrictions, pressures, or hardships."  
> 
> In a way that can be used to describe us.  Back in the so-called 'Golden Age', when Kas was just a kid, the paddock was full of full of exotic sports cars, most of who's names ended in a vowel and cost wheel barrows full of dollars.  TRIUMPHs were different.  They had a price tag that was reachable (barely) by the common man.  Thus many people who bought TRIUMPHs, were folk regularly challenged by economic restrictions, pressures, and other hardships.  But at those golden age events, they showed up..as the low budget, back yard efforts they were, and clustered together.  No gold chains around their necks, they were bonded brothers (and sisters), competing against the other, more glamorous, well-funded racing efforts.  Heck, even Kas' TRIUMPH factory backed effort was very 'low budget'.  But history documents the fact that TRIUMPH's performance record was Top Shelf.  Based strictly on the number of wins (volume), TRIUMPH can lay a claim to the most successful sports car performance record of all time.  Consider, the performance of the TR4 caused SCCA to change the way race cars were grouped at their events.
> 
> I suggest that these days, when the term Triumph Ghetto is used today, it is just a reference to our humble, low budget beginnings.  And, let's face it...some of that continues today.  Many of the vintage TRIUMPH racers I know have more than one place for every nickel they have available.  They scrimp and save to be able to race at these events.  And just like back in the day...they go FAST.
> 
> Bill Dentinger
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