[Fot] Wild Willow Springs Weekend!

[Mike Granat]

Great story! Really captures the 'spirit' of the racing experience. Thanks
for sharing!

On Mon, Mar 25, 2019, 8:00 PM Brad Eells via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:

> Amici,
>
> I wanted to report the amazing weekend I experienced at the VARA High
> Desert Challenge at Willow Springs International Raceway.
>
> As many of you know, I was afforded the opportunity to purchase a Spitfire
> Mk3 with a distinguished competition history. A guy named Kas Kastner was
> my salesman...could hardly say no standing in front of him, right?
>
> We took it home in November 2017. The car was built by Kas's friend,
> sailing mate and K-B Racing Chief Engineer, Doug Brown. He raced it, won a
> bunch of races and rolled off the track in 1976, it had been stored indoors
> ever since.
>
> I, with a great deal of help and mentorship, took the car apart and put it
> back together with a lot of new stuff including all the safety updates that
> are now required.
>
> I had a race shop go through it to give me enough confidence to climb into
> it...that got done with 3 days to go before getting on the track and a
> punch list of 12 'NOW!' items.
>
> We got the car to the track Thursday night and got it out for the first 2
> Friday test sessions before discovering a differential stub axle seal leak.
> Some furious texting and phone calls brought a new seal as we discovered
> how to remove a stub axle with no workshop manual in site...
>
> Finished the work at 6:30 pm to make the 8 am practice on Saturday. Ran
> all 5 sessions for the weekend, finished every one running to the checkered
> flag, improved my lap time 7 seconds, actually passed 3 cars in the race.
> Didn't blow the start, after Mordy Dunst carefully explained his
> expectations of me...
>
> Only got one talk from the Chief Driving Instructor after an off course
> excursion Friday.
>
> What I really want to say is I had a blast. This is something I've been
> wanting to do for 35 years and I finally got to do it.
>
> I could never have done it without all the strong support from FOT like
> Chuck Gee, Steve Belfer, Mordy, Paul Smock, Jerry Barker, Frank Daley, Alan
> Berry and Shawn Frank. Joe Siam came to the rescue with parts at the track.
> They were all there to help when I needed it. And Kas, who has put up with
> my unending questions during all that time.
>
> Oh, and Joe Alexander who got me into this car in the first place...my
> wife can't wait to meet him in May...
>
> I've been an FOT member since 2001 and never really understood what a
> great community we have...until now...
>
> Kastner Cup is next!
>
> Cheers,
>
>
> *Brad Eells*
> *Chino CA*
> *#72 FP 1969 Triumph Spitfire Mk3*
> *#35 DP 1962 Triumph TR4*
> *1965 Triumph TR4A IRS...for the road!*
>
>
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>
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