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

[DAVE HOGYE]

Congratulations on your win.  Another excellent race report.
Fantastic images by the photographer.  Great stuff overall.
Cheers, Dave H. 
> On 06/20/2023 6:13 AM PDT yellow04 via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
>  
> The weather threatened to soak us all day, but other than an occasional 
> sprinkle that didn't slow anybody down, the rain held off until the last 
> race of the day. As the Triumphs and MGs made their way to the grid, the 
> sky started to look a little threatening, but nothing to tip us off to 
> the unbelievable deluge that was to come. As the grid marshal held up 
> the one minute to go sign, a little sprinkle appears. The pace car is in 
> position, the lights come on, and suddenly the rain starts bucketing. It 
> was a downpour of incredible volume, but nothing stops the grid marshal 
> from giving the signal, it’s time to go! More than half the cars lined 
> up either don't go out or follow the pace car back to the pits and never 
> take the green flag.
> 
> The competitors are for the most part in open cars, and by turn two on 
> the pace lap those of us exposed to the elements are completely soaked. 
> Nobody to my knowledge is on rain tires, and grip is as expected for 
> conditions, good luck finding any!
> 
> As the field takes the green flag, the rain continues to pour down. The 
> TR250 starts on the pole, with Canadian Nick Pratt in his uber-fast 
> Midget on the outside. Knowing visibility will be key, I stomp the go 
> pedal when the green drops, and keep my eyes up and on the Midget. Nick 
> can't put the power down and falls in behind in P2. I can't comment on 
> anything further back in the field, visibility in the mirrors during the 
> downpour was negligible!
> 
> As the field slogs around the Mosport's 2.5 mile track, it is your 
> typical go as fast as you dare on the straights, get 'er whoa'ed up and 
> try to find grip around the turns. Great fun... The Midget disappears 
> into the misty cloud in the rear-view mirror on the straights, only to 
> reappear on the corners, Nick is doing an amazing job outbreaking me 
> with tires barely suitable for the dry, but nobody expected these 
> conditions!
> 
> Talking to others, the rain stopped as abruptly as it started after 
> about 8 minutes. But it came down so hard and fast that we had rivers 
> crossing in places nobody expects unless you have inherent track 
> knowledge. Enter Stefan Wiesen, Elva Courier Coupe driver 
> extraordinaire, and Mosport expert. Those paying attention are going 
> "Wait, how can an Elva gets to run in the TR-MG Challenge race???" 
> Stefan's coupe runs an MGB engine, he asked to join the fun, and 
> naturally the Race Director says yes!
> 
> After a couple laps and the rain had moved off the track and I could 
> actually see more than 50 feet in the mirrors. I see the Midget, 
> rain-meister Mark Wheatley's TR4 and the Elva. There is not a chance the 
> track will get anything that resembles decent grip in the remaining 
> laps, and we continue to contend with the aforementioned river crossings 
> and a track that, in theory at least, is drying. Stefan is just tearing 
> it up, having started from the back he has already passed all the 
> runners and has the caught up with the lead group of cars. He has gotten 
> around Wheatley's TR4, but I glance in the rear-view mirror to see the 
> side of Stefan's car, he is spinning. I think to myself oh boy, Stefan 
> is done. I continue my task, and two corners later Stefan is back! He 
> has gathered it up and is back in the hunt working on the Midget, he 
> didn’t even lose his position to Mark!
> 
> By this point, Nick realizes the Midget does not have the tires to make 
> a pass for the lead and he backs off a bit. As Stefan working to get 
> into position to pass Nick, I glance in the rear view to see the Elva 
> going around a second time! But sure enough, a couple corners later, my 
> gaze in the rear-view shows Stefan is passing Nick and I realize I'm 
> going to have to deal with Stefan after all! The next lap Stefan is on 
> my tail and trying to figure out his move to get around me. He makes two 
> good attempts to get by in the corners, but just does not have what he 
> needs to pull it off. As I work my best to hold off Stefan, we get the 
> one to go sign. I glance in the rear view going up the back straight for 
> the last time to see Mark has passed the Midget and is motoring past 
> Stefan who apparently lost a cylinder! It looks like we were heading for 
> a Triumph One/Two finish! Then, I bobble turn 9 and find myself out of 
> sorts for the last corner leading to the checkers. Mark is there, got a 
> much better line through 10, and it was the drag race to the finish. 
> Mark almost catches me, we finish side by side with a gap of .097 
> seconds!
> 
> Epic Triumph finish!
> 
> Nick shared a link to some great pictures of the battle in the rain from 
> Moss Corner, take a look!
> 
> https://www.flickr.com/photos/evangcan/sets/72177720309161059
> 
> Henry Frye
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