In a message dated 6/28/99 3:01:13 PM Central Daylight Time,
grand_wazoo@flinet.com writes:
<< Many awards distributed at the party. Maybe Bill Dentinger
has the list and can publish it. >>
Amici:
1. The JOHN KELLY MEMORIAL AWARD went to Bill Warner, and Mike's right they
snookered him into thinking it was going to go to Ralph Thomas. He was
surprised all right. Incidentally, the trophy was GORGEOUS, and from the old
days with they were REALLY silver. This thing is going to require polishing.
SVRA presented three (-3-) venetian style glass cups, which are going to be
engraved appropriately as follows:
2. BILL WARNER for being the FIRST TRIUMPH and FIRST OVER ALL in the
MG/Triumph Clash Race.
3. DON MUNOZ for being the FIRST MG and FOURTH OVER ALL in the MG/Triumph
Clash Race.
4. JOE ALEXANDER accepted the TEAM TROPHY on behalf of TEAM TRIUMPH. A
grandiose points system was devised, whereby half the points were awarded for
the number of 'shows per model' and half for performance. For instance MG
received a point for eight MGTs verses no Triumph Roadsters. MG received a
point for ten MGAs verses six TR3s. Triumph received a point for ten TR4s
verses five MGBs, and so on. A similar point system was devised for
performance, with TR3s against MGAs and Midgets against Spitfires, and so on.
The performance points ended up even (four for each team), and Triumph won
the most showup points 4 1/2 to 3 1/2.
Eight racers (four MGs and four Triumphs) received certificates donated by
MOSS MOTORS and THE ROADSTER FACTORY. The TRIUMPH racers were:
5. Paul Smock, The Long Distance Award. We figure he won over Mordy Dunst
by eight-tenths of a mile, more or less.
6. Richard Taylor, The True Aficionado Award. Rich towed his paddock bike
(scooter) on a trailer behind his TR4 race car all the way from Atlanta, and
then raced the TR4 in all the sessions all week end. What a sight to behold.
And then he was always 'fixing' something under the dash. I would see him
with his head tucked under the passenger tonneau. For a while I thought he
had a woman under there.
7. Neal Howard received the 'I'm Not Down Yet Award'. Team Howard was most
impressive, as they bounced back up after each and every adversity struck.
And there were many. They must have busted thirty rocker shaft studs.
Neal's dad Kent called home to report in, and he told his wife Carole that he
broke 'his stud'. Carole is reported to have said, "I had forgotten that you
had one." Anyway, Neal and Kent kept fixing anything that broke, and when
the smoke cleared on Sunday morning, Neal was the last car to complete the
whole race. The nine cars behind him were one or more laps down, and another
sixteen or so had DNF or DNS. Not bad, huh?
8. Russ Moore, everyone's favorite, won the Popularity Award. Russ was
shocked. On Sunday morning Russ came by my paddock and said, "I can't
believe I received an award based on popularity. I said, "I know, EVERYONE
was surprised." Really, Russ is a good role model for TRIUMPH aficionados
Always there, always ready to help, and his post-roll over Spitfire is
beautiful.
Four MG drivers received similar awards. Erik Zanner for all his MID-OHIO
event choreography. George Pardee for long distance (last year this guy
drove his MGT from Florida to the Glen, slapped numbers on the side, and then
raced. Wow! John Mutchner, a Russ Moore type popularity award, and Canadian
Bob Grunau to give the event an international flavor.
Each driver got an event poster, and a ditty bag full of goodies from MOSS,
VICTORY LANE, and SPORTS CAR MARKET magazines. The poster, a sort of
computer enhanced French Impressionist effort was TRIUMPH friendly in that it
showed a TR3 at speed in front of an MGA. It was artistic license, in that
the Triumph badges showed up better than the MGs in this style.
A good time was had by all. Only the laundry knows how excited I got.
Bill Dentinger
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