This post is waaaaay off topic, delete now if you don't want to read about
something silly.
The Canadians really know how to have fun, eh? For some reason, they see
the need to actually organize their chaos, and have come up with the VARAC
Lawnchair Races. They went so far as to write up some GCR's.
http://www.varac.ca/Festival/LawnchairGCRs.html
Seeing as the Triumphs were the featured marque, some instigator, who shall
hopefully remain nameless, felt we needed to reciprocate some of the
marvelous hospitality we were enjoying and decided 10 minutes before the
race that we needed an entry. We needed a wheeled conveyance that would
hold a lawn chair. It needed to be known without any doubt that this was
the Triumph entry, so said instigator went on the prowl for some wheeled
conveyance that could both hold a lawn chair, and not be mistaken for the
MG entry.
Given the short time we had to organize, build and test our lawnchair
racer, Donny Sopp was spotted waxing his Spitfire. Donny got railroaded to
let us use his Spit for the wheels of the Triumph lawnchair entry. A handy
color coordinated lawnchair was absconded from under Russ Moore's canopy,
and was quickly racer taped to the top of Donny's roll bar. Kas suggested
additional tape be applied to ensure our driver, a pink flamingo beanie
baby, was adequately strapped in.
As Donny drove our entry to the grid, the other competitors were already
crying foul. They started citing the GCR's, and pointing out where our
entry was in blatant violation. Like it couldn't have steering or be
motorized... We reminded the officials that cheating was encouraged, and
ensured them that we were not intending to use the Spit's engine. As the
Triumph people arrived to push, they started to come around. After several
Guinness were handed out to the officials as bribes, we passed
scrutineering and were given the official "OK to Race."
The track was a tight course, conditions were clear and dry. We were
looking at about 100 feet up a slight grade, around a barrel into the
switchback, and back downhill to the start/finish line. Those Guinness came
in handy as we were afforded a dispensation forgiving the requirement to go
around the barrel, we merely had to pass the barrel and then push backwards
to the start/finish line.
Most of the Triumph drivers, crew, invited dignitaries etc. got into
position to push. We had no doubt we had the peoplepower advantage. The
power to weight ratio was questionable, but our group was up to the
challenge. By luck of the draw we were given poor grid position behind a 4
year old girl atop a beach chair strapped to a mechanics creeper, and at
the green flag found it difficult to pass. Donny was co-driver to the
beanie baby, and expertly stabbed the brakes avoiding what looked to be a
nasty shunt with the 4 year old girl. At the switchback we were rewarded
with the fastest turn around, and the drag race to the end was close.
Unfortunately, the photo-finish equipment was not on, and we were declared
4th out of 5 competitors. We were all set to protest, but it seems the only
rule in the GCR's that means anything to the sanctioning body is the no
protest rule!
We did win the popular "peoples choice" award, and the highest lawnchair
award, and for some reason, we didn't get invited back for next year...
;-)
Does anybody have any pictures? ;-)
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