We had gorgeous weather for the Hallet race this past weekend. It was
sunny all weekend, with temperatures around 70 in the afternoon. Joe
Alexander came down, but did not bring his race car. I took him out
during the exhibition run on Friday afternoon. I've never ridden as a
passenger in a race car at speed, but I can imagine I might press a dent
into the floor with my right foot.
This was the second year for a spring race at Hallet and it was quite a
bit bigger than last year, attracting a number of cars from RMVR and
VSCDA. We had four Triumphs: Dan Duryee - GT6, Susan Kahler - Spit, Joe
Hovey - Spit and me - TR3A. The competition was fierce. Kramer will be
glad to hear that the MGBs and other EP cars have been moved from Group
2 to Group 7 (now CP, DP, EP and Super 7). Dave Headly brought an
incredibly fast MGB that dominated the whole group with laps close to
1:30. Group 2 had an equally incredible Midget on steroids that was
also running close to 1:30 laps. Dan, Susan and Joe did great,
considering the competition. I had it much easier in the pre-1961
"Corinthian Classis" Group 4, but we did have two fast big Healeys
(Biever from VSCDA and the usual Group 4 front runner Fred Crowley) and
a pretty quick MGA (Boyd Mace from RMVR). I was ecstatic that I came
out on top three of the four races and got my best lap down into the
1:36s.. I just could not get around Biever's Healey in one race, so all
four of us finished less than 3 seconds apart. Hallet is a tough track
for passing when you have less straight line speed ,but better handling.
CVAR and Stephens Brother's Racing (owners of Hallet) are happy to host
the 2005 ITC in April next year. If we have a weekend like this past
one, it will be great. This is nominally a three day event (with racing
on two days). Pinnacle Racing usually sponsors a track day on Thursday,
so you could make it into a four day event. We really need some fast
TR4s and TR6s for Group 7 and some fast Spitfires to compete with the
hord of Spridgets in Group 2. TR3s and the pre-1961 specials will have
an easier time of it in Group 4. Hallet is really a fun track. I don't
know who rates these things, but Mike Stephens said it was rated the 3rd
most technical track in the US (I believe Mid-Ohio was second and I
don't know what was first). Stephens Brothers are very racer friendly,
camper friendly, dog friendly, etc. It is a family run track (Mom,
Connie Stephen's, was my son Tom's high school Spanish teacher). The
track is also a great specatator track. Due to the elevation change,
you can see most of the track from the bleachers, and you can easily
reach all of the corners for viewing. You can't get much more centrally
located than Oklahoma. In one day, you can get there from most of the
midwest, eastern Colorado or New Mexico. Places like southern
California and western New York would probably take two days. And if
the Brits should want to come, Houston is a major port, within one days
drive.
So, what do you think guys?
Larry Young
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