The SVRA Vintage Grand Prix this year hosted the 50th running of the MG
feature race, the Collier Cup. The event had over 150 MG's in attendance.
Yup, that is not a misprint, one hundred fifty little Morris Garage cars on
track. And the street MG's, geez... they were everywhere. There was so much
leaking oil about the HazMat crew must be busy. It seems SVRA didn't want
to turn ANYBODY away from this event, and number of entries approached 600.
Both small bore groups had over 80 cars, the grids littered with MG's from
around the country. Group 3 was inundated with MGA's that I swear were
street cars with drivers that never saw a race track before. I passed more
MG's on track with current registered license plates than I see at most
British car shows. Needless to say getting a clean lap was dangerous. What
were they thinking...
Andy Konopka and Russ Moore did their part for the Spitfire Squadron in
Group One. Marc Ward's wife surprised him with a rent-a-ride as his Spit is
not repaired after last year's chance encounter with some armco, and he had
a great time pedaling around one of Kent Bain's Spits in Group 3. Donny
Sopp did not fare so well, his motor burned up on the first session. Group
3 saw the real fast TR's not make it to the feature race as Dick Stockton
succumbed to a toasted motor, and Randy Williams and his crew put on one
tremendous effort to change a motor for the feature but didn't make it.
Bill Dentinger found a cracked his exhaust header on Sunday and didn't make
the feature. The rest of the Beady Eye Boys had a ball, this was Don
Brick's first trip to the Glen. Don and Bob Wismer co-drove the Enduro in
the Thunderbolt.
I was pleased with a 10th overall and 2nd in class in the feature running a
2:29, but the 5 lap race didn't quite make up for the fact this high
dollar, low track time event that was designed to line the pockets of the
organizers, not provide a fun outing for the racer. The highlight of this
event is the Friday afternoon festivities, getting to drive the race car
downtown. There were so many cars they had a 'lottery' to choose who got to
go. I really wasn't surprised I didn't get to go. So we are now looking for
a different event for my September schedule for next year.
But as our friend John Harkness says, "Ask me about Mid-Ohio." October
15-17, run by VSCDA. Come prepared to burn LOTS of gas. I'll be there.
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