Read Henry's article carefully. The Walter Mitty at Road Atlanta is this big
as well, on a track significantly shorter than Watkins Glen. Some of us havent
been there for over 5 years for just that reason.
Mike Jackson
Henry Frye wrote:
> 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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