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Absolutely is a ghetto, both as Bill describes and for what it =
represents. The idea that racing isn't just for the wealthy, it can be =
for anyone that is willing to make the effort and the economic choices =
to participate.=20
Triumphs and cars like them continue to change racing. When I started =
vintage racing a lot of the cars were exotics. Now they're rare, both =
because they are so valuable and because they aren't competitive. Who =
likes to have their zillion dollar Testarossa lapped by a TR3/4/6? With =
the information in Kas' books and a little modern tech our Triumphs can =
turn lap times that would have put them in the front row on almost any =
grid in the 60's. And yet they're still Triumphs. You can't change =
anything substantive in an exotic car without decreasing the value and =
spending a fortune on unobtainium parts. We might think $10,000 to do a =
trick motor is a lot of money, but try something similar with a Ferrari, =
or even an Alpha.=20
There's also a big change in skill level of drivers. When I started =
racing (motorcycles) there were a handful of riders that took it =
seriously and learned the ropes, and a small subset of those folks that =
had talent and nerve enough to go really fast. The vast majority was =
just screwing around and didn't have a clue about how to go fast. It was =
true when I started racing cars too. Now everyone is pretty serious =
about their driving.
On Sep 10, 2013, at 7:25 AM, BillDentin@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 09/09/2013 9:05:21 PM Central Daylight Time, =
joeg@neb.rr.com writes:
>=20
>=20
>> I have many questions after attending this event; but I'll start with =
one.
>> Why do we call it the "Triumph Ghetto" when high class operations =
like the
>> West Coast Crew in Tony Garmey's Ferrari Transporter, and so many =
others are
>> there? And then you add high class people like Peggy and Kas? This =
is no
>> "ghetto" scene, my friends.
>=20
>=20
> Of course not, and for sure...there is no shortage of Class in the =
Triumph Paddock. But 'Triumph Ghetto' is certainly not used in a mean =
spirited manner. It is just an attempt at some self-depreciating, =
tongue in cheek humor, as well as a reference to our humble beginnings. =20=
>=20
> My dictionary defines ghetto as "a section of a city, especially a =
thickly populated slum area, inhabited by members of an ethnic or other =
minority group often as a result of social or economic restrictions, =
pressures, or hardships." =20
>=20
> In a way that can be used to describe us. Back in the so-called =
'Golden Age', when Kas was just a kid, the paddock was full of full of =
exotic sports cars, most of who's names ended in a vowel and cost wheel =
barrows full of dollars. TRIUMPHs were different. They had a price tag =
that was reachable (barely) by the common man. Thus many people who =
bought TRIUMPHs, were folk regularly challenged by economic =
restrictions, pressures, and other hardships. But at those golden age =
events, they showed up..as the low budget, back yard efforts they were, =
and clustered together. No gold chains around their necks, they were =
bonded brothers (and sisters), competing against the other, more =
glamorous, well-funded racing efforts. Heck, even Kas' TRIUMPH factory =
backed effort was very 'low budget'. But history documents the fact =
that TRIUMPH's performance record was Top Shelf. Based strictly on the =
number of wins (volume), TRIUMPH can lay a claim to the most successful =
sports car performance record of all time. Consider, the performance of =
the TR4 caused SCCA to change the way race cars were grouped at their =
events.
>=20
> I suggest that these days, when the term Triumph Ghetto is used today, =
it is just a reference to our humble, low budget beginnings. And, let's =
face it...some of that continues today. Many of the vintage TRIUMPH =
racers I know have more than one place for every nickel they have =
available. They scrimp and save to be able to race at these events. =
And just like back in the day...they go FAST.
>=20
> Bill Dentinger
> _______________________________________________
> fot@autox.team.net
>=20
> http://www.fot-racing.com
>=20
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> Unsubscribe/Manage: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/billb@bnj.com
>=20
>=20
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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Dus-ascii"></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
">Absolutely is a ghetto, both as Bill describes and for what it =
represents. The idea that racing isn't just for the wealthy, it can be =
for anyone that is willing to make the effort and the economic choices =
to participate. <div><br></div><div>Triumphs and cars like them =
continue to change racing. When I started vintage racing a lot of the =
cars were exotics. Now they're rare, both because they are so valuable =
and because they aren't competitive. Who likes to have their zillion =
dollar Testarossa lapped by a TR3/4/6? With the information in =
Kas' books and a little modern tech our Triumphs can turn lap times that =
would have put them in the front row on almost any grid in the 60's. And =
yet they're still Triumphs. You can't change anything substantive in an =
exotic car without decreasing the value and spending a fortune on =
unobtainium parts. We might think $10,000 to do a trick motor is a lot =
of money, but try something similar with a Ferrari, or even an =
Alpha. </div><div><br></div><div>There's also a big change in skill =
level of drivers. When I started racing (motorcycles) there were a =
handful of riders that took it seriously and learned the ropes, and a =
small subset of those folks that had talent and nerve enough to go =
really fast. The vast majority was just screwing around and didn't have =
a clue about how to go fast. It was true when I started racing cars too. =
Now everyone is pretty serious about their =
driving.</div><div><br><div><div>On Sep 10, 2013, at 7:25 AM, <a =
href=3D"mailto:BillDentin@aol.com";>BillDentin@aol.com</a> =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><font face=3D"arial,helvetica"><font color=3D"#400040" =
size=3D"3" ptsize=3D"12" family=3D"SANSSERIF" face=3D"Arial" lang=3D"0">In=
a message dated 09/09/2013 9:05:21 PM Central Daylight Time, <a =
href=3D"mailto:joeg@neb.rr.com";>joeg@neb.rr.com</a> writes:<br>
<br>
</font><font back=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" =
size=3D"2" ptsize=3D"10" family=3D"SANSSERIF" face=3D"Arial" =
lang=3D"0"><br>
<blockquote type=3D"CITE" style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; =
MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I have many =
questions after attending this event; but I'll start with one.<br>
Why do we call it the "Triumph Ghetto" when high class operations like =
the<br>
West Coast Crew in Tony Garmey's Ferrari Transporter, and so many others =
are<br>
there? And then you add high class people like Peggy and Kas? This =
is no<br>
"ghetto" scene, my friends.<br>
</blockquote><br>
</font><font color=3D"#400040" back=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=
#ffffff" size=3D"3" ptsize=3D"12" family=3D"SANSSERIF" face=3D"Arial" =
lang=3D"0"><br>
Of course not, and for sure...there is no shortage of Class in the =
Triumph Paddock. But 'Triumph Ghetto' is certainly not used in a =
mean spirited manner. It is just an attempt at some =
self-depreciating, tongue in cheek humor, as well as a reference to our =
humble beginnings. <br>
<br>
My dictionary defines ghetto as "a section of a city, especially a =
thickly populated slum area, inhabited by members of an ethnic or other =
minority group often as a result of social or economic restrictions, =
pressures, or hardships." <br>
<br>
In a way that can be used to describe us. Back in the so-called =
'Golden Age', when Kas was just a kid, the paddock was full of full of =
exotic sports cars, most of who's names ended in a vowel and cost wheel =
barrows full of dollars. TRIUMPHs were different. They had a =
price tag that was reachable (barely) by the common man. Thus many =
people who bought TRIUMPHs, were folk regularly challenged by economic =
restrictions, pressures, and other hardships. But at those golden =
age events, they showed up..as the low budget, back yard efforts they =
were, and clustered together. No gold chains around their necks, =
they were bonded brothers (and sisters), competing against the other, =
more glamorous, well-funded racing efforts. Heck, even Kas' =
TRIUMPH factory backed effort was very 'low budget'. But history =
documents the fact that TRIUMPH's performance record was Top =
Shelf. Based strictly on the number of wins (volume), TRIUMPH can =
lay a claim to the most successful sports car performance record of all =
time. Consider, the performance of the TR4 caused SCCA to change =
the way race cars were grouped at their events.<br>
<br>
I suggest that these days, when the term Triumph Ghetto is used today, =
it is just a reference to our humble, low budget beginnings. And, =
let's face it...some of that continues today. Many of the vintage =
TRIUMPH racers I know have more than one place for every nickel they =
have available. They scrimp and save to be able to race at these =
events. And just like back in the day...they go FAST.<br>
<br>
Bill Dentinger<br>
=
</font>_______________________________________________<br><a =
href=3D"mailto:fot@autox.team.net";>fot@autox.team.net</a><br><br>http://ww=
w.fot-racing.com<br><br>Donate: =
http://www.team.net/forums<br>Unsubscribe/Manage: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/billb@bnj.com<br><br><br></font>=
</blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>=
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