Again, thanks to everybody who came out to the Kastner Cup this past
weekend, both racers and friends. It was fantastic to spend time with
old friends and make new ones. While my weekend got much more exciting
at the Kastner Cup presentation, it still would have been a really great
race weekend for me had the cards fallen in a different direction with
the pick for the K-Cup winner.
As I sat on the Grid for the K-Cup race, I am looking at Chris Marks
(TR8) on pole, Sam Halkius (TR6) on the outside pole, then Joe Carr
(Huffaker TR8) and my TR250 on the second row. Behind me is the Curt
Johnston (Huffaker TR7) and Bob "why are they braking 200 feet early?"
Lang (TR6). Plus, I realize there are several really fast GT6's back
there, although circumstances kept the Dolan cars from posting times
that would put them where they belonged on the grid. I'm feeling
intimidated, I realize that set of Speedsters under my car are going to
be working really, really hard keep any kind of pace with this crew. The
rest of this is by memory, as my camera didn't work...
The race is off to a great start, and somehow I find myself dogging the
Huffaker TR8. It rained earlier in the day, and the track would best be
described as "drying, but not quite dry". I realize Joe is driving a
borrowed, incredibly important, historic car, and is feeling out the
corners, but for me the grip was there. On the second lap, Joe goes a
little hot into one of the uphill sweepers, and my six cylinder powers
by him on the inside. Joe takes the position back exhibiting superior
straight line speed, but I got him again. If memory serves, we traded
places a couple times, I am scored in front of the TR8 for laps 3, 4 and
5! As the race wears on, Joe settles in and shows us what he and that
beautiful TR8 were capable of, and finishes the race some 12 seconds in
front of me. After the race Joe explains to me what I was seeing in his
cockpit, his HANS tether was not quite right and he was trying to get it
sorted while on track!
I am thrilled to finish 4th, the first car not running on grooved
slicks. Even better, I learn Mark Wheatley, my long-time paddock partner
finished behind me in 5th in his TR4! Unfortunately for Bob Lang, his
car didn't go the distance, he pulled in after noticing a temperature
spike.
In the reunion race Sunday morning, Sam's TR6 was a no-show, and Chris
was under strict orders to keep the car in one piece as car owner Peter
has a pending sale in place. The two TR8's are front row, with me and
Curt Johnston right behind them. The two TR8's take off, and my rear
view mirrors are quickly filled with Bob Lang and Brian Dolan's GT6. I
am watching the two of them battle it out, when Bob gets by me in Turn
3. It does not take long before Brian gets by me as well and catches
Bob. Now I am watching the two of them race each other hard, and I am
enjoying the action from the best seat in the house. When the two of
them are trying to out brake each other in turn 3 and I see each of them
making tire smoke, I realize things are really heating up there! Then
they are side by side going down into turn 5. Knowing there is no way
two cars are going to through turn 5 faster than one car can, I lay back
a little and it unfolds perfectly. I get the run into the corner, am on
the gas hard tracking out on the preferred line, and can squeeze my way
right up the middle between the two cars! Thanks for making room guys,
that was an awesome pass! Bob and Brian continued racing each other so
the rest of my ride in the reunion race was not heavily contested, and I
was pleased to finish third behind the two TR8's. As I understand it,
Chris had to slow down to let his brakes recover, Joe took the overall
lead and by the time Chris had confidence in his brakes again, he was
out of time to mount a comeback. He told me he needed one more lap to
catch Joe!
A few highlights for me over the course of the weekend include:
The whole scene with Christian Marks flying in from Germany to drive
Canadian Pete Bulkowski's TR8. These guys know how to have fun while
preparing a fast race car. Then there was Chris' incredible drive on
Saturday morning's Ground Pounders group session. It was a very wet
track and he literally lapped the entire field and the rooster tail
shooting up behind the TR8 was so cool! Somebody posted some video of
that somewhere, maybe somebody can provide a link?
Meeting Lyman and Dave running the Baja TR3. Taking one look at the car
you immediately realized this thing is something special. While it was
obvious the car was not going to be competitive for race wins on a road
course, it shows how we still have people who are committed to the
Triumph marque, who are willing to spend the time and effort to save
significant Triumph history, and are willing to share that with us in
venues like the Kastner Cup. Well done Lyman, thanks for your efforts.
And well driven Dave, you had a tough task in front of you managing the
car on a road course. I can't wait to hear about the car's next chapter!
I helped out on the K-Cup committee, so seeing how the event unfolded
after all the planning was kind of cool for me. Curt Johnston did a
stellar job, and Jim Dolan steered his crew with the PVGP to really make
this a special event for us. Job well done guys!
Seeing the family teams in action is always cool for me, we had Sean and
Brendan Alexander, Marty and Jason Sukey, Phil and Dave Gott, Jessie and
Pat Darrow, and of course the Dolan family. Sorry if I missed anybody!
Hats off to Joe Alexander and his family, while it may look like all
this just happens, there is a lot of work behind the scenes. Thanks
guys.
So next year the race for the Kastner Cup will be at Road America, I
can't wait! With a full grid of the Mid-west Triumph folk gunning for
the Cup, I am confident that it will be a spectacular show! I think the
smart money will be on Friendly Ghost Racing, no pressure Jason! :-)
Henry Frye
#29 TR250
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