Mid-Ohio 2002 Special Report

Mid-Ohio 2002 Special Report & Photos

The British Triumphs (less Steve Adams' Spitfire) at Thursday's FOT reception - SVRA Picture
(Butterworth TR3a, Wood TR6, Whitely TR6, Petch TR5, Wolfe TR7V8, Pendle/Miller TR7V8, Chapman/Hughes TR7V8)

The Brits and Yanks at the FOT reception (Photos - Greg Petrolati)

Jon Wolfe's TR7V8 flying the flag on the slow-down lap of the All Triumph Feature Race (Sunday) - SVRA Picture

John Whitely's TR6 during the All Triumph Feature Race (Sunday) - SVRA Picture

Click here for more official SVRA pictures : www.svra.com/2002_05_midohio/photo.htm
Tony Drews' pictures of the event : www.tonydrews.com/MidOhio50th.htm
Susan Hensley's photos : www.texastriumph.com/MidOhioPics.htm
Louiseanne & Walter Pietrowicz: www.september8th.com/M-O-SVRA-SPRINT-02-BRITISH.htm

Gary Hunter, Jere Dotten and Jim Henningsen (Central Florida Triumph Register) with me in the paddock

Steve Adams (blue Spitfire) during Sunday's All Triumph Feature Race (www.gobyfastphotos.com)

Wolfe, Petch and Pendle on the podium

Celebrating 3rd position in the all-Triumph race

When friend and fellow Triumph racer Keith Files stood up at last November’s annual TR Register/TSSC race championship technical review meeting and asked , “Who fancies racing in the USA?” there was a silence followed by a high degree of interest. Some weeks earlier, Jon Wood, proprietor or Classic Racecraft, had spent an evening surfing the internet and had found a web site run by ‘Friends of Triumph’ an informal group of American Triumph racers and enthusiasts, they were planning to celebrate 50 years of Triumph sports cars in the USA in a big way. They wanted to arrange an all-comers Triumph race at the Mid-Ohio sports car course situated about 100 miles south of Cleveland and Lake Erie.

Interest grew and many signed up for race, including a group of us from the UK. Once the initial over-enthusiastic response had died down we ended up with a group of 12 drivers and 8 cars ready to put the cash on the table and arrange shipping to the USA for wild weekend’s racing.

The driver line up consisted of:

Keith Files/Jon Wood – TR6
John Whitely – TR6
Colin Pendle/Graham Miller - TR7V8
Jon Wolfe - TR7V8
Malcolm Chapman/Mike Hughes – TR7V8
Steve Adams/Dave Thompson – Spitfire IV
Mark Butterworth – TR3a
Chris Petch – TR5
Plus various essential family members and crew!

The initial plan was to get all eight cars into a container and get them delivered direct to the circuit by a shipping company, but it soon became obvious this wasn’t going to happen. No container would hold eight cars and the two-container option was very expensive. Rescue came in the form of ex-TR7V8 racer John ‘Skip’ Smith who, unbelievably, was prepared to finance, design (with Colin Pendle’s help) and modify an ex-Parcel Force 40 foot trailer unit to carry all eight race cars. A specialist vehicle transport specialist was asked to undertake the work, but refused saying it was impossible to get eight cars in a 40 foot unit, only six was possible. They were wrong. Furthermore Skip was prepared to let his Renault Magnum tractor be used as the prime mover and let it cross the pond; the US uses different fifth wheel (articulated lorry hitch) and pneumatic systems, so we had no choice but to take a European tractor too.

One damp morning in Luton, all eight cars were driven into the unit and carefully strapped down, ready for their Atlantic crossing. Once despatched, all we could do was wait. The truck was left with the shipping line at Liverpool while Skip and the rest of us would have to take a flight! In the meantime however, disaster had struck Keith Files. He had been involved in a serious motor cycle accident and had been hospitalised with a badly broken leg and some breathing difficulties. There was no way he would make the trip, even as a spectator, and was terribly upset to be missing the trip. The car would still be going; Jon Wood however would be piloting it for the whole weekend rather than just in the two-driver event. We were now down to 11 drivers.

To cut a long story short, Skip, Colin and Graham flew to Newark a week later to pick up the truck and a 30 foot motorhome while the rest of us flew to Cleveland where we picked up a further three motorhomes. By the Tuesday night the Cleveland team had arrived at the circuit and 24 hours later the Newark crew arrived to much excitement amongst us anxious Brits and the bemused Americans. The cars were unloaded that night as untimed practice started at 08:00 Thursday.

The mighty race transporter (Photo: Russ Moore)

We soon learned that the Americans have a whole different attitude to racing; they have fewer meetings per year but each lasts three or four days and people travel thousands of miles to be there. The first night we were there we met Mordy Dunst, owner of the Gasket Works team, they had driven over 2500 miles from California to be there!

This meeting was organised by the SVRA (a bit like the HSCC) and they had agreed to host the 50^th Anniversary All Triumph race as the Feature race on Sunday as well as fit our cars into the normal SVRA sportscar races. The Spitfire and TR3a were put into Group 1 and all the rest into Group 8. Initially Colin’s and my TR7V8s were placed in Group 10 with sports racers and NASCARs but it was soon evident that we were rather out of place and were soon moved in to Group 8 with the bulk of other British cars!

The four day event format was excellent and was based around whatever Group you had been placed in:

Thursday: Un-timed practice sessions for all cars. In the evening we were invited to an excellent ‘Friends of Triumph’ reception where we were made to feel most welcome. Unfortunately the photos for this event do not show Steve Adams’ Spitfire as he was busy replacing the gearbox after it had failed during the day. Luckily a local British car scrap yard had a suitable gearbox which had been lying in a pool of muddy water for years – being old and oily it was perfectly OK!

Friday: More practice and first official qualifying sessions, followed by an all-comers (from Groups 1 to 8), one hour, two-driver, pit-stop race. The final track session was an All Triumph practice which was aborted due to a TR4 flipping onto its roof. To end the day was an official Triumph photo shoot and buffet reception hosted by the SVRA. The big event of the day for the Brits was Chris Petch slamming his TR5 front-first into the pit wall. It looked a real mess but a fortunately the owner of the scrap yard where Steve Adams had been a customer was on hand to arrange for a local body shop to pull the front of the car out and fit the front end of a TR250 chassis. With many hours of straightening and mending the car was ready for late Saturday night where Chris managed to get out and do a couple of laps. The car even looked pretty good as one of the US Spitfire drivers just happened to have a can of the correct colour paint! Notably, prior to crashing, Chris had set the fastest qualifying time for the All Triumph race, so thanks to a mammoth effort took pole position on the Sunday.

Saturday: Second official qualifying then Group qualifying races to determine grid positions for the actual Group races on the Sunday!

Sunday: Un-timed warm-up sessions then proceeded through all the races including the All Triumph feature, the Historic BOSS and NASCAR races and all the SVRA Group races.

Race Results

All Triumph Feature Race

	#	Group	Name	Home town	Year	Model	CCs	Best lap
1	89	8	Chris Petch	Manchester, UK	1968	Triumph TR5	2590	01:45.968
2	31	8	Colin Pendle	Gawcott, UK	1980	Triumph TR7V8	3958	01:46.093
3	13	8	Jon Wolfe	Luton, UK	1976	Triumph TR7V8	3950	01:46.546
4	40	8	Jon Wood	London, UK	1970	Triumph TR6	2498	01:46.866
5	62	1	Mike Jackson	Palm Beach Gdns., FL	1962	Triumph TR3	2200	01:48.486
6	59	8	John Whitely	London, UK	1972	Triumph TR6	2498	01:50.107
7	81	8	Morey Doyle	Fishers, IN	1980	Triumph TR8	2500	01:50.334
8	25	3	Mordy Dunst	Bradbury, CA	1966	Triumph TR4A-IRS	2200	01:50.146
9	41	1	Jeff Snook	Bowling Green, OH	1961	Triumph TR3A	2188	01:50.059
10	180	1	Mark Butterworth	Manchester, UK	1959	Triumph TR3A	2189	01:51.631
13	85	8	Malcolm Chapman	Peterborough, UK	1976	Triumph TR7V8	3500	01:52.477
Dnf	55	1	Steve Adams	Northampton, UK	1973	Triumph Spitfire	1296	N/a

Wolfe, Petch, Pendle & Kas Kastner

Group 8 race

	#	Group	Name	Home town	Year	Model	CCs	Best lap
1	31	8	Graham Miller	Bletchley, UK	1980	Triumph TR7V8	3958	01:45.125
2	86	8	Jerry Richards	Flowery Branch, GA	1974	MGB/GT V8	3500	01:44.253
3	89	8	Chris Petch	Manchester, UK	1968	Triumph TR5	2590	01:45.325
4	17	8	Denny Wilson	Washington, MO	1962	Lotus Super 7	1498	01:45.184
5	40	8	Jon Wood	London, UK	1970	Triumph TR6	2498	01:44.496
6	13	8	Jon Wolfe	Luton, UK	1976	Triumph TR7V8	3950	01:45.379
7	272	8	Larry Daurora	Pittsburgh, PA	1971	Ford Pinto	2000	01:47.058
8	1	8	Paul Stinson	Centre Hall, PA	1963	Lotus Super 7	1538	01:47.079
9	23	8	Bernardo Martinez	Toledo, OH	1966	Alfa Sprint GT	2000	01:47.369
10	51	8	Rod Beer	Syracuse, IN	1969	Alfa Romeo GTV	2000	01:48.158
17	85	8	Malcolm Chapman	Peterborough, UK	1976	Triumph TR7V8	3500	01:52.183

Group 1 Race

No British cars finished. Steve Adams’ car expired with a blown piston in the All Triumph race and Mark Butterworth’s TR3 had an enormous engine failure on the 3^rd lap of the Group 1 race whilst in 3^rd place.

Mike Stott / UBS Paine Webber Enduro #1

POS	#	Class	Driver 1	Driver 2	City/State	Yr	Car	Disp	Best Time	Laps
1	123	E1A	Phil Harris	Gil Nickel	Oakville, CA	65	Lotus 23b	1600	01:40.584	22
2	181	E1C	Bill	Bryan	Winter Park, FL	70	Porsche 914/6	2000	01:45.680	22
3	5	E1A	P. McLaughlin	T.Yeager	Hanover, NH	63	Lotus 23b	1600	01:45.379	22
4	01	E1B	Ken Walker	Ken Walker	New York, NY	62	Lotus Super 7	1600	01:45.301	22
5	8	E1A	Bob Hebert	M. Stott	Ho Ho Kus, NJ	62	Lotus 23	1600	01:46.656	22
6	31	E1B	Colin Pendle	Graham Miller	Gawcott, UK	80	Triumph TR7-V8	3958	01:46.835	22
7	3	E1B	Jim	McCormick	New York, NY	69	Porsche 911S	1997	01:48.944	21
8	34	E1D	George	Balbach	Lake Forest, IL	61	Porsche 356	1620	01:45.819	21
9	118	E1B	Keith	Dunbar	Warren, OH	67	Lotus Elan	1594	01:45.184	21
10	777	E1D	John	Schrecker	Hopkinsville, KY	64	Porsche 356c	1620	01:51.095	21
11	40	E1C	Jon Wood	Jon Wood	London, UK	70	Triumph TR6	2498	01:48.309	21
12	1	E1A	Sandra	McNeil	Bayport, NY	63	Lotus 23b	1600	01:47.352	21
13	2	E1B	Bill	Bauman	Toledo, OH	69	Porsche 911S	1991	01:49.275	21
14	23	E1C	Bernardo	Martinez	Toledo, OH	66	Alfa Sprint GT	2000	01:49.365	21
15	70	E1D	Vic	Skirmants	Warren, MI	61	Porsche 356	1620	01:47.497	21
16	10	E1B	Lisa	Hansen	Chicago, IL	69	Porsche 911R	2000	01:49.990	21
17	20	E1D	Dave	Burton	White Lake, MI	64	Porsche 356C	1622	01:49.736	21
18	13	E1B	Jon	Wolfe	Luton, UK	76	Triumph TR7V8	3950	01:48.336	21
19	51	E1C	Rod	Beer	Syracuse, IN	69	Alfa Romeo GTV	2000	01:48.882	21
20	180	E1E	Mark	Butterworth	Manchester, UK	59	Triumph TR3A	2189	01:50.673	21
21	811	E1C	Heidi	Mocas	Hudson, OH	67	Alfa GTV	2000	01:53.216	20
22	06	E1B	Skott	Burkland	Florham Park, NJ	69	Porsche 911S	2000	01:55.273	20
23	05	E1C	Rick	Snyder	Troy, OH	70	Porsche 914/6	1991	01:55.145	20
24	272	E1C	Larry	Daurora	Pittsburgh, PA	71	Ford Pinto	2000	01:49.552	20
25	49	E1B	Rob	Leonard	Jupiter, FL	67	Porsche 911	1997	01:54.812	20
26	771	E1B	Todd	Wetzel	Chicago, IL	67	Porsche 911S	2004	01:54.208	20
27	139	E1D	Phil	Kubik	Bloomfield Hills, MI	65	Porsche 356SC	1620	01:55.194	20
28	59	E1C	John	Whitely	London, UK	72	Triumph TR6	2498	01:51.071	19
29	85	E1B	Malcolm	Chapman	Peterborough, UK	76	Triumph TR7V8	3500	01:57.407	19
30	37	E1E	Robert	Peet	Columbus, OH	72	MG Midget	1292	02:02.048	19
31	071	E1E	Dennis	Freyvogel	Dayton, OH	69	Alfa GTV jr	1300	01:55.744	19
32	197	E1D	Joe	Alexander	Cedar Falls, IA	62	Triumph TR4	2188	01:59.884	18
33	18	E1B	Erick	Zanner	Bexley, OH	70	Porsche 911T	2200	02:04.280	18
34	73	E1B	Richard	Sneed	Vero Beach	70	Porsche 911	2000	01:59.216	18
35	29	E1E	Bill	Dentinger	Brookfield, WI	56	Triumph TR3	2138	02:08.759	18
36	120	E1A	John & Jim	Ziegler	Tidioute, PA	72	Ford Pinto	2000	02:07.091	18
37	55	E1E	Steve	Adams	Northampton, UK	73	TR Spitfire	1296	02:06.140	18
DNF	12	E1A	Robert	Hibdon	Hanahan, SC	62	Lotus 23b	2558	03:07.454	1
DNS	07	E1A	Lowell	Blossom	Charlevoix, MI	63	Elva Mk VIIS	1600	00:00.000	0
DNS	36	E1E	Ed	Berre	Cincinnati, OH	56	Lotus 11	1460	00:00.000	0
DNS	89	E1B	Chris	Petch	Manchester, UK	68	Triumph TR5	2590	00:00.000	0
DNS	000	E1A	Dave	White	Tampa, FL	69	Porsche 911S	2000	00:00.000	0
DNS	171	E1A	Paul	Flowers	Dothan, AL	63	Elva Mk VIIS	1600	00:00.000	0