Mosport 24th International Vintage Racing Festival

Mosport 24th International Vintage Racing Festival

June 27-29, 2003

Ontario, Canada

The Mosport event was GREAT!!! Quite a few FOT members showed up, as well as some soon-to-be FOT members. There were about 20 Triumphs in all, including the factory TRS LeMans car! Following is a bunch of pictures and video I took at the event, and some taken by others (noted where applicable). I will probably add some new pictures for a while, so keep checking back here for more! If you would like to send me pics and notes about what they are, I will be happy to put them up here as well. Email me at spitfiresuz@141.com

Jack Drews Wins First Kastner Cup!

The very first award of the Kastner Cup, a trophy that not only recognizes the driver's ability, but his commitment to the marque, the preparation and presentation of his car, and his vintage spirit, went to Uncle Jack Drews. The cup will be awarded in alternating years on the East Coast and West Coast. Jack has been an exemplary model of what the true vintage racer should be, and is a role model to many. Congratulations Jack!!

Bios!

Kas Kastner Bio (click on link)

Peggy Kastner Bio (Click on link)

Paul Richardson Bio (Coming Soon!)

Videos!
Click here for the video! (2.8 meg mpeg file)	Jack and Tony Drews really gave us some great racing. Here is a video clip of the two of them exiting Corner 1 and going into Corner 2. It was awesome to see both of them dicing it so closely during the race.
Click here for the video! (1.9 meg mpeg file)	Here is the resounding VARAC Battle Cry.
Click here for the video! (2 meg mpeg file)	Precise repairs were carried out to Irv's car after his skirmish with the wall. Precision tools were used with exacting force to assure a quality fit and finish.
Click here for the video! (11.8 meg mpeg file)	Group 6 pace lap from the exit of Corner 1. This is a large file, so download at an optimum time.
Click here for the video! (9.6 meg mpeg file)	Here is a panel of August Personages discussing Tom's overheating problem (Paul Richardson and Kas Kastner). This is a large file as well.

Pictures!
	Tom Strange was so incredible as to set up the Triumph Big Top for us -- it was a huge canopy that held 6 Triumphs and their gear! The Triumph Big Top was set up right next to the exit for Turn 1, so we got some great views of the action, and were also conveniently placed for the track facilities.
	Triumph and Triumph-related bicycles abounded -- here we see our Batavus moped (kindly delivered by Joe Alexander), blue Triumph bicycle and 1957 Schwinn Spitfire bicycles, the Drews' blue Triumph bicycle, and Bill Dentinger's black Triumph bicycle. Great pit vehicles!
	Paul commandeered one of the Triumphs and could be seen happily riding about during the event. (LOVE the Daimler SP-250 in the background -- there were actually TWO of them at the event, although only one raced.)
	Bob Kramer just had to try to intimidate the competition with his new TR4 dually.
	TRF and Dave Hagenbuch were good enough to bring the TRS. What a neat looking car! It is a 1961 factory LeMans car.
	Here is a picture of the WPA Triumph Club Hospitality Tent, hosted by Bruce Stutzman, Ed Major, and Jerry Van Vlack. Those guys were great to do this for everyone. Thanks a lot, Bruce, Ed and Jerry! From left to right you see the TRS, Ed's TR3 and Jerry's TR4A.
	We had a serious cam timing problem (didn't have time or a place to really test it before we left), so Russ and Brad worked on Tristan all day Thursday (Test & Tune day). Russ is the most amazing individual -- he is selfless and giving and devoted to this sport to the extent of helping his competitors do better by passing along his knowledge and assistance. We wouldn't have been where we were at this event if it wasn't for him. Thanks, Russ!!!
	Tom didn't have great luck Thursday or Friday either, as he was having overheating problems. Here we see a gang of august personages discussing his problem (Kas Kastner, Paul Richardson and Burt Levy).
	Tom did make it back out onto the track and enjoyed some non-overheating runs, thanks in great part to the efforts of his "crew chief" Matt.
	Kas Kastner and his lovely wife Peggy came for the event, and Kas made himself available to one and all. Here we see him checking out a possible overdrive leak in Tristan. I managed to hook him on vanilla Coke, so I knew he would always be around when I needed him...
	Here are the cars Kas and Peggy and Paul came to the event in. Paul's was the Jaguar, while the strikingly turquoise T-Bird was Kas & Peggy's. I WISH I had had my video ready when Kas went into full lisp, flapped his hand at the wrist, and said, "But it's such a LOVELY color!"
	Henry Frye hauled his rig out and Helen flew in and met him at the track. He had some issues during the event (timing, etc.), but managed to run the entire Triumph/MG Challenge race. No word yet as to whether the new lightened hip joint shaved any time off his laps...
	Irv Korey had an unfortunate altercation with a concrete wall, and you can guess who won. Fortunately, the damage was mostly cosmetic. Everyone pitched in and attacked his car with hammers and blocks of wood, and got him back out on the track.
	Bob Kramer brought his entire family up for the event, and ended up ventilating his block on BOTH sides early on. Apparently a rod let go in the middle, and the small end flailed around on the crank and opened up the block. They had a special tow truck, just for him (note the logo on the door)...
	Here's a shot of the left side of Bob's newly air-cooled block.
	And the right side.
	Here's a shot of Uncle Jack exiting Turn 1. He and Tony had a VERY close competition going on through the event -- it was a joy to watch them battle it out, lap after lap. Unfortunately Jack suffered some starting troubles that gave Tony the jump on him.
	A nice picture of Henry exiting Turn 1.
	Here's Irv getting out of Turn 1.
	It was a joy and an honor to spend time with Kas, Paul and Peg. Thanks again for sharing your lives with us!
	The local TV station sent a reporter out to cover the event, and we sicced her on Kas.
	Behind ever successful man is a great woman -- to hold his muffin. Kas was in the middle of his breakfast when we so rudely interrupted him for his interview, and Peg graciously accepted muffin-holding duty.
	Bill Dentinger brought his grandson, Mike, who we all thought was his twin. Here they are at the nice dinner VARAC provided for us.
	Paul was asked to speak at the dinner, and gave several hilarious anecdotes about his father and life with Triumphs. When asked what his favorite car to drive was, a sudden coughing spell obscured his recitation of the marque, however, so we all just assumed it to be a Triumph!
	Kas was brought up to answer questions, and ended up speaking a good bit about his time heading up the Nissan team, and what the differences of having a real budget made in their racing effort.
	Burt was also asked to speak, and had the crowd rolling with his stories about his first Triumph.
	Here is a Triumph group shot taken from the Start / Finish bridge. In order from left to right are: First Row: Tony Drews, Joe Alexander, Susan Kahler, Dave Hagenbuch and the TRS, Bill Dentinger and the Thunderbolt, and Irv Korey. Second Row: Jack Drews, Bob Kramer, Russ Moore, Tom Strange, Mark Wheatley and Henry Frye. Third Row: Andrew Konopka, Don Elliott, Dave Herd, Donny Sopp, Cornell Babcock and Gord Ballentine.
	With Sunday came the Triumph / MG Challenge race. The TRS led the pack as the official Triumph pace car. (Uncle Jack's car stalled on the grid and he was left behind, but he was push-started and tore through the pack making up for lost time.) (Picture taken by ColourTech)
	A closer shot of the Challenge starting grid. (Picture taken by ColourTech)
	Here's a shot of me after I got by the MG. He blocked me as hard as he could (and boy could he drive that skinny-tired car), but I finally got around him. I ended up finishing the Challenge race with a time of 1:56, five seconds better than my previous best, but was not able to complete the feature race following due to some sort of engine failure (will have to take it apart to see what happened). (Picture taken by ColourTech)
	Here is the podium of Triumph drivers after the Challenge race. They are: First Row: Russ Moore, Andrew Konopka, Susan Kahler, Bill Dentinger, Gord Ballentine, Donny Sopp and Irv Korey. Second Row: Mark Wheatley, Joe Alexander, Tony Drews, Jack Drews and Henry Frye.
	Bill Dentinger gets his award.
	Donny Sopp gets his award.
	Henry Frye gets his award.
	Irv gets his award in an unconventional driver's suit.
	Jack and Tony get their awards.
	Mark Wheatley gets his award. Sorry I couldn't get everyone -- my Mavica disk camera took too long to write to the disk between takes. Gotta change those settings...
	During the Triumph award ceremony, we all wondered where Tom was. Turns out he got tired and asked for a lift. No, really, he had clutch problems and had to be brought in after the Triumph / MG Challenge race.
	The Triumph Big Top and clowns. A huge thanks again to Tom for his thoughtfulness and generosity. (Photo taken by Kent Howard)