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Spitfire race car #305
Take a clapped out old race car that had been run for years by Triumph Canada as the factory entry, that had then been handed down to be thrashed some more, and then convert it from its former glory days in "M" modified class and go racing in the new slower 'production' based rules class called G Production. Should have been a run away winner right? Wrong. A beat up old race car is exactly that. And it was poorly prepared. Probably the low point of our race prep was during a practice session at Waterford Hills Michigan, when I came in and said we had "severe handling problems", eventually solved by taking the loose heavy tool box out of trunk that had been sliding side to side.
With the help of countlless friends and volunteers that occasionally included classmates from Paris Bobby Neate, Wally Tose as well as a dediciated core crew consisting of Glen, Mark, Warren, Doug, Greg, Mitch, Tony, Eric, Jimmy, and I'm sure a few others I have inadvertently overlooked, we persevered. Eventually the car started to finish some races. Lap times at Mosport dropped from an embarrassing 2:17 during drivers school to eventually clipping along at 1:55's or so. But other cars in class were turning 1:52's. 305 had to go. And so it did. It was hacked up, and stripped of the remaining bits of value to build the next car - the #44 Spitfire. But 305 did teach me one thing: Persevere and try try try again.
305, with the right side suspension under hard load, leading Greg and John Kubiak (who was coming up to pass) through corner 10 Mosport June 24 1973
Heading up the Mosport back straight hill. Beautiful fall day, and we're racin' - nothing better. Notice the ugly bondo'd rear flares and badly dented rocker under the door.
The inside rear wheel gets light through the hairpin at corner 5B at Mosport. A terrible handling car. Like a dog lifting its leg to take a pee. Notice the tape to hold the door closed, and the gap between the hood and the front apron.