Due to flooding, this year’s Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival (www.LGGPR.org) was rescheduled for November 9-11. It was a cold weekend (15 degrees at sunrise on Saturday) but three brave KC MG Car Club members took their TCs to the event. Robert Griffey took his ’46 TC, Chris Cassell took his ’47 TC and Russ Sifers took his ’49 TC to run at death defying speeds up to and including 60 mph in the Great Britain Group at noon. Jon Green always brings his ’38 TA but he was out of the country and Cleo Simmonds’ ’48 TC needed carb work so they could not join the MG T team.
Larisa rode with Chris as his mechanic and Pam rode with Russ as his mechanic. Robert went solo. This was the first time for Chris and Robert but it was the fifth time for Russ at Lake Garnett. We decided to let the “younger” MGBs and Triumphs have a head start for the twenty minute run on the road course around the lake. After a few laps Griffey dropped out with electrical problems but Chris and Russ finished in grand TC tradition.
The TC tradition began in 1948 when the SCCA sanctioned its first sports car race which was held at Watkins Glen, NY on October 2. 35 cars entered, 15 cars qualified but only 10 finished and 8 of those 10 were MG TCs! And folks, that is how the tradition of sports car racing began after WWII in America.
Russ ran again on Sunday with a smaller field. On the second lap, when going around the Flat Iron 130 degree turn, Pam’s door flew open! She looked down at the blurred asphalt speeding by 6 inches below. Not missing a shift, the door was closed, properly latched and the safety lock set. Seat belts are nice to have at Lake Garnett. On their final lap Pam shouted that they hit 72 MPH on the back Santa Fe straightaway just before the chicane. Russ checked his tach = 4,500 RPMs.
The highpoint of the weekend for Russ was when he was finally able to give C.B. Harris a ride in his TC at speed around the old road course. C.B. is the founder of the Revival of the Lake Garnett Grand Prix. He remembers all the old races back in its day – Caroll Shelby in ’63 with his three Cobras #97, #98 & #99. When they came back into town after their run with smiles on their faces, C.B. was asked if it was the highpoint of his day. He replied, “I have been waiting 30 years for this!”
As Pam and Russ were loading the TC onto the trailer to head home, a car pulled into the parking lot and a man said, “I was a corner worker (safety marshal) and I sure enjoyed watching you two run in that old MG.” He went on to say that he loved Lake Garnett and volunteering and thought my 44 year old amateur restoration was beautiful. Beautiful? Cracking paint and patina must now be beautiful. We visited for a while and then he drove off. I thought, “This must be what Lake Garnett is all about – an old ghost track, born again, with people watching old sports cars running on it.”
A side note, Russ (and Pam) was awarded the Hagerty Spirit of the Event trophy for enthusiasm and support of the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival.
