Limerock Park Vintage Festival

[Michael Oritt]

All--

I am headed up to Limerock Park for this coming weekend's Vintage Festival. This will be my first race in the Mark IV. It will also be my first race since the July 2009 PVGP after which I was hit with severe ulcerative colitis. A new car, three surgeries and 13 months later I am a bit excited...

If anyone else from the forum will be there please find me. I will be in paddock A parked with Michael Clifford--he has a big black rig with a blue and white striped canopy.

 

[aeronca65t]

I'll be there with a bunch of Lotus friends. We'll stop by for sure.

 

[DrEntropy]

You have friends with Lotus cars?!?! wow. :wink:

Have fun, Michael!! Report back. PHOTOS!!! :laugh:

 

[aeronca65t]

You have friends with Lotus cars?!?! wow. :wink:

Have fun, Michael!! Report back. PHOTOS!!! :laugh:

Yeah, one of my friends wants to start up a Lotus dealership/race shop here in NJ.
He already has a shop that does exotic cars, so he knows what he's getting into.

I'm hoping it works out....so I can get some seat time in an Elise. :wink:

 

[Michael Oritt]

I don't know about photos but I have my Cam transferred into the Mk IV from the Courier and will eventually put some footage onto YouTube--when I do I will post a link here.

 

[DrEntropy]

THAT'LL work, too! :wink:

 

[dougie]

Have a great time Michael. Let us know how the new car works out. I'll be at SOVREN's Columbia River Classic at my home town track PIR. I really hope it stays dry all weekend, it's rained the past 2 years.

Dougie

 

[Michael Oritt]

Dougie--

I will be leaving Maryland tomorrow AM with Hurricane Earl about 24 hours behind me. According to the "Cone of Error" we are likely to get some weather off of the storm at LRP, the question being whether it tracks to the west or the east.

 

[DrEntropy]

Just keep safe, Michael.

 

[aeronca65t]

As of right now, 30% chance of rain on Friday and 10% chance of rain on Saturday.

I think we'll be OK. But I'm not taking the MGB.....just in case.

 

[Michael Oritt]

My weekend at LRP ended the first day during the second session when the engine suddenly died. On examination we found that the distributor was not rotating and the valves were not opening/closing and since both the cam and the dizzy shaft jackshaft are gear-driven via a gear on the crank the surmise (without opening up the front cover) is that a woodruff key either fell out or broke. So a $.50 item cost me both the weekend and at least two or three bent valves (hopefully nothing more) since the valves do interfere with the pistons.

Not withstanding the above I had a great time--this was my first race since July 2009 when I fell ill with UC and lost a year to sickness, surgeries and recovery. Plus the car, while it ran, felt great, handled superbly and went REALLY fast. I felt comfortable both in the car and back on the track and it was great seeing a lot of buds I have missed since last Summer.

The car is back at the engine builder's and I hopefully will get it back for the VRG event at WG. In the meantime I'll take the Courier to the NJMP races coming up later this month.

Nial--it was good seeing you and hope you had a good time.

 

[dougie]

Michael - I 'm sorry to hear you didn't get the seat time you deserved at after all you've been through. It sounds like it felt great while it lasted and when everything gets sorted out I'm sure you and the new car will have may miles of sweet track time together.
We've been lucky with dry weather all weekend here in Portland, OR for SOVREN's CRC. Healey's are well represented, I'm pitted with Larry Paterson of Alberta, CA
and his '55 100-M racer and Dave Phillips (BCF RED57) and his '57 100-6. Our feature Group 1 race finish with an all Healey podium today. Larry 3rd, Dave 2nd,
and after a tremendous dice with a '57 Ferrari, I took the lead for good after he used his brakes up. Best race I've had in a long time. With the All British Field Meet occuring at the same time as the CRC races, the Healey's had quite a cheering section. Good fun, one day left 2 races tomorow, my Big Healey is running better than ever.

Dougie

 

[aeronca65t]

Congrats to Dougie on your win.

We had plenty of big Healys at our event here on the east coast too (but not so many racers). See photos below:

Michael: Look forward to seeing the new car run at WG....as you know, I'll be racing at NJMP with VRG on Sept 24-25

 

[Michael Oritt]

Nial--

I'll be bringing the (reliable) Courier to NJMP. Interestingly Healey is the featured marque for the evnt.

When I wasn't hanging around my car I was over at the New England Healey Club's tent in paddock B where I spent some great times with several fellows there including Steve Bell who hawks all the used Healey parts at their swap meet setup and also writes "The Sprite Guy" column for one of the Healey Club mags plus Bob Bender who owns the pretty red 100 pictured. A nicer and frindlier bunch of guys does not exist.

 

[aeronca65t]

Ahh, good. I wasn't sure what your intentions were for NJMP.

I know about Healey being a featuted marque. When they had an MG feature race a few years ago, I made sure I brought my "MG" badges for the car, so I could run in that race.
I'm bringing my "Austin-Healey" badges this year, in case they have a Healey-only race....Haha.

Great thing about a Spridget....it can be either marque.

We're staying at the Quality Inn in Millville.

See you there!

 

[Michael Oritt]

Nial--

I am goiing to pull your car's covers and expose it for the transvestite that it is!

 

[aeronca65t]

:lol: :lol: :lol: