Eight teams from Delaware Valley Triumph set out on the 2018 ABRR this year. Several brought in over $1,000+.
The teams were "Team DVT" (Bob De Lucia / Sumra Manning, 1974 TR6, raising over $1,459), "The Birkin Boys" (Dave and Chuck Hutchison, raising over $3,742), "A Tale of Two Sixes" (Ted Campbell/Nancy Anderson, 1976 TR6), and second in funds raised with $3,337, "To Be Determined" (Pat and Kevin Heron, 1975 Spitfire), "M & M Morgan" (Bruce and Shelly Menkowitz, 1998 Morgan), "Real News' (Alan and Robin Anspaugh, 2013 Mini Cooper, raising over $1,157), "What? No Lincoln?" (Melody and Larry Laurel, 1980 TR8), “Team Indecision" (Ian Furqueron).
And "Swamp Rocket" (Bill Murphy/Eugene Toner), in the "chase" vehicle, with the "Car of Shame" in the trailer, in case of a breakdown (raising over $1,274)
During the past few drives, the "Car of Shame" in the trailer was used because of a breakdown (or in the case of a few runs, several breakdowns). Previous breakdowns had been a TR3, a TR6, two Rovers (in the same year!), and a TR7 last year, so it has been useful to have the "Car of Shame" in the trailer (this year a nice BRG 2001 Mazda Miata...almost British with a design "inspired" (or stolen!) from the old Lotus Elan).
And the "Car of Shame" was used for a short time, as a TR8 had a power steering pump failure at Lime Rock. The Miata was pulled out, but the TR8 was repaired by just cutting the belt off to eliminate the pump, and turn it into manual drive.
ABRR teams ran a total of 692 miles (plus getting to, and returning from the starting point, e.g. my TR6 did about 800 miles), for a total of 19,376 reliable miles in our British cars.
DVT had two TR6's, a Spitfire, a TR8, a Morgan, a Birkin, and two new Minis.
Other Triumphs were also driven by members from New Jersey Triumph Association, Cliff Besett and Debra Lipp in a 1974 TR6, raising $1,519. Members from the Positive Earth Drivers Club were also part of the drive. Bob Canfield and Chip Reilly in a 1966 Spitfire (raising over $1,050), Art Becker and Peter Dow in a 1980 TR8.
There was also a very nice 1959 TR3A driven by James and Colin Butt. They currently have no club affiliation, but the car has been on the family for 55 years. And once represented DVT in the 1st Fairmount Park Vintage Grand Prix in Philadelphia, in 1990. They raised over $1,155.
The run started at the Quality Inn, in Ledge wood, NJ... Many ABRR participants drove to the hotel the evening before, to be up-and-ready for the 0800 morning departure north.
We have visited Lime Rock Park several times before on our ABRR drives, so it always a welcome place to visit, surrounded by the quaint and small New England villages surrounding the famous raceway.
We have visited Watkins Glen several times in previous ABRR drives, either driving through for a short visit, or actually staying over like we did one year in the iconic "Seneca Lodge". We were in late October on the drive, and had frost on the windshields in the morning, and had some light snow was we drove around the Finger Lakes.
Despite some rain, the track dried and we had some spirited parade laps around the track, with many of us saying that this was the best and fastest of our many previous parade laps, at many tracks. Lead by the Watkins Glen Camry pace car (with Bill Murphy in shotgun), the driver set the cruise control for 65, and did not touch the brakes the entire drive. 65 does not sound like much, but in a TR6 with some pretty tight turns, it was more than enough. Good fun.
Thanks to Dave Hutchison's connection, we visited a private car collection (Donald Bernstein) in Dunmore, PA. About 50 assorted American, German, French, and British beauties.
Funds raised for this year's charity (The Shriners Hospital for Children) were $41,972, breaking previous records and despite less participants since they had been siphoned off for the new Connecticut drive, and the previously new DC/Virginia drive. Sixteen ABRR teams on this year's run raised over $1,000, another new record. Twenty-eight ABRR teams made the drive.
And congratulations to Steve Feld and Steve Jekogian (even though not in a Triumph!) for raising $5351 for "Wheels for Love" and winning First Place in the 2018 PA ABRR!
Funds were raised from five different ABRR's around the country in 2018. Pennsylvania, Colorado (approximately $35,000 with 16 cars, including two TR6s, DC/Virginia ($26,535 with 12 cars, including two TR6s, and a TR250), New Hampshire/New England ($16,000 with 25 cars, including a TR8, Spitfire, and TR250), and Connecticut ($10,000 with 8 cars, including two TR6s).
Members, read the full event report in the TRundlin' TRriumphs Newsletter.