The Competition Calendar for this year is published within the February issue of TRak as well as being posted on this website, and what a wonderful array of events is available to anyone even remotely interested in motorsport, whether it is club level or professional events, competitor or spectator.

Of particular interest to TSOA members will be the MSCA Sprint dates, and the Austin 7 Club Regularity events, both conducted at the Mallala circuit. The 6-Hour Regularity Relay is scheduled for 17th May – Team Triumph placed third in 2008 and will be looking to improve on this in this year’s event. The Modern Regularity SA Championship will be contested on 27th September – refer to the Austin 7 Club link on the TSOA website.

Also of note is two dates for “come and try” days at the Collingrove Hillclimb facility, one in April and the other in September. These days are available to anyone who hasn’t experienced hillclimbing before, and are a great introduction to the sport. Check out the Sporting Car Club website for details and entry forms. It is easy and cheap, and very little special preparation is necessary.

The All British Race Day, held at Wakefield Park NSW and complete with All Triumph races, is scheduled a little later in the year for 2009, being the 2nd August.  Race day is preceded by the usual Super Sprint hosted by the Austin Healey Owners Club. South Australian Triumphs will be there; perhaps a trio of GT6’s this year.

I have no information on an event scheduled for 18-19 April at a place known as Mt Alma. This will be a Hillclimb put on by the Southern Districts Car Club, so I will see what I can find out about it and keep you informed. The “Legend of the Lakes” event at Mt Gambier will be held over the weekend of 7-8 November and with the popularity of this Hillclimb up and around the blue lakes increasing each year, early entry is recommended – refer to the South East Auto Club website at www.seacsa.com  for details.

I have included the dates for major events that may be of interest – Clipsal, F1, SA Race and Hillclimb Championships, Classic Adelaide etc. just so that you know when to settle in front of the TV or put your hat on and go and have a look.

Lots to do, see, hear and experience. Let’s hope the Triumphs look and sound great, and go fast (as they usually do!)

That’s enough from me . . . see you trackside!

Roger

I was contacted recently by Larry Kavanagh of Fairview Park (mob 0488 401 956) who advised that he had recently acquired a very interesting vehicle with which he is seeking some help with both information and parts. After talking with Larry and reading the information that he does have about the car, I found both the history and the restoration project very interesting and well worth sharing with TSOA.

First, a brief history of what we know – one Lance Ridgway purchased an accident damaged TR3A in 1961 and proceeded to convert the car into a full bodied GT car complete with gull wing doors, using a square steel tube framework and full aluminium body shaped b y John Webb in his after hours time at the Elfin factory.

The car featured in the June 1963 edition of Sports Car World and we have a copy of this article complete with photos of the car showing its stylish fastback design and Lance Ridgway holding up one of the gull wing doors. Apparently, these were yet to find a permanent means of support given that gas struts were not commonly available at the time.

Lance sold the car to Dr Geoff Ward in 1963 and was raced and used for hillclimbing with mixed results – it was simply known as a Triumph GT. A Dr Ross Benger was next to own the car, before it was re-acquired by Lance Ridgway. During the period of this second term as owner, Lance had the fast back fixed roof removed and converted the car to a roadster, complete with small racing windscreen and roll bar.

Since that time the car has had several owners including the Kuchell family in the Barossa and a Steven Rowley of Williamstown. Larry Kavanagh now has what remains and judging by the photos, it is in need of some TLC. Lance is determined to get the car back to pristine condition and perhaps back on the track for historic demonstrations, regularity events and hill climbs.

Larry is keen to talk with anyone who may have information about the car, memories of events that it has been seen, photographs etc. Also, as there are many TR3A parts missing, he is keen to source parts to complete the job. If your shed is anything like mine, where odd bits and pieces of Triumph models that I have played with over the years are collected, and you have messed with the early TR’s, then you may have that missing bit.

Larry’s contact number is mob 0488 401 956 and he will be keen to talk with you.

Roger Lange, Competition Secretary

Welcome to 2009 and I hope everyone had a safe and happy Festive Season.

It is already the end of January and the calendar is filling up – a reminder that we have the first Ladies “Technical” Lunch on Tuesday 10th February at 12.00noon at Café Bongiourno at Mitcham do hope you can join us.

The Gelato and Coffee night in January went well and I hope everyone enjoyed the Fish and Chip and Ice-cream run that Judie and Tom organised.

The supper roster is beginning to fill, so if you can help where the vacancies are, please let me know.  I have increased the savoury budget to $30.00 but kept the sweet at $20.00. The raffle money should cover costs, so remember to keep your receipts.

Thanks for your help and see you all at the upcoming events!

Margie

The full 2009 Competition Events Calendar is now available for viewing and download from within the Competition News tab.

A full CAMS Calendar is available from me at TSOA General Meetings, or from the CAMS Office in Kent Town.

Roger Lange, Competition Secretary

CALENDAR OF COMPETITION EVENTS FOR 2009

DATE    EVENT    WHERE    BY
8-Feb    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
15-Feb    MSCA Presentation Day     Lehmann’s    MSCA
28-Feb    SA Race Championships Rd 1 (Twilight)    Mallala    SCCSA
1-Mar    Super Sprint Round 1    Mallala    MSCA
15-Mar    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
19-22 Mar    Clipsal 500    Adelaide    SAMSB
26-29 Mar    Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix    Melbourne    AGPC
11-12 Apr    Race – National Historics    Mallala    SCCSA
13-Apr    Hillclimb – Historics    Collingrove    SCCSA
18-19 Apr    Hillclimb – Mt Alma    Mt Alma    SDCC
26-Apr    Hillclimb – “Come and Try”    Collingrove    SCCSA
26-Apr    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
2-3 May    SA Race Championships Rd 2    Mallala    SCCSA
17-May    6 Hour Regularity Relay     Mallala    MSCA
14-Jun    Hillclimb, Multi Club    Collingrove    SCCSA
28-Jun    Hillclimb, Winter Cup Rd 1    Collingrove    SCCSA
28-Jun    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
5-Jul    Super Sprint Round 2    Mallala    MSCA
2-Aug    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
9-Aug    Hillclimb, Winter Cup Rd 2    Collingrove    SCCSA
16-Aug    Super Sprint Round 3     Mallala    MSCA
6-Sep    Super Sprint Round 4    Mallala    MSCA
12-13 Sep    SA Race Championships Rd 3    Mallala    SCCSA
26-Sep    Hillclimb – “Come & Try Day”    Collingrove    SCCSA
27-Sep    Hillclimb, Winter Cup Rd 3    Collingrove    SCCSA
27-Sep    Modern Regularity SA Championship (&S’karts)    Mallala    A7C
3-4 Oct    Historic Demonstration    Lobethal    SCCSA
17-Oct    SA Hillclimb Championship    Collingrove    SCCSA
25-Oct    Super Sprint Round 5    Mallala    MSCA
31-Oct / 8-Nov    TSOA NATIONAL RALLY     WA    TSOA (WA)
6-Nov    Climb to the Eagle    Adelaide    SCCSA
7-8 Nov    Hillclimb – “Legend of the Lakes”    Mt Gambier    SEAC
8-Nov    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C
14-Nov    SA Race Championships Rd 4 – Twilight    Mallala    SCCSA
18-22 Nov    Classic Adelaide Rally    Adelaide    Silverstone
6-Dec    Modern Regularity & Superkarts    Mallala    A7C