MG "High Five" Tag Team Race = FUN

By:  Greg Prehodka

 

The  Vintage Sports Car Club of America injected a huge amount of FUN into its Fall Finale races at Lime Rock Park, Ct. (USA) this October 6-7, where MGs were featured, by adding an All MG Tag Team Handicap Race!   Teams were mostly mixes of MG T's and MGA's, with each team also having to supply a designated "High Five" tag team runner.  The first group of  8 MGs took the green in the normal manner, completed five laps, and then came into the pits. Jim Warren, on the winning team, recalls the start: "I started on the inside of the front row.  When the green flag dropped, an unidentified TD on my outside got a jump on me, grabbed the lead going into Big Bend, and held on for the remainder.  Steve Schultz in an MGA and I had been swapping slipstreams all weekend and I was not too surprised to find him putting me behing him after lap one.  The three of us proceeded in order as a three-MG freight train until our final lap.  I then pulled in and gave a "High Five" to Jean Weissenborn, our team runner.  The rest is history."

As the teams first MGs came in and stopped, each driver gave a "High Five" to their team's runner, who then ran to the team's second MG parked on the false grid, giving that driver a "High Five" slap and out they went.  Repeat for team's 3^rd MG which took the checkered flag.  This was truly a "race to the finish", and exciting for everyone!  The winning team was rewarded with bottles of champagne!  It consisted of:

• '57 MGA - Jim Warren
• '59 MGA - Jim Weissenborn
• '60 MGA - Storm Field

  Storm later reflected:  "What a super fun event!  The handicapping was spot on with about four teams charging the finish line together!"  And fellow team winner Jim Warren:  "This was one of the most satisfying events I've run in quite some time, the wacky MG relay race was great fun!"

    John Schieffelin racing a '39 MGTB in it commented: - "The Tag Team race was really fun, it loosened up the atmosphere, gave everyone a chance to shine, and encouraged more people to get to know each other."   So, as the sun set on beautiful northwest Connecticut, with all the fall colors bursting out, MG racers and crews left with many happy memories!

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High resolution photos available on request from pr@mgvr.org (Greg Prehodka).  Permission to use as long as photo credit is given:

• Photo of the winning 3 drivers with their cars
• Photo of two tag team runners running next to MGs
• MGs racing on the track