Canada’s Mosport Park and VARAC’s Vintage Racing Festival served as the hosts for this year’s 15th annual “Focus Event” for MG Vintage Racers, and honors bestowed during the June event included MGVR’s Spirit Award, the Bill Parish Memorial and the MG V-8 Challenge Trophy. The first of these, chosen by the competitors present to reward the person who best exemplifies the “Spirit of MG Vintage Racing,” went to David Holmes, an MGA racer from Ontario, whose teammate is his son, Evan, who races an MG Midget.
The Parish award is given in memory of the late Bill Parish, who never won a race with his MG TC, but who enjoyed every minute of his time racing it. New Yorker Storm Field, who races and MGB-GT V-8, enjoyed that particular recognition this year. Winner of the MG V-8 Challenge Trophy was Ontarian Nick Pratt, who brought his MG Midget home first in the event’s all-MG race. Pratt also earned the Al Pease Trophy for that accomplishment, as well as the President’s Trophy for having the top Midget/MGB in the race.
A double winner was Michigan’s Manley Ford (at left, red shirt), whose MG TD was the highest-placed T-Series car in the all-MG race. That earned him the Tommy Hoan Trophy, and he also picked up the Tony Simms Challenge Trophy (that’s Simms at left in blue shirt) for having the “best prepared, driven, and vintage correct MG” in the race.
Finally, the Van Worsdale Trophy was presented to Minnesotan Mark Brandow, whose MGA was the best-placed of that model in the all-MG race. Next year’s Focus Event will take place in September during Lime Rock Park’s Vintage Fall Festival. Visit www.MGVR.org for more information.
